Week 6A

During class today I presented my motion storyboard to everyone. Just small adjustments are needed from here,

• the speaker order is, Justin, Robert, Josh and Aaron, so I just need to switch Josh and Robert
• Adding more disciplines to the flying in portion 
• rounding the corners of the keyboard keys so that portion is less rigid

For the second half of class I presented all of my app work to my small group. They felt that the evolution of my icon was beneficial and they enjoyed my end product. The only thing that may change is a slight increase of scale on the plane. For next class I am going to design my matrices and persona a little farther, and clean up my icon. Finally we learned about flowcharts, site maps and wireframes. Once I do the assigned readings to understand the content more I will be creating 2 versions of 3 wireframes and 2 flowcharts.

Week 5 Out Of Class: App Progress and Conference Storyboard Revisions

Persona

Above is the vectorized persona I created in Illustrator based off of my original pencil sketch. Robert is one of the types of people who would be interested in an app like mine. He is away on business a lot and has a fear of missing flights and meetings. He also has love ones that he wants to be in contact with. This persona exercise helped me to decide how to layout/format my app. I want it to be simplified because if there is clutter, button pressing mistakes can be made and then the app will not be efficient but instead frustrating. 

Branding Matrices
Below are the four branding matrices I had originally sketched and now created vector versions of. Each matrix is fairly straight foward.

# 1 discusses the ability for the app to have a notification service and when it would actually be used (before or during trip). Minus an alarm clock style app, nothing was in the same quadrant as Journey Owl.

 #2 compares simple/complex layouts and the apps ability to share content. No similar apps shared content so my app was alone in its quadrant.

 #3 discusses how it helps the users routine, just through sleep or adapting the body as a whole,(including suggested meal times). Again no app discussed something more besides sleep so Journey Owl had its own quadrant.

#4 the final matrix is whether the app had visuals like charts and if it was map based or time zone based. If the app had to do with jet lag it leaned towards the map layout. I do not want a map layout for my app because it is more time/chart based and obviously if the user is traveling to this place, so, they know where it is and do not constantly have to see a map.












Icon

Above is the icon design I decided on and below it is a screenshot of the document of it in all of its sizes. I went through a lot of variations. Below is a screenshot of my constantly changing .ai file I was working from.

Originally I was going to go with the design of the owl sitting in the curve of the J. I had created a flat and full gradient mesh versions. When they were scaled down it really did not read well and the owl was lost besides the detail. So I started to rework the icon of just the globe owl. I looked at it flat, gradient, just an outline and even tried a different color to make it pop. I received feedback to maybe add a plane or something so it would not be just an owl but at the same time not be too detailed. I felt that how I illustrated the plane and the weight change of the line added a lot to the icon and spoke to my apps purpose so I decided to keep it. Then I finally allowed the background to be flat and I tried adding a drop shadow to both elements (the owl and plane). This allowed the elements to pop of the solid background and almost gave it a cut paper feel, which I thought really worked with the way I styled the continents. 

App Research
Below are the screenshots I took from the app store for the app research. The comments are posted with in the pictures. Apps I looked at includes Fantastical, Snapguide, Fab, Tiny Post, Pulse.

Storyboard

Above is the revised storyboard for the conference.

• I changed the arrow to match the one on the back book cover.
• I got rid of the masthead being on the final page again and just left/restyled the event information.
• I created the smartphone device section which now has a circle acting as the touch of a finger swiping across the screen, the device rotating to show screen response and swiping to change screens showing the changes.

Week 5B

Before class:

What I have ready for class today is about 80% of the storyboard for the conference. (screenshot below). I refined it from the sketched version and showed more of a breakdown of each individual motion. I changed the clock idea I had sketched along with the original map idea. The map idea is now an arrow and the clock is reminiscent of an old clock that is now on  some types of smart phones. The motion is now stopping towards the original middle from the sketched version.

The other work I had ready for class today was revised versions of my app logo. I got rid of more of the cutesy features of the owl so it would appeal to adults more. Most of the people I received feedback from last class felt that the global owl spoke more to my app, so where I just had a plain colored owl I switched it out to the global owl. A suggestion I had received was to try to show it in motion/flying and I had trouble depicting it with it still reading as an owl and not a hawk or another bird. I like the outlined idea in theory but I feel it got more detailed and may not read well small.

