Designing for a public space in Leeds allowed me to demonstrate the principles of poster design by Josef Muller Brockmann. Understanding proportion, space and placement created an aesthetically pleasing poster design that is based around an unconventional concept. The method of directly interpreting the brief came from the understanding of ugly designers and their design process. However the end result is a poster design that may not be entirely appropriate for modern times. The modernist influences are clear, creating a poster that looks of that era. But given the context of the exhibition realism may not be entirely necessary. The run of screen printing during this design has been the most reliable so far which was due to its simple design. The combination of two analogue print techniques was an interesting technique that solved a lot of the problems whilst providing a unique characteristic to the poster. Due to the uneven pressure of the press, mono printing's textured and deep colour provides a desirable contrast against the screen prints even print.
Studio Brief 02 proved to be the most difficult brief in finding a approachable solution. Design related to ethical, political and social issues are necessarily in my area of interest. I understand why it is necessary, but I found it hard to find an area of which I could provide an appropriate solution. The lack of interest in these areas are probably shown through the limited area of research that only focused on major issues. Going deeper to find more unique and overlooked issues in society may have provided me a better opportunity to practice the type of design I'm interested in. Nevertheless, Apple Eco as a solution does hit a gap in the market that surprisingly Apple has not done yet given their efforts towards producing zero waste. Through the research done on campaigns that inevitably produce more waste in order to spread their message, Apple Eco is a zero waste solution that takes advantage of the number of iPhone users to spread the message of being more environmentally conscious. However Apple Eco is not the solution to climate change. Global warming has become a constant and as such the habits needed to slow it have to be practiced constantly. Therefore the app doesn't solve climate change but builds the habits in their users to reduce it. It was also a surprise to come back to digital design given my preference for printed. However the readings done on modernist design principles can be applied to app design. How to present information needs an understanding of visual hierarchy, white space and typography as users want to read information on devices quickly. In creating a specifically made Apple app, new software was used as well. Digital design is a medium I am relatively unfamiliar with, so rather than to manually mockup entirely on photoshop, Sketch was a program used that was appropriate to the design process of making an app.
Studio Brief 02 also made me realise the implications of the work designers do. What if Apple made an eco tracker app and it does promote a new wave of environmentalism? Designers are responsible for having these influences in society. Despite the brief's difficulty, it has provided more context onto what a role of a designer is and the importance of considering the design's social, ethical and political implications, especially since it has to enter the real world.
Wednesday, 17 May 2017
App Distribution
The distribution method for Apple Eco is limited yet effective. With every iPhone comes the app preinstalled, therefore it is effectively advertising itself to millions of people. Being that it is an Apple made app, the app would be its main distribution method for those who don't already have the app.
The Apple Eco app is a zero waste solution that provide Apple’s own eco tracker to encourage users to practice more sustainable practices much like themselves.
App's Design
Icon
The app icon is designed using one of the elements of the Apple logo that is often turned green for environmental content. The app continues this identity, making the green leaf an identifier for Apple's Environmental concern. The increasing opacity communicates progression, in line with how the app is intended to help better their green habits.
With the app now only have a single page, Safari and Maps are placed either side for quick access for the reader. This will be useful wherever users may have to search up about climate change or check where a green amenity is. The app follows a predominant colour scheme of green, black and white. The black and white provides a neutral background to allow the green to stand out to the reader and follows their recent Earth Day campaign. The icons such as the profile in the top right and Safari and Maps have been purposely changed to suit the colour scheme. Community, Tips and Safari are colour coded to distinguish each section giving the reader an identifier for each section. "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" sets the tone of voice for the app. In order to get people to be eco, the app should have an instructive voice rather than suggestive. The intent is more direct. The percentage rating for the users eco efficiency is based on the WWF Footprint Calculator. The aim for the user is to lower their percentage. The subtle graphic in 'Eco Rating' sets the top bar apart and distinguishes itself as the most important for the reader.
Pressing on the 'Eco Rating', users will be presented with a breakdown of their overall percentage in 4 categories. These let the user know where they can improve. The recommended app section below suggest appropriate apps to help the user better manage their energy bills, find more vegetarian meals or any other environmental apps.
