Interface Design: Experience Map: Temple Run App

In December 2011 temple run was available to be downloaded in the app store. The goal of the game is to save a man who is being chased by gorillas by running away as far as possible. The goal of the game is to be able to run away for as long as possible while collecting all the golden coins throughout the way. Once you have earned a certain amount of coins, you can choose a different person to play as the runner. The game was originally made for iphone users only but then became available for android phones shortly after.

           Entice:

• Solo game
• Free from the app store
• People are talking about it
• Requires the movement and actions of your phone to play
• Can publish high scores on social media platforms (facebook, twitter)

Enter:

• Hear about the game then download it from the app store
• Agree to terms and conditions
• Begin a new game

Engage:

• Need to use the phone to navigate your direction
• Requires full detail and attention in order to play the game
• You gain coins as you run/play
• Increase levels and speed
• After a certain level you can change your person
• Break records/high scores 

Exit:

• If you don’t make the turn or jump when supposed to you die and the game ends
• Whenever you die you need to start from the beginning
• When you start over you lose all the coins you may have earned
• Can get frustrating if you keep loosing at a certain point
• The game has a tendency of lagging at times which can ruin your experience

Extend:

• Rate the game
• Updates on software (makes the game not lag)
• Friends are all talking about it and bragging about their high score so you want to compete with them.
• Recognition of high scores
• Entertainment aspect: it’s a fun game that can also help kill time. 

Best & Worst Interface Design

Best: Twitter App for the iPhone

One of my most commonly used apps on my iPhone is the twitter app. Twitter is a social media network that helps people interact with one another by updating their status, whereabouts, thoughts etc. the app is designed in a very simple manner: there is the home screen that displays all your tweets, a screen to see if you have any mentions, a discover screen to see what is new and trending and the last one is your own profile screen.  On the top screen there is a blue bar with the twitter bird logo embedded in the middle and to the right of it is a compose new tweet button.

            The app is really efficient and reliable; it never skips tweets and it informs you if your tweet did not go through. The one reason why I love this app so much is not only because it’s simple and easy to use, but also because it’s always extremely fast. To load more tweets, you just use your finger and pull downward and your new tweets will be available. Loading is quick; this saves so much time for people who are constantly using their phones/need live updates. What makes the interface a very well thought out interface is by the way it is designed. The design is very simple and to the point; there are no distractions or advertisements that get in the way of you and your experience.  There really are not any improvements that need to be made to this app. I think that because the design is simple, it prevents room for improvement, which is definitely something designers strive for. 

Worst: Navigation System 

Navigation systems are designed to help people get from one place to another, however almost all the navigation systems that I have ever used have all had a really crappy interface design. The purpose of this kind of system can get pretty complex, however anything can be easier if the interface design is aesthetically pleasing. The navigation system in my parent’s car is very frustrating to use. It limits you to the letters you can choose and most of the time does not even have the city stored. I know it’s a bad design because I still till this day have trouble using it and was never able to help my mom use it either.

Improvements that can be made are also pretty limited. There is only one way really to use this kind of system, however if the interface was designed in such a way that it would be welcoming and engaging it would definitely transform the entire experience for people. There could be icons replaces by certain word buttons and warmer colors used. Picture icons would definitely help people find the right button they need to choose. Minor adjustments like that are the ones that can make the biggest difference. 

Rebranding a Retail Store

The Rockwell Groups goal is to create an immersive environment those coincides with its various projects. They strategize ways to help new innovations and reinvent what already exists. The strategists work with interior designers, branding, and service design all to create one strategy.

Company branding is the major advertising component. To create a brand that has and carries a certain kind of personality sets the company’s audience and bran name. Once a brand is marketed well by reaching out to their target audience, people become brand loyal and start only associating themselves with that company. This kind of loyalty is build by how the service is delivered to the audience. Service design is the experience that people undergo with a product or design. It sets the tone for that object and company overall. Strategy comes into play because it looks at the whole experience and helps fit all the pieces together.

