IXD 301 - Where Does Content come from + Visual Grammar
For this lesson of week 2 for IXD 301 we began learning about where content comes from and Visual Grammar to help us with content for are portfolio website.
First we began learning about different areas you can get content, for the website:
Client
Client Content is gathering / analysing info about your clients and making content on your website that suits the needs of them clients.
Self Generated Content
Self generated content is content which you have written on your own or created on your own for example your brand, website etc.
Third party Content
"Third party content"is exactly what it sounds like - content which was made/created by someone else for example wikipedia
User Generated content
Is any type of content that has been created and put out there by unpaid contributors or, using a better term fans.
Then we began learning about what a content creation is:
What is content Curation?
Content curation is the process of sorting through the vast amounts of content on the web and presenting it in a meaningful and organised way around a specific theme. The work involves sifting, sorting, arranging, and publishing information.* - Beth Kanter
Why is content curation valuable?
Content creation is a very important practice in the market today as its needed because when you create content, you're providing free and useful information to your audience, attracting potential customers to your website, and retaining existing customers through quality engagement.
Basic Principles for content curation:
Good content is appropriate
Good content is useful
Good content is user centred
Good content is clear
After learning about Content curation we set about on learning about User stories and Job stories:
User stories
What are user stories?
User stories are short, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the person who desires the new capability, usually a user or customer of the system. They typically follow a simple template: As a < type of user >, I want < some goal > so that < some reason >.
For example:
When[ looking for a placement student]
I want to [ find out who they are or what they can do.]
So I can [ recruit a student]
Job Stories
What are job stories?
A Job story is a powerful way to facilitate the team conversation and discovery when designing products. They are meant to cut right to the job to be done by eliminating distractions. The job story encourages the product’s design process to focus on content, causality and motivations instead of assumptions, subjectives, personas and implementations.
https://jtbd.info/5-tips-for-writing-a-job-story-7c9092911fc9
When _ , I want to _ , so I can _ .
For example:
When an important new customer signs up, I want to be notified, so I can start a conversation with them.
Furthermore to further understand user stories and job stories Kyle got us to do the first exercise of the lesson which was to write are own user stories:
Exercise 01 (write a user story)
For exercise 01 I wrote two user stories and after doing this exercise I gained a better understanding of user stories.
User story 1
I'm a small home-made clothing company and I’m looking for a website for my small business
When [I am looking to attach more customer to my business]
I want to [find out who is visiting my business]
So I can [make clothing that attracts them customer]
User story 2
I'm a driving instructor and Im looking to for someone to create an app for my business
When [I am looking for learners]
I want to [book lessons]
So I can [have more lesson which equals more money]
Visual Grammar
What is visual Grammar?
To properly understand what visual grammar is, Christian Leborg’s brilliant book called “Visual Grammar” is the best solution. An excerpt from the book, rather its preface, says the following:
“The reason for writing a grammar of visual language is the same as for any language: to define its basic elements, describe its patterns and processes, and to understand the relationship between the individual elements in the system. Visual language has no formal syntax or semantics, but the visual objects themselves can be classified.**”
https://www.thejigsaw.in/blog/visual-grammar
Or in very simple terms visual grammar is anything you see on scene.
Tips of Visual Grammer:
Simplify as much as possible
What can you do with constraints
Focus on re-using elements and minimising visual complexity
Language and Typography
Language
when deciding what type of language you should use for your website.
You should be asking:
Who are you? ( Do you what to be protrayed as an professional or a down to earth guy)
What are your values? ( are you in it for fame etc.)
All we have is words, All we have is worlds - Tim Etchells.
Typography
What is typography?
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and appealing when displayed.
“Typography is the craft of endowing human language with a durable visual form.” - Robert Bringhurst
When thinking about of what typography you should have for the portiofio website.
You should be asking:
Does it optimise legibility
Improve accessibility
Improve usability
Tips for language and typography:
Spend some time developing a brand dictionary at the beginning of the project. What can you do with constraints?
Ensure every page or screen has a clear call-to-action
When considering typography, less is more
