Reflection

Next time we approach a similar project, the process that carries the user from the start of using a device to the end result will be something we will really want to readdress and focus on. Though we had a clear sense of where we wanted the user to feel and be as a end result of using the product, the passage that would lead the user to feel such a way was lacking in this iteration of the project. Though we thought distortion would be an obvious way to avoid the original song triggering the memory, how the distortion is made, its factors of customization and effectiveness will need to be re-evaluated. If we were to approach the assignment again, we would most likely seek to organize a pattern and mapping of distortions for different case scenarios. Enable to establish such maps there might need to be a few interviews and user experience studies to further analyze the effectiveness of a particular distortion over a set amount of time. 

Given the relatively short amount of time we had to complete the assignment, we got to a place that we are comfortable to be in for a first iteration. We covered a broad spectrum of ideas and methods for addressing a ritual of forgetting the memories associated with a song. However, for a second iteration there will most likely be a more in depth strategy, that narrows down some of our broader ideas and questions, into a cohesive device with a clear sense of function and direction. 

One of the most important ideas that we took away from the project was the fact that forgetting in the digital age is a sensitive subject. How we as designers approach methods and solutions for addressing such concerns is vital to how people will interact with one another. In some cases a ritual of forgetting could cause one to isolate themselves from the public and perhaps the solution to forgetting the past needs to seek a more therapeutic cause. A cause where the fabric of social interactions and engagements are not torn.