DMA 370-Project 2 Reflection

1. What did you learn?

I learned how to create my own website using code. I was familiar with code before this class but not to this extent. I learned the difference between html, css, and javascript.

2. What was easy?

I thought the easiest part was finding photos and projects of mine to put into the portfolio website. I enjoyed going through photos I took and projects I completed from classes.

3. What was challenging?

I thought the challenging part was using code in Visual Studio Code. I was not familiar with the program before so it took some time to get the hang of it.

4. How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by adding more work that I have done into my portfolio website.

5. How could the professor improve the assignment for the next class?

The professor could improve the assignment for next class by going more in-depth with coding. Maybe we could start learning Visual Studio Code earlier in the semester to get more familiar with it and so when the time comes to create our portfolio we will feel more ready to code.

6. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

I can apply my knowledge in work scenarios if I ever enter a job where I need to create a website with code.

7. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

Kate Moross’ website gave me inspiration on the possible ways to layout my portfolio website. I really like the bright colors she used in her website.

DMA 370: Project 1 Reflection

“The Best of Broadway” Media Player gives the ultimate Broadway fan access to songs from their favorite musicals. When the user first opens up the media player, their home page will be categorized to “Recently Played”, “Suggested Albums”, and “Broadway Classics”. In this specific prototype, the user was recently listening to the cast albums of Wicked, Fun Home, Newsies, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. They were in the middle of listening to the song “One Short Day” from Wicked when they last used the media player. The prototype will allow the user to resume playing the song and go to the cast album and scroll through all of the songs from the musical. The media player also features an “About Wicked” page which gives a background of the story as well as provides photos from the musical itself. The user will also be able to look at their settings by clicking on the three dots icon on the top right corner. They have the options to go to their “Now Playing” song, “Liked Songs, “Suggested Albums”, the “Home Page” and “Log Out”. “The Best of Broadway” Media Player is an easy and accessible way to navigate your favorite Broadway musicals from the touch of your screen. 

DMA 395- Project 4 Reflection

  1. What did you learn?

I learned more about the consumer/demographic psychology and how to design my product to effectively target the specific demographic that I am selling my product to. I designed a coffee brand and chose bright colors and a sleek look to make my product pop out to the extent of which it is not overwhelming.

  1. What was easy?

I thought the easy part was picking the product that I wanted to design. I love coffee and thought it would be fun to design a coffee brand.

  1. What was challenging?

I thought the challenging part was designing the symbols for each flavor; the hazelnut, pumpkin, candy cane, and french vanilla. I also thought it was challenging when I made these symbols into patterns on the product because I wanted the pattern in a specific placement of the product. 

4. How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by adding even more detail into the symbols. For example, I could add more detail in the hazelnut by adding shadows and more depth to it. 

5. How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

You could improve the assignment for the next class by adding another lab for more practice on designing logos and symbols to help with the project. 

6. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

After this project, I have learned the importance of product design. I have learned that you need a good color scheme for your project, your spacing needs to look neat and correct, and your font needs to correlate with the logo of the product.

7. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

Looking at student’s projects as examples helped me think about what kind of product I wanted to design and gave me a better understanding of what Professor Dunkle was looking for in the project. 

DMA 217- Project 2 Reflection

  1. What did you learn?

I learned how to use animation to enhance the user experience in figma. Before learning this, I did not realize how much of a difference animation makes to an app.  It adds a sense of fun to the app and makes it feel more “modern”. I think adding animation can be a good thing for the most part but you need to know the right ways to use it. You can easily add too much animation which will make the user experience a headache to use. After completing lab 10 and learning more about the right way to use animation I feel confident with how I used it in my project. 

  1. What was easy?

I thought the easy part was adding the content such as the images and information needed for my app. My app is a chatroom for people seeing a Broadway show. I am very passionate about Broadway so it was quite fun and easy to collect all the information to make my app. 

  1. What was challenging?

The challenging part was making sure my interactions in the prototype section of figma were where I wanted each frame to go to next. There are so many arrows connecting to different frames that it gets confusing where each arrow is going to next. Sometimes, when I duplicate a frame it messes where I want the interaction of the frame to go too. I have to keep re-checking my prototype example to make sure each frame is in the right place of my app.  

  1. How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by going more in depth with the “Overture” and “Curtain Call” chat rooms for Hamilton. I only used the “Intermission” chat room in my project but if I had more time than I would have added an example of a chat room for the beginning part of the show “Overture” and the end of the show “Curtain Call”. 

  1. How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

I think you could improve the assignment for the next class by adding more specific information for the project 2 document. I was unsure about the requirements and needed clarification so I asked you and that helped. 

  1. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

I might apply my knowledge in future assignments by using the animation feature to transition frames. It makes the app more fun to use and enhances the user experience. 

  1. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

The powerpoint slides for the labs, watching the class videos, and meeting with Professor Dunkle all helped me with creating my app. I saw examples of projects, read instructions and notes, and spoke with Professor Dunkle in order to make sure I was doing the project to the best of my ability.

