Studio

Feedback and Journey Maps:

Empathy / Ideate 

I decided to create two journey maps of users when they use my app. User one is the user signing up for the app and then sending out a request for a walk and the second user has already signed up for the app and responds to user 1's request. They then walk together.

This helps me visualize how the user interaction on the app and in person could play out.

One on One in Studio

One on One with Tutors:Ideate / Test 

I talked to Tristam about my app concept because I was worried about my app not relating to too strongly to LGBTQ. 

Tristam likes my app idea and gave me helpful feedback on it. He said to flesh out the start of the app (the profile part to organizing the walk part). He asked me questions which made me think of how I could improve my app. Some of his questions were: What happens during the walk? What happens after the walk? How are you going to make it safe for users? Why are you making this app - Is it for support within the LGBTQ community, education for within and out of the LGBTQ community or both? I will think about this and work on my ideas further. 

Away

On wk 9.1 I was away due to being sick. 

Deciding my Final Idea

Finalization of my Idea:
Ideate / Test

I thought about it and decided on continuing with my app idea. I don't want to carry on with a project that I know I won't have the time to execute well enough in my small time frame. Although I had decided on my app concept, I was worried that it didn't directly link to the LGBTQ community. Right now, it seems like an app that is only out there to meet new people. 

I emailed Tristam and he said he liked my app idea. I will talk with him next class on how I can link it more strongly into the LGBTQ community. 

Prototyping my Installation

Photoshop Installation:

Ideate / Prototype

After class on Friday, I decided to mock up an idea of what my installation would look like. I did this in Photoshop and on my workbook blog, I explained every rooms meaning and the reasons why I did things a certain way. 

This helped me visualize what my installation could look like. Although it was a rough mock up, it helps other people see what I am doing.

User Testing in Class

Getting Feedback from Classmates and Tutors:
Test / Prototype 

I missed last class on Thursday so I felt I had a lot to catch up on. I showed my some of my class mates my concepts and got various different feedback. For my installation the feedback was very positive and people thought it was a very different and thoughtful approach. However one of my friends said my muscle prototype looked like a skinned human... That seems more threatening to the LGBTQ community rather than encouraging...

If I do carry on with the installation concept I need to think of ways to make this idea not look like a dissection of humans but actually get my message across appropriately. 

I ask Tristam what I should carry on with for this project because of the time etc that I have to worry about. He said to sit down and think about it over the weekend and get back to him. 

Away

In Week 8.1 I was sick and couldn't make it to class.

IND Prototyping my App

Prototyping my App Concept as a Backup:

Empathy / Ideate / Prototype

I am quite worried about the time I have on this project. So I decided to make a quick prototype of one of my app ideas just in case I decide to go against the installation concept. 

My app is used for people to meet new people and walk with them. The user signs up for the app and enters basic information about them and their interests. No profile pictures because the aim is to meet new people and not judge them on their appearance. The user sends out a message saying when and where they are walking and other users reply via personal chat. The users with the most in common (based on the information they entered on their profile) shows up first in the chat. This is an app aimed to meet people before judging them on their appearance or what you have seen or heard of their personality.

I made a quick sketch prototype of this idea and put it into the POP app (Prototyping on Paper). This was so people can user test this concept in the next class.

Map of my App Concept: 

My Prototype on POP:

https://popapp.in/projects/55fac24b7e9c108342101db6/preview
(The app opens on the wrong page for some reason. So when you click on the link, exit the preview on the right corner, click prototype 'Mockup - 8', then the preview button in the middle at the top.)

IND Prototyping part of my Installation

Prototyping Muscles:Prototype / Test

I like the idea of making a muscle person from fabrics so I decided to try it. I bought some cheap rough, plasticy feeling fabric, drew onto it a life size human outline and then cut it out. From there I drew where the muscles would be and added fabric to those areas to build them up. 

I would have worked better if the fabric was different tones of red so it would be easier to see the layers. It's far from a final piece so I'd definitely need to keep working on that.

 

IND: Researching in my Installation

Research and Inspiration:

Empathy / Prototype

For my homework I decided to look into researching imagery and inspiration for my installation idea. I looked into X Ray art, Muscle art and more.

This helped me get more inspired and excited for the project but also made me realise how much work my installation idea would take. I'm not 100% on this installation idea now because of my time limit (I'm going overseas before the end of semester so I have to hand this in a week early.)

EXCHANGE

Getting Feedback from Other Disciplines:

Exchange / Empathy / Define / Prototype / Test 

I went to Exchange to pitch my installation concept to my group. However, none of them were there so I joined another group to get feedback from them. I got a lot of feed back from them. 

The most helpful feedback I got from them was, how do I make this installation more clearly about the LGBTQ community without it being very obvious. They suggested subtle pride colours and colours from flags within the community to hint at this. 

Prototyping as Designing

Lecture in the Pit:

Empathy / Define 

In this lecture we were introduced to prototyping. We learnt various ways of prototyping and how crucial it is to test your prototypes. 

It was interesting learning about prototyping in user experience design. I knew it was important to test your prototypes regularly but learning different ways of approaching this is extremely helpful. When I prototype my work, I will test on many different people inside and outside of university. 

Prototyping our Ideas

Mocking up our Ideas in Class:

Ideate / Prototype / Test 

We had studio time where we where timed on our making of our prototypes. We were rushed into quickly mocking up some of our ideas and then testing them with our class mates.

Because we were timed, we only managed to put down in our prototypes what was the most important parts. I want to do an installation so I didn't know how to prototype this concept. I asked Tristam and he told me to draw up my different rooms of the installation onto A3 paper then pin them up on the wall. This helped me get a feel for how big my installation would be. 

Sharing Ideas in Class

Presenting our Concepts in Groups:

Empathy / Ideate / Test 

In class most people hadn't mocked up any prototypes so we shared our ideas and gained feedback from our discussions. 

It was good seeing everyones different topics and approach to their topics. Giving feedback was as helpful as receiving feedback. Receiving feedback helped me take my ideas further and gain new ideas. 

Lecture Design Thinking Provocations

Life Hack Lecture:

Empathy / Define 

This lecture was by Sam Rye, talking about Life Hack and well-being. The lecture was refreshing our memories of what Life Hack is about and the five elements of well-being.

It was good to go over this after the two week break. It helped me get back on track with how to think about my project.