Finessing the final product

After my meeting with Nancy this week, we had determined that I was pretty much ready for the presentation. We also went over changes needed for my rationale to get it closer to final product.

This week I focused on tweaking final products and chasing some small loose ends.

I made up a potential mockup of a branded mug, took some photos of a model in another environment to expand on imagery for the project, and worked on researching other color schemes for other campuses around canada changes were made to all elements coasters,  posters, and stickers. I also took photos of a bus stop for potential mock ups of large scale poster applications.

Next week will have me making physical mockups of app and coasters, printouts of posters and stickers as well as at least one more photo shoot for more imagery. So much done and yet so much to do.

Stay glued to this blog as we move towards pitch week.

Revisions Revisions Revisions

This week saw me revisiting the designs I submitted to review from the visiting designers.

I have also undertaken the construction of the website and app. Preliminary roughs are posted here this week as well. I am also taking the concept of a handout or some sort of deliverable to be handed out to new students during orientation and possibly some mock ups of branded merchandise as well (if time permits).

Stay tuned for more developments.

Group Feedback

After presenting my project to numerous individuals and getting reams of feedback, here is what I managed to take home from todays event.

Robert:
• play with tagline and sizing, make it less wordy.

Jordy:
• make approach more "viral" brand all things that could be handed out during frosh week. T-Shirts, water bottles, pencils, all of the things that will put the site in the hands of students instead of having them come to the site.
• more solution based imagery, instead of having the students depicted floundering in their situation have them enacting their solutions.

Terrance:
• make a shorter URL its too many letters.
• have a call to action instead of a question.

Richard:
• less sales brochure look to project, use more cliched imagery. people identify with cliches more.
• too cluttered, less wordy.

Iris:
• make layout warmer, more hand drawn elements.
• make logo look less like a piece of candy
• hand lettering, illustrated layout.
• she doesn't like the big void on the left side of my poster.

User Testing Feedback.

• Unfortunately I had employment commitments over the last few days and was unable to test my ideas out in the wild. So I took what I thought to be the next best approach. I set up an anonymous online survey and released it out to the internet via facebook to get feedback from people without knowing who they were. I encouraged tough critiques and due to the anonymous style of the survey, I feel that I was not biased as to how I handled the feedback. Needless to say it was eye opening and a bit refreshing to get my ideas off of my computer and out into the wild to see what others thought of my work.
• The following is a summation of the feedback I received:

• 1st poster concept:
  • layout of this one works best
  • placeholder text left in was not received well by viewers... lesson learned.  "trade practices" will and can confuse those who don't know our process.
  • Mind over MATER play on words completely overshot audience.
  • Student looks sufficiently stressed, Imagery is successful.
  • QR codes too big
  
  
  2nd Poster Concept:
  • Tilted image not well received. More comments about placeholder text being misunderstood.
  
  
  Sticker Concept:
  • Image needs more desperation in body language of model.
  • Work with hierarchy, and play with positioning of text.
  
  
  Website Splash Page:
  • Simplicity is functional, but I didn't clearly label image as web page caused some confusion.
  • Logo needs work, lost in negative space.
  • Colors too drab.
  
  
  Website login page:
  • More confusion about logo, hard to read, lost in negative space.
  • Compliments on choice of font, but suggestions to keep it just to headings.
  • Chalkboard idea is executed clearly, but questions maturity level.
  
  
  Website "forum" Page:
  • Lots of confusion as to purpose of this page, discussion area? Just for venting?
  • Change colors of speech bubbles to accentuate back and forth of conversation.
  
  
  Coasters:
  • Solid concept, blue should be continued on website.
  • QR code should be smaller.
  • Body language of model should be changed to reflect more desperation.
  • Logo getting lost in negative space. Confusion of what logo actually is.
  
  
  Changes to be made:
  • abandon mind over mater concept. Think up new URL/Name.
  • change sizing of QR codes across all items, go to absolute minimum sizing on 1.2"
  • abandon second concept for poster with tilted imagery.
  • have to reshoot Jeremy in classroom at later date to express more desperation in second image used on sticker.
  • Rework logo so it isn't so abstracted.
  • bring colours/masking tape concept into coasters and website
  • brighter more vibrant colors on website.
  • redesign website concept, abandon blackboard idea.
  • website concept needs more attention, granted it has been last priority so it will get better over time.
  • work on overall unity of all items. incorporate colors, concept and imagery universally.