2011 student stories
May Okiro : last updated 14 January 2011
May Okiro is from Imo State, Nigeria where she took a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science. At home she initiated a Community Development project focused on empowering Nigerian women with basic computer skills and knowledge useful for sustainable human and economic development.
May Okiro.
‘The MA Design for Interactive Media has given me an opportunity to express my creative ideas in an articulate manner. I now have a better understanding of a number of very useful facts about designing - ranging from the combination of fonts, graphics, sounds and colours, to the various factors to consider when designing for the user’s experience. I have also learned about the importance of usability testing when creating a design. The course has also helped me to challenge my mind to think more creatively when planning a design project and has made me to realize that a great design is not necessarily determined by its complexity but that a simple design with a unique concept can also be a great design. Finally, I have had a very good overall experience at the Lansdown Centre particularly because of the remarkable team of Staff. They have all been very helpful indeed in providing support for my personal projects, group projects, minor projects and major projects. I also found the several talks and sessions from guest lecturers/speakers very useful especially because it gave me an idea of the current trends and what to expect from the industries after graduation.’
One of May’s early projects on the course was a simple text-to-speech application that converts text to speech, not just in any anonymous English but specifically Nigerian English. This was inspired by her research work on the prosody of the language.
Her plans for the future? First, to get sufficient years of experience in the Multimedia and User Experience industries. Secondly, to get a PhD in Usability, User Experience or any other closely related subject; thirdly, to become a Social Entrepreneur.
Victoria Panshin : last updated 14 January 2011
Victoria Panshin is from Tel Aviv in Israel. Before coming on the MA Design for Interactive Media, Victoria had seven years education in Fine Arts, Design and Interior Architecture, plus two years of professional experience as a 2D Graphic and Illustrator Designer for print and for web. In addition, she spent a year as 3D Set and Exhibition Designer for entertainment, commercial, retail and fashion industries. These projects she found required creative thinking, concept development, analyzing and research, and individual work with the client’s brief. A significant part of her work has involved presentation, production and project management skills. Her major interests concern society, cultures, new media and technologies. Her hobbies are drawing, photography and cinema.
Victoria makes a visit to 221B Baker Street.
One of Victoria’s projects was the design of an online Social Business-to-Business Networking website, with interactive navigation and dashboards. The idea of the website is to empower small to medium businesses who could quickly and effectively reach their business development, sales and marketing goals. Victoria devised the project in order to experience business user thinking and to be more skilled in web design layout, to dive in to technical coding issues and to gain a good understanding of the design industry. She found that writing a relevant essay on the subject really helped her develop her academic writing skills and knowledge of the field [we encourage students to focus their writing on issues arising in their own practical work].
Victoria says, ‘Now I am working on my final project collaboratively with Nataliya [see below]. We are developing an innovative interactive movie for entertainment. There are two unusual features: the user’s choices in navigating the story alter not just what happens but the genre, so the story may end up as a musical, an action movie, a romance, or something else. And using psychometric techniques, the programme makes judgements about the personality of the user, which the user is told at the end. It is not an entirely serious process!
A moment in the playful interactive movie developed by Victoria Panshin and Nataliya Menshikova.
‘In this project we were researching, producing and developing everything from scratch. This meant script writing, sound and video editing, shooting and photographing, acting, video and sound editing, sound recording, storyboarding, flash animation and complex programming, user interface design and much more. I really believe that in this challenging project we succeeded in combining the different aspects of the interactive media world, experienced an intensive timetable, and our collaborative teamwork and project management skills helped us work efficiently and finish everything on time.’
Ada Lee : last updated 11 January 2011
Ada Lee has a degree in Business Administration (Marketing) and has been moving towards a creative career, working in advertising before coming to Middlesex. Her most recent position was as an Associate Creative Director.
Ada and a well known landmark.
‘The MA Design for Interactive Media [which Ada joined in September 2010] is nicely focused, since there are not too many students and the professors know each one of us. The Lansdown Centre is quite a lively environment – we see students from different disciplines working on their projects in the corridor or just near you. Also, students from different disciplines are willing to invite others to participate in their projects which is a good way to experience art and design from different angles.’
