Greg Smith CubeSats - A Social Dimension (Thematic Project) Product Design Year 4
Contents:
Brief STEP Card Research Understanding CubeSats Santini’s Workshop City Mobility Argument Initial Research Mapping Cycling Inspiration Initial Concepts Concept Research Cubesats Developing Concept Thinking Through Making Digital Making System Map User Journeys Stakeholders App Development The Cubesat The App Check-In Rewards Reflection
1 2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10 11-13 14-15 16-17 18-19 20-23 24-25 26-27 28-29 30-39 40-41 42-43 44-45 46-47 48-51 52-53 54-65 66-67 68-69 70-71
Brief:
This project provides a framework for you to investigate alternative ways of interacing with low earth orbit small satellites; and an opportunity to design imaginative artefacts, services, environments, experiences and interactions. Small satellites or CubeSats can undoubtedly facilitate such designs and, in this project, you are being asked to consider ways in which they can be used to both reveal and address the development of social and personal dynamics, which will, in all likelihood, connect people-people, people-things, and things-things. More specifically, you are being asked to speculate regarding the ways in which small satellites can shape design experiences in various contexts –e.g. domestic, tourism, mobility, urban, rural etc.
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Insight
Insight
As global concern grows can we help the planet by
During our busy lives it is common to lose track. Are there
managaing our own carbon emissions? As companies offer
any possibilities that will allow us to stay on top of the
more ways to manage your home energy and technologies
location of loved ones with out being intruding?
are allowing for cleaner styles of living can we tackle climate change by managing ourselves.
Indicators
Indicators
1. Global environmental concern.
1. Evidence of pets being stolen and children going missing
2. Energy companies are already offering home
2. Modern techniques can only identify found animals not
management systems.
track them.
Links
Links
http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/?pc=AQJ001002&ds_medium=cpc&gclid=CPj22aKuvNECFQsTGwodmU0DCg&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.podtrackers.com/ http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/14181709.Fears_criminal_ gangs_targeting_family_pets_after_dogs_stolen/
Carbon Footprint Managing your own carbon emissions!
Now 2017
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No more losses Can we track each other without being intrusive?
Insight
Insight
As we store more about ourselves online and display a
As space technologies become more accessible can we
presence of ourselves availible for most to see, how can we
now allow society to get creative in space. Are there any
stay secure online.
methods that can allow people to show their creative style
Now 2017
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in space?
Indicators
Indicators
1. Continous growing use of storing data online.
1.Space technology becoming more accessible.
2. More breaches of personal secuirty online.
2. Current projects already trying to bring space to people.
Links
Links
http://www.outerspaceproject.com/ http://www.spacevr.co/#spacevr
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2546352/data-center/top-10ways-to-secure-your-stored-data.html
Data Secuirty Can you be more secure from space?
Now 2017
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The Final Frontier Can we now get creative in space?
Now 2017
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STEP Card Research: Beginning this project with a broad scope of what was possible with it allowed for me to start my S.T.E.P card research covering a wide range of what issues or themes I could incorporate into the project. With starting this research though I had little knowledge of what Cubesat capabilities and applications would be possible to incorporate into design. For S.T.E.P card research I gathered possible issues and trending topics to create themes in which a social dimension may be added through design. Creating most of my research cards based upon speculative questions and current articles or projects to examine how satellite technology may be useful to everyone in a more grounded context.
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Once we gathered our own research as a group we compiled our S.T.E.P cards into different themes that related to what our research was about. 2 Categories that stood out to me was Environment and Health and Well-Being. Our environment cards displayed many opportunities that could possibly utilise satellites to help us. I also believed after grouping our research that there may be a chance to incorporate health and well-being together. Both of these groups higlighted issues today and interested me the most so I aimed for my project to resolve or assist some of what the S.T.E.P cards had produced.
