Supervisor meeting #10 (year 2) - 31 March 2020

Andrea McSwan PhD Research Year 2

Exploring 3D Animation and Virtual Reality, to Represent the Perceptual-Experiences of Artists with Sight-Loss

Supervisor Meetings:

Date: 31 March 2020

Meeting no: 10 – Virtual via Teams

Present: Phillip Vaughan (1^st) Fraser Bruce (2^nd) Caroline Erolin (3^rd) Andrea McSwan (Student)

Tasks set and completed since last meeting:

·       Design Journal PhD report submitted to Chris Lim for consideration – edits underway

·       PhD expo registered at DJCAD on January 17^th 2020

·       Semi-Structured interviews conducted face-to-face in London, January 2020.

·       All transcripts typed and uploaded onto blog

·       Blog updated and current, including all activities

·       Research Presentation delivered – Encounters Symposium DJCAD 13 March 2020

·       BAFTSS conference in St Andrews April 2020 cancelled. But

PhD poster accepted and to be included in digital competition on BAFTSS website. Outcome to be advised.

·       Abstract submitted to Graduate Women Scotland 15th annual Research Presentation Day on 18 April 2020. Not heard but presume conference cancelled

·       Submitted abstract to  http://www.drha.uk/salford2020/ Digital Research in Humanities and Arts. Conference in Salford Step 6^th 2020. Advised of outcome April 30 2020

OPD Training and Teaching

·       OPD – 12^th December – Complete Researcher year 2

·       OPD – 3^rd February 2020 – Positive Strategies for Success

·       OPD – 26^th February 2020 – Career Options with your PhD

·       Virtual Teaching via Teams MSc Animation & VFX

·       PhD rep for Ethics Committee

Planned and in Progress:

·       Contacted RNIB to discuss Public Engagement event later in 2020, once more is known

·       Concept art in preparation for creating VR experience

·       Editing draft for the Design Journal, taking on board Chris Lim’s comments

·       Review of data analysis literature

·       Themes and data analysis of transcripts

To be discussed:

·        

Next meeting….tbc

Notes:

• Structure week going forward. For example: 2 days writing, 1 day teaching, 2 days creating VR experience
• Work on narrative - this may come naturally through the thematic analysis
• The Zen garden VR idea may be too big and, potentially, the size of an individual project. Consider omitted or significantly reducing. What is the message that I want to tell. What will people learn from being in that VR world?
• What things from my research do I want the public to know?
• Construct the 3D environment from 2D image plans using alpha channels. To be tested
• Capture the methods the artists use, to create a narrative. For example, Aaron's gongs are outputs of his practice.
• Look for emerging themes in through thematic analysis.
• Be aware of interpreting the artist's work and then it potentially becoming 'something' else entirely. Consider how to avoid Chinese Whispers.
• Adhere to raw data
• Haptic idea of gongs being struck and making a noise is technically relatively simple. Research Phil's Dementia research involving interactive chimes.
• Link Sally's underground world to Aaron's Piccadilly Circus above, is a good link.
• Levels of progression are key parts of the process. Also progression of levels of experience
• Make the gongs bright yellow and visible for participants/users with sight-loss (check out David Flatla and David Lyons research)
• Consider a game aspect - some sense of achievement
• Test at an early stage
• David's world could involve timelapse animation, touch points and 3D printing aspects.
• Character locators, things in 3D space and collision points. Maybe link this back to Sally's world of rushing commuters (avoidance and collision).
• Consider something in the VR world that acknowledges avoidance - consider how this could be woven into David's fascination with negative space.
• Watch DareDevil
• Things to be aware of due to Coronavirus. Hardware, particulary Oculus Quest may be difficult to access due to facilities lockdown. See how the situation progresses.
• Good progress and coming up to the tip of the curve of the PhD (more positive than considering we, as a country, up coming up to the tip of the curve of the virus - as I make these notes!)
• Next steps - thematic analysis. Read these papers and then include in Endnote, once back in the library 

• Vaismoradi, M., Turrnen, H. and  Bondas, T., 2013. Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing & health sciences, 15 (3), pp. 398-405

• Braun, V., Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitiative research in psychology 2006 Jan 1;3(2):77-101