Richard Ting – richard.ting@rga.com
Monday 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Fall 2009
H79.2784

Course Description:
The television watching experience has radically transformed in the last several years. First technologies like TiVO and DVR allowed consumers to easily timeshift their viewing behavior. Then the Slingbox and services like BitTorrent allowed consumers to easily placeshift their viewing environments. Next, a wave of on-line services like YouTube, Joost, Hulu, Boxee, and Netflix introduced an unlimited supply of on-demand content ranging from short-form user generated content to weekly TV shows to long-form movies. As these technologies proliferate, the epicenter of the TV watching experience has begun to shift from in front of your HDTV in your living room to anywhere, everywhere, and anytime – on your TV, PC, or mobile device.

However, the continued disruption of television has only just begun as we now move into the era of Social TV. What had started as a two-screen experience (Facebooking on laptop + waching TV) has now become a one-screen experience. (see Barack Obama’s inauguration viewing on CNN.com). Additionally, services like FiOS TV and Yahoo! are introducing widget platforms that allow designers and developers to integrate Twitter and Facebook into the TV watching experience. As a result, designers and developers are able to explore a myriad of social TV possibilities. In this class, students are challenged to design the future of television as they follow a rigorous design methodology that teaches them how to go from idea to functional prototype. Students conduct user research, create user personas, create conceptual user journeys, and wireframe their concepts before beginning prototype work.

Students will have the option of prototyping their concepts using the Boxee.TV API (http://developer.boxee.TV/). Developers from Boxee.TV will conduct two (2) programming workshops during the semester to get students up to speed on prototyping in the Boxee.TV environment.

Students work in small project teams of 2-3 and weekly classes cover design methodology and various topics relevant to the future of television such as TV on mobile, social TV, real-time chatting, and emerging devices. Each week, students are expected to present their project updates with open class discussion in the form of critique sessions. The students are expected to prototype a final project so prior experience with web programming, and prototyping software (Adobe Flash) is helpful, but not required. The final project requires a functional prototype with supporting design documentation. Executives from the advertising, media, and consumer electronics industries will be invited to class to provide guest critiques and to speak about future trends within television.

Class Blog:
http://itp.nyu.edu/futureoftv/

Class Mailing List:
http://groups.google.com/group/futureoftv

Administrative:
Office Hours: Mondays 9PM-10PM: (Email: richard.ting@rga.com for appointment)

Grading:
20% Weekly Assignments
20% Class Participation/Attendance
15% Midterm
30% Final Project
15% Presentation

Attendance:
Mandatory, unexcused absences will affect your final grade and impact your team's performance. If you are going to be absent, please notify me ahead of time. (3) absences will result in a failing grade.

Lateness:
Being late will affect your final grade and impact your team's performance. Please be on time.

Laptops:
Laptop are permitted in class to take notes. Not to update your Twitter feed, not to read your Facebook updates, or not to post images to Flickr. Please be respectful when other students are presenting and when I am lecturing.

Assignments:
This class will have weekly homework assignments that are to be performed as a team. All homework assignments are required. There is also a midterm project and a final project. Failure to do assignments or participate in class presentations and discussions will negatively affect your grade. Assignments will be posted on the syllabus each week. Please check the syllabus each week for the current assignment.

Presentations:
Every week, each team is required to present their blog example and their project updates.


Weekly Rundown:

Class 1 – Monday, September 14

Class

  1. Class Introductions
  2. Overview of Course
  3. Class Structure - 1 major project for the entire semester with several smaller deliverables along the way.
  4. Administrative logistics
    1. Posting to Class blog -- http://itp.nyu.edu/futureoftv/
  5. Design process overview
  6. Brief history of TV
  7. Creative Brief

Assignment for Monday, September 21

  1. Each person must blog an example of an inspirational example of TV Placeshifting/Timeshifting
  2. What is one future TV feature you would love to have right now. why?
  3. Readings & websites:
      4. Design
    1. Make a Promotional Pitch in One Minute - The Elevator Pitch
    2. Television History
      3. TV Placeshifting/Timeshifting
    3. Cable's 'TV Everywhere' Hulu-Killer Is Doomed (CMCSA, TWC, VZ)
    4. Sunday Night Football Starts Streaming in September
    5. the autuers
    6. Usain Bolt Breaks Another World Record, and Footage Speeds Online

