Design Projects
Youtube Auto-play button redesign concept
Goal: Analyze the designs of the designers creating the UI of the YouTube app and website, then develop alternatives to questionable design choices.
What I did: Used design documents, human factors knowledge, and research into similar UX choices to develop a properly formed opinion on the decisions made. Then I used my design skills to recommend a new version that would fix the issues I found.
Result: Not only did I get top marks, my professor used my essay in her masters program class for Human Factors Engineering.
Background: During my Human factors class in college there was a semester long project that the students had to participate in. The concept was simple. Find a design you feel is bad, study it and write a paper on it. That paper must include why you feel the design is bad, theories as why the design was made the way it was, and how you would fix it if given the chance.
During this project I chose to do the auto play button for YouTube. The button had been recently changed to be similar to the form it is in today. Taking the form of a simple switch that has the symbol used for “Pause” on it when the auto play is turned off, and having the “Play” symbol when turned on. Prior to this change the switch had no symbol and was colored blue when turned on and grey when turned off. My primary problem with this design is its use of an established set of symbols. I understand this was done as an accessibility choice. People who are blue grey color blind could not quickly tell the difference between the switch being on and off in the old format. Though I think this is a great thing to do, I feel it could have been done better. Since we can’t revert the change without hindering the experience of this subset of users, I proposed a concept of improving the contrast between the symbols. Swapping the off and on, symbols to a black X and a red check mark. These symbols are not used in the current layout for YouTube and will improve the color contrast for those who can utilize it.
Goal: Analyze the designs of the designers creating the UI of the YouTube app and website, then develop alternatives to questionable design choices.
Result: Not only did I get top marks, my professor used my essay in her masters program class for Human Factors Engineering.
Underwater Robotics Club
Goal: Become key part of the underwater robotics design team and learn the ins and out of real engineering work.
Results: Developed light fixtures still used by the team to this day, and grew my passion for design in all aspects.
What I did: Work with other engineers, designer, and programmers, to develop underwater ROV. Used programs such as solid works and auto CAD to develop parts and connect them to the rest of the teams.
Background: One of my first proper non-class projects in college was for my Underwater Robotics Club. Joining the club helped me begin to put what I had been learning into practice and use the design tools that engineers all over the world use today. Thanks to this task in particular I began to learn the ins and outs of working on a professional engineering team. Over 25 engineers, programmers and designers were all working towards a common goal. Working to create this underwater Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) that worked as effectively as possible at a variety of tasks. These tasks included running off of predetermined code, using an external claw device to lift objects, or fly in enclosed spaces, all at the bottom of an intentionally darkened pool to simulate deep sea conditions. I feel I stepped up and excelled when it was my turn to contribute to the design.
My primary task was to create a modular light system that could be added to the ROV wherever we needed it to be. Utilizing Solidworks to create my mock ups I developed a 3-D printable, water proof, modular light that would recycle old aquarium lights into it. It worked to great effect and modifications of my design are still being used on our ROV to this day.
Control system Intuitiveness Study
Goal: Analyze design trends in the industry world and conceptualize ideas to improve control functions.
What I did: use resources such as eye tracker data, survey data, and other forms of research plus power point and InDesign to create the board.
Results: Found that in heavy industry, the controls tend to be overstimulating, and monstrous to new and experienced users alike. Developed a personal theory I call the “Menu submenu effect” based on the research done.
Background: One of my more interesting projects is a set of research I did during my junior year. For this class I had to study an underrepresented field of science, and I decided to use it as an excuse to learn more about my passion in life, Human Factors. So I decided to research control system design. Primarily on what types of controllers are effective for certain things. As well as how intuitive they are to use. Not only did this let me flex my analytical skills as a researcher, and my skills as a writer but it also allowed me to do some designing myself. I even coined my own term during the process, the “menu submenu effect”. This is referring to the concept where you can increase the intuitiveness of a product, despite increasing the amount of actions needed to perform a task. Such as with the menu and submenu of a DVD menu.
The second half of this project was to turn my paper into a display board for a seminar. This let me tap even more into my UX knowledge and design not only something that fits all of the data I need, but is eye catching and thematic. So I created the poster pictured, utilizing a striking color scheme to catch eyes that also draws the subconscious to the subject at hand. The students were eligible to be picked to take their display and research to an actual seminar in the summer. My professor wanted to pick mine but didn't think it fit the available categories. Though disappointed I understood.
Bridge Building Team
Goal: Create bride designs that had the best strength to weight ratio, and understand the mathematics and design work that causes the results we need.
Result: consistent gold at he regional level, with high marks at the state level. This also build a life long love of design.
Background: My first ever real design project was to work with Exactly as it sounds the task is to build a scale bridge. The competition is a bit more complicated though. Instead of simply being a stress test the true goal was the best bridge weight to carry weight ratio. In simple terms a bridge that could hold 1000 grams but weighted 20 grams would do worse than a 10 gram bridge that can hold 750. This took a combination of learning structural physics, designing techniques, cost benefit analysis, and more to get the best results. Though nationals was always out of my reach we became very good competitors at the state level, and it crated a life long passion for design.
