kyle /socailcosttracker Winter 2010

Social Cost Tracker goes to Zero1

2.1.2010

Possible Installation plans continued (In 3D!)

Each of the plans below assumes a data visualization area: this should probably be back-lit projection or large LCD. One possibility (the one that I've based my model off of) is a large multi-touch table as seen here
As of last week we were also really excited about the "social cost tracker scarf printer" as a party-favor/ free-beer gimic. I spent some time looking into ink-jet printing on fabric, into ink-jet iron-on transfers onto fabric, etc. with not a lot of conclusive results. Sharon suggests getting a digital-embroidery machine such as these. Note that this hasn't been included in my plans, though I'm totally into the idea.

Plan 1

• simplest design
• features Antoine's booth boxes
• minimally staffed with volunteers
• no external/ perimeter structure

Plan 2

• Also features Antione's booth-boxes
• Perimeter structure looks like giant cardboard box
• contained space allows us to control movement
• more complex to build

Plan 3

• Drew's double pathway
• data-upload, cost analysis, interviews split out into separate stations
• Haven't made model yet...
• difficult to construct.

1.15.2010

Design principles:

A. Focus on participation: make contributing to the database (of the "social cost" of clothing items) fun and rewarding.
B. Explicate the material history/ supply chain of commodities (here, clothing items) and invite participant comparisons between the image of the commodity (that which is bought) and the material history of that same commodity (that which is sold).
D. Visualization of data should tell the story of it's own production (transparency of method) as well as the stories of commodities.
C. Images are tidy: history is messy.

Possible design concepts:

A. Silhouetted body outlined on floor (tables, clothing piles, data visualizations make up the shape of body). Based around notion that the shape of an argument is the body.
B. Giant cardboard box (with rooms/ second story?). Based around notion that the function of the Social Cost Tracker is to "unpack" those material histories/ social costs of commodities that are normally hidden inside the "packaging" of socio-historical forces as simply objects.

Participant Flow:

A. Entry: participant "signs in" and takes self-portrait. Possibly invoke TSA security screening by having participants remove shoes/check labels to determine country of origin.
B. Participant self-portraits are tagged (by participant) with brand names of clothes, country of origin, material, etc.

C. Portraits are farmed out to Mechanical Turk and/or other stations in the installation where Turkers/ other participants are asked

1. What does this person's appearance tell you about him/her? 2. What does it look like (s)he is most angry about? 3. This person chooses his/her clothes based on: (rate the following from 1-10) (Animal rights, Brand name recognition, Child labor, Comfort, Country of origin, Durability, Environmental devastation, Fashion season, Gender performance, Human rights, Professionalism, Sex-appeal). 4. Others?

D. Participant also answers similar questions about him/her self

1. What can people discern about you from the clothes that you wear? 2. What does it look like you are most angry about? 3. You choose your clothes based on:

E. Data visualizations of:

1. the what the (perceived) values of Zero1 attendees based on their clothing choices. 2. comparing and contrasting self-perception with perception of anonymous other 3. scrolling comments (not a data visualization; simply randomized snippets of comment from questions).

F. Participant receives printed and email portrait of how his/her self perception stacked up against how Turkers perceived him/her...