phoenixxxblog

[phoenixxxblog]

Phoenix's Blog

Week 1: Identifying Interests, Experiment Ideation, and Demo Ideas

In Week 1, I focused on identifying my interests and aligning them with potential design experiments. This process helped me reflect on my skills, passions, and the issues I care about.

Identifying My Interests

I’m passionate about several areas, including:

Gym: Designing products for physical health and fitness.

Hanging with friends: Exploring designs that enhance social interactions and mental well-being.

UX/UI Design: Creating intuitive and accessible digital experiences.

One Piece: Inspired by storytelling and engaging narratives in design.

Electives and Skills

I've taken electives like Assistive Technologies, Mixed Realities, and Local Making, which broadened my design perspective. Key skills I've gained include 3D printing, laser cutting, Adobe software, 3D modelling, and digital prototyping.

Social Issues That Matter

I’m passionate about pollution, climate change, and mental health, and I aim to address these through sustainable, inclusive design.

Past Grad School Projects

I’m especially drawn to assistive technologies, as they align with my goal of improving lives through design.

Design Models and Tools

I enjoy working with tools like Figma, Adobe software, and AI, which allow me to create both digital and physical prototypes.

Next Steps

I’ll continue exploring design solutions at the intersection of assistive technologies, UX/UI, and sustainability in my experiments. 

Week 2: Experiment Ideation and Demo Planning/Development

This week, I shifted my focus to refining the concept for my demo, which centers around creating a banking UX/UI design app. I continued to brainstorm and ideate on how to create an app that not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also ensures accessibility and usability for all users, especially those with different abilities.

Experiment Ideation

I began by identifying the core features that a banking app should have. These include:

Simple navigation to easily access accounts, transactions, and customer support.

Personalized dashboard with important information such as account balance and recent activity.

User-friendly interface that is intuitive and minimizes cognitive load.

Given the focus on assistive technologies and inclusivity, I want the app to be accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. This means integrating elements like:

Voice commands for hands-free operation.

Clear and readable typography for visually impaired users.

Color contrast and high-visibility modes for users with low vision.

Demo Planning and Development

For my demo, I started planning the UX/UI design for the banking app, mapping out the app’s user flow. I sketched wireframes for the home screen, account overview, and transaction screens, prioritizing a clean, minimalistic design. I also began researching potential UI patterns that could make the app more intuitive.

I plan to use Figma for creating the interactive prototypes and start with a basic version of the app to test key features. The goal is to build an app that is easy to navigate, efficient, and addresses both functional and accessibility needs.

Reflection on Challenges

One of the biggest challenges this week was balancing the aesthetic appeal of the app with its usability. It’s easy to get caught up in making the design look visually appealing, but I need to ensure the app remains functional and accessible. I’ll need to test the design with users to find the right balance.

Next Steps

Next week, I’ll begin building out the initial prototype of the app in Figma, focusing on the core features and incorporating user feedback. I’ll also explore accessibility tools and test the app with different user personas to ensure it meets their needs.

Week 3: Demo Presentation – Explaining UX/UI Design Principles

This week, I had the opportunity to present a demo to my peers, focusing on explaining the core principles of UX/UI design and how they play a role in creating functional and user-friendly applications. My demo centered around a banking app prototype that I had been working on, and I used it as a case study to demonstrate various UX/UI principles in action.

The Demo

The main goal of the demo was to explain what UX/UI design really means and how it works in practice. I walked my peers through the banking app prototype, showcasing how I applied key principles like user-centered design, accessibility, simplicity, and intuitive navigation. I discussed how these principles are integrated into the design to create an experience that is both effective and enjoyable for users.

Key Principles Covered

User-Centered Design: I explained how the design was built with the user in mind, focusing on their needs and preferences to create a seamless experience.

Consistency: I highlighted how maintaining consistency throughout the app, from buttons to typography, ensures that users can navigate the app easily without confusion.

Accessibility: I showcased features such as high contrast modes and voice commands, demonstrating how the design accommodates users with different needs.

Simplicity: The app was designed to keep interactions as simple as possible, reducing unnecessary complexity and improving overall user satisfaction.

Peer Feedback

The feedback I received was very positive! Peers appreciated the way I explained the principles behind the design decisions. They felt that the interactive prototype helped them better understand how the principles were applied and how important it is to keep the user experience smooth and intuitive.

Some of the key points of feedback included:

The clarity of the explanation: Peers mentioned that the demo did a great job of breaking down complex UX/UI concepts into simpler terms.

The real-world application: Using a working app prototype helped them visualize how these principles come together in an actual product.

A suggestion to focus more on usability testing to see how real users interact with the app, which I plan to incorporate moving forward.

Reflection and Next Steps

Reflecting on the demo, I’m happy with how the principles were communicated. However, I plan to:

Further explore usability testing in future presentations to show how real-world feedback shapes the design process.

Continue refining the accessibility features to ensure that the app is as inclusive as possible.