Eli Sebastian Brumbaugh

Final Digital Skins & Keynote

2012-02-21T18:13:00.001-06:00

Dallas Morning News

2012-02-20T02:22:00.001-06:00

Please watch this video on the Vimeo site for a better view.

Updated Skins (Pre-Final) Scenario 1 & 2

2012-02-17T22:30:00.000-06:00

These are my digital skins pre-final keynote. There have been some major adjustments since these based on Marty's feedback. I am posting these for documentation of my process in this project.

Scenario 1 Step 1

Scenario 1 Step 2

Scenario 1 Step 3

Scenario 2 Step 1

Scenario 2 Step 2

Scenario 2 Step 3

Scenario 2 Step 4

Scenario 2 Step 5

Data Gathered by 2/15 Check Point & Update

2012-02-16T16:49:00.001-06:00

This is the collection of data we have collected thus far. Moving forward we will continue to accumulate data. Preferably we will test everyone in design with corrected vision.

Next we will be finding connections, and establishing the rules in which we will visualize the data. Once approved we will move forward into wire framing and skinning.

Further Reading:

Visual Acuity Explained

Snellen Chart

Eli - Visual Acuity Results:

Near / Snellen Card:

R: N5

L: N5

Far / Snellen Chart:

R: 20/70

L: 20/100

Michael - Visual Acuity Results:

Near / Snellen Card:

R: N18

L: N18

Far / Snellen Chart:

R: 20/200

L: 20/200

Jessie Ren - Visual Acuity Results:

Near / Snellen Card:
R: N5
L: N5
Far / Snellen Chart:
R: 20/70
L: 20/70

Ian Spaeth - Visual Acuity Results:
Near / Snellen Card:
R: N48
L: N48
Far / Snellen Chart:
R: 20/200+
L: 20/200+

Michael Jumper - Visual Acuity Results:

Near / Snellen Card:
R: N24
L: N36
Far / Snellen Chart:
R: 20/200+
L: 20/200+

Ivan Alonzo - Visual Acuity Results:

Near / Snellen Card:
R: N6
L: N8
Far / Snellen Chart:
R: 20/70
L: 20/70

Jessi Wilson - Visual Acuity Results:
Near / Snellen Card:
R: N8
L: N5
Far / Snellen Chart:
R: 20/100
L: 20/70

McKenzie Marston - Visual Acuity Results:

Near / Snellen Card:

R: N6

L: N5

Far / Snellen Chart:

R: 20/20

L: 20/20

The Urban Chicken Culture

2012-02-15T11:35:00.001-06:00

UX: The Urban Chicken Culture

Urban chicken farming is a practice of keeping chickens in one's backyard, usually in an urban setting, although some urban chickens can be found in a suburban environment. In Kansas City, Missouri, the urban chicken community is small but growing, quietly dispersed across both sides of the Missouri River. Because of strict city ordinances against chickens, mostly on the Kansas side, raising backyard hens has been troublesome. Despite the obstacles, families decide to keep them with supportive neighbors who benefit from receiving fresh eggs.

Those who keep chickens in Kansas City believe in the local food movement. They believe in a sustainable food source, but they also believe in familial interaction. It's important for many who own their own chickens to teach their children about the cycle of life and the ethical treatment of animals. On the surface level, it's about fresh eggs, fun family pets, and a happy garden. On a deeper level, it's about a sustainable way of living, an ethical and personal responsibilty for where food comes from, and a civil disobedience towards an uniformed municipal.

Final Wireframes

2012-02-13T13:27:00.000-06:00

Updated Wireframes #2

2012-02-13T13:19:00.001-06:00

Moving Forward

2012-02-10T14:17:00.000-06:00

See an optometrist to learn about anything we missed in our own research.

We will be asking them if there is a software that they use to calculate prescriptions. This will allow us to better formulate our data.

Explore the UI of the proposed application on the iPad setting.

Sort out the data and how it can be visualized.

We will be testing our experiment with Jessie Ren, Jessi Wilson, Jumper, and Ivan.

Experimentation Results / Eli & Michael 1ft - 12ft

2012-02-10T14:16:00.001-06:00

Eli - Visual Acuity Results:

We discovered quite a variance between our vision even thought we are both near sighted.

Near / Snellen Card:

R: N5

L: N5

Far / Snellen Chart:

R: 20/70

L: 20/100

Michael - Visual Acuity Results:

Near / Snellen Card:

R: N18

L: N18

Far / Snellen Chart:

R: 20/200

L: 20/200

Skinned Wireframes Round #1

2012-02-10T09:49:00.002-06:00

I will be moving forward with a variation of the top two.

How I See The World - Major Project Update / Research

2012-02-08T14:26:00.001-06:00

The Question:

How does nearsightedness, farsightedness, and a stigmatism affect the typographic form at different set distances? Can there be a typeface designed to correct optical distortions? Can the data be used to accurately replicate the optical blur and distortion in other situations? Can this information then be put into application form using Apple's iPad in which the user can share their custom tailored vison experiment with others

Concept:

The user holds the iPad and snaps a photo of anything around them they want to use for the test. They then remove their corrected vision ie. glasses / contacts and then they look at that same object and match the level of blur that they saw without their glasses after putting them back on using the iPad application. The app would utilize sliders to interface with the iPad and make the corrections. Next the iPad uploads (online calculations) or crunches (internal process) the data and then the user would get their personalized results. These results can then be shared with friends and family or other users to show and compare the way that you each see the world. The user you send your to data can then take a different photo and plug in your data or select your results (or profile if it saves friends profile data) and view the photo that they took with your same vision results.

Social Integration:

The user will be able to share their personalized vision "settings" with other users who also have the app. This would allow us to show a friends list of sorts or profile list that the user could pick through to try out several friends settings. Consider it a modern way to take off your friends glasses. So that other people can see the world through their eyes.

The user has the option of printing off their own personalized set of letterforms based on their vision settings. It could spell out their name or whatever else they wanted it to say. This could be e-mailed to the user or a friend. It could also be printed off using Apple's Air Print system. There could also be an online gallery that you and your friends can upload to and share online with.

Prototype:

We will be using the iPad to create our prototype of how the application would function with the results of our experiment. Hypothetically they would be created using iPad rather than MBP.

Functioning Details:

The images will be replicated using photoshop via MBP. (we tried the iPad & iPhone PS Express but it lacked any blur / scripting capability)

Typefaces Explored:

We picked different typefaces to test with (ones that people interact with on a daily basis e.g.

Helvetica
Interstate
Futura
Trade Gothic
Garamond
Univers

Interesting Fact: "Helvetica is everywhere. It is the standard typeface of hospital signage systems, medicine labels..." -http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/typecast/

Technical Details:

1-3ft farsighted
6-12ft nearsighted
The stigmatism would be a radical.
Using these mesures we can show the near and far side.
Consider the zero point at 6ft. Farsightedness being -6 and nearsighted being +6

Final Artifacts:

The iPad application.
The image data.

A poster of all of the data visualized.

Urban Chicken Farmers - Task Analysis - Plan

2012-02-08T10:26:00.000-06:00

This is what we will each be focusing on.

Eli - Making Urban Chicken Farms Legal

Jessica - Est. Local Community

Jessie - Ethical Animal Practices

Final Personas

2012-02-08T10:17:00.001-06:00

Affinity Diagram

2012-02-08T10:15:00.005-06:00

This affinity diagram allows us to group our findings in general themes. We have sorted our findings into corresponding values, traits, and goals.

Visual Audit

2012-02-08T10:15:00.001-06:00

Here is the visual audit for the sub culture of urban chicken farmers. We have taken photographs of the urban chicken farm environment and allowed the images to further inform us about the urban chicken farmers.

Personas: Updated

2012-02-08T10:12:00.004-06:00

Maegan Lucas

The Environmentalist

"It's important to know where my food is coming from"

Age: 34

Marital Status: Married with 3 children

Education: Bachelors in horticulture

Occupation: Field Researcher

Neighborhood: Valentine

Enjoys: gardening, partakes in neighborhood association, vegetarian

personality traits: pragmatic, efficient, practical

Began her chicken farm because she enjoys knowing where her food comes from. Meagan also believes in teaching her children the importance of being kind to the earth. Her husband built their chicken coop from recycled materials. She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and sports with the kids.

Lindsey Anderson

The Chicken Hobbyist

“I was amazed by the taste of these eggs, so I decided to try it”

Age: 26

Marital Status: Married with a baby on the way

Education: Interior Design

Job: Interior Designer

Neighborhood: Brookside

Enjoys: baking, photography, biking, avid wine collector, plays ukelele, couponing

Personality Traits: Energetic, Social Creature, Artistic

Lisa began her urban chicken farm when a close friend took in a few chickens and loved how low maintenance they were. What really swayed her was the effect that raising chickens could have on her child. This urban chicken farm would be something she could do with her family. Their Chicken coop was built to match the look of their own house. She enjoys blogging about her chickens.

Urban Chicken Farming - Charts (Values, Goals, Sources, Common Terminology) + Affinity Diagram.

2012-02-08T10:09:00.000-06:00

Values, Goals, Traits

Values, Goals, Sources, Terminology

Urban Chicken Farming - Prompts

2012-02-08T09:37:00.000-06:00

Prompt #1

Prompt #2

Urban Chicken Farming Shortened Definitions

2012-02-08T09:30:00.003-06:00

Definitions

Coop – A chicken coop or hen house is a building where female chickens are kept. Inside there are often nest boxes for egg laying and perches on which the birds can sleep, although coops for meat birds seldom have either of these features.

