PDP M3, D2

This will be showing the draft PDP and then showing the final PDP with the adjustments given by our peer shown by the scanned review.

The point of the PDP is to track my progress during this unit. It will show problems I have faced and solved, skills I have developed and any other achievements.

Draft PDP
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9sBbAgbLMljZEV0cFNfNC1NZ0U/edit?usp=sharing

Final PDP
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9sBbAgbLMljZFRKLUhSUEg5d0k/edit?usp=sharing

Peer review

review 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9sBbAgbLMljcEdaMWpuUkxWYTQ/edit?usp=sharing

review 2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9sBbAgbLMljR0tjUHl3X0pRcVk/edit?usp=sharing

(D2) My review of my PDP.

My PDP evaluation has been written at the bottom of the review sheet of number 1 (review 1).

D1

Evaluation of the BIO Shock pitch and my pitch

Bio Shock Pitch

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32211144/Bioshock-Pitch-Document

This pitch used background images that are relevant to the game which are different throughout the document. The background image however because of its colour the text which goes over the darker part of the image is harder to read.

The document uses the first page to show what game they are doing and to show what it is like. This also gives an interesting start to the document too.

 The document uses screenshots to give examples of in game scenery, gameplay, graphics, objects and other things that are relevant. The screenshots also help split up the page so that there isn't loads of text to read.

Fonts are used in the document but they are used to highlight sub headings, main text and titles. The font is used to structure the document and not to make it look pretty. The same font is used for all subheadings. The same font is used for all main headings and the same font is used for all paragraphs.

Bullet points are used in the document to help just split and structure the text. Bullet points are also used to help explain some key features in the document. This would allow the reader to understand some of the features.

My pitch

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9sBbAgbLMljOWV0djFRYzVCME0/edit?usp=sharing

My pitch consists of images that relate to the topic on the screen. Each slide was consistent so it wasn't confusing and also this makes each slide easier to understand as the layout stayed the same. The colour scheme was related to the game and wasn't making the text unreadable.

A lot of the information came from me rather than the slide so each slide didn't contain large amount of text or paragraphs but instead quick bullets points to help the audience follow for what I am talking about but to also act as reminders for what I am doing for that slide. Each slide didn't have any animation as this will make the presentation un professional but also not contain any annoying animation that will slow you down or make each bullet seem childish.

I got a merit for my pitch. This is due to the interaction model being wrong and as I didn't quite understand it. I meant to say the interaction model will be that you are controlling the avatar (the mech) and not the mech is the model and so on.

P5 Use IT to aid communication

Use IT to aid communication

IT can aid a lot of communication problems.

To start with, the windows 7 operating system has a 'Ease of access' tab in the control panel which will allow people who have a disability be able to use the computer. The ease of access has a lot of options that disable could use. For example if a person is blind they can turn the 'narrator' on so that when they highlight a word the narrator will say it out loud. Other options are like if you can't see very well then you can adjust the text size and font to something you can read.

Word is useful for making professional letters and documents as it is designed for office use. The advantages of word are that you can change the background colour. This means you can either have a nice colourful background or if your are wanting to send a dyslexic friend a word document then they can read it as you have made it more friendlier to them. Another advantage

The disadvantages of word are that sometimes it does a few random things which you don't how it happen. When you want to print out a page anything you put on there which is outside the margin will be cut of when printed. Another annoying problem is that if you save it as a word document and send to some who doesn't have word then they can't open or view it however you can save it as a PDF but if that person doesn't have adobe then they still can't view it. The main really big problem about word (and all Microsoft office products) are that it is VERY expensive (£250E).

PowerPoint allows you to make a slideshow to help you explain something's while you are talking to a crowd. PowerPoint can also allow you to make interactive quizzes and little other activities. Presentations can be made using PowerPoint so if you presenting to deaf people you can use your slides as subtitles for what you are saying and to add any additional information. If you are presenting to people who have trouble reading text you can change the font and slide colour to help.