The Splash Page of the app
The Design Board of the app
All of the frames that I used for my app.
The prototype of my app showing the arrows that are all over the place.

Project 3- DMA 395

  1. What did you learn?

I learned that simplicity can be a good thing with illustration. Sometimes, I think that the more fun and out there an illustration looks the better but that is not always the case. From looking at examples of spot illustrations and different kinds of menus it seems that illustrations that are simple can have just as much personality. When looking at a menu, people do not want big, obnoxious, colorful illustrations catching their eye. They want to see what kinds of food are on the menu and the prices. Illustrations are very important but they are not the main purpose to a menu. Illustrations that exhibit simplicity can be just as fun by using limited color and having a consistent look. 

  1. What was easy?

I thought the easy part was picking the fonts for the menu and creating the overall layout design of it.  

  1. What was challenging?

I thought the challenging part was establishing a consistent look and feel across separate assets. I found this to be difficult at times because I was designing six different categories (breakfast, appetizer, lunch, dinner, dessert, and beverage) and some of them were completely different from each other like beverages and desserts. It was hard to find a consistent theme of colors and design styles to go along with each category but after a lot of redesigning, I eventually found one. 

  1. How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by adding more design illustrations to the menu. I like the simplicity of the menu right now but I think it would be fun to add more design illustrations to it like shapes and 3D images. 

  1. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

After this project, I have learned the importance of establishing a consistent look to a project. In the beginning of the project, my font did not go along with my illustration. I chose a thin line font that did not go with my thick line calligraphic style illustration. I changed my project completely after that but it brought an awareness to me that I should always be thinking about consistently when doing an assignment like that. 

  1. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

The Spot Illustration examples on Dribble helped me think of the kind of theme I wanted for my menu.

Lab 6- Getting Started on Project 2

Title: Broadway at Home

Description: I would like to create an app for all the theatergoers out there. Since Broadway has been shutdown for eight months now and does not have a definite date of reopening till at least May of 2021, I thought it would be a good idea to create an app where you can watch “Broadway at Home” and get you theatre fix. Of course, this is not the ideal situation since there is nothing as powerful as live theatre but it is the best alternative for right now.

I would like this app to reflect almost everything of what it would be like if you saw a show in person. You have the option to subscribe to a season of shows, meet the actors and actresses at “stage door”, and mingle with people as you wait for the curtain to rise. You will be able to receive your own Playbill except it will be a virtual Playbill that lists the cast, crew, and synopsis of the show. There will be a link to the show’s cast recording on Spotify/ Apple Music (if the show has a cast recording) and aQR code to the show’s social media accounts.

Broadway at Home -> As a potential customer -> I want to watch Broadway shows at home

  1. Broadway Subscription: Option to subscribe to the Broadway season or just purchase single tickets for one show.
  2. Stage door: Instead of being physically at the stage door and meeting the actors and actresses there. The actors and actresses will be present on the app and you can virtually meet them as if you are at the stage door.
  3. Waiting: Create a waiting room where people are able to mingle with all theatergoers before the show starts.

User- Stories

  1. As a theatergoer, I miss theater and want to attend shows even if they have to be virtual for the time being.
  2. As a worker in the theater industry, I am out of work and need to get back in to work as soon as possible and I think this would be beneficial for people in the theater industry to get back to work.
  3. As a person who cannot afford to see a Broadway show, this way will give me the opportunity to see a show at an affordable price.
  4. As a person who was unable to stage door and meet the actors and actresses after the show, this app will give me the chance to meet them virtually.
  5. As a person who loves listening to the show’s soundtrack, this app will allow me access to listen to it right away after the show.

User- Problems

  1. Some people will not be able to sit and stare at the screen for that long to watch a musical so they will leave and log off their account.
  2. Typically, seeing a Broadway show costs a lot of money. With Broadway at Home, the ticket price is reduced since it is virtual show. Broadway still will not be receiving the same amount of money as they would if it would be in person but they would be doing something. Tickets would be $20 with a donation suggestion to The Actors Fund.
  3. Technical difficulties is always a problem when using internet so the show might be glitchy at times depending on the user’s wifi situation.
  4. People may ask for refunds from their subscriptions if they do not like the virtual experience of seeing a show.
  5. People might have to wait a while to meet the stars after the show depending on how long people take to talk to them.

Project 2 Reflection

  1. What did you learn?

I learned new terminology such as the term “onboarding”. Onboarding process is the user’s first impression of your application. If the app is designed effectively, the user has a positive response during the onboarding process. Pagination is another word I learned which means the results per view. I also discovered the different categories of the application such as front end (user archive, pagination, search, sort, filters, alerts) and back end (dashboard/statistics/graphs, user management, messaging). It was cool to learn this new terminology while creating my application!

  1. What was easy?

I thought the easy part was picking the movie I wanted to create for my poster. I was thinking of my all time favorite movies and You’ve Got Mail was the first movie that popped into my head so I went with that option and am happy I did. 

