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AN MFA THESIS BY JIELI LUO School of Graphic Design Academy of Art University
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SCHO O L O F G R AP HIC DES I GN
Academy of Art University J IEL I LU O
I NSTRUCTO R
luodesign@kachar.net
Phil Hamlett
www.luodesign.com
Carolina De Bartolo
415.316.6818
William Culpepper
Š 2018 Jieli Luo All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without express permission from Jieli Luo. All respective work shown has been appropriately identified credited.
CONNECTING CHINESE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO THEIR FIRST DOMESTIC FRIEND IN THE US.
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
CHAPTER
6
ONE
Overview of FirstFriend Background
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Problems
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CHAPTER
TWO
Developing the thesis Interview
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Insights
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Target audience
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Strategy
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Deliverables
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CHAPTER
THREE
The design process Timeline
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Logo
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Type and color
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App wireframes
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Icon sketches
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Poster design process
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User testing
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
CHAPTER
FOUR
Final deliverables Mobile app
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Website
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San Francisco Gudebook
98
Study Abroad Study Guide
110
Posters
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Business card
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Badge
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Event
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CHAPTER
FIVE
Resources Thanks
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The resources
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OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
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OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
CHAPTER
ONE
Overview of FirstFriend Hi, my name is Jieli Luo. Four years ago, I made the decision during college to venture out of China and experience the world. I had such a great experience at Academy of Art University. But undeniably, I was suffering from culture shock and language barriers when I was arrived and I thought that others must be as well. So I made this in order to help me help them. FirstFriend.us is a project designed to help Chinese students find their first American friends in the US. By using this program, Chinese students can easily find their local guides and American students can start earning money and participate in cultural and skill exchanges with Chinese students. Unlike common social ways, FirstFriend.us makes a big difference. It provides a special social exchange approach to Chinese and American students so that they can get closer and gain more cultural understanding during their meetings.
OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
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“Don‘t shy away from new people, new energy, and new surroundings.” – Billy Chapata
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OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
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OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
B AC KG RO U N D
China is the number one source of international students in the US, and their enrollment is increasing rapidly. The number of international students attending the US universities has increased dramatically in recent years. For some schools, the trend is a boon, boosting enrollment and investment. Year by year, international students make up a greater percentage of the overall American student population with China being by far the biggest source of international students. The most popular schools for Chinese students are scattered across the US, from New York to California to the American Rust Belt.
INTERNATIONAL ENROLLMENTS BY TOP COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN, 2016/17
India 5.4%
South Korea 17.3%
China 32.5%
OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
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PROBLEM 1
Chinese students care too much about their accent and grammar, which is a problem that holds them back from speaking English. Chinese students know that they are probably making mistakes. They are worried that they might say something offensive and make people angry. It’s difficult for them to speak when they don’t feel confident, but in order to get better at speaking English, Chinese students have to practice. The reality is that English speakers are already used to understanding foreign accents. Most English-speaking countries have a lot of residents who were born in different countries so native English speakers have a lot of experience understanding different accents. They may not even think about the fact that one’s English isn’t perfect.
Hello 你好
olleH 好你
你好 Hello
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OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
PROBLEM 2
Chinese students run into a dilemma between their own traditions and the US culture. Adjusting to American life involves adjusting their mindset and behavior, most of which are different from that of Americans. When Chinese students are studying in the US, they feel as if they have to choose a side: Chinese or American. There is no in-between. Being an international student in the US requires navigating between two different cultures, which creates a variety of complications. This conflict is why so many Chinese students face identity issues. There is no community on campus that discusses the multicultural experience that Chinese international students have to encounter everyday.
OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
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PROBLEM 3
Chinese students reported the highest level of dissatisfaction with personal relationships As the number of foreign students on American college campuses grows, a new survey has found that many have few close American friends. Students from China and elsewhere in East Asia reported the highest level of dissatisfaction with personal relationships. More than one in three foreign students in a new survey say they have no close American friends, and many say they wish they had greater and more meaningful, relationships with Americans. Students from China report fewer friendships and greater dissatisfaction than do other international students. 27 percent said they had three or more close American friends, 38 percent said they had no strong American friendships. 17 percent reported one such friend, while 18 percent said they had two. Overall, 38 percent of international students surveyed were dissatisfied with the number of American friends, and 27 said they were dissatisfied with the quality of those relationships. Most of the students in the survey had been in the United States between one and three years.
