Great Success

This will be my final entry for this blog. After another night-long grind, I turned in all of our materials this morning. Piecing the last few parts of the Flash site together was a challenge, but all in all I ended up getting slightly more done with it than I had expected. The store functions like the collection, with "profiles" for each piece of merchandise, and the forums have rudimentary interactivity.

After the review Catie and I received yesterday I suppose we should both be proud of our work. At present I simply feel exhausted, although I am grateful that we succeeded in what we set out to do.

The Junior show went excellently, and I enjoyed showcasing our work. Hopefully the final materials we prepared will be enough to elevate both our grades.

The site is now live, and can be accessed here. It's been a fun an interesting project as well as a learning experience, although at present I'm very happy to say it's over.

The Finishing Touches

Its looking good! Mike's been working hard on the collection page to show all of the features we are hoping to show at the Junior Show. Currently, I'm working on getting the Contact Us fields to work, the Log In, and the personality profiles. I'm having a bit of an issue trying to get the input text to clear once you've hit the submit button. I might have to contact Jeff for that one.

Mike added marks to show which bullets are which as a quick glance option. Making multiples carinas just wasn't going to work for us since some of them had as little as ONE in that particular category. Mike is hoping to do something with the Forums pages. I really don't think we need to get to crazy with it, just show how the page will function through user clicks.

I personally am very grateful that Mike is very Flash savvy since I'm somewhat limited, but I'm doing my best. I screwed up my own copy of the file at one point, codewise, and had to get Mike to resave a new copy of a file for me, so now we have a great deal of files that all have different progress stages, Mike's copy being the grand master. So hopefully nothing bad happens with that file!

We are a little worried that all of our merchandise won't be here ontime. I'm going to see what I can do about tracking it and seeing where it is at or hopefully when it will get there.

So Close...

We are so close! We have made progress. We applied animation effects to panels on almost all the pages and they work smoothly. Mike has been fiddling with the navigation animation on the collection page. Our goal is to show examples of how the different options for arranging the bullets will animate. Unfortunately, we can't show all of them (I wish we could) but that would require a lot more time that we quickly seem to be running out of.

We are contemplating on how to indicate which bullets are belong to a certain category without creating a plethora of carinas and movieclips. Eddy suggested we use subtle text in each of the bullet windows for fast interpretation. Mike said this would be simple to accomplish.

Mike also wants to make the Forums slightly interactive to show their potential functions. This would require a creation of a few discussions. I mentioned that perhaps we could post a discussion of Facebook in order to create potential information without spending too much time creating one for ourselves. Mike would have to create this on his Facebook since I don't have one! Amazing isn't it?

After we get the collection page totally hammered out it would only be a matter of applying those same codes and elements to the Store page. So this step will probably be left for last, along with all the simple, little aesthetics that can be take care of easily.

Mike has created a lightbox feature that will be applied to each of the bullets. Information has not yet been applied to it, but will in the future.

As for working together on the project, we are planning on meeting on Thursday night and working until we are at a point were we feel relatively secure in our progress and we are grateful to have the weekend to work on it. We are almost there! I can almost taste it!

Some Progress

After a short meeting with Jeff yesterday, I got several suggestions on how I might restructure the collection and store pages to avoid some of Flash's known issues with ActionScript. (While I come nowhere near Jeff's knowledge of it, I'm no stranger to AS being extremely picky in the way that it's applied.) Following Jeff's feedback, I was able to successfully resolve all of the problems we were encountering so far.

I also spoke with Eddy at length about how the aesthetics of the website might be improved. I feel the project is currently holding a high "B" status, which I find personally unacceptable. After further consultation with Jeff today, it seems that redesigning the menus (or reskinning them at the very least) will prove essential in being able to animate them without too much trouble. My goal for Friday is to present some new aesthetic options and see what gets a more favorable response.

As I had feared, programming the complex levels of interactivity we had originally planned for the collection gallery isn't going to be feasible. I do believe, however, that some scenario-based examples of what we want the system to do can be effectively mocked up, in addition to keeping the full collection of bullets browsable (as we have it now). I'm still considering how exactly to do this. Catie and I will probably consult on it more Friday. For the moment I have enough to do just implementing some of the changes we've discussed already, and completing work on supplemental content.

On the merchandise side, the hat has arrived, but I'm still awaiting the arrival of the mouse pad. I'll be placing an order for some additional items from Zazzle tonight. We should also consider possible display options for the upcoming show in two weeks.

"Coding be damned..."

After an intensive few days of production in Flash and Dreamweaver, we've more or less gotten caught up to where we planned to be at this point in our schedule. Coding issues are in no short supply as we examine how to move forward with the multiple layers of interactivity we want for the site. At the same time, I feel the need to experiment with some additional animations, if only to present the experience more elegantly.

