For this course, PO3 was really useful. In PO3, you start of with a theme, a goal or a feeling (the Briefing). Then you analyse the market, you target group and how do you want to sell the product (Media strategy). Afterwards imagine/invent a few crazy ideas to reach what you want to reach (Conceptual design). And finally, make your whole concept more concrete (Detailed design).
Early in our process it was clear that we wanted to make an entertaining project. But we weren’t really sure or concrete until the last two weeks of the course. We changed our concept two times and in the end, the briefing was still making sense for our current concept but that is not the case for the first media strategy (Handin in our blog).
We don’t think that we would change anything of our process. We didn’t rush anything; we wanted to test our ideas. Once we decided on how to proceed, our working speed was much higher and we had more drive. So we think that every step we did was needed and that none of them were bad for our process.
Other then our process, the use of a blog was quite unusual. At first, it was just considered to be extra work, but then again it was useful. Instead of having one person holding all the notes and progress of the group, the blog renders the share of information easy and quick. This more a comment on our “report” skills then our process but we could have updated our blog more often in the earlier phases of the course.
This course had a lot of “learning moments”, especially when it was concerning the interaction of a user with a media. We learned that we mustn’t underestimate the number of barrier in your project, even more so when you want people to cross between different medium.
donderdag 21 januari 2010
Evaluation of the Design
Secrets beneath your feet
For evaluations we explained what kind of project it is and than showed the short flash movie to several persons. Afterwards we discussed the movie briefly and asked them if they can explain us the project. Next to finding out if they understood what the project was about and how everything works was finding out if people were intrigued enough to have a look at the showcases and participate. For the evaluation we spoke to 8 people (they were chosen for their diversity in age, sex, working class...).
Not every aspect of the project is clear. For instance the point is of the fake object, because it becomes directly clear which item is fake. It wasn’t clear how the sms corresponded to a specific showcase. People also wanted to read the information on the showcases and the website more. The points/prizes relation wasn’t all that clear, how many artefacts would be displayed in the same time and that they would be replaced by other items in time, what the main function is of the showcase, what the costs are.
Points for improvement for the movie/project are the following:
Show the complete showcase with the buttons while explaining the circles on the screen correspond with the buttons on the showcase.
Make the sms correspond with a specific showcase.
Explain explicitly there aren't any extra or hidden fees for the sms-games. The sms doesn’t cost you anything more then the price of an sms.
Explain what the main point of the showcase is: items, news or game?
Highlight some of text on the screen of the showcase and the website.
Explain the system of collecting points and buying products with those points.
The level of interest was divided. 6 out of 8 persons said they would take a look at showcases if they had some spare time on the station. 2 out of the 8 questioned persons said they would probably join the game after making sure it didn’t cost them anything. The problem was people are afraid they would be subscribed tot a sms-service.
For evaluations we explained what kind of project it is and than showed the short flash movie to several persons. Afterwards we discussed the movie briefly and asked them if they can explain us the project. Next to finding out if they understood what the project was about and how everything works was finding out if people were intrigued enough to have a look at the showcases and participate. For the evaluation we spoke to 8 people (they were chosen for their diversity in age, sex, working class...).
Not every aspect of the project is clear. For instance the point is of the fake object, because it becomes directly clear which item is fake. It wasn’t clear how the sms corresponded to a specific showcase. People also wanted to read the information on the showcases and the website more. The points/prizes relation wasn’t all that clear, how many artefacts would be displayed in the same time and that they would be replaced by other items in time, what the main function is of the showcase, what the costs are.
Points for improvement for the movie/project are the following:
Show the complete showcase with the buttons while explaining the circles on the screen correspond with the buttons on the showcase.
Make the sms correspond with a specific showcase.
Explain explicitly there aren't any extra or hidden fees for the sms-games. The sms doesn’t cost you anything more then the price of an sms.
Explain what the main point of the showcase is: items, news or game?
Highlight some of text on the screen of the showcase and the website.
Explain the system of collecting points and buying products with those points.
The level of interest was divided. 6 out of 8 persons said they would take a look at showcases if they had some spare time on the station. 2 out of the 8 questioned persons said they would probably join the game after making sure it didn’t cost them anything. The problem was people are afraid they would be subscribed tot a sms-service.
woensdag 13 januari 2010
Storyboard of the Movie
The first frame holds basic information about the course like our names + photo, name of the project + logo and other information…
INTRO:
Then the movie opens on a short film of someone heading for the station but ends up missing his train and for the mood there is a tune made by Ingrid Michaelson entitled "Be OK".