Chinese students who had three or more close domestic friends. 27% Chinese students who had no strong domestic friendships. 38% Chinese students who had one such domestic friend. 17% Chinese students who had two domestic friends. 18%
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OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
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PROBLEM 4
There is a disconnect between Chinese students and domestic students because they use different social networks. Wechat, QQ and Weibo are some of Chinese students favorite Chinese social media sites, but domestic students have probably never heard of them. Chinese students use these sites daily but miss out on the American social media experience by only using what they’re used to.
3 most popular social media sites in China, 2016
3 most popular social media sites in the US, 2016
OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
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PROBLEM 5
Chinese students do not fully experience the culture and people of the US. This is a huge loss in their experince and development. Chinese students’ enrollment in higher education in the US has expanded considerably in the last decades. In the study, Chinese students’ experiences were examined in academic and sociocultural settings. Through qualitative interviews, the findings revealed that international students deal with academic challenges, social isolation, and cultural adjustment. Specifically, academic challenges included communication with professors, classmates, and staff. Consequently, they have to deal with social isolation when engaging in different group activities. Culturally, they need to confront the different ways of thinking and working in the US. In order to overcome these challenges, students have utilized resources that are mainly provided by the university. Thus, as demonstrated in the research, having a better understanding of these students’ academic challenges, university faculty and staff can recognize students’ needs and effectively offer supportive campus resources and services. The university needs to be prepared to meet students not only academically but also socially and culturally. This study also suggests that some preparations need to be made by the university that will embrace international students upon their arrival.
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OVERVIEW OF FIRSTFRIEND
D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
CHAPTER
TWO
Developing the thesis
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
CHAPTER
TWO
Developing the thesis Meeting and interacting with Americans could enhance the experience of traveling and they are also good ways to improve the quality of Chinese students’ study abroad programs. Since Chinese students find difficulty in studying in the US alone, a group of warmhearted domestic students can help them to address the problems. I want to provide opportunities for Chinese and domestic students so that they can get closer and gain more cultural understanding during their meetings. In this section, I did further research and analyzed related statistics to find a clear design direction for supporting my thesis.
D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
INTERVIEW
I started the event with a meal. Then we had a conversation about my thesis topic. THE CONVERSAT ION:
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What are the main differences between students who has integration problems and those who don’t?
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How does one navigate between one’s own culture and American culture?
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What local laws, rules and regulations should we learn? Where can we find them?
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Are Chinese parents too involved in their children’s lives?
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In order to adjust to the US life, how does one adjust one’s mindset and behavior?
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What are the primary barriers between Chinese students and American students? Language? Culture?
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Do you have friends who have quickly integrated into their new surroundings?
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What problems did you have when you first arrived in the US?
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Why are you afraid to venture out of your comfort zone?
10. Why do some Chinese students studying in the US only live with other Chinese people?
D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
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“It is hard for Chinese students to survive a party or social gathering in the US because we probably won’t understand American jokes, then we will feel anxiety. – Orin “Being an extrovert does not guarantee you success or happiness in the US but being an introvert sucks more here. – Lingling “I think students, who want to integrate into the US society have high expectation of themselves. But some of them do not have enough confidence becasue they think they are different. They need more compliments and reassurance.” – Lee Li “I don’t think Chinese students need to change their personalities. In order to achieve success, we can try to communicate with domestic classmates, and speaking up in class more often.” – Vicky Guo
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
“Trying to fit into the American society, I think we can start from the class, make friends with your classmates and teachers first. Find adventure buddies to break through yourselves. Being flexible and understanding.” – Liz Yu “There are lots of different social apps to help us finding new friends. I really like Meetup. I can register for events, which I am interested in, through the app. I am happy to do things with local people based on my interests. – Erica “My parents want me to get a job in the US, but the lack of cultural understanding and awareness that made me feel uncomfortable.” – Irene Wang
D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
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INSIGHT 1
Chinese students need more pre-departure support and advice from school before they come to the US. More than two in three Chinese students in the interview reported that they didn’t receive any help or relevant advice from their universities before studying abroad. They want more useful advice from staff before leaving abroad. We need to create a new way for Chinese students get to know their future city of residence and be better prepared before their departure.
