This week is one of the busiest of the semester so far, and iMedia has something to do with it. Earlier in the week I worked to get content done for the television application so computer science students can upload it to the template in time for user testing. Since then, I've been brainstorming the best ways to create interactive graphics for the iPhone. I've also been working with Shelby Murphy to figure out what changes to the old iPhone interface we absolutely need to make before user testing begins.
Creating graphics for the television screen involves a lot of thought and planning. I have to keep in mind the size of the television, the distance people are going to be from the television and how navigation is going to work. It was much more of a challenge to create interactive graphics for the television than I thought it would be.
My work on the television is going to be different than my work for the iPhone application. The iPhone's navigation is much more versatile than the televisions. Instead of four simple directional buttons, the iPhone offers a full touchscreen for users to interact with. As an iPhone user, I enjoy interacting with the touchscreen. At first I thought it was just because of the novelty of the thing, but after a semester of use I think it's just because the touchscreen enriches the online experience. I want to keep that in mind when we're deciding on content for the iPhone testing.
I've also spent this week thinking about the complexity of this class. It brings together multiple disciplines to create a product that has literally thousands of variables. Late last week we discussed changing the name of the application and there were variables brought up that I hadn't even considered. The best solution is a synthesis of the best ideas from each area, I think. Hopefully we'll be testing multiple names in the future so we can see which one people respond to.
Communication is another important aspect of this class. The complex situation outlined above is just one of many we're going to have to solve throughout the semester. Without the proper communication about these topics it's unlikely anything will be solved. Communication is interesting, and sometimes frustrating, for me. I'm constantly connected via my iPhone and other means. Almost literally every second of the day I'm able to respond to phone calls, text messages, e-mails, online chats, Tweets and other forms of communication. If you try to contact me I'll get back with you almost instantaneously the vast majority of the time. Everyone isn't this connected, however, so the instant communication I'm used to doesn't happen at times. I think it's necessary for all of us to be connected; after all, we are designing an iPhone app and most iPhone users are extremely connected.
We have class in a bit, so this post needs to end. I can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring.
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