Feed – Chicken feed is the primary source of nutrition for chickens of all types and ages. Comprised of a variety of nutrients and energy sources, it provides a balanced diet enhanced with minerals and vitamin supplements.

Compost – A mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil. Chicken waste is a great source of natural fertilizer.

Predator Proof – The practice of safeguarding a chicken coop from predators. This generally involved the sealing of windows with chicken wire or welded wire. The base of the coop is generally cemented or reinforced with buried wire fence.

Chicken Tractor – A chicken tractor is a moveable chicken coop lacking a floor. Chicken tractors are a lightly built A-frame which one person can drag about the yard easily. This allows the chickens to eat up the vegetation of one area and move onto the next leaving behind a fertilized area for regrowth.

Run - An outdoor area where chickens can roam freely, usually attached to the chicken coop. Under supervision this allows for the chickens to live a more humane life.

Chicken Plucker – A chicken plucker is a machine that strips the chicken of feathers without breaking the skin. They are commonly built using low cost recycled materials.

Ordinance – Local law created by a municipality or other local authority. These ordinances often result in limitations and fines being placed on those raising chickens in the urban environment. Outcry against these ordinances in various cities across the country has lead to a better organized and locally politically active Urban Chicken Farmers working to change legislation.

Urban Gardening – Urban farming is generally practiced for income-earning or food-producing activities, though in some communities the main purpose is recreation and relaxation. Urban agriculture contributes to food security and food safety.

Verbal Audit (See Interviews for Visual Audit)

2012-02-06T08:18:00.002-06:00

Coop – A chicken coop or hen house is a building wherefemale chickens are kept. Inside there are often nest boxes for egg laying andperches on which the birds can sleep, although coops for meat birds seldom haveeither of these features. Urban Chicken Famers commonly create custom coops that have been built from recycled and reclaimed materials in various styles and fashions. One trend is to build a coop that resembles ones house.

Feed – Chicken feed is the primary source of nutrition forchickens of all types and ages. Comprised of a variety of nutrients and energysources, it provides a balanced diet enhanced with minerals and vitaminsupplements. Although the composition varies from farm to farm and climate toclimate to climate, basic ingredients are found universally in approved chickenfeed products. Some Urban Chicken Farmers use whatever kind of food that they have left over in the house as chickens will consume most foods.

Compost – A mixture of various decaying organic substances,as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil. Most Urban Chicken Farmers have one of these near their chicken coop. This allows for easy collection of chicken waste or fertiliser and storing of the fertiliser for later use in the garden.

Predator Proof – The practice of safeguarding a chicken coopfrom predators. This generally involved the sealing of windows with chickenwire or welded wire. The base of the coop is generally cemented or reinforcedwith a buried wire fence to keep predators from digging into it from underneath. Keeping your chickens safe limit the ability for predators to feed and helps limit their numbers in the home owners area. Thus eliminating one of the chief concerns of most Urban Chicken Farms neighbors. That the chickens will draw more predators to the neighborhood.

Chicken Tractor – A chicken tractor is a moveable chickencoop lacking a floor. Most chicken tractors may also house other kinds ofpoultry. Chicken tractors are a lightly built A-frame which one person can dragabout the yard easily. Generally they are built with wheels to make thiseasier. This allows the chicks to be free range. They can eat up the vegetation of one area and move onto the next leaving behind a fertilized area for regrowth.

Run - An outdoor area where chickens can roam freely, usually attached to the chicken coop. Under supervision this allows for the chickens

Chicken Plucker – A chicken plucker is a machine that stripsthe chicken of feathers without breaking the skin. The chickens are firstkilled and soaked in hot water to soften them up. They are commonly built usingrecycled materials to save money. This is considered a more efficient way to pluck a chicken.

Ordinance – Local law made a municipality or other localauthority. Commonly a major road block to the desire of the homeowner to raise urban chickens. These ordinances often cost those to keep urban chickens without permits or being mindful of the limitations imposed on the amount of chickens their chickens. Outcry against these ordinances in various cities across the country has lead to a better organized and locally politically active Urban Chicken Farmers working to change legislation.

Urban Gardening – Urban farming is generally practiced for income-earning or food-producing activities, though in some communities the main impetus is recreation and relaxation. Urban agriculture contributes to food security and food safety in two ways: first, it increases the amount of food available to people living in cities, and, second, it allows fresh vegetables and fruits and meat products to be made available to urban consumers. Urban Chicken Farmers commonly practice urban gardening because of the rich chicken fertilizer that is left over from urban chicken farming.

INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA

2012-02-06T00:08:00.003-06:00

Interview Highlights (1/30/12)

Where are you from? Where did you grow up?
I'm from Virginia and my husband is from North Kansas City. We met in the military actually.
I'm really not sure how long we'll be here before we decide to move out to the country, there's a lot of inner city violence here.
What kinds of activities are you involved in?
We are a part of our neighborhood association, but no one in our neighborhood owns chickens (laughs).
What do you currently do for living?
I'm a stay at home mom. My husband works for UPS. I know that down the road, I do want to work in environmental studies.
What got you started on having chickens?
What appeals to me, is that you know where your egg is coming from. I hope that people start having an environmentally conscious lifestyle, where recycling becomes another part of your day rather than something "we'd like to try out". I do hope my own children will take from this.
Tell us about your coop?
My husband built our coop. He works for UPS so they had a scrap bin that he dug into and used for the coop. Essentially we repurposed the garbage into building material and created a double layered coop.
Do your chickens have names?
We named our chickens after the waitresses of our favorite restaurant.
How do you feel about the city ordinances?
I think they limit people from being to live an environmentally conscious lifestyle.
How do your neighbors feel about the chickens?
They seem to be onboard with it. We haven't gotten complaints, I think our neighbors have bigger problems to worry about (inner city violence) than complain about chickens.
Think there's a difference in your eggs and the ones at the store?
Taste-wise, probably not.
Do the kids participate in raising the chickens? How so?
Yeah, they like to feed the chickens. And sometimes chase them.
Any funny chicken stories?
One time, I was on the phone with my sister from Virginia while inside the coop and somehow locked myself in. We built it so that the kids couldn't climb in or reach it, and my husband was gone so I didn't know if the chickens would start attacking me or what. One time two hopped on my back and scared me. I started squawking like a chicken.
If you were a chicken...where would you live?
Well, probably out on a farm. It's no fun breathing city air.

Andrea lives on the north side of Kansas City, MO.

They are also into gardening, which prompted the chicken purchase.

This is a Rhode Island Red hen. It's known for it's high egg production (290 eggs!).

These hearty birds are still young and not laying just yet. They use sand rather than chips (it's like a chicken litter box) because it prevents mud clumps from forming on their feet. It also makes it easier to scoop the rich poop that feeds their compost pile.

Andrea shows us that their coop is double layered and keeps the hens warm in the cold.

The compost pile.

They actively involve their children in their outdoor hobbies.

INTERVIEW WITH THE BROOME'S

2012-02-06T00:06:00.001-06:00

Interview Highlights (1/31/12)

Where are you from? Where did you grow up?
We're both from the Kansas City Area.
What kinds of activities are you involved in or enjoy doing?
Kevin: I enjoy spending time with family, building toys, playing guitar, cooking.
Ashlee: I love planning parties and d.i.y. type things. I was involved with the 18th Street Fashion Show here in KCMO. I also enjoy gardening.
Remy (7 yrs. old): I like playing video games and drawing. I like picking up our soft chickens!
What got you started on having chickens?
Ashlee: My cousin had chickens in Boulder, CO. It sounded easy enough, we want it to be a hobby rather than a huge commitment. We also really like that it brings the family together. It teaches our kids about the cycle of birth, life, and death.
Tell us about your coop?
Ashlee: Well, Kevin built it and made it so that it'd match the look of our own home.
Kevin: Yeah, I just used material from Home Depot and put it together myself.
Do your chickens have names?
Yep! Bertha, Mable, Frizzle (or Shaniqua)...
How do you feel about the city ordinances?
I think people are misinformed about chickens, and we wouldn't want to live somewhere that didn't allow chickens. They don't realize that they are very quiet. Once people meet the chickens they realize that they are really nice and fun to have. And family oriented.
How do your neighbors feel about the chickens?
Ashlee: Well, at first they seemed wary, but when we offered eggs, they definitely didn't seem to have a problem with it. They are very onboard with the chickens.
Kevin: Yeah, none of the neighbors complain, we don't have a rooster so it isn't noisy.
Think there's a difference in your eggs and the ones at the store?
Ashlee: I don't think so.
Kevin: I can't tell, I mean, the yolks are yellower, so visually, there might be a difference.
Do the kids participate in raising the chickens? How so?
Yeah, Remy chases them on occasion, but he mostly collects the eggs out of the coop.
Where do you go for help or questions about your chickens?
The internet mostly.
Have you had any problems with the chickens so far?
We've had the chickens for about three years. One of our first chickens got injured and then eaten by a raccoon, which was really sad. Another time, one of our chickens got sick and so we took her to a vet and humanely euthanized her.
If you were a chicken...where would you live?
Remy: I'd want to live on a farm where I can run around free!

Ashlee & Kevin Broome are a wonderful couple living in Merriam, who care deeply about the ethical treatment of animals. They had a lot of helpful advice for raising chickens.

This is their backyard. There's the Silkie hen!

That silkie is quite elusive, hiding near the dog house (yes, batman!)

