Keywords: consumer product development, user interfaces, sharing information, hard and soft controls, mental models, hardware and software interaction

Instructor: Robert Fabricant, Frog Design

References: Bill Buxton, 'The Design of Every Day Things' by Donald A. Norman

Date: Fall 2004

DIGITAL PRODUCT DESIGN

Series of projects and exercises oriented towards acquiring a strong product development methodology and good understanding of software user interface models. How do we develop products within a large network of media and services? What are the appropriate paradigms for sharing information within a consumer environment? How do we apply those paradigms across a diverse set of platforms with different combinations of hard and soft controls?

SAM, a digital assistant for green activists

November-December 2004

With Anh Dang and Anees Assali.

SAM is a digital device used to inform, alert, update users on enviromental issues and encourage them to "Think Globably, Act Locally." It's a PDA for environmentalists that addresses sustainability, activism, and mobility for a greener lifestyle with options for Shopping, Transportation, Informations, and Community Connections.

Special features

• interactive geographic map
• bendable display to browse
• stylus pen and gestures as modes of interaction
• barcode reader to enhance green shopping
• virtual tree rewards environmentally friendly actions

Final Documentation
Technical and functional Specifications (.pdf)
Animated Demo (Shockwave Flash movie)

Proposals and Studies
Synthesis, Mental Model, Interaction Model, User types (.pdf)
User Reseach for SAM (.pdf)

EXERCISES

1. Analysis of a time-based programmable appliance: a VCR (.pdf)

2. Redesign of a time-based programmable appliance: a VCR.

   Improving of the system. (.pdf)

Contextual, Observational Analysis

3. Analysis of Set Top Box / Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) (.pdf)

4. The Magic Wand remote control: Redesign of Set Top Box / Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) (.pdf)

Systemic Analysis

5. Data Model for a Shared Media Space
Subject of study: ICTnet.es, a professional virtual community
Entities (.pdf)
Entity properties: Actors (.pdf)
Entity properties: Objects (.pdf)
Relationships (.pdf)

6. Hardware Interface for communicating activity on a social network: a radio set
Subject of study: Greenpeace community
Concept and schematics (Shockwave Flash movie).