Unit 9 Reading Response

flow maps make the logic flow out of you, did that make sense, wine makes sense.... err purple monkey dishwasher.

Err let's begin again, with a flow of logic from my map, now that I think of it, I think i need a logic flow to my life or at least a flow for this last blog post.

Before we try anything in life we need a plan, we need need a course of action, and especially in planning an app we need to have a good solid foundation on which to build an even more solid logic flow. This helps us think, this helps us plan, this helps us succeed for life for Mother Russia or Merica what ever.

Because we now have smart phones that can read our eyeballs we need to remember that we need design for retina display, how can we do that, with planning of course. Sites that flow downward as we change our gaze down ward!

Don't under size apps that require a person to touch it, to get in touch with the phone is the most important thing. Remember the sausage fingered issue as the BMI of Merica continues to increase.
Make sure the keys make sense as people look at the website, people are stupid, no really design like people are stupid and the app will work a lot easier, will be better received.


And never design for apple and try to put it on android, it always fails.

now for what we have all been waiting for LINKS!!

Logic flow, how I heart thee

Flowers?

And this

“Unit 8 Reading Response”

why wait to the last second, the last second is already here?

so what have I learned here what did I discover doing an app?

"Polishing an app takes a ridiculous amount of time"
Oh dear god yes, yes it does. An app can have so many polishings, it is seen as apps upgrade in the market. 

Having too many ideas is just as bad as having too few ideas. Having an app that can do it all is a good idea in theory and idea wise, but in practice it falls apart 9 times out of 10.

But we have a good idea, we have a great app, but just like being the guy with the ... biggest err... shoes in the room, it doesn't matter unless people ummm... see these shoes. No one will want it unless they know about your big shoes. (There's a metaphor in there somewhere)

So how do we get that message in and out and in again to make people know about your big shoes?

It's about getting people excited, to create momentum to create excitement for this product, you can have a cool video about it, you can have a cool app, but without people being excited about the product and using it in a fun way no one cares. 
Creating momentum is about starting with day one, telling people about what you have going on and showing how this effects their lives. 
I always go with the adage, it's not who you know, it's about who your friends know. Through them, you find connections. 

And as much as I would love to talk about the 45 app builder tutorials, that link sadly has gone the way of the buffalo.

Now for some cool links!

I think it is just as good to look at good design as it is for us to know and spot bad design. I give you CRAPPY DESIGN

This ties in nicely to getting the word out! http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/5-branding-basics-every-logo-designer-should-know/

and for number third.. because I have learned to love android.

Week 10 P3 Prelim Crit notes

Adjust target audience, change not to age, look at income and living situations vs age groups
Summarize on how product will be used, how it applies in real time, and real life
Make sure it is easy to use by looks, focus on design and focus on UI

Week 9 Team Feedback

Erica Hauter
Amanda Purviance
 Phone App Feed back

• narrow down users, focus on who would use this app, how they would use the app and why
• Think about the app with an end in mind, but start with organization like a book, 
• chap 1 a new move, what would you need for
• chap 2 moving
• ect
• instead of trying to hit a lot of companies with one app, have one user and create an app that keeps them in mind, ie qrc code at uhaul to direct people to the app.
• make app customizable 
• don't focus on calendar, focus on pie charts

Unit 7 Reading Response

Unit 7 Reading Response

Reading the response to all of the mobile this and mobile that really is impressive. About 10 years ago phones were going in the direction of becoming smaller and smaller, now they struggle with being the right size for the right screen. Where are the days that allowed me to slam my phone shut after an angry conversation?

But because we view so much on a regular screen on a computer or tablet, a lot of the same visual cues have to be cut out of mobile devices to make sure it is legible but still functional. Does the developer go with click past pages or involve a large scrolling screen but leaves behind a static header or does it get lost as soon as we scroll past it? The main goal of mobile devices is to look and feel like the full site but on a mobile version. One question will be asked, when will mobile be so common that we start to design web pages around the mobile site?

In the second reading assignment , What the Heck is Responsive Web Design, it shows the different websites that actively employ changing screens to allow viewers to see the information on variable screen sizes.

One such group is the Boston Globe. It changes multiple times to let the viewer see it on tablet, monitor screen and a phone screen.

Some practices to look at when designing for mobile,

·      What needs to stay?

·      Start to design mobile then screen

·      Think in terms of grids and modulars

·      Keep trying because the best practices are still emerging

Websites that I found interesting:

Responsive Resources

For tutorials

And let’s never forget the amazing CSS

Unit 6 Reading Response

Unit 6 Reading Response

I might be a little biased when it comes to having an android phone, but I believe that there is a slow decline in iPhones as of 2013. I believe android has stepped up their game in developing apps that span a larger audience and have better ratings. However, this is but only my opinion.

Android changes with the people, it is fluid in the way that the iPhone is not. It takes into consideration their target audience who want to have choices and be open where Apple is steadfast on only their way is the right way.

A big part of making a great app is having something that simplifies your life. How does it do that, how does it “amaze people” how will it make my life easier?

Make the person feel like they are getting somewhere, having visual feed back for touch and sight go hand in hand. When we touch a screen something must acknowledge we have touched it. But with touch fat sausage fingers need to be considered. How much space we need for design so that people can actually see the choices and to be able to select their choices comes to the for front. Design design and design some more.

I found that the article for android development to be most helpful.

https://developer.android.com/design/style/typography.html

Reddit is my crack and they have everything you want to look up.

http://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev

Youtube will teach us everything we need to know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_qaarY4_lY

"Flat design is a graphic style that aims to avoid any graphic element providing no significant value to the structure of a template. This type of visual design purely avoid any form of abstract “decorative” elements. Gradients, reliefs, volumes, realistic forms are erased to make room for simple solids.

This is a minimalist visual approach where the design is smooth."

One link I would like to share is on flat design. I recently changed my phone's lay out to a flat design. the android app store has an app pack for this. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kov.theme.lumos&hl=en
It lays it the buttons out with a very minimalist visual approach and is smooth to look at. 

unit 5 reading assignment

Unit 5 Chapter 8. “The Farmer and the Cowman Should Be Friends”: It is hard to get people to agree on where to go for lunch let alone have a civil discussion on how a project should work. To many hands stirring the pot can burn the soup or something like that. Essentially if too many people are fighting against each other the project will fail, if not enough people are looking to compromise then the web design can fail. In the end usability is key to every thing. We can make a beautiful site, but have 0 usability, and that makes designers cry blood. Chap 9 Usability testing on 10 cents a day: Keeping testing simple—so you do enough of it I remember back in my wee days as a young sailor in the Great Mistake…. Errr Great Lakes near Chicago, IL there was a mall that many other young sailors would frequent. Many times there were people who would wrangle us in and ask us to sit through a briefing and told them what we thought of the product, or how we liked certain things. I did not realize it at the time, but I found out I was being used! Used for usibility testing, how could I show my face in decent public again? How could I live with myself after being used by… by… developers! I look back and laugh at the people trying, nay begging us to look at their product. Some times bribing young sailors with money or gift cards. I may had been more attentive now that I understand the importance of the almighty testing phase. I like how the testing is a pretty informal project, it will let the facilitator open the floor and record the actions that the tester goes through. Is the navigation simple, does the site make sense? So many things, and little things go into achieving a functional and good looking website.


 Link 1, my personal hero, the man the breakfast the Oatmeal: How a website goes straight to hell
Link Dos XX: Even the government has gotten a feel for usability: see what they want to make you believe...BELIEVE

and in third place: Focus Group vs Usability testing