Learning Outcome 1

Introduction

My approach to interactive media design centers on creating meaningful digital experiences. I focus on seamlessly blending functionality with aesthetic appeal. Throughout my projects, I prioritize user needs while leveraging modern web technologies to deliver engaging interfaces.

In navigating the tech, media, and design landscape, I position myself at the intersection of creative expression and technical implementation. I work on diverse projects ranging from promotional artwork for artists like Owen Bryce to interactive web applications. My portfolio includes Project X Music and Picoo. I maintain a balance between visual innovation and practical usability. The end-user experience always remains at the forefront of my design decisions.

User-Centered Design Process

User Research Methods

My user research approach involves creating detailed personas that guide design decisions. For Project X Music and Owen Bryce's promotional materials, I developed Lina. She's a 21-year-old university student who embodies our target audience. She's thoughtful and introspective and enjoys indie pop music. She values simplicity in her digital interactions. Her preference for calm, easy-to-navigate interfaces directly influenced our minimalist design approach.

Lina's Persona

For the Picoo quiz application, I created Maria. She's a 29-year-old primary school teacher who represents our educator user base. With five years of classroom experience, Maria needs tools that are simple to implement. She doesn't want to spend time learning complex technical features. Her goals shaped our focus on intuitive, ready-to-use quiz functionality. She needs to keep students engaged while managing limited preparation time.

Lina's Persona

Design Iterations

The development process involved multiple iterations based on continuous user feedback. I tested initial prototypes with representative users from both target groups. This led to significant refinements in navigation structure and visual hierarchy. Interactive elements were also improved based on user input.

Interactive Features Showcase

Project X Music - Interactive Elements

• Audio Preview System: Users can listen to complete tracks at lower quality before purchase. After buying, they receive the highest quality version. Each song includes a visual waveform display and playback controls.





Audio Preview System




• Dynamic Volume Control: I developed an intuitive volume adjustment feature. It remembers user preferences across sessions. This ensures a consistent listening experience.





Dynamic Volume Control




• Advanced Filtering System: Users can browse by multiple genres including Metal, Rock, Pop, Electronic, Hip Hop, House, Techno, and Jazz. They can also search by artist name. The search bar enables quick lookups of specific tracks.



• Responsive Shopping Cart: The cart system provides instant visual feedback. "Add to Cart" buttons respond immediately to user actions. The cart maintains its state across page navigation.

Picoo - Interactive Quiz Features

• Category-Based Navigation: Children can explore different quiz categories through an engaging visual system. Categories include Animal Bunch, Cartoons, Nature, Music, and Sports.





Category-Based Navigation




• Age-Appropriate Interface: Touch-friendly interactions feature large, colorful buttons. Clear visual feedback makes the app suitable for children aged 7-12.



• Progress Tracking: Visual indicators show quiz completion status. Question counts help young users understand their progress through each quiz.

Stakeholder Communication

Educator Feedback Integration

I maintained regular communication with stakeholders throughout both projects. For Project X Music, educator feedback highlighted specific improvement areas. They requested better visual hierarchy and clearer call-to-action elements. This feedback directly led to several changes:

• - Enhanced contrast ratios for better readability


• - Larger "Add to Cart" buttons with distinctive purple coloring


• - Clearer price displays with improved typography


• - More intuitive genre filtering with visual category separation

Artist Collaboration

Working with Owen Bryce required ongoing dialogue about his promotional materials. We needed to ensure the visual design aligned with his artistic vision. The "Doubts" artwork features a silhouette against a purple-pink sunset. This design emerged from multiple feedback sessions. We refined the emotional tone to match the track's introspective nature.