Important Course Documents
May 1 – May 5: Project Documentation
Topics
- Project Documentation (Project 2 and revisions to documentation on Project 1). Documentation is due no later than 12pm on Monday, May 8.
- Complete survey about classroom community by 11:15am on Wednesday, May 10
- No work for this course will be accepted later than Monday, May 8 at 12pm.
Final is scheduled for 8am on Wednesday, May 10. At the final expect your last UI challenge and to formally present project 2 using your documentation (note this was originally scheduled for Friday, May 5 in the syllabus).
April 24 – April 28: Finish Project 2
Deadlines and schedule
- April 24: Project 2 Work Day, Discuss practice interviews.
- April 26: Project 2 Work Day
- April 28: Project 2 Formal Critique
- May 1: Project 2 Revisions and Process Book Due. Discuss Project 2 Documentation.
- May 3: Project 2 Documentation for Portfolio
- May 5: Project 2 Documentation for Portfolio by 11:59pm
- May 10 at 8am: Final UI Challenge, Semester Reflection
REMINDER: Professional development write-ups are due one week after attending a professional development event. Write-ups will not be accepted after Monday, May 8.
April 17 – 21
Topics
- April 17 and 19 are work days
- April 21 is Mock Interview day — come with portfolio, resume or other materials you might to go an interview with. To prepare share questions and reflections with each other from the first round. To get an interview you need to fill out the form posted on Slack.
Reminder: Projects are due at the end of next week.
April 10 and 12 – Work Week
Topics
- Continue to work on Project 2
- Reminder: Amy Shutter, Alum and Web Designer, will be speaking at 4pm in Room 34 on Wednesday
- Reminder: Second practice interview is next Friday!
April 3 – Work Day
Topics
- Check-in on Project 2
- Review of solutions for UI challenge
Homework
- Continue working on Project 2
Reminder: There is no class on Wednesday (Quest).
March 31 – UI Challenge
Topics
- UI Challenge
- Get Rebecca’s approval on revisions to Project 2 Proposal
Homework
- Continue to work on Project 2
March 29 – Work Day
Topics
- Today is a work day — Work on Project 2
Reminder: Friday is a UI challenge.
March 27 – Start Project 2
Topics
- Review a printed copy of your project 2 proposal with Rebecca
- Discuss Friday’s presentations
- Submit documentation if you haven’t already.
Homework
- Work on Project 2
Plan on UI exercise on Friday. Work day on Wednesday.
March 24 – Critique
Topic
- Critique with guest Critic, Peter Bella at 10am
Homework
- Revisions to documentation
- Start Project 2
March 22 – Documentation
Topics
Homework
- Work on documentation of Project 1 (or similar) for your portfolio. Be prepared to use that documentation to walk us through your project like you would in an interview. Walk throughs should be no more than 5 minutes. Cover what you think would be important for a future employer to know. Practice your walk through — do not wing it.
March 20 – Documentation
Topics
- Critique and revise UI Challenge 3
- Work on project documentation for Project 1 (or another web project) for your portfolio. You will show that documentation in a presentation on Friday.
Homework
- Project 2 Proposal: include project goals, target audience, and detailed research and production schedule — be sure to include critiques (April 7 and April 28), user testing, and plenty of time for revisions. Projects should be complete by May 1. Work documentation for this project is planned for May 1-May 5.
- Work on project documentation.
March 10 – Displaying and Documenting Interactive Work
Please remember we will meet in Tyler Art gallery at the start of class today!
Topics
- Displaying and Documenting Interactive work
- Designer talk by Lily Choi
- Visiting Designer: Keli Dirisio
Homework
March 8 – Work Day
Topics
- Work on Project 1 — get critique and feedback from each other today in class so that you are able to make revisions for Friday.
Homework
NOTE: I will accept this work until 11:59pm on Friday. You will not have time in class to work on Friday.
- Complete Project 1
- Complete process documentation (process book or similar). Your documentation should demonstrate and explain your process and how you made decisions. Critique notes, user test notes and analysis should be included.
- Submit copyright documentation for each asset in the site. For each asset indicate who the copyright holder is, the date of the copyright (when possible), licensing details and/or a fair use claim. When needed location and model release forms should be included for photography.
