design courses, syllabi, schedules, resources and policies
I chose to look at Mailchimp’s 2019 annual report. On this page as you scroll down images slowly start to move up as if you are picking up posters. As the images change the titles that say business and unusual flicker from black to pink. I really enjoy the subtle nods to what they are talking about. Its very easy to navigate because you just scroll up and down. I also really enjoyed the use of colors and the poster style of the images.
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I chose to do “Problem Studio” because I liked it’s minimalistic design. I like how good it was at grabbing my attention. I think it’s funny that this particular website is kind of boring at first, in spite of it promoting interesting website design. It helps me to rethink what makes a website aesthetically pleasing. When you scroll down though, the website looks more and more interesting, which helps to promote their skills in web design.
The color is limited to six pastel colors. It is flat in illustration but done very well. There is a button to download the site and a video to play. They just scroll down to navigate. They scroll down by using their computer mouse, trackpad or sidebar. The drawings are very simple and it is not too complicated or distracting to look at. The text is big and easy to read. The site is done well as it is easy to navigate and get information. It is not too distracting or hard to read. The site has nice simplistic drawings. The flow is well and it scrolls down without any trouble.
I do not shop online much, though I chose eBay as my eCommerce site to pursue a product on. Immediately upon opening the website I saw that the main page is very crowded. There is a fast moving banner near the middle of the screen that is a bit overwhelming at first, though it can be paused using a button. The most prominent feature on the site, however, is the search bar. The search bar is big and central, with the caption “Search for anything” inside of it. This setup is done very well as it is an integral part of the eBay shopping experience, and requires little thinking for one to find the product they desire.
Like mentioned on page 17 of the reading, it is important for a search bar to give a list of choices when somebody starts typing in. If done correctly, one’s result may potentially be in the first few results before they even finish typing it. eBay quickly recognized my product and also put the tag “Video Game Accessories” next to it in the search bar to indicate that it is within the specific category I am looking for, not to be confused with anything else. I then clicked that button and moved forward with my search.
Upon searching, I was brought to a new page with only products related to my search result, though this page was very crowded and had many buttons. While it may have seemed overwhelming at first, I quickly noticed that the products I had searched for were prominently in the center of the page and in a very large size. Upon further examination of the side areas, they were largely search tools to aid me in my search, in the event that I had trouble looking for a specific product. Like mentioned on page 21 of the reading, I merely glanced at the page at first instead of reading the mass of information encompassing it. I looked for important information, then I quickly found it and clicked it.
The next page I am brought to is focused only on the specific product I had chosen. I quickly noticed two buttons: “Buy it now” and “Add to cart.” The price is displayed to the left of these buttons, and I instantly know that this is what I must click to move on with my purchase. I add it to my cart, and my shopping experience is complete.
Though eBay may look overwhelming at some points, it is a well designed website which allows one to quickly find a product they are looking for. Though the home page is overwhelming at first, loading in ads and quickly moving the banner across the middle of the screen, the shopping process is straightforward and easy. The site also keeps track of what products I have looked at in order to recommend some similar ones, which would be helpful if I was interested in that. Overall, the interface is well done with obvious buttons to click and the most important features placed prominently in each section. I would definitely use eBay again to buy a product I desire.
Interaction design, as defined by the text, states that it is “a human-centered field and the creation of a framework in which to experience [designs] (pp. 6-7). The text states that design is influenced by “the individual designer’s world view” (Kolko & Connors, 2010, p. 100). However, I believe this can go both ways. Design can be influenced by others, but can also have an impact and influence on others. Either way, interaction is used in all parts of a design, whether just explaining a concept to another person, finding out a client’s needs, or making the product appeal to the consumer.
The text mentions that art and design are very much a part of communication, especially in terms of technology (p. 100). In my life, I’ve realized that communication can have many outcomes, but cannot always convey our message accurately. Therefore, messages are often misinterpreted. Messaging through a text message or social media can pose a challenge. A message can easily be misinterpreted because tone cannot be read or seen through body language when communicating through words.
I feel this will be a challenge in my career path in graphic design and advertising. Not all graphics include a picture or other visual aid. It is essential to design for others to have an understanding of the design, but the message must be understood through only colors, words, and shapes. As designers, it is important to remember that we influence the way people view and think about their experiences throughout life. Semiotics, the study of signs (both physical and conceptual) can help with recognizing these needs (p. 103). However, these needs can also relate to aesthetics and hooking the senses, as senses heighten your awareness (p.104).
It is important to remember that once the product is released to the consumer, it is out of your control how they experience and think of it. This can be scary for a designer because interaction design has a start and an end and therefore ignores interaction with the consumer afterward (pp. 108-109). This makes it especially important to be mindful of the time you have with the client and also the amount of time you have to work on a project. Also, I feel interaction design is about taking our understanding of both our current and future environment and creating something that will still be needed in the future.
Reference
Kolko, J., & Connors, C. (2010). Thoughts on interaction design: a collection of reflections. Burlington (MA): Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, an imprint of Elsevier.
I find that https://thenorthernpines.com/ is similar to my website. The website is simple with fixed layout that almost has no flexibility to adapt to different web browsers and devices. Their website consist of quiet colors with almost no vibrant colors, which I think is depends on the general atmosphere of the real restaurant. For texture The Northern Pines websites uses a pattern type of wood texture.
Comparing to my website, they include a slideshow that consist of several photos of their actual restaurant. I think this is an advantage that I should consider to improve my website. I tried to make my website a simple and as fast as possible, thus, I did not include many graphics.
