See You Later, Alligators
Final presentation video above! Message me/ look on slack for the pw.
FINAL CRITIQUE
My crit didn't go quite as planned. I decided that, instead of explaining my concept from beginning to end as one typically expects in a crit, I explained very little and dunked my crits headfirst into my project. I was a bit sleep deprived from the weekend, trying to get finals work finished, and of course putting together this video. I only realized that my critiques may have an issue with only just seeing this video on the train ride over to present! I think the issue here was that I accidentally replaced the crits with my classmates in my mind, and almost expected them to have been with me throughout the semester. Of course this isn't something that I literally thought, but I think I failed to think ahead in terms of how much set-up I might have to do to receive a successful critique.
Some of the main takeaways:
It seemed that one of the crits thought the project was about data security which means that I definitely need to think about what limitations I can place on my project so that the thread between each "tool" is apparent.
Also I received criticism about using code when it *is* in fact binary. I spoke to Waverly about it and they framed it in a way that made sense to me: rather than using code, I am exploring cyberspace, which of course in order to do so I'm using code to run my own experiments in this sphere. I don't think my project is *about* subverting the binary of code, but needed to be made clearer that it's specifically about subverting UI, which of course uses code.
Having felt disheartened after my crits, I asked to speak to my thesis prof for next year. She really helped me come to understand where my work is right now and I formulated marching orders for the next semester:
Approach making backwards. Identify the sites of oppression that I am focused on, and start making based upon the mechanics that constitute that particular oppression. Figure out the internal logic of these structures and build concepts off of that research and investigation.
Decide whether I want to focus strictly on superficial interface design, or the deeper infrastructure, etc.
Define the limitations for my project and stick to them. (See #2)
Develop the queer strategies that I plan to employ, taking example from my successful prototypes created in Thesis 2.
Overall, I was thrown a bit with my initial critiques but I also think I learned a really big lesson which is that, I can't expect people to read my mind! I really have to set folks up if I want a specific response from them, which I honestly didn't do. While I think much of their feedback wasn't super helpful, there are definitely nuggets of helpful critique buried in there.
Advice to Thesis Baby
Lastly, here's some advice I'd give myself if I were to do semester 1 again:
I wish I had started talking to more people about my thesis sooner. My friends seemed really excited and *got* it when I talked to them about it, but I was so unconfident in the beginning that it took me a while to get heated up.
I went to 2 conferences this semester but I wish I had had the guts to go up to certain speakers and strike up a conversation, rather than just find them on Twitter later :')
Read more full books! I read a TON of work but I would sort of read snippets here and there which definitely became helpful, but I wish I could have taken in an entire book, rather than just a chapter or two. I'm not sure I actually had the time for this but one can dream….
Ending On a Lil’ Cheese
I think this semester went really well and I'm so grateful for the class we had. I have truly never felt this comfortable in a class setting and I seriously feel a little teary knowing I'll never get to have a thesis class with y'all again :'(. I think this just goes to show how the folks who you surround yourself with during the creative process is soooo important. Even if you love the professor, it often has to be about the combination of loving your professor *and* your classmates, which is really hard to get! But…we got it this semester <3 Sorry to end my post on an incredibly cheesy note, but I'm also not sorry ;)














