[Link to Miro](https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPR0f72M=/?share_link_id=553181445591)

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2F0q9VXFG9PcPy5T1L6qFC%2F70129c3e-2e68-4f39-862f-b5653edb2652.png?alt=media&token=69b6362f-a343-49d7-bc37-78061e7008e0","id":"70129c3e-2e68-4f39-862f-b5653edb2652","width":1720,"height":1586,"filename":"Screen Shot 2022-10-06 at 3.23.10 PM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Midterm Prep Part 1

Pick out 3 quotes from the text and write one paragraph of response for each quote. Pick out the things that do and do not make sense to you, things you do - or do not agree with. Find the main takeaway form the article for you personally.

**QUOTE 1:** "The Hero's Journey is a skeletal framework that should be fleshed out with the details and surprises of the individual story. The structure should not call attention to itself, nor should it be followed too precisely."\
→ I chose this quote because I felt it summarized the entire section we read very clearly. As we took in a lot of information, a lot of structural framework examples and pieces of a story, this closing statement tied back to the beginning with the author stating how it's important to use this framework, but loosely and always be updating and challenging it. It's meant to be more of a guide of what's been successful, but the best stories are the ones that mix the old and trusted with the new and unexpected.

**QUOTE 2:** "We're crossing into act three now as the hero begins to deal with the consequences of confronting the dark forces of the Ordeal."\
Is The Hero's Journey the combination of The Writer's Journey and The Hero with a Thousand Faces? I think this might be where I'm still processing a little bit and trying to understand. Their individual frameworks seem to be very similar to one another, and I really believe this article helped me to understand each stage of the Hero's Journey much better. Especially given the examples for each stage. Although another portion I'm trying to understand deeper is how Act 3 begins after the Hero get's their reward. This is something I'm still wrapping my head around just because in a film it almost feels like that should be part of Act versus still being a part of Act 2.

**QUOTE 3:** "Our emotions are temporarily depressed so that they can be revived by the hero's return from death. The result of this revival is a feeling of elation and exhilaration." \
→ With this quote from the section "THE ORDEAL" in the reading, I'm thinking about movies with sad endings, or the shocking twist at the end. As I read through this chapter in the book, I was under the impression that the author is telling us that each piece of The Hero's Journey can be found within any story. Even if the order is displaced a bit. This lead me to just question movies or books that appear to maybe not have some of the revival or come-back stories. The stories that end a bit tragically, or leave the audience feeling conflicted. Where would these stories fit into the Hero's Journey? Do all stories need to contain each piece, or is it more pick and choose?

**Main Takeaway:** The article was so successful in helping me to understand The Hero's Journey to a deeper level. I believe the main takeaway was that although the author goes into specifics for each stage, the big idea is to not follow the framework step by step, and to use it more as a guiding tool. It's ok to combine the trusted framework with new ideals to create interesting stories relevant to today's storytelling.

Vogler's Journey

Using a diagramming tool create three flowchart diagrams each describing the set of rules that guide the three micro-interactions that you identified last week. Consider the user input, the time components (delays, schedules, etc.), the data required, the processes involved and the final outcome(s).

**PART 1:**

**iMessage tapbacks:**

**Triggers:** Tap and hold iMessage\
**Rules:** Allows either the sender or receiver to emphasize, like, love, laugh or question a message sent by either party. \
**Feedback:** It highlights the message, and pulls up a set of icons that allows the user to recognize the message without words or responding. Sends a notification to the recipient. \
**Loops & Modes:** The “tapback” remains unless a user removes it or changes it manually. There is no repetition or change in conditions. \
**Review:** This is an effective interaction and allows for users to communicate with a simple trigger. If users don't want to respond, or want to emphasize a message quickly, this is a delightful and effective interaction.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FAbnJg0A4Y0zs3MtdpGFP%2F70010917-b2a9-423b-a36a-8e7c861a6947.jpg?alt=media&token=2e71cc4b-69ad-49dd-9e53-d42145f97c5f","id":"70010917-b2a9-423b-a36a-8e7c861a6947","width":6810,"height":2349,"filename":"Flowchart - Frame 1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Snapchat loading:**