Kevin built the coop using materials from Home Depot. It was made to match their own home.

They've got all sorts of chickens. Bertha, the white hen, is their best layer.

Their home is very well decorated and certainly lovely. They are both very artistic people.

Remy, their son, wants to be an illustrator! Here is holding their family cat. They own two cats and one dog, who gets along very well with the chickens.

Eggs! The Broome's were kind enough to share their eggs with us. Personally, I think these eggs taste much better.

Testing The Waters

2012-02-05T16:52:00.000-06:00

The Questions: How does nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism affect the typographic form at different distances? Can there be a typeface designed to correct optical distortions? Can the data be used to accurately replicate the optical blur and distortion in other situations?

Pick different typefaces to test with (ones that people interact with on a daily basis e.g. Helvetica, Interstate, Futura, Trade Gothic, Garamond, Univers). "Helvetica is everywhere. It is the standard typeface of hospital signage systems, medicine labels..." -http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/typecast/

Creating a checklist with multiple scenarios for the individuals eyesight and the results for each distance and typeface tested.

Interview potential victims. Record their specific vision type.

Conduct experiment.

Try to ask the subject to replicate the type with a camera for blur and a computer for distortion.

Digital Wireframes

2012-02-03T07:40:00.001-06:00

Wireframe Sketches

2012-02-03T07:26:00.002-06:00

Here are my wireframe sketches for the Dallas Morning News website:

This ended up being the concept I decided to move forward with. After feedback from my group discussion and with Marty I have decided to merge the concept from the top here and the added features of the version below.

Concepts for Type IV Project

2012-02-03T00:10:00.002-06:00

This is How I See the World (collaboration w/ Michael)

1) The Question: How does a person’s particular near or farsightedness affect the typographic form at different distances? Proposal: Gathering a group of people and placing type at a number of set distances. Having each person identify the affect of “poor vision” on the type at each distance, by adjusting the focus on a camera. We would then identify the amount of blur for each vision variant and match the results in photoshop to produce similar affects on other typography and imagery. The result could be represented as a poster and collected information could be organized into info-graphic material. Also an animated reconstruction of each subjects experience with the type.

2) Computer generated / randomly generated based on input to questions answered by survey by the user. Could I tie in an iPad app or iPhone app into this. Create a game or program that people could impute their data and get a letter form created for each person in their friends and family using their first initial possibly? They would then flesh out the entire alphabet and they could create words or sentences and print them off via Apple's AirPrint of send to e-mail.

3) Organic letterforms that decompose. Time-lapse or video of the process. This would take place in an aquarium with ants. The ants would. The video or time-lapse would be played backwards to make it appear as if the ants had built the typography.

Persona

2012-01-30T10:47:00.002-06:00

Meet: Bev, the queen of chickens

Age: 53,

Marital Status: Married

Education: High School Diploma

Occupation: Stay at home Mom

City: Roeland Park (KS)

Bev grew up on the married her high school sweetheart and became a stay at home mom to 3 kids who are all grown up now. She currently lives in Roeland Park, Kansas and she enjoys urban farming, gardening, knitting, and is actively involved in church. She believes strongly in local food and having the right to own chickens so she fights against unfair city ordinances that halt the practice of urban chicken farming. She is interested in creating a community for urban chicken farmers where advice can be exchanged and experiences shared. She is known as the queen of the chickens and believes that they can fight for the right to have chickens as long as they join together. Her children are also interested in having their own chickens and she actively helps them.

The Novice

Meet: Jennifer Ryan

Jennifer has just started her backyard chicken coop three months ago. One day her neighbor offered her some fresh eggs from their own backyard chicken coop and she was so amazed by the taste that she decided to try it herself.

Age: 27
Marital Status: Single
Education: Bachelors Degree
Occupation: Coffee Shop Manager
Neighborhood: Brookside
Hobbies: Cooking, Gardening, and collects scooters
Goals: To be more self sufficient, support local farmers, and to eventually own a small farm.
Values: living green, spreading the word and ideas of urban chicken farming, learning how to be a better chicken farmer

UX: Field Research

2012-01-30T08:18:00.001-06:00

chicken run!

While our secondary research was adequately informative and factually thorough, it would prove to be only scratching the surface. The experience with the chickens in person is completely necessary because they are fluffy, docile, soft, and adorable. Like pets, chickens are easy to form instant bonds with, especially when holding them. This past Saturday proved to be the watershed of our research.

Annual Farmers & Friends Meeting (1/28/12, 9am-12pm)

We got lucky and were able to attend the annual, once a year, farmers meeting where there was even a surprise urban chicken group discussion. The discussion lead us to Teresa and Sheri, the two women responsible for fighting against chicken ordinances in Roeland Park, KS (CHIRP). It was quite overwhelming, exciting, inspiring...

...and delicious! I don't think we've ever struggled so unwillingly and reluctantly on choosing a piece of pie, each one homemade with ingredients tenderly grown on a loving farm.

Cherith Brook with Nick Pickrell

Backyard farm + chicken area

Chickens are picky about where they lay their eggs. This crate is a popular spot for it.

Compost

Nick giving us a tour of the coop!

Interview Recording

Interview Highlights

Why did you decide to raise chickens?
Peacemaking through gardening efforts. Decentralizing the food industry and advocating local food.
How long have you had the chickens?
About two years.
When referring to Urban chicken farming, do you have a nickname/teamname for it?
No, I can't think of anything besides urban chicken farmer, but I'll get back to you on that.
How do you feel about the strict chicken ordinances?
Well, I'm glad that we have 4 properties! (KCMO requires at least 1 acre of land for 15 chickens). I think it's funny because dogs make more noises, while chickens are much quieter and actually give something more. I think it's[ordinance] preventing people from empowering themselves with the whole local food movement.
How do your neighbors feel about the chicken?
They are all on board. We have a great relationship with the neighbors and the only complaint we had was about our compost pile, not the chickens.
Would you say there is a difference between your eggs and ones sold in the grocery store?
I don't think so. It tastes better to me because I raised the chickens. I used to hate lima beans but ever since I started growing them, I eat them all the time.
Do you name your chickens?
We did, the kids did, they named them names like "Vader" but I don't remember or keep track of most of the names anymore.
Do you have any interesting or funny chicken stories to share?
We recently had to kill one of our roosters because it turned on us for some reason. It was just sneak attacking everyone including the kids. It actually sneak attacked me with it's "spur" on the back of it's feet and it left punctures in my ankle. So we had to make him into chicken soup.
Just curious, if you were a chicken, where would you live?
I would live in the woods! I could just run around eating all sorts of things.
What inspired you to work here at Cherith Brook?
I am from Blue Springs, MO and grew up in the suburbs. It was this conversion into faith that lead to me to a trip to rural India where people were one with the land. I realized I wanted to do that versus defaulting into the corporate world.
What other hobbies do you have outside your work here?
Music. I play bass guitar, dabble in drums, play guitar and sing.

Nick Pickrell works for Cherith Brook, a Christian community shelter. Cherith Brook owns about 28 chickens on 4 joined properties.

Visual Communication Reading Responce

2012-01-29T17:16:00.001-06:00

Culture being a hard thing to define has been broken down into three sections by the English cultural theorist Raymond Williams: The process of a society's intellectual, spiritual, and aesthetic development. The particular way of life of a people, period, or group of people. And the works and practices of intellectual and especially artistic activity. Commonly thought culture is defined in terms of people, events, and practices. The best of these things are considered to be worth saving. As designers we tend to focus on popular culture and the trends of the now. In modern popular culture which grew out of post-war consumerism and the rise of youth culture in america has spread across the western world becoming the foundation of most media related industries. This article really touches on the importance of observing trends and understanding how to shape that observation into a better user experience or product. People worry about the trend towards mass culture because of the degradation in quality of the items produced. Creative capital has started to trend together as the same by to many people coping one another and their successful ideas. Apparently according to the article even thought consumers can be made happy there is a common trend of making them desire a product, being fulfilled by it, and eventually becoming disillusioned by it. By creating these product the consumer / public base is distracted and kept out of politics. A sad example is my generation and the lack of involvement and apathy that no runs rampant. within these cultures each subculture has developed its own system of codes an identifiers. These are then after being observed used to market to those groups. Dress and ritual is a key to understanding what represents each society.

Information Architecture Find & Share

2012-01-29T16:13:00.002-06:00

Hey everyone,

I found some interesting and helpful reads on the smashing magazine website that I wanted to share.

Click the image to visit the site:

Project Brainstorming

2012-01-29T16:05:00.000-06:00

Project Brainstorming

1) Plant based typeface created using wire mesh framework. The type would be grown using the aquatic moss a rapidly growing plant grown in an aquarium. Using a photographic time-lapse it would grow overtime from the base of the letter forms or from one end to another.

2) Plant based typeface grown using surface plants that starting out lust and green will shrivel down small to the point of bare sticks.

3) Organic letterforms that decompose. Time-lapse or video of the process. This would take place in an aquarium with ants. The ants would. The video or time-lapse would be played backwards to make it appear as if the ants had built the typography.

4) Computer generated / randomly generated based on input to questions answered by survey by the user. Could I tie in an iPad app or iPhone app into this. Create a game or program that people could impute their data and get a letter form created for each person in their friends and family using their first initial possibly? They would then flesh out the entire alphabet and they could create words or sentences and print them off via Apple's AirPrint of send to e-mail.

