Module 15 - December 13 - 18, 2021

 Well, this is it. Module 15. Last week of the module.

WE MADE IT!

But...in the words of the old TV commercials, "But wait, there's more".

Not only are there things I want to do to continue to spruce up my website, such as:

• adding illustrations of Beeda and Marie throughout the project
• making the site more interactive with a little bit of javascript, and
• possibly adding another piece to my portfolio

But I'm already thinking about the actual implementation of the project itself. The first step is, of course, writing out the story and working on illustrations. Then comes designing the interface and the page layouts, programming animations and at least a little bit of work on at least one mini-game.

To keep myself on track with all the different aspects of work to I have to keep up with, I'm using ClickUp. Not only can I make task lists with due dates, they have a Gantt chart feature so that I can actually track, for example, the design phase, across its entire timeline and I can also track other phases of the project and see how they're all progressing as a unit.

As I said in my last post, I'm really excited to get started on this project. I really want to be able to partner with Shriner's Hospitals, possibly even incorporating their own bear mascot, Fezzy, into a special edition of the story. But that's for a later point, once I actually have something to show them.

I've really enjoyed getting to know my classmates this semester through their projects, and I'm hoping to keep up with them even after this class is over. I'm leaving comments open here on the journal page, plus I have a Facebook account. I'd love to hear from anyone reading this!

For now, I'll be signing off, but I will track the progress of the actual app development, either here, or on a journal on the presentation website.

Thank you for joining me on this adventure. The next one awaits!

Module 14 - December 6 - 12, 2021

 So, after a LOT, and I mean a LOT of work, I finally have my final presentation finished. It wasn't easy. I recorded myself and thought I had enough content but somehow the final video came out at 13 minutes (we were asked for 15 to 20 minutes, so...not good to be short.)

At any rate, I figured out a couple of places I could add a little more, re-recorded, re-uploaded and here we are! Take a look at my presentation below.

And, since in the video, I refer to my website (not to be confused with this blog), here's the link to that as well:

www.abigailchipman.com/wnm700

I should probably link to this blog on the website...or possibly re-create it within that site. I'll have to see which way would be better in the long run.

Wow. A semester's worth of work. All in that video and website. All in preparation for the actual work that will start on this app come next semester.

Let's do this.

Module 13 - November 29 - December 5, 2021

 So, we are getting down to the wire now. Next week is my final presentation of this case study.

PANIC!!

Just kidding :)

I've spent the entire semester getting all this information together, and developing a proof of concept for my children's book concept. I know the idea is strong and feasible. Everyone I've talked to about it is really excited to see the finished product.

So am I.

Of course, if I wasn't excited about this project, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to propose it, since I'll be working on it for the next two years at least.

I'm also really excited about the final proposal itself because I just found out this week I can present it as a website. Considering all the information I need to present, this format will be better and easier to read than the currently overcrowded PowerPoint. Plus it will allow me to show off my HTML, CSS and Javascript skills. Bonus.

So...let's do this.

Module 12 - November 22 - 28, 2021

 This was not the most productive week I've had recently. My vision issues really cranked up, as did the shaking in my hands (which makes it difficult to type or draw). Then, of course, this week was Thanksgiving here in the US, and imagine trying to entertain family on a major holiday when your own body isn't cooperating.

The only reason I mention this here, in a project journal, is because there will be times when I don't get as much work done in the span of a week as I would like to. It used to be really frustrating but now I have learned to accept that I will have productive periods, and times where I won't be as traditionally productive (meaning that even when I'm not producing high volume, what I do produce will be high-quality).

Part of why I chose the project I did, and the reason a number of my other projects focus on characters with disability, is because, as a person with multiple disabilities, I want to bring attention to people like myself who have talent and desire but aren't always considered "productive" enough for the workforce. I hope to normalize the concept of accommodation as a just another tool in the box to help people get their jobs done. I could go into a Dr Pepper fueled sermon on how accommodations aren't a way for people with disabilities to "get away with something" but that's for another time, and a different blog :)

Module 11 - November 15 - 21, 2021

This week, I was finally able to sit down with a small group of folks and have them walk through my paper prototypes. Their insights were so helpful!

I know it probably sounds unbelievable, but I actually enjoyed hearing the input from my testers, precisely because there were things that made sense to me as a designer, that were confusing to my potential users. Their input helps me to improve not only this particular design, but helps me think more like a user would. 

I am working on making changes based on feedback and once I've created the updated prototypes I'll post the old alongside the new and explain the changes.

Module 10 - November 8 - 14, 2021

Now we're getting into the fun stuff! This week, I took the sketches from last week and turned them into digital wireframes. I also developed two more task flows: one where a parent can access comprehension questions about the book, and basically give the child a quick quiz to make sure they understood the story, and one to showcase one of the mini-games I want to add, which is a memory/matching game.

Next week, I'll get to test these task flows on actual people to make sure they make sense, and if there are any points of confusion, I can get feedback and make improvements based on that input. I love that part because it helps me continually improve my designs, based on the needs of the people who will be using my apps or sites, rather than just going with what I think will work.

Work such as this is always made better by real-world feedback!

Module 9 - November 1 - 7, 2021

 This week I'm working on hand-drawn wireframes of a typical user flow through my interactive book. Just the process of drawing out "simple" wireframe book pages is making me think about things like being able to move backward as well as forward through the story, or being able to check progress, or jump to a specific page.

Of course, this is just the first pass at these wireframes, so we'll see how potential users react to and interact with them, and changes and improvements will be made. But every project has to start somewhere.

I'll add images of my wireframes when I'm finished.