DP: WEEK 12

The past week has been about making my mobile app move. Animation, animation, animation. Usually I would turn to keynote to animate and present a final presentation, but this time around I have chosen to use After Effects. I should have used keynote to create this presentation, given my lack of technical skills, but I decided to go this route because of its potential and capabilities.

What truly convinced me to do this in After Effects is that I feel, as a graduating senior, I should have some ability to present a mobile app with motion that is a bit more advanced than your typical keynote fade in and fade out. And my degree project was the perfect opportunity to challenge myself. I am not very good at driving After Effects as it's been a very long while since I have used this program (effectively). So suffice it to say that this has been a challenge. The fourteen seconds I have animated took hours and hours that could've taken some of my other classmates only two or three. This brings up an uncomfortable question that I couldn't help but ask myself…is my struggle with the software worth the output? This isn't a question of whether my hard work is worth it because I absolutely believe it is. Looking at what I have created so far I am happy with what I see on screen. And I am pleased with myself that I have made it happen. This animation marathon has already taught me plenty about the software, workflow, and about the ability to surprise myself. But the question on my mind is when dealing with such a challenge, at what point do you stop and say "this is too difficult" and think of other ways to achieve a similar end result that you are capable of? In the middle of a project? Almost, just before the end? This question has plagued me for some time.

Do you truck through the difficulty at the expense of the final product for the sake of a learning experience? Or do you take a bite of what you know you like and can easily digest and follow through with ease? I know this question depends on the individual, the circumstances, and what is at stake. But this issue has to be mentioned in my process for there was a moment where I thought I made a huge mistake taking this on. With a grand thank you to Sam, an After Effects guru, for showing me a few tricks, I chose to stick it out and put in the many hours it takes for me to get this done. I have started early enough that I can afford to make mistakes and it be alright because it is not due tomorrow. Right now I am about half way done with my animation, and I plan on getting this done by friday evening.

DP: Week 11

At this point in my degree project. I am in the initial stages of beginning my animation. And by beginning I mean preparing my files for proper and effective workflow. While this is my process blog on my journey to completing my degree project I suppose it's appropriate to log the things I have learned while producing.

First thing I've learned (thanks to McKenzie) is that illustrator allows you to choose devices as art boards so that in one click you can have the proper dimensions for your design. The second, and most importantly, is to maintain focus on designing for the final presentation. This being said, I have realized in this initial animation stage, that designing for the actual iphone 5 is fun. You can see your app in context and is physically in your hands at a beautiful high resolution, where it feels almost real, even though it's just a simple .png. The excitement for your app reaches an all time high (especially after trying everything in your power to make it not look pixelated for 4 days). But now these very high res files have a difficult time moving from place to place like say moving to and fro. Like say in After Effects? The file is so large that the smallest item on my screen falls off the composition in AE and doesn't even flinch when I try to move it. Essentially I will have to reduce my file size into a quarter of the original to make movement happen. A little reminder that the final presentation is what I should be designing for (DUH JESSICA!).A bit of a set back, wel not set back but longer preparation than intended. All shall be well.

DP:Week 10

This week has been all about clarity. I have been going through my mobile application this week tying loose ends and filling the holes I may have overlooked when initially creating this system.

While reviewing what I have made so far I realized that I forgot all about the tools that actually help you save your money. These tools allow the user to set hard limits on their spending. They can choose how much they spend at certain stores and utilize GPS features that remind them about the items in their piggy banks if they are at a store for too long so that they don't fully give into temptation.

With this in mind, I have omitted the money pot feature. The money pot was a place where you pull money from your bank accounts so the user can easily distribute it amongst their individual reserves. Upon reflection this step seemed unnecessary and forced the user to switch screens back and forth if they ran out of money in their money pot. I have found a better solution for this. Rather than having a separate place to pull money, I have incorporated a drop down menu that appears on the same screen where the user creates each individual reserve. This solution allows the user to see their accounts as they divide their money in the reserves.

