The digital artefact I am working on for this assignment is an annotated dossier, including a collection of data, analytics, analysis and interpretations. Through my DA, I aim to investigate how relationships with technology have evolved throughout generations from using phones as a tool that we control, to recognising the data collecting mechanisms shaping our experience.
I often wonder if my phone is listening to conversations I have when ads appear on my feed based on things I have talked about. I struggled to expand this semi-developed frame, however the discord replies to my first post helped me to further develop my idea leading me to this website examining the mechanisms used by phones to enhance algorithms. Finding my mum’s old flip phone sparked the idea of the development of technology, and the transformation from using simple phones as a personal tool to phones using you as a tool to transfer information and data from clicks and likes.
The first challenge I faced was how to present the information in the form of a digital annotated dossier. I want my DA to function as a public, developing research dossier rather than a one-off finished product. This means I can continue adding research findings, sources, annotations and reflections as my investigation develops. Instinctually I went straight to Canva, however their pre-existing templates made it challenging to develop an ongoing investigation as they were more focussed on one final product. After deciding this was not a suitable option, google led me to Notion, a simple website developer that is easy to navigate without being too visually distracting. This is important for my DA as the focus is on the information rather than the design elements. My Notion website so far consists of a main home page explaining the aim of my DA, and an article examining the signals I personally have experienced on my phone in the past week. A key turning point for me was digging deeper into the frame and broadening my perspective of technology. One student left a website link in a response to my DA update which I read and helped me to understand some ways I could test and experiment with my DA as the mode details.
A few DAs stood out to me, particularly changing employment trends and the increasing value of digital experience over traditional grades. I connected this to Upwork, where many online jobs require intermediate to expert experience, highlighting the challenges graduates face entering the digital workforce. I also explored the issue of misleading medical advice from influencers, connecting it to people increasingly using Google and AI to self-diagnose. This helped me extend the signal beyond social media and consider the wider impact of digital technology.
At this stage, I would say the most influential change was my frame development so far. From starting with the simple is your phone listening to you idea into the transformation of technology. To start this project, I would advise to take onboard ideas from peers and listen to their signals and be open minded!
References
Notion. (2024). Your connected workspace for wiki, docs & projects | notion. In Notion. https://www.notion.com/
Pogue, D. (2026). Is your phone listening to you? In Cbsnews.com. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-your-phone-listening-to-you/
Upwork. (2024). Upwork | hire freelancers. Make things happen. In Upwork. https://www.upwork.com/
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