Sunday, March 16, 2014

Unit 9 Reading Response

Unit 9 Reading Response


For our final reading assignment, it seemed fitting to learn about the "Don'ts" of mobile app design. And the principles to follow to ensure success in the venture. Even more fitting was the fact that the author chose the first of his countdown to address appropriate process.

One of my previous partners in school and I were just having the conversation about how we often end up doing the wire frame before the concept sketches. It seems that being in a digital world, we often make the mistake of assuming that using a computer is so much easier than using a pen and paper. However, I recall Doug Heinlein telling us on many occasions that the best tool for a designer is exactly that: a pen and paper. For the past few quarters, I have been noticing that my flow goes so much better when I am drawing first and then hitting the computer after.

And, like true form with following the book we have been reading, it's important to keep things simple and not to rely on the garish or ostentatious. Opening animations can be data-hungry and often confuses the message of the app. Having a simple splash page that gets the point across is often times the best measure and practice to take.

Number 6 is a very important issue to address, as well, however, for different reasons than what the author pointed out. While the author was stating that it's important to have a progress indicator to let the user know that things are still working, I presumed the headline was talking about something else: networking. Creating something for the public requires a great deal of connection and it's important to constantly keep your fans in the loop. Keeping silent and not doing any connection will alienate your possible customers.

It's been difficult for me to break the barrier of social networking, but I am getting better. This entire class has been incredibly enlightening, as it has helped me realize the importance of simplicity in design. In a world that cherishes special effects and awesome visuals, when trying to get a message across, oftentimes the most appropriate language is the most simplistic.


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