The advantages of PowerPoint is that it is laid out exactly like word except it is for PowerPoint instead. Other advantages are that PowerPoint allows you to make professional looking slides in very easy steps. Just like word PowerPoint allows you to change the background colour and font so that people who have trouble reading as they find it hard to read the font then you can chooses a more readable font plus because it is going to be projected it will be a lot larger. What else is useful is that you can add pictures to help explain but you can add animation to it to keep the show interesting. Animation are very useful, when used professionally, as this allows you to show more than one picture on the same slide in the same area or appear on a different part of the slide to help explain different things.

The disadvantages of PowerPoint are that it doesn't have a spell checker on it so if you have misspelt something then there will be no indication of it being spelt wrong. Some animations are a little childish. If a disabled user is trying to use this software it doesn't have a lot of disabled usability. The animations installed on it are childish and sometimes are just a waste of time as they will be probably skipped past.

E-Mail. A advantage disadvantage (good but also a bad thing) is where it will remember the email address you put in to use again but if you put in wrong then it will remember the wrong one and its hard to get rid of it.

A advantage of email is that it allows you to communicate with friends that live far distances or live in area not accessible by disabled people.

A disadvantage of e-mail is that a lot of the time you will receive spam or anomalous e-mails. Some older people are more liable to give criminals there bank details through fishing emails.

Specialist software (VOIP)

Skype

The advantages of Skype are that it is free and very easy to use. I have used Skype before and its advantages are that it has 3 forms of communication you can use. Instant messages are used so you can type in a message to your friend and they will get the message instantly. Voice chat (comes standard) where you can talk to another person or people (conference) via headphones and while chatting you can do video chat too. If the person you want to talk to is not signed into Skype you do have the option to call their mobile phone number if you know it. You can also send files to your friends as well.

A disadvantage however is that if you are doing a conference call you have to upgrade your account using money to be able to use video chat in a conference.

my experience with Skype is that I have used it to talk to friends who are doing different things. So for example I was on the PlayStation and my friend James was on the computer. He asked if I wanted to Skype so I said yes and we were talking to each while playing two different games on two different platforms.

Facetime
I haven't used Facetime so I don't know what it's like. What I'm going to say is of what I find about it.

A disadvantage is that Facetime is Apple product so people who have a Microsoft product can't use Facetime. It looks like it isn't friendly to people who have disability as you have to hold it so you are in shot and to end calls you have to touch the end button which means people with bad eye to hand coordination will struggle.

Advantages of Facetime are that it will work on any apple product but you can do face time on a computer to a phone or a phone to a IPad.
                                             

M2 Reveiwing Draft Documents

Reviewing Draft Documents

There are two documents same sentences but formatted differently.

Before: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9sBbAgbLMljTFVxV09PM3JLMms/edit?usp=sharing

After: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9sBbAgbLMljelZzVXc4bVVjanM/edit?usp=sharing

When you look at these two documents you can see that they both are different. The before document is just plain text and is jumbled together. where as the after document is more CONSISTENT and easier to read as I'm not using Times New Roman instead something more better.

The after document also contains a contents page (reference tab, contents, chooses style) which is helpful as it shows the person viewing your document what is inside and help them find a specific page they are looking for.
Consistency is useful as it stops the document from not looking professional as this is a prime factor in showing whether a documents was professionally made or not.

The before document is badly made because there wasn't much structure to it but there were no added fonts to make it look professional and everything was written in one go with no proper thought put into it. The title was even clear so you wouldn't know what the document would be about unless you look at the saved title instead.

I changed the font because it made the font it was currently using was not very friendly to a wide variety of readers especially the dyslexic. So instead of using New Times Roman I used a more friendlier font which could be read by everyone even the dyslexic. Font size matters too as this also separates the title from the heading and the heading from the subheading. Font size is a key of making your document look professional. In the before document you can see that all the text is the same size however in the after you can see that the headings are bigger than the text so they stand out but not bigger than the title of the document.

Changing the text colours in the document will stop the document from being dull with just black and white colours. Instead you can use colour to make the main title stand out (shown in the after document) with a border added to it too.

What could be added to the before document (if it is actually about something) would be to add some pictures and diagrams to it to keep it interesting. In my design document you will be able to see my mood board, game structure flow chart and my mind that. This will make the document even more professional.