Understanding CubeSats:
To understand what Cubesats are capable of we visited Clyde Space. Cylde Space offered us insights into where and what Cubesats are applicable to. Gaining these understanding allowed for us to better research a good context in which we could design for. Observing the ‘production line’ of the company also allowed for us to envision what our project should have to fit it into and offered some form of grounding going into the project. This stopped me from being too speculative within my work to keep my project more believable. Also Cylde Space offered examples of current Cubesats projects that allowed for me to research the current applications these satellites are being used for.
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This developed my research process into two aspects that I had to link up. First I would have to research and develop my S.T.E.P card insights into a design opportunity whilst also keeping in mind that my outcome will have to utilise an application available to Cubesats. To keep not only the Cubesat in mind of design but also of the small scale in which it existed I quickly made a simple cardboard representative model.
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Santini Workshop: In groups we took part in Santini’s Cultureberg workshop. This involved splitting ourselves into different themes identified in our S.T.E.P card research. I was involved within the social group. Santini’s workshop began by looking first at the alternative now, working backwards through areas such as the stakeholders within themes we had identified. We then went onto explore different stakeholders within these themes and connected who was involved with who and what affect each stakeholder had on another.
This taught me how to explore the meaning of the relationships between stakeholders in more detail. Allowing me to more carefully consider the full effect of each stakeholder with in a system. This workshop did not offer much insight into my actual project areas of interest but did teach me useful techniques to produce a more carefully considered design outcome
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City Mobility:
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-36274801
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Further research into both the environment and well-being lead me to looking into city level polluiton. After studying Glasgow’s air pollution it became apparent that there may be an opportunity to combat it’s environmental impact.
Glasgow’s air pollution and its health imapcts allowed for a context in which I could design for the themes I targeted in my S.T.E.P card research. These areas included the environment and also health and well-being.
Air pollution was high due to our unconcerned attitude towards our environment. The majority of air pollution in modern city living is being produced by car exhausts on busy streets. I wanted to Research showed that Glasgow’s current incorporate this into my design by exploring pollution levels were a problem for the city. So how people move around cities. This much so that regular time spent within these progressed my projected on to looking at inner areas could be risks to health. city mobility. Satellite’s offer an ability to overlook large areas at one time making city scapes a researchable area.
Source: http://www.heraldscotland.com/NEWS/14487900.Glasgow_named_as_one_of_UK_s_worst_cities_for_air_pollution/
Argument: Mobility issues across cities are naturally becoming more apparent with population growth in cities that cannot grow spatially. These issues heighten the concerns for the environment that are affected by vehicle mobility emissions. Current methods available to the public range from services including subways, trains and buses whilst if we choose more independent options we are capable of transporting ourselves using vehicles and bicycles to commute around the city. What does each offer though?
To justify to myself my research plan I created an argument that brought across why I believed that there was cause for research in the area of inner city mobility. I focused on 3 seperate areas: cycling, driving and public transport. I researched key statistics on all 3 modes of transport by looking into government issued information available on www.gov.uk. Also using desk research to find out how cycling is growing through websites such as www.cyclinguk.org. These allowed me to compare the use and trends of each form of transport and find a justifiable answer to including one in my project.
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Initial Research:
Once I had gathered this information I created my own information sheets to highlight the pros and cons of each form of transport.
Focusing the points that I highlighted, on their impact to the particular themes I had identified from my S.T.E.P card research. Environment + Health & Well-Being
Positive. Negative.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487497/
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Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487497/
Source: http://www.cyclinguk.org/resources/cycling-uk-cycling-statistics
Mapping: To obtain a better impression of how each mode of transport was capable of accessing areas of the city I used a combination of desk and field research to map out the areas in which each moved around the city. This allowed me to see how accessible the city-scape was for each form of transport. As cycling was the most free to move form of mobility this justified why it may be the best option to use for inner city travelling. Cars had to stick to roads which narrowed movement whilst all forms of public transport moved ‘on rails’ to specific destinations usually resulting in extra travelling to reach your final destination.
Cycling
Railway
Driving
Subway
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Cycling: Through my research I decided to focus my project around cycling. It’s benefits went hand in hand with my original themes I identified in my S.T.E.P research. Environment + Health & Well-Being Cycling prodcues zero emissions and allows the user to obtain a good form of exercise whilst commuting between destinations. As my initial research shows concerns with the environment, cycling allows people to travel without causing the environment any damage.