**Triggers:** Pull down on window\
**Rules:** Users see the ghost which represents loading, and then once the page loads the ghost flies up with a rainbow trail to signify that it’s done. \
**Feedback:** Users see a smiley ghost that’s loading before the ghost shoots beyond the screen with a rainbow trail signaling that the app is done loading. Users also feel a haptic when pulling down on the screen. \
**Loops & Modes:** The loading interaction disappears until a user pulls the screen down again to refresh or reload once again. There is no change in conditions. \
**Review:** This is an effective microinteraction that shows a playful branded example of a refreshing loop. Users can pull down on the window in order to check for new snaps from friends. Users see the ghost peep while it's loading, then shoot out of the window when it's completed, making it a delightful interaction.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FAbnJg0A4Y0zs3MtdpGFP%2F43a7577e-4fb1-4f47-94f1-1af7c5d42a02.jpg?alt=media&token=71c2d627-0fe7-4ea8-9352-3c8a24ebc806","id":"43a7577e-4fb1-4f47-94f1-1af7c5d42a02","width":8176,"height":1956,"filename":"Flowchart - Frame 2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Amie Horizontal Scroll Bar:**

**Triggers:** Drag the timeline at the bottom to horizontally scroll the calendar. \
**Rules:** Users can use their tracker or drag the timeline at the bottom of the page to scroll the calendar horizontally, and explore the company’s background.\
**Feedback:** The timeline scrolling right to left revealing new parts of the screen. \
**Loops & Modes:** The scrolling interaction resets upon refreshing the page. A user can change between modes by pressing the + or - sign in the pill shapes navigation bar to scroll between years, months, and days.\
**Review:** This is an effective interaction in allowing users to scroll a calendar vertically without changing natural mouse patterns. By giving users both a timeline that can click and drag to scroll, or the mouse option, users can effectively navigate the webpage. 

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FAbnJg0A4Y0zs3MtdpGFP%2Fb27965b8-5ebe-4bd5-8028-4f4a01f6be5c.jpg?alt=media&token=16598bee-2b0e-4603-930c-d27a82796846","id":"b27965b8-5ebe-4bd5-8028-4f4a01f6be5c","width":8743,"height":1829,"filename":"Flowchart - Frame 3.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**PART 2:**

Find an example of a micro-interaction that switches modes - one of your previously selected ones or a new one. Could this mode be avoided and if so how?

An example of a microinteraction that switches modes could be light and dark mode on portorocha.com.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FAbnJg0A4Y0zs3MtdpGFP%2F1a313d5f-eaac-453b-96b6-b4a8c105cffa.png?alt=media&token=39a0427b-d381-4421-82e5-37d74ffee5c1","id":"1a313d5f-eaac-453b-96b6-b4a8c105cffa","width":1024,"height":716,"filename":"Screen Shot 2023-02-28 at 8.02.40 PM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FAbnJg0A4Y0zs3MtdpGFP%2Fa69e218c-6d9e-4688-86f2-38ee91056ef5.png?alt=media&token=c5275cab-4ead-4dbc-96fe-205fd628880a","id":"a69e218c-6d9e-4688-86f2-38ee91056ef5","width":1025,"height":707,"filename":"Screen Shot 2023-02-28 at 8.02.35 PM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Mirco-interactions reading: Rules, Feedback and Modes

Part 1: Put a character from one of your favorite stories into the world of another. What would happen to them? What would they do? How would they interact with the characters of those stories?

**Imagine John Doe, the  "Seven Deadly Sins" Serial Killer from the film Seven, in the world of Tommy Wiseau, in the film The Disaster Artist.**

The movie takes place in 1998, the year Tommy wrote, directed the movie "The Room" in Los Angeles, California. Tommy Wiseau was determined to create his movie. Nobody could stop him, even the letters he'd been receiving threatening him to stop the development of the movie. The script was written, the cast had been hired, and the location had been booked. Once production begins, the serial killer begins to kill main characters off one by one based on the seven sins that their characters commit in the movie. Eventually once filming wraps, there's almost no one left alive to tell the story apart from the crew. They cut the movie, and the killings become part of the story. And so the legend of Tommy Wiseau and his "disasterous" movie becomes infamous. This crossover changes the movie from being a drama / comedy into a horror movie.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FApDv96cjl5S3nmW4DKVK%2F6f3fd5aa-608a-4c10-b522-dd1f519ce65a.png?alt=media&token=587c955e-7fbc-4035-b87e-8b8cb9a18dce","id":"6f3fd5aa-608a-4c10-b522-dd1f519ce65a","width":2312,"height":1884,"filename":"Screen Shot 2022-09-15 at 10.05.57 AM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Part 2: Think of 3 interesting and intriguing "what if" questions. Write each one out in one sentence. Pick the favorite of your "what if" scenarios; tell us about the world it would be taking place in and the main characters. Give a character a goal and some obstacles.

