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

Sampling Ideas for Apps

There's an app for that or so I could hope to actually create a huge hit for the following items: Gender Speak Helping the opposite sex tell each other what they really mean an app that tells you how many miles you need to run to instead of calorie counting for food items. traffic alert send's the person a text message when there is a traffic back up on their regular route home. advises them to take alternate route.

Project 1

Unit 4 Chapter 7 The big bang theory of Web Design

Unit 4

Chapter 7

The big bang theory of Web Design

The inevitable “one more thing.” What other words can bring such horror to the ears and mind of a designer? One more thing, one more thing, becomes quickly 10 more things and before you know it, the web design is full of sparkling pictures and pictures of people’s dogs.

This is where talking about hierarchy is such an important piece of any design. Compromise is also an important piece in any design. Since everyone wants a piece of the pie, err, front page, compromises  must be made to make sure that the balance of information and pictures are kept in a good ratio.

Home pages have also seemed to disappear. Many people are given the direct link to a portion of a website. I personally find sites that have an “enter here” site to be silly and unimportant especially when the only factor is to enter an imaginary age. However, a home page can serve as a great landing site that gives an over view of the company and a description of what the site will provide.

Here is an example of a website with no hierarchy the lists just seem to go on and on. www.tgh.org

All of the drop down menus are heavy with lists and leaves people confused as to the last list they viewed. 

Having a strong site map will make the biggest difference. Check out this website: http://webstyleguide.com/wsg3/3-information-architecture/3-site-structure.html

to view a great review on site maps and how they should navigate. 

Here is a great look at 6 ways to complete hierarcy: http://www.mediacontour.com/the-importance-of-hierarchy-on-your-website-6-simple-roi-increasing-ways-to-structure-your-website/

reading assignment unit 3

Unit 3 reading and response

Chapter 6 Breadcrumbs

One thing that will drive me insane is poor street signage. Poor directions given to me by good friends, and bad advice given to me by anyone.

The same thing goes with having a website that ha no direction, has crap-tacular navigation and a way that seems to keep us going around and around to the same page but labeled different ways.

This means that a good website has a clear and navigable site, and that means they have a solid and logical logic map. This is very important as I have given up going somewhere if I can’t find the address. Quick references and easy to identify products will lead a website far. Also having a navigation bar and the same appearance on all screens will allow for people to quickly identify that they are on the same site they started on. Changing the layout on every page will leave the viewer confused and hitting the back button until they escape our evil clutches, err I mean our wonderful website.

Having a home button is a lot like having an eject button, we can escape to where we started at any time. Also having a name to every page is important as it allows for the user to know where they are at all times. They see the “street signs” and know they are not lost.

Fun navigation from Nimbletank for tablets

A navigation I was not impressed with from Big Apple Hot Dogs

This one was beautiful but was not as easily understood at first, Jean-Chirstophe

Reading assignment Unit 2

Unit 2 reading assignment

Chap 3,4,5

Chapter 3 Billboard Design

One thing I think is rather interesting is the idea of how we seem to think that reading a page from left to right is instinctual. However, if we go to a different country we find the opposite is true in Japan or in a Hebrew nation. Design has to have the idea of the end user in mind. However, something that has really shocked me is the idea of how easily we assimilate icons and buttons into our visual library. We all know what the facebook symbol looks like and that we click on that to share the page we are on, or to direct us to their facebook page. The video icons work well also to let us know that the page is able to be viewed as a video.

Things that are important to design work is the usage of hierarchies and how we attract a person’s eye. Is it by placement, the size of items, bold text.

As a graphic designer I have had clients who want everything big because to them everything is big and important, their email address, their number, and their name, but it makes everything on the page big and bold and leaves no room for hierarchy.

Chapter 4

Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral

What is important to click, what is clickable and what number is a good amount of links to different pages? Having a logical idea of what should be clicked is the key to having a functioning website.

Chap5

Words

I know I tend to be long winded, dribbling on and on about matters that resemble the real world… oh where was I.

Minimalistic words in an overabundant world.

Trying to cut down the clutter in sentences is the key to a well designed web page and design.  People tend to scan and get tired of large sentences. It’s better to have a clean, straight to the point paragraph that explains exactly what the user is looking for.

now for examples:

Hierichay?
Too wordy of a billboard 
what am I looking at?

Unit 1 Reading Response

"Don't make me Think!"
wow what a simple yet hard to grasp concept, too many times I find myself trying to create a lavish website or design that has so many facets that in the end, it fails. It reminds me of when I was in shop class and we were told to build a model house. I decided to build a "dream home" I quickly saw the errors of my ways as my project got out of hand, too many walls, not enough space, to large and unwieldily. I received a poor grade while other classmates who had chosen to do a smaller house received grades to match the craftsmanship of their well though out smaller homes.  My house didn't make sense, looking at the base construct with out a diagram people assumed the giant room was the living room but was in fact my bedroom. My kitchen was small and long and resembled a hallway rather than an actual kitchen. I made mistakes by trying to hurry up my project and cutting too fast. In doing so I created walls that were a little too short and made rooms lopsided.
In this way people tend to forget to keep it simple for a website or design in general.