I have also added a bevel effect to my interface so that the user can easily how much progress they have left until they reach their goal.I want the concept of "filling" to be felt throughout my app, just as a little reference to filling a piggy bank.

DP: Week 7

This past week we had midterm presentations in which we had to present   our progress. This put a bit of a fire under my ass to produce the visuals for my degree project. Luckily, I have known the shade of green to apply to this system for quite sometime, but it was the interface and functionality of the mobile app that I needed to really sit and ponder.

I turned to my subject matter for inspiration. No one really carries around cash or change for that matter. In fact, if my washer and dryer didn't require quarters I would never set eyes on loose change. But the coin has inspired the functionality of the app. The navigation has split the screen into quarters, much like the increments in which companies check their finances. Each of these quarters will flip to reveal the other side which holds the content.

The overall feel will look like this little swatch here. Im sticking to vibrant and happy greens and yellows with a hint of diagonal stripe. I chose to use Brandon Grotesque for it's fun yet refined qualities and I also threw in a little Eames Century for the numerals.

These are the piggy banks/reserves. I'm still not sure what the official name of these are yet. 

This is what the navigation screen will look like. 

This is an overview of the piggy banks/reserves. 

This is a view of an individual piggy bank/reserve once you have tapped on it for further specs.

I am still in the process of finding the right name for my system. I want to keep the name fun and accurate in describing the app, but I also want it to be memorable. I have entertained the possibilities of:

Rein

InCheck

Squelch

I have been plugging in each name into the sentence, "You haven't heard of _______________?" Of these candidates I like InCheck (for the obvious pun), but I am also on board with Squelch. This word sounds silly and is a bit strange but it means to restrain. More than likely, incheck might win. 

DP: Week 6

Below you will find my low content wire frames. This set of wire frames focuses on the creation of individual reserves. It includes the initial set up of creating a log-in and plugging in your bank account(s). As of this moment I have a few tweaks to make to these such as, being more clear about how the money pot feature works and working on the success navigation.

Wire Frames r1 by jesh_rojas

But overall I think I have the way my app is going to function. What I need to focus on now is the branding/look and feel/the entire design of this service. This is the fun part, or at least it should be. But right now I'm feeling a little nervous about visualizing this. Mostly because I am placing WAY too much pressure on myself to have something good, but I just need to take a breath and remember that exploring visually is the best part of this job.

I have a little bit of an idea of what I am envisioning, but as per usual I am going to let the content/subject inspire where it leads.


The Booklet
The tiny booklet that initiates this system is 12 pages. The size I'm working at is 2 in. x 3.5 in. The booklet will have an introduction, statistics, and where you can get the poster/app. Because the main artifact in this system is the app, I am going to design that first and then come back and apply it to the tiny booklet once I have nailed the visuals for the app.

The booklet is intended to advertise the system. It will start off with a little humor/sarcasm, then trail into a few statistics, and finally tell you how to acquire the app.

As previously mentioned I don't have a design direction, but I have played with the calendar that will be featured on the poster, which will now be presented to the user when they reach their 1 year mark with the app.

DP: Week 5

Well, this last blog post escaped me on Wednesday and didn't realize it until now, but here it is anyway because I need to figure out where it is I stand with my degree project. I've begun my low content wire frames for the mobile app. This was a good way for me to figure out just how the heck this app is going to work. I've been pondering which features I am going to focus on and have settled on showcasing the power of the piggy banks.

While the app allows you to track all of your spending, view monthly graphs, and easily access your balance, the piggy banks is what makes this application different form all of the others. And for this reason I have to make sure that the function of this is useful so that it can be a part of the users life as a tool not a recreational action of bordem. The piggy bank feature allows the user to move money around in their bank account into different reserves so that they can keep in mind what it is they are saving for.

