Gardening This presentation was created for a special topics course (GD492) at North Carolina State University. It is the mid-semester proposal for a mobile component within a service ecology that enables a specific group of people to learn a complex process. The service focuses on developing skills, rather than managing information—it performs analogously as training wheels, rather than crutches. Focusing on skill development implies that the person engages with the design conditions in order to learn how, what, and why to do something autonomously (without prolonged reliance on the design). The presentation includes an overview of the service ecology, user assessment, and specific design objectives for moving forward with creating a prototype and working demonstration. All material is copyright 2010. Please contact the manager of the slideshare account for questions and permissions. Process work can be found at www.seedandsprout.com/s10_gd492

1. Original goal: Learn how to maintain a landscape (multiple gardens) and what to do at different times of the year to keep the landscape alive. Garden Plant Plant Plant Plant Revised Goal: Learn about the relationships of plants so that one will know how and why to perform certain tasks at different times of the year. Goals

2. Audience New homeowners and/or new horticulturists. 20-50+ 20-30 Gender?

3. Circumstance Setting: At home When: During user's spare time User will have the freedom to explore and engage with the application, giving him/her plenty of time to make connections and learn without pressure.

4. Value User will learn relationships without rigorous memorization or reading a lot of literature. As the user learns about the plant community, gardening and it's basic principles should become easy to understand. Fun, easy, gratifying. Will answer all the “what-if” and “what are” questions the user has about basic gardening.