Ada sings in this YouTube video which has had nearly 27,000 views.
Ada has other talents. She used to be a wedding singer and Cantonese lyricist in Hong Kong, where one of her videos was in the YouTube spotlights, with thousands of views.
Ada’s most recent projects – one third of the way into the course – have been made in Adobe Flash. One is a virtual fitting room which detects the colour of the clothes that you wear and searches for clothes in the data with similar colours which could fit you. The most important thing to her is to combine creativity with new knowledge in interactive media.
Her plans for your future? To work as a Creative Director in Interactive Media advertising.
Nataliya Menshikova : last updated 10 January 2011
Nataliya Menshikova is from Moscow. She joined the MA Design for Interactive Media in January 2010. Her BA is in economics and finance, but she subsequently worked for a film company, where she was between being a Web Designer and a Content Manager. Her other interests are dance, music, learning languages and travelling. Realising that she liked design for web and games, she decided to take a course in this area. As her English was OK and she liked London, the decision about where to study was pretty easy.
‘There are a lot of interesting people working at the Lansdown Centre. At first I was suprised by the scope for self-study work, because it is not the same in Rusia. But in the end it has turned out well, as I have realized a lot about my own responsibility, creativity and ability to work alone or with others. I have also found the lectures very helpful as they helped me not only to learn something new, but also to maintain friendly relationships with the other students.Nataliya encounters something strange in Trafalgar Square.
‘Together with Victoria [a student from Tel Aviv in Israel] I have done a Fairy Tale World project – presenting the World for children and adults who are fond of other cultures and would like to know it better through tales and cartoons. You can choose a country and find out which tales and cartoons are famous there. Also the users are able to read, to listen and to watch a tale or a cartoon with the subtitles of their native language. The project aims to broaden children’s and adults’ outlook and stimulate them to learn foreign languages.
‘Another project was Weather Roulette – a game with the weather in London. You see the screen, just press PLAY and get your result. Not satisfied? Just press PLAY again and get a new result!’ And also I did a Slow Trip website that allows to find the ways to get from one place to another without having to fly.
‘At the moment Victoria and I are finishing our final Major Project, which is an experimental interactive film.’
For Nataliya, the most important thing has been to create ideas that can actually be completed as practical projects. She plans to take her new knowledge home to work in TV as a web or game designer and create interesting content.
2010 student stories
Ya-sheng Cheng : last updated 26 April 2010
Ya-sheng Cheng studied Product Design in her home country, Taiwan, and worked as a product designer for four and a half years and an interior designer for about a year, before joining the MA Design for Interactive Media at the Lansdown Centre in September 2009.
‘It’s a very cool class!’ she says. She particularly likes the range of knowledge she gets from the wide range of teaching and the experience of the other students. 'I can do all kinds of projects here, get support from the lecturers and at the same time see all the different projects of my classmates.’Ya-Sheng Cheng from Taiwan last Christmas.
‘In the Lansdown Centre, I have the chance to hear about the latest issues from real world speakers, and I have the connection with other related departments such as Sonic Arts which I may have a chance to build into my projects.’
In one of her projects Ya-sheng has explored the relationship between the reactions of viewers and the story in an animation. By using a biometric sensor, she can make the animation at any point depend on the viewer's response to what they have already seen. At a more everyday level, but still concerned with the relationship between designs and users, she has also evaluated an online shopping website. She will probably go on to use the Centre's eye-tracker, which allows students to directly study which parts of a website are attended to and which are ignored by users.
Ya-sheng is keen on using digital media to create sensations like those of nature -- walking on the seashore, writing in the sand, feeling the sound of the ocean -- but altered in ways that only digital media can achieve. She wants to create enjoyment, excitement, satisfaction for the user. To achieve this she wants to learn as much as possible about both the software and hardware of interactivity so that she can accomplish her work without being limited by technique.
