Free Writing
It has been a crazy week for me. I started with one direction for my thesis topic, which then evolved into two, and then a third was brought along. When I first started my process, I went with a simple concept/mind map to touch on the topics I had envisioned in pursuing first. They included technology, color theory, internet & graphic design, and digital revolution. When I completed the simple map, I started working with word lists.
The Word Lists
The first list was the “Apps” idea, I started writing down everything I could think of associated with the Apps and what about them intrigued me. Next came the idea of pursuing the color theory, but in what context I kept thinking. When I did my list I wrote down just a few ideas. Not as many as the apps had generated, but still a few to keep the brain thinking. The last list was the digital revolution. Focusing more what a digital enhancement can do to print media.
Connections
When I finished the lists I continued working on just now writing connections to what everything came about from the word lists. Ideas on how to pursue a topic of interest for my thesis. I felt as if though the digital revolution had more “meat” to it to pursue. At this point I just started writing more “features” of what this digital revolution could have which felt as if though I skipped a piece of my exploration. This followed another mind map where I tried to connect all the dots and jump back into the theory side of things. User Experience is what kept popping out at me that kept being focused in this digital revolution idea.
Shift in Direction
After a class discussion, and a few chats with professors in regards to a new direction I wanted to take — a new idea came about. One that incorporated technology, user experience, graphic design, and most importantly — fun. After discussing a topic that I didn’t quite know the name of it, but the concept of I realized this is somewhere I wanted to venture in. I did some minor research on the internet, through Google Scholar on the topic of “gamification”. I realized this is was QUITE interesting and it appeared to be a new trend in multiple fields. After researching a bit about it, then I started to free write again what caught my interest. Everything from the reward system, badges, instant recognition, to the possibilities available in regards to graphic design, user experience, interface/web design. I followed a similar path by creating another mind map and a list of words associated with each and found connections!
Then…The Crash.