- Write an evaluation of your project. Imagine this is what you need to report on to your creative director. Address each of the following questions separately
- How effective is your solution at addressing the needs/wants of your users? How do you know? Be sure to address individual personas, etc. Be specific. Use screenshots to support your claims where relevant.
- How effective is your solution at addressing the goals/objectives of the project and/or the organization? How do you know? Be specific. Use screenshots to support your claims where relevant.
- What progressive enhancements have you introduced to move your site from functional and usable to something that is memorable and desirable? Explain. Provide evidence.
- Evaluate your process. What about yur process was particularly effective? What was missing from your process? What would you like to do differently, process wise, on your next project? Explain. For those working collaboratively, this is a good place to address how the team works together, etc.
REMINDER: We will meet in Tyler Art Gallery at the start of our next class.
March 6 – User Testing
Topics
- User Testing: Starter Scripts and Guides from Steve Krug
- Work day
Homework
- Finish Project 1 for Friday.
March 3 – Critique
Topics
- Critique — please put Project 1 Items and the Design Challenge from last week on Dave_Shea for review
Homework
- Continue to work on Project 1. Keep in mind that I expect to see your process documented in a Process book or similar by Friday, so that I fully understand your process and how you made your decisions. Also keep in mind that I expect critique notes and user test notes to be a part of that process. Project 1 is due at the start of class next Friday, you will not have time on Friday to work.
March 1 – Check In
Topics
- Project 1 check-ins
- Discussion of last week’s UI Challenge
Topics
- Prepare for critique
Feb 27 – Work Day
Rebecca is out sick today. Keep working on project 1. If you need help reach out via Slack.
Due Wednesday
- Progress on Project 1.
Feb 24 – UI Challenge
Topics
- 9:10-10:10 work on Project 1
- 10:15-11:15 work on UI Design Challenge 2
Homework
- Continue to work on Project 1
Feb 22 – Work Day
Topics
- Reminders about Slack and the Class Website
- Follow up on Interviews (finally)
- Work Day
Homework
- Continue to make progress on P1
- Catch up on small assignments posted on class website and in Slack
- Be prepared for design challenge on Friday.
Feb 20 – Check In
Topics
- Project 1 Updates
- Interviews Revisited
Homework
- Continue to make progress on Project 1
Feb 17 – Critique
Topics
- Client Project: Client meeting from 9am – 10am.
- Critique starting at 10:30
- Plans for next week for Project 1
Homework
- Work on Project 1
- Post in Slack what Professional Development opportunity you are planning to take advantage of.
Feb 15 – Interview Discussion
Topics
Interview Reflections- Project 1 Check-in
- Client Project:
- Create agenda for meeting on Friday (run by Rebecca — you have only one hour, be sure to use it efficiently). Print and bring copies for everyone at meeting.
- Plan for meeting setup in 33. Client meeting starts at 9am. Client may arrive early. Make coffee and hot water for you and guests before everyone arrives.
- Create contract/agreement for design team and client team to sign. Agreement should include an overview of the objectives of the project, the target audience, responsibilities of client, responsibilities of design team and mutual responsibilities. Discuss this with Rebecca today.
Homework
- Prepare for client meeting (for those involved).
- Prepare for critique
Feb 13 – Work Day
Topics
- Finish Practice Interviews: Alexis, Trevor, Yaneczka
- Work on Project 1
Homework
- Reflection on Practice Interview (if yours was today): What went well? What did not go well? What will you do differently next time? Reflect on eachs specific question asked.
Feb 10 – Practice Interviews
Topics
- Practice Interviews
- Work on Project 1
Homework
- Reflection on Practice Interview: What went well? What did not go well? What will you do differently next time? Reflect on eachs specific question asked.