Going onto a rating for example, the user just scrolls down a selection of options in order to generate their score.
On the community page, the content is laid out in 2 distinct sections. The top area dedicated to providing content appropriate in helping them better their eco rating. And the section below giving users subjects of interest to look further into.
The tips provides users with Apple selected tips to help better their eco rating. The top bar allows users to choose specific tips. The straightforward layout keeps the information the main focus of the page, whilst also in keeping with the app's colour scheme.
The News app uses the users News app selection of content but refines it only to those related to climate change.
Opening Maps from the app, users will be presented with an alternate version where they will be suggested green amenities. The Maps has been altered in its design to align with Apple Eco's overall art direction.
The app icon is designed using one of the elements of the Apple logo that is often turned green for environmental content. The app continues this identity, making the green leaf an identifier for Apple's Environmental concern. The increasing opacity communicates progression, in line with how the app is intended to help better their green habits.
With the app now only have a single page, Safari and Maps are placed either side for quick access for the reader. This will be useful wherever users may have to search up about climate change or check where a green amenity is. The app follows a predominant colour scheme of green, black and white. The black and white provides a neutral background to allow the green to stand out to the reader and follows their recent Earth Day campaign. The icons such as the profile in the top right and Safari and Maps have been purposely changed to suit the colour scheme. Community, Tips and Safari are colour coded to distinguish each section giving the reader an identifier for each section. "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" sets the tone of voice for the app. In order to get people to be eco, the app should have an instructive voice rather than suggestive. The intent is more direct. The percentage rating for the users eco efficiency is based on the WWF Footprint Calculator. The aim for the user is to lower their percentage. The subtle graphic in 'Eco Rating' sets the top bar apart and distinguishes itself as the most important for the reader.
When presented in feedback however, the vibrant colour scheme of Community, Tips and News stick out from the overall art direction, which may confuse the reader. In order to keep the design consistent and to create a cohesive identity for the app, the tabs were changed to monochromatic.
Pressing on the 'Eco Rating', users will be presented with a breakdown of their overall percentage in 4 categories. These let the user know where they can improve. The recommended app section below suggest appropriate apps to help the user better manage their energy bills, find more vegetarian meals or any other environmental apps.
Going onto a rating for example, the user just scrolls down a selection of options in order to generate their score.
On the community page, the content is laid out in 2 distinct sections. The top area dedicated to providing content appropriate in helping them better their eco rating. And the section below giving users subjects of interest to look further into.
The tips provides users with Apple selected tips to help better their eco rating. The top bar allows users to choose specific tips. The straightforward layout keeps the information the main focus of the page, whilst also in keeping with the app's colour scheme.
The News app uses the users News app selection of content but refines it only to those related to climate change.
Opening Maps from the app, users will be presented with an alternate version where they will be suggested green amenities. The Maps has been altered in its design to align with Apple Eco's overall art direction.
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
Mapping the app's pages and content
In the initial sketches for the app's layout, the idea was to split the content into 4 areas. Eco, Personal, Maps and Learn.
Eco
This page provides the user with relevant information on how to be green or to improve on their habits.Content
TipsTips will be Apple generated suggestions regarding to different areas of improvement such as Energy, Recycling or Water for example. These tips however need to be refreshed every so often to prevent them becoming stale and repetitive to the user.
Forum
News
The Forum is a space where users can provide suggestions to other Apple Eco users where a straightforward voting system determines the helpfulness of each suggestion. Just having a voting system prevents the app from becoming overly complicated.
News provides a timeline of whatever's happening concerning climate change through the users curated media outlets. This feature could work in tangent with Apples own News app.
Personal
This section is where the user tracks their green efficiency. Through their input, it provides an overall rating that not only gives them an idea of how eco they are but it generates an incentive from the user to use the app as it gives a visual representation of their progress. Part of the reason being green is a difficult habit to practice is because its effects are hard to see. Having an immediate visual presentation of their efforts will hopefully provide a reason to keep going.Content
Energy usageFiguring out what to track in order to determine the user's overall rating proved to be difficult as measuring eco efficiency is rather abstract. It isn't necessarily determined on set parameters and doesn't require someone to constantly be green daily. Thus this section was eventually removed to just having a rating system based on a series of questions as evidenced in the previous post.
