Lecture Assignments
Assignment 1
During this session, we presented the updated versions of our building blocks, showing the interoperability we worked on in Assignment 2.3 and responding to the feedback we received in Session 3. My concept was received positively, especially in terms of design, portability, and its interoperability with the surrounding environment. Most people preferred option C, which uses the open mount adapter. They described it as a strong and appealing design that is easy to carry, place where needed, and connect to different objects.
At the same time, the discussion again focused on how the concept could become even more tinkerable. Suggestions included combining it with other tinkering materials or with elements from the surrounding environment, such as a desk, and adding wires or Arduino connections to make electronic tinkering possible.
It was useful to see how other students had further developed their concepts in response to earlier feedback. Bas adapted his design so that the black LEGO pins could fit into it more easily. Jasmijn improved her velcro-based concept by making the foam thicker, which made it possible to place two lines next to each other and made the design more accessible. Anne presented a triangular piece with magnets and holes for tubes, designed for building larger constructions and also compatible with LEGO. Ewoud did not yet have a new prototype to show, but he discussed the idea of using blocks as resonance boxes for sound.
This session made it clear that small adjustments in connection methods and material choices can strongly affect how open a concept is to experimentation/tinkering. For my own project, the main takeaway is that the next iteration should not only remain functional and portable, but should also create clearer opportunities for users to explore, connect, and adapt the building block in unexpected ways (tinkering in general). I do not know how yet, but I will figure that out later.