Interactive Design 1 - - -

Web 2.0

2008-03-18T17:00:00.054+11:00

Definition:

Web 2.0 is described as the second generation of the web-based services/communities. Web 2.0 is the improvement and evolution of the next generation of web applications, offering better and more up to date services like blogs, wiki’s, social networking sites, sharing sites and communicational tools.

Web 2.0 Tag Cloud (Source)

General Information:
Web 2.0 first came about between O'Reilly and Medialive International a technology tradeshow/conference in a brainstorming session in 2004. In this conference O'Reilly wanted to organize a conference about the web, and they were wondering what to call it. (Paul Graham. Web 2.0, 05). Coincidently the brainstorming shifted to discussion that they believed that the web mattered again, the idea that there was recognition of a new generation of Web 1.0 known as Web 2.0 (Tim O’Reilly explains on Youtube) caused by the move of “Internet as platform”. Web 2.0 Applications take into consideration a rich user experience including an ease of use, rich user interface and functionality like a traditional program. (Budd, Andy. What Is Web 2.0?, 05).

As quoted by Tim O’Reilly “Web 2.0 applications are those that make the most of the intrinsic advantages of that platform: delivering software as a continually updated service that gets better the more people use it, consuming and remixing data from multiple sources, including individual users, while providing their own data and services in a form that allows remixing by others, creating network effects through an ‘architecture of participation,’ and going beyond the page metaphor of Web 1.0 to deliver rich user experiences.”

Upon my research, Web 2.0 allows user interaction such as replying, editing and posting of a once “view only” post. Web 2.0 has allowed social networking between users where information has not necessarily become less bias, but allowed opinion to be discussed.

Examples:

Web 1.0 to Web 2.0
Britannica Online to Wikipedia
A Personal Website to Blogging

Forms of Web 2.0 Icons (Source)

YouTube - has become a popular web video sharing site allowing videos to be viewed by anybody for the purpose of public and private viewing. The site allows videos to be streamed via other websites and blogs of anybody of an amateur to professional level. YouTube has allowed undiscovered talents to unearthed being seen by more and more viewers, a good example being musicians.

Facebook - is a great example of an online social networking program. The site allows users to sign up with an email and create an online profile of themselves, with customisation of the look and feel. There is user sharing through messaging of posts, videos and images and security access on whom the user wants to allow/disallow on their profile (a friends list).

Interactive Design

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Definition:

Interactive Design commonly known as “Interaction Design” is the relationship between users and the interactive products they use. Information design is defined as the art and science of efficiently and effectively preparing information to be used by humans. Interactive Design takes into consideration specific user needs, company goals and technical constraints. (Interaction Design Association. What is Interaction Design, 06).

General Information:
It is the instigation and facilitation of the interaction of humans between one another with the use of mediated products. The word “interaction” is associated with communication of a telephone call (one on one user interaction), blogging (one to several user interaction), the stock market (several to several user interaction). An interaction designer can create products that can be digital or analog, physical or incorporeal or combinations of both. (Saffer, D. A Definition of Interaction Design, 04). Interactive Design can be products and systems that allow users to interact between one another.

Great Web Design Examples:
MSN Messenger - is a good example of great web design. It is a browser messaging program that allows instant messaging to other users on a contact list. All that is needed is a valid email and this program can be used. Contacts are added via the inclusion of an email to the users contact list. The design is very user friendly with tabbing which is easy to use. It allows text conversation as well as webcam and voice conversations.

Voyage RSS Feed - is an online 3D feed reader that allows the user to view news from different feeds virtually onscreen. What makes this so unique is that the mouse moves the screen across, like your grabbing the screen. The 3D set up gives a depth to what you are viewing as you can move back in time by clicking the smaller feeds headlines which have been posted an hour earlier that day. The user also has the ability to choose what feeds they want and add additional feeds with the “Manage my RSS feeds” function. Click on Voyage RSS Feed to activate.

Nike - The Armoury - have developed a well designed “online catalogue” known as “Nike - The Armoury." Developed in Flash, it allows users to view their newest styles of footballing apparel and equipment with the user interacting with the set up, choosing his/hers acquired styles and equipment they wish to look at. The developer has made it very easy to use and has used a well formatted style and graphics. What I like about it is the realistic weapon like selection bar. Click on Nike - The Armoury to activate.

Other Examples:

Introzo: Online Gallery - is an online art gallery where users can view and purchase viewed pieces of art.
Second Life - is a 3D virtual world where users can interact between one another and do things like we would in the "real" world.
Google Earth - is a program which offers real satellite images of the earth's surface, to find businesses, addresses etc.
OnOneMap - is a virtual property search engine, working similar to Google Earth but to find properties to purchase. It is based in the UK.

Information/Instructional Design

2008-03-18T11:35:00.022+11:00

Definition:

Information/Instructional Design is the visual method of explaining and interpreting forms of information so it is understandable to the user/viewer. This information can be in the forms of words, diagrams, images, numbers and graphs, just to mention a few.

General Information:
Information Design is a part of our everyday life. We see it on the streets and inside buildings in the form of signage, what we read in the form of print media such as books, magazines and advertisements and on the broadcast television and internet video forms.

There are 3 main types of Information Design which include:

Navigational Design
Instructional Design
Statistical Design

Navigational Design - is design based to navigate through different mediums, whether it be web pages, televisions, gaming, computers, mobiles or GPS. Its prime purpose is to allow movement for the user to a specific destination. Navigational Design comes in the mode of primary and secondary forms of navigation:

Primary -
- Navigation bars
- Menus
- Tab sets
Secondary -
- Breadcrumbs
- Embedded links, either hypertext, image links or buttons
- Image maps
- Site maps
- Site indexes

(Spirit Softworks. Navigational Design Specification, 07).

Instructional Design - is the systematic approach to a particular process that requires steps to be taken. Instructional design that ensures that specific learning goals are accomplished ongoing evaluation and feedback is taken thereafter.

A theory of Instructional Design is a design model known as ADDIE:

Analysis - analysing of specific targets, objectives and goals
Design - confirming with the client learning objectives
Development - creation and development prototypes and running trials
Implementation - course delivery of instructional methods
Evaluation - Ensuring goals where met and take feedback

(Intulogy. ADDIE Implementation Phase, 08).

Statistical Design - is any form of data/information that is represented in a graphing format, such as pie charts or line graphs. Statistical design is often very clear, colour pallet formatted and represented with a key, numbers and text. When applying statistics into a graph or chart, characteristics of perspective and shape are taken into consideration.

Examples:

Navigational Design:

Instructional Design:

Statistical Design:

RSS Feed

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The RSS Feeds I have added provide further information on these design topics. They can be seen on the list setup to the right of the page. They work by relaying information from the feed, off the internet in the forms of writings, blogs and interviews. One of the feeds listed, "Tim O’Reilly's Archive" feeds directly from his website. It is a reliable source and full of helpful information.

O'Reilly Website