The skeleton of the poster is also coming along. (Making circles line up is quite tricky, btw) The poster will allow for a for a fill-in-the-blank monthly goal to help save money. For instance, if you wanted to give up Starbucks coffee for the month you simply write in your goal and track whether or not you were successful each day for that month. Since the calendar is a full year, it would be difficult to stick to a rule such as this for 12 months. But if the user can stick to it for two months and decides that a third month would be miserable, then the user can change their goal for the next month to something less miserable. Little everyday reminders of reflection such as this can help you stay aware of the behavior you're trying to change. Kind of like in kindergarten when you colored in green, yellow, or red on your daily conduct folder. Isn't the saying, "one day at a time" usually the most effective?

     

  

DP: Week 4

This past week has been about nailing down content, finalizing wire frames, and finalizing formats. I've decided on creating a tiny booklet initiating my entire system. This little booklet will be about 8 pages and bound by a staple. Inside my audience will find a little information on finances, how to access the poster, and how to access the mobile application. While looking for inspiration for this booklet I came across a few options that caught my eye, but this little book which I found at Starbucks will serve as inspiration for my tiny booklet.

Current Perspective Lecture Calendar
 

Starbucks Gift Card Booklet (the winner!)


This is a quick run through of my wire frames. I'm currently in the process of creating wire frames that are a bit more in depth and actually resemble an iPhone.



As far as the poster is concerned I have decided to simplify by simply asking the question:

"Was I successful today?"

The poster will be a way of charting your behavior and efforts to making your goals happen. Since everyone has different goals the poster will have fill in the blanks for monthly goals. And each day the user will chart their progress. I'm looking into a circular motif calendar. I like this motif because while time is linear, it is also cyclical. I feel that being able to see the entirety of a journey is more successful than going page by page on a block like format. My inspiration for the circular calendar is this:

For our small group crit I am planning on making low content wire frames, a mock up of my booklet, and a rough sketch of my poster. Shortly after I hope to start the visual design. wooooo!

Degree Project: Week 3

This week we gave our first presentation about our degree project and received feed back from Marty and my peers. (You can have a peek at my presentation in the post below) The feedback I received in class brought the idea of curation into the foreground, considering the two different experiences between each route of participation, and the idea of logging behavior. With these ideas in mind, I can develop a holistic experience for the user that spans on-the-go, at home, and in their everyday environment. 

I'm still in the works of finding the right partner for this project. I'm looking for an existing service or company that I can plug this project into. I've considered Mint, The Money Museum, Sallie Mae, and a couple other services, but these do not seem to be the right fit for my audience. Being a member of my target audience, I have a pretty good understanding that any email I get from Sallie Mae I either skim and delete or ignore and delete. I'm also aware that a museum offering some kind of service might be dry and not very helpful. This leads me to wonder if I can plug this service into an unexpected place, but still have it make sense to group the two together. Perhaps instead of thinking about where money originates, maybe considering plugging it into the places where you spend it. I don't like being told via mail or by someone who hands out flyers on the plaza to enroll in something, but I do however enjoy coming across things as I am going about my business. If something is sitting on the check out desk and it looks intriguing…I pick it up. 

According to my timeline right now I should be gathering financial information for my booklet. I need to first educate myself before I can educate others, so that's where I am right now. Gathering the information so that I can relay it in a more simplified way.

This weekend I will begin working on how my system will function as a narrative. 

The remaining timeline that's going to keep me in check is as follows:

Week 4

Begin wire framing for app/ workout narrative

-2 scenarios

Begin branding and language

-finish wire frames

-explore two directions

-decide on language and tone

Week 5

Continue branding and language

-work on finalizing branding designs

-work on finalizing branding designs poster and what it's going to look like, what kind of graph? what does it look like?

Week 6

Begin applying design to Kit of Parts

-begin designing calendar, booklet, stickers

Week 7

Finish designing Kit of Parts

work on designing poster, booklet, calendar stickers

Week 8

Begin designing Mobile App

- complete scenario 1

Week 9

Work on designing App

-complete scenario 2

Week 10

Finish/Refine App/Begin Animating

print Kit of Parts

Week 11

Complete Animation

Week 12

Document and Add to portfolio! Complete Process PDF

Week 13

Presentations!

