OUGD504 - Studio Brief 2 - Digital Design Development

After the overarching theme, colour scheme and concept of the app had been selected, the sketch designs were used as a direct template for mocking up digital versions for the rest of the app.

Many aspects within the app are informed by previously conducted research. For example, the typeface decision of Helvetica Neue has referred back to the blog posts OUGD504 - Studio Brief 2 - Production Decisions and OUGD504 - Studio Brief 2 - Considerations for Coding.

Helvetica Neue is both a web safe font and the second most used typeface on the internet, this is an indicator that it is one of the most user friendly typefaces. Using this typeface in the interface makes the interface more approachable towards the user and is ubiquitous to all languages, age groups and genders.

The blog post OUGD504 - Studio Brief 2 - Researching Pre-existing Map Interfaces indicated that the app and map needed to be simplified due to the small screen. Simplicity has been key to every aspect of the app from the iconography to the typeface, this is to keep it as user friendly and engaging as possible for the user. The different grey shade colour scheme was used to highlight the red square focal points within the app attempting to keep it as least confusing as possible.

Full bleed images of the houses once a house is selected was also informed by the blog post OUGD504 - Studio Brief 2 - Researching Professional Websites & Interface Processes where full bleed imagery within professional websites was analysed. It was decided that on an app, full bleed images will make the most of the limited space available.

What was included within the app has all been informed by various pieces of peer feedback and primary qualitative research. Within the blog post OUGD504 - Studio Brief 2 - Primary Interviews & Qualitative Research it is suggested that covenants on the lands should be included along with planning permission details and blueprints of the house. Feedback within a few blog posts also suggested that students end up with really poor landlords. Therefore a rating system was integrate as a big part of the application.

The page mock ups were then put into context within an iPhone to gage an idea of what the prototype design would look like in practice.