Information Architecture: Readings and Solution

Our final project in Information Architecture has started, and I'm looking forward to the outcome. This will be a new experience for our entire class, as we are designing applications for the iphone operating system. 

We are beginning with one of the subcultures that our class has researched into. Since I chose the bike commuter subculture for the last User Experience project, I'll be designing for the sustainable DIY subculture. 

After reviewing the DIY research book, particularly to the task analysis, and reviews, I brainstormed and considered a wide range of topics to gear this new application toward. In the end, I've decided to create an application assisting DIYer's in joining together in collectives and organizations. DIYer's naturally work on an individual basis, but there is a hidden desire to work together, share knowledge, and above all contribute to society. My application will make a community where DIY users can easily group together based on individual interests, skills, location, etc., and help them find opportunities with volunteer organizations such as those assisting with natural disasters and even community issues on a much more localized level. 

Designing for the iphone has proven to be a difficult and interesting experience thus far. The screen is far smaller than your typical computer screen, and legibility and organization seem to be major concerns. I'm hoping to capitalize on both the gestures used to interact with the iphone interface and icons to help maximize screen real estate. 

Here are the 5 points I found most interesting from the first 2 readings on the subject of designing for the iphone platform.

1. Gestures Reading: Supported Gestures

The 8 listed gestures listed under the table section were a great reference. I haven't had much experience with the iphone, so it's nice to know the simple interface options that bridge hand and software.

2. Icons Reading: Immediacy

Icon immediacy is imperative to icon effectiveness. The examples of the brush were great in showing excess detail, and the importance of simplification in form. 

3. Icons Reading: Standard Icons

I thought this section was the most helpful of my listed 5. Knowing what icons are used across the iphone platform is infinitely helpful. It was also interesting hearing that they are used in many different situations.

4. Icons Reading: Cohesiveness

Cohesiveness is a design essential. You don't want a finalized design solution to seem pieced together and mismatched. The series of balls was a great example in following a similar theme as well.

5. Gestures Reading: Custom Gesture Tips

The custom gestures section shared some great information on capitalizing on the iphones touch interactive features. It also never occurred to me that fingers of the user do cover a good portion of the screen space. It's important to consider that in the design.

VisCom2: Merch Screenshots

So here are some more screen shots of my workspace. These were 2 more rough concepts for the Smithsonian merchandising campaign.

In the end, I decided to go with a merging of the "Image masked inside the icon" and the Icon creating pattern" concepts.  So here is the workspace for that one. From here I'll just be finalizing the design and working with text. The color choice was inspired from the yellow set of my colored icons. I'll also be printing these and binding them in a book after they go through critique.

Type2: 1st article for zine content

This first article is a New York Times article, written about the first man to climb Everest, and his experience there. I would like to find some less obvious articles though, so I'll keep looking.  Maybe one on high altitudes, or the formation of mountains.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/weekinreview/13wilford.html

VisCom2: "Ascending Everest" Crit Post.

The icon set has been completed in it's colored forms. In the end I actually ended up with 2 colored sets with 2 different applications.  Background choices were difficult but were ultimately left as a simple square with rounded corners.  This related to the trail marker of outdoor trails.


Here's the set:

Application to images and clothing and equipment brands was really my inspiration to the set. I would love to see these icons presented in a North Face catalog, or other outdoor zines.  The black background is needed when interacting with photography.  The background elements make the icons illegible otherwise.  The orange set was made to really pop from the imagery, and set it apart from any dark backgrounds where the squares might be drowned out.

VisCom2: "Ascending Everest" Crit Stuff

So for my icons, I've decided to keep with a simplified geometric style using a series of highlights to create a cohesive series.  The title, "Ascending Everest" speaks for it's narrative, a treacherous climb to the summit of the worlds toughest mountain.  Each icon has an enphasis on an upward diagonal movement, not only to have more similiarities across the board, but to really give that sense of climbing and getting to greater heights.  I think it makes them more dynamic as well. All the icons also share a series of gaps, to keep them from feeling too solid or dense.

The series turned out well in their black and white forms, but there are a few icons I'd like to see improvements on.  The crampons/ boot icon is nice, but still seems to be lacking something, and the flag looks somewhat like a pencil.  Not sure how to solve the flags problems.  I also think that the backpack could use something still.  The backpack was by far the icon that needed the most iterations and work, and it still isn't up to par with my expectations. 

The project has been a great one, and I look forward to translating them into color.


Here are the Icons individually:

Here they are as a set.

And here is a sample of the linear documentation/ process of creating the Ice Axe icon.