1. What if your fairy godmother appeared and offered you 3 wishes but they have to be for someone else, or a serum that lets you know when you'll die?

2. What if the internet stopped working and no one could fix it?

3. What if your fairy godmother offered you 3 wishes, but each wish takes off 10 years of your life?\
   \
   \----------------------

   \
   **What if your fairy godmother offered you 3 wishes, but each wish takes off 10 years of your life?** \
   I imagine this story to take place in New York. You'd have a 28 year old named Stacy as the main character. She has 2 childhood best friends, Zachary and Tess, that she does everything with.  Stacy has always wanted to be a big movie star, but was working her day to day in a 9-5 job in advertising. One night Stacy gets a surprise visit from her fairy godmother. She tells her that she can have 3 wishes, but with each wish she loses 10 years off of her life. Stacy has to make the decision on what is more important: her wildest dreams, or time? After Stacy makes her first wish, to be a big-time movie star, she wakes up and her life has taken a 360. She lives in Los Angeles, her closest friends are no longer in contact with her, she has no anonymity anymore. Is this the life she always dreamed? Will she risk another 10 years for another wish?

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FApDv96cjl5S3nmW4DKVK%2F98907005-1fde-497d-bf0e-78b6cc2e3c90.png?alt=media&token=c3348312-dc61-4bea-af65-e8ac3e92e839","id":"98907005-1fde-497d-bf0e-78b6cc2e3c90","width":2556,"height":1462,"filename":"Screen Shot 2022-09-15 at 5.19.33 PM.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

What if..?

`This week I was instructed to read a chapter from my textbook for my Interactive Storytelling class. We learned about each ingredient (perspective, characters, context, imagery, language) that helps to shape a story.`

**Quote #1: “Changes in perspective can also suggest different needs that a new design can meet."**

This was the first quote in the chapter that really caught my attention. I found it interesting to think about how the problem behind the reason for creating a product can change based on the perspective you look at it from. Whether you are looking at a problem from the shoes of a person who is 50+ rather than a person who is 25 or younger can make a vast difference in how you choose to tackle a particular design challenge. This reminds me of the movie "Maleficent" versus "Sleeping Beauty" where in one you learn to empathize with Maleficent based on how she was raised and excluded. In the other movie you see her as a villain who terrorizes a young girl. I can understand how perspective can be the basis for telling different stories about the usability of a product, and that's why we can have multiple personas in order to empathize and design products that work for a wider audience.

**\
Quote #2: “…the character’s dictio –or what the character claims to stand for.”**

What an interesting concept that I didn't know of before. I didn’t know about this word “dictio” before as used in screenwriting, but once the text described it, and related it back to usability tests, I knew I had to write a response to it. This definition reminds me of people’s characteristics and how the saying goes that what you don’t like in other people is often linked to something you might not love about yourself that you don't know of. It's not exactly the same concept, but reminded me of it because of the example where a user might say they don't know how to use a product, yet based on examining that same user in a usability test, you can find out that they can use the product quite well. This is why testing is an important part of the user experience process, as you have to take what an interviewee says at face value and see how they actually interact with the product. \
\
**\
Quote #3: “For instance, when telling a story about a dog, you probably want to make sure you’re clear that the animal is a dog. But you might not have to mention the breed of dog. This would allow the audience to fill in this detail themselves, possibly with the breed of their own dogs.”**

This section of the text stood out to me for a few reasons. I believe that with storytelling, as much as you want to guide the audience with the story you’re telling, the best stories keep some to the imagination. I believe this allows the audience to develop a personal interest in either the character, or the product that you are selling. For example, if I’m developing an app for tracking workouts, I might share a character or personal story of why I want to start working out. But if I share some context, and leave some of my story for the audience to interpret or imagine themselves as the main character, they might develop a more personal interest in this product. Although you're setting the basis for a story, with context you're allowing the audience to create a picture based on their experiences and their background. This ultimately allows them empathize with your story even more than you just giving them all the information.