Transport
CO2 saved
Maps
This section presents users with green alternatives around their area such as recycling centres, electrical car charging points and local markets where produce are locally sourced for example. In keeping this feature appropriate 'eco', only walking and biking options are available for travelling. This will help the user get used to adopting a greener lifestyle. Users can then add their own green locations for their habits such as restaurants that use sustainable produce for example.Learn
This section is meant to inform the user of Apple's environmental responsibilities and to bring them onto their recycling program. Informing users on Apple's environmental efforts will hopefully encourage them to follow suit and to support companies that are more ethical in their practices.However, after much deliberation with forming the app's content, the layout has been simplified since, delivering a more streamlined experience. One such difference is changing it from a daily tracker to a cumulative progress report.
Below is the refined outline of the app's content and pages.
With the removal of the personal tracker, the app is simplified into the minimum amount of 3 pages.
Efficiency gives the user an overall eco rating, Learn provides information on climate change issues and Location lets users know where to be green.
This is a breakdown of the Efficiency tab with 4 main areas as represented by the WWF questionnaire. Users fill in these questions and the app produces a rating in each section and the overall. The questions are relatively simple to allow a broad range of users to answer as well as to make the app easy and quick to use.
In Learn, it is all about educating the reader on climate change from Apple, news outlets and users themselves.
Location helps users locate their green amenities and directions.
WWF Footprint Calculator
Creating a daily tracking app will generate a cumbersome user experience for the user where having to constantly key in their progress becomes tedious. To work around this, the app should be representative of a cumulative amount of information that gives an overall rating that shows how much of a carbon footprint the user is making. The user then inserts their own information monthly or whenever they need to. That being said, the Nutrition and Sleep sections of the Health does require users to key in their values on their own accord. But given the nature of being environmentally friendly, tracking the users progress can't necessarily be measured in set definitions. Unlike measuring walking or running based on distance and timing, environmental acts are hard to quantify into simple and appropriate measurements. How do you measure how much energy you save daily? Do people actively count how many bottles of plastic they recycle? Is there a need to recycle daily?
 |
| http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/ |
The World Wide Fund for Nature have created a questionnaire that allows users to get an idea of their carbon footprint. The questions are divided into Food, Home, Travel and Stuff, encompassing the essential activities carried out by most people. At the end users are given a percentage that is compared against the ideal goal everyone should be aiming for.
Therefore rather than to have the user key in arbitrary values, the app could present the user with a series of questions that lets it generate an 'eco rating'. These questions can then be revisited monthly or whenever necessary to help improve the users rating.
Monday, 15 May 2017
Apple UI/UX Guidelines
Going through Apple's iOS Human Interface Guidelines provided some context on how the app should be designed.
They identify clarity, deference and depth as the 3 key aspects to achieve in UI design. Apple puts the communication of the content to be the paramount aim which is supported by the principles of good design set out by Dieter Rams, who has been a large influence in the design philosophy at Apple.
Referring to Apple's iOS Human Interface guidelines should be a constant process throughout Apple Eco's design. It ensures that the app will be approved by Apple if released commercially and aligns with their brand identity.
A small note worth taking note is to be mindful colour blindness and how differently cultures perceive colour. For example colour blind users will have difficulty in differentiating red from green (and either colour from grey) or blue from orange. Taking note of the app's accessibility will broaden its usable audience.
HomeKit is a possible way for the Eco app to be integrated into other apps in the Apple ecosystem. This will be useful in practicing 'green' habits through their energy use. The limitations of this however is that the house has to have fairly advanced fittings that can be controlled via iCloud. Therefore to connect Apple Eco with Apple HomeKit would only cater towards a very specific audience.
An interesting feature is the Scenes mode which allow the users to control a group of services or accessories. Services is the word used by Apple to represent "a controllable feature of an accessory, such as the light on a connected lamp." Therefore it allows users to create a Good Morning scene that turns on the lights, raises the shades, and starts the coffee maker in the kitchen, as shown above. This can be translated into making 'Eco' scenes for users where by certain services or accessories are on a timer or only available at a certain time for example.
