DR2008_10-13_Final Project Preparation (Part 5: CATour)

Final Project, My Work, Process Journal,

CATour

I decided to move on with an app named CATour with CAT → Campus Art Trail and Tour → Orientation Tour. It is meant to be a platform to: introduce NTU Museum, introduce NTU Mobile App and bonding platform

The Tour itself is to be conducted as part of NTU ADM Orientation Programme in group of 8 freshmen which every participants will download NTU Mobile App.

Flow

After summarising everything, I tried to simplify the experience and explain the flow with the following slides. I feel that the flow is quite straightforward and simple to be understood especially by first time user.

Prototype

I created the prototype using Figma.com and it was my first time using it. Interestingly, it was quite friendly and intuitive even though I still had to look for tutorials for certain functions. Overall, I am happy to learn to use FIgma.com.

It is the link: https://tinyurl.com/CATour-prototype

Video: CATour Demo Video

Design Rationale

The visuals of CATour is meant to fit NTU Mobile App while maintaining the vibe to be fun and personalised to add sense of ownership and retain attention of users.

User Journey Map

Lastly, I wanted to analyse the journey that a user experience and try to create a user journey map and filled it with real-life reasonings to make it as relatable as possible.

Reference

DR2008_14_Presentation: CATour

Final Project, My Work, Process Journal, 
Presentation: CATour
Group: Natasya Adistana
Date: 21 November 2019 (Week 14)
Slides: PDF or Google Slides

Insights & Reflections: There is really a lot to learnt in designing an experience. There is endless research and trial and error for a project. It feels like there is always room for improvement and striving to be better every day is better than for perfection.

DR2008_10-13_Final Project Preparation (Part 4: Survey and Trip)

Final Project, My Work, Process Journal,

Survey

Questions:

  1. Year of study
  2. Gender
  3. How familiar are you with NTU Mobile App?
  4. Any opinion on NTU Mobile App? 
  5. How familiar are you with NTU Museum?
  6. Any opinion on NTU Museum?
  7. Did you join the ADM Orientation when you were a freshman?
  8. Do you think it’s important to know the artworks in NTU? Why?
  9. Would you prefer to explore artworks in a group or individual?
  10. How do you find the idea of exploring artworks in NTU as part of ADM Orientation?

Results:

Trip

I went to a trip for both routes to take photos, measure travel time as well as finalising activities on each artworks.

Some notes from the trip

  • Untitled is inaccessible as the venue is being closed for exam preparation
  • The furthest is to go from Tete-a-tete to The Third Paradise (North Group)
  • The closest artworks are Media Art Nexus and Fern (North Group)

Each game duration is set at maximum 8 minutes, except for the final game 20 minutesl

After collating the travel time and adding buffer time, and adding game duration, this is the estimated tour duration:

DR2008_10-13_Final Project Preparation (Part 3: Research)

Final Project, My Work, Process Journal,

Research Categories

To support the solution, I conducted research to further know more

  • NTU Freshmen Orientation
  • ADM Orientation
  • Case study: NTU Mobile App
  • Target Audience
  • Survey
  • Research conclusion

NTU Freshmen Orientation Research

About Freshmen Orientation

The Undergraduate Orientation Coordinating Committee (UOCC) has implemented the Transition & Orientation Programme @ NTU since Academic Year 2017-18. The First-Year TOP experience aims to help freshmen start off right and make the transition throughout the entire first year. This resulted from surveys that were conducted with students, as well as a long consultative process involving all stakeholders, especially seniors and freshmen. Student organisers have already been briefed. For the general student body, the changes are summarised in the list of Questions and Answers below.

What is the UOCC?

UOCC stands for Undergraduate Orientation Coordinating Committee. The UOCC is responsible for coordinating all orientation activities for freshmen to provide the best experience for them to learn and adjust to University life.

The UOCC is chaired by the Associate Provost (Student Life) and comprises representatives from:

  • NTU Students’ Union (NTUSU)
  • The College of Engineering
  • The College of Science
  • The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences,
  • Nanyang Business School
  • National Institute of Education, and
  • Other university departments

What are the objectives of Freshmen Orientation?

The UOCC, in consultation with student leaders and representatives, has identified the following primary objectives for Freshmen Orientation:

  • Welcome all freshmen to the NTU Community
  • Share the skills and knowledge for navigating through their first academic year**
  • Inform all freshmen about their rights and responsibilities
  • Develop a sense of belonging to NTU
  • Provide opportunities for all freshmen to meet and interact with other students
  • Inform freshmen where they can get help with administrative and personal matters
  • Provide opportunities for freshmen to become familiar with the campus, facilities, resources and services
  • Provide information about student organisations

Schools, Halls, and Student Organisations may place different emphasis on these specific objectives. Organisers are free to design the orientation programme in accordance to the priorities set by UOCC.

