
UX / UI DESIGN SPECIFICATION FROM CALARTS – OCTOBER 2020
Although I have been designing UI/UX for years, I wanted to further my education and catch up on the latest trends. From August to October, I took a UI / UX Design class from CALARTS via Coursera. In this Specialization, we summarized and demonstrated all stages of the UI / UX development process, and reviewed current best practices in UX design to create effective and compelling screen-based experiences for websites or apps. We completed a series of short exercises, both visual and non-visual, to apply acquired knowledge, from organizing and structuring screen-based content, defining goals and strategy, to creating wireframes and visual mockups. Finally, we produced a mid-level digital prototype with simulated functionality, as well as a comprehensive plan for a complex website. See below for links to my two prototypes and to see the entire process.
PROJECT 1– APP THAT SOLVES A PROBLEM
Our first project was to think of an app that would solve a problem that you see in the world today, We had to research competitors, create a site map, wire frames, and finally a working prototype. As an animal lover, I thought a great app would be one that could translate your dog's barks and body language into English so I knew exactly what my dog wanted. This app could be used by all dog lovers as well as veterinarians, groomers, boarders, and dog walkers.
I created Speak!, a Dog Translator. The app will listen to a dog's barks/whines and convert them to the users native language so they understand what the dog is truing to communicate. A second function would be to record a dog's body language and convert it to the user's native language so they can understand what a dog wants on a deeper level. The third function is to record and translate human speech to dog barks to communicate back with your dog.
PROJECT 2 – WEBSITE TO ORDER CUSTOM FOOD
Our final project was to create a website where people from a specific area could order custom food for delivery to their house. We had to take into account how someone would navigate the site, add and remove parts of their order, and think through the entire order process. I chose to create an organic smoothie delivery service for the rural area of Woods Creek, WA where I live. There is no food delivery available out here, so having smoothies and healthy items available for delivery that are pre-frozen and ready when I am, seemed like a great idea.