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
INSIGHT 2
A lack of cultural understanding makes Chinese students afraid to leave their comfort zone. To complicate this issue we must recognize that Chinese students might also bring with them a set of stereotypes that often discourage them from interacting with certain groups on campus. Bert Berry, Director of International Services at Webster University, also points out that what’s most disturbing is “the perception that the dominant white culture is inherently ‘right’. Too often Chinese students are only interested in associating with people from China.
D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
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INSIGHT 3
Chinese students feel more comfortable, when they to do things with domestic students based on their interests. More and more Chinese students are disconnected with American students in the US. They do not fully experience the culture and people of US. I think this is a huge loss in their experience and development as people. “When I came to the US, I found hiking is interesting. I just went hiking with some American classmates a couple times, that’s fun!” In the interview, Fan shared her story of making domestic friends.
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
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TA R G E T A U D I E N C E
My primary audience is college-aged Chinese students who study in the US. My secondary audience is college-aged domestic students who are open to forming cross cultural friendship with Chinese students. In general, all the Chinese students coming to study in the US could be my audience. However, the concept of my proposal will be more suitable for those college-aged students. What I want to do is provide a new social option for Chinese and domestic student to connect with each other. I researched the different age groups of my audience and I found that college-aged students felt more interested in studying abroad independently, which I made a research on the different age groups of my audience and I found that college-aged students felt more interested in studying abroad independently, which requires more support and advice during their study abroad program. Thus, my main audience is college-aged Chinese and domestic students who study in the US.
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
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POSSIBLE DELIVERABLES
90% of Chinese students have made new friends through social media and 80% of domestic students are willing to be rewarded for helping Chinese students integrate. Through research, I found that the Internet has played an important role for Chinese students in searching for study abroad guides and finding new friends. So I want to create a mobile app and a website as main deliverables to provide Chinese students with a bridge to find their domestic friends.
I N S I G HTS
ST R AT EGY
Chinese students need more predeparture support and advice from school before they came to the US.
Create a way for Chinese students get to know the US and be better prepared before their departure.
A lack of cultural understanding makes Chinese students afraid to leave their comfort zone.
Make a new channel to give Chinese students and domestic students more opportunities to share their cultures.
Chinese students feel more comfortable, when they to do things with domestic students based on their interests.
Provide a new platform for easy communication between Chinese students and domestic students.
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
O NL I NE PL AT FOR M
Mobile App
Website
Study Abroad Survival Guide
EVE NT
Posters
San Francisco Guidebook
Bussiness card
Badge
D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
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D EV E LO P I N G T H E T H ES I S
THE DESIGN PROCESS
T H E D ES I G N P RO C ESS
13_ Timeline 14_ Logo 15_ Color and type
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
CHAPTER
THREE
The design process Design process will save a lot of time and energy and most importantly help the designer produce more samples for revision in a short time. It would not only help me achieve the goal of my deisgn but also improve the quality of final work. The process includes brainstorming, repeated sketches and refinements. During the process, critiques and suggestions from instructions and classmates helped me to improve my thesis project. In this part, I will show you my ways of thinking and working. The whole process will explain about the concept and design visually.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
THE DESIGN PROCESS
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TIMELINE
The timeline was made to help plan my work process step by step. Before the starting of the design, I made a timeline in order to plan my process. It was modified to match my situation whenever necessary.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
THE DESIGN PROCESS
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LO G O
The design of the logo should represent the connection between Chinese students and domestic students. MEA NING OF THE T I T L E My thesis project is named FirstFriend. FirstFriend is all about helping Chinese students meet their first domestic friend when studying abroad. MEA NING OF THE M ARK I want to design a mark containing both Chinese and English, which could be clearly recognized by both Chinese students and domestic students when they see it. And I want to make all the graphic elements be connected, which represents that the students are connected. Finally I used small boxes connected with each other within a big box. It represents the core of my thesis project– connection. I found when people say hello, say goodbye, or high five, no matter Chinese or domestic students, they all like to shake hands. So the hand is a very important element of my logo.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
MEET YOUR FIRSTFRIEND
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
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LO G O CO N ST RU CT I O N
It is important to establish an exclusion zone around the logo. It is important to keep FirstFriend logo clear of any other graphic elements. To regulate this, an exclusion zone has been established around the logo. x