For instance, School Freshmen Orientation activities will focus on teaching participants the individual skills and knowledge to help them through their first year. On the other hand, Hall orientation activities emphasise awareness of the surrounding facilities and resources, and foster a strong sense of belonging and identity to the Hall community. Student Organisations will introduce freshmen to the university’s student clubs and societies.

ADM Orientation Research

ADM 2019 Orientation Details
ADM Orientation 2019 Instagram
ADM Orientation 2019 Invitation

NTU Mobile App Research

Target Audience Research & Persona Creation

User personas creation steps:

  1. Collect extensive data on target users.
    • Majority of NTU ADM students are female
    • NTU ADM freshmen are mostly from JC (17-18 y.o.) or Polytechnic (18-19 y.o) or NS Men (19-21 y.o), age range 17-21
    • Background: art background & non-art background
  2. Develop a hypothesis from the research, determining the qualities of and differences between users.
    • The user can be male and female
    • The user can be local or international students, however it’s more likely to be local due to
      • Invitation for NTU ADM Orientation sent by mail might reach International students late
      • International students may not have arrived in Singapore during the earlier orientation dates
    • The user may enrol with formal art education background or no art background
      • JC: majority no art background
      • Polytechnic: more technical background but majority not from art-related courses
  3. Ensure stakeholders agree on the hypothesis about the users.
  4. Determine a number of personas – more than one per project, but focus especially on one.
  5. Name and describe each persona in 1-2 pages, including:
    • Name: Angela
    • Age: 18
    • Gender: Female
    • Occupation: NTU ADM Freshmen
    • Nationality: Singaporean
    • Education: Polytechnic
    • Formal art education: None
    • Marital status: Single
  6. A picture.
  7. User’s values, interests, education, lifestyle, needs, attitudes, desires, limitations, goals and behavior patterns.’
    1. Values
      • Knowledge
      • Friends and belonging
    2. Interests
      • Movies
      • Photography
    3. Education
      • Polytechnic (Accountancy)
    4. Lifestyle
      • Doesn’t stay in hall, travel daily
      • Loves bubble tea
      • Work part-time at a cafe
    5. Needs
      • Guidance on school work
      • University friends and belongings
      • Motivation in work
    6. Attitudes
      • Want to learn
      • Curious
    7. Desires
      • Do well in school
      • Ability to use applications
      • Good portfolio
      • Decide design 
    8. Limitations
      • Limited design application knowledge
      • Limited friends in the same course as she changed stream to art
      • Limited time 
    9. Goals
      • Find friends
      • Decide design art or media art
      • Looking for CCA to join
    10. Behaviour patterns
      • Travel 40 minutes for one-way to NTU from home
      • Stay at school library during non-class time to do work
      • Work part-time at a cafe during weekend
  8. Empathy map

    Say

    		 Do Think Feel
    “I don’t know anyone here, I really want to make some friends.”

    “I am not sure if I get in to the correct course and which design pathway is more suitable for me.”

    “I don’t have a strong art background, I hope I will stay motivated throughout the year.”

    		 Join the orientation to make friends

    Read more on the pathways available

    Consult with tutors and ask for seniors experiences

    Find classmate/senior to help familiarise with apps used

    		 What will the orientation programme be like?

    What kind of people will I meet? 

    Why do I have to choose pathway only after 1 semester? 

    Can I do my best in school?

    Is excited about upcoming orientation

    Is concern for not knowing anyone and ability to make new friends

    Is confused and afraid of making the wrong choice in pathway

    Is worried about her ability to cope with no art background
  9. Extra details about the persona (e.g., interests) – anything to make him/her more real and relevant and help build empathy. A written story is better than bullet points.
  10. Describe several situations/scenarios prompting the persona to use your product – put him/her in contexts with problems to overcome.
  11. Include everyone involved in the project so they’ll accept the persona (or advise revisions).
  12. Send them the persona to use in their work.
  13. Ensure everyone develops scenarios – exposing the persona optimally to potential use cases.
  14. Make continuous adjustments – revisit the persona, adding new features; add required new personas; discard outdated personas.

