The 1 Week Left Plan

this workflow-esque diagram explains how the solution will work in the real world, from kickoff to mass adoption


The scenario uses the personas that were developed and aims to answer these questions using scenes and screens: How will people find out about the website? How will they use the booklet? What will the system do for people and how will they interact with it? Where will it all live? What does the system do for store and community dynamics?

More website screens

Website Development

Here are some screenshots of the website aesthetics I've been working on the last few days:

Personas

Personas are representations of the end user, their wants, needs, desires and goals. I created two personas, Cheryl and Peter to represent the different demographic foci of my project.

Process Sketches

Site Map

First draft of the site map and I'm trying something new. Solid lines represent direct clicks, dotted lines represent where the website takes the user once the action on the previous page is complete.
The site map outlines the pages of the site and how the navigation levels interact. Starting on the home page, one click on the site will take the user to one of the five main content pages. Additional content on those pages live in the third navigation level, another click away. For example, if a registered user wants to post a new topic on the forum, he will click “forum” then “post new”. Once the post is written he is directed to the topic’s page, then can return to the Forum main page.

Design Phase: Ideation & Frustration

Identifying the solution of the bike theft problem is becoming a convoluted, painstaking, time-intensive challenge.
I've uploaded one of my design phase presentations for anyone to check out. It contains some of my sketches at the end, as well as the wireframes I'm working on for the website.

I think the best approach is to create a system that encompasses all aspects of education, awareness, community involvement and awesome hotness, but not everyone agrees with me. I presented the initial design work to the class and got some interesting responses, including, a) "Your approach is definitely one I wouldn't have taken," b) "Why do you think people are asking questions now? It's because they don't get it," and, c) "How how how is it going to be funded? What's the incentive? Who is going to be interested in this?"

I think the last questions (c) are the most valid ones and have led me to realize I still have some gaps to fill in, markets to pinpoint, and traditional cost analysis to do.

So just to clarify, comment a) was a reaction to my system approach of identifying touchpoints and tackling this large problem from a holistic perspective instead of through a direct, single-function product that "solves" bike theft. We're trying to educate and prevent bike theft here too you know. Question b) was probably out of pure frustration after my ideation presentation yesterday. People in my class have an infuriating tendency to question the most obscure, inane, irrelevant aspects of my work, leading me to believe they only pay attention when it benefits their personal agendas. Go figure, I know I do that some times, I just try to keep my mouth shut. But more importantly, is it an appropriate teaching tactic to corner a student and attack the work as if she's really the only one that cares about it? I understand it probably isn't as interesting to everybody as it is to me, but I appreciate some freaking guidance from my freaking professor. Constructive criticism and critique is what I prepare these presentations for, is it not? That's why I go to class, no? That's why we pay the $$$, and for what? ROR Moving on, c) is the real work I have to do to substantiate and validate what's being designed this week. Great.

First draft of the booklet, side one

First iteration of the wireframe

One of the first sketches of the wireframes for the website/forum/community/database