Bryant David Thomas

Abstract:

Is it possible to teach creativity? This is the question that the creativity and innovation panel at Miami University was tasked to accomplish. The team split into different sub groups that focused on particular aspects of what creativity was and ways to approach it as an educator. This final proof of concept was a way to allow faculty and staff of Miami University an easy way to access tools and content that would help them enrich their classes with creativity.

Detail:

For this project, I was on a team with one other grad student, and we were tasked with designing an interface through which educators and students could easily access videos and documentation on creativity and innovation. We started from scratch with an ideation stage with various mood-boards and ideas floating around. We eventually found that a web interface would be the best approach. The design of the site matches the color scheme of Miami University without adhering too strictly to their page layout. This setup allows for a refreshing experience change compared to the rest of the Miami University website. To show off how the interface would be used, my colleague and I designed several pages with content and made an Invision proto-site using them. This allows people to get an understanding of the way the website would work while allowing the programmers to have a guideline for working when they would take over.

Abstract:

The U.S. Department of State approached the Miami University Capstone program with the question of how they could improve the collaborative deliberation process within their organization. They wanted it to be more efficient and effective. This was a widespread problem which our team narrowed down to a more solvable task through our research and determined the key point to their request is that the current collaboration process does not connect all knowledgeable people on a given project. There are individuals that may have information or insight on a particular project who may never work on it because of the silo structure of the client’s organization. The bureaus within the department do not often work with each other; when working on a project information moved vertically through the silo. To connect all knowledgeable people, information needs to flow outside of the silos.

We developed a solution to help individuals connect with knowledgeable others who may have valuable information or networking resources related to the person’s project.

Detail:

For this project, my role was that of the scrum master. The scrum master is someone who is tasked with helping and encouraging their teammates to meet deadlines, and achieve their goals. I was also heavily involved with the design side of the project.  We wanted to create an application that fits into the themes of the U.S. Department of State, without feeling too stale and too similar to the current offerings they had. We chose a deep purple color to represent the important nature of the organization. The name Unio was chosen because it is the root word of the word union. The goal of the project was to find a way to better connect people within the state department, so we felt the name was apt.

The application went through several iterations. We worked using the agile system of development which meant that every two weeks or so, we would have an updated Minimally Viable Product with which we could show our client. The entire process was challenging, but it was very educational and enlightening as well. The product was a success for our group, and our client showed great interest in the outcome.

Abstract:

This project is based on research conducted by our team where we found that millennials and other generations lack the basic and necessary life skills of adulthood. The problem is that millennials were never taught these life skills during their formal education, or they rely on technology alone to solve this lack of knowledge. Furthermore, older generations view millennials as “incompetent,” “lazy,” “impatient,” and other negative attributes because millennials do not know these skills. We are engaging with this wicked problem through our designs: a workshop center, book, app, and website. We are turning “I don’t know” into “I know.”

Detail:

As the team leader of this project, I oversaw the main ideation phases as well as the development of the core concept. Our goal was to create an assemblage of instructions and tips for everyday living. The design is bright and eye catching to attract the main demographic of millennials. The four colors of the brand are each connected to a different section of knowledge, and that color coding carries on throughout every form of Generation IDK. It was important to the team to create something that was beautiful and at the same time beneficial for everyday life. The book component of Generation IDK even includes tear away pages that can be placed where they are most needed. The entire project is designed to help millennials fill their gaps in knowledge in fun and engaging ways.

Abstract:

This research paper is about the differences in experiences video game players have when playing retro games, modern games, and recent games created using a retro aesthetic. The definition of modern games using a retro aesthetic is any game made for modern video game hardware (consoles, handhelds, and computers) that uses game design choices or visual stylings of older video games. The paper focuses on the types of games video game players enjoy, and the different emotions they associate with the games from different generations. A total of 17 participants took the survey, and a total of 6 study participants were interviewed. Both of these research methods were utilized to gain a better understanding of how video game players experienced games from different generations. The outcome of the study is a proof of concept experience that takes elements from across gaming generations and combines them into one cohesive.The prototype is usability tested to see if video game players connect well with the multiple experiences converging together.

