The first week of my last days in grad school just started. 14 weeks till the Final Countdown of thesis delivery and graduation. Thus, the mad scramble for me to think BIG THOUGHTS as I tackle my ITP thesis. During  winter break,  I scribbled down impressions of potential subject areas and core interests/wants for my future thesis. Here’s a snapshot, above.

To list, areas of interest:
1. Fun
2. Mobile
3. Social
4. Utility

Coming into ITP, I was strongly attracted to the ideas of being able to craft apps and build online communities. As a designer, I had the skills to visualize a product concept but I really, really, really wanted to take my own ideas from concept to product. At ITP, I explored classes on gaming, design/product strategy, mobile media, web design, design for developing world, understanding networks, future trends forecasting, etc. However, what I came back to, was the idea of the Fun Theory and how to incorporate fun (gaming mechanics) into our everyday lives to promote some socially positive (and I hope delightful) changes.

An initial topic headline I circled was “Gaming for Social Change.” Alot of my previous projects incorporate some ideas about fulfilling a need whether it was for social benefit (Qmigo, Kudoyo), whimsy (Fashion Forecast, StreetSnaps), or usefulness (Fashion Forecast, Kudoyo)

Two events in 2010 that gave me some deep thought.
1) I gained alot of weight due to age, sedentary coding sessions, insomnia, etc.
2) I was broke alot. Going into graduate school made me willfully in denial about expenditures. That was a 180-degree turnaround from the young, money-savvy student I was in high school and college.

Thesis Product Initiatives
I had to ask myself some questions from a user-centric point of view.
1. What would improve the lives of the people who’ll be using my product/service? I wanted my thesis product to go into the real world, outside academia.
2. What are the motivations/values of me wanting to stick with this product idea for 14 straight weeks.

Some initial ideas scribbled down.

Arcade/Exercise App

I view exercise as a chore. Using metrics built into mobile apps that gauge your fitness activities is great. My personal favorite is the  Nike+ GPS iPhone app. I enjoy its built-in metrics tracking, behavioral egging, and fun design. But, how can we make it more fun? When I usually run or walk around the city, I like to listen to movie instrumentals to emerge myself into cinematic fantasy. Who hasn’t pretended to be an action hero or underdog achiever when you hear Rocky? Or, shaking things up with personalized exercise themes depending on your mood? I’d like to explore how I can use gaming mechanics, music, and commands to motivate the non-fitness types.

Money Saving App
Personal finance is a topic that’s been dear to me since I was a kid in middle school. However, personal finance is not a topic taught in middle/high school grades and even in college, not really a trendy topic to talk about. Even adults think of it as a chore. Websites like Mint.com have come a long way to engage people into money-saving habits by creating great data visualizations. I want to create a game app that lets young teens learn how to better manage their money and learn about personal finance. However, I believe gaming mechanics and  social networking can help teens learn to save money, manage their money, or at least track where their money goes in a handy way.
Things I’ll be examining in the upcoming weeks/days/hours.

Core User Needs
Priorities/Gaps/Roadbumps in Experience
Product Landscape

I was suggested by my thesis peers to look into social gaming research. One has recommended
Jesse Schell’s TedTalk. If anyone has any recommendations or readings, feel free to leave a comment.