Archive for April, 2009
MAS – EI – Week 4
Apr 30th
Presentations: Students present mock-up of interface design.
Lesson: Transparent Interfaces - Touch & motion is the medium. From the iPhone (touch) to the Wii (motion and balance) to camera tracking (PS Eye/webcams), see how interaction can be done beyond the mouse. Applying user’s knowledge with real world, tactical experiences (turning, pulling, pushing, etc.).
Clips of various Touch & Motion Interfaces –
- Johnny Lee – the WiiMote moving beyond the Wii
- Microsoft Surface
- High precision multitouch
- Mobile projector computer
- Electrostatic Interface
- Impress
- Reactable
More fun to get your minds rolling –
Assignment: You will develop an interface-free navigation for an application for the iPhone, Wii, or camera enabled computer.
MAS – EI – Week 3
Apr 21st
Presentations: Students present an updated navigation concept from assignment 2
Lesson: Usability and Functionality -  A look at different media devices and menu systems. Including websites, mobile devices (iPhone/DSi), PS3 XMB, Xbox 360 NXE (DiRT menu), Blu-ray and DVD menus. Students are welcome to bring any of these systems to class. Since we will have a few systems on hand we may also cover game interefaces and menu systems if there is enough time. So if you bring a system please bring a game or two.
Terminology:
-Usability – The ease by which someone can make use of a tool to complete a particular task or reach a goal. (usability on Wikipedia)
-Functionality – capable of operating functions…. capable of completing tasks or a set of tasks. (Dictionary.com)
-User Interface – the means by which a person can interact with or manipulate a system and the way a system indicates the effects of users’ actions on the system.
Assignment: You will create an interface (PSD mock-up) for a new media entertainment device. This will not be a video game interface but it can be an interface mock-up for a video game console.
MAS – EI – Week 2
Apr 14th
Presentations: All students will present websites and site maps from assignment 1.
Lesson: Navigation Design - A look at how, when and where to use it. The use of text, rollovers, sound, images, icons in navigation (GUI). Art of simplicity and intuitive forms of interaction using navigation.
Use of Text: Craigslist, on my wordpress site just rollover any links
Rollovers: Michael Battle (simple and clean), Phong (animated with flash), Don’t Click (clickless navigation)
Sounds: Praystation (onclick)
Breadcrumbing: Craigslist, IMDB
Combinations: GettyImages (Drop-down), CSSplay (Fly-out)
Experimental: VaryWell (scrolling, tool tips, window/tile based)
Terminology:
-Paradigm
“a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind.”
… Clarke, Thomas and Clegg, Stewart (eds). Changing Paradigms. London: HarperCollins, 2000.ISBN 0-00-638731-4
-Navigation – The process of reading or controlling movement from one place to another.
-Breadcrumbs or breadcrumbing – leaving a trail that can be followed back to a starting point.
Assignment: You will create a new form of navigation for an existing website. Use the same site from assignment 1 but it would be more beneficial to try another.
MAS – EI – Week 1
Apr 6th
The attendance policy: If you miss 2 classes you will get a warning letter from the Registrar, 3 missed classes means an ‘F’ in that class & means retaking the class next quarter & paying an additional $950; if you don’t retake the class you will not be able to graduate (you’ll be short on credits).
Contacting Me: jacob@miamiadschool.com
-or through facebook.
An Introduction to interfaces and information architecture?
-Minimal
…GOOGLE (best example)
…iPod
-Complex
Terminology
-Taxonomy
…”A taxonomy is a collection of Controlled Vocabulary terms organized into a hierarchical structure. Each term in a taxonomy is in one or more parent/child (broader/narrower) relationships to other terms in the taxonomy.” – http://et.afsnet.org/glossary.html
-Sitemap
…A a simplified textual/graphical layout of the taxonomy often represented in a tile or card format.
-Glen Doss – ORC Macro Sitemap PDF (further examples can be found at GDOSS.com)
Important Reads:Â Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Keith Andrews – Dec. 2, 2008 Lecture Notes
Assignment:
-Research websites and bring 3 examples of some of your preferred website interfaces/interaction.
-Construct a full site map based on one of the sites showing the taxonomy.