M3 Learning styles

Learning Style

10/10/2013

I am a visual learner. This means that I learn by using images and pictures with a bit of text to help. My style also means that when it comes to planning out things I will, if using a mind map, would use pictures to help. This also applies to using remembering techniques as well.

21/10/2013

21st OCT 2013 I just did a activity where I was put into a group (Me, Sam and Alphred) where we had to use a A4 piece of paper to make a ring that can go around us and can go through together. I was a visual learner, sam was a kinthetic (can follow instructions) and so was alphred. Our team wasn't very successful because there wasn't much team communication going on also one person was really doing the work and the other two didn't know what to do. At the end I tried completing the task on my own but that didn't go well as I only followed the diagram which did make a ring however but it had a break at the top which I tried to like by a knot which wasn't correct.

Another team was successful because they had people who were different learning styles. This works perfectly because the visual can anticipate the image, the other is audio so they can listen very well and the last one is kinthetic. This was useful to then as the one which is reading the instructions would understand it, so would the audio as he can hear them very well, and the visual will be able to follow the image as well as the instructions which were being told to him with the help of that person to allow progress to stay on course.

P2 Effective communication

Effective Communication

• General communication
• interpersonal skills
• writing skills

2 for each subject

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills come into effect when you start to talk to someone face to face. To be effective at this type of communication you have to be clear with your voice. Sometimes you have to show a positive expression when you are talking to a professional or someone you need to impress to get something you want.

General Skills

General skills will come into effect during general life. When you are having a general conversation your body language might show a different feeling you have rather than the one you are trying to show. For example if you are fed up walking in th rain and a friend comes along but you want to get home, your body language will show that yor don't want to talk to them but your feeling you are trying to show will be "hi friend I don't mind talking to you in this weather". Being effective at general communication is also improving your interpersonal and written skills as they are also involved in general communication for example writing a letter to a person or doing a video chat.

Written Skills

Written skills will come into effect when it comes to writing on paper or typing up something. Being effective at your writing skills are important because this will effect whether (your reader or the person you are talking to) can read your writing. To be effective with your writing skills you have to make sure that your grammar, punctuation and spelling are ok. You need to have readable handwriting. Depending on what you are writing on is also crucial as if you are writing a formal letter then you have to write formally to be effective. Your target audience also count as you don't want to use complex language for little kids and childish sentences for adults as choosing the right sentence with the right audience is very effective.

P3, M1 Communication barriers

Communication Barriers

• Physical/
• Language/
• Perceptual/
• Cultural/
• Mental Emotional/

• Interpersonal/
• General/
• Written/

Introduction

This is 3 paragraphs which state some of the communication barriers. The paragraphs are laid out to state the three main ones (Interpersonal, General and Written) with what those could be (physical, language, perceptual, cultural and Mental Emotional). These communications barriers always occur in everyday life and in a business.

Interpersonal and general. This would be physical, distance, physical objects, malfunction equipment, heat/cold, distraction, disruption and noise. To solve the distance problem the person who is further away should move closer to the person speaking. When you are talking you can be distracted generally and distracted by noises. To solve this try talking in a quieter place and not looking at the background.

Written. A barrier to this could be language and cultural. This would be a barrier because people would write in their language so for example they were from Italy they will write in Italian which you wouldn't understand. To solve this could have either a translator (Google translator, a Italian dictionary) or an interpreter. A cultural barrier would be where people from different places would see a sentence meaning two different things problem one good one bad. To solve this a speaker can read out the page to make sure it is clear to both cultural people.

Interpersonal and written. This could be Perceptual and Mental Emotional. Perceptual would be a barrier because 'Perceptual' means there personal view on something will mean that two different people will have two different views on for example the problem of green energy. To solve this try to find non-bias people or to tell them that they can not put their own view/opinion into this. Mental Emotional would be a barrier because being emotional can limit on how people talk. If they are feeling shy then it is really hard to get them to talk. If they are crying or upset then not all of their words will be heard properly. To solve this barrier you could wait for them to be more confident so talking to them for a bit to see if that helps. If they are crying to solve this barrier could give them some time to feel a bit more happy.