Final Project

From Expressive Computing

Contents 1 Progress reports (NEW) 2 What should the final project look like? 3 Group work 4 Presentation and Documentation 5 Questions and concerns

Progress reports (NEW)

Because we won't have class for the two weeks leading up to presentations, I want to make sure that everyone stays on task. For this reason, two weekly progress reports are hereby required as part of the final project. Here are the due dates for these reports:

• Saturday, November 29th (midnight)
• Saturday, December 6th (midnight)

Only one progress report needs to be submitted per group. Here's what should be in the report:

• Summary of work you've done so far (or since the last report)
• A description of at least one outstanding issue, and how you plan to resolve it
• Any questions or concerns that you have -- conceptual or technical

What should the final project look like?

Excerpted and paraphrased from the Syllabus:

Make something. Create a new procedure or object (usually, but not necessarily, in the form of software) that is a creative synthesis of the ideas that we've been discussing in class. Show an engagement with both the technical and theoretical content of the course.

Except for the above paragraph, there are no specific guidelines regarding the content of the final project. Feel free to pursue your muse. A few ideas that you might consider:

• Take one of your ideas from a previous project. Build on that idea. Follow it to its logical conclusion. Change the parameters or the technology to create something different.
• Apply the ideas and procedures of the "cut-up" to sound using csound.
• Research and apply one of any algorithms used in generative art (e.g., fractals, l-systems, markov chains, cellular automata) with one or more of the technologies discussed in class.
• Step away from the computer. Your final project must be some kind of procedure (or an object resulting from a procedure), but it doesn't have to be a Processing sketch or a Python script or a csound score.
• Focus on being expressive (or on fastidiously avoiding expressiveness). Can you create something intimately personal? Can you create something robot-like and impersonal?
• Look at the "selected work" sections of the wiki pages for previous projects and class sessions. Use these as inspiration. (I'll collate these here soon.)

Group work

You're free to work alone or in a group. Again, I encourage collaboration, as it leads to projects that are both more diverse in their points of view and more polished.

Presentation and Documentation

Final project presentations will be ten minutes long. Your presentation should be prepared with that length of time in mind. As always, remember to include the following as portions of your presentation:

• Your idea (what is your idea?)
• Your process (how did you implement it?)
• Your evaluation (what went well, what went poorly, what would you change?)

The documentation requirement applies to the final project as well. See the Syllabus for more information.

We'll be holding final project presentations over the course of two weeks (December 12th and December 19th). If you have a strong preference for either date (e.g., because of a pre-existing professional or personal obligation), please let me know (by e-mail) as soon as possible.

Questions and concerns

If you have any questions about the final project, or if you need programming help or conceptual guidance, please let me know! I am more than happy to meet with you and/or your group in person to help guide you through any trouble with your idea or your implementation.

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