5) Have a diverse group of people unknowingly to one another each draw their own interoperation of the letter forms. The differences in the letter forms will show diversity in the creativity and individuality of people of many races. The final artifact could spell out "DIVERSITY"

Documentation idea: Have each person take a picture with the letter form with it before they send or submit it to me to show that diversity.

Design Research Reading Responses

2012-01-29T15:57:00.000-06:00

Design Research talks about the importance of researching the needs of the people that they're designing for. The idea of mass market design no longer works in todays market. People today expect more customized experiences and choices tailored to their needs. Society values diversity and individuality very much. Because of this people today expect more choices but this also means that there is much more work for designers. The power of the consumer is king now. People expect to be heard and make their opinons known with their wallets. This is why its so important that we as designers do our research and make sure the designs that we put out into the world are well thought out and effective.

Qualitative design research is quite controversial method because of the debate of when its the proper method to use. Christopher Ireland really enjoyed practicing a dedicated idea of qualitative research. He enjoyed making the effort and the results of really digging into the lives of the people that the project is designing for. Unknown to him the idea he had was shared and growing around the country.

Tim Plowman, talks about how ethnography and anthropology comes into play. Using the study of human behavior and how people experience a product or service. The imponderabilia being the perspective of the view of the people that we're researching and living and existing with them experiencing what they've experienced. Urban Ethnography uses a small sample of people as a representation of the whole. The use of ethnography in design traces some of its roots historically back to early Futurism, Constructivism, and the Bauhaus. Some German and Swiss firms both utilized social and scientifically based research into their methods at a time when it wasn't so common. Richard Wentworth's photographically documented research regarding the re-purposed objects to suit another need is a fascinating idea. Victor Margolin makes the argument that there needs to be a deeper assessment of the relationship between products and how people construct ideals of human happiness. Using this research he believes that innovation can be created to better support human well being and finding a new need for a product.

Urban Chicken Farming Feedback Notes

2012-01-27T22:31:00.001-06:00

Questions & Further Exploration:

Dig deeper into the competitive value in the community.

How are these values acted out?

What are their visual / verbal cues?

What kind of other hobbies or activities do they take part in that could have a relationship or trend with being an urban chicken farmer?

How do their family values tie into their values as a chicken farmer?

How do they involve their children?

Ask emotional response raising questions!

Competition: What do they value in it? How does this happen? Awards / personal pride?

Historial trends in chicken farming - map it out.

How did you learn about it in the first place?

Visual culture! What matters culturally?

How do they teach their kids?

If you were a chicken what would you want? How would you feel? What kind of chicken would you be?

Terminology / slang used?

Did they fight to change the legislation?

Find out their views of animal control, zoning laws, rules.

Do they have a limit? Amount of chickens?

What do the farmers call themselves?

What is their perspective on big chicken farms versus personal?

Culture Probes:

Still Photo Survey / Guided Shadow Tour:

This will allow for us to answer questions that we have through interview and action.

Write down terminology / slang / jargon they use!

Visual / Verbal Association Probe:

Using simple clip art and icons.

what do they associate with urban chicken farming.

11x17 w/glue sticks.

multiple sheets of paper in the folder.

They can collage / draw on these forms.

chicken farming super hero.

Containing: 1 glue stick, 11x17 sheets of paper, markers, icon cut outs / images of the materials and objects that they would associate with their practice of backyard farming.

What I learned About The Web in 2011 Reading Response

2012-01-27T21:11:00.000-06:00

One of the things that really interests me about this article is the excitement that these designers and developers feel for the future of the web. It makes me pull my hair out because I know it will still be a while before I can get out there and cut my teeth on it. Though I am looking forward to the projects that we have lined up! User experience, interface design for web and mobile is something I can't learn enough about. I think its just really exciting and fascinating.

Aarron Walter, user experience lead at Mail Chimp talks about how emotions effect every decision that we make as a user/consumer so it only makes sense for designers to structurer their design with those emotions considered. Understanding that emotional response allows for designers to create better experiences. I agree with what Walter is saying here. Emotions are at the heart if what purchases people make in stores and online. I think it would be foolish to think there isn't an emotional involvement in the process of how they get to the online store they'll use or even physical store. The very car they'll drive there is a huge emotional purchase.

Jeff Croft, discuses how the job of a web designers and developers has been changing rapidly. More and more of the web is API's (application programming interface's) and other services are on the rise. Apps like Instagram are widely used now and simular services are on the rise. I think that there will for a while at least be a place for actual sites to exist but all sites have to be mobile friendly, and open to rapid change for new mobile devices.

Regarding mobile design Josh Clark's statement had some wisdom in it I think. "if content isn’t available on mobile, it’s simply not available at all." 25% of mobile users don't rely on a desktop anymore.

Kimberly Blessing, mentions silent browser updates becoming the norm. Thinking back to IE updates its no wonder that the death of IE older versions are celebrated in the web community. I think designers / web designers & developers really listing to the feedback from the user is leading the design community to new leaps and bounds. At the heart of this I think is the user base that isn't as overwhelmed and confused by the way the browsers work. Submitting feedback is implemented into every browser now for good reason.

Reactions to 95% Typography Reading & Responce

2012-01-27T01:59:00.001-06:00

This is a pretty ridiculous read. I can see where people would come out to complain about his article but its a matter of opinion which he has ever right to voice. It seems like a quarter of these responses are people who just missed the point in the first place. The ironic thing of it is he's writing a book on usability and branding. I would imagine that all of this feed back from his article will just wind up informing his book. The art school graduate mistakes are great. I can admit that I have made the mistake of leaving out visited and active links function out of several websites. He mentions that web designers are not reading enough books. I've realized that as a designer I've been spending too much time looking for inspiration rather than expanding my understanding of why those designs are attractive and how they function successfully. I've got to hand it to him for responding to his readers and critics this way.

Web Design is 95% Typography Reading & Response

2012-01-27T01:40:00.000-06:00

The foundation of web design is typography. "Information design is typography" I imagine in a few years web design will be 96% typography haha because of the increase in content and the need for hierarchy and organization. Typography must be clear and effective otherwise what information that is trying to reach the consumer is lost. The idea of text as user interface is fascinating. Sites like google, ebay, and others that the article reference as sites that use simple interfaces and a strong identity at the same time. I imagine that their identity is strengthened by the use of less visual competing elements with the branding of the site. For example when you go to google.com you see what? The google brand and a search bar. Quite memorable.

10 New Year's Resolutions for Designers Reading Response

2012-01-27T01:11:00.000-06:00

Choosing better problems to solve was an inspirational article. Quite an interestingly written article as well. It makes several really great points about what kind of technology and power that we are squandering away on trying to copy existing successful applications and business models rather than trying to create solutions to social and economic problems. Stop stealing crap. "be aware of and take advantage of the learning that came before you." great advice. This section of the article really points out something interesting about web design as well. He mentions his book viewsource and how they would see someones code, copy it, and change it and put it online and then someone would come along and see it, copy it, and change it again. Its pure evolution. Don't try and save work that doesn't function properly or solve the problem that you're meaning too. You'll just end up wasting more time. Remember to swallow the ego and salvage the project not your pride. Challenge clients don't pander to them and don't blame poor design on other people. You can’t design in fear. "Don’t throw the fight before a punch gets thrown". Swallow your pride and accept blame. I can honestly say I have failed a lot since coming to school here. Lots of projects did not turning out the way I wanted to them to and its been a great way of growing as a designer. I have gotten much better at learning to accept my short comings and work to improve them. The main thing is I know I'm messing up less with time which is all I can ask for. Stay curious? I would rather take this attempt at a Steve Jobs quote and just put it out there. Stay hungry. I'm happy to know there's so much I don't know. Design changes so rapidly, and technology changes at light speed. I think now more so than ever are they blending together into some kind of beautiful unruly monster. A designer who can't write can't defend their work. Boy does that hit home pretty hard. I have picked up The Elements of Style Illustrated and look forward to improving. Sell your designs, don't back down, and intelligently justify your work! I can't drill this into myself hard enough. Really great article.

Designing for Interaction: Design Research Response

2012-01-24T21:57:00.000-06:00

In this article Dan Saffer using a fictional zoo makes a great example of how products and services can be greatly improved by first dedicating some time to viewing the interaction between a customer/user and the said product. Another method would be speaking with them while they use it, and even work and change it in the process with the customer/user. The design researcher utilizes the methods of several hats most notably being the anthropologist, scientist, and sociologist. After reading this article its crazy to think that so many people don't first research the audience that they're designing for. I think that its really interesting that according to the article that many designers are not usually required to do design research. And that many of them instead trust their instinct, knowledge, and experience to create products. I wonder if this is impart to the fast pace of deadlines pushing for the best bang for the back rather than well researched solutions. I think that its really interesting that interaction designers don't generally do research considering the risk and importance of qualitative research to interaction design because of the behaviors, expectations, and motivations that help inform the design. Its frighting to think that it might not work in its environment or meet the users need after all of the cost to develop a project. This brings to mind the importance of budget and time management to make sure design research happens. The author mentions empathy for the user and how it can help avoid upsetting or frustrating them. Understanding the importance of design research does not mean that we have to do exactly what the data is pointing towards. Well designed data can be very inspirational. Its fascinating that when doing design research that we should first interview our own biases and beliefs about the subject and analys and remove them from the equation. Design has a great deal of promise to improve the world if it has more weight as a profession and practice that will only come with mass utilization with the kind of knowledge in this article. Great read!

