A precedent is a project done in the real world that can be used to help explain some of the ideas that will be covered in the studio or project.

Students should locate and critically evaluate precedents and demonstrate how the content of the relate to their projects.

Precedents generally fall into a number of categories:

CONCEPTUAL

ASPIRATIONAL

COMPARABLE

CONCEPTUAL PRECEDENTS

They explore ideas related to the studio through critical analysis of a wide range of largely art-based projects.

ASPIRATIONAL PRECEDENTS

They look at cutting-edge or futurist implementation of technology as related to the studio topic.

COMPARABLE PRECEDENTS

They look at nascent or current projects, often in the marketplace, that relate to the theme of the studio at a design and technological level that students can reasonably achieve within the course of the Studio.

Through a critical analysis and melding of these categories, students can develop ideas for creative and technical innovations based on an expansive understanding of the theme.

What makes a good Precedent?

MEANINGFUL

-Provides a rich social, historical or cultural context.

-Highlight examples of current relevant projects.

-Shows a novel approach.

-Shows a novel design solution.

-Exposes students to concepts, projects, and research that they are unaware of.

-Helps generate conversation about the studio topic early in the research and brainstorming process.

INSPIRING & EXCITING

-Shows a conceptual application.

-Shows a novel technical, functional, or mechanical application.

FOCUSED

GUIDING

Shows students options, avenues, and principles at any point during the design process. Precedents are useful throughout the studio, not just at the beginning.

The name of the project/device/object/installation/book etc.

Name of the creator.

A source link to the original content.

Analysis (if appropriate) of the precedent. This can be technical or conceptual.

A precedent can be a video or a series of images. Image posts should have a Title and Caption on every slide. Every Precedent should include the following in the body of the post:

POSTING PRECEDENTS

Name of the project

Name of the creator

Link

Caption

Student Examples

3

Volts

A battery is a device that stores chemical energy and converts it to electrical energy. The chemical reactions in a battery involve the flow of electrons from one material (electrode) to another, through an external circuit. The flow of electrons provides an electric current that can be used to do work.

THE BATTERY

1.8 - 3.3

Volts

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current flows through it. LEDs have positive (+) and negative (-) sides to them. For an LED to work it needs to be connected to a voltage source with the correct side.

THE LED

An LED circuit requires three basic elements. The light, the wires that create a loop, and a battery. 

A switch can also be added to allow you to open and close the circuit, turning on and off the light. 

+

-

a switch is an electrical drawbridge when the bridge is up the electrons can't go anywhere

the Light Emitting Diode [LED] will provide our light

the battery holds the electrons

LED CIRCUIT BASICS

A switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit. Interrupting the electric current turns the LED off, connecting the current turns it on. 

THE SWITCH

Securing the wires to the switch

Attach the metal ends of wires through holes of switch prongs

Secure each side with tape - make sure the wires aren't touching each other!

LEDs

switch

wires

batteries

LED

switch

battery

BUILDING A SIMPLE CIRCUIT

WHAT WE ARE MAKING

WHY WE ARE MAKING IT

a electrical circuit that powers a DC motor

a motor can activate our projects with movement

MATERIAL OPTIONS

The Motors

The Batteries

The Wires

The Switches

Vibration Motor

(3v)

High Torque

Geared Motor

(3v-9v)

High Speed

Geared Motor

(3v-9v)

Coin Cell

(3v)

9v Battery

(9v)

AA Battery Holder

(3v)

Male-Male Jumper Wires

22 Gauge Wires

Rocker Switch

Momentary Switch

Toggle Switch

To Create a Motor Circuit

Power Supply

(Batteries)

Motor

(Takes electricity and uses it to spin)

Connector

(Conductive Wire)

CREATING THE CIRCUIT

Design the object you want your motor to spin. 

How does it attach to the motor shaft?

Toggle Switch

9v Battery

Geared Motor

Either use crocodile clips

or

if you have a battery pack use the wires to connect the battery to the DC motor

Motors convert electrical current (the flow of electrons) to rotational movement via electromagnets. 

