Website Redesign

This was an assignment for my UI Design class to redesign the Loup County Website.

Description: You will be redesigning the website for Loup County, Nebraska. The existing website is here: http://www.co.loup.ne.us/ (Links to an external site.). Your site must enable visitors to search for and find information about specific topics that county residents would typically need. You’ll need to ensure that busy citizens who visit your site can easily find specific information, and that the typography you employ is both easy to read and aesthetically pleasing.

This site was designed to be a mobile-first website.

Mobile Design

Final Prototype: https://xd.adobe.com/view/38e3daabcc0e-49cc-90fa-bb7cc620cfa7-6db0/

Desktop Design

Final Prototype: https://xd.adobe.com/view/1958dee3-067c-415e-81af-4ca838159542-4c0b/

Professional App Design

This is a design for a professional app used on different devices for different purposes. The mobile app for salespeople that sends each employee their assigned location or list of people to contact, the desktop app where the manager can assign tasks and receive feedback on task progress.

This app applies to my current job as a sales person. I have team members that live out of state, and it can be difficult to ensure all the needed work gets completed. This app is also useful with door to door salesmen as they are always on the move and may very rarely actually be in the office. Having the ability to receive assigned tasks to your device and the manager being able to track progress on those tasks is a very useful app.

Mobile Design

Final Prototype: https://xd.adobe.com/view/fe4f71f7-e52b-4ff3-8858-d040b25007a0-ab1c/

Desktop Design

Final Prototype: https://xd.adobe.com/view/8dfcec0d-3c6c-4453-be54-1c1f0a492c7a-d8af/

Calculator app for Flow Wall

This is an app prototype I created during my UI Design class at BYU-I. This app would be used to help calculate the amount of Flow Wall product needed to fill a space.

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to create a specialized calculator app for a smartphone. The app will include 5 or more screens that each calculate numbers in some way. For example, to calculate the amount of material required to complete a project; units of time or effort to reach a goal, ect.

The Flow Wall Calculator will be used to calculate the amount of product you will need for your space. Flow Wall is a modular organizational system used in garages and storage areas. This calculator will greatly help our customers determine how much product they will need to buy for their space. This app will be design for use on android devices.

View my Final Prototype: https://xd.adobe.com/view/b624d49f-063d-4550-9336-dadb8fbd1bb0-e377/ 

Unbox Your Phone!

This ad is an ad for the Samsung Galaxy S8+. I am a true Samsung fan and have been using Samsung phones for years. Each year Samsung comes out with more and more amazing products. This ad by Samsung shows that the phones are really able to be used everywhere. I had a lot of fun designing a new ad to fit into the same “Ad Campaign”. I found the ad here:

https://media.idownloadblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Samsung-Galaxy-S8-Unbox-your-phone-teaser-000.jpg

Original Ad Design

I really like the design of this ad, for me it really caught my attention and while being a more creative ad, still makes it clear what the ad is about. This ad has a fantastic use of the rule of thirds. The wale is taking up 2/3 of the page, centered on one of the thirds mark. The divers face is right at the lower third mark, helping to bring your attention to a much smaller part of the photo. The rest of the design is mostly centered adding some symmetry to the asymmetrical image behind.

Original Ad Color

This add is using a very strong blue color theme, all of the image is different shades of blue, with the reflection on the phone and the text popping a bright white. The contrast from the body of the wale to the water brings your eye to the start of the text like an arrow. The diver and the wale being a much darker color than the water around them really helps them to pop and bring attention to them.

Original Ad Typography

This ad uses a single typeface, however, there is some contract in the size of the font. Both of the upper words are smaller while the main phrase is much larger, making it clear this is the desired point for your eye to follow.


New Ad Design

My new add also has a good use of the rule of thirds, the flower is kept to the right most third. The eye of the bird is sitting at a third line also. The flower and the bird have a high contrast from the background. making them a main focus. The words show groupings based on location, the logo and the device name are in the top corners grouping them in my mind, While the main text is larger and aligned differently making it another group.

