Final Application

Gumbo

Gumbo is a mobile application that finds recipes for on the go people. Type in what ingredients you want and those you don't, hit search, and Gumbo returns a recipe tailored to your liking. There is also a quick search page that returns random recipes based on the type of meal you would like (ie. breakfast, dessert etc.)


Some wireframe sketches of my application

Final Iteration photos

John Maeda- The Laws of Simplicity

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I think John Maeda touches on a very basic rule here. This inspires me to design simpler. After all what are the greatest designs out there, if not simple?


The IPOD is simple with only "two" physical buttons everyone knows how to use it (even my mom ;-D).

Point and shoot camera allowed everyone to become a photographer.

and had to add in OXO good grips because of its social consciousness...and who could forget great design!

Hertzian Tales

My favorite part of this reading was chapter 3 Para-functionality: The Aesthetics of Use. Dunne suggests para-functionality is "a form of design where function is used to encourage reflection on how electronic products condition our behavior." For his investigations he experiments with "in-human" factors the awaken taboo emotions. Therefore the electronic objects don't have to function as we expect them to; providing new experiences.

I find that in todays world with many gadgets and gizmos, the designer often doesn't realize how the user might engage with the object. I think Dunne's approach to design is eye opening in that a designer must always expect the unexpected. It forces me to think about the functionality of a design to create a rich and user friendly concept.

Design for the Real World

Papanek's belief that designers should understand the social responsibility in the work they do is relevant across all spectrums. I think these myths are not just a designers problem but a worldly issue that everyone should focus on. I think the myth of peoples wants does lead to greater importance when designing products. These myths definitely hold relevance.

Design towards the six directions are undoubtly increasing as the world accepts its responsibilites. I think with design as with most things consumerism usually outweighs other needs, but by mentioning the troubles at least the world can be held accountable and excuses won't hold.

Helvetica

The history of graphic design is explained vividly in this documentary about the typeface. With little knowledge about typeface aside from the common essay format Times New Roman and a few others, I was excited to see how type gets made and the many different mediums in which type is displayed. The ubiquity of the type face throughout our environment marks it as probably the "chair" of the typeface world.

After viewing the movie, I couldn't stop staring at all the type around me, comparing all I saw to the knowledge I had just learned. I thought it was interesting how Helvetica was created as a neutral font developed on the meanderings of the postwar era and rise in democracy. I never thought of typography having that much power in our everyday thoughts, but it makes sense as most things are designed based on some sort of social, cultural, political responsibility.