Class 2 – Monday, September 21

Class

  1. Announce Teams
  2. Review the Creative Brief again
  3. Review concept document examples. What makes a good concept document?
  4. Discuss TV Placeshifting and Timeshifting
  5. Review blog examples from Week 1 assignment

Assignment for Monday, September 28

  1. Each team must create an initial concept document
  2. Each person must blog an example of an inspirational example that focuses on TV on Mobile.
  3. Readings & websites:
      4. Design
    1. Preparing for User Research Interviews: Seven Things to Remember
    2. User Centric definition of User Research
      3. TV on Mobile
    3. Comcast breaks into mobile with mPortal app
    4. Netflix To Stream Movies on the iPhone?
    5. MLB iPhone App to Live-Stream Games Over 3G; Still No Sling

Class 3 – Monday, September 28

Class

  1. User Research Methods
  2. Discuss TV on Mobile
  3. Review blog examples from Week 2 assignment
  4. Team Presentations (Concept)

Assignment for Monday, October 5

  1. Refine concepts
  2. Perform some form of user research to validate or better inform your initial team concept from week 2. Each team will present their research back to the class.
  3. Each team must blog an example of an inspirational example of Socially Oriented TV Watching Experiences
  4. Readings & websites:
      5. Design
    1. Long Live the User (Persona): Talking with Steve Mulder
    2. The Origin of Personas
    3. Developing User Personas
    4. An introduction to user journeys
    5. User Journey Mapping
      6. Socially Oriented TV Watching Experiences
    6. Hey, Check Out The Future Of Television!
    7. One Tree Hill Is the Pinnacle of Social TV?!
    8. Facebook + CNN = Future of TV

Class 4 – Monday, October 5

Class

  1. User Persona Development and User Journeys
  2. Discuss Socially Oriented TV Watching
  3. Review blog examples from Week 3 assignment
  4. Team Presentations (User Research, Refined Concepts)

Assignment for Monday, October 12

  1. Refine concepts
  2. Write user personas and user journeys
  3. Readings & websites:
    1. Introducing the Boxee API
    2. Boxee API Documentation
    3. Announcing the Boxee App Developer Challenge
    4. Round Up of Boxee App Challenge Winners
  4. What's your favorite Boxee App?
Class 5 – Monday, October 12

Class

  1. Discuss Boxee. Review Boxee Apps. Look at Boxee API
  2. What's your favorite Boxee App?
  3. Team Presentations (Refined concepts, user personas and user journeys)
  4. Sketching, user flow, and interface wireframes. Show sample sketches, interface wireframes (low to high fidelity)

Assignment for Monday, October 19

  1. Refine concepts
  2. Refine user personas and user journeys
  3. Start sketching interfaces
  4. Familiarize yourself with Boxee development enviroment. Review building your first Boxee App and try to set up your own test application.
Class 6 – Monday, October 19

Class

  1. Boxee.TV Programming Workshop #1
    1. High level intro of Boxee
    2. Intro to Boxee API Documentation - Briefly discuss Application types, but focus mainly on Boxee Applications.
    3. Setting up a Boxee Application by mainly manipulating the GUI XML.
    4. Deep-dive into building your first Boxee App.

Assignment for Monday, October 26

  1. Create your first functional Boxee app.
  2. Refine concepts, users personas, and user journeys
  3. Refine interface sketches
Class 7 – Monday, October 26

Class

  1. Teams show Boxee.TV shell app
  2. Boxee.TV programming workshop #2
    1. Setting up a Boxee Application using Python. Deep-dive into a sample Boxee App that utilizes Python.
    2. What are all of the components needed to create a Boxee app for submission into the Boxee App store? (Boxee application descriptor file format, Packaging Applications, Submitting Applications to Boxee)
    3. Building your own custom remote control for Boxee.