I think a new innovation that is simple is paralax scrolling. I enjoy how to just keep reading we just keep scrolling. one website that reflects that is Boy-Coy. This is an incredible website. Using flat design and the right amount of scrolling and movement it gives the viewer a sense of 3-D.

Another website I found to be beautiful as well as well designed with simple navigation, wonderful pictures and a no nonsense in the idea of minimalist is Blackhouse.

The last one is another paralax scrolling called Huge. Using blocked groupings and paralax scrolling it is another strong website in both design, layout and easyiness on the eyes.

P2 Research: 3 books I would like to illustrate

My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead

On Such a Full Sea by Chang-Lee

Ignite Me (Shatter Me) by Tahereh Mafi

Thumb nail web design

Mood Board Fonts

Mood Board for Project 1

Concept Statement

.                Create a list of all users that may visit your site (not from the WWW but those you’d invite).

The people I would invite to visit the website of my created portfolio would be leaders in the graphic industry such as design firms, free-lance artists. I would invite prospective clients who are looking to create a stronger face for their demographics and wanting to see what I have to offer. I would also extend the invitation to my website to my peers who could share insight with what I can improve on personally and share information amongst each other.

.                What will each of those users want to see in order to enjoy their visit to your site?

Leaders in the graphic design industry need to see that I have a strong grasp of design and layout, but what would be most important to them is to see that I am not regurgitating websites that have been done over and over. They want to see innovation, new ways of approaching problems, and fresh ideas on design.

“DEI Creative”

Promote my: Skills as a designer

Goals of the site are: Showing a diversity in skills such as~ Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, HTML, CSS

My ultimate message/philosophy (about who you are): I am a creative person who thrives on new challenges, over comes roadblocks and is a team player. I have passion for what I do, I work hard at the creative process.

What is the story you are telling? Through hardships I have faced I have over come these obstacles and strive for perfection in my work.

The prospective clients would need to see a diverse collection of work that shows that I have the ability to work on any platform, am able to work not just outside the box, but around it, inside it, and able to change the box into a shoe.

“Kamikaze Moto”

Promote my: Skills as a designer in logo, marketing outreach, branding

Goals of the site are: Showing a diversity in skills such as~ Illustrator, Photoshop, to let the client/s understand that I am a professional, I can take their idea and bring their business to life.

My ultimate message/philosophy (about who you are): I care about my clients needs and wants, am able to be flexible enough to enable the open flow of creativity to flesh out what they want in their business, but knowledgeable enough to show them how to go in the right direction.

What is the story you are telling? Bringing their idea to life takes time and patience, but together a well-formed idea can bloom. I am able to take on any job, any size and work with them and to keep them informed of the process.

Peers would need to see that I have ideas that they haven’t thought of, to see that I have a way to communicate back and forth with them with ease. I will need to be open to openly sharing ideas and knowledge with them as they with me.

Art Institute Students/Alumni

Promote my: Website design, and knowledge

Goals of the site are: Showing a diversity in skills such as~ Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, HTML, CSS and what I can share/teach

My ultimate message/philosophy (about who you are): I believe that to succeed we all must ask questions and seek out knowledge. If we try to do everything on our own, we will fail. Sharing information between each other will only let us all grow as designers.

What is the story you are telling? We all need to ask for help from time to time. We should encourage that instead of hiding what we know. No one can be an expert at everything, but we all can come together to be the experts. 

Concept Statement:

I believe my strongest skill set resides in Adobe Illustrator. I have the flexibility to use it for any project, I move around the best in this program and I understand the different techniques used to pull together a strong presentation. With this I believe I should focus mainly on my skill sets in this area to provide my viewer the range of skills I have in this specific program.

I have the ability to make up business cards, and other mock ups in Photoshop. This will allow the viewer to visualize their concepts as if it were in front of them. I plan to use this also in my projects to present to potential clients how their final product will look, and how it an interact with the people they want to reach in the usage of UX of iPhones, tablets, and other mobile devices.

I want to present and idea from concept to completion, from logo design to finished product in advertising, and usage. This shows a client and others in an industry how I am able to create a concept and take it to completion.  

Winter 2014

A New Class a New Year

So a new year has turned out the old and with it comes a chance for a new class, a better me with time management and a better over all feel for my future. The winter break gave me a well needed rest from the constant grind of homework, of job, and pull of every day life. I feel as if I am invigorated with the spirit of learning and hope to churn out some of my best work to date in this quarter. 

What I hope to achieve in this class:

1. A well constructed portfolio website
2. A better understanding of how design works to create a smooth interface
3. A feeling of hope for the future of my career in Graphic Design

Bad habits I plan on leaving behind

1. Procrastination, that little devil that tells me to just look at one more reddit page and then we will start working on home work.
2. Basing my work on how I feel about the class. I am bad for not wanting to do my best work due to the fact that the instructor is not inspiring enough to strive for.
3. To stop being so gosh darn lazy!