I'll be meeting with Jeff on Wednesday, at which point I'll address what issues I'm not able to solve on my own before then. That we've managed to crank out a stable working model of the site is significant. Additional work is surely needed, but I at least feel comfortable shifting my focus to other assignments for the bulk of the weekend.

On the merch end of things, we've received a few shipping notices already, although my fear is that the majority of the items will arrive at my home Tuesday afternoon (a day late for the scheduled presentation). To hedge against this, my plan is to mock up some shirts and other items over the weekend through other means, to at least present something tangible for Tuesday.

Ongoing Production

For the time being we've decided to forgo trying to animate the different states of the site menus. It's something we'd both like to see, but it will have to wait for the revisions after submitting the working model on Friday. At present I'm building the pages with multiple levels of navigation. Catie is working separately on displaying the collection images using the Caurina Tweener. Our current plan is to have our respective work done before Thursday evening, where we'll meet up and integrate the collection and store menus into the built pages.

On the analog side of things, we placed an order for some of the merch items we rigged up via zazzle. Hopefully the bulk of the ordered items will arrive in time to showcase them a week from today.

Into Flash

After some experimenting it's become clear that the bulk of what we want our web experience to do aesthetically will require Flash. While we're solid on the design and layout, the obstacle of how to code everything so it works properly is now before us.

One tool that might be useful is the tweener class. Catie has experience with it, so she'll be experimenting on how we might present/sort/animate the gallery of images for the collection and store pages. I'm looking into learning more advance Action Script and experimenting with the more rudimentary coding techniques I'm already familiar with.

Hopefully we can make some major breakthroughs this weekend...

Production thus far...

Tuesday we completed an overhaul of the site layout, having rebuilt it from the Collection page outward. After getting approval from Eddy on the layouts, we began looking into how exactly we'll execute the design as a functional website.

While Dreamweaver always comes into play to some degree, it seems like most of the components of this site would be best built in Flash. I'm looking into how to best move material from InDesign to both programs.

Beginning Phase 6

Today we turned in our Process PDF for Phase 5 and discussed our layout issues with Eddy. At present, most of the pages are too sparse, and could accommodate much more content. I'm reevaluating the layout and navigation options. My goal for Friday is to have explored a few more approaches that work within our established grid system, so we can begin actual page production then.

At present we're planning on producing some of our merchandise items via zazzle.com. Eddy advised us to reassess the placement and scale of the logo on some of the items first, before placing an actual order.

I've drawn up a schedule for us for Phase 6, and been busy toying with new layout possibilities for the collection. Catie, meanwhile, has been taking note of which Lynda tutorials we'll need to review within the next week or two in order to successfully produce a fully functional site.

A copy of our production schedule may be downloaded here.

Over Spring Break

We were able to get together over on the Sunday before the end of Spring Break. We planned on getting together a couple times, but we've both been sick and waiting for each other to recover. Instead of coming up with our own grid, which we seemed to be having a hard time with, we decided to borrow other grids to help us with the process. We put together potential web page designs and Mike worked on the stages in which a certain page might work. We have yet to brush up on our Dreamweaver skills and will do so once we decide how everything needs to function. Hopefully, we won't run into too many problems with that part. With what we have put together for now, we are looking forward to receiving feedback so we can keep moving forward with the project.

Content Development

For the past week we've been continuing to develop and organize content for the web experience. I've generated a wire frame of the primary pages for the site, focused more on general organization than specific layout and appearance. The next logical course of action will be to develop a working screen grid and begin developing some page designs.

Some suggestions from our latest critique included the prospect of doing a periodical newsletter as part of the physical aspect of the project, as well as a design for a booth at a gun show. We've also been discussing our merchandise ideas, and how they need to be focused rather specifically on the subject matter of the web experience. (Some of the objects may be rather difficult to physically implement the logo onto.) Another idea was to include merchandise with designs/phrases other than just the IN SIGHT brand identity. This idea might be worth pursuing with some prototype designs to an extent.

The greatest challenge I foresee on the horizon will be physically manufacturing the site, as the levels of interactivity we're planning are well beyond anything either Catie or myself are versed with in Dreamweaver/Flash. (On the note of Flash, I've also discussed with Eddy the possibility of incorporating some bits of motion work as part of the web experience. Such elements could be exported as FLV and woven into the design of the site.)

Another conceptual issue that arose in our last crit was the nature/mood of the sight. Should it remain as serious as it is? Or should it become somewhat humorous in some aspects. Personally I lean more towards serious, with some personal touches to keep it from becoming a dry, business-type site.

To date we've collected 107 bullets so far. We still need to document them all in preparation for visual presentation. This is another task I hope to accomplish before Friday.

