Saturday 19 May 2018

Life's a pitch: Design development

Before we started our design work we made a list of all the screens we needed to create to make a fully working app:

- A home screen with Leeds Arts University on it
- A language selection page for international students 
- Two options of either a map of the uni or a walkthrough option allowing the user to use the camera to guide themselves
- A search bar with suggestions so users can put in where they want to go
- QR codes / links for users to scan to download the app

My role was to begin the wire framing of this app so that the design could then be developed. I based the layout of the wireframing on the intiial sketch that we did and then some of the discussions that we had had as a group. It was very basic and was to be used to ensure that all elements needed had been accounted for. 


The wire framing started by creating a starting page that would allow for the user to select the language in which they needed the way finding system to be presented in. Then this would lead onto a menu of what they are looking for and then they could choose the specific facility/room. This is the initial idea and for the final thing it would be good to look into a way of simplifying the process and reducing the amount of steps it takes to get to the navigation option. 


The app would then finally lead to the landing page with the options to either have a walk through (augmented reality) or to show a simple map to quickly show the location of the particular area within the building. 


We needed to decide together what typeface we were going to use across the platforms and also the colour scheme so that each screen would work when combined together. We decided to use the Font Futura as this is the same as the font that the LAU student union uses so it fits well within the University already. We also continued to use the pink colour that is branded across a lot of already existing materials within LAU.

I was heavily involved with the designing of the app alongside Callum and Charlotte. I enjoyed the process and we created something together that looks professional and within context would actually work successfully. The screen shots show the design process starting with the block colours and more varied colour palette. This then developed onto using a gradient as it would allow for a smoother transiton from each section of the app but upon discussion we decided that it was a bit childish and did not suit the venue of the way finding system that it was presenting for. Te discussion also lead to the decision that there were too many menu options before the user would reach the option to choose the type of the navigation they wanted. 










Final app designs
To simplify the final app design the menu has been dramatically reduced and the augmented reality kicks in almost instantly, with the backdrop of the screen being the live view through the users camera. This creates consistency and instantly allows the user to understand how the way finding system will work and be presented to them. The app works now by choosing the language by choosing the appropriate flag and then using the search bar to search for the department/ares of the building you are looking to locate. The user will then be presented with the option of using a map or have a walk through guide to the exact location. This initially was thought by others to be a health and safety hazard when first explained, but then when realised that it takes a real time image of location this was decided that it would work fine as the user would always to see what was surrounding them. 




The development of the augmented reality required the designing of the symbols that would be used on screen when the user is on the walk through. The idea was to have the arrows responding in real time for the user to follow and then as they past facilities such as the toilets a symbol will pop up to show this and then the final destination will be confirmed with a tick. 


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