backchan.nl
Integrating Backchannels in Physical Space
Drew Harry
MIT Media Lab
Joshua Green
MIT Comparative Media
Judith Donath
MIT Media Lab

Backchannels
backchan.NL

Krauss et al, 1977 flickr: *clairity*

Yardi, S. 2006 flickr: Tom Purves

Rekimoto, et al 1998 flickr: p yper

flickr: Kevin Slavin / slavin_fpo

flickr: opacity

Design
backchan.NL

flickr: paigebuilt

Results
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“I would love to hear more about buzz
marketing - how it actually works and how
clients want it to integrate it with more
traditional methods”
“What’s the role of Social Media in advertising
and Convergence Culture”
Work
“What affect does the ephemeral nature of
your art (changes in technology, disappearing
technologies) have on your art practice?”
“Moot, what is your favorite 4chan meme?”
McCarthy, J.F, 2005

“Is anyone else cold?”
“::abuses backchannel:: Someone lost a Lumix
camera yesterday. Find Susannah on the
ROFLTeam to describe it/pics on it.”
Logistics
“So, is NOW the time the panel should turn
some attention to these excellent user-
generated questions?”
“We need power strips in these seats!”
McCarthy, J.F, 2005

High Ranked Low Ranked
“Can we get some more Did he just cite Eisner?
questions from the board
answered this time? xthxbye” Props for stirring the pot!
How has your web-based and so i herd u liek mudkipz
viral advertising work affected
your work in traditional
advertising?
hard to hear :(

Meta
Audience voting on presentation topics
Audience pre-asking

flickr: loojie

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Cumulative Votes
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Time (minutes)

60
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Number of Posts
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Final Scores

Golub, E. 2005

Thanks!
Dan Gutierrez Cherrie Yang Chris Schmandt
First Prototype Second Prototype Editing/Framing
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So, Questions?
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