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The second area I wanted to design for was health and well-being. As said before though cycling is a good form of exercise so I hoped through my design to promote it. Thereby promoting a healthier lifestyle through my project. Going forward from justifying my choice in cycling I wanted to create concepts that would promote the use of this means of inner city mobility whilst utilising the use of a Cubesat.
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Inspiration:
To inspire my concepts I researched other projects that were designed within the same contexts I aimed to design my project for.
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MIT - Trash MIT created a project that tracked the journeys of different tagged trash items. This resulted in a visual output showing the distances these items had covered. As I believed I was going to use tracking technology with my use of the CubeSat, MIT’s method of visualising showed this nicely in their project.
Copenhagen Wheel The Copenhagen wheel is a project that was produced to help cyclists track how they cycled. The projects need to do this displayed to me that there was opportunity to do this in different manners.
Nike GRID. Nike produced a project that gamified London, promoting runners to actually go out and run. They used the existing areas within each city to track and reward runners for what they had achieved. Due to my want of promoting cycling as a means for inner city travelling I drew inspiration from this projects ability to reward it’s users.
Initial Concepts:
Cycle Tracker
Cycle Tracker is a concept that allowed for the user to simply document and understand better what they did whilst cycling. The data would be recorded using Cubesats abaility to track. I created this concept due to the fact that the statistics I had researched showed that cycling use was growing and I hoped to design a way to manage this rise in activity better.
+ Dealth with cycling - Too simple a growth.
solution.
Route Mapping
Drawing inspiration from projects such as MIT’s Trash tracking project I wanted to utilise Cubesats ability to monitor the city. To create cleaner cycle routes for cyclists I referred back to my mobility mapping (Page 14) to create a concept system that would allow cyclists to travel the safest and cleanest ways without effecting their health. Allowing cyclists to avoid badly polluted areas.
+ Promoted good health and well-being
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- Did not change
anything just worked around the negative effect on environment.
Environmentally Friendly Commuting
As my S.T.E.P cards had identified the theme of environment and my further research had showed a problem with inner city pollution, I produced a concept focusing on offering alternative, more eco friendly forms of commuting. Using Cubesats to send and retrieve up to date infromation. Users would be able to make a more responsible decision concerning the health of the environment.
+ Environment orientated.
- Does not promote cycling.
Cycle Planner
My cycle planner concept was created to help cyclists manage not only where they went but how they cycled better. Using Cubesats to monitor the surrounding city and the cyclist could there be a possibility of creating more enjoyable moments whilst travelling.
+ Allowed user freedom.
- Doesn’t change cycling.
Chosen Concept:
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City Cycle My chosen concept came from my want to inspire more people to cycle due to it’s benefits within the themes I identified in my S.T.E.P card research. My concept involved gamifying cities to the individuals that lived there. By using CubeSats my city cycle concept was created to allow users to manage themselves within a city area whilst also rewarding them by tracking the healthy effect they were having on the environment by cycling.
