IMD Forum for 4/8/09: Ulla-Maaria Engeström
Speaker: Ulla-Maaria Engeström, Thinglink.Org
Time: Wednesday, April 8, 6-8pm
Location: USC's Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts (RZC),
Room 201 Zemeckis Media Lab (ZML)
Title: Thinglink: Web pages for design objects
Abstract: This presentation explores how tagging physical objects with personal stories can make them work as agents of social networking on the Internet. Thinglink is a free product code and an online catalog of design products that enables design enthusiasts to share photos and personal references of products with their friends. These photos and references link back to the catalogue forming a dialogue between designers, manufacturers and their products in the various real life settings. The presentation includes practical examples of creating ID stickers for artifacts and claiming a product in the Thinglink database.
Note: Thinglink is currently in private beta and it will open to public later this year. Ask for an invitation on thinglink.com.
Bio: Ulla-Maaria Engeström is a social media developer and columnist living in Palo Alto. Her works explores connecting physical artifacts to online communities of design and craft. Ulla-Maaria is the founder of Thinglink, a free product code and online catalog of design objects. In 2003-2006 she attended a graduate school at the University of Helsinki, Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work research, focusing on the development of collective design capabilities. In 2000-2002 she worked as the director of Institute for Design Research in Finland.
Blog: http://www.hobbyprincess.com