Scratch is the playful programming environment for kids out of MIT's Lifelong Kindergarden Lab. This presentation is design research for remixing trees.

1. KEY QUESTIONS
• How do Scratchers use remix
visualizations?
• What information can we provide
so designers can make an
informed “next step”?

2. RESEARCH
• Designed and tested a
research protocol
• Interview with 2 users
• Interview with the designer
• Posted to Scratch forums
(10 responses)

3. CURRENT DESIGN
Strengths
• Interactive
• Message-
interconnectedness
Weaknesses
• Context
• Navigability
• Time

4. 1: FAMILY ALBUM

5. family tree = 1: FAMILY ALBUM
familiar metaphor
interactive-when
thumbnails show
clicked on, see
context of evolution
Scratcher’s profile &
recent activity
color encodes
meaning (primary
vs. secondary
remix)
reduced size
accommodates
derivatives

6. STAR (small multiples)
2: STAR
• Failed design :(
• Wanted to be able to
compare remixes against each
other (small multiples, Tufte)
• Tried to use color to encode
layers (primary, secondary,
tertiary remixes)
• Isn’t flexible to an unexpected
number of derivatives

7. 3:DISCO TIMELINE
REMIX TIMELINE
# blocks
-
# months

8. height of timeline
expands based on #
of remixes 3:DISCO TIMELINE
REMIX TIMELINE
# blocks
-
project composition by % of blocks
# months
play! (past the frame if there are enough
remixes)

9. 4: CONSTELLATION
TAG YOURSELF
MY PROJECTS
ART
STORY
GAME
SIMULATION
ANIMATION
SUBMIT

10. 4: CONSTELLATION
TAG YOURSELF
• Pull project from your gallery MY PROJECTS
• Onclick, project gets a star background
based on project type metadata
• Associate yourself with the “original”
or one of the derivatives ART
STORY
GAME
SIMULATION
ANIMATION
SUBMIT

11. SKILLS EXPLORED
• Data visualization
• Design thinking
• Qualitative research design
• Interview techniques

12. NEXT STEPS
• Evaluate designs
• Continue research
• Prototype

13. CONTACT
• Vanessa Gennarelli
• vanessa.gennarelli@gmail.com
• @mozzadrella