Noticesda dot in

Abstract

Over the last few years we see how technology has propagated through our everyday lives. With the social networking sites and mobile applications students have developed their community not just on the college premise but also on the internet. These websites and applications have now become a major communication need of the students or residents on every campus. We can also see how even campuses are trying to change their modes of communication so that they can reach out to the students and residents on a campus in the best possible manner. This connection of students with each other over the internet has changed the very meaning of socializing. As a master’s degree student I see how even before getting admitted into the programme the social media helps oneself to get acquainted to students already studying on the campus. In short on a social level these tools have made possible things that were never possible before. People have more information at their disposal than ever making it easy to stay connected anytime, anywhere and anyhow. Especially with hand held devices equipped with data and multimedia students, faculty and others on a campus have access to each other literally 24 x 7. This in turn has changed the very fabric of social groups on campuses.

To keep pace with the current social culture on campuses the administrators on a campus have to work hard to ensure that information and learning is distributed in a way which keeps up with the current trend and technology. To narrow down my research and problem at large my focus is on the idea of a ‘Notice Board’. The notice board has been a very important information centre for news, updates and notifications that are general and those that apply to a specific student group in a school, college, institute or a department. In some colleges notice boards also play a major role in the social culture. The notice boards become conversation starters and also play a huge role in group dynamics. It makes people enter different interest groups and helps in keeping the campus life eventful in terms of events and co‐curricular activities on campus.

This project will try to transcend the Notice Board into something that fits in the realms of the new age of information and technology. I have basically tried to explore how a very simple and singular communication channel can be very effective. The information on the notice should be made more accessible for students as per their social needs and not just be a notification centre which needs to be logged into. It cannot just be in the form of mass emails. It needs to come onto the network of students that is created by the students. I have tried to explore the applications and principles of Information Design, User Interaction and Experience design and most of all Social Design. I intend to present a basic website as an initial trial that can be accessed on all devices that support web browsing.

At the end of the project I aim to propose and present prototypes and possibilities of how Designed Communication Channels can have better impact in campuses rather than channels that are limited to singular media. I wish to add to the already existing research and study which proves how technological intervention can increase the efficiency of students and administration on campuses.