Assignment 1- Annotated Bibliography
Name: Tom Parolin s3832433
I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration – https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/equitable-learning-services
Blog reflections
WEEK 1 – https://www.mediafactory.org.au/tomparolin/2020/03/05/networked-media-introduction-2-3-20/
WEEK 2 – https://www.mediafactory.org.au/tomparolin/2020/03/14/networked-media-affordances-week-2/
WEEK 3 – https://www.mediafactory.org.au/tomparolin/2020/03/26/networked-media-the-network-week-3/
WEEK 4 – https://www.mediafactory.org.au/tomparolin/2020/03/26/networked-media-social-media-week-4/
Annotated Bibliography
Course Prompt – How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way photos and videos are authored, published and distributed in the network?”
TEXT 1 – NETWORKS (533 words)
Lister, M., Dovey, J., Giddings, S,. Grant, I and Kelly, K., 2009. New Media: a critical introduction. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
(Sections: Networks, Users and Economics pp 163-169; Wiki Worlds and Web 2.0 pp 204-209; The Long Tail pp 197-200; User-generated content, we are all users now pp 221-232)
The authors of this text discuss various theories of new media, with a particular emphasis on the users role within digitised networks and how this has induced various societal changes within politics, economics and culture. The text defines the internet as the result of numerous factors, accidents, passions, collisions and tensions. The authors principally discuss Web 2.0, the long tail theory, virality and the subsequent effects on economics.
A majority of the texts discussion is centred around Web 2.0, a buzz term used to describe a more user orientated and interactive model of the Web, which stemmed from the building blocks of Web 1.0. The authors outline the main achievement of Web 2.0 being the introduction of a more participatory culture, where networks can exist and build upon themselves through user contributions. Web 2.0 aimed to erase the old divisions between producers and consumers in which existed with Web 1.0. The authors explain that networks within WEB 2.0 promote the construction of communities and that associated user behaviour itself creates a commodity. Consumers now depend more on personal recommendations and can therefore be utilised for their influence.
The text further explains ways in which marketing and advertising have adapted to this shift. Companies have realised they need to cultivate engagement within audiences if they want to achieve economic success. The authors further examine the long tail theory, which hypothesises, since the internet has made content distribution and searching more accessible, consumers can now locate more obscure material, straying away from the mainstream. The text explains the long tail’s influence on advertising, as it is more effective to advertise to individuals based on their personal interests, than to advertise to a larger demographic based on a common interest. This has been made simple through the internet as consumers behaviours can be monitored allowing advertising companies to target them specifically. The authors also illustrate the viral nature of networked media. They argue for media to become viral and successful it needs to become something more than it was intended to be; to build an associated culture, to influence people in a way that they distribute it to their own networks and without instruction. Content that has gone viral has affected people in a profound way and tapped into their natural instinct to share.
Overall, this is an incredibly comprehensive text which addresses new media from multiple perspectives. The source is credible and beneficial to research as it is written by academics for the use of students. A limitation of the text is that it is dated having being written in 2009. The nature of this topic is rapidly evolving, even on a daily basis, meaning some information could prove inaccurate. The text also doesn’t criticise mobile media networks such as Instagram, because they were not yet in existence. However, the principles explored in this text are still extremely relevant and applicable to todays digital climate. The text makes thoughtful observations which contribute towards the course prompt, clarifying the significance of the users role within the network. The text accentuates the importance of the user and their influence. By better understanding the abilities of the user, the influence of the network can be further understood.
TEXT 2 – AFFORDANCES (520 words)
Norman, D., 2002. The Design of Everyday Things. revised ed. New York: Basic Books.
(Sections: Preface vii-xv; Chapter one pp 1-13; Chapter 4 (constraints) pp 81-87; (computers) pp 177-186)
In this text, the author Donald Norman focuses on user-centred design, examining in depth, the communication process between object and person. Norman indicates his frustration with poor design he encounters everyday, illustrating these issues as being mainly due to a lack of visibility and the improper application of affordances and constraints. Norman defines generalised design concepts using relatable examples. He emphasises the importance of considering the user, this consideration being the main basis of all successful design.
