Design Methodology Entry 3
Narrowing Down My Project Ideas
This week is all about narrowing down my ideas to one project to propose next week. I am very shocked that I was able to come up with so many ideas that I am genuinely excited about in such a short time. I think the main challenge I have now is getting more specific in my statements. I am going to use this medium entry to lay it all out for each of my top 3 directions and process which direction I think I want to peruse.
1. Cincinnati Exhibit
Statement :I am making an outdoor exhibit for kids to learn about the history of the city of Cincinnati.
Constraints : I believe that if I go in this direction, I will aim to make the target audience for the exhibit kids and their accompanying parents. I am thinking that it will be a multi-location exhibit with an accompanying guide either in book or app form. The content will be related to the history of the city.
Outcomes : My goal with this project is to educate kids about the history of Cincinnati and make them feel excited about their city. Ultimately people will have more knowledge about Cincy and a greater connection to the community.
Reflections : I really do love this idea and I think this is what I am the most excited about. I know that if I go in this direction, I will need to narrow down the topic of “history” a little bit. I am not completely sure how I want to do that yet, but have considered things like the foundation of the city, architecture, art, or music. I also am not 100% tied to the audience of children. I think it would be really fun to design something for kids visually, but also think that a Cincinnati exhibit could be beneficial to anyone. I’m also considering hitting on a more important topic like gentrification or something, which would probably push me to an older audience. Still figuring that all out, but this is definitely a top contender.
2. Geocache App
Statement : I am re-imagining an app for geocachers to feel more like the treasure hunt it’s supposed to be.
Constraints : This app would be targeted at geocachers. These people could be any age, but most probably young adults in Gen-x or millennial range. People would use this app while actively geocaching and would use it to help them explore, find caches, log their findings, and interact with other users. This project could also either be a re-design of the existing geocache app OR I could make my own geocaching app.
Outcomes : Ultimately, I want people to have a lot of fun in the entire geocaching experience, including while using the app. The Geocaching app that most people use is functional, but it just doesn’t look like the activity you use it for. It’s supposed to feel like a treasure hunt, so I would like to make an app that brings that imagination to the entire process so that people can explore and connect to their communities in a more fun way.
Reflections : I think graphically, this one would be really fun to work on. My main concern is that I have less experience with UX/UI, though I did take the interaction design class, so I do have some knowledge. This is probably my second favorite idea at the moment. It’s something I am excited about and would stay excited about for the whole capstone process.
5. Dog Care Book
Statement : I am making a book for new dog owners to learn about their responsibility and commitment.
Constraints : This book would be aimed at brand new dog owners and would contain content that educates them about the important responsibilities that come with owning a dog. Additionally it would highlight the importance of the commitment they are making and how that plays into situations like when dogs grow older or have problems. The format would be a physical guidebook as of now.
Outcomes : The point of this book is to make it very clear for people about what to expect when owning a dog. Many people get a dog without thinking of the future, and that leads them to abandon the dog later on. I would like to prevent that from ever happening. This guidebook will leave people educated on basic dog care, and ultimately result in healthier and happier dogs.
Reflections : I do think that this topic is one that I care a lot about. Dogs are a huge part of my life and I care a lot about ethical care of animals. I did get some feedback that this may be more of a typical project compared to some of my other ideas, so I’ve been considering if there are other ideas I could look at as far as format or focusing in on a certain aspect of raising a dog. This is probably the idea out of the top 3 that I am least excited about, but I still am excited about it and think that graphically it could be really fun.
Final Thoughts / Decision?
I feel like after talking to people, I am leaning in the direction of the Cincinnati Exhibit. I feel excited about the topic and am excited about exhibit design. I think I will continue to think about options for a more fine-tuned focus for the faculty review, but I see a lot of potential in many directions both topically and graphically.
