Interaction Design Fundamentals VCD 102
In its simplest terms Interaction design is the design of the interaction between users and products. Most often when people talk about interaction design, the products tend to be software products like apps or websites. The goal of interaction design is to create products that enable the user to achieve their objective(s) in the best way possible.
The extra lecture readings proved helpful in understanding the fundamentals of interaction design. The 'Interaction Design Foundation' have made it simple by breaking down interaction design into a model to understand what this subject will involve.
1D: Words
Words—especially those used in interactions, like button labels—should be meaningful and simple to understand. They should communicate information to users, but not too much information to overwhelm the user.
2D: Visual representations
This concerns graphical elements like images, typography and icons that users interact with. These usually supplement the words used to communicate information to users.
3D: Physical objects or space
Through what physical objects do users interact with the product? A laptop, with a mouse or touchpad? Or a smartphone, with the user’s fingers? And within what kind of physical space does the user do so? For instance, is the user standing in a crowded train while using the app on a smartphone, or sitting on a desk in the office surfing the website? These all affect the interaction between the user and the product.
4D: Time
While this dimension sounds a little abstract, it mostly refers to media that changes with time (animation, videos, sounds). Motion and sounds play a crucial role in giving visual and audio feedback to users’ interactions. Also of concern is the amount of time a user spends interacting with the product: can users track their progress, or resume their interaction some time later?
5D: Behaviour
This includes the mechanism of a product: how do users perform actions on the website? How do users operate the product? In other words, it’s how the previous dimensions define the interactions of a product. It also includes the reactions—for instance emotional responses or feedback—of users and the product.
With this extra research I was able to gain a deeper understanding into what VCD 102 will involve in relation to design. Within the subject we have 2 design tasks to showcase interaction design, one through visually representing data in an infographic and another creating a prototype website for an event that we create.
When Numbers Speak : Task 1
Seeing the power of infographics within this inforgraphic was the perfect way to represent the importance of respresenting data to show information.
This first project is about visualising data: turning numbers and data into accessible and interesting visuals. In weeks 1-3 we were guided to follow the steps of the exploratory stage.
Following this process the Exploratory stage was as follows:
1. Define the focus, story, goals and tasks.
2. Do your research, gather and collate.
3. Choose graphic forms acording to 1.
4. Create sketches and storyboards to understand structure.
5. Complete your research, refine your text.
6. Establish maps, graphics and diagrams to tell your story.
With this structure in mind and timeline set out I was able to begin the first three steps to determine what topic I would complete based on the information avaliable. Number 2 data collection would ultimately determine the topic as the data needed would have to be in an amount applicable to the infographic whilst also having enough to tell the story of the information creating that crucial connection between graphic and reader. With that I immediately used pinterest to gain some general topics of interest.
SPACE/STARS/UNIVERSE
Animal/Species/Endangered
With this basic research I was able to pin point my interests to make sure I will enjoy creating the infographic based on the topic but also looking at the data set avaliable. With further research and preference in the way the data intereacted with the design components the Endagered species option was slowly standing out to be the best in both fields of interest and data set avaliable.
With that I found my topic of interest thus continuing with the exploratory stages in weeks 3-4.
Until Next Time, Live and Laugh,
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