After/during class:

We discussed the readings and we did a round robin critique of our icon designs. My feedback was overall very mixed. Many people wrote that they liked multiple and a few had suggestions on cropping. I also received feedback that they were cute... This tends to be my drawing style but I am trying to stay away from that for my adult audience. For this reason, the ones labeled as cute by many, I will not be pursuing. 

For next class I am vectorizing the second one in the first picture. It received a lot of good feedback and fits well with my app. I may pursue a few others depending on how it turns out small.

I am going to have a completed/closer to finalized storyboard for next class. I am switching the arrow graphic to match the one from the back cover. I am going to revisited the smartphone section, possibly make it horizontal, since there is so much empty space around it. Also, I am going to decide how to show the actions done on screen. Finally the last screen will just have event information, not the conference name again, because it was decided it was too busy.

Week 5A

Today in class we got into groups and discussed our logo sketches. My group felt overall mine worked well but may not speak to my adult audience. The suggestions I received including getting rid of the eyes and nose, to make it more of a silhouette, have the owl flying and overall take the sketches and morph them together to create a cohesive well designed, adult logo. This is what I will be working towards when I refine my sketches for next class.

The feedback that I received for my storyboard is that the beginning works well but I need to refine certain places throughout:

• the "physical spaces" map section
• the "actions and responses affect human behavior "section

mainly, then it was decided that it could end after the speakers section and that the last third was unnecessary so I plan to take pieces from that last section when I revamp the above mentioned sections. For next class I am working towards an illustrator version of the storyboard with the changes.

Week 4 Out Of Class: App Logos and Conference Storyboard

Logos

Below are 27 black and white logo designs for my app, Journey Owl. I started out by just looking at the types of owl, which one would be recognized best and how much needed to be included to show it was an owl/how minimalist I could be. From there I started to include the initials of the app J and O. I also tried to include the owl as the O's counter or as the entire letter. Next my mind went to the app and what it involves like travel, gps, maps and time and I brainstormed things connected to that for the second half of logos.

Below are the logos I decided worked the best and transferred into color. I chose a blue, purple  and light green color scheme. I chose blue and purple because it represents night time and the sky. I chose light green because it references land and awaking. The first, I felt was a good representation but after looking at it I felt it may be too childish for my audience. I thought the owl in the location teardrop well represented the journey and owl portion of the app's name. I also thought both owls with the clock/globe worked well for the app, but I was debating if I should place one of them within the location teardrop instead. The bottom two with the letters I thought was very simplistic and would work well small. I thought bringing one of the other owls in again may make them stronger designs, I am just not sure which one.

Conference Motion Storyboard

Below is my sketched out storyboard, I did my best to leave the pictures large so they could be readable. I based the opening off of an excerpt from the back of the book. Then I included in the speakers information and lead into what Alexandra and I talk about (multiple devices). Then I created the ending. I am planing to use the color scheme from the style tile I created earlier for the design group. As of right now it is 40 seconds long, under the minute long requirement I was given.

Week 4B

Below is the elevator pitch I created for class.

Elevator Pitch 

For the frequently traveler who often has changes in their internal clocks, Journey Owl is an app that will record a user's eating and sleeping schedule at home then create one when they get to their destination. Unlike Jet Lag manger and World Clock the product will work during the trip and notify the user to times to sleep and eat in their new location to aide in the time zone adjustment and it will also allow the user to share their schedule with others.

App Name
The app name that I am leaning towards is Journey Owl. I brainstormed this through a series of word lists with the columns of travel, animals and frequent. From that I put different words together. I chose owl because of their odd sleeping patterns like the user will have and the word journey because the user is always off on a journey when they use the app.


Branding Matrixes

Below are the branding matrixes I created for class today. Besides my own the other 3 apps that I found closest to mine during research was Jet Lag Manager and World Clock, Jet Lag Rooster, and multiple sleep therapy/remedy apps that were all the same. There was no app that is directly doing what my app will. Jet Lag Manager is very pre-trip based, and scientific, not made for mobile screens. Jet Lag Rooster is more of an alarm service, strictly for sleeping.

