Week 8

User Test

Completed with no mistakes by two different people, approx. 1 minute.

Feedback

- clear layout of headings

- I was concerned that the more specific headings might need to be accessible from the homepage but my participant said it was good that they weren't because it meant that they were more specific when they got to them

- pleased with the ease the site was to navigate

News Sites

- design news site

- what sort of design specifically?

- just worldwide news, or local too?

- what already exists in this category?

https://www.creativereview.co.uk/landing-page/graphic-design-news/#

For breaking news to in-depth coverage, reviews and opinions. Menu set up to search by subject, series, and more specific categories. UK based.

https://www.dezeen.com/design/graphics/

For graphic design news, typography and logos. Menu is up the top, or you can click the actual menu button but it's pretty much the same. Column on right hand side with top design stories. Articles get a big picture, full title and a bit of a blurb underneath which I like because it gives me enough information so I can decide if I want to read further or not. Based in UK and USA.

From here my questions are

- is there a design site that covers NZ news?

Yes

https://designassembly.org.nz/

https://www.thenew.nz/

- news site for people who don't like reading the news

- how would I attract these hard to reach people into the site?

- what would make the news more interesting for people who don't care?

- would it be a website found from a social media page or would people go straight to the site?

- what already exists in this category?

- why do people not read the news? could it be all positive news because regular news makes people sad?

- news site for young adults specifically

- what would be different about a site catered towards younger people? more entertainment etc?

- would it be a more interactive space where people are encouraged to contribute (similar to vic deals)

- what already exists in this category?

- environmentally focussed news site

- focussed on NZ but covering a wide range of bases

- would cover nature news as well as climate issues, such as local predator free zones

- what already exists in this category?

https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/top/environment/

Is this website designed in a way that is so uninteresting because of the stereotype that scientists don't care about the design, they just want it to be functional? Is there a way this could be different to encourage more people to read science/environmental news?

- general all bases news site

- how to appeal to a wide variety of people?

- how to be different to other existing news sites while retaining professionalism

- is there a way to reach even more people with this site, for example, people who don't check the news

Going Forward

Making a graphic design news site that originates from New Zealand but covers a wide range of news from around the world. The website would probably be categorised by subject, but location might have to play a role.

User Journey #1

Sarah would like to know more about what is happening in the graphic design/art/photography sphere specifically in Wellington. She would like to contribute in some way, maybe by posting her own photos, entering competitions, or just by commenting and interacting with articles. She quickly browses on her phone but uses her laptop more.

Sarah wants to enter the Best Awards design competition.

First user flow

Updated user flow

User Journey #2

Haiyan is a casual browser of the web, and probably doesn't have a lot of interest in graphic design, but she might want to visit the site to see what events are coming up near her, as she likes to know what is going on in Wellington. She knows that some of her workmates are interested in design and she would like to talk with them about what she has discovered when she gets to work. Haiyan would visit this site on her phone will commuting, as she watches the general news on the tv in the evening.

Haiyan wants to see what events are happening in Wellington in the next month, and how much tickets cost.

- Haiyan doesn't want to narrow events by subject, but by location. She needs to be able to click on the events and see all the information displayed that her coworkers will want to know.

User Journey #3

I'm imagining that instead of a retired journalist, Barry is a retired book designer who now writes reviews and likes to stay informed about what is happening in the industry locally, nationally and globally. Barry thinks that the internet is ruining the print industry, and likes to comment and converse with other people about this issue on the website (ironically). Barry uses his desktop computer exclusively for this.

Barry would like to read an article in his preferred genre of print and book design and comment on it.

- Maybe when Barry logs in to his account in order to comment, his recommend articles will be in print and book design as this is the topic he chose when setting up the account. So there are two paths here. One where he searches for articles, and then logs in to comment, and the second where he logs in first, then gets recommendations and comments on those.

User Journey #4

Hemi is a freelance designer who uses his laptop for work, but prefers to catch up on the news when exercising and commuting via podcasts. Hemi wants to start a new graphic design podcast that he can binge on his daily bike ride to his studio, and he knows he has a list of previously saved ones on his account which is good because he's listened to a lot and can't remember what he has and hasn't started before.

Hemi wants to use his account to find his saved podcasts and choose a new one to start.