Sep 13

Reading Commentary for Week #2: Experience Prototyping

After having read this, I had no idea of the process that goes into Experience Prototyping.  It was rather educational for me, up until now the only type of “experience prototyping” I’ve been exposed to are focus groups determining what packaging design appeals to a regular consumer.

I have never come across such an elaborate process and the different types of carrying out the study and how designers need to have a common vision when they collaborate (for a better common point of view).  That there needs to be a thorough research to represent  any medium when it comes to design and prototyping.  It’s all about the experience of these design prototypes that can either make or break the success of a product.  And it all boils down the a subject’s experience derived from the prototype.

I even like how they broke down the meaning of “experience”.  That it’s about the “look and feel” after being exposed to a prototype…. And also “quality of people’s experience changes over time as it is influenced by variations in these multiple contextual factors” meaning social circumstances, time pressures, environmental conditions, etc…

I enjoyed reading the different types of Experience Prototyping (The Patient Experience,  The ROV Pilot Experience, Role Playing a Train Journey Experience) and Exploring and Evaluating Design Ideas (Controller for an immersive environment, Experiencing an Airplane Interior, TV Channel Changing Experience).  It was interesting to see how each design team had to reformat, research and use different techniques in order to find a clear feedback.

And I suppose that’s what it boils down to, in terms of any type of prototyping, there needs to be a CLEAR FEEDBACK.  That would be the whole point of it.  So whatever the necessary steps that needs to be taken, designers would have to perform it.

What I also learned from this article is that  “experience” within itself is subjective.

Therefore evaluating ideas and experiences are tough.  It seems like numerous testing would have to be performed and later on determine if it needs to be retested (i.e. ROV Pilot section).  And it’s critical to have a clear and precise feedback because that’s the only way designers can plan and persuade an audience that chosen design direction is the best or it’s the correct one.

I hate to sound juvenile at this point, but it looks like there is no one way to skin a cat, but that cat will be skinned either way.  Just depends how fast or how clean one would want to do that, but that’s another discussion I’m sure…

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/reading-commentary-for-week-2-experience-prototyping/

Sep 13

Reinventing Facebook

magnet_presentation

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/reinventing-facebook/

Sep 13

Reading Week 2-Prototyping

Even though I already knew what prototyping was, this week’s readings gave me a better understanding of the importance of prototyping and the role of the designer in the prototype-making process. It seems to me that through prototyping the designer becomes the mediator between the artifact and the user. Designers must empathize with the user as well as understand the technology of the object or system that is being created. Building a successful prototype requires iteration, combination of different skill sets, strategic planning and proper implementation.

What surprised and impressed me most about the prototyping process was the pizza-box prototype example described in Houde and Hills’ piece.  In this instance, an architect was asked to carry a pizza box on a site visit. The box was meant to simulate a laptop computer that would let the designers determine how the form, weight and size fit into the context in which the laptop would be used. This was an extremely effective and affordable way to understand which direction the design should go in. Through this simple simulation, designers had a better understanding of the user’s needs and how those needs could be addressed.  In Experience Prototyping, Buchenau and Suri further illustrate how roll playing can be essential in the initial stages of the design process. The article describes a very simple, inexpensive simulation where the designers replicate an airplane interior using only chairs to “evaluate ergonomic and psychological comfort” of a potential customer. This kind of direct participation allowed the designers to understand more than just the aesthetics and physical engagement of a space but also the social situation of being served by a flight attendant, sleeping, sitting and talking to a fellow passenger. It must be stressed that this invaluable information was gathered quickly and without a large budget.

Understanding user experience inspires further, more complicated prototypes. In Cardboard Computers: Mocking-It-Up or Hands-On the Future, Greenbaum and Kyng describe the next level of a design process as “second generation mock-ups.” Depending on the project, a designer might actually start building a physical object with or without computer-based functionality. Through this process the design might reveal certain limitations or pose other design questions that need to be addressed. According to the authors, the more iterations produced in this design stage the better the outcome will be. It is important to know exactly how an artifact should function before a programmer sits down to code the actual interface. It could be costly and time consuming to redo anything past the mock-up stage of a design.