North to south- More notification reminders/ none. Left to Right- Before trip/ during trip

N/S- Simplified layout/ Complex layout. L/R- No sharing capabilities/ Sharing Capabilities

N/S- Adapting body clock (not just sleep)/ Sleep Based. L/R- No personalization of schedule/ Personalization of schedule

N/S- Use of Table and Charts/No Tables. L/R- Map based/ time zone based

Overall everyone agreed with the phrasing and outcome of my Matrixes.

Week 4A

Today in class we got into our conference groups and my group discussed the different poster and flyer designs and which ones to go with. We decided on Kira's flyer design and Mel's first design so they are going to adjust/clean them up for Wednesday. Gianna's designs were pretty incomplete so she is hopefully going to fix that for Wednesday. Catherine cleaned up the informational poster for today. Since we are going with Kira's flyer choice, I am going to start brainstorming ideas for the storyboard for a motion design explaining the conference.

For the app section of class, we discussed our elevator pitches and mine evolved a lot. Then we discussed and took notes on branding matrixes and we have 3 do for class on Wednesday. My idea is now going into a travel internal clock idea. This is what I have brainstormed so far:

• This app is for people who travel often for business trips, conferences or school.
• The app allows the user to record their internal/body clock for a standard (work) week in their life.
• Then once they are in their new location the phone will adjust time zones, as will the app. It will make a new "week" (for example called Rome). This week will have a time column of back home, new time and then the main section of your schedule. 
• (user will be capable of editing this new week, for example wake up times)
• The app will notify the user when they should eat/sleep in this new time zone to help adjust. (1st priority)
• The user can share their 'week' with other users within the app (like loved ones) and the "home" column will switch to whatever time zone they are in so they know when the user is asleep etc. 

For next class I will have a refined idea, elevator pitch and name for my new idea.

Week 3 Out Of Class: Flyer Design, Elevator Pitch and Tribe Questions

Kira and I's task for the conference over the weekend was to each develop the flyer design further from the feedback we received during class on Wednesday. We are both building from the Ipad design and deciding on content, placement and typeface use separately. This will allow us, on Monday, to decide as a group which pieces of which flyer we feel are working best, then apply it to the final version of the black and white flyer.

My version is to the left. I worked from the document Kira gave me and made it my own. I placed the masthead still at the top but I made it smaller and left a good amount of margin around it. I put the tagline in Intro the bolder typeface from the masthead because I felt it should stand out. Then the FREE right below it catches the readers eye, which will lead them to the website and the guest speakers. I could not make the website as prominent as I wanted to because of how long our URL is and I did not want it to be on two lines. I took the banner graphic from my original flyer (which I took from the back cover .ai file) to use for the date. I did this because I felt it was an important of piece of information that I could not into the ipad without the white space being compromised but I still wanted it to be highlighted so I placed it in the banner which will lead the eye to the venue information below. 

Elevator Pitch

For the on the go twenty-something who has a busy, hectic life, (product name) is a calendar that won’t slow them down. Unlike the default calendar app the product is fully customizable which allows for peak efficiency while being mobile.

(Product name is TBA so I did not include one in the elevator pitch)

Tribe Questions

What are my tribe’s shared passions, values, and beliefs? Do they share a common goal?

                - I feel that their shared passions are in their career, their line of work. Their values are staying on top of things and being independent. They believe in technology and use it profusely.

Is my tribe at a particular life stage? Puberty? Parenthood? Graduation?

- My tribe is in the transitional stage of the end of college (Graduation) and becoming part of society, whether that be through a job or internship.

What is their common identity, sense of belonging, and expression?

-Their common identity is a person in this transitional place in life. All of them are striving for something whether it is for an internship or graduation. Their sense of belonging is where their work, loved ones and new life all meet. Their expression is hopeful and focused.

Who do they hang out with? Where do they hang out (both on and offline)?