Proof that my iCal is being utilized effectively and accordingly. (it's green for dolla bills)

Degree Project: Presentation 1

Rojas Dp Presentation1 by

DP: Week 2

This past week has been about solidifying my direction, understanding my audience and their needs and looking into how I can propose solutions. 

The final, final question is:

How can graphic design improve the financial needs of college students?

The banking experience is meant for people with, well, a steady income. And while most banks have student banking programs that offer special services to accommodate for the life of a college student, some of their needs continue to be unmet.

**********GOALS

In order for me to stay on track I have created a few goals that I have placed at the finish line. Here are a few:

To warm the experience of banking.

By using language to speak to the customer on a personal level. Friendly, not corporate. just because an automated message is being delivered via technology, it doesn't mean it has to lack personality and warmth. 

To make savings for students easier. 

By using tactics similar to parents cutting up vegetables really teeny tiny and placing them in other foods, I feel I can propose a solution that can help students get better at saving and pinching pennies.

To provide a service that they find enriches their life with humor and language.

By weaving this into their lives rather than intrusively informing and by using the appropriate language this service should be seen as helpful, not fussy.

**********NEEDS

The financial needs of a college student are much like those who aren't students because they spend money. But their needs differ in almost every other way. The life of a college student revolves around the idea of stretching every dollar as best you can and splurging on things that are most important to you. Budgeting is always important no matter what age, but the college life presents a disadvantage: college students are somewhat new to the this thing we call adulthood and therefore are much more likely to run into financial issues because they lack experience. And while experiencing dilemas with their banks and late fees and such can provide experience, it mostly just adds stress to the already inconsistent lifestyle of a college student.

A table for a quick over view (but you definitely want to read all this.)

1.Access to their balance

Problem: How can students access their balance?

College students need access everywhere to their balance. Most students who have a smart phone have access to a mobile application that can tell them the balance of their accounts as well as the most recent transactions. 

Although smart phones are everywhere and are slowly taking ore the world there are still a pretty considerable percentage of students who do not have smart phones. For this group consideration of their available technology will be factored into how they can benefit from this service.

Proposed Solution: Students can see their balance via mobile app/texting.  

Those with Smart phones are offered their banking needs via a mobile app. And when they can't get their internet to work, they can easily request their balance via text message.

Additional Solution: An online space for those without smart phones.

The text messaging would also serve as a channel for those without smart phones for easy functions similar to checking their balance or inquiries. For these people without smart phones their primary source for handling their money and requesting services would be the online hub. 

2. Debit cards

Problem: How to replace a debit card?

Sometimes during the process of working hard and playing harder, the playing harder part can sometimes bring misfortunes. Like the misplacement/theft of one's debit card. 

Solution: The ATM can produce and dispense it upon request.

The process of canceling and ordering another can be painful. 

Almost everyone has debit cards and for the most part the bank controls what this card looks like and comes in a standard size. It would be a consideration to allow the card holder to choose the imagery on their card or use this as a branding opportunity so that this service can be differentiated from the pool of banking services. And requesting a new one would be as easy as going to an ATM, where it can dispense you a new temporary card. 

3. Checks

Problem: Checks are a bit outdate and can be a hassle. 

Checks are not as commonly used as they were 15 years ago. This channel is slowly diminishing, but is still necessary. There is some trouble with checks as you have to first order your checks and then wait for them to be mailed to you. Which could take a couple weeks. Then when you finally get them you have to make a run to the post office for the envelope and stamp that you definitely don't have just laying around your apartment because of all the studying you've been doing. So when you get to the post office to handle your business like an adult, it turns out the post office closed thirty minutes ago and in effect the delivering of your rent check is  delayed and you possible get fined for turning in your rent check just too little too late. The point here is that checks can be a hassle when not done properly.

Proposed Solution: We mail the check for you.

The solution here is that the check you want to send is sent from you. It has your name on it and the amount you wish to give away, but you don't have to order checks. You don't have to make a run to the post office. You don't even have to fill the check out yourself. All you have to do, via the mobile app or the hub, is request that a check be sent for you, in a timely fashion of course. They don't call it snail mail for no reason. 