Once the sociological, psychological and contextual aspects of a future artifact are established, and the role and look and feel of the product are determined, the design team can create, what Haude and Hills call, an “integration prototype” where the “complete user experience of an artifact” is built using information from the numerous preceding prototypes. In this stage, a prototype does not simulate the final product, although, it is used to get feedback from the client and the actual users.  This is a more costly, time consuming prototype but one that is absolutely necessary in order to find out how functional the product is.

Only after careful research through roll playing, simulations, mock-ups and computer-based prototypes can an artifact make its way into the market. Previously, my idea of prototyping was that the process was much more limiting, that it was expensive and should represent an artifact as close to the finished product as early in the design phase as possible. On the contrary, prototyping should be a fun, explorative process that uses numerous iterations, various mediums, and the combination of different skills sets in a design team. It is also not necessarily expensive and, depending on the phase of the design process, does not have to be time consuming. The purpose of prototyping is not just to determine the functionality of a product; it is also a way to find out how the product fits into the context of every day life of the user.

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/reading-week-2-prototyping/

Sep 12

HW reading for 9-12

The gist of these articles reinforce the practice of “good” or even “correct” design practices. The emphasis is not only on aesthetics but on user interaction bing pivotal to design. It also states and  argues that user interaction and experience should be the foundation of your actual design. From here the articles go on to describe different sorts of prototyping and mocking up.

There was a very good line from the cardboard computer article: “In our view, artifacts, computers as well as other tools, should be understood via the human use of them.” This seems to be the thesis of the collection of articles…explain by which means you can and should approach this.

“The role of Experience Prototyping here is to let a client, a design colleague or a user understand the subjective value of a design idea by directly experiencing it. This is usually done with the intention of persuading the audience — for example, that an idea is compelling or that a chosen design direction is incorrect. ” — Experience Prototyping.

These articles also want to convey that desgining is not just about the artifact but about very much so about the experience as well, and go on to state that designers need to spend more time focusing on the experience.

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/hw-reading-for-9-12/

Sep 12

Deciphering the Limits of Social Networking

https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhdxsbmm_886mxwhzgd

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/deciphering-the-limits-of-social-networking/

Sep 12

Reading Commentary for Week #2: Cardboard Computers, Mocking it up or Hands-On the Future

This piece was perhaps the most interesting article I’ve read so far.  I have truly enjoyed reading this, mainly because I could relate to a certain extent.

The whole idea of coming up with a good design based on preliminary mock-ups has always been useful and influential.  As a print designer, I’ve often been called upon to design packages.  The difference between designing visual communications (i.e. brochures, business cards, signage) vs packaging is the experience and functionality.  When I first started out designing packages, I had no idea that function was very important.  A package has to contain a thing safely and that thing has to be displayed for consumers properly and that consumer must have a good experience opening that package.

I had to design endless mock ups in order to test die-lines and performed a million drop test.  Mock ups became my key to understanding what works and what doesn’t.

In relation to this article, the mock up process is different for computer development or other graphic user interface from what I used to do.  That arena is more complex when it comes to mocking up technology and their functionalities.  It was interesting for me to read the limitations of “envisioning the system not providing the real functionality of the system”.  I simply had no idea.

But despite its limitations, when a designer is asked to provide a design solution for anything that involves function, one doesn’t have a choice but to mock things up first.  The mock up does help the designer “to evaluate a design to get ideas for modifications or maybe even radical new designs and to have a medium for collaborative changes.”  In a nutshell it’s important to start somewhere and perform numerous tests to determine a well-functioning and well- designed product.

True some mock up or prototypes can be expensive.  But it’s more expensive to fix issues after a flawed product reaches the public (i.e. numerous upgrades, recall, returns) which would become an eventual downfall.  Mock ups are an essential first step to developing and designing a functional product.

 

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/reading-commentary-for-week-2-cardboard-computers-mocking-it-up-or-hands-on-the-future/

Sep 12

Redesigning Social Network

 Welcome to MYBOOK
The New Frontier for Social Networking

What is wrong with Facebook?

 

1) No real separation between friends, acquaintances and relatives.
2) Privacy settings are cumbersome.
3) Oversharing.
4) Ruins romantic relationships.
5) No real solution on bullying.
6) Very loud advertisements.

