This is the most frequent question I get from prospective clients and friends:

How much?

Everytime someone asks me the price for any type of design service by saying “How much?“,  my mind goes blank.  I should know by now how to answer this quickly, but I don’t sell good that have a fixed price and are already prepared in a package for the following customer.  Each project is different, the needs are custom made for the best results and all processes are very, very different.

I ask a lot of questions, a lot!  But it works.  I’ve learned that I need to ask all the questions before talking about money, this way I understand better what the project is, and know how clear this project is.  I have ran in trouble with people that are not sure what they want, thinking that it will be figured out down the road or that the design will solve any problems the initial concept might have.  So instead of giving a price, I will ask as many questions I can imagine in the first 10 minutes of conversation, why?  Because I need to make sure that the basics have been considered, that the vision is clear and the final goal has been thought.  Here’s where the design process comes to play, I first heard about it during my undergrad education and it seemed boring, I have to be honest, I just wanted to jump to the computer and play with the fonts and colors and shapes, that’s the fun part of being a creative person; you don’t over-think what you’re doing, you just go with the flow and create!  I hit so many walls because of it, the time I didn’t spend thinking of the concept and the posible (and best) solution, I spent it stuck and frustrated in front of the computer’s screen trying to figure out the next step.  The design process is not only the look and feel of the final product, it’s about asking as many questions as you can at the beginning and use design as a solution for them.

I see this process as a plan, we (me and the client) need to create a plan to make this work.  The first thing is for me to get as much information as I can from the client, organize it, ask more questions, set up the requirements for this project to be possible, ask more questions, make sure everything is clear (what is it? how does it work? why that way? is there another way of doing it?), and start sketching.  Of course, there will be things that need to be figure out once the work starts, but the more information I have from the beginning the better and smoother this process will be.

I have ran into situations where the project starts, and I end up in a limbo, with emails back and forth about changes and tests of things that were already discussed, figured out and decided.  It’s important to plan ahead what the project will be, otherwise it will become a growing thing that seems to have no end,  its shape is really fuzzy and it doesn’t seem to have a clear goal.  That’s why, when someone asks me “How much?”, the first thing I do is to send them a questionnaire I have prepared with many many questions, and once I have it back, I can tell how much will it be to do it, how much time will be needed, and how much this project has been thought.

I’ll be presenting Digital Foundations: FLOSS and Design Principles in Software Education, in the Soft Borders Conference in São Paulo, Brazil.

*

This conference will gather artists from around the world, to create discussions about new media art.  The main theme of the conference is borders dissolution between many fields of knowledge and life.

*

I’ll be organizing a translation sprint to the portuguese language of Digital Foundations as well.

*

When: October / 18 to 21 / 2010

Where: UNESP – Campus São Paulo.

Rua Dr Bento Teobaldo Ferraz, 271

01140-070 Barra Funda – São Paulo – SP*

*

*** es ***

Estaré presentando Fundamentos Digitales: Principios FLOSS y de diseño en la Educación de Programas, en la conferencia Soft Borders en São Paulo, Brazil.

*

Esta conferencia reunirá artistas de todas partes del mundo para iniciar discusiones y diálogos con relación a New Media. El tema principal de la conferencia, es la disolución de los bordes entre las variadas áreas de conocimiento y la vida.

*

Al mismo tiempo, estaré organizando un sprint de traducción al idioma portugués del libro Digital Foundations.

*

¿Cuándo?: Octubre / 18 al 21 / 2010

¿Dónde?: UNESP – Campus São Paulo.

Rua Dr Bento Teobaldo Ferraz, 271

01140-070 Barra Funda – São Paulo – SP

I’ll be part of the second part of development of Open Solar Circuits at the 2010 Zero One Biennial “Build Your Own World” in San José, California. I’ll be joining Dream Addictive Lab to keep working on new prototypes, documentation and tutorials for the online repository.

*

The program can be found here.