Urban Chicken Farmer Research

2012-01-24T17:13:00.000-06:00

Urban Chicken Farmer

Eli B, Jessie R, Jessica R.

Mutual Beliefs:

Sustainability
Recycling
Ethical Treatment of Animals
Understanding where the food comesfrom
Eating locally

Competition:

Egg Sizes
Chicken Sizes
Breeds

In The Community: Low-incomefamilies raise chickens as a source of sustainable, healthy food. They seethe chickens as a route to better nutrition. This is also a way that families canreconnect with where the food on the table comes from.

Politics / Common Goal: Theytend to be politically active because of the ever changing political andcommunity stance of the practice of having chickens in an urban environment. For example theyhave actively taken part in persuading the local city legislation in Madison,Wis. into not approving a ban on chickens outright but rather ban just the source of the noise: roosters.

Controversy: Roostersare banned for the noise that they create. Cockfighting is a concern.

Practice: Chickensare considered the gateway animal for urban farming.

Sources / Citations:

New York Times - A Chicken on Every Plot, a Coop in Every Backyard
Back Yard Chickens.com How to raise chicks in the city
Urban Chickens.org

Dayta (Typeface) Presentation

2011-12-05T23:50:00.001-06:00

Brumbaugh_Dayta

Final Post / Documentation / Statement / Improvements

2011-12-04T16:49:00.001-06:00

STATEMENT:

INSIST. is an organization created to help people in the community understand that they have the right to insist on a receipt no matter where they spend their hard earned money. We believe that they should ask for their receipt to avoid the financial hardships that are possible without paper documentation of payment such as evictions, and duplicated payements. We have created the Receipt Keeper a portable storage device that contains an index file that will allow the owner to better manage their receipts on the go and also remind them to insist on their receipt. The Insist campaign is aimed at business as well as the customers. We believe that businesses want to operate at a high level of professionalism and using Insist they can help do that by training their employees their importance of giving receipts to each and every customer. To advertise Insist we have created a logo that shows a receipt being torn off. The logo also forms the shape of an exclamation mark suggesting the importance of insisting on a receipt. The red and black colors represent regained financial security. Our bus ad will be shown on bus routes near partnering business informing them about the function of the receipt keeper, what comes with it and where they can pick it up. The pick up locations will be one of each of the three different types of pick up locations: Community Centers, Churches, and Community Banks. The box itself is an organizer containing an index and t-shirt. The T-Shirt is a special gift from the sponsor U.S. Bank. That people can wear with a sense of pride that will also spread the message. To reach the businesses we will be sending out a mailer that will appeal to the businesses sense of professionalism, teaching them the importance of keeping receipts. Inside the mailer will be a sticker that will be placed in the widow of the businesses to remind the customer to ask for a receipt and remind the employee to remind the customer to get their receipt.

WHAT DID I LEARN FROM THIS PROJECT:

Between the design intervention project and the poverty simulation I feel that I have learned a great deal about what it means to design for good. Experiencing the frustrations and effects of that kind of situation that so many people are in was eye opening. The poverty simulation really made this project hit really close to home. We were no longer designing this Receipt Keeper for people we've never met before with assumptions of what their situations must be like but rather we were designing for ourselves having experienced the situation firsthand.

While working on INSIST I realized more than ever the importance of being careful and thoughtful of what kind of copy you use on a project for an assumed group of people. Considering we were designing for the impoverished or unfortunate people who are currently struggling to manage their finances better and get out of that financial black hole or those who are just trying to stay on track we did not want to say, or imply anything to make these people feel like they were less than they were. We wanted to build these people up. While working on INSIST I realized that our project could fill a need but also serve a higher purpose. INSIST was created to better manage your finances by insisting on your right to a receipt but the message extends past that. It may start with a insisting on your right to a receipt but also influence people to insist on other things in their lives that they might desire but feel that they were not capable to attaining like a higher education or to escape a bad situation.

INSIST really helped me better cement my experience designing a system of artifacts that supported one another. Applying the INSIST logo to so many different mediums that allowed for only limited amount of information to be displayed and exploring ways to get our message across as clearly as possible in them was a really great experience. I was able to reenforce my understanding of how to utilize multiple artifacts to convey a message.

WHAT THREE THINGS WOULD I DO TO IMPROVE OR EXTEND THIS PROJECT:

If I had a bit more time I would do the following to improve and/or expand this project:

Consider and explore a Receipt Keeper Wallet option for men. Not that the box isn't or wasn't designed to be unisex but currently the box serves better in a purse or bag rather than a pocket.
Attempt to make the current Receipt Keeper Box and possible Receipt Keeper Wallet out of a sturdier material like some kind of polymer or plastic.
More customization options inside the Receipt Keeper Box to support other kinds of financial documents at the discretion of the owner.

FINAL IMAGE OF FULL PROTOTYPE SET:

Receipt Keeper, T-Shirt, Letter, Stickers, Bus Ad.

PRESENTATION:INSIST Presentation

FINAL PRESENTATION BREAKDOWN:

The Problem:

People within the community are failing to insist on their receipts

Due to lack of education, apathy, or pride

This is resulting in unnecessary consequences to those who may be already financially unstable

Evictions, Property repossessions, Double payments

The Solution:

Insist is an organization who wants to:

Empower the public to insist on their receipt

Give them an container in which to keep and organize their receipts

Insist on a higher level of mutual respect and professionalism between the customer and the employee

Branding:

Our logo represents a receipt being torn off.

The logo takes the form of an exclamation mark suggesting the importance of insisting on receipts.

The colors, from red to black, implies regained financial security.

Audience:

The financially unstable and the business owners/employees

Insist targets each party with a universal message of the importance of receipts

as well as a more tailored message to both the customer and the employee.

Bus Advertisement:

The bus advertisement will be displayed on the buses with routes near partnering businesses.

The ad will inform the viewer of the importance of insisting on a receipt.

It will also tell them about the function of the Receipt Keeper, what comes with it, and where to pick it up.

The ad will also reflect the three different community locations closest to that particular bus route for ease of picking up.

Location:

The Receipt Keeper will be available for pick up at locations in the neighborhood:

Locations like:

Community Centers, Churches, Community Banks.

These are locations we believe to be easily accessible by bus, bike, or foot.

Receipt Keeper:

The receipt keeper is an organizer with an index for three different receipt categories that people can name themselves

The box includes information about the importance of keeping and organizing receipts on the inside

T-Shirt:

As a special gift from the sponsor U.S. Bank the receipt keeper comes with a free shirt.

Having this shirt to wear can give people a sense of pride and empowerment in asking for their receipts, as well as spread the message to others

Mailer:

Inform the the business of the importance of keeping receipts

Appeal to their sense of professionalism

Be polite in reminding the customers

Sticker:

Placed in the window of the business

Reminds the customer to ask for their receipt

Reminds the employee to remind the customer to get their receipt

Project Revision: Gertrude Stein Animation

2011-12-02T01:18:00.001-06:00

I choose to revisit my Gertrude Stein animation for Project IV. I decided to recreate this project because after working with my PotPie logo spot and the Union Station timeline project I felt like I had a much better understanding of After Effects and how to better utilize it to see my vision to fruition. I am still very much so a beginner to After Effects but after this class it feels like with enough patience, and practice it is possible to bring into my skill set as a designer.

In my initial design I had a sets of type clumped together and sometimes single lines of text just popping out from behind a shape. Honestly it was pretty much the extent of my abilities at the time haha. It was as close as I could get at the time to replicate or I should say represent my type Stein book which was actually more of a complex set of different branded related materials like two posters, a dvd, and a small book of moments. I found myself repeating the same motions and text placement in this original video. Some of the text was actually too fast paced as well. The worst mistake I made was adding a paint swatch to the background. I think I was nervous about having such an empty background. I have since realized that just because its empty doesn't mean its wrong, or better to place any kind of filler.

While working on this revision I learned that I could better utilize my type in various movements and combinations to better represent the expressive text from Stein. I learned to pull back on the imagery if it isn't needed and made sure to better utilize the way my audio syncs up thanks to the Logo Build project. Making small but conceptual moves rather than large moves to make up for lack of concept has made a world of difference. I learned that I could use type and break it up into objects that I can use to make cause and effect actions. Since using the background image that doesn't work I realized that I could instead use subtle details created in photoshop rather than full on blocky images that might not relate as well. A few other differences between the new video and the old: The new video uses text zooming in and out to re-enforce the idea of distance and representation of other imagery suggest by Stein rather than just basic text shifts. This version better supports the Type project but also goes above it to bring in more meaning.

New Video:

Old Video:

INSIST. Final Documentation / Statement

2011-11-29T08:59:00.001-06:00

INSIST Presentation

The Problem:

People within the community are failing to insist on their receipts

Due to lack of education, apathy, or pride

This is resulting in unnecessary consequences to those who may be already financially unstable

Evictions, Property repossessions, Double payments

The Solution:

Insist is an organization who wants to:

Empower the public to insist on their receipt

Give them an container in which to keep and organize their receipts

Insist on a higher level of mutual respect and professionalism between the customer and the employee

Branding:

Our logo represents a receipt being torn off.

The logo takes the form of an exclamation mark suggesting the importance of insisting on receipts.

The colors, from red to black, implies regained financial security.

Audience:

The financially unstable and the business owners/employees

Insist targets each party with a universal message of the importance of receipts

as well as a more tailored message to both the customer and the employee.

Bus Advertisement:

The bus advertisement will be displayed on the buses with routes near partnering businesses.