4. Shopping

Problem: How can students save money? 

Most college students acquire money and for the first few days they feel on top of the world because they can spend with a little more freedom than they could the day before. But after those few days they are back to square one of looking for loose change under the sofa cushion. One of the priorities with this system is to help the financial needs of the student, and that means helping them pinch a penny or two. 

Proposed Solutions: 

Gas/Food: The app will be able to tell you the gas stations around you and their price and you can decide which is best for you and if the savings is worth driving an extra block or two. 

Most restaurants have lunch and happy hour specials, you usually have to search for these but with this app, you can easily see which restaurants offer these specials, what days of the week, and what time of day. 

Desires: Many a times there are certain products on our wish lists, but our finances may not allow us to have them. With this app you are able to create piggy banks devoted to certain items. You can copy and paste a link of your desire and the app will even alert you if/when it goes on sale. You can also use "keep the change" setting where you can choose to round up all your debit card transactions to the nearest dollar and put it towards your piggy bank. This feature can be easily turned on and off with a push of a button. 

Bonus Feature: Based on the places you use your debit card the app will find deals that you could benefit from, such as specials to places where you eat. 

5. ATMs

Problem: How can students access cash/change?

Students often need cash. And while requesting cash there are some limitations when withdrawing. Such as not being able to withdraw less than $20. Sometimes, $20 may not be the desired amount of cash. Say you don't have $20 in your account, but you do have $19.78 in your account and you only need $8 to do your laundry. Now not only do you need cash, but you are in dyer need of quarters. 

Proposed Solution: Small bills/change dispenser

The proposed solution is that the ATMs approved with this service are to be stocked with small bills so that an amount less than $20 can be withdrawn. An option to do a partial amount in quarters is available here. That way when doing laundry, finding quarters is no hassle at all. 

6. Fees

Problem: Banks fees are ridiculous. 

Banks need to stay in business. This is why they created fees. To not only hold your money for you, but to actually have the opportunity to keep some of it. 

Common Fees:

ATM

Overdraft

Returned item

Monthly maintenance

Proposed Solution: Limited/No Fees

ATM: Approved ATMs are free. Out of Range ATMs would have a fee of.99 cents.

Overdraft: No fees.

Returned Item: No fees.

Monthly Maintenance: No fees. 

7.Transferring money

Problem: Sending and receiving money can be a hassle.

Receiving money and sending money requires a money order or check and there is also a fee for doing this. Again, this service allows you 

Proposed Solution: Send and receive money to any bank account wirelessly. No checks or money orders needed. Just Account number or if they are also a member of the service just add them to your network. 

8.Organization

Problem: College students need all the help they can get to remind them about bills and IOUs.

With the inconsistent lifestyle of a college student reminders become very useful. 

Proposed Solution: Alerts, Automatic Reminders
When you forget to remember, this service is there to remember for you. 

**********AUDIT

During this audit I found that a lot of what I would like to hypothetically provide for this culture currently exists. There are some Student banking services that have limited perks of no overdraft fees and for another monthly fee, free cash withdrawal. But these perks still come with a cost. I also discovered that there is a new service for banking that is keeping up with the times. While it offers great services for keeping track of your money, mailing checks for you, and having almost zero ATM fees, it doesn't cater to my demographic where I can come in and help solve those problems. And although finding that there is a service out there that crossed the finish line before I even turned the corner, I was reminded that I have a luxury that they don't: I am a student. I have the luxury of speculating technology and services that don't even exist yet. I don't necessarily want to speculate amazing technology that is yet plausible, but I want to take advantage of the fact that I can still dream about my perfect banking experience and have fun tip toeing on the line between what is ideal and what is realistic. 

1. Go Bank

A banking experience that fulfills your needs through utilizing technology such as your mobiles basic functions (camera, email, application). This bank is actually pretty neat as it mails your checks for you, has double the ATM network as the leading national branch, and allows you to choose how much you want to pay for their service, if at all. (I'm highly considering a switch) And while their services are great for anyone in need of a new way to bank, a college student is not just anyone. 