When she graduates, Ya-sheng wants to work as an interface designer in the UK.
João Brasil : last updated 26 April 2010
João Brasil is on the Lansdown Centre’s MA Design for Interactive Media. Before coming to Middlesex he took a BA in Music at Berklee College of Music and a BA in Social Communication at UNESA (Universidade Estácio de Sá) in Rio de Janeiro. He was, and still is, a music producer, DJ, mashup and remix artist. João’s music and his new abilities in interactive media met up in a recent project during the first term of the course: he made a giant MPC with floor pressure-pads. The MPC is a sampler instrument used by hip-hop producers and Brazilian Baile Funk DJs, but the standard machine is small and you play it with your fingers – João made a big version to play with his feet! You can see a (very rough) video of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umsTx2q3q7U
João is combining his entertainment and music experience with new skills in computer interaction. His passion for remixing comes through again in his current project, a virtual mashup project where two toys on screen represent Lady Gaga and Jay Z. By interchanging their heads the user can play mashup songs of the two artists.João Brasil from Brazil.
His views on the MA Design for Interactive Media? ‘It is very helpful to me, I am learning a lot of different software languages and different ways of thinking about how to approach ideas.’ And the future? ‘I want to use all my interactive experimentation in the “real world”, adding to but keeping on with my music production and DJing life. And I’m thinking of doing a PhD as well.’
2009 student stories
Diane Kelcom : last updated 16 April 2009
Diane finished her BA in December 2004 having completed a major in Communications with a minor in Business, at Vesalius College in Brussels. Then she worked in various fields: ‘I first started as assistant to the director of the EU lobbying office of the largest nuclear company in the world (AREVA). Then I worked for Nespresso, as assistant manager for the after sales service for UK and ROI. Later I worked as network coordinator for a brand design company, where I was responsible for international development. Finally, I worked as product manager for a “ready to eat” concept store specialising in Japanese food.’
What was the attraction of the course? ‘I wanted to focus on a particular niche, as communications is too wide a subject area. I chose interactive media as I am very interested in technology and the unique personal exchange that occurs with interaction, as opposed to mere communication. When I graduate, I intend on working as a project manager. Ideally, I would like to work in R&D for a major technology company that produces commercial products and services.’Diane in a technical class in the specialist Interactive Media workshop.
Gilda Pereira : last updated 16 April 2009
Gilda achieved her honours degree in Communication Design in ESAD, Porto, Portugal, in 2005 and moved to London right after. Since then, she has been working as graphic designer. She worked about two years for a company designing point-of-sale displays, campaigns, brochures, for clients such as Johnson's, NYC cosmetics, Superdrug, Tesco and others. In June 2008 she had an invitation to work at Pulse UK, a new design studio, and be responsible for the creative direction of the company, with the role of developing ideas to help promote the clients brands. In September 2008 she started the MA, and for that reason left the studio.
Recently Gilda has been working with Arduino (an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software). It can be used to create interactive objects or environments by receiving input from various sensors and controlling lights, motors and others. In the picture, you can see the digital entertainment object that Gilda built in a few days, with no previous experience of electronics.
Gilda likes the way the Lansdown Centre brings her in touch with new technologies, and the way knowledge is shared within the Centre.
Ning-fang (Jill) Hsu : last updated 23 February 2009
Before joining the MA Design for Interactive Media in September 2008, Jill studied advertising at Fu-Jen University in Taiwan, her home country. She had also been a web-designer for five years.
Jill came to the course to explore the ways in which interactive media are becoming ubiquitous, no longer confined to conventional screens. Her major project in the first term, with two other students, explored voice control of animation within a Flash movie.
Jill is currently working on a project Small Object of Delight which uses Arduino to control Flash. And next? – ‘I want to work on my next major project where I will try to combine sounds, Arduino and Flash and see how these can interact with users.’
Aleksei Kudilov : last updated 24 February 2009
Aleksei is originally from Latvia, having came to the UK in the summer of 1995. He previously studied at Middlesex on the BA Fine Art. After graduating in 2001 he was working as a freelancer before getting a job with an event management company where he was an IT technician, head of multimedia, and a web and graphic designer.