*

Description of the conference:

The future is not just about what’s next. It’s also about what we can build to ensure that what’s next matters. How can we, as resourceful, innovative, and knowledgeable local and global citizens build and participate in a desirable future in the face of global climate change, economic meltdown, political instability, and cultural divisiveness?
The 2010 01SJ Biennial is predicated on the notion that as artists, designers, engineers, architects, marketers, corporations and citizens we have the tools to (re)build the world, conceptually and actually, virtually and physically, poorly and better, aesthetically and pragmatically, in both large and small ways. 01SJ is about how powerful ideas and innovative individuals from around the world can make a difference and come together to build a unique and distributed city-wide platform for creative solutions and public engagement.
Under the theme “Build Your Own World,” ZER01, in collaboration with dozens of partners, will present over the course of 4 days, from September 16-19, hundreds of artworks, performances, events, and artist talks, which not only imagine the future of the world) but begin to build it.
Join us. Show us. Build it.
Steve Dietz, Artistic Director
Jaime Austin, Assistant Curator

*

*

*** es ***

Estaré presente en la segunda parte de desarrollo del proyecto Open Solar Circuits en al Bienal 2010 One Zero “Construye tu Propio Mundo” en San José, California. Acompañaré a Dream Addictive Lab para seguir trabajando en nuevos prototipos, documentación y tutoriales para el repositorio en línea.

*

El programa puede ser encontrado aquí.

*

Descripción de la Conferencia:

El futuro no se trata sólo de lo que viene próximamente. Se trata de que lo que podemos construir para asegurarnos de que eso que viene próximamente sea importante. ¿Cómo podemos, nosotros ciudadanos locales y globales inovadores, ingeniosos y conocedores, construir y participar en un futuro desable de cara a un cambio climático global, una crisis económica, inestabilidad política y división cultural?
La Bienal 2010 01SJ se basa en la idea de que como artistas, diseñadores, ingenieros, arquitectos, publicistas, empresas y ciudadanos tenemos las herramientas para (re)construir el mundo, conceptual y verdaderamente, virtual y físicamente, con menos recursos y mejor estética y pragmáticamente, tanto de una manera grande como pequeña. 01SJ, se trata de cómo las ideas poderosas e individuos innovadores de alrededor del mundo, pueden hacer una diferencia y reunirse para construir una plataforma única y distribuida a lo largo de la ciudad, para crear soluciones creativas y compromiso público.
Bajo el lema “Construye tu propio mundo”, ZER01, en colaboración con decenas de socios, presentará en el transcurso de cuatro días, desde 16 a 19 septiembre, cientos de obras de arte, actuaciones, eventos y charlas de artistas, que no sólo imaginar el futuro del mundo, sino empezarán a construirlo.
Únete a nosotros. Muestranos. Constrúyelo.
Steve Dietz, Director Artístico
Austin Jaime, Curadora Asistente

Today we finally got into groups and started discussing and working on the projects we’ll be part of.

Open Solar Circuits

Open Solar Circuits is a project that works as a framework of collective construction, making a system of the knowledge obtained during the experimentation process, to be reproduced later in different contexts. The project is focused on experimenting with electronic sustainable circuits.

The dynamics of the project in the context of Interactivos? Ciencia de barrio seeks, in the first place, the creation of a repository of ideas about design and development of discreet electronic circuits fed by sustainable energies. This repository is created from responses made collectively among the collaborators and promoters of the project.

As a second part, development and improvement of the prototypes, such as the production of work kits are contemplated; the constant exchange of ideas and techniques will allow us to get a framework that is orientated to sustainable electronics.

The circuits and techniques produced in the project will conform the didactic materials for a picnic workshop open to participants, promoting the social benefit from such techniques and training those present with the basic knowledge required for its application.

Our team is: Dream Addictive (Carmen and Leslie), Giuseppe, Maria Paula, Simonetta and Mauricio.

We created a plan to organize the work we’ll be doing here:

* Define the modules of circuits will be developing

* Make the visual and friendly schematics of each circuit

* Discuss the design of the casing for each of these modules

* Prototype the cases with the circuits built on the breadborads

* Experiment with the printing process of the PCBs

* Build the designs

*** es ***

Hoy finalmente nos agrupamos y empezamos a discutir sobre los proyectos en los que vamos a trabajar.

Open Solar Circuits

Open Solar Circuits es un proyecto que funciona como framework de construcción colectiva, sistematizando el conocimiento obtenido durante el proceso de experimentación para después ser reproducido en distintos contextos. El proyecto se enfoca en experimentar con circuitos electrónicos sustentables.

La dinámica del proyecto dentro del contexto de Interactivos? ciencia de barrio, busca en un primer momento la creación de un repositorio de ideas en torno al diseño y desarrollo de circuitos electrónicos discretos alimentados por energías sustentables. Este repositorio se crea a partir de propuestas realizadas de forma colectiva entre los colaboradores y los promotores de proyecto.

El desarrollo y mejora de los prototipos asi como la producción de kits de trabajo se contemplan como una segunda etapa donde el constante intercambio de ideas y técnicas nos permitirá obtener un framework orientado a la electrónica sustentable.