Connect the motor to the battery with wires

What happens when you reverse the wires?

all components are connected in a single loop.

The electricity flows through each one in order.



This means:

Shared electricity:

The more components you add, like light bulbs, the dimmer they get because they all share the same electricity.

One path:

There’s only one path for the electricity. If one component stops working (like a broken light bulb), the whole circuit stops because the flow of electricity is blocked.

In a series circuit



each component has its own path to the power source.



This means:

Equal electricity:

Each component gets the same amount of electricity, so even if you add more, they all stay bright.

One path:

There are many paths for electricity to flow. If one component stops working, the others keep working because the electricity can still flow through the other paths.

In a parallel circuit

DESIGN YOUR CYBORG MOVEMENT!

Three Kinds of Feedback

There are three forms of feedback, all of which vary in their degree of usefulness to us in the design process.

Understanding these three kinds of feedback can help us understand the conversations we have with our teams and improve our own ability to react to and use feedback to strengthen our designs.

Reaction-Based

Feedback

Direction-Based

Feedback

Critique

REACTION-BASED

FEEDBACK

This type of feedback tends to be emotional or visceral. It happens quickly and instinctively. This type of feedback is often filled with passion. It’s driven by someone’s personal expectations, desires, and values. Essentially, it’s a gut reaction.

DIRECTION-BASED

FEEDBACK

Typically begins with an instruction or suggestion. In many cases that’s also where it ends. In this form of feedback, the individual providing it is often looking for ways to bring the design more in line with their own expectations of what the solution should be.

The Characteristics of Bad Critique

What causes a critique to be “bad” is usually a set of behaviors or characteristics exhibited by those involved.

Selfish

Untimely

Incomplete

Preferential

SELFISH

Driven by the critic’s personal goals and come at the expense of the team or other individuals, specifically the designer of whatever is being discussed. In extreme cases, selfish critique comes from the motivation of the giver to not only be heard and attract attention, but also to be recognized as smarter or superior.

UNTIMELY

For the receiver to really listen, process, and make use of critique, she needs to be in the proper mindset. When critique is uninvited, it can lead to defensiveness, communication breakdowns, and often paints the person giving the critique as a “know it all.”

INCOMPLETE

For critiques to become valuable, they need to be followed by an explanation as to “why” the giver is having that reaction or foresees a certain outcome.

PREFERENTIAL

That’s when designs are torn apart not because a particular aspect isn’t working toward its objective, but rather because it doesn’t match exactly what the critique giver “likes.”

Best Practices for Giving Critique

Productive critique has the ability to strengthen relationships and collaboration, improve productivity, and lead to better designs.

Lead

with questions

Use

a filter

Talk about strenghts

Think about perspective

LEAD WITH QUESTIONS

By asking questions you give yourself more information on which to base your analysis and give stronger, actionable feedback. It can also show the designer that you’re genuinely interested in his work, and the thinking behind it, which can make discussing the project easier.

USE A FILTER

Hold on to your initial reactions, investigate them, and discuss them in the proper context. Ask the presenters additional questions if necessary to help you understand your reaction. Does the reaction relate to the objectives of the product, the audience for it, or any particular best practices that should be followed?

TALK ABOUT STRENGHTS

When we talk about aspects of a product or design that are working, there is the potential for the designer to examine those areas and abstract concepts or elements from them that could be used to strengthen other areas of the design that might not be working as well.

THINK ABOUT PERSPECTIVE

When you examine an aspect of the design and comparing your perspective to what you think the user’s might be, you’re off to a good start. From there you might find that one is clearly more appropriate than the other, or perhaps it might be best to bring both up in the discussion.

Receiving Critique Poorly

When engaging in critique, there are patterns that go against critique best practices and can hinder the critique process.



Asking for feedback

without listening

Asking for feedback

for praise or validation

Not asking for

feedback at all

ASKING FOR FEEDBACK

WITHOUT LISTENING

Asking for critique at a time when we don’t really want it or can’t do something with it leads to unproductive discussions. By not listening to our teammates, we miss valuable insights that can help improve our designs.