Aleksei’s first project on the course, with one other student, investigated touch-screen technology in portable devices, in particular mobile phones with smaller screens, exploring possible new ways of typing on these systems. In his current project, he is creating a light-sensitive input device to use with Flash. For his next big project he will continuing working with touch-screen technology, exploring the advantages and disadvantages and the challenges in designing for this kind of interaction.
The most important thing in his work at present is to challenge current knowledge and ways of doing things: ‘to be able to find out for msyelf, though creating and testing, if there are better or new ways of doing/creating something.’
After returning to work, Aleksei has ambitions to continue his studies in a few years time.
Recent student stories
Mimi Son from South Korea : last updated 18 May 2008
Before joining the MA Design for Interactive Media in September 2007, Mimi Son from South Korea was working as Creative Director of her own company which produces graphics, motion graphics and interactive designs, and was teaching storytelling at the motion-images department of Kaywon School of Art and Design.
At Middlesex, Mimi enjoys the project-based learning and the way staff contribute advanced knowledge when she needs it for her own projects. She especially likes the Lansdown Lecture seminar series of visiting speakers. She has also benefited from short courses in some more obscure technical subjects elsewhere in London.
Mimi's latest project, with three other students, explores Interactive Lighting. In one of these, glasses of water are the interface. The lights light up in different colours depending on the different dyes added to the water. This is just one of six variants on the theme of physical interaction with digital lighting in the project. The students are using physical computing systems such as Arduino, Colour Sensor and Touch Sensor. Mimi says, 'I'm very interested in this kind of Natural Interaction using natural materials such as water or wind, based on an ecological approach.'
We asked Mimi what has become the most important thing to her in her own work: ‘I think combining theory and practice is the most important thing for me in designing or creating. Without theory and research, I used to find myself being losing my way during the progress of the design. But even theory is no use if the designer doesn't have the opportunity to learn the practical skills to put their ideas into action.’
Anat Piasetzky from Israel : last updated 5 May 2008
Anat Piasetzky was a graphic designer before coming to the Lansdown Centre, working as an animator and web designer in Israel. She came to London about two and a half years ago to study and joined the MA at Middlesex while working on a project at the major UK broadcaster BSkyB.
a unique combination of academic education with the chance to continue my professional work
We asked Anat what she thought of her experience at Middlesex: ‘I applied for the course as it offered a unique combination of academic education with the chance to continue my professional work. I was intrigued to see how research could develop my work progress. It was an enlightening experience - to combine a regular job with degree studies. it was also great fun to have short breaks from work to come and study (and sometimes vice versa...)‘The tutors encouraged me in independent work, where I set my own goals and schedule. But they were there for advice and support when I needed them, giving me useful inspiration and ideas.
the country offers many opportunities to expand your knowledge, have a rich life experience, meet interesting people
‘The UK is great - since I arrived here I feel I've grown a lot as a professional and individual. Studying here is at a very high level, so I am very proud to graduate with these high standards. The country offers many opportunities to expand your knowledge, have a rich life experience, meet interesting people and visit exhibitions, seminars and shows and practice work in many relevant fields.’Anat concentrated on a single project related to her work at Sky: ‘The work there included developing a cutting-edge 3D space that would bridge between students and professionals in the media industry. While developing the project, my team and I came across some difficulties related to the bad reputation of live communication online. We wanted to allow communication between the people who would visit our space but didn't want it to get out of control. Therefore I decided to focus my research on that issue – how can you design shared web spaces that encourage good behaviour and discourage bad? The aim was for my academic research to teach us more about communication online in a commercial setting.’