Taking inspiration from Nike’s GRID project I wanted to motivate the users by gamifying their cycling. To do this I aimed to play on team mentality by pitting different cities against each other. Scoring them either through the distance they have cycled targeting their: Health & Well-Being Or by giving users a sense of achievement by displaying to them their healthier impact on the environment through choosing to cycle over other forms of commuting. Thereby showing the impact on the: Environment
Concept Research:
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I used user journeys to timeline what they went through while currently commuting to work and also created a similar user journey to explore how people went for ‘joy rides’ on bikes. Using these techniques allowed me to identify possible touchpoints and areas in which I could design to address the themes of: Environment + Health & Well-Being
What CubeSats Offer:
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Pollution map of Glasgow. Source: http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/air-polltion-streets-2014
To make sure I was using the Cubesat with in my concept I began using desk research to explore what was possible to do with the technology. Looking not only at current available technology to Cubesats but also including soon to be available technology that was currently being used by larger scale satellites. I based my desk research off of the touchpoints I identifeid through my user journeys. Knowing that my main platform to design upon was an app I also wanted to explore how both the technology with in the
Cubesat could enhance the mobile technology users would carry with them. My desk research showed how other satellites use what is known as a OMI (o-zone monitoring instrument). This measures the nitrogen dioxide levels within an area. Nitrogen dioxide is the gas found in burning fossil fuels most commonly produced by car exhausts, this is what is producing problems within the city environment causing damage to both: Environment + Health & Well-Being
Developing Concept:
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Using the new skills I had learned in Santini’s Cultureberg workshop (Page 6) I created graphics to illustrate not only how the system may work but the possible stakeholders with in my still early on design. This allowed me to begin seeing the touchpoints and system
outcomes that I was going to have to design my application around. Also it gave me a scope of what I would have to apply the Cubesat to. As I was creating a game this technique brought me to considering everything as a stakeholder.
I went on from these illustrations knowing what I currently wanted each stakeholder to do with in my system and who would benefit from it. I began envisioning cyclists as my main user group as I wanted them
to be. Whilst also considering that the whole city would benefit from my design allowing me to see the Cubesat as almost a referee to the game. Positioning it as a controlling factor through out the game.
Thinking Through Making:
As my primary design touchpoint was going to be an app, I had to experiment with new techniques in thinking through making to create something digital through a material practice. By physically creating the app screens I was capable of quickly producing different concepts for my app design. Also creating cut-outs of different key buttons to navigate the app allowed me to quickly experiment with multiple layouts. After mapping out different layouts I went on to experiment with what the appeal of the system should be through the app.
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Generating App Concepts:
Concept 1 Focusing on highlighting the environmental aspect of the app. Allowing users to concentrate on what impact they’re having to the environment through cycling.
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Concept 3 Simply listing the functions of the app. Allows the user to quickly navigate to where they want. Concept 2 Allowing the user to focus on their goal. This is to motivate them to keep cycling and give the user a sense of achievement each time they check their progress.
Concept 4 Splitting the app in 2 halves. Allowing the user to either decide on wether to look at their cycling profile or look at the envoronmental aspect of the app.
Concept 5 Focusing on the team game aspect of the system. Motivating users by highlighting scores and leaders between cities.
Concept 6 Promoting the team mentality aspect of the system and allowing users to keep up to date with their own local team. In an attempt to motivate them to contribute to the team’s effort.
App Development:
To quickly produce prototypes I created scale sketch model paper screens. This technique allowed for me to visualise easier my app screen prototypes.
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After thinking through making I began filtering out each app screen that I didn’t belive best represented what my system would offer a user. I aimed to allow users to get a balance of both themes I addressed in my S.T.E.P card research. Both of these concepts did not offer the balance I was aiming for focusing too much on just reaching a goal narrowed in to only one theme each.
This concept offered no motivation it only allowed the user to select from a list of options this gave the design no experience. It also prompted no action in dealing with the themes I wanted my design to address. Environment + Health & Well-Being
This concept focused on the team mentality aspect of the design. By allowing users to view other cyclists using the system I aimed to motivate individuals to join in the team effort. This concept highlighted the importance of this aspect for the design. The team mentality is what may be a driving factor to actually promote cycling, allowing users to feel like part of the environmental solution towards air pollution whilst also motivating them to exercise.
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This concept was an attempt at making the gamification of cities the appealing reason to go out and cycle. By keeping users up to date on the statistics of both teams against each other I believed it could push users to cycle for their team, again playing on the idea of team mentality.
This concept showed the most promise to me in delivering a method of dealing with both themes: Environment + Health & Well-Being It split the application in two parts and allowed users to navigate their way through the app in 2 sections. The first being the method of tracking cyclist statistics, giving information back to them on not only how they have done but also the team represening whichever city they are in. This section would be the area in which Health & Well-Being would be targeted. The second section would take use of the Cubesat to relay information regarding the Environment .