The ad will inform the viewer of the importance of insisting on a receipt.

It will also tell them about the function of the Receipt Keeper, what comes with it, and where to pick it up.

The ad will also reflect the three different community locations closest to that particular bus route for ease of picking up.

Location:

The Receipt Keeper will be available for pick up at locations in the neighborhood:

Locations like:

Community Centers, Churches, Community Banks.

These are locations we believe to be easily accessible by bus, bike, or foot.

Receipt Keeper:

The receipt keeper is an organizer with an index for three different receipt categories that people can name themselves

The box includes information about the importance of keeping and organizing receipts on the inside

T-Shirt:

As a special gift from the sponsor U.S. Bank the receipt keeper comes with a free shirt.

Having this shirt to wear can give people a sense of pride and empowerment in asking for their receipts, as well as spread the message to others

Mailer:

Inform the the business of the importance of keeping receipts

Appeal to their sense of professionalism

Be polite in reminding the customers

Sticker:

Placed in the window of the business

Reminds the customer to ask for their receipt

Reminds the employee to remind the customer to get their receipt

Pierre Koenig Living With Steel - Final Book

2011-11-28T20:16:00.001-06:00

Pierre Koenig Living With Steel by Eli Brumbaugh | Make Your Own Book

Pictures coming as soon as I get it in the mail!

History of Motion Graphics Response

2011-11-21T09:05:00.001-06:00

The History of Motion Graphics Response:

First of all fascinating video. It really helped explain where graphic design and motion graphics interacted on the same plane and where they were divided from animation. At times I wish we could bridge that gap more often as designers but they would also take us away from the opportunity to work with someone as dedicated to their art as we are our own to possibly fantastic results. Showing objects portraying themselves rather than characters really felt like a possibility still defined as neutral ground. I had no idea that motion design had gone back so far. So far that I don't think even those people creating it had any idea to what genre of materials that they were creating and shaping for the future. Its incredible and so exciting to see where things have changed in the last one hundred years. Let alone in the last 15 years. The technology is reaching the point where the mind is the limit rather than the machine. This really inspires me to push into motion now more than ever. Thanks for sharing.

Narrative Project Goals

2011-11-20T22:50:00.001-06:00

Project V

I would like to revisit my Stein animation so that I can repair that weak link in my semester. I believe that know what I learned in the rest of semester will allow me to return to it with a fresh set of eyes and really make some improvements. I plan on replacing the way the text moves together with something more representational of the poem itself. The original was way too repetitive in movement and in way the two poems behaved. The music will be adjusted now that I know how to use SoundBooth better. I plan on making the movements and timing more meaningful. I would get more selective in this description of changes but honestly the entire video needs a major overhaul. I want to be able to walk away from this project with another portfolio piece that I'm not embarrassed to include.

Changes:

Reworking the way the text moves together and comes out to be reveled and read in different ways to better represent Steins work.
Replace the blocky movement and current timing of text movement. I plan on making better use of Illustrator to create interesting and individual objects that will move independently on one another.
I want to edit and or replace the music with something more meaningful that I know how to use Soundbooth.
I will also be removing and replacing the background which had no working conceptual meaning.

Pot Pie Process Sketches and Storyboards

2011-11-18T02:38:00.000-06:00

Final Storyboard

In this final storyboard I was able to narrow the scope down even further. Allowing me to show the start and the finished product basically but eluding to the middle process of baking. Using smoke I was able to elude to the pie being baked instead of showing it.

Second Complete Storyboard

In this storyboard my video was still coming up too long.

I had to many frames of content and had to then decide on a way to show all of these events happening by eluding to them rather than showing them literally.

First Complete Storyboard

In this round I realized that I needed to shorten the scope of my spot.

I also decided that I wanted to pursue the idea of a from the kitchen to the table concept.

Brain Storming initial concepts.

Pot Pie Final Logo Spot

2011-11-18T01:38:00.001-06:00

While creating this video I learned about how a logo spot can be even more difficult to create than a long video due to how much meaning you have to try and portray in such a short amount of time. I had to revise several story boards and shorten them time after time because I wasn't used to drawing frames for such a window of time. I also learned the importance of a sound mark and how it can enhance meaning within that limited amount of time. Someone else who had overheard me working on the video said that they liked the chime and asked what commercial it was for. There is definitely an association that we have with those sound marks even if its almost on a subconscious level now that were so used to hearing them.

The challenge that I had to resolve was to portray Taylor Pruitt's Pot Pie branding guide in a way that complimented it rather than clash with it. I wanted to re-enforce her concept of comfort, elegant, rustic, and nostalgic using a sound mark that could resemble something you would hear around the home. It could be a child playing with a xylophone toy or the wind chimes outside the kitchen window. Something that could make you think of those good times and how you could have same feeling if you sat down to eat at Pot Pie.

Taylor's Pot Pie branding used woodgrain as a background so I decided to incorporate it directly into my spot by using two shades of wood grain for the rolling pin. Her colors were warm and welcoming so I decided to take her orange and red and use that to color my type against the yellow / white pie crust. To seal the deal my background is a traditional picnic or holiday home table cloth which also allows for a nice contrast between the pie and background. By using fades I was able to keep a traditional and simplistic feel to the clip, I found that if I tried to over complicate the transitions the message could become misconstrued. By using the fade between the pie and the pie in the tin with the final mark is also a representation of the pie cooking in the oven explaining how it could have shown up in the tin on a table without having to use more time to explain it. I wanted to exhibit the process of how your potpie would come fromt he kitchen to the table bringing with it that nostalgic feel of home cooking.

Taylor's Brand Guide:

The Title Design of Saul Bass

2011-11-15T11:40:00.001-06:00

The Title Design of Saul Bass from Ian Albinson on Vimeo.

Insist. Round One.

2011-11-14T14:10:00.001-06:00

"Our campaign/organization, INSIST. consist of a system of four components. A box for the user too put receipts into with information on the inside slip describing the importance of insisting on and keeping receipts. A vacuum-packed t-shirt with a graphic portraying the complicated and stressful nature of receipt management (the t-shirt will be placed in the receipt box). A bus ad would advertise the main message and the route specific pickup locations for the receipt box. A mailer would go out to the businesses giving them information on the importance of giving receipts and assuming professionalism in doing so. The mailer would include stickers to place at the place of purchase and in the store window, reminding people to give/ask for their receipts."

What Sketches (and Prototypes) Are and Are Not. Reading Responce

2011-11-14T06:53:00.001-06:00

This was an article I really needed to read. I tend to have a hard time knowing when to stop and allow a sketch to be a sketch instead of investing too much time into it. This helped a lot in terms of putting things in perspective. I think this will help me a lot in terms of managing the early stages of my projects better. The Design Funnel is a really nice chart to have as well. Especially in terms of UI this whole article was really interesting. I know I have a hard time not pushing my sketches too far and find myself trying to develop them rather than explore further. So much of design is learning self-control and patience.

Dayta Typeface

2011-11-11T14:15:00.001-06:00

Final Union Station Video

2011-11-11T13:18:00.001-06:00

Here is our final Union Station video.

Interesting article about the future of interaction design

2011-11-10T09:40:00.001-06:00

"As it happens, designing Future Interfaces For The Future used to be my line of work. I had the opportunity to design with real working prototypes, not green screens and After Effects, so there certainly are some interactions in the video which I'm a little skeptical of, given that I've actually tried them and the animators presumably haven't. But that's not my problem with the video.

My problem is the opposite, really — this vision, from an interaction perspective, is not visionary. It's a timid increment from the status quo, and the status quo, from an interaction perspective, is actually rather terrible.

This matters, because visions matter. Visions give people a direction and inspire people to act, and a group of inspired people is the most powerful force in the world. If you're a young person setting off to realize a vision, or an old person setting off to fund one, I really want it to be something worthwhile. Something that genuinely improves how we interact.

This little rant isn't going to lay out any grand vision or anything. I just hope to suggest some places to look."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

INSIST - Channels

2011-11-07T14:21:00.000-06:00

Bus Ad - Bus Stops and maybe the sides of buses.
Packet w/ Insert - Distribution centers prior to being picked up. Then in the home.
T-Shirt - On customers and/or employees.
These would be in the box which is different for customers and employees.
Stickers - In store window signage and Point of Sale.

* Employees shirt and in store signage would be in one package just for the business.

Updated Communication Model

2011-11-07T10:27:00.001-06:00

Updated Communication Model for our group consisting of Michael Armstrong, Anika Ruf, and myself.

Communication Model

2011-10-31T10:02:00.000-05:00

Communication Model created with Michael Armstrong and Anika Ruf.

Motion Graphics Studio Report: Shilo

2011-10-24T21:41:00.003-05:00

Motion Graphics Studio Report - Shilo

Further Reading:

http://vimeo.com/channels/designinfusedstories
http://vimeo.com/shilo
http://www.shilo.tv/

Chocolove Final Statement

2011-10-24T11:40:00.001-05:00

Front and back of the Chocolove bar.

Old Front Packaging.

Old Back Packaging.

New logo branding next to the old:

Chocolove - 100% Guilt Free.