Site Map / Development Process PDF
Site Wire Frame PDF

Phase 5 Development

This week we're starting to develop a frame for the web experience which the collection will ultimately be packaged as. In addition, we've begun typing up textual content to fill the pages of the web experience as needed. Catie is researching and developing content on personalities, while I've been sketching out some possible directions for the introduction, disclaimer, etc.

We're also working to establish a working voice for the content of the website. As Emily is a police officer, we want there to be a good measure of professionalism in the site's voice. My initial work with the introduction proved to be a bit too formal, perhaps. Eventually Catie and I will have to merge our collective writings together and massage them to get a unified tone throughout.

Initially we were planning to produce a book of some kind to satisfy the "physical artifact" segment of the packaging phase. After a discussion with Eddy this morning, we decided that a variety of merchandise items (t-shirts, hats, bags, etc) based on the IN SIGHT brand might be a more relevant solution. The possibility of a small booklet or pamphlet that references the site still remains.

Phase 4 Presentation

This past week Catie and I have been further developing the working identity for our collection, trying to fine-tune it and get it as close to finished as possible. We are close, although there may still be some more adjustments that take place in the near future.

Today's "round table" crit went well. I was pleasantly surprised to receive solid, professional feedback from certain classmates. There were some conflicting opinions on our type choice for the logo, and some comments regarding our working color palette. We made some minor tweaks to our colors after the fact, as well as experimenting with some alternate color options for the logotype.

For Tuesday we will need to sketch out some ideas for our two chosen methods of delivery. The primary method will be an interactive web experience, while the secondary will be a supporting pamphlet. (We discussed the possibilities of making a book and agreed that a book might become outdated too quickly for a collection of this nature.)

Our collection itself still need to be completed. Hopefully this can be accomplished over the weekend as well.

Continuing Phase 4

Today Catie and I reviewed our list of potential names, as well as some respective logotype ideas and visual system process work. The name we were working with (Head Shots) ended up being scrapped as it was pointed out that such a name could have seriously controversial implications. We have since returned to the drawing board and begun generating some more names. Ideally we want a name that hints at the nature of the collection without spelling it out. It should be catchy, but not campy (which is a difficult line to walk, especially with margins of subjectivity).

After experimenting with a variety of iconic artwork, we're considering a more restrained visual system that focuses primarily on use of color and type treatment. Our immediate goal is to zero in on a name to work with, enabling us to build the logo and visual system around the name.

Another presentation is due next week. I do not intend to drop the ball on this one.

Beginning Phase 4 - Collective Curiosity

Over the past week Mike and I have been collaborating on the Curiosity phase of the project. We got together over the weekend and drew some sketches which we periodically compared, elaborating on each others' ideas. We came up with several word associations which we are now trying to link with the name generation. This part will take some time since we don't want to be too literal but we also don't want the name to long and complicated. We keep referring back to our mind map with seems to help. We plan to get together again to compare what we will have generated independently for the Name Generation and Logo Sketches. From there we will combine our ideas and see what our results are.

Mike got his hands on a few more bullets bringing out count up to about 65, with a few more on the way. I'm still trying to get a hold of a friend (we keep playing phone tag) who has a few guns and ammunition. We will possibly have to visit a few more gun stores outside of Sarasota to expand on the collection (we've visited the 2 main gun stores in Sarasota already).

As for our future visual presentation, we discusses creating a website where some of the information will be public while more detailed and extensive information will be made private for Law Enforcement and high ranking officials. If we went this direction, the private aspects will have be created in a way that the information will be worth protecting (this might be difficult, but we will experiment and see what our results are). But since we are not yet reached that level in the game, experimentation will have to do.

Phase 4 : Exercise 1

A PDF of Exercise 1 can be found here.

As Catie and I collaborated over the lists of words and values that make up the type/rationale of our collector, as well as the physical and emotive characteristics of the collection, it struck me that there is something of a paradoxical dichotomy in the nature of the collection itself. On one hand, it presents factual information in a scientific and organized fashion. On the other hand, however, the collection also contains a base of largely theoretical/hypothetical information. (Behavior patterns are never absolute as there are always exceptions and overlap.)

It's my feeling that the visual system and 'voice' of the collection should remain controlled and somewhat neutral to reflect Emily Pearson's training and professionalism as a Law Officer. However, there will need to be some disctintion established between the cold hard facts of the bullets and the perceptual analyses of the behavior patterns and personalities. This section of the collection "package" (at least the web/interactive version of it, anyway) could include a forum/blog supporting ongoing intellectual discussions relating to various perceived patterns. Again, as maintaining and administrating a totally public forum of this nature would be a headache, especially for one working full time and attending school, I'm leaning towards the idea that the site should be set up on a semi-restricted basis. (How to actually pull this off in the physical execution of our project is something we will have to discuss with Eddy and undoubtedly read up on, as neither Catie nor myself are exactly wizards in Dreamweaver at present.)