Another possible way to extend Apple Eco's usage is through widgets. This gives the user immediate access from the lock screen swiping right or on the home screen, to a feature within the app. This can be beneficial in allowing the user to control or view an important or frequently used feature on the app without having the need to constantly unlock the phone.
Sources
https://developer.apple.com/ios/human-interface-guidelines/overview/design-principles/
https://developer.apple.com/ios/human-interface-guidelines/technologies/homekit/
https://developer.apple.com/ios/human-interface-guidelines/extensions/widgets/
They identify clarity, deference and depth as the 3 key aspects to achieve in UI design. Apple puts the communication of the content to be the paramount aim which is supported by the principles of good design set out by Dieter Rams, who has been a large influence in the design philosophy at Apple.
Referring to Apple's iOS Human Interface guidelines should be a constant process throughout Apple Eco's design. It ensures that the app will be approved by Apple if released commercially and aligns with their brand identity.
A small note worth taking note is to be mindful colour blindness and how differently cultures perceive colour. For example colour blind users will have difficulty in differentiating red from green (and either colour from grey) or blue from orange. Taking note of the app's accessibility will broaden its usable audience.
HomeKit is a possible way for the Eco app to be integrated into other apps in the Apple ecosystem. This will be useful in practicing 'green' habits through their energy use. The limitations of this however is that the house has to have fairly advanced fittings that can be controlled via iCloud. Therefore to connect Apple Eco with Apple HomeKit would only cater towards a very specific audience.
 |
| Before |
 |
| After |
An interesting feature is the Scenes mode which allow the users to control a group of services or accessories. Services is the word used by Apple to represent "a controllable feature of an accessory, such as the light on a connected lamp." Therefore it allows users to create a Good Morning scene that turns on the lights, raises the shades, and starts the coffee maker in the kitchen, as shown above. This can be translated into making 'Eco' scenes for users where by certain services or accessories are on a timer or only available at a certain time for example.
Another possible way to extend Apple Eco's usage is through widgets. This gives the user immediate access from the lock screen swiping right or on the home screen, to a feature within the app. This can be beneficial in allowing the user to control or view an important or frequently used feature on the app without having the need to constantly unlock the phone.
Sources
https://developer.apple.com/ios/human-interface-guidelines/overview/design-principles/
https://developer.apple.com/ios/human-interface-guidelines/technologies/homekit/
https://developer.apple.com/ios/human-interface-guidelines/extensions/widgets/
Apple Health
Analysing the Apple Health app's design was done as it is the only personal tracking app Apple has designed that is similar to the context of Apple Eco. Learning from the health app will provide a UI and UX benchmark to either achieve or surpass.
The top navigation bar simply communicates the tab the page the user is on and shows the account icon, to have users create their own personal Health card.
In the content area, 4 main sections dominate the page's attention. These are the 4 main areas Apple suggest that encompass one's health. The simple vector art direction communicates a friendlier tone of voice along with a colour scheme that clearly distinguishes the sections. Within each tile, its title has the largest size amongst the other copy, effectively making it the first piece of information the user reads. The list below the 4 tiles represent the more detailed areas of the apps. It is obvious but it creates a template of which Apple structure their content. Important information be visually represented and details be descriptive. The cut off icon of 'Vitals' suggest that there is more content by scrolling down to the user. A small detail to take note in creating an 'Apple' app.
Along the bottom navigation bar, just having 4 sections keeps the app simple to understand and navigate. Having 4 also creates ample negative space to distinguish each section to the user. To help guide the design of Apple Eco, the maximum number of icons would be 5 and minimum would be 3. The filled in icon tells the user what page their on.
Scrolling down the page will reveal the Search bar which allows the user quicker navigation without the need to go through multiple steps of the app. Convenience and ease of use are important in UI design to create a positive user experience. Confusion will limit the usability and incentive from the user to keep using the app.
Opening the 'Activity' tab, the layout of information is now changed to suit the sections content.