When it comes to rebranding, companies analyze their competitors, their own products and marketing styles. They analyze what aspects have to be reinvented in order to create a new persona. Rockwell comes in handy during this procedure. They develop a retail design and personality as well as Identify important store and brand assets which customers should experience. Once things are all set, they observe and test out what additional adjustments need to be altered. After that, there is still a lot more to do. The Design Phase is meant to translate these insights and opportunities into a feasible design direction. The three kinds of design are:

1. Schematic Design
2. Design Development
3. Construction Documents 

Once the design part is started, these ideas need to be tested. The testing process includes making models/prototypes, researching behavioral prototypes and brainstorming and sketching different designs. Additional sketches and mockups need to be made in order to really make people believe this company is brand new to its market. The entire rebranding concept is to reinvent the company. With these steps, rebranding can definitely be a success!

Product Portfolio: T-Mobile

T mobile is a cell phone company that is known for its international coverage and use. T mobiles most famous line of cell phones was the sidekick generation. The sidekick was the first phone that had a full keyboard like a computer. This new innovation became an overnight must have. The sidekick was also very well known for its sliding screen; it was something different that no other phone had. The prices were high but so was demand. The generation of phones latest for years and eventually died out. However in the time that the sidekick was getting big, t-mobile as a company was growing. 

T mobile, like any other business, would sell high when the demand was high. When the side kick generation was in the fading out stage, t mobile began to sell phones from cell phone markers such as Blackberry, Samsung, Motorola and so on. Since t mobile is one of the only major phone companies that is not affiliated with apple and therefore cannot sell the iPhone, their main selling phone are android phones. Even though they do not sell the iphone they were never in jeopardy because they had android phones and also because they are the only cell phone carrier that is able to make international calls. For a business and traveling target audience, this feature is the only thing they look for in a phone. In the article, “Mapping Your Competitive Position” by Richard A. D’Aveni, D’Aveni discusses how to map a company’s target audience. He states, “Define the market. To draw a meaningful map, you must specify the boundaries of the Market in which you’re interested.” This applies directly to t mobile and their target audiences, which are business people that travel an excessive amount. The article also provides a breakdown of the cell phone market as a whole:

In today’s market, most t mobile phones are sold through their website or in select stores. The cheapest phone on their website is a Samsung flip phone. Smartphone’s are all in a higher rage but depending on contract association’s prices may vary. Currently t mobile is in a comfortable place as a company. 

Best & Worst Product Experience

Best: iPhone 4

Throughout the day there are a variety of different products that I utilize. One of the most used and most efficient products I use on a daily is my iphone. I recently just switched from a blackberry to iphone and it really did change my life. I had endless amounts of issues with that phone so having one that actually does what I need it to be satisfying. The iphone 4 is not the latest model of its line however it is still relatively new. Its physical and internal attributes are extremely simple and can be easily adapted to. Whenever I interact with my phone its very personal, the fact that I have to use my finger to select things defines my experience with my iphone. Whatever I need to do is at my fingertips, literally. There are icons that guide me to my desired outcome. Apples entire philosophy is about simplicity and efficiency and that is exactly what my iphone does for me. The iphone is probably apples primary example of what their product design entails. Because I support them as a company and use their products, they are very meaningful to my everyday life and me. With the technological advances in products like this, I do not think they can ever truly be disposable. It may be an older generation model but the main component of the product will be able to deliver. I personally do not think any improvement need to be made, however software updated really help my phone stay in tune with all its functions.

