The Big Project

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

Week 11: Visual Design: Branding and Identity

This week I accomplished A LOT! Here are the highlights:

Continued learning Adobe XD to create prototypes.

Continued work on creating and refining my Proof of Concept for my 3 main task flows.

Conducted 4 in-person Paper Prototype Tests.

Conducted 3 online Paper Prototype Tests.

Implemented changes from my prototype test results & feedback.

Made several revisions to my project slide show presentation.

Re-ordered my project slides.

Continued to deepen my research on AR apps.

Participated in my classmates paper prototype tests and provided feedback.

Adobe XD

I am absolutely loving Adobe XD to create user experiences! I watched several tutorials to learn the program, its features, and workflow. It will definitively be my go-to for creating wire-frames and mock-ups!

This is an example of one of my wire-frames made in Adobe XD:

I have not had a chance to turn my prototype into a clickable file that I can send out for testing. That is what I plan to do next and I am so excited to play around with that feature!

Proof of Concept This week I continued to work on this. I designed and re-designed wire-frames and created a presentation that included user touch points, audio scripts, screen names, walk-through numbers, and test descriptions to show key elements/interactions on the screen.

I felt I needed to take more time to research current AR apps on the market and how they approached the user interface. It is evident that AR is still very new since there aren't that many apps on the market yet compared to other apps that have saccherated markets. This is a good and bad thing. It’s good in the sense that I get to be part of pioneer the technology’s application development. Its bad because there aren't many examples to look to for reference.

However, I did find an AR project app that I really liked! This led me to do more research on the project itself, which led me to do more research on the project’s artist, Larim Ben Kheifa, and the production team’s that helped produced it. AMAZING!

The project is called ”The Enemy.” I love the cinematic approach that was used to create the AR app. It is a source of inspiration for AR in my design.

The Enemy was created by several production teams and had extensive financial baking. Which lead me to start thinking about the production scope and costs for my project-which is good!

More information about the project can be found on the project’s website: http://theenemyishere.org

The Enemy app can be downloaded on the app store here: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/the-enemy/id1214485110

You should give it a try! It’s pretty cool!

Main Task Flows I completed the Proof of Concept fro my 3 main task flows. I created all of the wire-frame mock-ups in Adobe XD, then imported them into Adobe InDesign for presentation.

Paper Prototype Testing I created paper prototypes for each task flow sequence, a moderator task sheet for each, and 3 A//B tests. I conducted 4 in-person tests, each taking an hour hour to complete.

My participants provided great feedback that helped me to improve my designs and flows. I video recorded each test session so that I can review the process and make improvements.

I also received valuable feedback from three of my classmates who completed the testing as well. I implemented several changes and revisions with the feedback and results from all of the test. The process is definitely very valuable.

Project Slideshow Presentation Revision& Re-ordering I created Master Slides for all of the slides. I updated the Table of Contents slide and added it back into the presentation. I clarified the Abstract slide and added these new slides: Proof of Concept slide, Paper Prototype Test slide (since this was not in my last assignment), The Awakened App slide. I also removed the card sort slides and the story board slide.

I found a great app for making my A/B Test Results charts. It’s called Visme. Check it out here: https://www.visme.co/chart-maker

All in all, it was a SUPER BUY week, with many late nights-if not all late nights! But well worth the hard work and lack of sleep. I feel like I am getting to know my project better and I am still very excited about it!

Next week, I plan to further refine aspects of my presentation. I will work on the audio presentation of my project and practice recording how I will present it.

Until then, hope you have a beautiful week!

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

Week 10: Prototyping

I learned a new program called Adobe XD in order to create my prototypes. I also did a lot of additional research to learn more about AR project that already exist and the people and technology behind them.

Next week, I am looking forward to further refining my project presentation with a brad strategy.

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

Click this link to check out Typeform

I downloaded this template for my wire frame sketches, from a simple google search.

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

With the feedback from my professor and classmates I was able to improve my presentation by making the following changes:

Try my Optimal Workshop Card Sorting Study!

[julesthecreator]

“Learn how to see. Realize that everything is connected to everything else. -Leonardo Da Vinci

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

Here is a link to my AWAKENED slideshow presentation:

https://youtu.be/X4wdZfB2YBE

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

Week 6: Define the Projects

I re-designed my Target Audience Survey and published it solicit responses.

I made these changes to my Project Proposal:

I did LOTS, and LOTS, and LOTS of research into the wee hours of each morning this week.... and all previous weeks!

Next week, I look forward to further refinement, receiving more survey results, continuing my research and development, and maybe a kind-of Spring Break? Who am I kidding.... I will be working on this all next week as well!

Until then, have a great week!

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

Week 5: Empathy: Identify Target Audience

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

After careful review of all of my ideas and inspirations and with the help of the critiques I received from my professor and peers, I was able to narrow my best ideas down. Here are the three ideas that I think will make a great starting point for my project:

Quantum Mechanics

Collective Consciousness

Human Awareness, Potential & Free Will

Within each of these topics, I would like to create an art installation, an augmented reality component, and a call to action social media application component.