SOLUTION=COMPARTMENTALIZATION
For Customized Communication

FEATURES:
-SAFE FRIEND PORTALS: Customized “friends” area, where one can categorize the types of friends they’ve connected with:
– Close Friends
– Coworkers
– Family
– Significant Other (Optional)
– Random Hookups (Optional)
– Or make up your own

Click and choose which portal to visit to see what everyone is up to.

– ANTIBULLY APP
For cutting down abusive users

– ROTATING WEB BANNERS
To cut down on noisy ads (located beneath)

– NEWS FEED OPTION
Customize if you want to follow your friends/family/coworkers’s status or follow the news of things you like (i.e. Bloomberg, CNN, MTV, Nike, signed-up events).

– EASY ACCESS TO CHANGE MODES
For visiting and communicating directly

 

SHARING PROCEDURES

Sharing Option:
You can determine who sees your “Status Updates”, “Photo Albums”, “Blog” with a check box of your customized “Friend Portals”.  AND NO MORE OVERSHARING!

ANTI BULLYING APP:

! BULLY MARK
Inspired by the book Scarlet Letter. Bullies are branded by a red exclamation point which they would have to bare on their profile avatars for at least a month. Their profile page will be dimmed for dramatic effect. If bullying persists, whatever they publish will be turned into greek. Bullies will be determined by a word count of negative words within the course of one day upon the app has been activated. If abusive words total 20, the branding begins. Bully Mark will be taken off until profile user has been forced to interact positively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/rethinkingredesigning-social-network/

Sep 07

re-imagining social networks presentation

presentation

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/re-imagining-social-networks-presentation/

Sep 07

presentation (reimagined facebook)

studio1

Presentation for studio interfaces, assignment 1# reimagined social networks

Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/presentation-reimagined-facebook/

Sep 07

reading response week1

“Why the future doesn’t need us.”

The author discloses some of the future potential crisises that we need to consider. However, these concerns seem to lack a full consideration of different aspects of human society. There is never a threat that can match humans themselves.

The Human race has a long way to go before the scenario and concern like machines as a substitute for human race described in the article can happen. We have environmental pollution, social movement and other issues than technological catastrophe to consider. It is possible that all crises might happen, but the article does not point out clearly what are we going to do. In addition, in the example of robots, I found it was too ideal like a movie scene when robot has a human’s complexity of emotion and intelligence. It is true that technological development definitely going to change human life in every aspect like a revolution. We can surely expect great benefits as well as huge problems lying ahead. Physically, machines can have a higher performance, but not mentally. Technology lacks the ultimate characteristic—to err and learn from the mistake. It cannot evolve by itself. It is humans themselves who decide where the direction of development of technology will go. If we rethink the purpose of technology that is to benefit mankind, the answer will be clear. Technology is a two-sided blade that depends on who uses it.

Still, technological crisis seems like a consequence that future generations and our own are going to suffer and that’s why moral value is involved in. If we stick to the original purpose, humans should have the ultimate control no matter what have been through.  Although this statement is too optimistic, it will give us a direction to go.  Being concerned with these possible crises will not help in solving problems such as questionable artificial food. While we are thinking of technology, we must never forget humanity. I believe only when we truly understand the priceless value of life can we find the balance between technology and human race.

——–

Ends of forgetting 

Years ago, I found a false trial in the newspaper. It proved the man was actually innocent, but I still found the old entry of the cases because it involves sensational topics. Nothing has been corrected or updated. This is a time when we need to think through how we use social network and broadcasting of our life.

Social networks affect people’s judgments. As asserted before, like technology, whether they can be good or bad depends on the way users and managers use it. From the example of the liberation of Egypt, we can clearly see how social communicate media change our life tremendously.

There are also private issues. We need to first understand whether it is a trust worthy information from social networks. Like it described in the article, people tend to maintain a good reputation on the digital world. From the example that employer decided not to hire a employee based on their Facebook page, we have the tendency to believe that users put their real identity on social networks. Is this true? Some truth is only partially revealed in the web post and can cause serious misunderstandings if interpreted in a different manner. In the world of media, who is feeding the viewer? Are we, the users, really control the cyberspace in the way we believe?