The size of the main tile is the same height as the 4 tiles on 'Health data' as well as the standardising of the type size. This keeps a consistent reading experience for the user that they can get used to, making it easier to process the amount of information presented.
The section's chosen colour takes up much of the visuals of the page, establishing an association between the colour and the activity. The use of a big tile is only limited to one, distinguishing itself as the main summarising piece of information. If every element was this size, the amount of visual information would be too overwhelming and subsequently make the app confusing. The use of only 3 bars below allow for quick glancing of the page's details.
Going into the 'Walking + Running Distance' tab for example brings the user onto a more detailed page where by it tracks the users progress by day, week, month and year. The graphs are simple to understand, making it accessible to Apple's broad range of users. However the graph that is shown first is the weekly progress. A weekly overview gives the user a more realistic impression of their progress on that day when compared against the rest of the week. This would be an appropriate way to present the users eco efficiency after selecting the section.
Pressing the graph reveals the entirety of the users information.
Users also have the option to add their own information is the app failed or was unable to record it.
For more complex terms such as 'Active Energy', the app gives the user a definition of the term, which is useful in explaining the terminology associated with climate change and green habits.
With each section shown on the front page, there are recommended apps that give the user alternatives to Apple's own, which can help cater to a users more specific needs.
Going through each section also highlights what Apple deems as its representative colour. The choice of colour must also be appropriate to its representation, such as the use of red for 'Activity' which communicates passion and energy.
In the today tab, the user is presented with just a calendar they can navigate to find specific info on a certain date. The manual addition of Biotin is a demonstration of how the users input will affect what will show on the page.
Analysing the Health app provides visual representation of Apple's design guideline and an idea of how they design a personal tracking app.
The top navigation bar simply communicates the tab the page the user is on and shows the account icon, to have users create their own personal Health card.
In the content area, 4 main sections dominate the page's attention. These are the 4 main areas Apple suggest that encompass one's health. The simple vector art direction communicates a friendlier tone of voice along with a colour scheme that clearly distinguishes the sections. Within each tile, its title has the largest size amongst the other copy, effectively making it the first piece of information the user reads. The list below the 4 tiles represent the more detailed areas of the apps. It is obvious but it creates a template of which Apple structure their content. Important information be visually represented and details be descriptive. The cut off icon of 'Vitals' suggest that there is more content by scrolling down to the user. A small detail to take note in creating an 'Apple' app.
Along the bottom navigation bar, just having 4 sections keeps the app simple to understand and navigate. Having 4 also creates ample negative space to distinguish each section to the user. To help guide the design of Apple Eco, the maximum number of icons would be 5 and minimum would be 3. The filled in icon tells the user what page their on.
Scrolling down the page will reveal the Search bar which allows the user quicker navigation without the need to go through multiple steps of the app. Convenience and ease of use are important in UI design to create a positive user experience. Confusion will limit the usability and incentive from the user to keep using the app.
Opening the 'Activity' tab, the layout of information is now changed to suit the sections content.
The size of the main tile is the same height as the 4 tiles on 'Health data' as well as the standardising of the type size. This keeps a consistent reading experience for the user that they can get used to, making it easier to process the amount of information presented.
The section's chosen colour takes up much of the visuals of the page, establishing an association between the colour and the activity. The use of a big tile is only limited to one, distinguishing itself as the main summarising piece of information. If every element was this size, the amount of visual information would be too overwhelming and subsequently make the app confusing. The use of only 3 bars below allow for quick glancing of the page's details.
Going into the 'Walking + Running Distance' tab for example brings the user onto a more detailed page where by it tracks the users progress by day, week, month and year. The graphs are simple to understand, making it accessible to Apple's broad range of users. However the graph that is shown first is the weekly progress. A weekly overview gives the user a more realistic impression of their progress on that day when compared against the rest of the week. This would be an appropriate way to present the users eco efficiency after selecting the section.
Pressing the graph reveals the entirety of the users information.
Users also have the option to add their own information is the app failed or was unable to record it.
For more complex terms such as 'Active Energy', the app gives the user a definition of the term, which is useful in explaining the terminology associated with climate change and green habits.
With each section shown on the front page, there are recommended apps that give the user alternatives to Apple's own, which can help cater to a users more specific needs.