Worst: Sony Touchscreen Remote  

One of the most irritating feelings is when a product does not perform the way it is designed to. This frustration is what happens whenever I use the touch screen sony remote control for the tv in my house. The remote is programmed so that all the remotes needed, dvd, cable, audio box etc, are all composed into one device. It’s a great idea and would be extremely useful if it worked regularly. Sometimes it works and it really is efficient and effective, however more times than others, it doesn’t. Either the tv is left on or the tv is off but the sound is still on etc. after going through a list of yes or no questions in order to scope out the problem, it works. Whenever the remote does work properly, I appreciate it so much more, but since it doesn’t, it hold any true value to me. Instead, it prevents me from even watching tv because I know just turning it on is an obstacle itself. Remotes are always long-term until the tv stops working or the batteries stop, that’s one thing I definitely appreciate. Long-term products always create a stronger bond with people because they are apart of their lives for a long, if not all, period of time. The product concept and idea is sufficient, the problem lies within its performance. If the sensor for the remote and tv was stronger, it might be easier for it to respond quicker. The design layout is easy and responsive however the design of the physical remote can be altered. Right now it is a small rectangular shape that feels awkward to hold in your hands. If the remote was designed to fall naturally in somebody’s hands, the first impression of their experience is already off to a good start. If a person can interact with their product before even using it, it sets a positive route. Other than the look of the remote, the software design is simple and therefore should be kept the same. 

Service Blueprint: Self-Checkout Machines

Service blueprint is the breakdown of how a specific service actually works. When creating a service design, the step-by-step process needs to be broken down and examined in order for the service to run smoothly. The first component studied is the customer interactions or line of interaction. That is, how the consumer will interact with this service. The second step is service provider actions or line of visibility, what the service can do for the consumer. The third aspect is backstage process or line of internal interaction. This is, what the company needs to do in order to get your request processed. This is when if the need of affiliating with other companies comes into play, for example, for any online service some companies may team up with another online service to do their shipping processing online etc.  The last element is the support process, or how the service granted the consumer what

These procedures need to be taken seriously before any real service can be released.  The article, “From Small Ideas to Radical Service Innovation” by Mark Jones and Fran Samalionis discuss the many mistakes companies make or overlook when creating a new design. The article then goes on to discuss the proper actions that need to be taken into account in order for a service to be successful. Another article,”Want to Perfect Your Company’s Service? Use Behavioral Science” by Richard B. Chase and Sriram Dasu talks about the same demographic of how crucial service blueprint really is; it can either make or break a business.

Last week, I discussed how one of the worst service designs I encountered was a self-checkout machine. The service blueprint is as follows:

• customer actions-line of interaction: customer gathers items that he or she would like to purchase
• service provider actions-line of visibility: the machine tells you to begin scanning your items; no direction is given on how to do so, a person is just to assume that the bar code is what needs to be scanned.
• backstage actions-line of internal interaction: once you have rung up your items, you are asked if you have any coupons and or have a membership with that paticular store. Once the consumer as answered those questions it is time to pay. Payment can be made in cash or credit and is directed on the screen. The internal interaction that is truly present is when your transaction is being processed, (whether or not your credit card got approved/what the value of your dollar amount is and if you need to receive any change.
• support processes-the only support that self-checkout machines really have is the employees working at the store. If something goes wrong throughout the entire process, majority of the time, in order to really fix it the consumer would have to get someone who worked at the store to assist them.

This service blueprint of self-checkout machines is not as accurate as it should be. When making and or overlooking a blueprint, almost nothing should really be questioned. The entire procedure should be flawless, just like your service. Even though this is not the actual blueprint of this service design, it is an educated guess and has many variables that can be questioned. The main problem with this machine is that you need a human to come and fix the problem when something goes wrong. The main purpose of technology service design is for technology or the service to be fixed on its own; no humans should ever need to get involved. This need for a human to get involved in a technology based service is talked about in the article the article, “the 'moment of truth' in customer service” by marc beaujean, jonathan davidson and stacey madge. The exert states, “But pure technological solutions can never stroke the emotional connection between employee and customer-the kind of connection that characterizes positive moments in complex frontline situations.” All the new advances in technology that are so easily accessible for everyone can overlook the appreciation for humans. The only time technology can create this formal interaction is when the service being done is not too complicated, for example buying a metro card. For services that require a variety of different products, it is best for people to be the ones to handle it since that is what they get trained to do.

Even online shopping has created an entire new demographic for shoppers throughout the world. Its easy and accessible but it still does not have the same experience as to going to the mall and interacting with people who work at the store. It all has its own pros and cons; when it comes down to it, service design is an option for people and everyone knows how much people love having options. 