Reading: Storytelling in UX Response

[Midterm Presentation Link](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vTz4m0NZRmL0l16CarX9YAoKrUoLzjzStZBuWZ3gbwfEUi_xLLWm2YD3qx6yyp43A4IxUsuOewFGMrQ/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000)

Midterm Tell Your Story

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FPKLZ9GopXl25CmzTSEPB%2F382c88e8-984d-45ea-9e12-429630ad54ce.png?alt=media&token=f6838b4d-3a67-4714-b4a4-b3f17e8c5e66","id":"382c88e8-984d-45ea-9e12-429630ad54ce","width":1920,"height":1080,"filename":"MI Redesign.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**[Figma Link](https://www.figma.com/proto/V2zExnHOaHFUgnnpQjEoaS/Microinteraction-Redesign?page-id=0%3A1&node-id=53%3A7121&starting-point-node-id=53%3A7121)**

Micro-interactions Redesign

[Link](https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:011e2a22-c854-3999-b58b-80fd5b26fcf8)

Social Network for Psychopaths

**"Through the connotations of the object that is relabelled, the technique also makes designers aware of the socio-cultural role their products can play."**

This quote stood out to me because I hadn't heard about "Interaction Relabelling" before but found the method interesting to learn about. To shift focus from the functionality of a product to the interaction possibilities. The example the reading discussed in this section helped me understand the framework more. With firing the toy gun to make an appointment with someone, and the loudness expressing the importance of the appointment. It shifts the focus from functionality to interaction possibilities, and I can understand why this is a good exercise for designers to think about.

**"Designing for extreme characters is a technique which tries to steer away from the usual designing for a prototypical character from a target group...Instead of Figure 1. The toy revolver Figure 2. Interaction relabelling with the toy revolver 3 designing for characters that are emotionally shallow, we design for characters that have exaggerated emotional attitudes. By taking characters that are extremes, character traits can be exposed which, though common, remain hidden because they are antisocial or in conflict with a person’s status."**

I found this quote a stand out because it explains what an extreme character is, and why they can be beneficial to design for. It's important because a character or user is reflected in the roles the product supports, and if designing for a prototypical character, designers are ignoring the range of human emotions and addressing the perfect scenario instead. So the idea of extreme characters is interesting because you are now thinking of designing for not your typical user. Not the perfect user. Which allows designers to now think about the extreme interactions and features for a product. 

**"The technique exposes how poor most electronic products are in terms of actions when compared to mechanical products. Apart from widening the designer’s view on possible actions, the technique also helps to explore how the actions influence the role a product supports."**

I really enjoyed learning about interaction relabeling, and I'm wondering how I haven't heard of it before. It's interesting how the technique is in place in order to help designers break loose from the already existing notions of interaction. It's so easy to get used to the typical notions of interaction and stay consistent with what already exists. But look at Apple, they are a great example of changing the mobile phone game and now they are one of the largest companies in the world. The best designers are the ones that can think outside the box, and I think this exercise is a really good example of teaching designers how to do that.

Reading: Story-based design methods

Pick ***three*** quotes from the chapters and write 1-2 paragraph response to each of the quotes. Find illustrations to your quotes. Post this text to your blogs.

**Quote 1: "From a strategic point of view, it is critically important to understand what a user wants (or needs) to do, when they want to do it, and in what context(s) they want to do it."**

I wanted to highlight this quote in the context of Manual Triggers because I felt drawn to the reasoning behind this statement. Understanding the "why" is crucial when designing the product or trigger whether it be digital or physical. As the section continues, the author speaks to recognizing whether triggers need to be globally available or only available when certain conditions are met. I think a good example could be pressing the flashlight on an iPhone. If you pull the global settings down, you can turn the flashlight on and off making ti globally available. But if you long press on the flashlight icon, you can change the brightness of the flashlight which could be based on context.

**Quote 2: "Take what is probably the simplest microinteraction there is: turning on a light. Once you use the trigger (a light switch), the light turns on. In a basic light setup, there is a single rule: the light stays on and fully lit until the switch is turned off. You can change that rule, however, by adding a dimmer or a motion detector that turns the light off when no motion is detected."**

I added this quote from the reading, because this example helped me to understand the concept of microinteractions, and specifically the structure a bit better. There's the trigger, the rule of what happens from the trigger, then there's the feedback, and finally the loops and modes. For this example, the feedback could be fact that there's now light in the room. Visually you can see the change. This interaction of flipping a switch, seeing a light turn on, is manual. But as stated in the quote, this rule can change with smart lights, voice activated lights, dimmers, that all exist now.

**Quote 3: "Thus, many microinteractions begin with an understanding of user need: what the user wants to accomplish, when they want to do it, and how often. This determines the affordances, accessibility, and persistence of the trigger."**

For my final quote, I chose to highlight this statement because I think  it's a good summary to the reasons and important behind microinteractions. I feel the importance as a UX designer, to understand user behavior and tie it into all interactions. Before designing, we need to understand what user's are looking to accomplish and why, when they want to do it, annoyances, and more. It adds to the user experience behind products, so I felt like this quote was a great summary and tie in to highlight as to the importance of what we're studying and why.