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After filtering out the concepts which did not fit into my design best I learned that each had aspects which would be good to include in the final design. Each offered different ways of appealing the use of the application to users. I then took this information forward into digital making to get a better visual concept and allowing me to further develop my concepts.
Digital Making:
Digital making allowed for further development as I could now experiment in more detail on how to present users with different information. This concept although good for team mentality left out highlighting the main problems with the environment. By not highlighting this it made the application an underwhelming cycling application.
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Focusing on the VS aspect of the design lead to interesting outcomes but also left a lot behind in what was possible with the application. By focusing on the VS aspect again I was neglecting the importance of dealing with the themes I had identified in my S.T.E.P card research.
Through digital making this concept still covered my earlier identified themes well. Although through my digital making I learned that my earlier concepts still highlighted key components needed to making my design motivational for cyclists. Going on in my design process I aimed to incorporate these factors within my chosen concept.
System Map:
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3
V
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3.
VS
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User Journey: Regular User Journey:
By creating two user journeys, comparing a regular cyclists journey and a cyclists journey using my design allowed me to map out the individual touchpoints that became available due to the alternative now.
Through creating this user journey it allowed me to not only see where the system will have a direct impact but also allowed me to speculate other areas in which the system might have an impact on everyday life.
The first touch enabled me to identify what the current now is. Simply documenting the process of the cyclist leaving home, commuting to work, going by traffic and then storing their bike and finally entering their place of work. Recycling these steps again later in the day.
This added extra touchpoints within my system and allowed me to further design where CycleScape may have an impact on city life.
The alternative now user journey displays what this same commute may be like using the CycleScape system.
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Alternative User Journey:
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4. 5.
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Cycle-Scape
Stakeholders: Using the techniques I had acquired in Santini’s Cultureberg workshop (Page 6) I mapped out the stakeholders using the information from my user journeys who was involved within my system. This allowed me to gain a wider scope on the relationships between each stakeholder.
VS
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By gaining insight into these relationships I was able to gain a more detailed understanding of who and what was benefiting from my system. I was able to identify each city as a touchpoint as they would benefit from gaining a healthier environment and all of the civilians within these cities would also be able to breath cleaner air due to it. This extended my stakeholders to not just cyclists but all people in each area.
App Development: After deciding which app concept to pursue I began using Adobe’s XD software to learn how to prototype applications. Using the research and techniques with thinking through making I took into consideration everything I had learned so far.
One aspect of the application focuses around dealing with the theme of the Environment. This area of the app focuses on addressing the theme of the environment I identified in my S.T.E.P card research.
The second aspect of the application focuses around dealing with the theme of Health & Well-Being This area of the app focuses on addressing the theme of health and well-being I identified in my S.T.E.P card research.
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The app changes itself depending on the location of the user. Customising itself to suit a pre-made skyline to represent the city the individual is in.
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Branding: Experimenting with different colours I felt changed the ‘attitude’ of the app. I felt that red was too aggressive for an application that prommoted cycling around cities. It may give the wrong feel to users and promote more of an extreme cycling vibe. Yellow did not give the calming effect I hoped for and made the app feel more childish and happy than something that dealt with topical issues. I also felt that green would highlight too much the environmental side of the application and make this aspect its sole focus. Taking away from the cycling functions. The blue I chose I felt gave the right feeling when opening the app, it gave a more calculated vibe to the application without ascerting itself on either side of what the app was capable of. It felt harmonius with what the app was designed to do.
The CubeSat:
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My final use of the Cubesat mostly worked with still using the OMI (o-zone monitoring instrument). I used it to map out the levels of nitrogen dioxide produced by cars. This further justified why cycling was a better solution to inner city commuting with regards to dealing with my identified theme of the: Environment. The Cubesat would send this information to users and check-in points displaying the effect that my system is having on the environment. This shows the second function of the Cubesat which is to gather and sort this information relaying it back to the users that are involved within the system.
The App:
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The app allows for users to filter through the screens to get to what they want easier. One aspect takes them to more options and allows them explore the app.