1.5x
1.5x
2x
x
The logo should be surrounded with clear space to ensure its visibility. Whenever you use the logo, it should be surrounded with clear space to ensure its visibility and impact. No graphic elements of any kind should invade the zone.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
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T Y P E A N D CO LO R
The choice of typeface and color should be matched to the concept and feature of my thesis project. The logo font was created by me from the base font of Yike. It is a kind of rounded type which is matched to the round strokes of the icon sets in my project. Otherwise I want to choose a sans-serif as my brand front to go with the Chinese character strokes. M+2p is a sans-serif type, Japanese font family designed by Coji Morishita. It aims to be a sophisticated and relaxed design. The mission of my thesis project is to help Chinese students find their first domestic friend when they study in the US, and the M+2p font looks quite friendly and relaxed. The colors red and yellow can be regarded as “China’s colors”. They can be seen on the flag of China and the majority of traditional festivals. Red and blue are the colors of the US flag. Here, I used friendlier versions of all three colors to help Chinese students feel welcome in the US.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
M + 2 P TY P E FAC E
0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP QRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqr stuvwxyz COLOR SYSTE M
C/15 M/100 R/210 G/35
Y/100 B/45
C/2 M/20 Y/92 K/0 R/251 G/202 B/46
C/72 R/19
M/0 Y/29 K/0 G/188 B/192
C/4 M/25 Y/25 K/0 R/240 G/197 B/180
C/0 M/5 Y/23 K/0 R/255 G/239 B/202
C/18 M/0 Y/7 K/0 R/206 G/235 B/235
K/0
THE DESIGN PROCESS
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APP WIREFR A MES SKETCHES
The app wireframe sketches helped me to see the relationship between each frame. I started to design the app by sketching wireframes. It allowed me to define the information hierarchy and see the relationship between each frame.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
ICON SKETCHES
The icon set is a big part of my project. The rounded-corner icons are friendly and match to the strategy of my project. I really enjoyed the journey of creating icons. I started to sketch out my thoughts and found some images of the things in my mind. Also, I did lots of research about the guidelines of creating icon sets.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
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POSTERS DESIGN PROCESS
The journey of creating posters was fun. I was taking portraits, drawing and illustrations, etc. I created two squares, two circles, and two half circels connected together to represent the connection between Chinese and domestic students. Students were happy to be my models.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
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USER TESTING FINDINGS 1
I got the big idea of my app from user testing. Instead of charging payment with money only, users can pay via gift exchange and skill exchange with Chinese students. Here is the first round of user testing that I did in September, 2017. This testing was held at Tongji University in Shanghai, China. F I NDING 1 We’ve heard of some bad things happening to Chinese international students, so I want to make sure it will be safe when meeting new people. I added the school email login requirement so that only students in the US can use the app. F I NDING 2 To avoid having too many squares in the app. I changed some of the squares to circles. To increase the readability, I changed the white text on yellow boxes to black text on yellow boxes. F I NDING 3 Most Chinese students in testing reported that they don’t want to pay for the survey because they don’t want money involved among students. They can trade by offering skills, such as teaching ping pong, or they can bring traditional Chinese snacks to domestic students. This is why I added a skill and gift exchange to the app. This makes students interested willing to use the app. F I NDING 4 Chinese students were concerned that they wouldn’t be able to use the app because it is in English. They suggested that I can add a Chinese version, or add a translate function, such as the one in wechat. It will be more helpful for new Chinese students and I think I will add this function in the future.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
“I am worry about the safety problem. Who will I meet? Can this app help me to verify the people I will meet first? That will make me more comfortable to use it.”
“I think it’s not a good idea to buy a friend, or to pay your friends for hanging out with me. I understand your idea, which could mix Chinese and domestic students together. But like I can play basketball, maybe I can teach them play basketball instead of paying them money.”
THE DESIGN PROCESS
“Do you have Chinese version? You know Wechat can translate the conversations, maybe you can have that function as well. ”
“Please change the white text on the yellow boxes. It is too shine to read on the phone.”
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
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USER TESTING FINDINGS 2
I added the customer review function and clarified the filter section for the app. Here is the second round of app user testing and the first round of website user testing. I did it in November, 2017 at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. F I NDING 5 I added the review pages. Students can leave feedback, which could help new users get more information about the host. This allows them feel more comfortable to book tours. F I NDING 6 In the beginning, my filters confusing the users, I changed the filters to be cleaner and clearer.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
“There are too many squares. I want to see some other shapes to make me calm dowm. Maybe you can add more round shape like the porfolio image.”
“I would like to see other students’ reviews. Reviews will help me to chose tour guide, and give me more confidence to meet new people.”