Final Persona

  • Name: Angela
  • Age: 18
  • Gender: Female
  • Occupation: NTU ADM Freshmen
  • Nationality: Singaporean
  • Education: Polytechnic
  • Formal art education: None
  • Marital status: Single
  • Online locations: work and mobile
  • Computers(s): iPhone 8 and Macbook Pro
  • Internet usage: 8-9 hours
  • Angela’s story:
    Angela is a freshmen of NTU ADM. She studied Accoutancy at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and decided to pursue art in University. She loves to watch movies and do photography in her free time. She works part-time at a cafe during weekend for her personal allowance. She doesn’t stay in NTU Hall and travel for 2 hours daily to reach school.
    She doesn’t have any formal education in art and worry that it might hinder her from doing well in University. However, she is a curious and fast-learner thus she hopes to be able to cope with the modules. She also wishes to find some course mates who will be able to study and do work together.She knows about the ADM syllabus that require her to choose a programme between Design Art and Media Art but she is still unsure of which one she should choose from. She doesn’t have any friends or seniors in ADM thus hoping to make new friends by joining the ADM orientation programme.
  • Angela’s situation
    • Goals, motivation
      • Make new friends and last bonding and belongings
      • Know which pathway to pursue for future aspiration
      • Stay motivated throughout University life
    • Key words
      • Orientation, friendship, bonding, knowledge, motivation 

References

DR2008_10-13_Final Project Preparation (Part 2: Development)

Final Project, My Work, Process Journal,

Artworks Categorisation

I proceed with grouping and analysing each artwork. As there will be two routes, I want both of them to be complementary to each other, and for the artworks to be able to be classified and categorised together.

I realised that the number of initial artwork of 13 (including landmarks) was too much, thus I wanted to shortlist them. In doing so, I read more on each artwork and how they can be categorised and grouped.

And I end up with these possible categories:

  1. traditional art (painting & sculpture)
  2. community art
  3. renewable energy art
  4. functional art
  5. eco-friendly art

with this, I grouped the artworks to be:

  1. traditional art: Vibrance & The Wind and Wings
  2. community art: Media Art Nexus & Apollo’s Dream
  3. renewable energy art: Fern & Dandelion
  4. functional art: Red Solace & Tete-a-tete
  5. other art: Untitled (historical) & The Third Paradise (mixed media)

and also eliminated three artwork which are The Hive, Yunnan Garden and Loop.

Tour Route

Processing the information, I created the routes for the plan

(North Group)
Dandelion > Media Art Nexus > Fern > Red Solace > Apollo’s Dream > The Third Paradise

(South Group)
Dandelion  > The Wind and Wings > Vibrance > Untitled > Téte-a-tété > The Third Paradise

Tour Device

For the use of device, I decided to use mobile phone for every participant and the number of participants per group will be limited to eight.

Tour Aim

Planning further after realising the different category of artworks, I wanted to make the experience to be more meaningful for the target audience, ADM freshmen by showing them on how their study in ADM can lead to different possibilities of artworks that they can create, and even to be a part of NTU Museum. The tour hopefully will serve as an eye-opener as well as motivation for the newly enrolling students.

Tour Activities

I continued with the possible activities at the artworks. The idea was to use Augmented Reality (AR) in order to identify and interact with the artworks where afterwards, everyone will get to collect information about the artworks. The information will later on be shared among the two groups in order to complete the final task and finish the tour.

Feedback

Some feedback that I got about this:

  1. It is a good idea to have involve a specific target audience with a specific purpose of the tour
  2. The NTU Museum is relevant for ADM students where students are part of the design process of some artworks
  3. AR is expensive and may brainstorm to more affordable solution

DR2008_10-13_Final Project Preparation (Part 1: Ideation)

Final Project, My Work, Process Journal,

Initial Mapping

Initially, the project began with two different zones (North and South) from my group’s previous mapping exercise. With the two different zones, it is then implied that there will be two routes for the tour. In addition, it was for secondary school students who are visiting NTU.

NTU ADM Mapping Project

Concept Ideation

After thinking through more of the idea, I wanted to explore on other target audience and repurpose the tour. I came up with two ideas:

  1. A tour for ADM freshmen that will be held during ADM orientation
  2. A tour for anyone to find a random buddy to explore the artworks (the concept of Tinder)

Both will be given incentives if completed the by the participants. There is also idea for them be participatory and leave their marks (photo, comment, sharing, etc) online after the tour completion. The main difference is the number of participants (big group vs smaller group) and the purpose of the tour.

After further sharing and discussion with Kristy, I decided to go with the first option.

Feedback

Some feedback that she has given asked me to explore more on these:

  1. Is there any greater purpose for the participants? Like what can they gain by joining the tour (other than the knowledge that they actually can read online)
  2. What makes the tour different than just following a map?
  3. A better map is printed or digital?
  4. As the group size will be big, will they use tablet or phone? How many device will be needed?
  5. Find other activities with the artwork, not only Q&A
  6. How will the two group interact with each other and what’s the intention of splitting them? i.e. competition

As a follow up, I am to proceed with this:

  1. Research on each artworks
    1. find relations
    2. pair/group artwork
    3. create narrative
  2. create experience plan
  3. create prototype
  4. finding a greater purpose of the tour such as to introduce ADM students to technology and possible artworks

DR2008_09_Presentation: Thoughtful Interaction Design

Midterm Project, My Work, Readings 
Presentation: Thoughtful Interaction Design
Group: Arinjit Das, Rebecca Yilma, Natasya Adistana
Date: 17 October 2019 (Week 9)
Slides: PDF or Google Slides

Insights & Reflections: Being a thoughtful designer is a very important thing in our modern context and we should not underestimate the power of a design. It has been a method to not only change aesthetic but also to shape one’s mindset and way of think.

