In he most recent issue of WIRED this article made me see Facebook as the constant witty status updates it really is.

While I am in complete agreeance that the tangled landscape of media is forcing individuals to at least be aware of increased refrences, it hardly gaurantees insightful humor. For every FML that mkes me laugh out loud there is another video of a baby pointing at a camera…

Most of the game is played by tilting and turning the iphone to effect the game space and allow your “Rolando” to roll through the various puzzles.

Fun. Simple. and Engaging… and it looks great to.

How long will it take for some of these mechanics to move from gaming/novelty to actually being part of normal interaction?

Information System

We proposed an information system that targeted the retailer and provided in-store signage to help disseminate the information to consumers.
This included on-package labeling, signage and a web environment that evaluated manufacturing, use and disposal standards for various manufactures and products.

Instore Signage:

Online Comparison Site:

Labeling System:

Process

Mapping Context
We first mapped our research and questions about water management.
Research was categorized by context in which we encounter and understand water as needed, managed, and disposed.

We then drew connections among them to define specific audiences and assess points for intervention.

In pairs, we focused on empowering the retailer to have the greatest effect on both consumers purchasing habits, and manufacturing standards.

As a group of 4, we set out to address registration information, directions, and media about the candidates in a relevant way for the user while focusing specifically on their relationship to the ballot.

Walk-through

Screens:

Process

We began by creating three distinct persona’s and scenarios to evaluate the process of becoming an informed voter. Using the scenarios, we mapped user behaviors and motivations to inform our wireframes.

Using Kevin Lynch’s Image of the City as a conceptual framework, we were concerned with making the experience both intuitive and compelling.

Multiple iterations of low-content wireframes were created, as we developed the navigation and various paths that users could take towards information ‘districts’.

Grid studies lead to a solution that combined a traditional grid structure with a fluid grid overlay that shifted and allowed for variety as you could use the various lines to create forms and spaces.

I decided to name it WINK, a word that has the same meaning in Dutch and English.

I wanted an identity that was as playful as the content of the magazine and echoed the fluid nature of the layout structures. The angular masthead, bold colors and subtle patterns were some defining characteristics of the visual identity.

Early in the explorations I created a motion piece that would function as a web ad and introduction to the publication.

Wink Banner Ad Animation from Sidney Fritts on Vimeo.

The application RjDj uses all fo the input devices of the iphone includeing the accelerometers, microphone, and touch screen to create atmosphereic sound on the fly.

It uses the mic to pick up ambient sounds, lets you scratch and add rythms by shaking and control things on the fly with your fingers.

While its usefulness is debatable it incorporates some interesting concepts. If design is contextual and is being encountere from various positions, how can I create interfaces that absorb and reflect those enviornments that are destined to shift?

Just gets me thinking…

For starters, YES, a face is an Interface. Actually it was probably the first interface.

I think as we move to carving out a space for further investigation it is important to think of interfaces along a spectrum from simple and crude to complex. I do believe that simple objects have simple interfaces. I’m probably a little sympathetic to the product and material designers that have spent many hours sculpting forms and selecting materials in an effort to create a curated experience. We also encounter much more complex interfaces that include Operating Systems, Facebook, etc…

While these are defined by specific intentions of individuals inputting information and receiving some sort of output in return, if we do not account for devices that require less conscious interaction we are limiting our scope to a very narrow set of experiences. Trying to define ‘interface’ has raised a number of questions that equally as difficult. Particularly what is the purpose of interface? If an interface is created to facilitate an experience, even the most mundane I think that this spectrum of complexity has to be acknowledged.

I’m sure this will be an ongoing investigation/thread throughout the semester so I’ll be interested in seeing what other insights and opinions present themselves.

The Layers