ASKING FOR FEEDBACK FOR VALIDATION

Whether we’re designing alone or as part of a team, it’s not unusual to want to be recognized for our creations. But it should not become our motivation for asking for feedback.

NOT ASKING FOR

FEEDBACK AT ALL

If we don’t take the initiative to ask for critique or feedback in a way that helps us understand and improve upon our ideas then we’ll miss a huge opportunity. We can’t assume that just because no one comes to us that we’ve designed the perfect solution.

Best Practices for Receiving Critique

Receiving critique in a way that is productive goes beyond just asking for it and then sitting back to let others give you their thoughts.

Remember the

purpose

Listen and think before responding

Return to the foundation

Participate

REMEMBER

THE PURPOSE

Critique is about understanding and improvement, not judgment. There is no such thing as a perfect solution. There is always room for improvement. A goal of a critique is to help identify where those opportunities are. Critique isn’t about pass or fail. It is a reflection used to inform a next step.

LISTEN AND THINK BEFORE RESPONDING

When receiving critique, it’s important that we work toward preventing any natural tendencies to form rebuttals and instead focus on listening to people’s entire thoughts.

PARTICIPATE

One of the best things a designer can do during a critique is to become a critic themselves. Being able to shift our mindset from thinking creatively to being analytical about what we’re designing is a key design skill.

CRITIQUE

Critique isn’t about that instant reaction we might feel when seeing something, or about how we would change someone’s design to better solve an issue. Critique is a form of analysis that uses critical thinking to determine whether a design is expected to achieve its desired objectives.

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

You will prototype two different mechanisms you find particularly intriguing

to learn how these mechanisms work and how they can be applied in real-world applications

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

Familiarize yourself with the different mechanisms we'll be exploring: cam & linkage, scissor lift, gears, pulley, lever, fan/expanding, waving/bending, curving, grabbing, and tentacle motion. 

Take some time to research and understand how each mechanism functions. 

Choose two mechanisms that you find most intriguing or relevant to your interests. Using the provided cardboard and craft tools, start prototyping each chosen mechanism. You may want to sketch out your designs first to visualize how each mechanism will work. 

Experiment with different shapes, sizes, and configurations to optimize the performance of your cardboard mechanisms. 



Test your prototypes to see how well they function. Make adjustments as needed to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

Scissor Lift

Mechanism 2

Gears

Mechanism 3

1. Print out the Spur Gear Template that is attached to this post
2. Cut the paper shapes out
3. Use a glue stick to attach the paper cut-outs to a piece of cardboard
4. Using a pair of sharp scissors or an exact knife and cutting mat, cut the shapes out of cardboard
5. Mount the cardboard gears onto the base using brads (brass fasteners).
6. You might need to adjust the spacing using the cardboard washers to make sure that the teeth of the gear mesh properly
7. Spin your gears!

INSTRUCTIONS

Lever

Mechanism 5

Expanding

Fanning

Mechanism 6

How to make it

1

4

2

5

3

6

Waving

Mechanism 7

How to make it

1

4

2

3

5

6

Curving

Mechanism 8

How to make it

1

4

2

3

Grabbing

Mechanism 9

How to make it

1

4

2

3

5

4

 Coiling / Tentacle Motion

Mechanism 10

How to make it

1

4

2

3

EXTRA CHALLENGE

Cam and Linkage

Mechanism 1

Pulley

Mechanism 4

What's prototyping?

Creating a model of an object

with materials in hand

In a short amount of time 

Quickly test and validate assumptions

Communicate design intent with others

Assess form, materials, ergonomics

Collect feedback from end users

WHY DO WE PROTOTYPE?

Why do we prototype?

    Test the functionality of an idea & Validate Assumptions 

Communicate a concept quickly & Get Feedback

Visualize form & Materials

         Avoid too much detail 

        Invite improvement

         Refine & Iterate 

What to consider when prototyping?

Steps Of Protyping

LOW-FIDELITY

HIGH-FIDELITY

vs

LOW-FI VS HIGH-FI

Low-Fi

High-Fi

James Dyson, founder of the Dyson Vacuum company, spent 5 years developing 5,127 prototypes for the G-Force vacuum, the world’s first vacuum to utilize cyclonic separation.

