Since February 2021, I have participated in the course of design and new media. In this course, I came into contact with the contemporary media and the latest communication design methodology, and understood the process and principles of user experience design. This article is a reflection report on this course. I divide it into four parts.
- Describe what did i do ,read,see?
In this course, I learned some design methods and design thinking . These methods and ideas helped and supported my next projects. I think they are very important.
in the first place，This is a conventional approach to understanding design. It divides the whole process into several different stages，from concept design to development design to detail design.And each part can be iterated repeatedly.
（Engineering Design Methods，Nigel Cross，2008）
The design funnel starts from the idea to the end of the usability test.
（Sketching User Experiences ，Bill Buxton，2007）
Double Diamond clearly conveys a design process to designers and non-designers alike.
（Double Diamond，Design Council，2015）
Design thinking has five phases : discovery, interpretation, ideation, experimentation, and evolution.
(Design Thinking For Educators，IDEO,2016)
This is the classic process of design thinking. From empathy, definition, ideate, prototype to testing. These five steps start from scratch, but iterate as much as possible.
（Design Thinking, DSchool Stanford ,2005)
(5C Model ,Friis and Gelting,2014)
In this course I did four projects.
The first project is personal maps. First of all, I made clear the basic definition of map, including its basic elements, functionality, etc. Then I went through the book “you are here”.The book is divided into three parts: “personal geography”, “home of the world” and “Kingdom of fantasy”, with a total of 50 full-color and 50 black-and-white map illustrations. After seeing a map about birds in the book, I was inspired and investigated more works about word arrangement and visual communication.My idea is to list all the keywords about myself and then categorize them. If we arrange them near the center of “I”, we may give different color groups according to their different properties. Based on my idea, I made some sketches.Finally, I decided to choose a more direct but more detail oriented approach. I combine these keywords by font, size and arrangement. I take the initiative to choose what people see first and then what they see. The visual focus has the beginning, the shift and the end. I take the initiative to control the change of visual focus and make it a guide on the map.
The second item is about research approvals and user modeling. In this project, we learned how to conduct research for a specific user group, how to better understand our users, and then carry out user modeling to help our subsequent design. I conducted a survey on the experience of cold tea making among 16 to 25 young Chinese. First of all, I studied the current relationship between products and users. I get to know the attitude of users through the pictures, videos and words they post on social media and we media. Then I did data research and collation on the largest shopping website completely monopolized in China. Next, I collected and understood more detailed information of 50 users through questionnaire survey, and made analysis and collation. Through a variety of research methods, I have a basic understanding of user groups. Based on the above process, I have carried out user modeling in at least three ways. The way I choose is persona, empathy map and user journey map.For example ,empathy mapping helps my consider how other people are thinking and feeling. Typically, research notes are categorized based on what the research interviewees were thinking, feeling, doing, seeing, and hearing as they engaged with your product.（Nikki Knox,2014)
The third project is a weather app design for key stage 2 school children. I use the method of pact to analyze from four aspects: people, activities, context and technologies. Personnel: relevant user characteristics and skills. Activity: how is the activity going? Why? What can be improved? Context: the context of the activity. Technology: what tools are used now and how to use the new development? According to the pack I did, I completed two user modeling. In addition to making them interesting to learn about real-time weather or recent weather, I decided to add weather games and knowledge to my app. So I studied the existing weather apps and educational games for children of this age group. After the second research, I did sketch ideas for my initial ideas and put them together. Then I set up a rough rough wireframe and a precisely rough wireframe.
After the first test, I modified the details, and I pay more attention to the jump between pages and the overall logic of the app. Record and edit the test process by video to show it.
The fourth theme of the project is equality. I first clarified the concept of equality and made a mind map.Then I did a preliminary study on equality. After basic research, I found that many works are aimed at those who discriminate against others and make them change their thoughts and behaviors. I want to target those who have experienced inequality. After experiencing inequality, they will experience a lot of psychological changes. A lot of them have mental problems. I want to do something for this group, maybe therapy or comfort. I want to make a design that really takes care of them. Based on this idea, I did pact analysis, and asked questions and upgraded my ideas through how might we. After raising these questions and thinking, I think we should better understand the target group. I started with some face-to-face interviews. Then I conducted an online questionnaire survey and received 50 valid responses. Based on the survey of user groups, I made two personas, and then expressed my basic idea of APP construction through sketch. I made a rough wireframe, then made a rough paper model, and had someone else test it for me. In this process, I iterate and improve. Then I made a more elaborate prototype. After repeated testing and modification, I made the final high fidelity prototype.
- Interpret What was the reason I did this activity?
During this period, I feel more that in every project, the most important part is not final, but the process. As designers, we should really pay attention to users, rather than blindly improve our products unilaterally. User experience is a very important part. For example, in the process of making empathy map, I found that it can really help me to consider the user’s thoughts and feelings. In this process, I will do what users do, how they feel, what they think and so on, and each part has achieved the best. This allows me to better find the pain points and the real needs of users. Before the part, for me, users are still “them”. Empathy can make the users in my eyes become more real existence, and I know them better, so I can make user experience more friendly design.Empathy paves the way for innovative design concepts to be revealed.（Nikki Knox，2014）
- Evaluate How was this useful？
I think this period of study, let me have a basic understanding of interaction design. And I understand a clear design steps, the method and significance of each link. I feel that interaction design is the most closely connected link with users, which is highly interactive and crucial for users’ sensory experience. Through more detailed and comprehensive user research, my users can solve problems more smoothly and efficiently in a certain scenario. In the process of design, I make the product easier to understand, make the operation more smooth, and make the user experience more pleasant. I hope to make more interaction design based on user experience in the future, to really help users improve the experience, to really make the design change life, and to realize more value of my design.
- Plan How will I transfer or apply my new knowledge and insights in the future?
What I learned in this course not only helped me lay the foundation for my next study, but also made a good start of interaction design. It is also of great help to my future design career. I hope I can do any design, do not forget the people-oriented design concept, the user experience in the most important position. Overall solution ideas, do a good job in user analysis, design innovation, do a good job in every step of the information architecture. I believe that in the long working life in the future, what I have learned during this period is very meaningful. And in the course, in addition to design skills, I improve the communication and communication skills, speech skills, etc., will be helpful to my future career.
In the future study life, I will pay more attention to the iteration of the design process. If I have more time, I hope to further expand the project 3. I may distinguish my design from the same type of products more clearly, and the positioning will be more accurate. Further enlarge the advantages of our own products. For me personally, in the course, I think my advantage is the attitude of serious study and positive communication, and occasionally have more interesting ideas. But my weakness is that the foundation is relatively weak, I have no foundation of graphic design or visual communication design, and I have little grasp of software. So a lot of time we have to do projects while we study by ourselves. In the future learning process, I will continue to work hard, continue to play my strengths, and strive to improve my shortcomings.
Words：1648
References:
Cross, N., n.d. Engineering design methods.
Buxton, B., n.d. Sketching User Experiences.
Mallik D M A. Design Thinking for Educators: Unleashing Imaginnovation Ideas Being Student Centric[M]. Notion Press, 2019.
Knox, Nikki. “How to Use Persona Empathy Mapping.(jun 2014).” (2014).