Design projects
Youtube Auto-play button redesign concept
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 way the form is 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 cannot quickly tell the difference between the switch being on and off. Though I think this is a great thing to do, I feel it could have been done better. Since we cant 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.
Underwater Robotics Club
One of my first proper non school 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
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
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.