                -They probably hangout with people close to their age. These people may be from school or newly met coworkers. They hangout on facebook, twitter and probably instagram and in the real world bars, coffee shops and maybe even their friends’ new places.

What is my tribe currently talking about? An event? A product? A problem?

                -My tribe is most likely talking about the most current event, whether that be the newest gallery or bar downtown, the newest technology being announced or the fact that they are still stuck in the internship.

What rituals do they practice?

                -Their rituals may include, getting a hot morning beverage, weekly calling loved ones, a daily walk of their pet and late nights catching up on their favorite shows.

What goods and services is my tribe passionate about? How do they link them to others?

                -They are passionate about services that can aide them in their transition, especially things online that can help get their persona out in the world. They link each other through their social media of choice, whether it is twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. They are also passionate about goods are services that allow them to express themselves.

How will my app impact their lives? How does it makes their world a better place?

-My app will affect their daily lives. The app will allow them to have a place in the palm of their hand to put all of their tasks, meeting, appointments, list, but without the clutter so they don’t forget their mother’s birthday.

It will make their world better in that as they gain responsibilities in the world they will have a place to store it and remind them so they do not get tripped up on the little things like a payment here or there, they can be reminded. This will allow them to focus on the important events an

Week 3B

To the left are the poster and flyer that I created for class today. They are based off of my sketches and the color schemes. We met during class and decided to take the information from my flyer and combine it with the ipad graphic design of Kira's flyer. That is what both of us will be working on for next class. We decided to take the other two logos from the back of the book and integrate them into two of the poster designs, Mel and Gianna will be creating versions of these. For the final, more informative poster we are using one of Kira's choices. Catherine will be going in to make the adjustments on that that we discussed.

We learned about how to create an elevator pitch and took notes on it. We got into groups and discussed our ideas, competition and our target market. A elevator pitch, tribe questions and possible names are due for next class.

Week 3 Out Of Class: App Write Up

The app idea I am working on is a interactive calendar app.

What if we had no constraints?

-If I had no constraints I would include all of the themes and content that I possibly will not be allowed to use because of copyright laws. I would have the app tap into all of the users personal pictures you could ever want on a tear calendar (so for 365 days) without taking up memory on their phone or losing their files. I would have the app read the users facebook post and tweets to figure out their mood so it can decide what to include on that day.

What if the budget was unlimited?

-If the budget was unlimited I would figure out a way to incorporate/create technology that allows you to throw or kick your phone without breaking it. If there was no budget I would make it for android too and there never would be ads. Also, there could be technology where the app could know your clothing and suggest an outfit depending on the weather.

What if it was to have a social impact?

- I feel that it could bring people closer together. It can allow scatter brained people to become organized and feel relaxed knowing everything is taken care of. 

Week 3A

Today in class we got into our conference groups and the general design group decided on a masthead. It is the upper right one in the picture from the earlier post. Now that that is decided, and we agreed on the color scheme we are going to digitalize our individual favorite sketches with the correct masthead, fonts and color scheme for next class so we can start the decision process. We also decided that the flyer will not have a bleed so in turn they do not have to be trimmed during production to save time. This may also apply to at least one of the poster designs.
As a class we went to McCompesy and went through the registration process which overall went smoothly.

Later in class we broke into brainstorming groups and discussed our brainstorming ideas. Of my ideas I am now leaning towards the calendar idea I feel that I can really build on it. I am hoping to make it very customizable and interactive so it can be very user friendly.

I want to reread through the sticky notes to further gather my ideas.

Week 2 Out Of Class: Sketches and Style Tile

Above is the style tile rough draft that I created for the conference after our group decided colors during class. I have many variations to the masthead and I hope to decide during class which one everyone thinks is working the best. The main variations are; conference being bold or thin, the grey or navy background, and interdisciplinary being the teal or white color. I added the navy color after my group talked because we wanted a navy but when I went back to recreate the color we had chosen it seemed very grey. The overall design, typeface and color scheme is based off the book cover for which the conference is named. We decided during class that a similar font hierarchy to the book would be best which is what I created this based off of. Just to add a little more I mocked up how some of the colors would look as web buttons.

