Design LOOK#
General Description: This assignment is all about observation and contemplation without digital interference. It is a bit off the norm for college today. Your task is to observe and record, no more, no less … for three consecutive hours, no more, no less. Your handwritten/drawn notes are all you must submit when the observation is complete along with some brief analysis about the experience. The subject of the observation is “an iconic UVA landmark,” e.g., the lawn.
Preparatory Assignments: Lab #1 – Georgia Lupi “My Phone”, in-class activities, READ assignments.
Why am I doing this? The goal of this assignment is to push past the quick and superficial observations we make all the time. You will have the opportunity to really study and observe. That takes time. That is why this assignment has a duration of 3 consecutive hours. Many of the struggles faced by students in Data Science are caused by external pressures for quick solutions, or by jumping quickly between thoughts and foci. You may initially squirm and fidget, and check the time, but eventually you will break through and transcend. Then the deep observation begins. For some people it only takes 30 minutes to transcend, others longer, fortunately the observation duration is 3 consecutive hours, so there is plenty of time. This may sound strange or odd so to quote Harvard professor Jennifer Roberts who has a similar assignment, “They needed someone to give them permission to spend this kind of time on anything,” she said. “Somebody had to give them a different set of rules and constraints than the ones that were dominating their lives.” The key is to understand your goal and be aware of when you have truly studied the matter at hand (aka observed for 3 consecutive hours) as opposed to having just scratched the surface (aka Wikipedia depth).
Course Learning Objective Alignment: Observe the world around you, recording your observations in a systematic way.
Course Learning Objective Alignment: Reflect on your data and transform it into a medium for efficient communication to other humans.
What am I going to do? After selecting an iconic UVA landmark, find a time in your schedule where you can spend 3 consecutive hours observing it. Pack some paper and something to write with (e.g.: colored pencils). Don’t pack anything digital, you won’t need it. Also pack water.
It’s like this scene. Don’t bring your phone, it is only full of distractions.
Then observe for 3 consecutive hours. Note what you see; note what you think. Likely you will become impatient and distracted, that’s ok, that’s part of it. You may even fight it, that’s ok, that’s part of it. But eventually you will break through the barrier, you will notice things you never noticed before and the impatience will dissipate. Take care to note this transition. After that transition, survey the notes you have taken and think about structuring your notes going forward. Finally finish your observation by making two selections. The first is the most important thing you have noticed and the second is a question you have that emerged from this observation. When you are done you will take time to package your results for submission to canvas (yes, I do see the irony).
Tips for success:
Believe in yourself. Don’t be cynical. Go for it.
Tell a friend to meet you at your landmark three hours after you plan to arrive.
Bring several pencils/pens/etc. and sheets of paper.
Don’t worry about notes being legible or even using words and numbers. Note in whatever way you prefer.
When deciding what is important, live in the moment, don’t overthink it. Let it be an expression of yourself.
Find a comfy chair or bring something to make the observation more comfortable.
It is completely fine to stand and stretch and sit and change position or observation point (e.g.: move around and observe your landmark from multiple directions).
If you “cheated” and brought your phone, it’s ok. Just turn off the notifications and put it away.
If you really must use your phone, one activity is excusable. Call someone you really should call more often and talk for five minutes (e.g. I would call my mother), BUT you have to ask about them and listen and care, and if they ask about you all you can do is tell them the assignment you are working on and how you are breaking the rules and that you will call them back when it is over.
How will I know I have succeeded? I will meet spec when I follow the criteria in this rubric.
Specs Category |
Specs Details |
|---|---|
Formatting |
- Combine everything into one pdf for submission |
Field notes |
- Goal: These are your notes taken in the field. Typically, about 4 pages |
Most important observation |
- Goal: State the observation you found most compelling and why |
Most burning question |
- Goal: State the question you must find out the answer to and why |
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Jess Taggart from UVA CTE for coaching us. This structure is pulled directly from Streifer & Palmer (2020).