This is the culminating studio of the MIDEA program (Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts). In this studio, students work in close collaboration with an external client, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The Grad Studio aims to help students strengthen and document their design capacities and help them become job-ready in the design industry. The learning outcomes of this studio include advanced documentation and reporting of research-led design work, delivering evidence-based design presentations, and critically reflecting upon self and peer practices as a design professional.
With over 50 newsrooms producing live local news and radio coverage across Australia, the ABC has a strong presence across regional areas, cities and communities nationwide. However, the demands of building community extend beyond mere news coverage and far beyond the typical interactions found in a YouTube comment section. The question that this studio poses, is: How can we carve out a space within our digital ecosystem to cultivate and celebrate local communities and sub-cultures?
The overall aim of the unit is the use of new media formats. It’s a question of integrating new media formats and interaction patterns to develop a digital space that fosters engagement, alleviating the need for moderation and journalistic resources. It also involves improving the coverage of local stories as well as ensuring accuracy and currency of information. Addressing the brief, answers are required to incorporate self-moderation or technical solutions to enable users to feel safe enough to engage with the content. It must remain relevant to users' interests without being intrusive as they browse. As such, consent is another important factor considered by the projects. This is particularly the case regarding user opt-in, where it is paramount to respect user preferences as a way to ensure positive user experiences.