The second home screen allows users to quickly access the more functional side of the app meaning they can quickly begin tracking rides or check in to a local bike stop.
The App:
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Splitting the functions across the app again allowed users to easily navigate to either aspect.
The App (Cycling): Health & Well-Being
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Profile: The profile function allows users to have an identity with in my system. This makes the experience more personal allowing a user to be idenitifed as a member of the team. It also gives them a visual representation allowing them to connect with people they may know and puts an identity to their contributions and statistics.
Scoreboards: The scoreboard function is included to promote cyclists to be the best contributor in their team. This function also offers information on the rival’s top cyclists playing on team mentality. I included this as I aimed to push users to beat their rival’s score, furthering their contribution to cleaner air and excercise.
Friends: The friends function within my app allows for users to create a social dimension using my system. Thinking through my ‘joy ride’ user journey (Page 25) I included this to allow for users to connect with both social friends and other cyclists. This to offers users to share their statistics to create a sense of friendly competition with in the same teams.
Statistics: The statistics function allows for users to compare what they have contributed to their team or city by collecting their information and displaying it within the app. It also allows users to see their whole teams effort and can display this imformation accumulated over periods of time.
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Rewards: The rewards function is a touchpoint I developed out of my final user journeys. Considering how the system may affect overall life I created fake adverts that depict what brands may offer offer cyclists.
The App (Environment): Environment
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Pollution:: Pollution deals with the, Environment theme I identified in my inital research. This allows for the user to measure how the impact of not just themself but the team has had on their city. This aspect of the application gets its data from the Cubesat which relays and measures the air quality information to the systems users on the ground. Setting a % goal so that the information and progress can be easily understood by users who do not have knowledge in typical air quality measurements.
100%: Clean Air:
10%: Contaminated Air:
Team Stats: The VS application in my system allows for the gamification of each city to take place. This is where users are capable of comparing their team or city to their rivals. The aim of the game is to have the best air quality within your city by reaching your designated goal or by having the highest percentage to your goal out of both teams.
Personal Starts:: The personal statistics for pollution is similar of that in the cycling aspect of the application. Here it allows users to see their effect on their routine routes allowing them to see the effect they have had on the environment where they cycle. It tracks and stores this information over time to allow users to see their own progress.
Map:: The map works in conjunction with the personal stats function. This displays and tracks the cleanest cycle routes in each users city. My inspiration for this function came from an earlier concept Route Mapping (Page 22). This allows users to avoid congested areas and have the healthiest cycle possible.
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Check-In:: The check-in function is another aspect I developed through studying my final user journeys. Looking for areas in which the system could have a more physical presence. These check-ins allow the information to be displayed at bike stops similar to the way train notice boards may work. This also brings that information to passerbys, promoting the use of cycling and its benefits to not just cyclists but drivers and pedestrians alike.
The App:
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To show off the full functionality of the app and how it operates I have also created a video prototype. This displays the full range of functions my design uses and the context in which it is suitable.
Physical Touchpoint:
CycleScape’s check-in function is its only physical necessity. These stops allow for users to store their bikes and promote the app by using these check-in points. These stands also display information to do with leading cyclists and air quality levels. As these stands are in public this relays that information to passers by promoting the health and environmental benefits of CycleScape.
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Rewards:
The rewards scheme allow brands to be seen as supporting environmentally friendly movements like this. Supporting not only the cyclists who take part but also helping the environment in which they exist.
Evans cycles are offering 10% off selected cycling accessories to all registered CycleScape users. Drop in to claim your discount in their Glasgow Store.
Starbucks are offering morning commuters registered with CycleScape a free, regular sized hot drink. Stop by to claim yours.
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Reflection:
On reflecting about my project I felt I did not spend enough time on the final solution. I believe there is still opportunity to design better methods of representing the data that would be displayed on the application. I would also have liked to further develop the bonus touchpoints such as the rewards scheme. I think there is opportunity to further include this in the final design. I did like learning a new method of designing mobile applications and exploring how to produce them. I do find creating user interfaces an enjoyable design process.
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