Detail: 

This thesis is probably one of the toughest projects I've ever accomplished. It was such a rewarding challenge throughout. The process itself went through several iterations. An initial ideation phase which narrowed about 50 topics down to one. Then the first research phase, which involved researching about the games I would eventually be testing as well as games similar to those. Then there was the testing phase where I had participants play through a small section out of four different final fantasy games. I took down notes on their experiences and compiled that into the final part of my thesis. The last part was a video containing a proof of concept for a video game that would combine all the observations gained from my interviewees and the research I had done before hand. All of this data was then finally contained in a thesis that allowed me to achieve my MFA.

The thesis document can be downloaded by clicking here

Abstract:

Digital and Physical communications do not have to be two completely separate realms. What if there was a way to combine the email inbox with your homes physical mailbox. This concept explores a merging of the physical and digital inside our everyday lives.

Detail: 

This project's primary goal was to find a way to merge the physicality of mail with the instantaneous nature of email. We devised of a device that would print out select emails from your digital inbox, and have them waiting for you inside of your home when you arrive there.  This way you can stay connected with the people that mean the most to you, without having to shift from how you typically communicate with them. The inbox mailbox is small in size to not disrupt the space it is placed in, but big enough that the correspondence you would receive is at a legible size. 

Abstract:

Print has been around in one form or another for several millennia. With the advent of computers, we have seen a decline in the printed page. The Experience Design MFAs were tasked with creating a poster that would describe our feelings on where print exists in a post-digital age.

Detail:

This poster creation process had many steps to it and many mutations from its original form. The first layer of the poster was created to cement our stance on print in the current age. Our team created a short statement on print, and then affixed it to paper in the oldest form of printing we had available to us, which was letterpress.  The second layer of the poster takes print into our modern era. We used Glyph software to create a mash up of fonts for our title "Frankenfont." Then we laser cut our gaps in the top layer, so that pieces of the bottom layer would show through when the two posters were laid on top of each other, creating a third poster.  The two posters work separately and together and exhibit our thoughts on print as it stands today.

Abstract:

Game Informer is one of the longest running video game magazines available today. The goal of this project was to compare the print version against the digital text of the same articles that are available online. The piece when printed out is 6 feet tall.

Detail:

For this project I wanted to create a way of showcasing the differences between what is essentially the same content, but with two different presentations. The poster starts with the print version of the magazine and highlights three various aspects of it. The poster then goes over and discusses the same issues mentioned in the print section at the top.  This compare and contrast helps viewers realize which of the two halves has received the most polish.

Abstract:

Can a song meaning change when the words are in the original order? How do we engage with music when the lyrics are visible? These are questions I sought to answer with this project using the hit song "Something about us" by the French Electronica band Daft Punk.

Detail: 

For this project, I took a song that meant a lot to me (Something About Us) and separated the lyrics into different layers based on what parts of speech they were.  Using this organizational method, the song takes on new meaning based on the order the layers are stacked in. To add to the experience that is the stacking and reorganizing of the lyrics, I added a Raspberry pi controlled video system underneath the layers. This system would play the music video for the song on loop, and as you take away more layers, you would be able to see more of the video, on the flipside, as you add more layers, the audio becomes dominant to the user.

Abstract:

In this game, your task is getting into the mind of the ancient Indian folklore hero, Birbal! Birbal was a counselor to Emperor Akbar during the 1500s when legendary tales started being passed down from generation to generation about Birbal’s infamous wisdom and charisma. In Akbar & Birbal, you’ll learn some of these tales and experience the tedious tasks that Birbal had to help Akbar with on a daily basis. If you can think like Birbal, you’ll be able to figure out how Birbal helped Akbar solve all of his problems. If not, get ready to learn a thing or two from Birbal’s notorious pool of wisdom! ‘The Birbal Way’!

Detail:

Akbar & Birbal is a simple narrative fiction game based on the Indian folklore tales of Akbar & Birbal. The card gives you a scenario that occurs between the titular characters, and the player tries to solve the problem in an ingenious way, the same way the character Birbal would. There are no points or penalties for guessing a solution right or wrong, the goal of the game is to expand your thinking and stretch your mind to see things in a new way.

Each card belongs to a difficulty tier: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The cards each include the text of the individual Birbal story, as well as an illustration to set the scene of the story. The card's design aligns with many Indian inspired designs to further player the reader into the era of these stories.