1. Workshop Overview 1.1 Introduction and aims for the workshop. The aim of the workshop was to p... more 1. Workshop Overview 1.1 Introduction and aims for the workshop. The aim of the workshop was to prepare and deliver the information based on the chosen topic from the assignment brief. I and my group members decided to focus on the user testing techniques and prototyping. Our chosen theme was Card Sorting, mainly because it involves critical thinking, helps organize and test the information architecture to make it more accessible and user-friendly. [1] To ensure we conduct a successful workshop related to the card sorting, we went through the process which includes workshop design, development process, and evaluation of the workshop for the future workshop improvement. 1.2 Resources During the first workshop design stages, I and my group members used a Methodkit to plan and prioritize various tasks. [2] In my opinion, Methodkit was a useful tool to find the most important aspects of the workshop. It also ensured that we prepare and deliver information efficiently to our target audience. [3] Working as a team we found the necessity for a collaboration tool so we could organize and store the essential information for our workshop. We all agreed to use Trello to store our research materials and record the information discussed in the group meetings. [4] [Figure 1] Trello was easy to use and made our workshop preparation process more efficient. As a group, we made decisions about the resources to use for the workshop activities. Some of the resources were – A3 paper, Blue-Tac, Post-its, Marker Pens and a Tracing paper which would be used for brainstorming and share the participant ideas. 2. Workshop Design Process I strongly believe that during the design process, collaborative work was a key element to define the goals of the workshop. I and my group members looked for the themes which would help us deliver meaningful workshop based on hands-on approach. From our research, we found that Card Sorting is a popular user testing technique which involves active participation and helps to identify the most important aspects for the users within the information architecture. We found that there are many types of card sorting and it was challenging to choose the specific card sorting technique to show during the workshop activities within provided timeframe. [5] The key principles underpinning card sorting is a good understanding of critical thinking and prototyping. In order to cover these principles, we structured the workshop in a way that the participants use the critical thinking process first to discuss the provided design based on the scenarios, and find the ways to enhance their experience. [Figure 2] [6]. Then we look at the card sorting principles and introduce the participants with different examples where card sorting was used as a tool to enhance user experience. [Figure 3] [7]. Lastly, we place the emphasis on paper prototyping and explain the connection between prototyping and card sorting. [Figure 4]. This structure provided us with the insights of how we can develop the tasks and activities further to ensure participants find these techniques useful. 3. Workshop Development Process The very first stage in the development process was to find a right strategy for us to follow in order to prepare a consistent workshop. In the beginning of the workshop, I and my group members decided on giving an overview of the tasks and activities we have prepared and are going to focus on. [Figure 5] The workshop overview helped us identify tasks for each
Our project will be focusing on walking as the main mode of transport. Our project will be an app... more Our project will be focusing on walking as the main mode of transport. Our project will be an app that counts the steps of UWE students, allowing them to get discounts on different UWE products that will have either daily offers (in the Students' Union for food or beverage, in One Zone for food or coffee) or monthly offers (that will be for more expensive items – i.e. UWE hoodies). This mobile application would encourage walking in exchange for discounts. This way, people might be more tempted to walk, even if for short distances, knowing that they would not only save time but also money during peak hours when there is heavy traffic. Reduction of traffic and car use. Improving fitness and saving money. UWE students. If further developed, it would be available to the general public, that would get discounts from bigger shops (i.e. H&M, Subway etc.) Short period of time for research and app development Not enough tools and experience to fully develop the app Having to make a proposal to the Student Union and discuss the terms
Our project is called Heart to Heart bracelet. It is a design for the Internet of Things project ... more Our project is called Heart to Heart bracelet. It is a design for the Internet of Things project which focuses on Citizen Science and one-to-one communication which can be further developed into one-to-many communication. The bracelet is intended to be designed for couples, but the purpose of the bracelet is different to any other communication tool. The user can sense their partner's presence, making the device much more intimate and unique compared to other types of devices. This is a two bracelet system that uses Wi-Fi to connect. The bracelet will show the individual's heart rate and present it to their partner on an LCD screen. The bracelet also captures a person's mood, using an accelerometer to check if the heart rate is affected by movement. The heart rate would be displayed as a fluctuating line, which would be colour coded using scripts and would show when the partner is stressed. We know that the concept of presence and intimacy is what many devices do not have; therefore we believe that our bracelet would be a unique design for that issue. 