ADA Awards

For the Adobe Design Achievement Awards I am planning on entering my coasters from project 2: a tailored advertisement.

For our User Experience class we were prompted to create a tailored advertisement for a subculture through a sponsor or organization. My chosen subculture was francophiles, people very fond of France and the French culture. I created a set of three coasters to be placed in coffee shops that francophiles frequent. Each of the coasters has a phrase that reference the French culture as Francophiles understand it.

Coaster 1 reads as, "We believe the flanuer is a lost art". A flanuer is one who enjoys a stroll, an activity the French value in their everyday lives. 

Coaster 2 reads as, "We enjoy beverages sans glace at every meal". One of the customs in France is to not include ice in beverages. 

Coaster 3 reads as, "We encourage Beaujolais Nouveau in the middles of the day". A glass of wine is never a bad call in the middle of the day in France.

]

The Nelson Experience + semester reflection

The Concept

For the past month or so we have been working towards creating an interactive way finding experience for the nelson. After a few brainstorming sessions my partner, Keaton Reeder and I decided to fuse the components of hand built and the creativity of art. Each child is provided with a booklet and are prompted to collect at making materials at each sculpture. They are then instructed to head to the art tent for an art making activity. 

Our Aesthetic

Our design elements were inspired by the set theme of hand built and the picnic installation the Nelson is featuring on the south lawn. We chose a square format and incorporated a picnic pattern throughout the booklet. 

User Testing

Throughout this project it was a very important element to understand and utilize the user testing aspect of a project like this. The user testing allows us to understand the needs of the user at a level that secondary research can not provide. Participating in a user testing day at the Nelson with actual children using our actual map we were able to learn about the difficulties in our design. We learned that clipping the strips to the booklet with a paper clip was difficult for children as they kept falling out as the kids ran across the lawn. As a solution to this problem we added a pocket to the booklet where the child can place the strips as well as the map when it is cut out. 

On site user testing is a valuable tool in design because it allows to learn things about our user that the user themselves can not tell us on their own. And as designers we are responsible for decoding the subtle language of the user, pick up behavioral cues that tell us what the user really needs.

Reflection

This project has been one of my favorites. It gave us the opportunity to break the conventions of any old coloring book activity and experiment with what it means to explore through the eyes of a child. I truly enjoyed the process of user research and user testing and how it was implemented throughout the process of creating this map. I feel that this project has made it a little more evident of the kind of work I see myself engulfed in later in my design career. 

Reflecting on the Semester
This past semester in UX I have learned just how crucial a user can be to the design process. It's important to design for an audience in mind and make sure that the look and feel of an artifact fits your target audience, but it is also important to consider how the user will be using your artifact. The interaction between the user and your artifact determines the success of your design. The experience for your user can tell you a lot. From the kinks and minor issues to the flaws in your overall aesthetic.

This class has truly been my favorite class over the past four semesters. I enjoyed the process of researching and implementing what we gathered and having that information be our guide lines for what we can and can not do. And as I previously mentioned this class has brought me a little closer to figuring out what it is that I'd like to pursue in my design career. 

Internal Testing Results

Tailored Advertisement: Francophiles

This advertisement for Alliance Francaise targets the average Francophile in Kansas City. The common Francophile is looking for an outlet to speak French, enjoy the arts, and converse about thier love for the literature and culture. The Alliance Francaise is an organization that is devoted to bringing those who adore all thing French together. You may find these coasters sitting on a table at one of the fine cafes francophiles frequent. These coasters abstractly reflect the color of the French flag and speak to the viewer about finding the wonderful customs of France right here in Kansas City.

Each of the coasters, while different, reflects the French culture: navy stripes to symbolize their fashion sense, a flourish and a decorative pattern to represent the ornamental elegance of the culture.

Those Francophiles

As we are creating advertisements for a subculture we are learning how to create a tailored message to maximize the user experience.

I have created a tailored message for the francophiles of Kansas City on behalf of Alliance Francaise. I have created a set of three coasters that speak to francophiles as they sit in their frequented cafes.

Each coaster makes references to French culture. The phrases are:

"We encourage Beaujolais Nouveau in the middle of the day"
This phrase refers to the appreciation the French have for wine.

"We order sans glace at every get together"
This phrase refers to France's custom of not including ice in every beverage and the fact that the Alliance Francaise is so authentic they also reject the American custom of ice.

"We believe in the lost art of flaneur"
I wanted to hit at the francophiles appreciation for leisure. Flaneur (I know now) is a common name for someone who strolls.

Final Personas

Affinity Diagram

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

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

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.

Interview with Andrea Both

Interview Highlights (1/30/12)

1. 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. 
2. 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). 
3. 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. 
4. 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. 
5. 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. 
6. Do your chickens have names?
   We named our chickens after the waitresses of our favorite restaurant. 
7. How do you feel about the city ordinances?
   I think they limit people from being to live an environmentally conscious lifestyle. 
8. 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. 
9. Think there's a difference in your eggs and the ones at the store?
   Taste-wise, probably not.
10. Do the kids participate in raising the chickens? How so?
    Yeah, they like to feed the chickens. And sometimes chase them. 
11. 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. 
12. 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 Broomes

Interview Highlights (1/31/12)

1. Where are you from? Where did you grow up?
   We're both from the Kansas City Area. 
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Do your chickens have names?
   Yep! Bertha, Mable, Frizzle (or Shaniqua)...
6. 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.
7. 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. 
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Where do you go for help or questions about your chickens?
    The internet mostly.
11. 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. 
12. 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 he 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 than the ones purchased at the grocery store.

Personas

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. Now she actively acquires books and online communities that help her take care of her chickens.

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



The Expert

Bev is 53, she grew up on a farm in Iowa and graduated from high school, 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.

Interview 1: Nick Pickrell

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, which 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 Highlights

1. Why did you decide to raise chickens?
   Peacemaking through gardening efforts. Decentralizing the food industry and advocating local food.
2. How long have you had the chickens?
   About two years.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. What other hobbies do you have outside your work here?
    Music. I play bass guitar, dabble in drums, play guitar and sing. 

Here's the audio version of our interview with Nick: