Note: I’ve decided to scrap this idea in favor of something I feel more passionate about, photography and critique. You can read about my new capstone topic, Online Photography Critique, in a newer post.
For my final capstone (thesis) project of my master’s program, I’ll be working on the topic of discovering local music in a digital age. Below is my initial plan for the project. I’ve narrowed my focus just a bit from just Local Music in a Digital Age because I believe it will be a more interesting space within which to work. I’ve always been a fan of music and local music but I’ve had the hardest time finding new music which I might enjoy.
Background Opportunity
It’s hard to find good local music that fits my particular taste. I want to make it easier to find and enjoy (holistically) local music that fits your particular taste.
Assumptions
Local music is around. Local music is good. Local music enhances people’s lives. The digital era has made it harder to find and appreciate local music.
Primary User Group
My primary user group is music listeners and fans in Bloomington Indiana between the ages of 18-35.
Client
Bloomington Entertainment & Arts District
Owners of local music establishments
Local music managers and promoters
Local musicians
Anticipated Final Outcome
I want to make it easier to find and enjoy (holistically) local music that suites your taste.
Readings
- “TunA: Local music sharing with handheld Wi-Fi devices”
- “Music scenes: local, translocal and virtual”
- “Local music policies within a global music industry: cultural quarters in Manchester and Sheffield”
- “Growing up Punk: Negotiating aging identity in a local music scene”
- “Israeli rock, or a study in the politics of ‘local authenticity’”
- “Sound tracks: popular music, identity, and place”
- “Music in A Digital Age with Business Week’s Jon Fine”
- “A Messy Age for Music”
- “Music In The Digital Age”
- “Music store adapts in digital age”
- “Wayne Marshall On Global Music In The Digital Age”
- “Artists, Musicians and The Internet”
- “Pathways to music exploration in a digital age”
Exemplars
- Last.fm
- iTunes, Genius, Ping
- The Current
- HearWhere.com
- Pandora
- BEAD
- The Hype Machine
- Musicovery
- iLike
- Uvumi
- Songza
- Mufin
- Daytrotter
Initial Sketches/Ideas
Time Plan
October
- Initial research of design space to better understand the problem as a whole.
- Begin user research on how people discover music and local music in particular
- Sketch out several ideas, especially of the holistic view of discovery
November
- Continue research
- Assimilate research
- Sketch more ideas
- Begin working on research report
December
- Develop research presentation and report
January
- Sketch out details of concept
- Begin to develop prototype
February
- Prototype design and begin user testing
March
- Create a working prototype
- Conduct longer term user testing
April
- Prepare for capstone fair
- Begin writing final paper
- Being final presentation
May
- Finish final paper
- Finish and present final presentation
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