I chose to do my review on no9park.com and olivegarden.com. First of all, I tend to like Olive Garden website more because it is easy to know it is a restaurant website. When I first opened No. 9 Park website I was not sure what is it exactly. What came to my mind first was the website is for a corporation because of the huge building background photo and the lack of any photos of food. While surfing Olive Garden website, the design serves the purpose where several food photos are presented. Therefore, according to the book, a good website should be clear and users should be able to quickly figure out where to click and navigate.
Second, Olive Garden website seems more balanced since everything is centered and visible in the first page. However, on No. 9 Park website, I had to scroll down several times to discover the content of the website. While the website is divided into organized sections, scrolling down several times make it lacking the symmetry feel.
Third, I like the colors of both websites. Olive Garden uses more of freshness and energy color which is green, while No. 9 Park uses black color that indicates elegancy, formal, and prestigious. I think that the coloring of each website indicates the identity and style of the restaurant.
I think that each restaurant website goes in different approach. No. 9 Park is a classy restaurant in which the website tries to introduce the owner and chefs, the area, and how luxury the restaurant is. This is visible through using portraits of employees, a landscape background of the city, and their classy tables. However, since Olive Garden is a trendy chain restaurant, it cares more of specials and offers, new dishes, and their mobile application. This is clearly visible by using several images to serve these purposes.
Finally, I think that Olive Garden website is more user friendly due to the hierarchy layout and the ease of navigation. When I visit Olive Garden website, I can easily navigate to where I need to go, and I can easily understand the content of the website. However, I also enjoy surfing No. 9 Park website because it is classy and quiet, but it requires the user to spend extra time reading to learn more about the restaurant.
I agree with what the German designers says. I agree because designers and producers need to think clearly about how a product is being created and manufactured. Not just producing something in mass just to put something out. I also agree with his “good design is…” statements.
I thought that design had to be something very visually stunning all the time. There have been products that never fully change after each update. Those updates and changes are subtle but they try to be better than before. Now a design just has to be functional and visually appealing.
I would define design by saying that design is a process that includes drawing a future product, testing the design, revising the design, and then finally finalizing the design and producing. It has changed because I always thought that design was something visual and artistic rather than a process.
Interaction design is made up from a designer, technology, and communication between a consumer and designer. Some industry challenges would be tight budgets and lack of creative freedom from companies.
Interaction design is the creation of communication between a person and a product or system. It changes as the communication changes. It changes when consumer and clientele needs change. It draws from cognitive psychology.
Grocery/Nutrition Experiences
One of the most important concepts, which I read about in chapter 6 of “Thoughts on Interaction Design”, is that interaction designers must be able to “advocate for humanity at all levels” (p. 94). This advocating involves educating people about various skills, apart from that of analog skills, in order to understand the digital culture of today. Since design is largely focused on technology, it’s important for designers to be able to take a step outside of it in order to create. Interaction design is about so much more than just technology. It’s about understanding the culture we’re in and the changes that go along with it, in order to be able to meet the needs of various users. By acknowledging the presence of norms in our society, designers can help to change, contribute to, move, and even shape these norms, which are responsible for cultural change, in a positive way. This is just one way that design can be used to help the everyday man, It helps to reshape the way people view, react, and respond the experiences going on around them.
Madisyn Kovach
Designing for New Media Ch. 6 Notes
Thoughts on Interaction Design:
I honestly like the thought of interaction design. I like the parts of thinking digital products, environments, systems, and services that could interest the user. I always enjoy thinking about how I could make devices easier for the user when I am using that device. The only thing that I am really not a fan of is the actually coding of the design. I was never a huge fan of coding on dreamweaver so I don’t think I would like actually creating the device. I only like coming up with different ideas and designing the page attractively. This is how I feel about interaction design.
Madisyn Kovach
Designing for New Media
When watching Objectified, I did not really disagree with anyone’s comments. The person that I agreed with most was Alice Rawsthon. One of the things that she mentioned about design that really stayed in my head was when she stated that “when you wake up, everything has been designed one way or another.” I feel like I agree with this one the most because just think about what you look at in the morning. Some things that I look at include my phone, clothing, toothbrushes, and coffee. If you think about these objects, they all have a logo or design that people know of. If you think about design, it is all over the world around us. This is why I felt like her quote really left the biggest impact.
I feel like Paola Antonelli’s objective made me look at design a little differently than how I used to look at it. Her objective stated to change the perception of design, making sure that people are aware of the importance of design in everyday life. Now that I think about it, I feel like people should be looking looking at how important design is. Sometimes when I tell people what my major is, they will give me a funny look and ask what that is and how will I be successful in life. Design is used in everyday life and I feel like people should be aware of that.
I would say design is made to attract or detract your eye, to help pull you over to something or ignore it. Design was created to make you look at something for a long period of time, or quickly catch your eye. The more natural things appear, the easier they are to read. The most important things in my opinion are the readability and usability. These are all a part of the purpose-built experience. I used to think that the purpose of design was to make everything beautiful, but it turns out, that’s not really true. The purpose of design is much more closely linked to strategy than aesthetics. Design is the process of intentionally creating something while simultaneously considering its purpose, function, economics, sociocultural factors, and aesthetics. Design is very important and I feel like people should try and describe their own way of design more often.
Cultural norms seems to factor into the creation of products. Products are created and produced for the society they live in. That may not end so well because it can sacrifice the real need for functionality of a device. Even though a decision may seems small it can have a big impact on public and the device in the future. It was very interesting to see all the different things people have created within this chapter like One Laptop Per Child.