THE DESIGN PROCESS
“I think the forum pages are great! But I want to know why you have a blog section on the forum page? Do you think the blog page is necessary? And I see your book has many tables, lines, so where is the lines on your website? I think you could add more boxes.”
“You do put different information on different pages, but I want to see more detailed pages. I think you need more detailed pages for your discussion topics. I think you can add something like you are really post questions, and showed us how others response you. Like make a prototyping for your website will be a great idea!”
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
USER TESTING FINDINGS 3
Design for the forum website, I added details for the forum pages. And instead of the blog page, I added the event page. At that moment, I printed the website. Users wanted to try it in real. But it was easier for people to write down notes when I printed out. So next time, I will do both, print out and show them the real website. FI N D I N G 1 Instead of putting blog information and forums together on the home page. I delete the blog section to let the home page more clean and clear. FI N D I N G 2 I added some tables to the website to make the design fit in the whole design solution. FI N D I N G 3 I will make a prototype for the website to let people go through the website much more easier, and especially for the final review. A user flow will be helpful, and I will much more clear what I need to add later.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
CHAPTER
FOUR
Final Deliverables My final deliverables include the app, website, e-book, an event and a City Guide of San Francisco. All the design works are used to provide a path for Chinese students so that they can have opportunities to enjoy the US life culture, and people. This new social interaction can result in a win-win outcome. For Chinese students, local experts have insider knowledge to help them integrate. For domestic students, they can start earning money or gain skills and cultural experiences from the Chinese students. Chinese students can travel with domestic tour guides in everyday life when they study in the US via this new social program.
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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THE MOBILE APP
The app is the most important deliverable of my thesis project. The app is the most important deliverable of my thesis project. It is a simple app with a powerful function. Chinese students can find domestic tour guides in the US, and domestic students can start earning money, doing gift exchanges or skill exchanges with Chinese students. This app is a good assistant when Chinese students study in the US.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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USER JOURNEY FOR CHINESE STUDENTS
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U S E R J O U R N E Y F O R D OM ESTI C S T U D E N T S
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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A P P F E AT U R E 1
Find adventures and new friends in different cultures.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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A P P F E AT U R E 2
Book experiences, and connect Chinese students to domestic students in the US.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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A P P F E AT U R E 3
Start earning money or exchange gifts and skills as a local expert.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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ICONS
Arts
Outdoors & Adventures
Fashion & Beauty
Pets
Food & Drink
Photography
Film
Reading
Hobbies & Craft
Sci-fi Games
Language & Culture
Sports & Fitness
Music
Writing
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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THE WEBSITE
The information on the website is the ultimate guide for Chinese students’ study abroad programs. The website is a study abroad forum that lets Chinese students ask questions about studying abroad and get answers from real students. In return, they can teach each other students about their study abroad experiences. Also, the website gives students an overview of the whole project and explains how it can help you. Students can download the Study Abroad Survival Guide on the website before they leave for abroad or download the app when they arrive.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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W E B S I T E F E AT U R E 1
Ask questions The study abroad forum lets Chinese students ask questions about studying abroad and get answers from real students. In return, they can teach other students about their study abroad experiences.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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W E B S I T E F E AT U R E 2
Promote the app Students can get an overview of the app. Also, they can get the app through the iOS app link on the page.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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W E B S I T E F E AT U R E 3
Read and download “San Francisco Cityguide”
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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W E B S I T E F E AT U R E 4
Read and download “Study Abroad Survival Guide”
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
W E B S I T E F E AT U R E 5
Let’s get in touch! If you are interested in the project, feel free to contact us.