Microinteractions

**\*PART I.** Identify the emotional shapes of your 3 favorite stories that you picked. Draw them out and annotate the key moments that create those shapes.

Story #1 Seven

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FqzeeznDhf9djteOGrMcm%2F0a75d85c-56e9-4ad4-b06e-851b942370c5.png?alt=media&token=501df8cd-372c-442c-b32b-c6df3d096a39","id":"0a75d85c-56e9-4ad4-b06e-851b942370c5","width":1920,"height":1080,"filename":"seven-arc.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Story #2 Disaster Artist\
"Which way is up"

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FqzeeznDhf9djteOGrMcm%2F8d81eed2-7160-4708-9ffd-2eac3ca67966.png?alt=media&token=c007c872-1675-402b-ae19-d68089065429","id":"8d81eed2-7160-4708-9ffd-2eac3ca67966","width":1920,"height":1080,"filename":"disaster-artist.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Story #3 Love is a Mixtape\
"Boy Meets Girl"

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FqzeeznDhf9djteOGrMcm%2Fcd7c148a-7407-490e-8288-7c08f69b9ab8.png?alt=media&token=ec13f691-b975-4996-82ca-4d96d52d1956","id":"cd7c148a-7407-490e-8288-7c08f69b9ab8","width":1920,"height":1080,"filename":"love.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

---

**\*\*PART II.**\*\*Create a 3-act story spine of your favorite "What if.. " scenario. Fill it in with the beats for each of the acts, but no need to go into small details. A paragraph or a few bullet points per act would do.

**What if your fairy godmother offered you 3 wishes, but each wish takes off 10 years of your life?**

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FSQXjqD5Gz2RJjm437SxiZMLTWkn1%2FqzeeznDhf9djteOGrMcm%2F9aa67475-4968-4225-85d4-2ff1c2a6237e.png?alt=media&token=de111d7b-d591-4703-8c12-0fb46b3532ef","id":"9aa67475-4968-4225-85d4-2ff1c2a6237e","width":1920,"height":1080,"filename":"3-act.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

---

**\*\*\*PART III.**\*\*Read PDF. Select 3 quotes and write one paragraph response to each one.

QUOTE 1: "The Personas are hypothetical archetypes of actual users, defined and differentiated by their goals. They are described from a goal hierarchy, where personal goals have priority, to practical goals and practical goals that are affected by the company goals."

→ This quote stood out to me because it describes the importance behind personas and why we need personas. When imagining stories, or experiences it's important to understand and know who you're creating for and why. What will make people use your product over someone else's? Why is your story, your experience, better? How can a user identify with your story, and what is it giving them in return?

QUOTE 2: "Stories can be divided into two types: the plot-centred story and the character-driven story \[10\]. My focus is on the character driven story. Scenarios should have a strong central character with goals and desires that needs fulfilment during the story, thus resembling the character-driven story."

→ I hadn't thought of stories being divided into two-types which is interesting. There's definitely stories and movies now that I can think about though that are one or the other. An example I think could be Inception and the Breakfast Club. Inception is plot-driven because the main character is able to enter people's dreams. Where breakfast club is about a bunch of kids sitting primarily in 1 room getting to know one another. As designers it's important we focus on the character-driven story. What makes a user the way that they are? This will help us figure out the best approach to a design problem.

QUOTE 3: "It will not be enough to look only at goals, tasks and settings, but also the mentality and the traits that the users share should be noticed. These should be explicitly used in the writing of the scenarios and have an impact on the way the users behave with the site/system and the needs they have."

→ As designers, and people trying to figure out the best online experience for a user, I think it's easy to feel like we know best. To take personal experiences, to take notes from previous design classes, and previous successful products, and see that as the final. Versus doing the research, asking the user questions, and working to see if there's an even better solution or experience that hasn't been uncovered yet. Different types of users have different "auto-piloted" programs and ways to interact with a product.