New Ad Color

This color follows with a largely blue color scheme, with the flower adding a pop of color to bring your attention in. I did adjust the color of the background to a blue that matched closer to the original ad to make them look more like each other. There is also a high contrast between the dark of the bird and flower, and the light of the sky, making the bird and flower the focus point. The white of the words and the reflection on the phone also pop out and bring attention there.

New Ad Typography

I used as close a typeface as I could find for the main text and the device text though it does have some contrast to the Samsung logo, unlike the original ad. Like the original ad, the different section s of text are grouped based on location. The main text in the middle is larger making it clear it is meant to be the focal point.


Conclusion

In conclusion, the new ad I created matches well with the original ad as it follows the same color scheme, and the typefaces are very similar. I wanted to keep the background photo as a nature photo but make it a little different by bringing it above land instead of underwater. The text is definitely the main thing that unites the 2 ads and the photos, while similar, offer a good contrast to each other.

Up Your Kitchen Game!

This article is displayed in the MyNorth Real Estate magazine for the year 2020. I discovered the article on magzter.com, I website offering a good selection of free digital magazines (article link). This article was written by Cara McDonald, photos courtesy of ETNA. This article had a fantastic layout with contrasting typography, and great photos utilizing depth of field and rule of thirds.


Typeface Categories

This article utilizes a san serif typeface for the headlines and sub-headlines, and an oldstyle type face for all of the body text. The old style type is very readable in the large paragraphs, and the san serif headlines bring in some good contrast.

Typeface Contrast

As mentioned above there is a contrast in the typefaces, san serif versus old style, but a lot of the contract is created by the color and size. The main headline is very large, popping out from the rest of the headlines and text. The other headlines in the article are also that different color, much lighter than the standard black text, as well as bolded to stand out. The sub-headlines do not have the same color contrast, they instead just have the bolded letters while still being the sanserif typeface and black.

Photography

The 2 photographs in this article each demonstrate a different principle of photography. The top photo demonstrates depth of field, with the focus being on the pot and sink, and the background of the kitchen blurred out. The lower photo demonstrates the rule of thirds with the counter, and the window/landscape outside the window being at the thirds mark.


Possible Alternate Images

This photo demonstrates the same rule of thirds at the second photo, with the counter, and the upper cabinets at the thirds marks.

This photo demonstrates, like the first in the article, demonstrates depth of field. The onions and garlic are focused while the rest of the kitchen is blurred.

This photo also demonstrates depth of field with the pot in focus as the main object, and the rest of the kitchen blurred out.


Conclusion

In conclusion, this ad is done very well to bring your attention to the article and make the design interesting. There is fantastic contract in the type, both in style and color. The photos also demonstrate some very important principles of photography, rule of thirds and depth of field. It instantly brought my attention to the page and made me want to read it. I also like that they kept the colors in the photos along the same color scheme with the accent color in the text.

Redefine Family Time!

The focus of this Reverse Engineer project is to analyze the use of contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity and color in professionally produced materials.

This ad was created by Ruby’s Inn, a hotel in Bryce canyon. I found this popup Ad on KSL.com. This ad caught my attention right away, it may seem a little messy at first but upon close inspection, everything is perfectly placed and styled to assist with the entire overall design.


Contrast

This ad demonstrates a lot of contrast which is what caught my eye the most at first glance. The transitions between each image in this ad offers high contrast in color making it easy to find where each image ends and the next begins. The text in this ad also provides contrast. Each section includes a different type of text the first Serif, then script, lastly san-serif. The contrast really brings your eye to the ad and catches attention.

Repetition

This ad demonstrates repetition first by using the same symbol throughout. This arrow symbol is used across the design and keeps your eye moving across the design. The text also shows some repetition, while each section of text is a very different font, the line weight of all of the test is very similar creating repetition.

Alignment

This ad demonstrates alignment in a couple of ways. The majority of the text is aligned vertically in the center of the ad, and horizontally on the right of its section. The only section that does not follow this rule is the last. the text in the last section is horizontally centered, unlike the rest. This adds a bit more contract to the ad.

