Michael Barakat's Design Portfolio

Michael BarakatDesigner’s [email protected]

Michael Barakat lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This portfolio focuses on how design is about connecting people with ideas - also known as the Human Centered Design Process. This interest is the primary focus of Michael’s art and design pursuits.

Currently, he matriculates at the University of the Arts, where he will earn a Masters Degree of Industrial Design in April 2011.

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Contents

i Introduction

1 Pixie Engine

11 Civility in the Crosswalk

21 Visual Biography

29 Distance Education

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1

Pixie EngineHard to Explain: A project about identityThe Pixie Engine is a new technology from Human Network Labs in Philadelphia. It allows users to transmit a variety of different types of data for communication that gives its users information about their surroundings. What does that mean? Turn the page to find out.

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Meeting Human Network Labs(creators of the Pixie Engine)

Research of Similar Technologies

Meeting potential users and Concepting

Pixie Engine Project Structure

Human Network Labs is a new company with big ideas. Their Pixie Engine technology is just gaining footing in the United States and Asia. And, although they had worked with an amazing team of engineers and scientists,

they had not used design thinking to further their Pixie Engine Device. Although refined internally, it lacks an identity to connect with the public. While its potential uses were limitless, the technology had no personality.

So few constraints and only 6 weeks.

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Design challenge: creating identity

Review of past campaigns

Production of new films informed by previous efforts

There is no doubt Pixie Engine is a unique product, with no other comparable technology. However, the true question is: How can The UArts Team employ their design thinking toward bettering a product

with so few constraints in so little time?

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One of the biggest obstacles of Pixie was the fact this it has almost limitless uses and similar uses to other technologies. It can track location like GPS, send data as in cellular technology, communicate quickly as with two way radios, and

connect to other devices the same way that bluetooth devices do. The only difference between Pixie and these other technologies is that pixie theoretically does it all better.

How is it different?

Find Things.

Find Friends.

What does it do?

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Of the many concepts that made the final cut, which could best, or at all, demonstrate Pixie’s potential on video? Consumers will like Pixie because it caters to the user more than anything other device, enabling them to make

extraordinarily powerful connections with minimal hardware. And the technology’s potential use in a huge number of applications means that the model could be applied almost anywhere.

Concepts

Shot 1 (Wide Shot)

A couple pulls up to a food market in their car. The female asks the male to make sure he gets a speci�c item.Male exits car and enters the food market.

It’s easy to find a parking space with pixie! The Pixie Engine Alarm Clock.

A blind person uses pixie to identify their surroundings. Hail a taxi with Pixie.

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Creating an identity that people can relate to.

texttext

Screen shots from AT&T’s highly romantisized consumer aimed commercials.

Philips design probes: A timeless feeling ad campaign that exhibits their technology and seemingly ethical grounding.

IDEO used superbly rendered cinematic storytelling to illustrate how technology could be applied in an innovative way.

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IDEO produced various high concept films for corporate consumption that highlighted the potentials of technology in a highly produced, stylistic way. From these films, the UArts team learned how to craft a visual message about a technology that is not fully developed. The team identified that what Pixie needed was to reach out to the public by producing videos intended for consumer consumption.

Phillips Design Studio developed a project called “food probes,” a product system for the analysis and introspection of food consumption and self sustainability in a future home. We extracted the idea of advertising for Public Image: a socially-concious concept is developed and nurtured for the good of the future, but also increases the philanthropical image of the company and bolsters public interest and support.

Finding inspiration - learning through example.

text In the mid 90’s, AT&T made a series of commercials about the future of potential technology made available through the AT&T communications network. While strengthening AT&Ts image as a cutting edge developer, they also romanticized the the image of technology with captivating scenarios of communicating in the near future.

The UArts team realized that, if Pixie Engine was to succeed, it needed both the public and corporate worlds to not only understand its capabilities, but also make an emotional connection with the product. Using the AT&T commercials as models as well as the high concept films produced by IDEO, the UArts team set out to create an emotional connection to Pixie. Three videos were produced.

Three Videos

Results: A new clarity of product

Balloon Scenario

A young woman in the park uses Pixie to locate her lost child. This scenario expresses Pixie Engine’s ability to instantly locate objects and their proximity to the user.

Market Shopping Scenario

Get your shopping done quick by knowing just where to go. One of the best capabilities of Pixie is its ability to data tag stationary objects, as shown in the Market scenario.