What if...? Part 2

**The year is 3022. Utora is a disciplined futuristic planet where robots and humans have learned to coexist. People are fed information via a technology called “head-lines”, which is a small chip implanted into their brains. In addition to the required brain implant, people customize and augment their bodies with cybernetic parts. People without any kind of augmentation have become more and more rare. One of the consequences of cybernetic augmentation is the loss of human emotions like empathy. A secret “rebellion” grows in direct opposition to the technological evolution of humanity. This rebellion calls Innoa its home and believes that technology has taken the best qualities away from humans. The society only reveals itself to 99% “pure” humans.**

Growing up, Aluma always felt like she didn’t fit in but she never knew why. One day, she was feeling too ill to go to Priming, so her mom took her to the doctor to run some tests. Once Aluma returned home, she found an unusual letter sitting on her desk. “That’s strange”, Aluma thought to herself. She quickly realized this is an invitation to the secret society for pure humans, known as Innoa. There were rumors about a cult-like society, human trafficking, and disappearances, but no one knew the truth. Reading the letter, Aluma felt a strange connection to this unfamiliar planet.

At dinner that night, Aluma asked, “What is Innoa?” Her parents immediately looked up at the same time and said, “Why should that cult be of any interest to you? We’ve done so much to make others accept you, why would you want to throw it all away?” Realizing she’ll never truly belong in this family, Aluma decided to leave. In the middle of the night, she snuck out of her window and followed the letter’s directions to a personal pod. She entered the code “6643” and opened the pod. After a quick journey over, Aluma was rushed into a white room where they said they would prepare her for this new world. That’s the last thing she remembered.

When she woke up, she was immediately assigned a mentor, who would teach and support her in her transition. “Hello Aluma, you can call me Mary.” She seemed friendly enough but Aluma sensed something eerie as well. Next morning, Aluma began her first day of learning. Mary explained the importance of tradition and culture, which meant learning how to cook, clean and take care of each other without the use of technology. Aluma felt nervous as she realized that this new place is not exactly what she expected it to be. Nonetheless, Aluma decided to learn these new skills. Everything that used to be done by robots now has to be done by hand. Gradually, she becomes accustomed to this new way of life and even makes a new friend. Her name is Robin and is warm towards Aluma. They quickly developed a bond over their shared experiences. One night, after she had been working for the whole day and being extremely exhausted, Robin feels sick. Robin’s mentor is made aware of her situation and takes her away. Aluma, first bewildered by what’s happening, is told that her friend Robin is being released from her misery and that it’s the natural order of the world.

A couple of months later, Aluma isn’t feeling well but she’s afraid she’ll end up like Robin and doesn’t tell anyone\*.\* Until she is stopped by Mary, who says, “Aluma, I’m worried about you, you haven’t been yourself lately.” Aluma takes a deep breath and tells her everything, but Mary doesn’t look upset, in fact, she is overjoyed, “This is such good news child, this is a miracle”. Confused, Aluma finds that people are taking her things and Mary is leading her away, “Follow me child, we are moving you to a special place.” Aluma’s new room is larger and filled with items she has never seen before. She is interrupted by a notification sound, which she hasn’t heard in months. She sits down on her bed and begins to scroll through months of “head-lines”, when she sees her mother’s face and a missing persons report. “My family is looking for me.” A sound outside her room startles her back to reality and she closes out of her “head-lines” just as her door slides open to reveal a man standing before her.  “Follow me, Milo Solomon wants to see you.” She follows him to a room and standing in the center is a lone figure, who approaches Aluma. Milo reaches out to cradle her belly, “I hear congratulations are in order, growing inside of you is the seed of the future.”

Aluma hesitates before her eyes widen.“I have to get this thing out of me”, she thinks. As she takes a step back, Milo says, “I know this must seem confusing and scary, but we will take care of you. It’s not only your best option... it’s your only option.” “Why are you doing this? What’s going to happen to me?” Milo breaks eye contact and sighs. “What do you think led you to join us? I don’t know for sure, but I’ll guess that you never felt like you belonged.” Milo continues, “You are human, Aluma. More than anyone else you’ve ever met. That is what led me to you. You see, I made the “head-lines” as a way to bring people closer together. Unfortunately, human greed took my idea and spun it into a weapon of mass communication. The community you see before you today is a testament to my original dream— to bring people closer, to make them appreciate their humanity.” “So what the hell does this,” gesturing to her body, “have to do with your dream?” Milo continued “When you got into the pod, your fate was sealed. I injected you with my genes, so that you two can carry us into a natural future.” She starts to panic. “I’ll give you some time to calm down”, Milo leaves but not before giving her swollen stomach a kiss. As soon as he leaves, she stumbles around the room looking for something sharp. She finds a letter opener on his desk. Aluma inhales and presses down with the sharp thing, biting on her shirt to keep from making noise. The letter opener isn’t sharp enough and she’s bleeding profusely. After a long time or a short time, she blacks out.

Emma Doyle

2023

2022