The person notices the showcases on platform 1, at which point we use our visual. Then we zoom in, as if the person is walking to it.
THE SHOWCASES:
Now, we are in front of the showcase, we leave it like this for a few seconds, giving time for the audience to observe that there is a screen on the back with different ads on it (prizes, sponsors...).
The person presses one of the buttons on the showcase, which starts the sequence and now we zoom in, to only see the screen.
We now see the menu of the screen. The first two menus are Item & Game (guess the fake artefact game) and News. Now we zoom out a bit just enough to see the hands of the person.Then he pushes the button on the side, we zoom out a bit to see (just enough for all five showcases to be visible) the lights go on. Green means the artefact is real and red means it’s fake. This game is free and gets the traveller more involved, increasing our chances of him participating to the quiz.
Once that is done, we move onto a visual of the last tab in the menu: Quiz and Prizes.
We can see all the different elements of the screen (the quiz, the sms-code where you send your answer)
Now we zoom out a bit just enough to see the hands of the person. The person takes out his mobile phone, fills in his answer and sends it.
Now the screen is back to the stand-by mode where all the ads pass by. The user notices the following sentence: “To check your answers and for hints go on our site www.secretsbeneathyourfeet.com”.
INTERNET:
(Black screen, narrator explaining) The train arrives, the user steps in, wondering whether he won the quiz or not. Once at home, he turns his computer on and visits the internet site.
You see the homepage of the site and notice that there is a lot of information (news which is redirected to Spoorzone Delft, agenda, the artefacts, the sponsors…). But then the user notices that he came make an account which requires a username, password and e-mail address. After it is made, we move on to a visual of the account’s dashboard.
The different features of the account are explained, such as giving your mobile phone number to receive your quiz points and check if the answer was correct or not. If it was correct, you receive more points, in case it was wrong you get a hint. Then the user can indicate what means of transport he uses to receive relevant updates. He can even receive it as an sms if he gave his phone number. Then there is the more standard information as real name, age or a photo… for whenever you win (your photo is shown on the homepage).
The user checks out his ranking and the number of points he needs for the prizes one last time (again, we use a visual for this). The computer is off, the user thinks he will try another quiz tomorrow, to win more points.
CREDITS:
"This video clip was made for educational purposes only, as part of the course Cross Media Interaction Design, at Delft University of Technology, Industrial Design Engineering"
INTRO:
Then the movie opens on a short film of someone heading for the station but ends up missing his train and for the mood there is a tune made by Ingrid Michaelson entitled "Be OK".
The person notices the showcases on platform 1, at which point we use our visual. Then we zoom in, as if the person is walking to it.
THE SHOWCASES:
Now, we are in front of the showcase, we leave it like this for a few seconds, giving time for the audience to observe that there is a screen on the back with different ads on it (prizes, sponsors...).
The person presses one of the buttons on the showcase, which starts the sequence and now we zoom in, to only see the screen.
We now see the menu of the screen. The first two menus are Item & Game (guess the fake artefact game) and News. Now we zoom out a bit just enough to see the hands of the person.Then he pushes the button on the side, we zoom out a bit to see (just enough for all five showcases to be visible) the lights go on. Green means the artefact is real and red means it’s fake. This game is free and gets the traveller more involved, increasing our chances of him participating to the quiz.
Once that is done, we move onto a visual of the last tab in the menu: Quiz and Prizes.
We can see all the different elements of the screen (the quiz, the sms-code where you send your answer)
Now we zoom out a bit just enough to see the hands of the person. The person takes out his mobile phone, fills in his answer and sends it.
Now the screen is back to the stand-by mode where all the ads pass by. The user notices the following sentence: “To check your answers and for hints go on our site www.secretsbeneathyourfeet.com”.
INTERNET:
(Black screen, narrator explaining) The train arrives, the user steps in, wondering whether he won the quiz or not. Once at home, he turns his computer on and visits the internet site.
You see the homepage of the site and notice that there is a lot of information (news which is redirected to Spoorzone Delft, agenda, the artefacts, the sponsors…). But then the user notices that he came make an account which requires a username, password and e-mail address. After it is made, we move on to a visual of the account’s dashboard.
