#rtrivedi

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Google Logo and Graphics

Google has some creativity that is unsurpassed.  I love their daily graphic that has a variety of causes, historical case studies, and fun information that’s not just about Google.  It’s great branding, well designed and fun!

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Brave Online Browser

I wanted to combine a few of my different course frameworks and studies into my last What Ive Got posting.  I came across Brave this weekend from a venture capitalist discussing future applications of blockchain.  I like Brave for a few reasons.  First, it’s an ad block and does not have a thousand extensions that make the browsing experience slow.  Second, it’s accurate with the search results.  Third, I can make quick payments using my Bitcoin using the platform.  Fourth, it’s automatic default is to ensure my privacy.  There’s no choice of websites getting my information and cookies in order to then spam me with coupons.  The design is intentional, and I love the ethos of the platform.  In terms of revenue model, I can’t vouch for them because I don’t know how they’d make money without the Google model, but this is design class, not an HBS course :-)

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Sailboat

I could write a dissertation on the history and evolution of sailboats.  I’m going to avoid that though :) I watched a documentary about these sailboats this weekend and I found the functionality + minimalism in these sailboats to be fascinating.  It must be driven to perfection to maximize the speed.  It’s the fastest type of sailboat in the world, and it’s designed for the racer.  It’s not a yacht, with it’s luxuries and staff, but rather a way to get a “need for speed.”  

Citation: Google Images

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My Design Perspective

Before my summer in Silicon Valley, I looked at designers and thought it was a vocation of art with lots of colored pencils, graphics of Pokemon, and gallery flamboyance. Boy was I wrong. While I’m sure I’ve always had an eye for particular types of design, my appreciation for choice architecture and user experience design has grown exponentially. While BJ Fogg’s framework gives me appreciation for the behaviors of emotion, triggers, and meaning, Desmet and Hebert provide a higher level of aesthetic and emotional connection to products. It’s no surprise that when I first came to design, I thought of it only in the software world. Earnest, Digit, and Quickbooks all have creative and minimalistic design that’s functional for the user. But my experience with a mult-function keychain, as well as an alarm clock, also illustrate how the physical dimensions of the design create an emotional connection to the utility and function of the product. It’s in the art of combining the physical and software design that I look to define desirability. Another aspect of the design that I have come to appreciate is the choice of color. This is the “art” of design that I never quite understood. My lessons from Product Experience connect me to the points about a designers choice for particular colors like Pink or Purple do not actually connect with the consumer. It creates an emotion that consumers may not even feel. So we as designers must test and understand these “sensory modalities” far more closely to engage users in our products. I look at desirability with the lense of choice architecture, minimalism, and sleekness. How can we engage and nudge a positive behavior that’s beneficial for both the consumer and the company? How can we make the experience quirky and memorable while a good use of that moment? How can we minimize functionality while maximizing content, brand loyalty, and conversion? I look at design in BJ Frogg’s framework that good design has the right amount of triggers for consumers that are willing to experiment. There’s an inherent social good by saving people time, saving people money, and saving people headache. Desirable design

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Challenge 2A

I created this logo with the idea that I could use this for my fiance’s (future) natural remedies and products company.  I traced the outline of a leafe and made bubbles around it like the Skype logo.

The second piece was that I created a template for user journies that I’d use on my thesis.  It will come handy when I fill out journies for my HKS thesis.  The pictures of the templates are below.  

The last piece of my challenge is that I setup the structure and design of my portfolio.  It can be accessed at rajantrivedi.com.

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Youtube vs. Spotify Playlist

I use both YouTube and Spotify to make playlists.  The process, visuals, and ease of creating a playlist on Spotify far outcompetes YouTube.  Yes, a playlist is not the core business model for YouTube, but they could really improve the experience.  It’s hard to find the buttons to make a playlist, the end product looks less concise and neatly packaged as on Spotify, and the information is difficult to consume.   

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iPhone Wallet Case

A growing trend is to go completely walletless because we live in a credit card society.  You only need your ID, a credit card, and maybe a train card.  Oh, and could we ever leave the house without our mobile phone (gasp!).  I think a few things are worth noting on this particular iPhone wallet.  First, it is designed for convenience to not have to carry a wallet.  Two, it’s meant to be professional where it can be brought into a corporate setting and not be rude to have your phone on the table.  Third, it’s meant to also serve it’s purpose of being a case!

Citation: https://vrsdesign.com/products/iphone-6-6s-case-layered-dandy?variant=23468280902&gclid=Cj0KEQjwldzHBRCfg_aImKrf7N4BEiQABJTPKNzImo5T2139tfJbvaQiMlDZIdGoNdedtOmBDSWnC_caAjCx8P8HAQ

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(Bad) Design of Wine Glasses

While I’ve talked a lot about good design from an aesthetic and style point of view, I have yet to talk about much bad design.  I have no criticism about these wine glasses on their aesthetics...I frankly don’t drink enough wine to have a strong opinion about how the wine glass helps the aroma and taste.  However, I take issue with the stem of the wine glass that’s created with VERY cheap material.  I mean, they are so fragile that they break with even the most gentle movement!  That’s no bueno and I think Ikea compensated with a low price with incredibly cheap material that’s breakable.