Work the Workshop

Work the Workshop
Name	Workshop Works
Location	De Bonte Zwaan
Date	2018/07/21
Time	13:00-16:30
PeopleOrganisations	Shailoh Phillips, Anja Groten
Type	HDSA2018
Web	Yes
Print	No

Schedule

Before the workshop
11.00 - welcome
12.30 Welcome HDSA2018 + intervention by Selby
12.00 Lunch


The workshop
13.00 How to give a workshop outline
13.00 Introduction automatic workshop
13.30 Phantasmatic Workshop Props
14.15 Re-group

14.30 Coffee break

14.45 Workshop Simulation
15.30 Re-group
15.45 Prepping and practicalities
16.30 Wrap-up


After the workshop
16.45/17.00 moving to Fanfare (dinner on your own)
18.00 doors open
18.30 program starts

ACT I = non human

The Automated Workshop

Can a workshop be conducted ‘automatically’, that is, scripted in advance and executed without a human facilitator? The Automated Workshop is an experiment in developing rules, conditions, variables for a 'successful' workshop. Exercising the idea of a workshop being programmable, this experiment utilises technical concepts such as containers, wrapping, nesting, sequencing, if-then statements, debugging, as well as deliberate use of randomness and contingency. The premise of The Automated Workshop its applicability to a multiplicity of contexts.

• Form groups of 3
• Sketch out 1 workshop case (drawing from own experience)
• Script 'pseudo-code' for an ultimate workshop.*

* Pseudocode is an informal illustration of the operating principle of a computer program or other algorithm. It uses the structural conventions of a normal programming language, but is intended for human reading rather than machine reading. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudocode

Phantasmatic Workshop Props – Countering sticky-notes

During Workshop Props participants are invited to reimagine workshop props as mediators, agents and attendants of workshop situations. By questioning convenient means such as sticky-notes, markers, whiteboards, and also the projector, we will be speculating about material forms and their implication and how would they influence our imagination. The imaginary tools may be speculative or serve real functions. There will be materials available for prototyping. Prototypes can be also renderings or digital collages

• In groups of 3
• Gathering of materials to prototype with
• Prototyping
• Demonstration of usage + video capture

ACT II = humans automating the workshop

Exercise: the Workshop Simulation

In this exercise, we will ask for 3-4 volunteers in advance to share the outline of their H&D workshop with us. As a group, we will go through all the motions of the workshop, but condensed to high speed. This is an experimental rapid prototyping method for workshopping. So we would practice a 2 hour workshop by running through all the steps in only 2 minutes. A full day workshop would last about 8 minutes. The aim of this exercise is to get tangible feedback on the choreography, and experience how the composition of steps works. What is the balance between instruction and experimentation? If and how can people collaborate? It will hopefully also make people think about ways to arrange the space to invite optimal collaboration. It will possibly also generate some new ideas about how to tweak the design of the workshop.

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