The different features of the account are explained, such as giving your mobile phone number to receive your quiz points and check if the answer was correct or not. If it was correct, you receive more points, in case it was wrong you get a hint. Then the user can indicate what means of transport he uses to receive relevant updates. He can even receive it as an sms if he gave his phone number. Then there is the more standard information as real name, age or a photo… for whenever you win (your photo is shown on the homepage).
The user checks out his ranking and the number of points he needs for the prizes one last time (again, we use a visual for this). The computer is off, the user thinks he will try another quiz tomorrow, to win more points.
CREDITS:
"This video clip was made for educational purposes only, as part of the course Cross Media Interaction Design, at Delft University of Technology, Industrial Design Engineering"
Detailed Visual Design Examples
Showcase on platform 1
Showcase on platform 2
Menu of the screen in the Showcase
Game tab of the screen in the showcase
Homepage of the Internet Site
Showcase on platform 2
Menu of the screen in the Showcase
Game tab of the screen in the showcase
Homepage of the Internet Site
Task Analysis & Flow Chart
Task analysis
Showcases
User should be able to:
• find information about the artefacts, the construction, the games and prizes
• skip or review the information (rewind/fast-forward for videos and next/previous for text pages)
• can go back to the menu at all time (third button)
• participate to the guessing game of the “fake” artefacts easily
• The TV screen is a visual tool to lure people into participating:
o Teasers such as “the find a the week”, “photo of the week” or “yesterday’s winners”
o A slideshow of the exhibited items with some context
o A video of the digging and the finding of the items or artefacts
o The internet address of the project, advertisement (WeSD, Delft Bouwt or possible sponsors…)
Mobile Phone
Text messaging is essential. Multiple codes are given (on the TV screen, text on the showcases…) and they each have a different function. So, by sending a sms to a certain code, you have different results.
The different possibilities are:
- to receive information (live updates)
- to post a comment on a piece that is in one of the showcases
- to answer one of the quizzes
- checkout what the contests and prizes are.
Internet
User should be able to:
• Create an account
• Comment
• Log in
• Log off
• Retrieve password
• Upload photos
• Change personal setting
• Go to page: winners, games, photo, info, news, main, account, developments
• Go to external site: spoorzone, sponsors
• Play game: ….
Flow Chart
A: go to page Winners
B: start a selected game
C: go to page games
Showcases
User should be able to:
• find information about the artefacts, the construction, the games and prizes
• skip or review the information (rewind/fast-forward for videos and next/previous for text pages)
• can go back to the menu at all time (third button)
• participate to the guessing game of the “fake” artefacts easily
• The TV screen is a visual tool to lure people into participating:
o Teasers such as “the find a the week”, “photo of the week” or “yesterday’s winners”
o A slideshow of the exhibited items with some context
o A video of the digging and the finding of the items or artefacts
o The internet address of the project, advertisement (WeSD, Delft Bouwt or possible sponsors…)
Mobile Phone
Text messaging is essential. Multiple codes are given (on the TV screen, text on the showcases…) and they each have a different function. So, by sending a sms to a certain code, you have different results.
The different possibilities are:
- to receive information (live updates)
- to post a comment on a piece that is in one of the showcases
- to answer one of the quizzes
- checkout what the contests and prizes are.
Internet
User should be able to:
• Create an account
• Comment
• Log in
• Log off
• Retrieve password
• Upload photos
• Change personal setting
• Go to page: winners, games, photo, info, news, main, account, developments
• Go to external site: spoorzone, sponsors
• Play game: ….
Flow Chart
A: go to page Winners
B: start a selected game
C: go to page games
Concept details
The artefacts and the TV screens are now combined into one element: the showcase. The name we gave to this project is: Secrets beneath your feet. Multiple showcases are located on both platforms of the train station. The TV screens will be looping ads for the project and the sponsors until someone presses one of the four buttons on the showcase. At this point, three choices are available: learn more about the artefact; construction updates and finally, games, prizes and sms-codes.
The first option is mostly informative; it gives background information about the artefact. It can be a short movie of the digging or a re-enactment of its use back in the days or any kind of story that can increase the public’s interest. At all times it is possible to fast-forward or rewind the movie or head back to the menu with the use of the three buttons.
The construction updates gives an overview of the latest news concerning the construction. It can indicate that some streets are blocked and that people need to take another path then usual or due to the diggings trains can’t travel for a certain period… Any kind of thing that can affect the routine of the travellers that arrive at or depart from the station.