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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WEBSITE CITY ICONS
I created a set of city icons for the website.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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SAN FRANCISCO GUIDEBOOK
The San Francisco Guidebook is a part of my event materials. This guide to San Francisco features an edit of my favourite places, alongside a photo of each place and a section for additional recommendations. Also, I created a neighbourhood map for San Francisco.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
N Presidio of San Francisco E
W
S
Haight the Castro
Richmond District
Golden Gate Park
Sunset District
Lake Merced
Ingleside Twin Peaks
Fisherman’s Wharf
Marina Pacific Heights
North Beach
Russian Hill Nobb Hill China Town Financial District
SoMa
Potrero Hill
Port
Mission District
Bernal Heights
Hunter’s Point
Noe Valley
Excelsior
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I C O N F A M I LY F O R T H E B O O K
The icon family for the San Francisco Guidebook represents the additional recommendations of each places. Frame
Solar system
Vase
Molecule
Painting
Cable cars
Lanterns
Watercolor
Brush
Fan
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
Unicycle
Dna structure
Drum
Vintage car
Theater Masks
Flasks
Saxophon
Street car
Spotlights
Origami
Ballet shoes
Thread
Cobweb
Scissors
Theatre Scene
Mountain
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S T U D Y A B R O A D S U R V I VA L G U I D E
The Study Abroad Survival Guide is a 6 months timeline to-do lists for Chinese students preparing to study abroad. The Study Abroad Survival Guide is a 6 months timeline and to-do lists for Chinese students preparing to study abroad. These lists provide detailed explanations on how Chinese students can prepare for studying abroad. There is also a 6-month planner at the end of this book. Students can use it to keep track of their progress.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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PLANNER
A half year planner for Chinese students to plan their own schedule. There is a 6-month blank planner at the end of this book for students to plan their own preparing schedule and keep track of their progress.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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SET OF ICONS
These icons help students be better understanding when reading the book. This set of icons has been created for Study Abroad Survival Guide, which helps reader understand the contents, and have fun when they are reading.
Friend 1
Money
Friend 2
Calculator
Friend 3
Dorm
Friend 4
Museum
Doctor
Cable car
Luggage
Stamp
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
Hello 你好
File
Cloth
Computer
Laptop
People
ID
Passport
Paper file
Phone
Paper
66 Road
Cheers
Language exchange
Plan
Currency exchange
Book
Writing
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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POSTERS
The three piece poster set aims to promote FirstFriend to the international student community. The 3 piece poster set is designed to encourage more students to join the FirstFriend community so that they can bridge the distance between Chinese and American students.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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BUSINESS CARD
Before I started my event, I gave all the participants these cards in order to give them an overview of my project. I put the logo and website address on the front of the card and a tagline, Facebook and Instagram account on the back. Before we started the event, this card gives them a quick overview of my project and lets them know what we will do during the event.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
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BADGE
These badges are for the event. These badges are for the event staff and participants. I asked all the participants to write down their names and contact information, so that I could reach them after the event.
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FINAL DELIVERABLES
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EVENT
I was so happy to see students attend and become friends. Here was an event that I hosted on Wednesday, May 11, 2018. This event was held in the main building of Academy of Art University, 180 New Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94106. This event was a snack, chat and exchange event between Chinese students and American students. Students asked many questions about my project, and they were willing to use my app to make new friends and explore the city immediately. I was so happy to see students attend and become friends. They were talking and laughing which was what I wanted to see, and that’s what FirstFriend aims to achieve.
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THANKS
Thank you! FA M I LY
Father, Mother, Michael Chen, Honey and Princess. Thank you for your firm support, understanding and encouragement throughout my Masters’ courses.
FR I E NDS
Jun Zeng, Binbin Chen, Irene Wang... The last five years at Academy of Art University have been great because of my fantastic friends.
I NSTRU CTORS
Mary Scott, Phil Hamlett, Hunter Wimmer, Samantha Perkins, William Culpepper, Carolina De Bartolo Your expert guidance, professionalism and brilliance will always be remembered. Thank you for your great help!
RESOURCES
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Do American students like their international classmates? http://blogs.voanews.com/student-union/2012/02/21/share-your-opiniondo-american-students-like-their-international-classmates/ Bicultural Representation http://theexonian.com/2014/10/02/bicultural-representation/ Ethnic Diversity, Identity, and the Films of Mira Nair http://www.phrasemix.com/answers/how-do-i-build-my-english-speakingconfidence Why Aren’t Americans and International Students Becoming Friends? http://blogs.voanews.com/student-union/2012/06/19/why-aren%E2%80%99 -americans-and-international-students-becoming-friends/ How do I build my English-speaking confidence? http://www.phrasemix.com/answers/how-do-i-build-my-englishspeaking-confidence Stupid Stereotypes: OMFG Why Are Asian Guys So Shy?! https://ranierm.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/stupid-stereotypes-omfg-whyare-asian-guys-so-shy/ Race, Racism, and International Students in the United States http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/um-brings-people-togetherthrough-international-cuisine-for-rd-year/article_30dfe7a8-b2ea-11e381d7-001a4bcf887a.html
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Scan the QR code & start to make friends at First Friend.us!