Vanish-style app is a good solution to protect a personal file, although they may cause some problems like accidententally lost data and may lose the meaning of post it online. Data is supposed to remind record and erasing data may only happen if the necessity demands. The problem is people have a different view in the word “necessity.” If data are not going to linger, it probably happened only on personal privacy.  In that case, we really need to think through what temporary info means to us. Is it for fun? A liberty that anyone has a voice to share? Or it merely is a consequence record of social interaction? If we use consequence-driven manner to decide what we are doing, will we still post every detail of daily life on the web?

 

Facebook changes the way people communicate and interact; change company’s market decision and operation; changing the way government and public access.

It is, however, an influential tool, not a replacement of real communication. Nothing can replace a simple hug.

———–

Natural User Interfaces Are Not Natural 

reference:

Pranav Mistry, from the MIT media Lab

http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/#VIDEOS

The article point out several difficulties we have in developing gesture based interface. It does not discourage me of the amazing effect that I found in gesture-based interaction.

The reading materials do point out gesture user interface has certain weakness. For instance, it is true that learning gesture required a certain time to learn and get used to it. However, we should never underestimate the potential of how GUI going to change the history of technology. Its potential qualities amaze us how we can use simple things to achieve abundance order. The rest of detail problem can be solvable throughout in long run. For example, if the gesture is actually upset to ergonomics, like the article said, adding conventional interface can still make the system works.

Like I described in the expectation of the class, Pranav’s (Pranav Mistry, from the MIT media Lab) invention “sixthsense” is incredibly amazing. The demo show is a prototype, there are too many details required to fix. Those gestures are too many for user to remember, image on screen is not very clear and it is possible to make your arm sore based on my observation. In other words, it may not easy to use. However, after I see how it can be applied in different way like playing games, surfing website, sending data, checking selling information on the product itself, I am astonished that a simple gadget with gesture can do more than I first imagine. It may not be a replacement of iphone or computer in recent years but it can be applied in certain place like helping minority to live a better life.

The most valuable lesson I learned form sixthsense is that it opens a new aspect for me to consider the interaction between physical world and digital world. Why constrain myself only thinking of computer. Don Norman’s arguments seems lack of the confidence in future development. To further develop GUI will take a while but in long term, it will benefits us.

We should understand how GUI going to change the habit we are using.  We can focus on is its future development. Imagine a scenario: when we no longer sit in front of the computer but using cyber glove dealing data and folder with spaces and can interact with each other. Isn’t it better if we do not need to stick our eye to our Mac and can do facial contacts in the classroom?

——–

Great Wall of Facebook

When Social network websites like twitter or facebook dominate the reign of internet, It is highly possible that everyone is closely connected in future generation than ever. The way that user, using their true identity, to communicate with each other is already changing the way people communicate. This is quite true. Politician, celebrity, even a teacher have to be cautious on what they said before and picture that they post before Instead of focusing of the how the facebook compete with google, I believe we should think more about how this going to change users reaction.

I believe that these two websites are totally different. I never have the experience using facebook as a platform to do research. It means I do not how to? Google has a dumbest way to turn to a computer for an answer. And we need to spend lots of time to find the information required. On the other hand, behind the social networks sits a person. It can be anyone and any type of information whether it is useful or trifle personal matters. We still need to find someone to ask and wait for reponse. Communication still takes time. The problem is the overwhelming information we do not need and we can not find the most updated information.  If facebook do not change the way we search for information, it will become a google-liked social website. Personally, I would love to see if they can truly cooperate with each together. It will be tremendously difficult but provide a way for user to search and exchange information at the same time.

Turning to friend for answer is not the only way to search info. The articles in social networks are normally shorter for viewers’ convenient. It means we are actually feeding the viewer in a fast food manner. There is also another issue—who has the control of cyberspace? User? facebook owner? When everyone has a voice, do we truly understand media moral and law on this cyberspace? Is there any discipline to control moral value decided by the majority social value? Or consensus of self-discipline? Is the society encourages us to continuously stay on-line and keep broadcasting trifle things like where I am and what I eat? These examples merely remind us do we really want to know what do every body is now doing?

 

 

 

 

 


Permanent link to this article: http://interface2011.coin-operated.com/2011/09/reading-response-week1/