Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37948
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Item Exploring the relevance of Garrett's elements of UX design in contemporary design practices through a local Fifa (EA) esports mobile app prototype(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mjindi, MathewUser Experience (UX) design is a constantly evolving field. This factor requires designers to continually review UX frameworks and assess whether they still meet the demands of advances in technology and user needs. The study focuses on one of the prominent foundational UX frameworks (Garrett’s framework) for its user-centred approach and comprehensive structure of the UX design process. It aims to investigate the relevance of Garrett’s framework, which is described in his 2011 book ‘The Elements of UX: User Centered Design, for the Web and Beyond’. The study also applies Garrett’s framework in the development of a local FIFA (EA) eSports mobile app prototype. The research problem focuses on meeting contemporary user needs while addressing the challenge of integrating UX theory with practical design implementation. The objective of the research is to examine areas where Garrett’s framework is still effective or may be limited, including identifying potential improvements. This is carried out in the context of contemporary design practices to address the needs and expectations of today’s users. The study applies a mixed method approach to establish a comprehensive investigation of Garrett’s framework, with both quantitative and qualitative research. The sampling techniques applied were purposive and convenience sampling, within the premises of a private college in Johannesburg. Data were collected through interviews with academic practitioners and an online survey completed by a sample group of ‘Gen Z’ eSports enthusiasts. The online survey prompted participants to evaluate the FIFA (EA) eSports mobile app before responding to the survey questions rating their experience with the prototype. The study concludes that Garrett’s framework is still a relevant and effective tool for a structured foundation for UX design. It does, however, need enhancements to meet contemporary UX practices and user needs. The study recommends integrating methodologies and approaches such as Lean UX, Agile UX, data analytics, responsive design, and emotional design to offer more comprehensive strategies.Item Digital avatar design and social masks: the atavism of totemic-storytelling(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Mofolo, KatlehoHumans, often known as Homo sapiens, have long had a strong desire to create their own identities, both biologically and artistically. The human being is a storyteller who makes sense of the world through a chronological and linear pattern of narrations. Humans, on the other hand, have broadened storytelling through a variety of immersive means more than any other living organism. Some of these interactive approaches are becoming increasingly (1) digital, (2) augmented, and are now rapidly moving toward (3) virtual reality —the metaverse. These universes contradict our understanding of the physical world. Second worlds, alternative worlds, and the parallel universe are all terms used to describe worlds and spaces designed for extended human social interaction. In the 21st century is there enough progressive value and a sense of ethical evolution in the way humans communicate stories and alter social identity relationships to beam virtue into the virtual?Item 2D Animation: The Key to Growth and Adaptation of the South African Animation Ecosystem(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Gardiner, Eric; Cloete, StephenThis paper examines South African animation with a focus on unveiling how local animators have adapted to overcome the challenges existing in their local circumstances. This research investigates the history of different techniques used by animators in South Africa and how they have evolved or died out. The data from a collection of over 170 locally produced animations is combined with opinion data from industry professionals to paint a clearer picture of current attitudes, trends and future trajectories. The cultural significance of localised animation is emphasised, and the core rhetoric of this paper is to stimulate the creation of more such media. This paper provides the most value to startup animators in South Africa who can leverage this collection of resources and information to bridge their gap in knowledge on South African industry processes such as financing one’s first animation project and developing a low-cost pipeline. The research in this paper uncovered that 2D animation plays the most significant role out of all techniques used in South Africa. It also reveals three differing business strategies that have been employed by South African animators to successfully fund locally themed animation productions.Item Curating African Identity in Postcolonial & Digital Spaces(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Lipshitz, Danya; Randle, OluwarotimiThis research interrogates the notion of "Authenticity" in the context of African art, both within the continent and the diaspora, particularly in digital platforms. Using Artspace.Africa—a reimagined version of the exhibition Africa Remix: Contemporary Art of a Continent—as a focal point, the study explores the complexities of African identity, spirituality, and spatial representation. I adapt Simon Njami's original thematic divisions— Identity & History, Body & Soul, and City & Land—while integrating Henri Lefebvre's layered concept of 'space,' involving physical, planned, and lived spaces. This curatorial approach aims to challenge monolithic perceptions of Africa, illuminating its diversity through an exploration of different types of space as theorised by Lefebvre. The methodology is qualitative, using my own curation as the primary lens for investigation. I consider the implications of digital platforms on the perceived "Authenticity" of artworks and the transformative role of the digital realm in archiving and exhibiting African art. The study also acknowledges its limitations, particularly concerning the digital divide and the limited access to the internet within a South African context. This research aims to contribute to a deeper, more nuanced understanding of African art and its multi-dimensional representations in the digital age.Item Sustainability of the KwaZulu-Natal creative sector: The KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts as a case study(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Shaw, Angela; Ntombela, NontobekoThis dissertation