FMP (5) — IDEATION 2

Topic: Money
Timeframe: 02/10/23–23/11/23
Team: R.Hodge, R.Suri, T.Singh & Myself

READ EARLIER WEEKS OF THE PROJECT HERE: FMP 1 / FMP 2 / FMP 3 / FMP 4

OVERVIEW

We remained fascinated by 'the matrix of transactional domination', but decided to embrace the dark side within a dystopian scenario. The speculative idea of ‘everyone’s digital transactions are public and visible’ questions the extent to which money exerts power over identity-making and controls social relationships through contrast with our own reality.

The project consisted of three phases — speculative scenario design, material exploration and testing. Phases were designed to gradually engage and the topic of visible transactions. While all phases can be technically considered successful, testing revealed a layer of context which made us reconsider the direction of our project.

DESIGN PROCESS ‘YOU CAN’T ESCAPE MONEY’ (CRITICAL SPECULATION)

PHASE 1 — SPECULATIVE SCENARIO
To explore narratives, contexts and consequences of this dystopia, we conducted experiments, storyboarded, scripted and filmed our scenario.

1. we storyboarded and scripted and tested several versions of this concept — screen-testing a variety of angles helped us capture the desirable perspective and narrative

2. we conducted micro exploratory research around data visualisation, materials and interactions and items for monetisation. we explored the the implications of monetisation where the items we wear, the air we breathe and our health is concerned

3. we executed a short film which discusses the implications for identity making and social behaviour in a world, where all your transactions are public and visible

PHASE 2— ARTEFACTS
To support this dystopia, we created a simple UI to carry the information about everyone's transactions. We later moved the information onto a wearable technology, to surface the inescapable and always-on nature of this dystopia.

ui was simple and playful, taking inspiration from stocks and social media (check transactions of your friends on circus, the same way you would check their newest instagram updates). going on a date? check their recent transactions on circus. looking for a job? make sure your recent transactions are presentable

wearable technology better supported the inseparability of life and transactions in our dystopia. wearing my glasses, i look at you and see your 5 recent transactions. i know who you are immediately (aesthetically, glasses added certain uniformity, which supported the effort to immerse the audience)

PHASE 3 — TESTING
We tested the concept of 'inescapable visibility' as an exercise. It confirmed, that the visibility would alter our identity-making and social relationships.

we gave our participants a list of transactions, and asked them to consider — if these were their transactions — which ones they would not mind sharing with the public, and which ones they would keep private (and why). Participants reported, that they would feel naked and re-think their purchases, according to what they are saying about them.

These findings, as well as personal reflections from material exploration, revealed just how subjective the perception of what money says about you or me is— we evaluate and judge based on the object in question, but based on who we are.

This nuance of subjectivity within the topic, made us reconsider our speculative scenario approach. Subjectivity / multiplicity of worldview created a lot of room for interpretation within the topic, which made it difficult to find the ‘edge’ towards which to push the speculative scenario and its critique. It felt impossible to capture the dystopian scenario without sacrificing a large portion of the humane and sentimental that we uncovered through testing and screen-testing.

After feedback — which suggested, similarly, that the nuance of the narrative makes the critical message of the concept weak — and group discussion, we abandoned this iteration and speculative design approach in favour of subtlety, reflexivity and sentimentality (in the weeks to come).

CRITICAL REFLECTION & LEARNINGS

The feedback we received from our tutors upon presenting this concept was that ‘the message struggled to deliver a refined critique’. I agree, that as a speculative critical piece it falls short. At the time, we failed to recognise the nuance between 1. critique of money’ s influence over us, and 2. critique of how we judge one another in respect to money. We also did not push the future far enough, as we wanted the scenario to remain believable. But not ‘situating’ our piece firmly — here, there, on edge or anywhere — got us stuck in an unfortunate ‘nor here nor there’ limbo.

Was I to approach this again I would test even earlier in the process, with the storyboards and scripts, to gauge the reactions and responses — this would help us uncover and navigate the nuance of the in-betweens, towards a more refined scenario.

I do, however, somewhat disagree that we did not 'have a message'. We surfaced some of the tensions around money and identity present within our current reality, by shifting it out of its context. I learned a lot about using fiction, contrast, context or hyperbole to surface an argument and guide the participant through independent discovery of and reflection on the message.

READ ABOUT HOW WE EXPLORED THE MULTIFACETED NATURE OF MONEY IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS OF THE PROJECT HERE: FMP 6 / FMP 7 / FMP 8 / FMP 9