Assignment for Monday, November 2

  1. Refine concept, user personas, user journeys.
  2. Convert interface sketches into wireframes.
  3. Present prototype ideas
  4. Each team must blog examples of TV & Open API Environments
  5. Readings & websites:
      6. TV & Open API Environments
    1. Amazon, Blockbuster, Facebook to Launch Yahoo TV Widgets
    2. Everybody wants an App Store. Like Apple, TV Explores Must-Have Applications
Class 8 – Monday, November 2

Class

  1. Team presentations (refined concepts, user personas, user journeys, sketches/wireframes).
  2. Teams present ideas for prototyping.
  3. Discuss TV & Open API Environments
  4. Review blog examples from Week 7 assignment

Assignment for Monday, November 9

  1. Teams present full presentation to Guest Critic (concept, user research, personas, user journeys, sketches / wireframes, visuals)
  2. Each team must blog an example of an inspirational example of TV and Real-Time Chatting
  3. Readings & websites:
    1. TV & Real-time Chatting
    1. Verizon adds Facebook and Twitter to Fios TV!
    2. Viewers hunger for Web and TV at same time: study
Class 9 – Monday, November 9

Class

  1. Guest Lecture - Paul Bedoe-Stephens - Comedy Central
  2. Full Presentations from start to finish (concept, user research, personas, user journeys, sketches / wireframes, visuals)
  3. Discuss TV & Real-Time Chatting
  4. Review Blog Examples from Week 8 assignment
Assignment for Monday, November 16: (Date:TBD)
  1. Prototype, Prototype, Prototype -- Show progress
  2. Continue working on Sketches, and interface designs
  3. Each team must blog an example of an inspirational example of TV & Gaming
  4. Readings & websites:
      5. TV & Gaming
    1. http://www.mTV.com/onTV/backchannel/the_hills/
Class 10 – Monday, November 16 (Date:TBD)

Class

  1. Team presentations (Show progress and prototype status)
  2. Discuss prototyping issues
  3. Discuss TV & Gaming
  4. Review Blog Examples from Week 9 assignment

Assignment for Monday, November 23

  1. Prototype, Prototype, Prototype -- Show progress
  2. Continue to define interface designs
  3. Each team must blog an example of an inspirational example TV & Commerce
  4. Readings & websites:
    1. TV & Commerce
    1. http://www.seenon.com/video/shopisodes/the-hills/
    2. Where Did I Hear That Song? Ask ScreenTunes
Class 11 – Monday, November 23

Class

  1. Team presentations (Show progress and prototype status)
  2. Discuss prototyping issues
  3. Discuss TV & Commerce
  4. Review Blog Examples from Week 10 assignment
Assignment for Wednesday, November 30
  1. Prototype, Prototype, Prototype -- Show progress
  2. Continue to define interface designs
  3. Each team must blog an example of an inspirational example of TV & Emerging Devices
  4. Readings & websites:
      5. TV & Emerging Devices
    1. Could an Apple HDTV plus an iPhone remote equal living room bliss?
      http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10314746-1.html
    2. TVU Player Introduces P2P PVR — But Is It Worth a Subscription?
      http://newteevee.com/2009/08/22/TVu-player-introduces-p2p-pvr-but-is-it-worth-a-subscription
Class 12 – Wednesday, November 30

Class

  1. Team presentations (Show progress and prototype status)
  2. Discuss prototyping issues
  3. Discuss TV & Emerging Devices
  4. Review Blog Examples from Week 11 assignment
  5. Working Session

Assignment for Monday, December 7

  1. Each team must blog an example of an inspirational example of Multi-channel TV services i.e, console, web, mobile
  2. Readings & websites:
      3. Razorfish seminar on future of TV
    1. http://www.cannes-cast.com/live/2009/razorfish-seminar-on-future-of-TV/
  3. Finalize Documentation
  4. Finalize Prototype
Class 13 – Monday, December 7

Class

  1. Team presentations (Show progress and prototype status)
  2. Discuss prototyping issues
  3. Discuss Multi-channel TV services
  4. Rreview Blog Examples from Week 12 assignment
  5. Working Session

Assignment for Monday, December 14

  1. Each team must blog an example of an inspirational example of TV & New Distribution and Business Models
  2. Readings & websites:
      3. TV & New Distribution Models and Business Models
    1. A Look At The Future Of The TV Business
      http://www.businessinsider.com/a-look-at-the-future-2009-6
    2. orry, There's No Way To Save The TV Business
    3. http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-analysts-begin-to-realize-that-theres-no-way-to-save-television-2009-6
  3. Final Presentations and Prototypes
Class 14 – Monday, December 14

Class

  1. Final class presentations (with Guest Critics)

End of Classes assignment

  1. Winter Show prep (TBA)