2. Mint

Helps manage your money. Understanding where it goes and helps you set limits for yourself. Sam was kind enough to let me see the Mint app on her iphone. I learned that this was a tool for budgeting your money by plugging it to your bank account. While it helps manage your money and see your spending habits, it lacks an element of encouragement. That extra push that reminds you of what you're looking forward to. 

3. Student Banking Services (National Branch)

Services within national branches then lend themselves to students but there are cracks that students can fall into and be misguided. A program like this is beneficial because there is more freedom to make mistakes as you are learning the responsibilities of managing money. This audit made me wonder if creating an augmented program that better suits the needs of students because having a branch adopt the program would be more realistic, but I opposed to this because creating a bank would allow for more creative freedom. I'm still a student and have the luxury of creating client free. 

**********FOCUS/CONCLUSION

So my goal with this project is to help the banking experience of college students as stated above. However, I have a love for print. After taking a class in UX, I fond that I appreciate the tangible quality of print and the process of creating copy that speaks to your audience and the channels available because these channels are often hidden and untapped. The task of uncovering these channels and utilizing them to communicate effectively is my favorite part about design. Every one can speak, but not everyone can make you listen.

I'd also find this to be a perfect branding opportunity of which I also have a passion for. There is a lot covered here and I plan on showcasing the services so that they are easily understood, through simple keynote animations, but the main focus is the print material for this endeavor.

Some literature:
10 things students waste money on
Trends in College Spending
College Secret Spending


Some Process:

DP: Week 1

Upon reflecting on my goals for my degree project the question I currently have has the need for modification. I left the question broad because I was not sure of what direction I was going in, but I've decided to narrow the scope to the banking experience.

So the question at hand now lives in my world best phrased as:
How can graphic design improve the banking experience?

As I previously mentioned, banking isn't always the most pleasant experience and can be difficult to get the information you are looking for. While this is a problem, I feel that most banks aim to please their customers, but often fall short. Why is this? Why is it that more people don't brag about the place they allow to keep their money? One of my next steps to answering this question is talking to a few different people about their banking experience, preferably in a wide variety of ages and use of technology. I have a few survey questions lined up and ready to distribute about the banking experience. 

While I acquire the research for customer satisfaction, I have been thinking about possible solutions to this problem. I would like to ponder the mixture of print and multi-media. A multi-media (online/Mobile/interactive) experience will allow the users to access their information at any time, while the print media will allow for a more personal channel of communication.

After talking to Marty, I've decided to narrow my audience to the young adult. Mostly because that is what I know and can access this audience more easily than say a more seasoned age group. 

Process Book Layout

*Some of this design is subject to change ;)

DP_Process by jesh_rojas

The Question

My curiosity began with a fascination with books. The book is one of the greatest inventions in history that is transitioning into a digital media and the physicality of a book is no longer necessary. Though the book as an object has not become extinct, my initial reaction to this transition is to wonder how to bring excitement and richness to the reading experience. Books can hold an emotional attachment between reader and story and, like a song, we willingly go back to a book for numerous playbacks because we hold it dearly and enjoy it so much. While this sentiment is important for me to incorporate into my project, I can't help but feel that this isn't enough for me. I want this element of attachment to a physical object to exist throughout my process but I can't allow it to be the focus of my project because I feel it lacks a sense of practicality. I am first a creative, but as a designer I want to use my skills to solve a real life problem that many can find that it improves their life a in real way.

 With this in mind, I recently had a disgusting experience with my bank. Suffice it to say that my respect for banks has plummeted. The information given to me was unclear and misleading and in the end I felt unappreciated as a customer and, honestly, a little bit deceived. I want to improve how financial information is given to and understood by the customer so that the banking experience is a pleasant one, not a dreaded one. So, how exactly the book angle comes in here at this point, I am not 100% sure, but I know that it will have a place in this endeavor even if it is not the main focus. So the question I propose is…

How can graphic design provide a richer experience of data?