  1. What was challenging?

I thought the challenging part was creating the old iMac G3 computer. I originally was going to use an image trace on the original image but decided to try out the pen tool. I am not familiar with the pen tool so I thought it would be good practice. 

  1. How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by creating a better iMac G3 computer. As I already mentioned, I am not yet comfortable using the pen tool. After I drew the computer I could see some of the edges were not exactly how I wanted them. Some sides were curved and others were not. I think once I get more use to it I think I could create an even better computer with that tool. 

How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

You could improve the assignment for the next class by putting the option of using the Adobe wheel link on the Project 2 directions. I remember you telling us in class about this but I think it would be useful to have it on the directions page as well. I think it is good for people to remember how important color scheme is on the poster and to use that to their advantage while creating their poster. 

  1. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

After this project, I have learned the importance of color scheme (as mentioned in the previous question). At first, my poster had all sorts of colors and Professor Dunkle told me that the poster needed a sense of theme to it. The color scheme I chose were colors that reflected the 90’s. After redoing my color scheme I thought my poster represented a poster from the 90’s than it did previously. 

  1. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

The reading, “Meet 10 Hand Lettering Artists You Should Know” inspired me to seek different kinds of font styles and which style best suited the poster I was doing. 

Project 1 Reflection

  1. What did you learn?

I learned new terminology such as the term “onboarding”. Onboarding process is the user’s first impression of your application. If the app is designed effectively, the user has a positive response during the onboarding process. Pagination is another word I learned which means the results per view. I also discovered the different categories of the application such as front end (user archive, pagination, search, sort, filters, alerts) and back end (dashboard/statistics/graphs, user management, messaging). It was cool to learn this new terminology while creating my app!

  1. What was easy?

I thought the easy part was finding pictures and information for my customer relationship management application. I wanted to do a CRM focused on Broadway and found it fun to look for pictures and information related to Broadway. 

  1. What was challenging?

I thought the challenging part was making sure all the measurements from the pictures and shapes were aligned correctly. I paid close attention to each page of my application to make sure everything was centered the way it was supposed to be and the spacing was the same throughout the page. 

  1. How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by creating a more detailed logo for my CRM. I like the stars that I have but I think I could make something better and more relevant to Broadway.

  1. How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

You could improve the assignment for the next class by giving a more detailed explanation of the purpose of a CRM. I looked at examples from different websites to see what they were but I was still a bit confused. I think using an example of a previous student’s CRM application would provide a better understanding. 

  1. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

After this project, I have learned the importance of measurement and making everything look visually appealing. I understand the value that layout design has on applications. A lot of users don’t even take the time to notice the detail that is put into an application and now I have an appreciation for that. 

  1. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

The class recordings and seeing my peer’s work inspired me. As I already mentioned, I was still a little unclear with a CRM and by seeing how my peers approached their own CRM that inspired me to tailor mine the way I wanted to utilize it.  

Project 1 Reflection

  1. What did you learn?

I learned the difference between using the paintbrush in Photoshop and the pen tool to draw in Illustrator. When I began this project, I was using the paintbrush in Illustrator which was very time consuming and difficult to draw with since I was using the mouse on my computer. I felt like I was doing something wrong and when I talked to Professor Dunkle about it he told me to use the pen tool instead. The pen tool is one of the more powerful tools to use while drawing a portrait and it takes less time. Once he told me that, I did not realize how much easier the pen tool was while doing this project. I’ve used the paintbrush in Photoshop in previous classes but did not use it for this class since I drew the portrait in Illustrator. The paintbrush is more adaptable and easier to use in Photoshop while the pen tool is better to use instead of the paintbrush in Illustrator.

  1. What was easy?

I thought the easy part of the project was going into Photoshop and picking a filter like we did in Lab 1 for my portrait photo. I found this to be the easiest part of the project because it was not time consuming and there were very few steps you had to take to pick a filter that you thought fit your photo. 

  1. What was challenging?

The challenging part was using the paintbrush tool in Illustrator to draw my portrait. It took me some time just to draw and fill in a facial feature of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I was very precise and detailed with how I wanted the portrait to look and it took a lot more time doing that with the paintbrush tool. I eventually started using the pen tool which made it a lot easier. 

  1. How could your submission be improved?

I think my submission could be improved by adding even more detail within my portrait. I think if I had more time, I could draw in more detail of her facial features by using shadows and highlights. 

  1. How could I improve the assignment for the next class?

I could improve the assignment for the next class by using the pen tool in Illustrator which would allow me to have more time drawing in more details of her face. 

  1. How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?

I might apply my knowledge in future assignments by using the pen tool instead of the paintbrush in Illustrator. This would make me be more time efficient with my work and less stressful as well. 

  1. How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?

The modern illustration and illustrating people slides helped me with deciding what kind of portrait style I wanted to create. The illustration people slides gave me an idea of the shadows the artists used in their portraits and how they made them look so good.