UXDI Hogwarts

Project 4

Make it Mobile

Edit (admins only, sorry guys)

Project 4 is about exploring a problem/area of opportunity for an existing brand. (You get to choose the problem and the brand!). It’s also about starting to explore and work with technical constraints.

You will be utilizing the tools you’ve already practiced, including:

You will also be performing new activities, including:

In the end, your group will present privately to two instructors in a conversational format. This is great practice for having an in-depth conversation about your work with colleagues, clients, and potential employers.

This is an opportunity to get creative and work on a project that will set your portfolio apart from others. We’re looking forward to seeing variety in the types of projects and approaches you take.

Schedule

Fri, Apr 17

Sun, Apr 19

PROPOSAL

By 6PM on Sunday, each group should upload to the Google Drive a proposal with:

→ Proposal template
→ Drive Folder Habaneros | Jalapenos

Mon, April 20

As needed, we’ll discuss any changes to your proposal with you until we give you a green light.

Mon, April 20 — Fri, May 1

This is your time to be working on the project!

Wed, April 22

PROJECT PLAN

→ Sample project plan template
→ Print it out!

Fri, May 1

Deliverables

All deliverables are due at time of conversational presentations so you can refer to them

Platforms

Native Mobile App

Background

The iPhone was debuted 8 years ago and along with it the popularization of apps. Apps, as opposed to websites, are built in Objective-C (iOS) or Java (Android). These object oriented languages come with a distinct set of difference from web technologies–HTML, CSS, and Javascript–from the programs they are written in, to the performance level of what the languages are built to execute. Access to hardware and OS level commands are the factors you will focus on in this project.

Considerations

If choosing native, provide reasoning for why your product is native and not web based. Decide which platform (i.e. iOS, Android, etc.) you will develop for. If you are diverging from any platform design patterns, be able to answer why. You may also want to consider accessing information through APIs or extending functionality through third party services.

Resources

Responsive Website

Background

Creating a website version for each device of different sizes and resolutions like a desktop, iPad, or Windows phone, would be impractical. Instead, responsive web design is the approach that suggests that a design should automatically respond to the user’s environment based on screen size, platform, and orientation. This eliminates the need to design and develop a separate website for each new gadget that comes to market. Understanding grids, layouts, image sizes, and other properties will be the focus of this project.

Considerations

While no functional code is required, include documentation specifying how your design will change at different available viewports. You may also want to consider accessing information through APIs or extending functionality through third party services.

Resources

Wearable Application

Background

Since the advent of the calculator watch in the 1980s we have been integrating technology into our daily lives through the use of wearable technology, electronic devices that can be worn by users. These devices can range from simple single function devices to OS-powered devices with multiple unique applications.

Today we have complex “smart” watches that can take pictures and make phones calls (see Moto360 or Apple Watch). These devices allow for affordances and sometimes features beyond typical web-based or native mobile applications.

Considerations

Provide reasoning for why your product is designed for a wearable device. Decide which device and platform you will design for and be able to answer how you are leveraging the unique capabilities. You may also want to consider accessing information through APIs or extending functionality through third party services.

Please choose a GUI-based device such as a smart watch (for example, Apple Watch and NOT a Fitbit or Fuelband). It is highly likely that you will also be designing for a portion of a native mobile companion app.

Please note that your task is to design an application for a currently existing wearable device. This is not a task in designing hardware.

For the wearable component of your prototype, consider getting creative with paper and/or .gifs.

Resources

Select a Problem & Brand

As a group, come up with your top choice for a problem to explore and brand you will be designing for, plus 2-3 backups

Things to consider:

Sample Areas of Interest

Example Problems

  1. Smokers want to quit smoking (American Heart Association; Apple Watch)
  2. Women and people in the LGBTQ community can feel unsafe walking home alone (The Center; Apple Watch)
  3. Privacy-focused consumers want to read news from many sources (DuckDuckGo; Responsive website)
  4. Drivers want a simplified keyless entry remote (Audi; Apple Watch)
  5. People need quick access to emergency health alerts and information (Oscar; Moto 360 Watch/Apple Watch)
  6. Museums want a way to bid on soon-to-be deaccessioned art works (Google Art Project; Responsive website)
  7. Local cycling teams want to organize competitions and facilitate registration/sponsorship (Specialized.com; Responsive website)
  8. Casual athletes want to find pick-up games with people who have similar skill levels (Sportlobster; iOS app)
  9. Busy professionals want to browse and sign up for fitness classes near their home and work (Lululemon; iOS app)
  10. People who want to learn a foreign language want a customizable learning experience based on their goals (DuoLingo; iOS app)
  11. Grocery shoppers want more efficient ways to get info on store products and keep track of their groceries (Trader Joe’s; iOS app)