As a group we decided we all would create separate sketches for next class so below are mine.

This would be for one of the main posters. We are batting around the idea of doing 2 or 3 different ones so passersby are not bored with them. It is based off the geometric shapes of the book cover. It would have a similar theme as the style tile above. The boxes that are not colored in would have a photo of each speaker and a bio of them to the right of it. The masthead would also be included and the tagline and any additional needed information.

The above sketch would most likely be for a flyer. It is loosely based on the idea of a superhero tagline we were given. It is suppose to be a cape that has all of the information flowing on it. I thought if it is done well it could be dynamic and draw the viewers eye into it.

This last sketch is based on the back of the book and it is also a flyer sketch. It has the masthead at the top and the date of the event in the ribbon below it. Then I thought the tagline could be larger right under that then additional information and maybe some relevant graphics at the bottom like on the back cover.

Week 2 Out Of Class Part 2: App Ideas

Below are the ideas I brainstormed for the mobile app design project. I based most of my ideas off of my everyday life.

Disney Day Calendar App- The reason that I came up with this idea is that I have had many day by day tear calendars. They always sit in a place in my room and at first I keep up pretty well. Every day I see the new picture and tidbit of information but as the weeks go on I forget to change it.

The idea for this app is to be a smarter calendar app. It would be a place where you could put in all of your appointments and events but the unique part is that it is still a tear calendar. The user will be able to set a time to have the notification to show up then they will go into the app and do the same motion as turning a page on the device. This will tear the page and also show them what their day looks like. Now that it would be mobile it could even be clips instead of just images.

Sleep Tracker-I thought of this idea because throughout the semester I do not get as much sleep as I should, especially near the end. The user will push a button right before sleep and when they wake up and the app will create a sleep long and the user can see how much sleep they got in a week or even month. When I searched I did see a few types of sleep tracking apps but they had a lot more bells and whistles like alarms and relaxing music. To set mine apart from the others, instead of doing the usual things the app will help to make lists maybe, to help get through the busy day and it will give healthy suggestions if the users sleep amount gets to a critical point. For example something they can do to help ward it off besides coffee.

Scavenger Hunt Game App- Using the device’s external camera and satellites like google maps/gps the app will figure out where you are and once the user clicks start the game will hide certain objects (the amount of which is decided by the user…from 5-however many) within a certain radius of the user (which they would set). Using augmented reality and viewing through the camera the user can adventure around the stated area find the objects from given clues.  The app will save the user’s progress when they leave the stated area or get out of the app. When the user enters the zone again their device will receive a notification. The users can work in teams and invite their friends to join in their hunt.

Store Size App- The idea stems from the problem that in clothing, especially women’s, each stores sizes are different. The app would have a database of stores and companies. The user could, after going to a store and figuring out their size in something, can document it through the app so they can have an ongoing list of their size information. Multiple users can be set up on one account for families. This will lead to less time in the dressing room and a more enjoyable shopping trip for everyone involved.

Hex Code App-  This idea stemmed from a design problem, even though it is not exactly a problem. When someone sees a color they really think works well and they want to apply it to their own work, most of the time, they cannot recreate the color when they get into the studio. The point of this app it that through the app the user would take a picture, pinpoint the color they want information on, and from within the app, they will be given the hex code, RGB numbers, and CMYK numbers. Then the user could write a note about the color, for example what they wanted to use it for, and save it to their account on the app. 

Week 2B

Today in class we got into our conference groups. The print design group is renamed to the general design group. We discussed colors and fonts so we can create a style guide for next class. We are taking a lot of cues from the book cover for fonts and overall design. For next class we are all sketching poster and flyer ideas so we can all see what we are bringing to the table. For the print side in general, we are focusing on creating, flyers, posters and wayfinding signage. The group as a whole decided to throw out the pamphlet  idea because we felt it would create a distraction during the conference. An idea was thrown around about designing a powerpoint, so we may pursue that.
Throughout the rest of class we discussed the mobile first reading and took more notes on mobile web, native apps and their categories. During the last part of class we learned about our first project and our homework is to get an idea for what we want our app idea to be.