The attached PDF file summarizes where we stand in terms of classifying our collection/collector thus far. Hopefully, some initial sketches for visual system development will make it up here by tomorrow evening.

That's all for now.

Process Update - Week 3/4

We began the fourth week of class with presentations about our collections. All in all, I'd say our presentation went well, although in retrospect I do wish I had done more to format the document specifically for the presentation. Ah well, as this is only the first of what Eddy says is to be several, there's opportunity for improvement next go around.

A copy of the PDF for our Synth Document/Presentation can be found here.

With the next phase of the project underway, we're pretty solid on our collection persona and concept, although certain aspects of it feel like they still need work. At some point I'll have to get around to photographing the rest of the bullets and adding classification data for future reference. In light of Eddy's thoughts on a probable second avenue of packaging for the collection, I had the idea of a book of some kind. (The obvious advantage of a website over a book is that a website can be kept up to date, whereas a book will slowly become obsolete from the moment it's printed.) In a way this reminds me of the steps we took last semester for our Sense of Place packaging, albeit this is a much more complex and in-depth subject of focus. In the same token, the packaging will be a more complicated process as well.

So far the collaboration aspect of the project seems to be going well. We'll need to discuss things further as we start developing material for the Visual Language phase. Conveniently enough, we had already started some word lists back when we were still attempting to decide on which collection to go with. These could be a good starting point for developing further, more specific lists about the collection now, after everything we've established about it.

Today feels like a Friday for some odd reason.

Exercises 1, 4, 5 & 6

Catie's exercise responses: Exercises PDF

Process Update - Week 3

After a morning of collaborating, we've got our Synthesis Document pretty close to being finalized. A few more tweaks will be necessary before the presentation on Tuesday, but it's all working together pretty well. We've completed work on the Collection Persona and expanded the underlying Concept behind the Collection. We have also added to the levels of classifying the bullets in the Documentation.

We have about 50 bullets so far, but obviously we need to collect more. This will be an ongoing process as we move forward, trying to obtain as many unique and interesting types of bullets as we can.

Phase 2 : Exercise 6

My responses to Readings 9 and 10 are available here.

The Final Stages

We are nearing the final stages of our bullet collecting development. We've created a mind map, a persona, began a way of categorizing them (which we still want to refine), and discussed a potential audience. Thus far, we have categorized the bullets pretty literally, by gun > caliber/gauge > bullet type > manufacturer (if available). We want to break away from this literal description and plan to categorize them based on the type of person who might use them, along with they whys. This will require a great deal of research and my partner and I might have to divide and conquer. Once everything becomes more defined we will post our collaborated materials.

Phase 2 : Exercises 4 & 5

My responses and reflections on the assigned readings from Week 2. PDFs are linked.

Exercise 4 | Exercise 5

Bullets & Personas

We've finally decided on the bullet collection. We really liked the idea of studying the psychology behind the bullets, such as who might use which kind of bullet and why. Maybe a cop would use a 9mm. Perhaps a soldier prefers the .223 or an assassin a .22. There are many different directions that this can go in. I'm pretty excited to explore the psychological aspect of this project... but don't worry, I don't plan on becoming a criminal master mind; this is just a project ;-)

Our Collector Persona: (so far)

Name: Emily/Chris Pearson

Age: 24

Occupation: Criminalist, Tampa PD

BS is Criminal Justice, studying for a MA in Forensic Psychology

Resides in Tampa, FL

Originally from Perth Amboy, NJ

Personal Interest: Compiling psychological profiles based largely on bullet preference by collecting and studying various types of bullets, analyzing the effects, different bullet types and calibers have on targets, as well as speed, accuracy, penetration, and situational performance.

Originally inspired to become a law officer at a young age by the death of a close friend/family member or by a famous public case known to them in their childhood.

Links:

http://www.criminaljusticeusa.com/forensic-psychology.html

Phase 1: Exercise 1

My notes, reflections, and responses to the material from Exercise 1. As the writing is sufficiently long, I'm simply linking to the PDF.

Further Collecting

Well, I've been tooling through things and digging around which led me to a few more things to add to or better define our existing collections. I visited an antique thrift store downtown and have selected a handful of very interesting postcards. Some are very interesting to read. I've also found a couple Hess Trucks, a few Pez, and depression glass (which is a glass that was cheaply made during the Great Depression, and the collection I have access to was make with Uranium allowing it to glow a florescent green under a black light.)

So from this point we will be discussing more about each of these collections and dwindle it all down to one collection...that will be hard.

Project Journal: Entry 01

Set up the blog for Catie and myself to keep updates on our work and all. Thus far we've narrowed our collection ideas to four possibilities: post cards, sea shells, puzzles, and bullets. We're currently working on lists for each idea to explore possible contexts and personalities that could be associated with the items. Plans for Tuesday are to expand on the collections we have so far and possibly add a couple more options. TGIF.