joel aguero - portfolio
DESCRIPTION
A work-in-progress, but still representative of a handful of projects I've completed and the process I used to do so.TRANSCRIPT
Joel Aguero A portfolio in user-focused design
Stanford University | Class of 2013
Clipper Plus asks:How might we improve the Caltrain experience?
Understand// Interviews with Caltrain commuters // TakeawaysVarious commuter personas exist among frequent Caltrain users; commuters like to eat, work, sleep and listen to music while riding the train; all these individuals express concern about missing their stops as a result
// An Extreme User // Hearing and Visually ImpairedA man with a hearing and visual impairment agreed to an interview with us, providing valuable insight as an extreme user. He struggled to hear the intercom announcements and often did not know which stop was his, instead relying on the Caltrain staff to alert him. He wanted a way to know when his stop was approaching.
Observe
Define// How can we create a meaningful point of view from our observations?
Individuals with hearing and visual impairments
need a reliable way to know they have arrived at their destination
... ... because intercoms are hard to hear, there is insufficient signage, and they do not want to rely on the conductor.
Universal Design Applied // Those who work, eat, and sleep aboard the train will also benefit from a solution that alerts one of their stop.
Ideate// Employing divergent thinking to generate valuable solutionsGenerated methods and systems to alert commuters that they had arrived at their destination
Chosen Direction:A progressing light that indicates the geolocation of the train and signals to people in the cabin which stop is next
Prototype// Figuring out what works through rapid iterationQuickly prototype designs to communicate basic idea and garner feedback from users; all passengers could not see the device at any single location in the train car ; putting one on the back of each seat would require expensive remodeling
Refine // What worked? // What should be changed?
People wanted a reminder, but visuals were not effective.
Vibrations can be used as discreet, subtle, but obvious sensory reminders
...
The Result // “Clipper Plus”Allows commuters to tag on/off when boarding using existing Clipper Card system, while providing a vibration before the indicated destination.
... Manually move prototype arrow to simulate actual device
Communicating the Concept// How might we elegantly tell the Clipper Plus story?Used stop-motion and storyboarding to plan and create a compelling, all-inclusive description of our story and solution
http://tinyurl.com/ClipperPlus
“The first A+ I’ll ever give.”-- David Kelley, Founder of IDEO
Green Feat asks:How can we design a device that communicates the positive environmental impact of major corporations?
Design a highly compelling experience through an interactive physical display.Task:
Understand// What would companies put in their offices? // Understanding the constraintsThe solution should be general enough to fit into the office of any “Company X” (i.e. from Walmart to Budweiser to BP), professional in its form and presentation, and evocative in its showing of the company’s connection with the environment.
Interface Requirements:A main screen; individual screens for “Company X”, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Greenfeat
Observe// What is already out there? // Existing forms and ideasThis involved seeking inspiration in anything and everything: nature, online forums, everyday encounters, the world around me. I focused on finding compelling components of other things that I wanted to evoke in our form, structure, and interface as well.
Define
Point of View // Part 1Large donors of major corporations need a way to see the impact of the company’s contribution(s) to the environment because they want to invest confidently.
Point of View // Part 2Corporations that contribute to NFWF projects need to show the impact of their contributions to the environment because it builds brand identity and appeals to consumers.
// What’s the crux of the interaction? What matters most?Our team of five decided two complementing Point of Views were necessary to capture the complexities of the dynamic between the interests of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), those of the donor “Company X”, and the actual experience between the user and our device.
...
Ideate// Group Brainstorms // Form and FunctionStrived to discover creative and compelling forms for the structure of our device and the digital component of the interface. What will engage our user?
Chosen Direction:A pedestal with glowing rings that pulse outward along the length of the frame and a touch screen interface on top
Prototype// Communicating the essence of our ideaUsed clay and paper to demo the shape and key surfaces of the device; prototyped interfaces by making graphics in Adobe Photoshop CS5 and simulating a user walkthrough with Apple Keynote 2011
...
1/4 Scale Model
Refine// Garner feedback from experts // What’s next?Professor Banny Banerjee of the Stanford Design Program encouraged us to develop a strong metaphor between the environment, “Company X”, and NFWF. We took this to heart, stepped back from our design, and began generating an overarching metaphor. We used a tree as a
Giving back to the earth (via NFWF) expands the companies roots and allows more upward growth
Without strengthening its roots, a tree can only grow so tall before falling over.
Greenfeat fosters a network of environmental philanthropy, connecting various companies
The Metaphor
Final Model// Integrate the circle into the interface // Physical form evoking the treeI created the final interface using Adobe Photoshop CS5 and again used Apple Keynote to simulate the user experience. The model was made out of acrylic and wood that we laser-cut using Adobe Illustrator CS5 files.
The Interface Experience
4 Animation sequence explaining metaphor
Main Screen
Interface Overview
BusiBody asks:How do we make working professionals more active?
Observe // Understand // Define // Ideate // Prototype // Refine
MethodThe
Working business professionals need a program to guide them through exercises and let them track co-workers progress because sitting for extended periods of time is linked poor health.
Refine// What is the most effective way to communicate this idea?Opted for a video demonstrating the usage of the interface and showing its impact on office culture.
http://tinyurl.com/BusiBody