Best & Worst Service Designs

Best: Metrocard Vending Machine

Traveling throughout the city means you need to have a metro card on you at all times. In order to purchase one, you can either buy one from a booth where a person will be able to assist you or from a metro card machine. However not all subway stations have a booth available so interacting with the machine is required. For me personally, I think the metro card machine is extremely fast and efficient. I remember the first time I ever used one, I read whatever was on the screen carefully and use my finger to pick my options. As I began to use the machine more frequently, I realized how fast and useful it really is. it is a perfect example of service design because it is a machine that forces you to interact with it. it is a form of communication design.

The machine is made out of steel and other materials; the interface used is a combination of director, photoshop, illustrator, and visual basic software. Its dimensions are approximately 6' 7 7/8" x 41 11/16" x 26" (203 x 106 x 66 cm). The MTA's vending machine leads customers through the process of buying metrocards in a manner that is efficient and no-nonsense, in a very New York spirit, suggesting colorful, never-boring transit ahead: the buttons on the screen are large and the purchasing choices are clear; the machine itself is done up in bright, almost toy-like primary colors and, with its enamel-coated steel, it is both graffiti- and scratch-proof.

 

The metrocard vending machine is a successful service design because it gets the job done in an effective manner. No matter where you are in the city, every subway station has the same exact machine with the same exact instructions for use. Once you have mastered its process, you will never have to relearn it again, the experience you share with this machine will be exactly the same at any subway station. I admit that for first time users it may be a bit complicated, however for people who are not fluent in English, there interaction can be made easier by choosing the option to proceed in a different language. There are four language options on the machine; English, Espanol, Italian and Deutsch. Picking a different language can help some people but for others just reading whatever comes up on your screen can automatically help you get your metro card.

The advancement in technology is what makes the metrocard vending machine so efficient. In the reading, Service design: Practical Access to an Evolving Field by Stefan Moritz, the relationship between service design and technology is discussed. Technology is a main component of rising service designs; Moritz states, “Technology has changed the relationships between clients and service providers. Therefore technology represents new possibilities as well as challenges.” I encounter many service designs throughout the day, for example going to the atm etc. the only draw back I find with these other machines is that they are always different wherever I go. Atms in particular can be hard to adjust to and are not nearly as quick as the metrocard vending machine.

• Check it out: Video Tutorial

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Worst: Self-Checkout Machines

Standing on line to purchase an item can take some time. Inventors believed that in order to speed this dreaded process up, self-check out machines should be built and put into various stores including super markets, department stores and so on. I for one am not a huge fan of these self-checkout machines. The first time I ever used one was at my local grocery store. I found myself going extremely slow and making sure the prices the machine rung up were correct. There were many items I was buying, for example fruit that did not have a price tag on it and had to be weighted in order to determine a price. To do that, I had to call over an employee to assist me. By the time that was all done, my entire checkout procedure took twice as long as it normally does. I did not fancy this concept at all.

The few variables that I think made this service design a fail was that for stores with this much variety, it is hard to program every last detail into one machine. First off, the software was not extremely fast, which is fine but the faster the better. The second obstacle was that some items would not ring up properly so you would have to go back and retry (wasting time) and putting in your store card number was an entire procedure on its own. Lastly, whenever there was a problem with the self-check out, you had to contact a person who worked there to come over and help you. That itself, ruins the entire concept of a self-checkout.

In order for a service design to be successful, it cannot be for something too complicated. In other words, the machine should be able to do exactly what you need it to without any human assistance at all. In the Mager Service Design reading, the purpose of service design is stated, “Service designers visualize, formulate, and choreograph solutions to problems that do not necessarily exist today; they ob- serve and interpret requirements and behavioral patterns and transform them into possible future services.” Successful service designs should also provide people with the same exact experience every time they use it (no matter where there location is.) I think that is what truly makes the metrocard vending machine a true victory. I understand that for people who are in a hurry and do not have many items that the self checkout is actually efficient for them, however I would rather wait the extra minute on line in guarantee that I will have no problems dealing with the machine. Nowadays, there are express lines in most grocery stores anyway. I think that self-checkouts can definitely be successful, however only in certain types of environments. 