Trading Scenario

Finding a book you need is easier and quicker than ever before. A “find it/buy it” situation showed the capabilities of Pixie Engine to act as a craigslist-like device for local social commerce.

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Civility in the Streets:Making the Crosswalk safer and friendlier for everyone.As far as anyone knew, it was just a typical day in Philadelphia. Team Civility knew better. Something was amiss out there. The streets were angry. Cyclists, Motorists, and Pedestrians were all at war with one another, and they all crossed paths in the crosswalk.

Identifying the needsof the client

Interviewing experts

Observing the problem areas

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Civility in the Streets Project Structure

The transportation system constantly grows, shrinks and develops. It’s an ongoing system with ongoing problems. What will our transportation system look like in 10 years? Will it be adequate?

How will it look in 20? The Civility in the Streets Project began with these questions.

Finding the right place for making the right impact.

Analysis

Concepting

Experimentationand Conclusions

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The transportation system is inadequate.

A

B

PEDESTRIAN

REPORTED BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CRASHES

Collision Count(1990 - 2005)

22 or More10 - 21

3 - 91 - 2

B

A

BICYCLE

Collision Count(1990 - 2005)

7 - 13

3 - 61 - 2

Area B: 284 - 517 CrashesArea A: 274 - 553 Crashes

Area A: 100 - 194 Crashes Area B: 52 - 103 Crashes

PEDESTRIAN & CYCLIST COLLISIONS

Cars run yellow and red traffic signals. Pedestrians walk when they’re not supposed to, frequently causing accidents. Cyclists do just about whatever they want. If users of the crosswalk intersection

were more aware of their actions and surroundings then the streets would be a safer place for everyone.

These interesections are high risk zones.

22 or more collisions22 or more collisions

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Interesections are the places where cars, pedestrians and cyclists meet. Places that are shared areas. But, why aren’t they treated like places we share? We didn’t need to go far to find problems in

our transportation infrastructure. Just wait until rush hour (5pm) and walk to any Philadelphia city corner. Misuse and Abuse is rampant.

Why do these collisions occur?

CROSSWALK(SHARED AREA)

MotoristsCyclists

Pedestrians

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Experimentation in the Intersection provides new insights.

VINYL RINGS

VINYL CIRCLES

Different experiments were conducted using simple materials to temporariily increase visibility, foster user engagement and a more interactive environment. Several different experiments were conducted.

Experiements:

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SPEAKER BOX

Vinyl RIngs: arrows and rings tempt pedestrians to “hop scotch” along the crosswalk.

Vinyl Circles: circles make a walkway to deter pedestrians from jaywalking.

Human Barrier: Human presence deters cars from edging forward into shared space.

SpeakerBox: A speaker shouts commands when users break the rules.

HUMAN BARRIER

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Results: Information for future projects.

The experiments were successful in highlighing some of the problems of the crosswalk. And, the data that was gathered present new points of entry for further study. Many of the experiements

failed to engage users, while others were clearly temporary solutions. What solutions can we find next?

Experiements:

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The Visual Biography of Andy GrossmanWho is Andy Grossman? What does he look like when his life is displayed as quantifyable data from the span of his personal experiences? This project is about selecting information not ordinarily thought of as quantifiable and visually displaying it in a method characteristic of the subject.

010101010101010101010101010101

01010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010

101010101010101010101010101 010101010101010101010101010101010101010101 0101010101010101010101

010101010 101 01 010101010101010101010101 01010101010101010101 0101010101010 101010 10101010101010101 01010101010101010 10101010101

01010101 010101010101010101 01010101010101010 1010101010101010 10101010101010 10101010101 0101010101 01010101 010

101010

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Expressing someone in data.

Things that are important to me may not be important to Andy. Where should I start?

At first glance, he is a slight Man with an unusual demeanor. His charming smile and Whitty Manerisms indicate a capable aptitude. He is sharp and well dressed. His Name is Andy Grossman.

So many experiences effect who we are. What does andy Like? How many Girlfriends has he had? What Kind of music does he Listen to? Is he a coffee drinker?

Knowing someone is knowing what they do and how they to it.

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New York, NY

Philadelphia, PA

Bronxville, NY

Scarsdale, NY2000

2.5 Miles

= home

= quality of shop measured in beans.

= distance travelled for coffee

= free wi-�

Midtown East2006

Soho

2.5 MilesNoho

2.5 Miles

Rittenhouse Square

Center City2009

Broad St.

.7 Miles

Places Andy goes to for coffee.