DR2008_Recess Week_Reading: Goal-Directed Product and Service Design

My Work, Readings 
Designing for the Digital Age (2009) by Kim Goodwin, Chapter 1: Goal-Directed Product and Service Design
Designing for the Digital Age

Design is the craft of visualizing concrete solutions that serve human needs and goals within certain constraints. These solutions could be tangible products, such as buildings, software, consumer electronics, or advertisements, or they could be services that are intended to provide a specific sort of experience. Design must serve human needs and goals, accomplish something in an efficient, effective, safe and enjoyable way. Interaction design is a discipline focused on defining the form and behaviour of interactive products, services and systems.

One of the method is Goal-Directed Design which assumes the best way to design a successful product is to focus on achieving goals. It incorporates the goals of the customers and the business creating the product or service while encompasses the design of a product’s behaviour, visual form and physical form. The method provides a framework within which skilled designers can generate great solutions with the confidence that the method will help them get it right. The method consists of four components: principles, patterns, process, and practices. Principles are guidelines for creating good solutions under specific circumstances. Patterns are types of solutions that tend to be useful for certain classes of problems. process: the steps and techniques involved in planning and conducting design research, using it to develop personas, scenarios, and requirements, then using those to develop and iterate a design solution. Process depends in large part upon the project management practices that support it.

An effective design method supports designers in doing what they do best: visualizing concrete solutions to human problems. Goal-Directed Design helps skilled designers ensure thoroughness, timely execution, and consistently high quality of output. It also helps ensure that the design effort is not in vain by making the thought process transparent to the rest of the product team.

Personally, I believe that this method is a really effective way to shape and plan a team culture in creating a product. Especially, if it is to be applied in a team with a large number of people. I realised that it has the big categories, it also has its own small elements that are very practical as well. It is indeed not a one-time method but a skill that will definitely be developed over time. Thus, practicing is the best way to familiarise and make best use of the method as it is a long term implementation.

Reference
[1] Goodwin, Kim. Designing for the Digital Age:  How to Create Human-Centered Products and Services. 1st edition. John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

DR2008_07_Presentation: NTU Museum Map Redesign

Midterm Project, My Work 
Presentation: NTU Museum Map Redesign
Group: Jessie, Joslyn, Rebecca, Natasya
Date: 26 September 2019 (Week 7)
Slides: PDF or Google Slides

Insights & Reflections: We should consider on the starting and ending points on the maps and how the map is being used in a real context. We can research more on the target audience to create a supporting narrative for the use of the map.

DR2008_05_Reading: Introduction to Thoughtful Interaction Design

My Work, Readings 
Thoughtful Interaction Design (2004) by Jonas Löwgren and Erik Stolterman, Chapter 1: Introduction

Every design proposal is formulated in a close relationship with a changing and growing understanding of the situation. Since this is an ongoing process, it is never possible to determine whether a design proposal is right or wrong. The design process begins when the initial ideas concerning a possible future take shape then goes on all the way to a complete and final specification that can function as a basis for construction or production. Every design process is unique with the preconditions for design work change from one occasion to the next. Every design process is affected by the people responsible for carrying out the work and existing conditions, such as available staff, tools, and time. The process is also a consequence of the specifics of the design situation at hand.

Also, design is about uncertainty, ethical activity that is deeply influenced by values and ideals. Design is also an aesthetic activity that influence our lives not only on their functionality but also from their form and the way we experience them in use situations. Design is a political and ideological activity since every design affects our possibilities for actions and our way of being in the world. These views of design, leads to a realization that design includes responsibility. In order to handle the complexity of interaction design, there is a need for a reflective mind, labelled as a thoughtful designer.

The responsibility for what is created is fully in the hands of the designer. As the design of digital artifacts is largely open and unbounded, this leaves us with a situation where the designer wields significant power, and with such power comes responsibility. It becomes important to ask questions about what is good and what is bad design, and about the goals to which an interaction designer should lend her skills.

I could not agree more on the importance of thoughtful designers in the world. It is not easy but really important approach to design with consideration of other aspects in mind, not only fulfilling one’s goal but how it will impact others. Currently, it might be seem as just a small insignificant task but actually those ‘small’ decisions are part of shaping our present and future, no matter how small it seems to be. We never know what kind of influence and impact we can bring to the society. Therefore, let’s be thoughtful! 🙂

Reference
[1] Löwgren, Jonas., and Stolterman, Erik. Thoughtful Interaction Design a Design Perspective on Information Technology Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2004.