Patterns of Use: Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is one of the most popular parks in New York City. Its constant flow attracts people from all cultural backgrounds to come together and enjoy this public park. The park has a variety of different people that come and utilize the park daily. Students, artists, office workers and musicians and so on can all be found in this one area. The beauty of the park also attracts many tourists and its simplicity does not become intimidating. The park is surrounded by New York University’s campus and has an arch and beautiful fountain in the middle that goes off in the summer. 

Observation:

1. Thursday: 9pm-10pm

• Weather: Slight rain/drizzle
• People: None

-Thursday night is usually when the weekend starts for most students. Since Washington Square Park is almost always filled with students, on a night like this is was completely empty. It was raining on and off as well, however I believe that even if the weather was decent, the park would still be pretty empty. In one corner of the park was a homeless man with boxes around him for protection. People were walking in and out of the park but not as frequently as they do earlier in the day.

2. Sunday: 5pm-6pm

• Weather: Nice/sunny
• People: Good amount, started to leave once the sun went down

-Sundays are a day spent with family and friends; this was the exact case in the park. The park was filled with people of all ages enjoying the weather and just relaxing. A group of college students were rehearsing for an upcoming play in the middle of the park. The park is the perfect place for them to practice because of all of the open space it has to offer and no real noise constraints. People near by were enjoying this mock performance. There were little kids running around the empty fountain playing with one another. There were people sitting on the benches; reading books, sitting with their dogs and so on. Throughout the day people would be walking in an out of the park ever so often. However once the sun started to go down, people began to leave. The first people to leave were the families that were there with their children. After the families cleared out, the park wasn’t as loud, the little kids yelling slowly faded away and people one by one started to leave. By the end of the hour, it was dark and the park was almost completely empty besides the theater students who were still rehearsing.

3. Monday: 12pm-1pm

• Weather: nice sunny
• People: a lot of people, on benches, in empty fountain, people taking pictures with and of the arch etc.

-Mondays are always a rush for people throughout the city. It’s the first day of the week and everyone has somewhere to go. Since Washington Square Park is in the heart of NYUs campus, the park was filled with students. People were constantly walking in and out of the park, rushing to go where they needed to be. The park from all angles was full as well. People were sitting along the benches as well as inside the fountain. Near the arch, many tourists would come and take pictures of the arch and NYUs campus. Students would be as a group or just sit by themselves and do their work. The fast passed environment kept the park alive. A man was playing the saxophone at one end of the park and another had a food cart selling hotdogs and nuts. Many people were seen walking their dogs in and out of the park. There is a small dog area within the park that most of the dogs would all be. Throughout the hour, the density of people remained constant. Since it was a Monday afternoon, the hype would probably not die down till later on at night. 

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As I observed the park I noticed some few features that reflected was I watched in the video, The Social Life of Small Urban Space by William Whyte. In the video, Whyte discussed how certain people gathered at certain ends of public areas for reasons that could not really be determined; for example, people in love or romantically involved would almost always sit by the fountain area and display their affection. I noticed that the same thing happened in Washington Square Park. When I was observing on Sunday, the fountain was filled with kids and couples were more along the benches, however on Monday, there were no kids in the fountain and many people sitting in the fountain that looked like a couple. The video also talked about how studied showed where there was an open space with chairs, people would move the chairs to accommodate their needs but by the end of the day, the chairs would be exactly where they started out. Since there was nothing in the park that is tangible, I could not relate this exact characteristic yet the same thing applied for types of people. The dog lovers were all near the dog park, students were constantly in and out of the park as well as alongside the fountain, tourists are always by the arch taking pictures and everyone else is on the benches just enjoying what the park has to offer.

Being in the park reminded me of what Jane Jacobs talks about in her book. Washington Square Park is one of the liveliest parks in Manhattan and that probably has to do with the elements Jacobs’s talks about to keep a city alive. Jacob talks about what she thinks keeps the city going, however some of the factors apply to what keep the park going. Jacobs says that high density promotes the welfare of the environment; the park would not be a park unless it had people come and enjoy it. Even when people walk in and out of the park, it still counts as interacting with it. Another aspect Jacob discusses is keeping small businesses alive; by being in the heart of NYUs campus, the park is filled with all kinds of people and talent. It is very easy to strike up a conversation with somewhere there and realize you may have something in common. This desire to keep these businesses alive instead of letting corporations dominate makes it easier for people to interact with one another and adds to the diversity of the park as a whole.