explores factors impacting sustainability in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) visual arts and crafts domain of the creative sector – and how these have played out in the case study, the KwaZulu- Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA), since its formation in 1905 and especially since 2000. The study asks how collaboration and refusal could contribute to the sustainability of the KZNSA. The theoretical framework of the study is grounded in sustainability theory and, using systems theory, explores modes of participation, whether collaboration or refusal and the resulting energy or inertia. It looks at how these could build on the latent talent and the tendency towards innovation found in KZN, and how they may contribute towards sustainability in the creative sector. The ecosystem of the case study, the KZNSA, contains the operating divisions of the organisation – the gallery, the shop and the café. Initiatives undertaken by these divisions such as forays into artist incubation projects, the Members’ Exhibition, education programming, gallery retail, online retail and art fairs are used to exemplify how collaboration and/or refusal impact the sustainability of the organisation. The operating divisions and their projects are themselves contained within a system of member-based governance with the KZNSA members, the Council and the Constitution as constituent elements in play. Broad themes describe the activities and context of the organisation – the environment, programming and commerce – and frame the interactions between entities in the KZNSA system. The focus of the study is to examine the dynamics between these entities, how they interact with each other and the resulting energy or inertia generated. This in turn provides clues to sustainable practice for the organisation that could be applied to the KZN creative sector.Item An integrated literature review investigating how significant elements of drama therapy, namely role method and narradrama, can support the congruent identity formation of teenagers influenced by contemporary social media(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Maddams, Amy Charlotte; Hill, MoniqueSocial media, which is widely used by teenagers world-wide, can have both a positive and/or negative impact on their developing self-identities. Extensive research has been conducted on the impact of social media on the mental health of teenagers but has failed to address the impact on their developing identities. This research aims to fill that gap by ascertaining how Drama Therapy informed Role Method and Narradrama can support the congruent identity formation of teenagers impacted by social media usage. It also aims to identify tools for drama therapists to use when addressing these issues. An integrative literature review was conducted in which diverse perspectives from existing literature were reviewed, critiqued, and integrated. Grounded theory was then applied to identify and categorise themes that emerged from the literature. There was strong evidence to support the use of Narradrama to help teenagers reauthor their problem-saturated stories and strengthen their congruent identity formation. Role Method was also shown to greatly benefit congruent identity formation through the expansion of an individual’s role repertoire. The results demonstrated that both Narradrama and Role Method provide appropriate tools for drama therapists to use to address the issue of congruent identity formation and are well placed to support the congruent identity development of teenagers who have been impacted by social media usage.Item South African restaurant reviewing: a changing landscape?(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Stiehler-van der Westhuiz, AdeleThis study investigates the changes that have taken place in the South African restaurant reviewing landscape between 2000 and 2020. Changes in society’s relationship with food, together with a changing media landscape and the end of apartheid, have combined to create a colourful cocktail of cultural changes in South Africa, which is currently academically underexplored. A historical methodology was followed to track these changes and included the compilation of an archive of 426 reviews published about three restaurants chosen from Eat Out magazine’s 20th-anniversary issue. Through a close reading and content analysis of the archive and by drawing on public sphere and cultural consecration theories the study found that the food reviewing field was neither inclusive, not particularly professional if measured by the guidelines set out by the legendary New York Times reviewer, Craig Claiborne, and that there were two distinct decades in the archive. The first was dominated by positive reviews in traditional media written mainly by professional reviewers. The second decade represented the “democratisation” of online reviewing with a significant increase in reviews (positive and negative) written mainly by amateurs on rating sites. The fact that white females dominated the reviewing space throughout the 20 years under study is evidence of the legacy of apartheid and confirms that privilege and power still shaped the foodscape. This study also tracked the tensions between players in the restaurant reviewing field and confirmed that amateur reviewers did not reject culinary capital but rather reinforced it, and professional reviewers embraced rather than avoided the digital media platforms. Amateur reviewers applied different reviewing criteria and wrote consumer assessments focused on lived experiences, rather than cultural assessments, like many professional reviewers. This study therefore suggests that their reviews are complementary to professional reviews, not competing. The arrival of Web 2.0 and mobile phones also changed the form of reviews radically during the 20 years, with commenting and sharing functionalities turning some reviews into vibrant conversations and photographs and videos becoming the new way to review.Item Stumbling on Hybridity’s Playground: Exploring Design-Centric Thinking, Media Boundaries and Limitation in A Hybrid Text Space.