1. Design 1.1 Design Idea Heart to heart is a unisex bracelet which is intended for long-term relationships. Two bracelets come in pairs in a package. They have a built-in Wi-Fi connector, so a mobile device is not needed. The bracelets would show real-time data about the other person's heart rate and variability on a LED screen. Bracelets would have a vibration sensor which would act as feedback to notify the user when their partner is viewing their heartbeat [3]. We originally wanted to implement mood into the bracelet however we thought that the mood aspect would be problematic since there are not many ways of effectively tracking an individual's mood. So we thought that we would use the heart rate and an accelerometer to group certain heart rates into categories and assign the colour to them (red, yellow and green), by recording this we can represent their level of stress as a type of mood indication with colour. Heart rate can be used to check on a person's stress levels. The LED light colour will reflect the respective user's level of stress and show a relevant colour using a colour scale; red-negative, yellow-neutral, green-positive. [4] The LCD screen will display a fluctuating line representing the heartbeat. 1.2 Design Goals The bracelet works on an intimate level and improves communication between couples with no need to interact with a mobile device or mobile application. Instead, bracelets would be connected via WebSocket to communicate with each other and transport data about the heart rate and the heart rate variability. 1.3 Competitors The most important part of our research was analysing the competitors. This led us to alter our idea several times, according to what products are already out there. One strong competitor is another bracelet, " Bond " [9], currently still a prototype, aimed at long-distance relatives, that allows people to communicate via vibrations, while the colours change depending on the duration of the touch. The only part of this project we didn't agree with is the connectivity: the bracelet connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth and then to an app. We agreed not to connect our device to a mobile app, as the project loses the personal feel and lowers the level of intimacy. Another inspiring project is "Pillow Talk" [8]. It enables couples to hear each other's heartbeats as they fall asleep through a pillow via a sensor underneath it. The user wears a sensor around their wrist that records the heartbeat, and this plays to the small sensor that lies beneath the pillow so that the partner can hear in real time. Once both partners are wearing their bracelet, the couple can play their heartbeats simultaneously as they fall asleep. The idea we liked the most and chose to implement, though differently, was playing the noise of a heartbeat through the pillow, as it encourages both a ludic, personal and intimate approach. The Apple Watch [2] is one of the strongest competitors on the market. It includes all the functions a person can think of and more. It has a sensor implemented that monitors the user's heartbeat and can send it to their partner, as well as reminding them to relax and give fitness advice. On the other hand, the multitude of functions makes it rather impersonal. We liked the idea of sending a vibration along with the message, which we decided to implement further into our bracelet. Instead of sending a text, either using voice to text input or actual typing, we thought of a more discreet, personal, and intimate way of communicating. Even though our original idea was communicating one's feeling through emoji's or GIF's, we realized that they would require a bigger screen, making our bracelet look and feel heavier than it needs to be. We, therefore, tried to change direction to target a wider range of users, including deaf and blind people, as well as people that just have a busy timetable and do not have time to chat with their loved ones. We adopted the idea that " Pillow Talk " is based on, calming both partners
This documentation includes the planning process and overview of the 3D interactive environment d... more This documentation includes the planning process and overview of the 3D interactive environment deployment based on the brief specification. Context – The scenario includes the specific character walking through the external maze, upcoming various obstacles and finding components to complete the game. The following tasks from the brief included: 1. Maze design and network of routes, with one route leading to the center of the maze. 2. A dynamic HUD or system that shows player's progression through the game. 3. Objects for the player to collect to complete the mission. 4. A " CODE " device. 5. Obstacles to make the game more challenging. 6. A player maze navigation aid that is enabled when certain tasks are completed. 7. A splash screen, at the start and the end of the game, to provide relevant information. Maze design and network of routes, with one route leading to the center of the maze. The maze is developed and designed in a way that the character needs to complete one section of the maze to have access to the second part of the maze. When certain objects are collected, the button appears on the screen, and when it is clicked it removes a certain wall of the maze where the " Code " device is located to complete the game. Problems and solutions-When I started to design the maze, I used C# script to generate it, however the maze did not show on the scene until the play button was pressed; therefore, I had to build it from the scratch using a cube prefab. (Figure 1)
Introduction : For my project, I choose to make a website about the Animation Film Festival. The... more Introduction : For my project, I choose to make a website about the Animation Film Festival. The scope of this website is to provide clear information about the festival and include schedule, news, tickets, info, gallery, and contact us pages.