We asked Anat what had become the most important thing to her in her own work: ‘Well, my experience in the last few years has taught me two main things - the first is to manage my work flow, working in a team and being responsible for many things at a time.
academic research helped me understand many things in my work better
‘Specifically, the course demanded self discipline and motivation, which I think are two very effective qualities that will help me in my career. The second thing is the importance of academic research and knowledge while working in the industry. These two fields are often detached from each other, which I believe is a shame. My experience taught me that academic research and the relations I made while studying helped me understand many things in my work better: why things happened, plan better solutions and predict future progression. In general the unique experience of studying urged me to explore and investigate. This reflected on my work directly, and still does.’What are Anat's plans for the future? ‘I will continue to be involved in exciting projects that develop new interactive functions and creative thinking. And of course my educational hunger may lead me to study some more in the future...’
Khusal Jugurnath from Mauritius : last updated 24 April 2008
Khusal Jugurnath did his undergraduate study at RMIT Australia, including an Advanced Diploma in Multimedia and the Bachelor of Arts (Multimedia). Graduating in 2006, he returned to Mauritius (his home country), and joined the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, working as a trainee animation graphic artist for a few months and then as an assistant graphic artist. He also worked as a freelance multimedia designer/programmer for children’s educational software.
On the MA Design for Interactive Media, Khusal has worked on a range of minor and major projects. With Laura Lessa [see the previous student story] and others he made a major project based on perspective taking and egocentrism in young children aged 3 – 6 years, from which they developed a family educational prototype enriching children's experience of playing with everyday objects.
For his current -- second semester -- project, Khusal is working on a game with a mixture of genres. He describes it like this: ‘It will be an RPG game in Flash, where the user controls a character and has to take the character through all the obstacles to the end with the different choices and tools provided. We have added a strategy and puzzle element to the game in the way in which the player uses the tools. The tools comprise not only conventional weapons such as slingshot, rope, crowbar, but also wind, friction, dust clouds and terrain distortion. The user has to plan ahead while the second sets of tools will allow the player to alter the dynamics of the environment, however causing a decay in the ecosystem which will have negative impact.’
For his final project, he is planning to do a research project on usability for social networking websites and sites with user-created content.
For the future, he is interested in all these things: usability, broadcasting, children’s educational software and 3D. We asked Khusal what had become the most important thing to him in his own work, and he said: ‘Planning!’
Khusal says this about his MA Design for Interactive Media course: ‘It has been a very good and positive experience. There is a good mixture of practical sessions, lectures, research and assignments. They staff are very experienced and great.’
Laura Lessa from Brazil : last updated 27 March 2008
Laura Lessa is one of this year’s aspiring cohort of interaction designers who have come from overseas to study on the Lansdown Centre’s MA Design for Interactive Media.
Prior to coming on the course, Laura took a BA in Public Communications (Journalism) in her homeland Brazil, where she then worked for seven years as an information architect and usability testing professional. She has a scholarship from the Alban Programme, created by the European Commission to sponsor students from Latin America wanting to complete MAs or PhDs in Europe.
Laura has found the hands-on practical approach of the course quite a surprise, but is pleased to be learning Macromedia Flash, Director and programming languages as part of the practical-theoretical mix. She would actually like more conceptual and theoretical discussions, but thinks this is a very unusual opinion! (This is something Laura will have more opportunity to do in the second half of the course, as we always make the learning on the programme as individualised as possible).
So far Laura has done two individual minor projects, and a major project in a small group with three other students. (Students on the course can devise their own project briefs and form their own project teams.) For the major project, Laura and her colleagues made a prototype system that would enable very young children to make their own stories using everyday objects. As the child puts each favourite object into a box, a piece of the story unfolds on the screen. Practically, the project involved interfacing an RFID reader (to recognise the objects) with the computer, and devising the software that would play the appropriate story episodes. Conceptually, the project was grounded in research into child development studies.
As the course races by, Laura is having some trouble deciding which of her many project ideas to do when. However, it seems likely that at some point she will be working with the Director of Digital Media at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, who is particularly interested in the sorts of innovative media experiences in which the Centre specialises.
Overall, Laura’s goal has always been to create interactive systems which are both efficient and a pleasure to use. In her own words, she is ‘passionate about information architecture and usability.’
