Week 6
ColLib
ColLib makes it possible to exchange opinion each other even though the languages people speak are different or look for books as if users are checking covers at bookstore without knowing by visualizing each interpretation and sharing it all over the world!
ColLib can help you to choose books!
ColLib is an app for smartphone to post and check review of books. But the reviews on the app are not normal written reviews but they are visualized.
But how do you visualize...?
Let’s make a collage with your interpretation of books!
Why...?
According to Delft Design Guide, making a collage helps in the understanding of an existing or new context. In design, visual thinking and visualization of ideas are important for coming up with new ideas and solutions. The interpretation are different depending on the person even if it is the same book.
Wait... I'm not good at making art!
Don’t worry! There are three features you can make a collage easily and feel safe!
- Automatic cropping
- Scanning and Positive word converter
- No face pictures for profile
Process Details
Week 2
Generating Idea
For week2, I generated my idea using James Webb Young’s “Technique for Producing Ideas.” According to this technique, There are 5 steps to produce an idea, Gathering Raw Materials , Thinking, Relaxing, the Eureka! moment and Reworking. I started to know about myself because creativity comes from what I like and experienced in my life and kept thinking about how I can use things that came to my mind. Then I came up with the idea to communicate with others through books.
Week 3
Setting Goal and Target
For week3, I decided what my project would be about and the target. My project was about creating a new way to enjoy reading books. I was going to make a mockup of the application to make collages with images people associated with words that people choose randomly from books. And the concept of my project was creating collages using words people choose randomly and shared their works without being offended.
The reason I decided to make this is...
The first reason was I don’t read but I’m interested in reading and lazy to look for books. In addition to this, according to a Pew Research Center survey in 2019, 27% of American adults had not read a book of any medium in the past year (Perrin). That means more than a quarter of American people do not read books. I wanted to create a place to enjoy books by not only just reading for anyone.
The second reason is I was too tired of seeing people hurting each other online. Social media often makes people feel drowned in an overwhelming amount of information such that they were not sure what to believe. Also, they argue their opinions and sometimes hurt people mentally with their words. Seeing those situations was very sad and depressing.
The third reason is I found out there were many interpretations of even just one word. When I asked some of my friends what comes to mind when they think of a random word I chose. They gave me lots of ideas even though that was just one word and even the same idea, the details were different. Therefore, I thought the interpretation of books also different depending on the person. So I thought it was very interesting and it can be a good way to realize the importance of acceptance and respect other ideas again.
Target
The target is people who want to get inspiration visually. Especially, all genders and over 13 years old in accordance with Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. In addition to this, people who like reading, who want to share their interpretation about their books not verbally but visually, who do not read books but like to see other’s works, and who do not read books but are interested in reading books.
Remix
I came up with an idea to make a place for people to express themselves by mixing social media with Fukuwarai. Fukuwarai is a Japanese traditional game that is a kind of puzzle to make a human face while blindfolded. One of the American toy companies, Manhattan Toy, created a new way for children to play with their Fukuwarai such that they can express their feelings and make their facial expressions match designated themes (Manhattan Toy). When people play this game, they don’t say something bad about what the players create. So I used this idea in the form of a collage. There are no correct or wrong answers to make it. Everyone has different ideas and through this app, they can learn to respect and accept different ideas.
Week 4
Draft (User Flow and Wireframe)
For week 4, I learned how to make a user flow and wireframe on Youtube. I made a user flow first. Through this step, I could shape my idea visually. I divided my idea into five parts: login part, part of creating a collage, own page part, browsing works part, and following others part. After that, I made a wireframe and list of icons based on the user flow I made to refine my idea for the second step.
Week 5
Design
For week 5, I designed my app using Figma and the wireframe I made. First, I digitalized my paper wireframe and then, added a feature for commenting and detailed theme that the users of the app can feel like they’re seeing other people’s work at an art museum. After creating my design, I asked my parents and sister if the concept of the app and the design are understandable. They told me the design concept was good but the purpose of the making a collage was not clear and not understandable. I also got the same comments from the feedback by reviewers of week 4.
Week 6
Fix and Complete
Following the reviewed comments, I started to rethink of the purpose of making a collage after reading books and how to attract people to my app. Then I fixed my design as well.
Works Cited
Boeijen, Annemiek van, and Jaap Daalhuizen. “Cornell | ARL.” The Delft Design Guide, arl.human.cornell.edu/PAGES_Delft/Delft_Design_Guide.pdf.
“Making Faces Magnetic Set.” Manhattan Toy, www.manhattantoy.com/products/making-faces-magnetic-set?_pos=1&_sid=c498d8d56&_ss=r.
Perrin, Andrew. “Who Doesn’t Read Books in America?” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 22 Feb. 2021, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/26/who-doesnt-read-books-in-america/.