(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-07) Goldberg, Peta Nicole; Reid, KieranThis research posits an experimental thesis statement; “creative hybridity is a boundary-making event”. The dissertation takes place through an active narrative of experimentation playing with the ideas of how creativity engenders itself through hybridity and identity of medium. Using a design-centric outlook as well as a practice rooted, and at times spatio-visual thinking, the research posits that creative production (that is hybrid) bounds itself to patterns and structure to be recognized. The dissertation uses the case study ‘S.’ by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst (2013), a multimodal literature case study to explore hybridity, more specifically design production, through the lens of the thesis statement.Item Bridging the Digital Divide: Afrocentric Approaches in the 2021 My Body My Space Online Arts Festival for Rural Emakhazeni, Mpumalanga(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Khathi, Nomfundo Linami; Ntombela, NontobekoThe attempt at online arts festival for a rural community seems to be executed in ways that do not consider issues of digital dissemination in historically marginalised spaces. Those organising events requiring internet access in rural communities overlook that rural areas are not very ‘well’ developed. The study does not reject online arts festivals for historically marginalised areas but suggests that the approach taken should take into account rural issues related to resources. The hindrances with online access for rural communities have not been adequately addressed. The theory of Afrocentrism emphasises that Africans need to make Africa the centre of their own problems and solutions, by advocating that Africans need to locate themselves historically and culturally. They need to acknowledge their context and situation so that they can provide solutions aligned with their problems. The study notices a paradigm shift in South Africa, as the MBMS festival is now being held in the rural Emakhazeni community, moving away from the ‘traditionally known’ urban festival locations. This shift includes moving from an in-person MBMS festival to an online format in 2021, which has been affected by data and internet coverage issues in rural Emakhazeni. While the festival is accessible online by anyone, its original intention was to serve the Emakhazeni rural community. Through a predominantly qualitative research approach, primary and secondary data were examined, exploring the 2021 MBMS online arts festival hosted on WhatsApp for rural Emakhazeni. The stakeholders in this study include the organisers of the MBMS festival, the Department of Arts and Culture, the Emakhazeni community members, and the performers of the festival. I engage d with multiple sources, to explore how these paradigm shifts could be envisioned or executed differently with an Afrocentric perspective. Although the MBMS online festival is curated in a way that appears to respond to the modern discourses on accessibility and audience development, it simultaneously forgets that rural areas are not very well developed in many parts of South Africa. Through an exploration of the 2021MBMS festival, I unpack the way it established online accessibility and address the implications of this for the rural Emakhazeni. This research contributes to the investigation of what was silenced during the colonial and apartheid eras in South Africa, when many individuals were marginalised and denied access. Both practical steps and policy-oriented approaches are suggested by the study.Item Mapping the Ethnographic Expedition: A Re-Configuration of the Frobenius Archive(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-06) Boshoff, Janus Jacobus; Wintjes, JustineThis dissertation considers the building and dwelling (archiving) activities of researchers working within archive spaces as intrinsically connected to the treatment of pictorial material as a primary archive source. The report focusses on the cumulative work of a group of researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand, called the Frobenius Working Group (FWG), in relation to the historic activities of and archive material produced by a German archaeological and ethnographic expedition group under the direction of Professor Leo Frobenius that visited southern Africa between 1928 and 1930 (known as the 9th Expedition). By exploring past and present tensions and connections between the landscape and archive, and the activities and working practices of the FWG and the Frobenius expedition, and by closely studying pictorial archive material, the aim of this research is to interrogate whether the archive can be re-configured as a space where active participation can lead to new and alternative interpretations and understandings. The paper is written in a theoretical, reflective, first person narrative and processual style which reflects the researcher’s personal journey and the thinking processes inherent in the work of research, and explores the contents of and access to the physical and online Frobenius archive, the geography of the landscape and the archive, and the modes of research of the 9th Expedition and the FWG. The research project is thus situated within a physical and a conceptual landscape which suggests that research activities can be considered dwelling practices. The application of theoretical frameworks of landscape, place and space, dwelling and building, provides insight into the complexities and possibilities of generating new interpretations of and additions to the archive, and makes a case for archives as spaces of dwelling where activity bridges time and space, and the researcher can become both active viewer and contributor. The dissertation postulates that the archive can be a field of discovery where active participation can generate new material and insights which deepen our connection to landscape and social activity. The archive as dwelling place is considered not just as an external entity but also as dwelling in us. The emphasis is on configuration and dialogue as the mode of dwelling through which we not only make the archive a dwelling place, but ourselves a dwelling place for the archive. Archiving is a dynamic process in which the sources are considered in order to be configured into new orders. This dynamism requires the bridging and fusing of horizons into productive and co creative partners. This research report finds that the archive does not require re-configuring for it is already a re-configured space. The archive marks the beginning of the researcher’s journey which does not only look at history but, through the research activity, contributes to the constant and continual re-configuration of the archive. This journey conforms to processes of living which are temporal and shaped by social interaction and the continual formation of the landscape. In turn, these life processes contribute to the constant re-configuration of the landscape and archive space. By contributing new material, knowledge and understandings, the researcher forms part of the making of history, thereby ensuring the continued growth, life, and relevancy of the archive.