Screens guide individuals to places/things/people of interest.

It's somewhere between a QR code "building" and a custom app similar to Photosynth. But where it is in that spectrum I haven't really figured out yet.

Hi class,

There was a question about the "block diagram" for this week's assignment. It is common when proposing a project to provide, or be asked to provide, a block diagram. There is no strict meaning or format, but generally it consists of a series of labelled boxes with lines or arrows connecting them. For a hardware project, the block diagram can show the major components of the system and how they are connected. For a software project, a good block diagram makes clear how the software will be architected and how it is modularized. I find this to be a very useful part of the design process, because when you have difficulty making the diagram, if usually means that you didn't think enough about how it would actually work. And when you do have a good diagram, it makes it easy to farm out the production of a project, debug it and explain it to the client. It is also very useful when working with various trades, such as electricians and fabricators. (click title for more...)

Consider a digital wayfinding system for E14 or the E14/E15 complex. The system should address the needs of the many different users of the building - staff, researchers, students, guests. Think about how each constituency makes use of the space and how that influences your design. The system should do all of the things that any good system does: clarify the arrangement of spaces within the building and guide people to the places they want to go. In addition, you can think about new functions - locating friends, encouraging collaboration, connecting the real and the virtual, providing greater openness and transparency, etc. Your design should also speak to the kind of place that the Media Lab is (or wants to be).