The last part is more destined to entertain the travellers. Each artefact has a different game attached to it (see the “game inventory” for more details on the actual games). To play, you need your mobile phone and send a sms, with your answer, to the code that is shown on the screen. The prizes that you can win are shown on the screen. You can find hints by following the internet link that is on the screen.
The showcases have a fourth button that is located on the side, instead of the front, where the three others are. It is another game, guessing the fake artefacts. People try to guess and then by pressing the button, small lights in two different colours (green for real and red for fake) will turn on in each showcase. The idea was to make a quick game that could surprise people. Bring them to think that some items are worthless but actually are of great value. It might interest them into reading more and even play the games.
The TV screens and the showcases are provided by sponsors or if necessary they are bought since it isn’t some insanely expensive equipment. Archaeologists and historians expect to find quite a lot of items during the digging since there used to be quite a few things on these grounds years back. This means that we don’t really need to worry about the number of artefacts that will be found. As for the fake ones, they can be made by artists that specialises in the making of old object replicas or it can be something worthless that was dug out and that can be passed as an artefact.
Content in each Medium
Media Strategy update
Concept visual, the showcases
MEDIA USED:
After a few modifications, we reduced the number of media used in our project. The three mediums that we will use are: the showcases, the mobile and the Internet. The showcases are a combination of tow mediums: the artefact and a TV-screen.
AIM OF THE MEDIA:
The showcases will be present on both platforms of the train station. This means they will be in competition with the surrounding billboards. To draw more attention, the TV-screens within the showcases will play ads. We expect that the combination of movement and light will lure people to the showcases.
Afterwards people will notice that there is something in that showcase. By using people’s curiosity, we expect that they will at least have a closer look. They will see that you can do quite a few things with the showcases. It can be informative because the user learns more about the artefact or about the construction areas; as well as entertaining, since there are quizzes and games where you can win a prize. Anyone can participate by simply using their mobile phone or the internet.
WHAT MAKES IT CROSS MEDIA?
• Showcase to Mobile Phone
The quiz and the artefacts are shown by the showcase, but the mobile phone is needed to interact with it on the spot.
• Mobile Phone to Internet
You might have answered to the quiz but you cannot see your points yet. You aren’t even sure if you answered right or wrong, you need to go on the internet site to check it all out.
• Internet to Showcase
To checkout the artefact “live” or the quiz to get more points, you need to go see the showcases because you can only find the sms-codes there.
• Showcase to Internet
The internet has information that the showcase does not have such as the comments posted by the travellers that passed by. It is also more comfortable to read through everything at home instead of the station.
• Internet to Mobile phone
Since you don’t always have access to the internet at all times, receiving live-updates sms’s can be useful and encourage the traveller to create an account.
MEDIA USED:
After a few modifications, we reduced the number of media used in our project. The three mediums that we will use are: the showcases, the mobile and the Internet. The showcases are a combination of tow mediums: the artefact and a TV-screen.
AIM OF THE MEDIA:
The showcases will be present on both platforms of the train station. This means they will be in competition with the surrounding billboards. To draw more attention, the TV-screens within the showcases will play ads. We expect that the combination of movement and light will lure people to the showcases.
Afterwards people will notice that there is something in that showcase. By using people’s curiosity, we expect that they will at least have a closer look. They will see that you can do quite a few things with the showcases. It can be informative because the user learns more about the artefact or about the construction areas; as well as entertaining, since there are quizzes and games where you can win a prize. Anyone can participate by simply using their mobile phone or the internet.
WHAT MAKES IT CROSS MEDIA?
• Showcase to Mobile Phone
The quiz and the artefacts are shown by the showcase, but the mobile phone is needed to interact with it on the spot.
• Mobile Phone to Internet
You might have answered to the quiz but you cannot see your points yet. You aren’t even sure if you answered right or wrong, you need to go on the internet site to check it all out.
• Internet to Showcase
To checkout the artefact “live” or the quiz to get more points, you need to go see the showcases because you can only find the sms-codes there.
• Showcase to Internet
The internet has information that the showcase does not have such as the comments posted by the travellers that passed by. It is also more comfortable to read through everything at home instead of the station.
• Internet to Mobile phone
Since you don’t always have access to the internet at all times, receiving live-updates sms’s can be useful and encourage the traveller to create an account.