Los circuitos y técnicas resultantes del proyecto conformaran el material didáctico para un taller picnic abierto, promoviendo el beneficio social de dichas técnicas y capacitando a los asistentes con los conocimientos básicos requeridos para su aplicación.

Nuestro equipo está conformado por Dream Addictive (Carmen y Leslie), Giuseppe, Maria Paula, Simonetta y Mauricio.

Hicimos un plan de organización para el trabajo:
* Definir los módulos de circuitos que vamos a desarrollar.

* Hacer los esquemas visuales

* Discutir el diseño de las “cajas” en las que vamos a incorporar los módulos

* Hacer prototipos de las “cajas” de los módulos, usando los circuitos construidos en breadboard

* Experimentar con el proceso de impresión manual de circuitos

* Construir los modelos

List of selected papers:

Siri Driessen & Roos van Haaften: Finding the Local
Milan Janic: Home Sweet Home
Fabiana De Barros: Fiteiro Cultural (Culture Kiosk)
Gabriel Menotti Gonring: Gambiarra: The Prototyping Perspective
Allison Kudla: Living Building
Platoniq “YouCoop: Radicalmente Complementarios” / “Youcoop: Radically complementary”
Andrés Burbano “Between punched film and the first computers, the work of Konrad Zuse”
Douglas Repetto “Nearly Human & Circular Spectrum Analyzer”
Langdon Winner: “Local citizens against global, corporate power” (Los ciudadanos locales contra el poder corporativo global)

*** es ***

Hoy se presentaron las comunicaciones seleccionadas de Interactivos?’10.

Lista de Comunicaciones Seleccionadas

Siri Driessen & Roos van Haaften: Finding the Local
Milan Janic: Home Sweet Home
Fabiana De Barros: Fiteiro Cultural (Culture Kiosk)
Gabriel Menotti Gonring: Gambiarra: The Prototyping Perspective
Allison Kudla: Living Building
Platoniq “YouCoop: Radicalmente Complementarios” / “Youcoop: Radically complementary”
Andrés Burbano “Between punched film and the first computers, the work of Konrad Zuse”
Douglas Repetto “Nearly Human & Circular Spectrum Analyzer”
Langdon Winner: “Local citizens against global, corporate power” (Los ciudadanos locales contra el poder corporativo global)

Today Interactivos?’10 started. All the projects were presented to the collaborators and the general public.  There’s a great mix of talented people gathered here.

There’s another project going on at the same time in Medialab that’s called LabtoLab, so it’s the first time a workshop will gather so many people at the same time.

*** es ***

Hoy empezó Interactivos?’10.  Todos los proyectos fureon presentados a los colaboradores internacionales y el público en general.  Hay una mezcla increíble de gente muy talentosa que ha venido a dar vida a todos los proyectos.

Al mismo tiempo que Interactivos?’10, se está dando el encuentro LabtoLab.  Es la primera vez que se recibe tanta gente a los talleres al mismo tiempo.

I’m on my way to Madrid to participate in this year’s Interactivos?’10.

***

Estoy camino a Madrid, a participar en Interactivos?’10 de este año.

What is Interactivos?

Interactivos? is a research and production platform for the creative and educational uses of technology. Its main goal is to expand on the use of electronic and software tools for artists, designers and educators, thus contributing to the development of local communities of cultural producers in this field.

Interactivos? events are a hybrid between a production workshop, a seminar and a showcase. A space for reflection, research, and collaborative work is created, in which proposals selected by an international open call are developed, completed and displayed. Theprocess is open to the public from beginning to end.

***

Soy parte del grupo de colaboradores de Interactivos?10, que será en Medialab Prado (Madrid).  Estaré participando en el proyecto llamado “Open Solar Systems” de Dream Addictive Lab.

¿Qué es Interactivos?

Interactivos? es una plataforma de investigación y producción acerca de las aplicaciones creativas y educativas de la tecnología. El objetivo es profundizar en el uso de herramientas de electrónica y programación para artistas, diseñadores y educadores, contribuyendo al desarrollo de comunidades locales de productores culturales en este ámbito.

Los eventos Interactivos? son un híbrido entre taller de producción, seminario y exhibición. En ellos se crea un espacio de reflexión, investigación y trabajo colaborativo en el que se desarrollan y posteriormente se muestran las propuestas seleccionadas mediante una convocatoria internacional, en un proceso abierto al público de principio a fin.

.

.