The first thing I did when making this map was to pick out 4 precedents that were somehow related to my thesis.

The four precedents of my thesis were:

1) Boxes by Liza Stark (2012)

Boxes is related to Plus Minus in that it was an educational tool / workshop that would teach people about electronic systems incorporating STEM concepts.

2) Prisms by Liz Taylor (2012)

Prisms is related to Plus Minus in that it was another lighting system for our homes. She tried to change the current lighting systems of overhead lighting and tried to create another interaction model for lighting.

3) formatters by Alvaro Soto (2012)

formatters explores different types of fabrication methods. It considers factors such as ergonomics and usability. The use of modular components are also related to Plus Minus

4) Noisy Toys by Bryant Davis (2011)

Noisy Toys is a starter kit for those interested in electroacoustic music. Plus Minus also aims to inform about the basics of circuitry through the use of a beginner’s kit.

After selecting the four precedents, I tried to find the main keywords related to Plus Minus and these keywords were: Practicality / Lighting, Passive Education / Instruction, Sustainability / Eco-friendly, Customization / Personalization / DIY, and Modularity / Interactivity.

Coincidentally, it created a sort of pentagon surrounding my thesis. The Practicality and Passive Education of Plus Minus served as Plus Minus’ main function, Passive Education and Sustainability was the role of Plus Minus, Sustainability and Customization was the effect of Plus Minus, Customization and Modularity determined the form of Plus Minus, and Modularity and Practicality led to the hardware model and interaction of Plus Minus.