stakeholder interview questions

Faculty staff member Art Teacher: People have hobbies such as tennis, fishing, recreational sports, walking and thinking. People are concerned about reality and how short life actually is.  They are worried about getting everything done in a short time.  For example, the song "100 years to life" describes making huge accomplishments in a short amount of time. Religion is more significant because people have less faith in other things.  People have materialistic values.  People don't care as much about their health, as long as they are pleased for the moment.  For example, weight loss pills.  He likes modern art, doesn't need truth.  Originality is what matters most and technique to him.  The piece of art should make you think hard about a topic or idea.

Student Junior: Religion is less significant in this century compared to others because people pay more attention to materialistic goods. They value getting to the top being richer than all peopl.  Society impacts people because they just want to blend in with everyone else. People spend their time playing and watching sports, watching television and playing video games.  The media impacts people, they lie for publicity.  People are motivated by old songs and music.  Also, sport prodigies; meaning past centuries impact this century.  People get their guidance form parents/internet/friends and the news.  People fear the world ending, dying before doing all these things they want to do before death.  People are worried about cancer and unexpected diseases without cure.  People are also worried about getting held up and crimes. 

Community member neighbor:  People spend their time socializing and exercising and watching television.  People are concerned about 2012 and the world ending.  The economic woes are worrying people.  Also, the housing problem is a huge issue and there is less peace.  Media impacts people by over dramatizing the economy.  There is only a small change in economy and they make it sound like the sky is falling.  This makes people panic and they end up spending less money.  He believes art needs truth otherwise it is without meaning.  It's like talking about Santa Claus, he doesn't exist.  It needs technique and should depict a realistic view of the world, otherwise it is worthless.

Overall, the hobbies consisted of outdoor activities.  They weren't technology based which is interesting, because I thought they would be.  Also, the art types vary but with similar reasoning as to why.  They all agreed that the media impacts people in a negative way because they make everything bigger than it really is.  In some cases, this can be a positive effect.  The concerns had a theme of dying and not finishing everything they had planned in time.

To get this project started each group member went out and interviewed three different people. We went into topics about the 21^st century human and about art. There was a consensus that people in the 21^st century primarily keep entertained via technology. One of the people I interviewed was Mrs. Kennedy a librarian from our school. She fears that people now day’s people do not have anything that truly inspires them or like she put it “let something take your breath”. She loves 17^th and 18^th century “belle époque”. “Belle époque” is a style of clothing worn by women and it is something that caught her eye. Another recurring issue was that people in the 21^st century tend to care more about what society thinks of them. When it came to the actual artwork the freshman, my mother and Mrs. Kennedy all agreed that it had to be visually appealing to them but that it did not have to come from someone famous. I did get varied responses for the type of artwork, Mrs. Kennedy wanted something colorful and expressive, my mom wanted a sculpture something more realistic and the freshman a painting that the student body would create.

I learned many things from my interviews. I noticed how older people saw 21^st century youth and how they would compare it to their childhood. My mother and Mrs. Kennedy saw technology as a bad thing taking away from a childhood experience, were as the freshman saw technology as something great. Everyone agreed that society really affects the way people now days behave. My mom probably put this best “People are worried about what others think instead of living for themselves”. When it came to the art, I found that it was easier for Mrs. Kennedy and my mom to describe the artwork they liked and would like to see, while the freshman had difficulties explaining her likes. This may prove true what Mrs. Kennedy said about this generation not having something they truly like.

Interviews

1. What are people's hobbies currently?
Whalen: I believe that most people are spending and shopping and doing whatever to spend their money.
Student: People tend to be relaxing more then ever, I sleep every time I come home.
Co-Worker: Saving money for whatever reason they have to save money for.
2. What are most people's fears about the future?
Whalen: The economy will crash and credit will go down the drain.
Student: Fear of not being able to do what we want in the future.
Co-Worker: Not having anyone else to be supporting me and what I do.
3.What motivates you?
Whalen: The pursuit of being successful and happy.
Student: Being able to get the job that I want in the future.
Co-Worker: Getting paid and being happy.
4. How does society impact people's behavior?
Whalen: Society changes peoples behavior by making them believe that they are supposed to act in a certain way and get what the rest of society has. Instead of following their own initial dreams and goals they follow other's.
Student: It changes people by making them want other more things out of life, instead of focusing on what is important.
Co-Worker: It puts people in certain categories and makes them either be successful or a loser.
5. What is one important value today?
Whalen: Getting money to pay off all of your debts.
Student: Being with your family and being good to your friends.
Co-Worker: Getting as much money as possible.
I learned that people have many differing ideas, but they do have many similar ideas too. No matter what the age difference is they seem to have many recurring thoughts. People think about money for many of todays society related issues. One more thing that I learned was that being happy is a often recurring theme among these issues.
The significance of this is that it made me realize that people want money and happiness. No matter what the issue is people want to have a secure future and a great life.