= coffee shop frequented

= coffee shop alternate

I wonder how much Andy likes his coffee?

Not only does andy like coffee but he likes comfortable coffee shop experiences - WI-FI and the whole enchilada.

I like it alot. Really.

+Pop+Oldies

+Soul+Funk

+Classic Rock+Heavy Metal

+Electronica+Industrial

+Reggae+Jazz

+Alternative Rock+Britpop

+New Wave

+Underground Metal+Progressive Metal

+Electrohouse+House

+Classical

PopOldies

SoulFunk

PopOldies

SoulFunk

Classic RockHeavy Metal

ElectronicaIndustrial

ReggaeJazz

PopOldies

SoulFunk


Underground MetalProgressive Metal


ReggaeJazz

PopOldies

SoulFunk


Alternative RockBritpop

New Wave

Underground MetalProgressive Metal


ReggaeJazz

PopOldies

SoulFunk


-Underground Metal-Progressive Metal

And he doesn’t like...

Anymore

The BeatlesJames Brown

The Beach Boys

MichaelJackson

Earth Wind, and Fire

At Age 8 10 12 14 16 20 - 25

Led ZeppelinIron Maiden

Steely DanVan Halen

OrbitalKeoki

The ProdigySneaker Pimps

Miles DavisLouis Armstrong

ColtraneGetz

Mayhem

ToolOpeth

NirvanaFoo Fighters

New OrderThe Cure

RoyksoppCrystal Castles

Schoenberg

The Music Andy Listens to.

HappyEnergeticCelebratory

RebelliousProvocativeSwaggering

LushCatharticElaborate

HostileAngryTheatrical Visceral

EnigmaticAngst-Ridden

PlaintiveWhimsicalMannered

and he Likes...

He likes it because it’s...

He loves...

he spent $ $$ $$$ $$ $$$$ $$$$$

What an audiophile! He has loved music since he was a young man.

With such an eclectic taste and scope I Must include his musical story for viewers to better understand him.

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= importance of lessons learned = enjoyment of experience

New York, NY

Hoboken, NJ

Miami, FL

Los Angeles, CA

Middlebury, VT

Greenwich, CT

Philadelphia, PA

London, UK

Edinburgh, Scott

Munich, Germ

Paris, France

Athens, Greece

Long Beach Island, NJ

Lessons Andy Learned.

Andy has traveled many places. I wonder what he’s learned?

The problem with learning stuff is that you can’t unlearn stuff.

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Andy is unique because he is such a connoisseur of so many things.

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Distance EducationFinding a way through ChatrouletteDistance education is boring. Chatroulette is interesting. What can these two interfaces learn from each other? Real life interactions are spontaneous, collaborative, and engaging. Chatroulette has managed to bring these features to internet - now it’s time to bring them to distance education.

Identifying the needsof the users

Interviewing experts

Chatroulette:Observing what works

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Distance Education Project

Distance education platforms rely on lots of content management. But, they don’t focus on fullfilling the students needs. Frequently they use a broad range of

features that get lost in the minutia of a bigger system. How do we foster collaboration, spontaneity, and user feedback online?

Embracing the interface

Analysis

Conclusions

A new interface

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Years

Months

Weeks

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Instant

1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 1920 1950 1980 2000 2008 2009

1450PrintingPress

1832Telegraph

1876Telephone

1920s 1930sTV andRadio

1980s1990sDial Up Internet Access

2003Broadbandand Wireless

The Agricultural Economy

Pre-Industrial

Industrial

Technology Economy

Information Economy

The CreativeEconomy

2007Widespread touch PDAsiPhone

Volume of Information

People

RandomPeople

Webcam

Webcam

PersonalComputers

PersonalComputers

Chatroulette Feedback Loop

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Distance Education Interface

They can see the expressions on each others faces and react as in Chatroulette. Expressions are represented by face icons that change and morph according to user’s real life expressions. This is possible through webcam and eye tracking technology. Having the ability to read the expressions of your students and peers enables a system of action and reaction as in a real life environment where when

a student looks forlorn or disinterested a teacher can adjust their teaching for the benefit of the student. Students are also now able to see the response of their classmates in real time. Cutting down reaction and communication times enhances the fluidity of conversation and learning.

Touching you touching me - the feedback of distance education.

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The New Distance Education Interface raises awareness, collaboration, and spontaneity between users.

Michael BarakatDesigner University of the [email protected]

Michael Barakat's Design Portfolio

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