Weekly+Logs

Over the break

 * Obtained iPhone for primary research
 * downloaded free apps that have the following functions: gps/mapping, photography, social networking

//__ Week01 __//
 * documentation wiki created and navigation added
 * content added to "Intro to Project", "Content Planning", "Schedule", and "Deliverables" pages
 * added benchmark study links

//__ Week02 __//
 * // visited benchmark study links and added screen captures that I found to be interesting from each site - benchmark study //
 * took note of different possible components for the website, started arranging information architecture - image
 * initial wireframe sketches of website - image
 * Challenge: I am currently overwhelmed by the amount of interactions and possibilities that my idea can have. I need to narrow it down and simplify not only to make it more feasible for myself, but more user-friendly and focused for the user. I will focus on three major categories : food, outdoor (nature - related), and recreational.

//__ Week03 __//
 * **Individual critique notes:**
 * after showing the initial wireframe concepts, it was suggested that I focus on either the app or the website, instead of both because they are essentially the same except with dimensional tweaks. The final product will now be revised to be an app which will suggest the continuation of it in all other formats such as the website. This settled some of my worries on the functionality and feasibility of my idea. Before the critique, I was worried that my plans were way over my head and beyond my capabilities. Now, I am assured that I can focus on the role of a designer (not a developer) and design an app that essentially in the end, can be passed off to a developer as is. The components I had drawn out so far are sufficient to move forward with. There will be a lot of small but crucial transition elements to work out between the pages and interactions.
 * Feedback was also given on the working title, and was agreed to drop the 'Travel' from the initial title and more forward with the 'guru' concept. Out of the list of possible names, either 'gooru' and 'goorue' can be seen having the most potential as it plays on the 'go' concept.
 * **Next Step:** lay out each page and possible route visually using more designed layouts. For example, opening the app to the log in page, then to the home page, then what are the possible routes the user can take?
 * updated process work page, schedule, deliverables
 * **Documentation Blog:**
 * [|Post]: Initial Wireframe
 * [|Post]: Name-Storming

//__ Week04 __//
 * **Peer Feedback:**
 * //added comment to Amy Lin and Farrah'sDiscussion//
 * //created Wordpress Documentation Site [|here]//
 * talked to my friend who is an app developer for dimensions
 * 480x320, but it's really 480 minus 10 (time/signal area) minus 44 (status bar if I want one).
 * iPhone 4 is double the resolution of old models.
 * **Documentation Blog:**
 * researched helpful iPhones App specs online:
 * [|Post]: helpful website by Jen Gordon - [|mobilelove.org]
 * [|Post]: Smashing Magazine "How to create your first iPhone app"

//__ Week05 __//
 * // **Documentation Blog:** //
 * [|Post] : Logo Development
 * finalized the name of the app (gooru) after initial typographic concepts
 * defined primary colors and general droplet icons for the brand
 * developed some initial logo concepts
 * revised detail wireframes
 * icon graphic concepts development
 * development of designed elements
 * Revised Wireframe sketches //[|here]//
 * added in some new sections and dissected the app into most possible navigational routes
 * added details: search bar, sorting toolbar, footer and header navigation, icon placement, additional search functions (map and categories), and starting screens.

//__ Week06 __// //__ Week07 __//
 * // **Documentation Blog:** //
 * [|Post] : Designing the Wireframes
 * Design development for sections of the app including: start-up>login>homepage, Search>category>findings, Profile>post
 * Working on the computer as opposed to paper has let me see some of the restrictions of space and size that was easily distorted on paper
 * Sections that I still need to design are: profile map view, location search function (map), keyword search, and the 'Quick Add' page(s).
 * After those sections are covered, and the navigational flow throughout the app is smooth, I will move onto details including button styles, adding depth, and adding real photos.
 * Meanwhile, I will continue to work on the branding element for Gooru to get a better idea of how the finished product will look.I will also start looking at some codes that may help me to mock-up certain functions of the app, and hold another meeting with my friend the app developer.

//__ Week08 __//

//__ Week09 __//

//__ Week10 __//
 * **Peer Feedback:**
 * //added comment [|Brenda] to and [|Sandra']s projects.//
 * [|Post]: Logo Revision & Icons
 * added depth to logo
 * created set of icons for app
 * [|Post]: Layout Development
 * implementation of colour scheme
 * created navigation buttons
 * established hierarchy and consistent elements
 * sorting toolbar established
 * created refined layouts to Intro, Home, Profile, and Search pages
 * __**Next Steps:**__
 * Quick Add pages
 * Search (move tabs at top to previous page)
 * Map/location layouts (for search and profile map view)
 * change 'view' icon to 'map'
 * Flow map (Double-sided poster)

//__ Week11 __// So quite a lot was done in this week. I revised layouts, reorganized navigation and added new elements as well as new pages. //__ [|Post] __ : New Element & Layouts // //__ [|Post] __ : Finalized layouts //
 * //__ [|Post] __ : More Pages, More Revisions! //
 * Scanned an posted new wireframe sketches of the remaining sections. Sketching these in detail really help me organize my thoughts and guide me where to go. At times, it's overwhelming because the app concept is so comprehensive. Many things are needed to make it useful but with each option comes a slew of other ones, all which need to be thought out carefully and links to each other. When I was sketching, my initial goal was just to lay things out visually to make it easier when I go to the computer. But as I started sketching, more details start coming up - things that I have missed and things that are redundant. Every time I change something, other things need to be changed. Every time I thought I was done and take a final look, something new comes up.
 * From my last critique, what was evident was that the top-level icons, such as Back and View (which is now Map or List), were not working visually. I decided to make them glossy buttons and instead of words, I created an icon for every possible button for consistency. The user can hover over each icon and a bubble would show up to tell them what it is in words. I feel that all the new symbols are pretty self-explanatory. They few that are more ambiguous such as "sort by closest" and "recently found" in the sorting toolbar can be familiarized with time.
 * //__ [|Post] __ : Map View //
 * I finally got around to putting together the map view. I screen capped some views that I thought suitable from Google Maps. This function would be plotting the droplets through GPS and Google Maps. I think this came up quite well! I added the preview, and for the profile map view, it's zoomed out to show the pattern of posts by that specific user.
 * // I changed a couple of the layouts: the loading page, Sign In page, tweaked the Post page and changes the category 'Landscape' to Sightseeing to incorporate both nature and architecture. //
 * // uploaded Final PDF of entire app: [|FINAL PDF] //
 * PDF of process work scans: [|Sketches]