A key principle that Norman discusses within the text is visibility. Norman describes the importance of visibility and how issues in design are often due to a lack of visibility. Norman states that when designing anything it is vital to understand the user needs help and requires natural signals to operate even the most simple objects. Norman explains visibility as being the mapping between a users intended actions and their actual operations. Within a design, the components must be visible and convey the correct message. A lack of visibility is when their is a lack of clues that indicate how to operate an object. Norman uses a story about doors to strengthen his argument, stating how such a simple object can pose confusion in the user due to visibility issues. Norman also mentions that if there is an excess of visibility in a design, the object can become intimidating and confuse the user.
Within the text Norman describes the key principle of affordances, which represent the relationship between an object and a user. Norman states that affordances are determined by the properties of the object and the abilities of the person interacting with that object. He simplifies the definition by relating affordances to an amount of possibilities. Norman mentions when affordances are taken advantage of the user can understand how to operate something without assistance. Norman adds that when simple things, such as doors, require labels or instructions, that the design is poor and has therefore failed.
Norman further provides a classification on constraints, explaining how constraints limit the number of alternatives within a design. Norman explains that problems in design can occur when there is too many possibilities and that by employing constraints you can limit alternatives allowing for a more natural and user friendly experience. Norman details that constraints can be broken down into being physical, semantic and cultural. Norman uses the model of assembling a lego bicycle to demonstrate how these types of constraints can apply to design.
This text relates to the course prompt as it provides a solid understanding on the definition of affordances and the ways in which all forms of design need to ultimately consider the user. Norman embellishes his book with case studies, personal stories and conceptual models with images to demonstrate his concepts, allowing readers to more easily relate. A limitation of the text would be that it is strictly subjective and more of an individual philosophy as such, not drawing on a variety sources. Nonetheless, this text proved to be a great foundation study on the basic principles of good design, which can be applied to a variety of fields, particularly media.
TEXT 3 – SOCIAL MEDIA (458 words)
Hinton, S. and Hjorth, L., 2013. Understanding Social Media. 1st ed. London: SAGE publications Ltd.
(Section: pp. 1-31)
This book by Sam Hinton and Larissa Hjorth unpacks the definition of social media, identifying its infiltration into our everyday lives and exposing the contradiction between freedom and control. The text provides an explanation on the origins of the Web and its transformation to the current Web 2.0. The authors describe Web 2.0 as an attitude which permitted the emergence of user collective networks such as social media and the ways in which this has spawned commercialisation. The text particularly discusses the potential dangers social media has on individuals and society as it gains control through the illusion of empowerment, hiding its real intentions of exploitation.
The text challenges the supposed benefits of Web 2.0, accusing it of being contradictory and a model that no longer supports democracy. The authors describe the user as now a commodity that companies have turned into subjects of control. It is discussed that these social networks have created a dependency within society as people are addicted to their use. The text dives into critical discussion on the role of the user within these relatively novel networks. It explains how users are being monitored, regulated and managed. That users have become collections of data as they are under the impression they are in control, when in reality they are the ones being controlled. These networks have been successful by making their services free of charge, developing an illusion of control, and acquiring revenue through selling user generated data. The authors further warn about horizontal integration, a term that describes the process of a company buying out its competitors so it can secure a section of the market. The text emphasises that this domination of the internet is not following the democratic shift that Web 2.0 strived towards, and that the actions of these larger influential platforms are creating a more totalitarian type of web.
The authors successfully address the challenging nature of morality within digital culture. The text is written in a kind of technophobic manner as it constantly challenges these progressions within media culture. The text is critical and utilises diverse and credible sources to backup its claims. It utilises qualitative and quantitive methods of investigation to enforce its arguments. The text succeeds at exposing the uneasy relationship that exists between users and networks. It also resonates on a philosophical level as it demonstrates how consequences often arise from given freedoms. The only limitation of this text would be that it is dated, as with any printed article on this type of subject. Nonetheless, the text proves to be helpful as research in relation to the course prompt as it exposes the social complications and risks associated with the network. A side of debate which isn’t as commonly taken in this field.
TOTAL WORDS = 1511