The memory project is an ethnographic design research project. Here are 5 of the student project briefs that have been developed based on the observations, research and analysis undertaken by each student in the first 6 weeks of the project.

Shirley Boyle Baking Bread

My mother and I bake every Thursday, it has become a tradition, it represents a direct connection to the past. My grandmother has passed down the secret family recipes, I am the last inline to keep up this tradition. I have inherited the skills of generations past, they have instilled in me values and work ethics. The bread is highly significant it signifies history, family history.

I want to create films that evoke memories from past generations.

The films will show how to produce homemade traditional family recipes where the viewer can relate and interact with cooking, see how it is done and take their own time. In the films my mother and I will explain what the food means and represents to us.

Working Title:- An Teach, which means “The House”, in English. This would be the name my mother would give her very own restaurant.

Una Gallagher: Software learning

The purpose of this brief is to create a piece of software that will enable users to distinguish what they have learned while using any piece of creative software. The example that will be used in this project will be Adobe Photoshop but the end product would be compatible with numerous others.

The purpose of this software is to enable users to organise their learning of a piece of software while being able to list what they have already learned. It will also provide instruction and tutorial files depending on which type of software is being learned and will help the user learn certain skills.

Simon Byrne: PC- Alert System.

This brief is to design an alert system – involving the use of a lap top computer.  When a kettle boils, mobile phone rings or the front door bell rings, an immediate alert will flash up on the laptop screen.  This will ensure that the environment in which the individual finds themselves in, does not, impede on the acknowledgement that an activity has taken place. 

To make this happen a component will be fitted to the front door bell, kettle, mains telephone and mobile phone. 

Flashing lights on the laptop will be the end product. 

The system will be wireless and attachable to various items of equipment throughout the home i.e. multi- purpose.

Specification

• A Sensor will be placed on door bell, kettle, mobile phone.
• The sensor will be about 6x10cm
• The kettle will sit on the sensor.
• The sensor will be attached to the button on the door bell.
• The mobile phone will be placed on vibrating mode and also placed on the sensor.

All above will work with motion, the vibration, sending a signal to the router on the wall (like TV mounted on wall).

The router will also have a dual purpose- it will have a call screen which will record any unanswered calls when you leave the house. 

This item must be visual, interactive, have an interface and a strong motivation to use it. 

 

John Keeley: Forget –me -not

Problem. What happens if a person needs to remember to do something or an important occasion some time in the future, but is not sure if they will remember when the time comes? How to make a solution that can be seen or heard in time?

Solution: The Project will be a video advertising a product that helps people remember certain things that they have to do. The product would be based on a digital photo frame. A digital photo frame is an electronic device that plays a sequence of digital photographs. The new device, for the sake of the project will be called ‘Forget-me-not’, will play a specific image, sound and text message at a certain time of the day to remind a person to do a task they may have forgotten. It would be possible to schedule the task weeks in advance and would be PC connectable via USB to add images or sounds.

Example: A person has to walk the dog but has forgotten. The device plays a tune (an mp3 file) catching the attention of the person. The person goes to investigate and on the screen of the device is a picture of a dog lead. At the bottom of the screen is the word “Walkies”. That is the basis of the device.

Mark Douglas – call me!

People always have so much on their minds and remembering to call someone can become quite a challenge so a product needs to be designed that can be slid into everyone’s everyday life to eliminate forgotten contact arrangements and frustrating forgetfulness to call someone