Going through each section also highlights what Apple deems as its representative colour. The choice of colour must also be appropriate to its representation, such as the use of red for 'Activity' which communicates passion and energy.
In the today tab, the user is presented with just a calendar they can navigate to find specific info on a certain date. The manual addition of Biotin is a demonstration of how the users input will affect what will show on the page.
Analysing the Health app provides visual representation of Apple's design guideline and an idea of how they design a personal tracking app.
Sunday, 14 May 2017
Outlining the app
Pros for developing a mobile app
- Zero waste solution that aligns with Apple's efforts towards a zero waste manufacturing process.
- Free to use.
- Easy, accessible platform to use that the user carries everywhere on the iPhone. Taking advantage of Apple's most popular device sold 78.3 million in Q1 of 2017 as compared to 5.3 million Macs. As a result the iPhone's popularity will help spread the message on an international scale.
- The app doesn't force its message onto the user. People prefer not to be told what to do, especially for on screen usage. Letting the user discover the app makes the process of going green more approachable.
- Using an app as opposed to reading awareness campaigns about climate change will make the user feel more a part in the help to reduce the issue which produces a positive user experience, creating the incentive to use the app more often.
- The app will help in making climate change less of an abstract concept, which was highlighted in the Vox video. Users will be more likely to adopt 'greener' habits knowing their actions have impact.
Cons for developing an app
- Not everyone on the iPhone will be interested in using the app.
- Because the app itself won't be essential to the iPhone's use, it may lose its attention amongst the user's other apps. Therefore the message of conserving the environment isn't as effectively communicated.
- The app may find initial success because of its novelty to the Apple 'ecosystem' however getting the user to use the app longterm is important in helping to develop environmentally friendly habits. Being environmentally conscious has to be the norm in order to reduce global warming and not an occasional or selective practice.
App Name
Full Name: Apple Eco
App Name: Eco
App Aim & Features
- To provide tips on how to be green.
- To be the users way to track their eco habits.
- To provide relevant information on climate change.
- To inform the user about Apple's Recycling program, where users can send in their own hardware for an Apple gift card.
- A rating system that gives the user a sense of reward for being green. This will help keep users on the app as this produces a positive user experience as evidenced by the method used in the Vox video.
- A forum page where users can suggest their own eco tips to each other globally.
- Merge the app with the Home Dev kit to allow the eco app to better the house's energy consumption.
- User is able to key in their electrical appliances, light bulbs, utility or energy bill values and the app will suggest ways to save energy and get savings on their energy bill.
- A statistics page where it records your daily usage to produce a timeline of how eco the user has been. This is a feature that the user can possibly feel proud about and to have a visual representation of what you've done to reduce your carbon footprint.
Target Audience
- Modern home owners
- International
- Relatively anyone who has an iPhone
Tone of Voice
- A functional tone of voice that aids the user rather than instructs.
- In the style already used in Apple's other native apps. The user is already used to this tone of voice and is designed to catered its audience.
- Simplistic language to lessen the complexity and perceived tediousness of adopting green habits as well as to cater to a wide age demographic.
App Design
- Predominantly 3 colour scheme. Green, black and white.
- 5 sections maximum to keep the app's simplicity.
- A similar art direction to their Health app or the recent Earth Day video campaign.
- Has to follow Apple's app design guidelines as users are used to this layout of information and will make the app natural to use.
Sources
https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/31/apple-earnings-fy17-q1/
- Zero waste solution that aligns with Apple's efforts towards a zero waste manufacturing process.
- Free to use.
- Easy, accessible platform to use that the user carries everywhere on the iPhone. Taking advantage of Apple's most popular device sold 78.3 million in Q1 of 2017 as compared to 5.3 million Macs. As a result the iPhone's popularity will help spread the message on an international scale.
- The app doesn't force its message onto the user. People prefer not to be told what to do, especially for on screen usage. Letting the user discover the app makes the process of going green more approachable.
- Using an app as opposed to reading awareness campaigns about climate change will make the user feel more a part in the help to reduce the issue which produces a positive user experience, creating the incentive to use the app more often.
