If I were to ask you to design a web page, right here, right now, what symbol would you give the menu? A house? The hamburger? Just write out the word menu?And where would you put it? In the bottom right hand corner? In the upper left corner? In the upper right corner? Why?
Meanwhile in KidsTeam...
We got to do charades, as a way to get better ideas for how words can be animated for the eventual prototype that'll be made. (Who knew acting out the word twinkle and sunshine could be so difficult?)
We got into a discussion of our favorite animated kids cartoons.
The girl who knows I'm obsessed with rainbows was quick to spot all of the rainbow items I sported this week, as well as discusses washi-tape crafts with me.
Disco dancing in the elevator seems to be a reoccurring thing.
Ooo, what are people's favorite animated kids cartoons? *asked the aspiring animator who loves kids movies/cartoons*
ReplyDeleteSo many terms that are applicable to our lives but that we never knew! I learned many new things today; thank you.
Let's see, some cartoons mentioned (keep in mind these cartoons were for really young children, so a lot of cartoons wouldn't have fit the conversation): Blues Clues, Pee Wee Herman, Dora the Explorer, Clarence, Sesame Street, Teletubbies.
DeleteYeah, I was kinda sitting there as the web designers casually threw the terms around, trying to figure it out from context. The hamburger one really threw me for a loop, I always just kinda referred to it as "the three horizontal lines thing" in my head.
The usability information was really interesting! Can you explain a little more about this prototype with the words being animated?
ReplyDeleteSo, the app that the Kids Team has been working on since last fall is a literacy app for very young children, and the first prototype (which will compile all of the main ideas generated from Kids Team) is about to be created. Last week's activity forced the kids to act out the words so that the designer could get a better idea of what/how to do some of the app animations.
DeleteI love where this project is going Kaityln. I like the designs.. did you make those? Are you trying to find ways to simply design with your research (as in making things as simple but still understandable to the common user)?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could take credit for the designs, but I unfortunately cannot.
DeleteI've gotten to observe design teams try to find ways to simply design, however, I am more actively involved in brainstorming design sessions (which tend to create anything-but-simple designs).
Just curious about whether there are design elements for websites that almost have to be used because they are becoming universally understood. For instance, would a site really be lacking if it was not using the gear as a symbol for the place where settings are find? Or can sites get away with using other symbols or text for something like this. And if the cog is a symbol is becoming standard, does this take away from design creativity?
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of charades being a way of connecting to words and icons. I am glad you got to be a part of that process.
As the design team I was observing tended to find, certain standards (like the cog) almost do have to be used for a design intuitive to the user. However, other symbols (like a menu button), have less consensus and thus are more open for new icons and symbols to be used.
DeleteIn general, I would say universal symbols, like the cog, narrow design options, but still allow for some design creativity. For instance, the settings cog on an iPhone, Android, and most websites are different designs, yet the unifying cog symbol makes a design intuitive for the user, offering a nice balance between intuitive universality and design creativity.