With the different amenities the park has to offer, there is always going to be a constant flow and life that not other park in the city can have. Washington Square Park has always been a monumental park and will always be a monumental park.

Dohne Court

I have been living in my parent’s home on Long Island my entire life. The only time we ever moved was when I was only a few months home. My house is one of three in a court that has a long alley just before you actually see the houses. When I open my front door, I can see our neighbor’s house on my right and my other neighbor’s house across from mine. The court is extremely wide and has a grayish/black concrete pavement.

Growing up, there were a few disadvantages about living in a court. First off, my bus refused to come inside my court to pick me up so I had to walk down the end alley, near the cross street, every morning and evening. This would have been fine but winter on long island is just months of ice-cold weather and inches of snow. The second drawback was that I could never go trick or treating around my own house. Since we only had two houses next to us, I was always driven to a friends or cousins house so that we can trick or treat safely around their development. I had houses on the cross street, but my mom preferred me staying in a colony to keep safe. The last hitch was that I did not like riding my bike in circles; this was before I was allowed to ride on the street. Prior to that, I would have to remain in my court so that my mom could keep an eye on me from the house. After riding around in circles ten times, it gets pretty boring and dizzy.

Because I live in the suburbs, I believe my court was designed in a way that resembles the accomplishments of Bob Moses. Bob Moses believed and created “private” housing developments. He was the dominant of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in eastern New York City. Moses believed in having privacy and creating an environment that is safe and creates a community. He helped build around 777 playgrounds and brought life to parks such as adding zoos and skating rinks throughout the entire city. Moses style of creating a relaxed atmosphere is almost exactly what the suburbs are like. To take a break from the fast paced life of the city, the suburbs are extremely quiet and family oriented. My court especially would be valued in Moses’ eyes because of all the free land there is. He would have loved to work with so much free space that is not available in the city.

An interesting fact about the history of my court is that it was named after our neighbor Bob Dohne that owned the entire land. Years ago my court used to be a nursery, Bob Dohne then bought the nursery and then with all that land, transformed it into a court. He built three I identical houses and at the end of the court, a house for him and his family. After completing his project, he decided to trademark his creation by naming it Dohne Court.

Sharon Zukin discusses the concept of “Manhattanization” which signifies; “Everything in a city that is not thought to be authentic: high-rise buildings that grow taller every year, dense crowds where no one knows your name, high prices for inferior living conditions, and intense competition to be in style.” Zukins statement can be true to identify what is authentic on long island as well. Since long island is almost nothing like the city, there are not any demanding or intimidating buildings and everything is very generously priced. Walking distance from my court is my town that is filled with stores, restaurants and bars that keep my town alive.

Over the years, my town has only advanced in expanding and opening up more restaurants, stores etc. By having this low-key yet lively kind of atmosphere, I don’t think my court has lost its soul.

The fact that I have a lively town nearby, can consider my court to be safe according to Jane Jacobs. Jane Jacobs believes that, “a well-used city street is apt to be a safe street. A deserted city street is apt to be unsafe.”  She believes that the three components that make up a safe street are:

1. Clear distinction of public and private space
2. Must be eyes upon the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street
3. Sidewalk must have user on it fairly continuously both to ass to the number of effective eyes on the street and induce the people in buildings along the street to watch the sidewalks in sufficient numbers. 

Even though I do not live on a block, I still consider my court to be safe regardless of Jacobs’s beliefs. Jacobs believes the more active a block is the safer it is, but I think that since my court is closed off from the main road, it is safer because it is further away from any sort of crime. It may not have stores or bars on the same block but they are still extremely close by and add soul to the entire town.

The future of my court will probably stay the same. There is enough land to make another house however it would be a little cramped. I think it is the perfect place to live and grow up as with a family.