1. Workshop Overview 1.1 Introduction and aims for the workshop. The aim of the workshop was to p... more 1. Workshop Overview 1.1 Introduction and aims for the workshop. The aim of the workshop was to prepare and deliver the information based on the chosen topic from the assignment brief. I and my group members decided to focus on the user testing techniques and prototyping. Our chosen theme was Card Sorting, mainly because it involves critical thinking, helps organize and test the information architecture to make it more accessible and user-friendly. [1] To ensure we conduct a successful workshop related to the card sorting, we went through the process which includes workshop design, development process, and evaluation of the workshop for the future workshop improvement. 1.2 Resources During the first workshop design stages, I and my group members used a Methodkit to plan and prioritize various tasks. [2] In my opinion, Methodkit was a useful tool to find the most important aspects of the workshop. It also ensured that we prepare and deliver information efficiently to our target audience. [3] Working as a team we found the necessity for a collaboration tool so we could organize and store the essential information for our workshop. We all agreed to use Trello to store our research materials and record the information discussed in the group meetings. [4] [Figure 1] Trello was easy to use and made our workshop preparation process more efficient. As a group, we made decisions about the resources to use for the workshop activities. Some of the resources were – A3 paper, Blue-Tac, Post-its, Marker Pens and a Tracing paper which would be used for brainstorming and share the participant ideas. 2. Workshop Design Process I strongly believe that during the design process, collaborative work was a key element to define the goals of the workshop. I and my group members looked for the themes which would help us deliver meaningful workshop based on hands-on approach. From our research, we found that Card Sorting is a popular user testing technique which involves active participation and helps to identify the most important aspects for the users within the information architecture. We found that there are many types of card sorting and it was challenging to choose the specific card sorting technique to show during the workshop activities within provided timeframe. [5] The key principles underpinning card sorting is a good understanding of critical thinking and prototyping. In order to cover these principles, we structured the workshop in a way that the participants use the critical thinking process first to discuss the provided design based on the scenarios, and find the ways to enhance their experience. [Figure 2] [6]. Then we look at the card sorting principles and introduce the participants with different examples where card sorting was used as a tool to enhance user experience. [Figure 3] [7]. Lastly, we place the emphasis on paper prototyping and explain the connection between prototyping and card sorting. [Figure 4]. This structure provided us with the insights of how we can develop the tasks and activities further to ensure participants find these techniques useful. 3. Workshop Development Process The very first stage in the development process was to find a right strategy for us to follow in order to prepare a consistent workshop. In the beginning of the workshop, I and my group members decided on giving an overview of the tasks and activities we have prepared and are going to focus on. [Figure 5] The workshop overview helped us identify tasks for each
Our project will be focusing on walking as the main mode of transport. Our project will be an app... more Our project will be focusing on walking as the main mode of transport. Our project will be an app that counts the steps of UWE students, allowing them to get discounts on different UWE products that will have either daily offers (in the Students' Union for food or beverage, in One Zone for food or coffee) or monthly offers (that will be for more expensive items – i.e. UWE hoodies). This mobile application would encourage walking in exchange for discounts. This way, people might be more tempted to walk, even if for short distances, knowing that they would not only save time but also money during peak hours when there is heavy traffic. Reduction of traffic and car use. Improving fitness and saving money. UWE students. If further developed, it would be available to the general public, that would get discounts from bigger shops (i.e. H&M, Subway etc.) Short period of time for research and app development Not enough tools and experience to fully develop the app Having to make a proposal to the Student Union and discuss the terms
Our project is called Heart to Heart bracelet. It is a design for the Internet of Things project ... more Our project is called Heart to Heart bracelet. It is a design for the Internet of Things project which focuses on Citizen Science and one-to-one communication which can be further developed into one-to-many communication. The bracelet is intended to be designed for couples, but the purpose of the bracelet is different to any other communication tool. The user can sense their partner's presence, making the device much more intimate and unique compared to other types of devices. This is a two bracelet system that uses Wi-Fi to connect. The bracelet will show the individual's heart rate and present it to their partner on an LCD screen. The bracelet also captures a person's mood, using an accelerometer to check if the heart rate is affected by movement. The heart rate would be displayed as a fluctuating line, which would be colour coded using scripts and would show when the partner is stressed. We know that the concept of presence and intimacy is what many devices do not have; therefore we believe that our bracelet would be a unique design for that issue. 