Feb 8 – Work Day
Topics
- Project 1 Proposal approvals
- Submit Reading Notes and Tutorials
- Share lessons learned from reading and tutorials
- Work Day
Homework
- Prepare for mock interviews on Friday
Feb 6 – Interview Prep
Topics
- Work on Interview Design Challenge
- Finish Lynda tutorials
- Share lessons from A Book A Part
- Prepare proposal for Project 1. Include:
- Objective/Goal of Project
- Business/Organization Goals/Pain Points
- Define Audience and their Goals/Objects, Pain Points, Desires and Needs
- Timeline for project including research, ideation, design with iteration and testing, and development. Project is due March 10. Plan on critiques on 2/17, 3/3 (you can, of course get more from each other on other days). Plan on UI challenges on 2/24 and 3/10.
Homework
- Finish Lynda Tutorials and submit certificates of completion
- Work on Interview Design Challenge.
Feb 3 – Interview Design Exercise
Topics
- Review solutions and strategies for Technical Test
- Review solutions and strategies for UI Challenge 1
- Introduce Interview Design Exercise
Homework
- Finish reading A Book A Part selection. Remember to submit notes. Be prepared to discuss key concepts from book on Monday.
- Work on Lynda Tutorials — due Feb 8.
- Start working on Interview Design Exercise.
Feb 1 – Technical Test
Topics
- Timed Technical Test
- UI Challenge Presentations Round 2
- Google Drive Organization
- Folder containing UI Challenge 1 (YourLastName_UI_challenge1)– be sure to clearly label the initial proposal and the revised proposal, also include a typed 1-page reflection on what you learned from this assignment (due on Friday)
- Lynda Tutorial Certificates (YourLastName_certificate_lyndaCourseName.pdf) — Due Monday
- Folder for Technical Test (YourLastName_Interview_TechnicalTest)
- Notes on A Book A Part Selection (YourLastName_bookTitle_notes.pdf) — Due next Wednesday, be sure to label your notes by chapter.
Homework
- 1 Page reflection on what you learned from UI Challenge 1 assignment — Due Feb 3
- Work on Lynda course — Due Feb 6
- Read A Book A Part — Due Feb 8
Jan 30 – UI Challenge Revisited
Topics
- Work on revisions to UI challenge. You are welcome to merge or reconfigure teams. Regardless, be sure to give each other feedback and work together.
Homework
- Complete revisions to UI challenge.
- Read your A Book Apart selection. Remember to take notes on each chapter.
- Work on Lynda.com tutorial.
Jan 27 – UI Challenge 1 Presentations
Topics
- Finish up UI challenge
- Presentations and Critique of Proposed UIs
Homework
- Start reading your assigned book. Remember to take notes on each chapter (you will need to submit these once you are finished reading.
- Work on UI Challenge Revisions
Jan 25 – UI Exercise 1
Topics
- Time Tracking (use Toggl or a simple spreadsheet)
- Create Google Drive Folders and Lisa French Folders
- A Book Apart Approvals
- Questions related to UI challenge.
Homework
- Wrap up UI Challenge (due Jan 27 at 10am).
- Start Lynda.com tutorials (certificate of completion due on Feb 6).
- Start reading book (notes on each chapter by Feb 8).
Jan 23 – Introduction
Topics
- Review Syllabus
- Start UI Challenge 1
Homework
- Sign Up for Web Media Slack Group. Add yourself to the #417_sp17 channel and share your personal goals for this semester (in relationship to this course).
- Review the book options available on A Book Apart and propose three titles you would like to read and why. Post proposals on Slack in the #417_sp17 channel. Students who have not previously taken Art 417 should include either Design for Real Life or Designing for Touch in their list (these two books should also be available in the bookstore). Note that there are a handful of these books available at Penfield Library. You will need me to approve your choice by Wednesday so that you can start reading and be finished by February 10.
- Choose one of the following Lynda.com tutorials (or sets of tutorials) to complete for Friday:
- Technical: CSS: Animation
- Technical: Responsive Images
- Technical: Designing Websites for Performance AND Responsive SVG Images
- Workflow: Design a Website with Adobe XD
- Workflow: Efficient Web Design Workflow
- Workflow: UX Design Techniques: Ideation Layout, AND Developing a Moodboard or Developing a Styleguide, AND, UX Design Techniques: Creating Personas AND UX Design Techniques: Creating Scenarios and Storyboards
- Work on UI Challenge 1.