NUVU STUDENT EXAMPLE

Low-Cost Mask Testing Device

Low-Fidelity

High-Fidelity

NUVU STUDENT EXAMPLE

"Mindfulness Eating Kit"

Low-Fidelity

High-Fidelity

NUVU STUDENT EXAMPLE

"DNA Discovery"

Low-Fidelity

High-Fidelity

NUVU STUDENT EXAMPLE

"Extendable Garage"

Low-Fidelity

High-Fidelity

Low-Fidelity Prototypes

High-Fidelity Prototypes

Easy and fast to make

Low Cost

No special equipment needed

Can look rough-and-ready

Harder to simulate functionality

Hard to visualize aesthetics

+

+

+

-

-

-

+

+

+

-

-

-

Great-Looking

Good for showcasing a finalized concept

Helps with "buy-in" from stakeholders

Harder/slower to produce

Higher cost

Specialty equipment / materials may be needed

VS

CONVERGENT

THINKING

DIVERGENT

THINKING

vs

CONVERGENT VS DIVERGENT THINKING

Prompt:

Design a cow mug...

CONVERGENT PROTOTYPING

"GloFlo"

Convergent Thinking

Divergent Thinking

Leads to more feasible solutions

Allows students to go "deeper" into making

Seeks to answer questions

Risk of confirmation bias

Limited creativity and innovation

Can miss out on alternative solutions

+

+

+

-

-

-

+

+

+

-

-

-

Encourages "Out-of-the-box" ideas

Creates more opportunity for discovery

Helps students overcome bias towards "favorite" ideas

Not all ideas will be feasible

Can be overwhelming

Takes time to produce several prototypes

VS

DIVERGENT PROTOTYPING

"Patch"

MATERIALS

Materials

 Tools 

 Connectors

Cardboard

Metal Ruler

Pencil 

Markers 

Cutting Blade

Masking Tape

Hot Glue Gun

String

Fasteners 

Paper

   Start with sketching

1st Iteration: Messy + Quick

2nd iteration: More precision+intention

3rd Iteration: Final Product 

Programs 

1st Iteration: Messy + Quick

2nd iteration: More precision+intention

Electronics

Ask for help and training if you are going to use a tool that is new to you. 

If you can’t receive training from someone in your household, find a different means to work.

Read labels and instructions on any product (adhesives, paints, etc.) before use. Toxicity or fumes, means choosing a different material.

Avoid melting and burning material like plastics and foams that may create unpredictable toxic fumes.

Power tools should only be used with supervision and proper protection.

“Never work alone”  & Unplug when not in use!

Hair up, sleeves, jewelry out of the way and safety glasses always.

Tips

Take things slowly. Pause frequently. Think ahead.

If you find yourself making silly mistakes take a break, clear everything off your desk and only put back what you need. Then take a stroll around the space/ yard before getting back to it.

CARDBOARD

• Readily available
• Easy to manipulate
• Strong

Corrugation

CARDBOARD



Structural in one direction and bendable in the other

Bendable one direction

TOOLS

CUTTING TECHNIQUES

Cutting

Straight

Cutting

Curves

SHAPING TECHNIQUES

Shaping:

Bending

Shaping:

Faceting

Shaping:

Score + Bend

Straight

Shaping:

Score + Bend

Curve

Shaping:

Score + Bend

Shaping:

Layering

JOINERY

Joining:

Hinge

Joining:

Hinge

Joining:

Braces

Joining:

Tabs

Joining:

Tabs

Joining:

Slotting

Joining:

Slotting

Joining:

Tabs/

Notching

Joining:

Tabs/

Notching

Joining:

Butt Joint

Joining:

Brads

Joining:

Skewer

Joining:

Skewer

Joining:

Flange

Joining:

Strap

COOL CARDBOARD PROTOTYPES

Deep Sea Bots Studio

COOL CARDBOARD PROTOTYPES

Responsive Architecture Studio