Each one of these topics would make a great addition to my portfolio since they are multi-faceted.

They all have technical and execution requirements to consider.

Technical and Execution Requirements

learn technology (or)

Employ a team to create this component

Operations & Management

Similarly, they all offer a lot to explore and discover.

So, my conclusion is that I need to decide which topic has the most interest for me.

Next week, I would like to make a decision on the project topic and make a plan on how to create and implement it!

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

Process: Brainstormed Inspirations and Themes for The Big Project.

I had so many ideas, many were redundant. It was a little overwhelming.

I found I had to reorder and rearrange my ideas, themes, and inspirations many times. Also, knowing that I had to have 10 themes and 10 inspirations inhibited my flow. My board size may also have been an inhibiting factor to consider - I ran out of room.

Ultimately, the linear act of making a list helped me to logically organize everything.

During my process I was able to identify my inspirations. Here are two examples I found on one of my favorite sources of inspiration, Pinterest:

Silk Interactive Generative App

https://www.teamlab.art/e/dmmplanets2016/

Here is what is coming up Next Week....

Conduct a Card Sort

See how a topic leads to a project

Explore the scope of the project

Create something original, useful, and beautiful

[julesthecreator]

Artists don't get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the pain of not working.

Stephen DeStaebler

[julesthecreator]

The Big Project: Creating the Work You Need to Create

WEEK 1: Defining the Project - The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step

Deep self-examination is the first step in defining our big project.

Lets start with first considering the conscious/unconscious cultural beliefs we hold about creativity, the art making process, and the artist herself - which are not true and do not serve a thriving artist mindset.

Some examples are:

The starving artist stereotype

Great art is a product of genius and rests fundamentally upon rare talent

The creative process is elusive and can not be learned

A profession in the arts is not a serious profession

It is important to keep an awareness of these notions so that we can replace them with a new set of accurate beliefs that support the creative process and provide a foundation for our growth and success.

Some examples of a thriving artist mindset include:

Self-worth is separate from external perceived value of your work

Making art CAN be learned and is not dependent on “talent”

Making art is dependent upon doing- so make a lot of art on a regular basis

Making art is a common worthwhile human activity that provides much needed value to the world

There are many thriving artists

There are many paths to success

Success is defined by YOU

Mind Mapping

With our new thriving artist mindset in place, we can conduct a deep self-examination by brainstorming through a process called mind mapping. Mind maps are a great way to get clear about yourself, providing self-reflection and ultimately help us define a project idea that is important to you. Knowing yourself will make your work personal and distinctive. This mind map exercise will help you find your “voice.”

To create your mind map you will need:

Sharpie

Large Notebook/Drawing Pad

This is a rapid process without any editing. The more immediate the better.

Let’s Begin:

Start by writing your name in the center of the page. Next, write associated words to branch off from your name. Include topics such as, “Things I like”,  “Background”, “Ideas”, “Strengths”, “Weaknesses”, “Inspirations”, etc.. Continue to branch off from each of those words with any associations that come to mind and continue this process as far as you can. I ran out of room on my drawing page as you can see below, so this is where I stopped.

Here is an example of my mind map.

Once you have finished your mind map set it aside for awhile and come back to it later. When you come back to it, take a significant amount of time to analyze it. Make additional connections or add notes. Draw new connecting lines to reveal new associations. Take notice of patterns, repetitions, connections, and cycles that may be present. You can repeat the mind map process based on sub-nodes to explore further.

After completing this process, create a text outline from your mind map. This will help you analyze and clearly see he hierarchy of your map. It is also a legible way to share your thoughts and ideas with others.

Here is an example of my text outline.

You should now be able to identify topics, interests, and ideas that are meaningful to you.

I would like to point out that one of the topics that came out of my Mind Map under “My Challenges” was “Fears” such as “I’m too old”, I’m not good enough”, etc... The list goes on and on.

I just want to remind everyone that fear is a common and normal response to the unknown and we all have fears.

David Bayles and Ted Orland, working artists and co-authors of the book, “Art and Fear” comment on fear and making art, “ Making art is dangerous and revealing. Making art precipitates self-doubt, stirring deep waters that lay between what you know you should be, and what you fear you might be.” They continue to explain that “art is a high calling - fears are coincidental, sneaky and disruptive, ...disguising themselves laziness, resistance to deadlines, irritation with materials and surroundings, distractions over the achievements of others.”

Each step in the creative process puts those fears to the test. Always challenge your fears.

Coming-Up Next...

Next week, we will learn about a brainstorming process that allows you to quickly gather inspiration and gather ideas. We will also cover the importance of receiving critique.

This blog will serve as a place to create my case study. I invite you to follow along with me as I journey through this process.

Thank you for reading and for your interest. Julie A. Davis Veach