Chocolove - "Guilt-free chocolate that tastes as good as it is for you"

While working with this Chocolove chocolate bar I have explored taking a Pathos mode of appeal based object and converting it into a Logos based mode of appeal. I used this informative and logical mode of appeal to reinforce the health benefits of Chocolove chocolate in a fun, informative, eye catching way. Using the Logos mode of appeal and utilizing three dimensional space to create an informative and appealing chocolate packaging. On the right and left side of the bar rests the "100% guilt free" to reassure the shopper. The label that wraps around the bar leads directly into an informative infographic that simple enough to be understood by average customers. They then encounter the nutrition facts and health benefits. I believe that the health conscious shopper will not only pick up this packaging over the others but purchase it based on the benefits that I verified through research. As well as informative fun facts that now sit on the front of the packaging allowing for the benefits to reside in the back together.

The benefits being:

Lowering right of heart disease.
Lowering cholesterol.
The addition of vitamins and antioxidants.
Reduces blood pressure.

On the shelf in context with other chocolate bars.

The redesign stands out clearly against the other bars on the shelf.

Front / Right side angle shot.

Back / Left side angle shot.

Interactive Timeline Final

2011-10-21T03:40:00.001-05:00

While working on the Union Station Timeline project I learned how transitions play a key role in the process of improving storytelling through mediums such as film. Using translations like the action edit, directional edit, form edit, concept edit, and combined edit as some of the ones we discussed. As well as linear versus non-linear storytelling. I learned that you could nest files within other files in after effect. I learned about the importance of making design moves to reinforce the store telling process rather than polish a poorly told narrative. Ways to build up the content and deliver it to the viewer. Most importantly of all I learned to scale back on the amount of feature bloat one can put into a project. I enjoyed add features because hey who doesn't like being able to show and design neat ways for people to interact with the work. But in this case it was too much and I found that rather humbling to realize that there are cases that in fact less options are enough options. Pairing down and scaling back is something I am having to learn and this project was great for that. I don't want to get into the concept of our video or how this ties into but working with our fictional character "John" but it was a really interesting experience working out a storyline using a persona over the process of a user experience. UX is something I find very interesting and hope to pursue more in the future.

Chocolove Packaging Adjustments

2011-10-18T17:11:00.000-05:00

Clean up the icons, make them smaller, explore the lock up placement with text.

Work on wrapping around the box in a more interesting composition.

Try to avoid using banners too much.

Explore using the white line under the text for the icons. Make sure its slightly thicker to improve clarity in printed form.

Alignment needs to be purposeful. Explore left alignment in 2 or 3 columns. Keep swiss clarity in mind.

Keep the icons just on the back of the packaging.

Replace the old "lowers blood pressure" icon with something that doesn't look like the main chocolove heart icon.

Experiment with separate banding.

Remember this is logical chocolate.

Union Station Audio Info: 29.97 fps / 48,000 Hz

2011-10-18T14:09:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

Those of you mixing audio for the Union Station interactive timeline should make sure that your sample rate is 48,000 Hz so it functions better with the 29.97 fps video recording that we're using in After Effects.

If you're recording with your MBP or iPhone they have been recording at 44,100 Hz for me. You can convert using Soundbooth without any issues.

Check it out:

48,000 Hz	The standard audio sampling rate used by professional digital video equipment such as tape recorders, video servers, vision mixers and so on. This rate was chosen because it could deliver a 22 kHz frequency response and work with 29.97 frames per second NTSC video - as well as 25 frame/s, 30 frame/s and 24 frame/s systems. With 29.97 frame/s systems it is necessary to handle 1601.6 audio samples per frame delivering an integer number of audio samples only every fifth video frame.^[11] Also used for sound with consumer video formats like DV, digital TV, DVD, and films. The professional Serial Digital Interface (SDI) and High-definition Serial Digital Interface (HD-SDI) used to connect broadcast television equipment together uses this audio sampling frequency. Much professional audio gear uses (or is able to select) 48 kHz sampling, including mixers, EQs, compressors, reverb, crossovers and recording devices such as DAT.

Koenig Book Spreads

2011-10-14T19:57:00.000-05:00

My conept for the Koenig book is based on the idea of referencing architectural drawings. Line work comes off of the imagery where appropriate to resemble the blue prints. These same lines are being used to lead your eye into the start of paragraphs. I have decided to slice images at the start of a new section revealing a little of the image and giving the text an interesting place to sit and interact with the image to create energy. My paragraphs are focused around other paragraphs or pull quotes to create a sense of negative space on the page that could resemble rooms in a house using a top down view. The images themselves have been treated using a few filters to create a more vintage and attention grabbing feel depending on the time of day they were shot in. My pull quotes are resting on a black shape to create a strong sense of contrast that can also interact with the rest of the content by being shaped by it.

Chocolove - New Packing Mockups

2011-10-12T11:11:00.001-05:00

New mockups w/ extra styles.

Five new mockups together.

Seven old mockups together.

Mockups together.

Close up.

Angle of the set.

Close up detail.

Group Shot

Detail Shot

Old and new design comparison.

Chocolove Re-Branding for Packaging

2011-10-11T17:14:00.002-05:00

I replaced the old Chocolove branding with a more up to date and modern feel to better compliment my information graphics and logo / logic based packaging.

A few different logo variations. The old version at the top.

Chocolove Lock up

Typeface experimentation.

Color pallet.

Interactive Timeline Update

2011-10-10T14:28:00.001-05:00

New Decade Screen.

Moving forward this has been created with a combination of the two concepts we had.

Clarity and simple functionality, union station color schemes, and a more creative interface has merged.

New Article Screen.

Larger view, more space for text, with a system of icon and way finding.

Major adjustments to simplify are currently in the works!

Chocolate Bar / Logos - Digital Iterations & Going forward

2011-10-10T14:21:00.000-05:00

Crit Feedback:

Keep infographics pedestrian level.
The corner of the composition that is cropped off is acceptable. But the heart icon with the + cannot be shoved into it. Something else might but work but Icons don't fit well into the space. Iteration # 2.
The division in some of the infographic compositions are NOT working because of the division in two parts are covered up with design elements. These elements can be removed because the infographic is clearer with less in the composition. Iteration #2, and 3.
The thin line elements are working.
Do not allow branding elements to overshadow the infographic or icons. See iteration #1.
White space is okay to have.
The heart with the + is better than the x.

Adjustments:

Replace the Chocolove logo with a sans-serif version of it without the xoxoxo pathos connotations.
Arrow icon should be more interesting, a little chubbier to match the other icons, and be diverse from one other if the context is simular. IE: Lowers Blood Pressure & Reduces Cholesterol.
Lowers Cholesterol needs a specific icon design. See medical reference. Maybe the equipment that relates to the machine.
Reduces Blood Pressure needs a specific icon design. See medical reference. Maybe the equipment that relates to the machine.

New Rules:

Always use a heart in the composition to reference heart health. The heart should be hierarchically high.
Icons should have a strong contrast like in the third down composition.
Infograph and icons should both be 50% of the focus.
SIMPLIFY.

Color Schemes:

Red, Brown, White.
Blue, Brown, White.
Brown, Pink.

Individual Variations:

Chocolate bar is the infographic: Clean and simple variation. 50/50 hierarchy split with icons & infographic. (Not counting the other supporting data)
The heart is alone with the infographic data and supporting text.
The heart with the other icons are the focal point.

- Removed the bottom three -

Typography of Sanborn New York City Maps

2011-10-10T08:54:00.003-05:00

Inspirational Imagery for Koning Book

2011-10-07T13:41:00.004-05:00

Six Architects Posters by Andrea Gallo

Interactive Timeline Process

2011-10-07T00:45:00.000-05:00

Design #1

1940's Home Screen

Image Selection w/ Additional Information and Slideshow

Design #2

Packaging Progress Update & Final Sellection

2011-10-06T00:54:00.004-05:00

After critique today I have decided to move forward with my item an initial pathos object Chocolove chocolate bar which has become logos.

Changes to make:

A chocolate bar thats informative and lets you feel better about eating it is a strong idea because most chocolate bars are only pathos.

Deepen the concept.

Experimenting with some copywriting.

Chocolate you love it and its good for you.
Guilt free chocolate.
Doctor recommended chocolate.

I will be experimenting with a key along side my icons.

Experiment with the 65% statistic as a informative graph on the back of the bar. See Nicolas Feltron.

* Pick up information is beautiful.

There are so many of these bars in various percentages if I can come up with a good system I wonder if I could do a few as a series.

How can I make the unboxing special?

A little research about the company:

"Chocolove is a chocolate manufacturer with headquarters and a manufacturing facility in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1996 by entrepreneur Timothy Moley, the company produces all-natural and organic chocolate bars. They also produce a line of single-origin, vintage chocolate bars under the brand name Chocolatour.

Chocolove imports chocolate and cocoa butter from Belgium to produce its chocolate bars.

Chocolove was the first American company to indicate the cocoa content percentage on its wrappers, beginning in 1996. Chocolove is still owned and operated by its founder, chocolatier Timothy Moley." - Wikipedia

"Discover Chocolove premium Belgian chocolate bars. Available in many distinct flavors that range from a sweet, creamy Milk Chocolate with a 33% cocoa content up to Extra Strong Dark with an impressively strong yet smooth 77% cocoa content. The cocoa content is boldly indicated on each bar for easy identification. Tied in to chocolate's natural counterpart, love, each bar resembles a love letter, complete with a romantic poem inside the wrapper." - From the company site.

"When he returned to the States, he began his chocolate education and quickly discovered a few key facts about the U.S. chocolate market: the average consumer could tell the difference between cheap chocolate and premium chocolate and they preferred premium chocolate; the available premium chocolate bar choices were limited, expensive and intimidating; no U.S. company was indicating the cocoa content on their wrappers; and flavors were boring." - From the company site.

