Interpretive Drums Design Soundtracks - Selection Page


First-Year Engineering Student Senior Engineering Student Engineering Expert
Low Performing Design timeline of a first-year engineering student with a low quality design Design timeline of a senior engineering student with a low quality design Design timeline of an expert engineer with a low quality design
Average Performing Design timeline of a first-year engineering student with an average quality design Design timeline of a senior engineering student with an average quality design Design timeline of an expert engineer with an average quality design
High Performing Design timeline of a first-year engineering student with a high quality design Design timeline of a senior engineering student with a high quality design Design timeline of an expert engineer with a high quality design

Sound Mapping

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PD - Problem Definition
Cymbal (high) (left ear)
GATH - Gathering Information
Cymbal (low) (right ear)
GEN - Generating Ideas
Snare Drum (left ear)
MOD - Modeling
Bass Drum (right ear)
FEAS - Feasibility Analysis
Tom Drum (left ear)
EVAL - Evaluation
Hi-Hat (right ear)
DEC - Decision Making
Cow Bell (high) (left ear)
COM - Communication
Cow Bell (low) (right ear)

Soundtrack Version: Interpretive Drums

The Interpretive Drums design soundtracks were developed to apply the techniques of the Interpretive soundtracks to the Drums soundtracks.

Just as before, two approaches were used to highlight problem scoping: PD and GATH. Because the initial problem for the engineers was to design a playground, we used slightly pitched recordings from kids playing on a playground. We also added a volume envelope to emphasize early Problem Scoping activities. By this, we mean that we elevated the volume of any PD and GATH activities within the first 30 minutes of the transcript. The effect of this is that soundtracks without early problem scoping are notably softer.

The timbre of GEN, MOD, FEAS, and EVAL are also adjust similarly to before. In our implementation, the code keeps a running tally of percent of that activity completed and percent of total activities. So, for a timeline that is primarily MOD, the timbre (the amount of noise) associated with MOD increases greatly in comparison to the other activities. Whereas for someone whose design process involves a more even spead of activities, the sounds remain balanced timbrally. This time, however, the percussion sounds for these four activities are also accompanied by added reverb and noise. In the same way that activity sounds in the interpretive version changed to a rougher timbre as they dominated the design process, the sounds in this version gain a noticeable “whoosh” from the added reverberation and noise.

Finally, to highlight the seldom encountered activities of DEC and COM, the distinctive sound of cow bells was used in order to separate them from the percussive sounds of the other activities.

As with all design soundtracks, each activity is piped to either the right or left ear. This separation is noted in the sound samples table to the right.

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