emma-xz-blog

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#DECO1800##week15#

According to this semester’s study, what I learnt from this course is that interaction with multimedia, interactive design and information technology. I develop my understanding of the design and the design process. In the team project, I develop the communication skills, methods and results through various forms of communication. Also develop the skills in the team project management.

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#DECO1800##week14#

This week, except preparing the final exam of other courses, I also began to make the portfolio for DECO1800.

First, just sort out what I did in the main project part A,B and C, and my contribution to the group assignments. Also the reflective journal of last thirteen weeks. 

Then on the paper to draw their general look, such as how the typesetting, colour and font, which will probably be used on css and JS. 

Next step is began to use html to make the approximate framework of the page, my page will probably be divided into four parts. 

WORK, ABOUT, BLOG and CONTACT.

In the part of WORK, the content will be categorized into three part A,B and C, which means that users can click on the icon or words and then they can see the more details about each part of the work that I have done.

In the ABOUT page, there will be a short introduction to myself and a hyperlink to our group final product.

In BLOG, I will release about two to three blogs, and at the bottom there will be a link of the blog, which means that if users want to see more blog content, then they can click directly into my Tumblr. Because I think if all the contents of the blog are on the page, it seems a little more confused, and maybe they do not necessarily want to see it.

In the CONTACT, I should do a simple form, for users to fill in their information, and can be submitted. 

The overall style of the page should be simple but with bright colours, and easy to attract users to browse. 

Finally, I will make some details of the adjustment, such as the location of pictures and text or font size and so on.

[emma-xz-blog]

#DECO1800##week13#

The end of the tradeshow meant the end of the group's work, and it was nice to be the groupmates with those people who worked together to make the product of the previous idea. In tradeshow, the users all the express the recognition and appreciation of our products. So I think the operations of our product probably be successful. Although compared with other groups, our group's product is not the most interesting, innovative and attractive design, but for our target audience, it is indeed the most appropriate. To the students or people who interested  in it, the website provide a convenient and simple way to popularize mine accidents. Although in the group we have had some disputes, but still successfully completed the assignment. Maybe I am not the person that do the best in this group, but I had try my best to do something that I can do. This is an unforgettable experience and gives me the experience and lessons of my later group activities.

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#DECO1800##week12#

In this week, we continue to prepare for the thirteenth week of tradeshow. For example, complete the ppt, poster and prototype used in tradeshow. We have also prepared some candies for this in order to attract more potential customers to try our products.

In terms of code, we finally decided to give up the search bar this function. The reason is that it is hard to do this in the right time, and the other reason is that the  search bar does not play a very important role in the whole product, so this thing is dispensable. So in order to make other aspects of the  website more perfect, we discard the search bar and virtual keyboard.

In addition, we also improved some of the details to enhance the use of customer experience. For example, use different pictures in the marker to distinguish between different time periods. And in the information bar next to the opening point after clicking on the marker, use the red and blue two different colour to distinguish the severity of the incident, the red colour marked events will be more serious, like some one be killed.

Hope that the thirteenth week of tradeshow can be successfully held and our product can get everyone's approval.

[emma-xz-blog]

#DECO1800##week11#

This week we assigned the task according to the requirements of part c. Boys are mainly responsible for the code, and girls are mainly responsible for the design. For example, the poster and pitch which needed in the tradeshow. I and Allison, Lydia have done the poster design, as shown below.

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#DECO1800##week10#

Because the overall progress of the prototype is clearly ahead of schedule, so in mid break, we did not make any changes to the existing design. However, through the feedback, the distribution of the work was not clearly show to others, so in part c, except to finish the final design with something new that we want to add in, about the distribution of this work, we should express more clearly like making a plan. As mentioned earlier, we still need to add the search function and detail optimization in the website. In addition, for part c, in order to make sure that everyone will be able to answer the question from the audience, each of us should make good preparation for presentation and tradeshow. And about the design of posters, brochures and slideshows, we will learn from the previous experience, make good introduction to audience but not simply like just put the keywords on the pitch.

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#DECO1800##week9#

Are you as far along as you thought? What's left for Major Project Part C?

According to the part completed in part b, our group's website has been built relatively complete. In part c we will pay attention to some details of the visual or functional design . Through the feedback of the testers in part b, we will use it to improve the user's sense of use. In addition, we will add search functionality and a virtual keyboard to help users find specific mine names or miners.

What responses did you get back from your request for feedback?

The following questions were asked to our users:

1. Should markers have mine names next to them when hovering the marker? 2. Should the image of each marker change as each year range interval is changed? (For example, from a pickaxe, to an iron smelting machine, to perhaps a truck – thus showing an advancement in mining technology) 3. To avoid the cluster of markers at certain points on the map, should the markers be small when zoomed out and larger when zoomed in?

According to the testers’ feedback, the name of each location will not added when hovered up. It’s not very necessary and may make some problems like over-clutter the map. To instead of it we will put a search bar in the future to help user find a specific mine accident.The markers will change through the ages. That should really be confused if all the markers look like same.  So the markers will be different when user click on the different buttons on timeline.We will keep the sets of the markers’ size. From the feedback, testers think that it is adequate to distinguish. Or maybe group some markers when the map zoomed out. It will make the interface more clear and professional(?)

Are there areas of improvement within the team regarding communication and development of your project?

I think our team needs more communication and teamwork. That’s it.

[emma-xz-blog]

#DECO1800##week8#

In this week, our team has finished the home page of the website and some function that we put in it. Also, we use the git to share our code and put them together. like the picture shows below. And some details of code either.

This is what our website look like, we just do something with the ‘all incidents’, ‘search’ and the map. The map can be magnified if user want. 