1. Design 1.1 Design Idea Heart to heart is a unisex bracelet which is intended for long-term relationships. Two bracelets come in pairs in a package. They have a built-in Wi-Fi connector, so a mobile device is not needed. The bracelets would show real-time data about the other person's heart rate and variability on a LED screen. Bracelets would have a vibration sensor which would act as feedback to notify the user when their partner is viewing their heartbeat [3]. We originally wanted to implement mood into the bracelet however we thought that the mood aspect would be problematic since there are not many ways of effectively tracking an individual's mood. So we thought that we would use the heart rate and an accelerometer to group certain heart rates into categories and assign the colour to them (red, yellow and green), by recording this we can represent their level of stress as a type of mood indication with colour. Heart rate can be used to check on a person's stress levels. The LED light colour will reflect the respective user's level of stress and show a relevant colour using a colour scale; red-negative, yellow-neutral, green-positive. [4] The LCD screen will display a fluctuating line representing the heartbeat. 1.2 Design Goals The bracelet works on an intimate level and improves communication between couples with no need to interact with a mobile device or mobile application. Instead, bracelets would be connected via WebSocket to communicate with each other and transport data about the heart rate and the heart rate variability. 1.3 Competitors The most important part of our research was analysing the competitors. This led us to alter our idea several times, according to what products are already out there. One strong competitor is another bracelet, " Bond " [9], currently still a prototype, aimed at long-distance relatives, that allows people to communicate via vibrations, while the colours change depending on the duration of the touch. The only part of this project we didn't agree with is the connectivity: the bracelet connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth and then to an app. We agreed not to connect our device to a mobile app, as the project loses the personal feel and lowers the level of intimacy. Another inspiring project is "Pillow Talk" [8]. It enables couples to hear each other's heartbeats as they fall asleep through a pillow via a sensor underneath it. The user wears a sensor around their wrist that records the heartbeat, and this plays to the small sensor that lies beneath the pillow so that the partner can hear in real time. Once both partners are wearing their bracelet, the couple can play their heartbeats simultaneously as they fall asleep. The idea we liked the most and chose to implement, though differently, was playing the noise of a heartbeat through the pillow, as it encourages both a ludic, personal and intimate approach. The Apple Watch [2] is one of the strongest competitors on the market. It includes all the functions a person can think of and more. It has a sensor implemented that monitors the user's heartbeat and can send it to their partner, as well as reminding them to relax and give fitness advice. On the other hand, the multitude of functions makes it rather impersonal. We liked the idea of sending a vibration along with the message, which we decided to implement further into our bracelet. Instead of sending a text, either using voice to text input or actual typing, we thought of a more discreet, personal, and intimate way of communicating. Even though our original idea was communicating one's feeling through emoji's or GIF's, we realized that they would require a bigger screen, making our bracelet look and feel heavier than it needs to be. We, therefore, tried to change direction to target a wider range of users, including deaf and blind people, as well as people that just have a busy timetable and do not have time to chat with their loved ones. We adopted the idea that " Pillow Talk " is based on, calming both partners
This documentation includes the planning process and overview of the 3D interactive environment d... more This documentation includes the planning process and overview of the 3D interactive environment deployment based on the brief specification. Context – The scenario includes the specific character walking through the external maze, upcoming various obstacles and finding components to complete the game. The following tasks from the brief included: 1. Maze design and network of routes, with one route leading to the center of the maze. 2. A dynamic HUD or system that shows player's progression through the game. 3. Objects for the player to collect to complete the mission. 4. A " CODE " device. 5. Obstacles to make the game more challenging. 6. A player maze navigation aid that is enabled when certain tasks are completed. 7. A splash screen, at the start and the end of the game, to provide relevant information. Maze design and network of routes, with one route leading to the center of the maze. The maze is developed and designed in a way that the character needs to complete one section of the maze to have access to the second part of the maze. When certain objects are collected, the button appears on the screen, and when it is clicked it removes a certain wall of the maze where the " Code " device is located to complete the game. Problems and solutions-When I started to design the maze, I used C# script to generate it, however the maze did not show on the scene until the play button was pressed; therefore, I had to build it from the scratch using a cube prefab. (Figure 1)
Introduction : For my project, I choose to make a website about the Animation Film Festival. The... more Introduction : For my project, I choose to make a website about the Animation Film Festival. The scope of this website is to provide clear information about the festival and include schedule, news, tickets, info, gallery, and contact us pages.
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