Info about my product:

Chocolove Rich Dark Chocolate Bar
65% Cocoa Content

"A complex, bittersweet chocolate. Caribbean cocoa beans add subtle hints of fruit and vanilla. This full-flavored chocolate melts effortlessly in your mouth and leaves a tangy cocoa aftertaste."

Front

Back

Informational Facts for my Logos based packaging:

Sources:

http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate.htm

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate

http://www.allchocolate.com/health/basics/

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/nutrition/chocolate.aspx

http://www.doctorsolve.com/blog/2009/11/5-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate.html

How do I store chocolate?
Chocolate must be kept cool, dark and in a moisture-proof container to preserve freshness and develop flavor. Chocolate keeps best at a temperature of 60°F. A range of 55°F to 70°F is recommended. However, whatever storage temperature you use, it is best if the temperature doesn’t vary more than 5° on a daily basis. You can store chocolate in the refrigerator; however, you must adhere to guidelines which include an air-tight, moisture-tight container; a zip lock bag may not be enough to keep out moisture and other aromas in the refrigerator.

Why do some chocolate bars have a lightly colored, powdery film on their surface?
This light, powdery film is called bloom. When chocolate is exposed to temperatures above 75°F, the cocoa butter can change from solid to liquid and move toward the surface of the bar. Subsequent cooling will result in cocoa butter crystals forming a thin, lightly colored, powdery film on the surface of the bar. It also leaves some cocoa particles uncoated inside the bar, causing the chocolate to taste dry, chalky, and grainy. Obviously, higher temperatures can cause a bar to melt and deform, but even at temperatures around 80°F a bar may not deform, but may develop bloom. Chocolove should be kept out of direct sunlight and stored between 50°F and 70°F.

What does the cocoa percentage on your wrapper mean?
The percentage is the amount by weight of the ingredients derived directly from the cocoa bean. Cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa liquor are all derived directly from the bean. The higher the cocoa content in a bar, the less sugar the chocolate contains. Since 1995Chocolove has clearly printed the cocoa content of each bar on its wrappers. We were the first to do so in the United States.

Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy:
Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are fromflavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:
Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:
Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.
Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:

it tastes good
it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

WEB MD:

Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure

Dark chocolate -- not white chocolate -- lowers high blood pressure, say Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Cologne, Germany. Their report appears in the Aug. 27 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

But that's no license to go on a chocolate binge. Eating more dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure -- if you've reached a certain age and have mild high blood pressure, say the researchers. But you have to balance the extra calories by eating less of other things.

Antioxidants in Dark ChocolateDark chocolate -- but not milk chocolate or dark chocolate eaten with milk -- is a potent antioxidant, report Mauro Serafini, PhD, of Italy's National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome, and colleagues. Their report appears in the Aug. 28 issue of Nature. Antioxidants gobble up free radicals, destructive molecules that are implicated in heart disease and other ailments.

"Our findings indicate that milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate ... and may therefore negate the potential health benefits that can be derived from eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate."

Translation: Say "Dark, please," when ordering at the chocolate counter. Don't even think of washing it down with milk. And if health is your excuse for eating chocolate, remember the word "moderate" as you nibble.

The StudiesTaubert's team signed up six men and seven women aged 55-64. All had just been diagnosed with mild high blood pressure -- on average, systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 153 and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of 84.

Every day for two weeks, they ate a 100-gram candy bar and were asked to balance its 480 calories by not eating other foods similar in nutrients and calories. Half the patients got dark chocolate and half got white chocolate.

Those who ate dark chocolate had a significant drop in blood pressure (by an average of 5 points for systolic and an average of 2 points for diastolic blood pressure). Those who ate white chocolate did not.

In the second study, Serafini's team signed up seven healthy women and five healthy men aged 25-35. On different days they each ate 100 grams of dark chocolate by itself, 100 grams of dark chocolate with a small glass of whole milk, or 200 grams of milk chocolate.

An hour later, those who ate dark chocolate alone had the most total antioxidants in their blood. And they had higher levels of epicatechin, a particularly healthy compound found in chocolate. The milk chocolate eaters had the lowest epicatechin levels of all.

Koenig Spreads Round 1

2011-10-06T00:32:00.003-05:00

first step in some overhauls.

Directional adjustments before class ended:

Bumped the grid up to 13 columns simply to have a grid to work with like "graph paper" which so far has been working much better.

Editing images is alright to do so long as it isn't constantly done.

I bumped my text from 12/13 to 11/13, and last but not least 10.5/13

Currently there is a 0.0425 space after as well.

The spread above is richer in contrast and hierarchical diferences.

Changes to make still:

More interesting compositions and text adjustments.

Practice spread 1 of 3

Practice spread 2 of 3

What Should Food Look Like? Reading / Response

2011-10-05T07:36:00.000-05:00

I think Alexandra Lange's article is point out some really interesting facts about what we eat and how the design of the food packaging you buy is commonly reflective of your economic class. If a company wants to target customers who are willing to shell out a few extra dollars to make sure they have a healthier choice then the packaging has to first draw them in and say "this is what you're looking for." I find it really interesting that big brands will design themselves to appear small to give you the idea that there is so how more time spent with the product. That the people producing your crackers have more to lose if they don't produce a quality product. I haven't put to much thought into the fact that this could be a farce. At least in my case it was a successful marketing tactic. The article calls for a classless branding system. Grocery stores stocked with food not messages about your income level. Designing things that look cheap to appeal to a budgeted market place is something I've been observing myself lately in the marketplace. It looks cheap so you know its cheap to buy. Why does the experience have to be simply one of picking up the package, knowing its cheap, accepting that you can't buy the other step up or shouldn't at least to save money. Shouldn't design strive to make even the lower tier items a good experience for the customer?

Visual language // find+share - package design

2011-10-03T13:47:00.002-05:00

Logos
These milk cartons have a very minimalistic package design displaying the factual information very clearly and dominantly. The designs are very flat and reduced to only one color per package. This brings the viewer to primarily focus on the package information.

Pathos
Products in the Pathos category often have photos/illustrations that help appeal to the viewers senses. The conversation bubble in this package even helps to speak to the viewer. This rendering is a little more dimensional helping to focus the viewer more on the sensory detail.

Ethos
This package focuses primarily on what the brand offers. Dominate features such as "No Bad Stuff" and "I'm Good, Pick Me Up" seem to guarantee product quality. It plays on the values of the consumer.

Union Station Wireframes

2011-10-03T00:36:00.003-05:00

UI Concept #1

Interactive timeline with integrated audio, video, photograph, and testimonials. As you move through the timeline with your finger (swipe) you can scroll through the different years and events. Select an event and by the icon bellow you can tell what media it is. If that is what you want you can move forward with your selection. Photograph has an option slide show if there is more than one image with additional blurb or information. With the audio selection you have the standard audio controls layout. On the audio bar it would show you where you are so far into the audio clip. Buffer may or may not be shown. Maybe not if we don't want the viewer to think that there is a chance of it not buffering properly? Maybe it would be better if the audio was loaded to an SSD drive and then there wouldn't be any load time at all. With the video clip there is the standard video controls. In this case I only want to show pause, play, and the X for closing the box. At the bottom of the timeline there is a micro timeline view. If you select the small timeline it pops up showing a slide bar with each year of the decade its currently in and highlighting which one you're currently on. In the top right corner there is an icon for expand. When you select this icon is opens up the macro view. In the macro view you see each decade as a cropped sliver of an image that is highlighting one of the most important moments in that decade. They would function as a cycling / rotating view controlled with a swipe motion and tap to close. At the bottom of the page there is a check box for infographic view. With this selected as you move through the normal timeline each selection that you scroll through at the bottom of the page on top of the micro timeline bar an infographic highlight of that years tickets sold, and trains run through the station. The years prior and after the year selected are shown leading the viewer to continue on through the timeline as well as informing them of the rise and decline in an interesting visual graph.

UI Concept #2

Folly Theater Billboard Iterations

2011-10-02T17:16:00.000-05:00

Tropicana Re-design / Reading Response

2011-09-30T16:26:00.002-05:00

Reading about how the industry and graphic design firms are having to bow to public pressure reguarding the wishes of the consumer is extremely fascinating. It shows that the power that comes from the choice of the consumer is still king. Hopefully this will hold back the trends of designing a product that is force fed back to the populous without little more than a limited focus group. As designers we want the consumer to not only need to buy the product but you want them to feel passionate about buying that particular product. The Tropicana brand symbol for example with the straw going through the orange. They didn't even realize how passionately their consumer base felt about the established icon. I don't think even the consumers realized how much they cared about purchasing Tropicana until it was changed. Mr. Campbell seeing this passion for their product even though it was because of a negative change understood that if they reverted back to the original icon those consumers would be happy. Each one of those consumers who complained about the change to Tropicana will now feel that they had a hand in bringing back the old logo. Do you think they might purchase another brand after all of that? I think not. Not only that but the hype around the change drummed up countless amounts of free marketing. The very fact that we're discussing it in Visual Language says something about it. I'm going to the grocery store tonight... guess what I might just have to purchase now? Thats right. Tropicana Orange Juice.

The other half of this article that touched on social media's influence on consumer products. I am extremely fascinated by social media, its applications, and its power in this era. Its refreshing to see that by using Twitter, and Facebook the consumers have a voice that will allow those companies and the design / advertising firms they hire to produce better work based on that feedback. If anything we should see advertising become increasingly effective across all mediums.