If user click on the search button, there will display a virtual keyboard to help user search the things they want. However the keyboard can’t be used right now.

There still has some bug. Like, if you click the search button and wanna come back to the home page, it is impossible. There doesn’t have a back button or anything else.

So what we should do till next contact class is, talk more about our website, share each other’s opinions. then combine them and improve it.

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#DECO1800##week7#

What’s the MVP of your project? How did you reach a consensus with your team?

In our project, I think the most basic and important part is the map and related information of each incidents. Because in our design, the goal is to popularize the knowledge of mining incidents to target audience, and those information will be geographically classified. So in this project, the map and data information is essential.

We reach a consensus always by a way like our leader made a proposal, then ask others’ thoughts, if no one against, then we will use that idea.

Detail which parts of the scope have you been delegated. Are they feasible in the timeframe?

At the beginning, I’m in charge of the design work, like the logo of our project, some small part on our website and the brochure/flyer. However, the logo I designed is too simple, and it seems like a little weird when we put it on our website, so our leader just change it to another one.

Include a copy of your team’s planning document.

About our planning document, actually we don’t have one. one of our team member has done the most part of code of our website. So, from my opinion, next step we should do is to find the bugs and do the debug. Also fix some details about the website for next week’s demo test.

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#DECO1800##week6#

Were you able to get the feedback you needed?

Yeah I think we got some useful feedback from last contact class by paper prototype.

Which tools/methods did you use to record feedback?

We record the feedback both on laptop and smart phone. It means we take notes of users’ suggestions and also take video of the process of demonstrate the paper prototype.

How did the prototype itself impact on the feedback?

By showing users how to use the prototype, we can clearly and quickly find what kind of reaction user will be when they use various functions. Like some confusion about how to use those functions on the web. By demonstrating, it also find the problem intuitively and help us get useful feedback. In addition, we also found that through the process of using this prototype, there will shows some problems that we didn’t pay attention to in the beginning of designing. After this, we can fix those problems.

What were your experiences/frustrations/successes in testing other people’s prototypes?

when I test other people’s prototypes, I always feel interesting cuz I can find some new and awesome ideas from their prototype. Also it is kind of game, so that is a really fun.

However, I feel sorry that I can not give many very useful suggestions, just ask some questions that I don’t understand. So I’m not sure that others can get any feedback from me which they want.

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#DECO1800##week5#

How did your pitch go? Include, content, pacing, timing, how audience received etc.

About our pitch, I think it’s good enough. The poster is simple and clearly show the content of our project and some key points. Everyone in our team do their part of presentation well as well. Just introduce each part generally. From our pitch and poster, I think the audience should probably know what our project is like.

How would you rate your concept when compared to other concepts you witnessed?

Maybe on the poster, we don’t show many things like other teams. But I think on our poster, it’s more clearly and easy for audience to understand the content during our presentation. Because we just have three minutes to introduce, too many content may not be a good choice. So, in general, each team has their advantages and disadvantages.

Critique two other concepts. What was good and bad about them? Takeaways?

ADVANTAGE: the subject is interesting, and on this wireframe it shows many functions will on the final website.

DISADVANTAGE: too many contents, maybe have some problems when making this website.

ADVANTAGE: pay much attention on interaction between website and users

DISADVANTAGE: the project is a little boring and the question of the quiz game is a little puzzled.

[emma-xz-blog]

#DECO1800##week4#

In this week, we split the work of the concept document and the poster. (just like the picture I post on.) And on the contact class, we finished the persons like some specific target audience of our project. However until this time, 21:11pm of 20th, in our google drive document, each part are still not finished, so I just post the ‘target audience’.

My job is sketching the storyboard. Although I probably know what our design of the product look like, but I still do not know some specific details, so I just draw a draft, and not post in google drive. But I believe that we can complete this assignment before tomorrow due time, and integrate together well.

[emma-xz-blog]

#DECO1800##week3#

In this week, I worked on the thinking hats of one of our idea with my team members.

week 3 is the first week of team work. Actually it is not very good, because we didn’t have much communication during class, just assigned the work, then did that part of work. In our team, I think only one person do the most of the work, then others just like support? For me personally, I wanna try my best to do much more part even maybe not very good.

[emma-xz-blog]

some photos about ideals of each team

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#DECO1800##week2#

Visualise ideas you have identified since semester began. Include text and imagery.

A game that people will listen to the music and guess which year they created and put those songs on the timeline by years.

Reflect on which methods of brainstorming helped (or didn’t help) you identify and iterate on ideas? Don’t just describe them, reflect on their advantages/disadvantages.

Firstly, think about the similar places in these databases, and then use these common places to think about the way that manage these information together. The ideal which thought by this way would be logical and also easy to express to other people.

For next two weeks, I think it’s important to understand the requirement of project and work on the design exploration which will due on week4. It will need the poster and something else for presentation. so what our team should do is, determine the direction and content of the design. The skills I need to brush up may be the thinking of new ideals or brainstorming.

[emma-xz-blog]

＃DECO1800##week 1#

What I know about this course is to design or improve something by teamwork, and most of them are relevant to computing(?). In this semester, I wanna try to understand the whole things that tutors teach. And then trying to enjoy the teamwork, like doing more communication with team members than last semester.

What I worried about is thinking about some new ideals or exactly understanding the requirement of the assignment. Maybe I should work harder after class to improve my English skills..

Also about team work, because of my character is not very outgoing, so I don’t like talking with some people that I’m not familiar with...so maybe I need some time to change it.

I hope that I can do much better than last semester and get higher points!

I expect I can learn many new things about design and being more active in this class.

Fighting!