- The app will help in making climate change less of an abstract concept, which was highlighted in the Vox video. Users will be more likely to adopt 'greener' habits knowing their actions have impact.
Cons for developing an app
- Not everyone on the iPhone will be interested in using the app.
- Because the app itself won't be essential to the iPhone's use, it may lose its attention amongst the user's other apps. Therefore the message of conserving the environment isn't as effectively communicated.
- The app may find initial success because of its novelty to the Apple 'ecosystem' however getting the user to use the app longterm is important in helping to develop environmentally friendly habits. Being environmentally conscious has to be the norm in order to reduce global warming and not an occasional or selective practice.
App Name
Full Name: Apple Eco
App Name: Eco
App Aim & Features
- To provide tips on how to be green.
- To be the users way to track their eco habits.
- To provide relevant information on climate change.
- To inform the user about Apple's Recycling program, where users can send in their own hardware for an Apple gift card.
- A rating system that gives the user a sense of reward for being green. This will help keep users on the app as this produces a positive user experience as evidenced by the method used in the Vox video.
- A forum page where users can suggest their own eco tips to each other globally.
- Merge the app with the Home Dev kit to allow the eco app to better the house's energy consumption.
- User is able to key in their electrical appliances, light bulbs, utility or energy bill values and the app will suggest ways to save energy and get savings on their energy bill.
- A statistics page where it records your daily usage to produce a timeline of how eco the user has been. This is a feature that the user can possibly feel proud about and to have a visual representation of what you've done to reduce your carbon footprint.
Target Audience
- Modern home owners
- International
- Relatively anyone who has an iPhone
Tone of Voice
- A functional tone of voice that aids the user rather than instructs.
- In the style already used in Apple's other native apps. The user is already used to this tone of voice and is designed to catered its audience.
- Simplistic language to lessen the complexity and perceived tediousness of adopting green habits as well as to cater to a wide age demographic.
App Design
- Predominantly 3 colour scheme. Green, black and white.
- 5 sections maximum to keep the app's simplicity.
- A similar art direction to their Health app or the recent Earth Day video campaign.
- Has to follow Apple's app design guidelines as users are used to this layout of information and will make the app natural to use.
Sources
https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/31/apple-earnings-fy17-q1/
Saturday, 13 May 2017
Creating the brief
Brief
Climate Change and the need to take environmental action is an ever increasing aim that has seen steadily growing media exposure. The need to increase the efforts to reduce our impact towards global warming are therefore becoming more urgent. Provide a solution that can help encourage people to lessen their carbon footprint.
Solution
Apple are actively conscious about their efforts towards the lessening their impact on climate change. This is evident through their annual Earth Day videos and explicit labelling of their products contribution towards a more environmentally conscious design on both iOS and macOS.
Yet there is not an Apple made eco app that communicates their environmental concern on the product itself. The solution is to create an app that allows users to better their efforts towards being environmentally friendly and to allow Apple to positively change users perception on climate change. This is a zero waste approach that uses that advantages of Apple's popularity as a brand for good, to help spread the message of environmentalism on an international scale.
Climate Change and the need to take environmental action is an ever increasing aim that has seen steadily growing media exposure. The need to increase the efforts to reduce our impact towards global warming are therefore becoming more urgent. Provide a solution that can help encourage people to lessen their carbon footprint.
Solution
Apple are actively conscious about their efforts towards the lessening their impact on climate change. This is evident through their annual Earth Day videos and explicit labelling of their products contribution towards a more environmentally conscious design on both iOS and macOS.
Yet there is not an Apple made eco app that communicates their environmental concern on the product itself. The solution is to create an app that allows users to better their efforts towards being environmentally friendly and to allow Apple to positively change users perception on climate change. This is a zero waste approach that uses that advantages of Apple's popularity as a brand for good, to help spread the message of environmentalism on an international scale.
EPA Graphics Manual
The EPA Graphics Manual is an example of how to represent an environmentally conscious organisation which will be beneficial in understanding how to effectively communicate environmental information to the reader. It is designed with clarity and legibility above all, creating an honest form of design that has no personality to sway peoples opinions. It functions as a communicator of the message.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)