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 |
| No | |
Schedule
Before the workshop
11.30 Welcome HDSA2018 by Juliette
11.45 Intervention by Selby
12.15 Lunch
The workshop
13.00 The 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 the sticky-note
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
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. 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.
<eplite src="https://etherpad.hackersanddesigners.nl/p/" id="workshop-works" />
Notes
How to make a workshop work?
This workshop is geared towards sharing knowledge and expertise on what makes a workshop work — without it becoming a cookie cutter formula.
Who is this for?
artists, designers, hackers and technology people who would like to give a workshop. Now there are a lot of things going on under the title “workshop” that have some, but not all of the characteristics of a working workshop. When does a workshop work? When do the participants learn something new. When do they learn not only ‘about’ it, but are actively involved with it.