Proximity

This ad demonstrates proximity with the related texts grouped, as well as in the same typeface. The first 2 sections are nearby creating proximity, however the design of the typeface created some extra separation there. To me, this helps to highlight the words “family time” making them more important than the rest of the text while still keeping it connected. The text in the last section is not related to the first to section very much which is why it is separated both by alignment and proximity.

Color

Much of the contrast in this ad is created by color. There are striking differences in color around the text to make sure it is visible and brings your eye to it. Each section of the ad also has its own color theme that helps to follow into the next section. The first section is very warm, using reds and yellows. The second section has a little bit of the reds and yellows but adds some blues and oranges into the mix. The third section is focused on blues and oranges. That middle section really helps to bring the 2 entirely different sections together.


Conclusion

This ad uses each of these elements in unique ways that bring attention to the ad and direct your eyes across the ad. Many of these elements are intertwined and used in several ways to unify the design. This really shows that each of these elements by themselves is important, however, they are really successful when used as a whole, all together.

COMM 2500 – Elements and Issues of Digital Media Final Paper & Reflection

This class was a very valuable class to take ahead with me in my career. The group assignments helped to build a strong group  method. The information presented throughout the course was very  valuable and very well stated. This course was easy to follow along with and work at my own pace. 

Jessie Mangum 

Professor Julie Gay   

COMM 2500 

December 6, 2018 

Your Digital Footprint 

Have you ever been scrolling though Facebook, or any other site and see an add for something you have recently been shopping for? I used to see these all the time and I thought I was just looking for a popular item, that is not the case. In this day and age everything we do on the internet is meticulously tracked and recorded then sold to the highest bidder, this information is called your digital footprint. “A digital footprint is data left behind by users on digital services. Digital footprints are created when personal data is released (usually carelessly) by a user for the purpose of sharing information about oneself by means of websites or social media.” (Hendrickson) Many websites use ads that will appear everywhere once you have visited their site just once. Your online shopping history is tracked so that companies can send you personalized ads. Schools and jobs research you using social media accounts and many use the information they found to in their decision to accept you or not. A digital footprint can be both positive and negative. A digital footprint can positively or negatively affect your schooling and career acceptance, it can either positively or negatively affect your safety on the internet and in person. These positives and negatives area fine line that is very hard to keep on the positive side. Not only your actions on the internet but your friends and family’s actions can negatively affect you. 

Starting off with how your digital foot print can positively affect your schooling and career. 75% of companies have formal policies that require their recruiters to do online research when screening candidates for a position, and 85% of US recruiters and hiring managers say positive online content does influence their hiring decisions (Gupta). It is very difficult to keep your social media as a positive digital foot print because it is not only you that posts, but your friends can post on your pages as well. “When I was applying to schools, I made sure to privatize all of my social networking accounts from the general public,” said freshman business major Michael Harnisch when interviewed by Collegiate Times. “I made sure my profile picture was ‘neutral’ too.” Colleges monitor even the slightest details, such as a screen name or a small post on social media that could imply “bad behavior.” (Hendrickson) Many people have a past that they were not particularly proud of, and that can be displayed for all the world to see on your social media. If you are worried your social media could affect a job or schools’ decision to accept you it is smart to make you accounts private so that the embarrassing things you did when you were younger do not affect you now. Having a strong and positive online presence can greatly affect the changes of you getting a job or getting accepted to a school. To keep your social media a positive footprint there are a few things you should think about before posting anything: 

“Could this impact me in the future?”  

“Could this hurt someone I know?” 

“How would I feel if I was the one receiving or reading that?” (Hendrickson) 

“It is easy for things posted online to be misread or falsely interpreted.” (Hendrickson) While you might post something you consider perfectly innocent, sometimes people may find a different meaning to a post than what was originally intended. It is also important to think about the friends you have on your social media accounts. Will your friends post inappropriate content on your social media that could cause you to lose a job opportunity?  

Now on to the negative affects of your social media on your schooling and career. “According to The Career Builder, 63% of hiring managers decide not to hire an applicant because of something they found questionable on a social networking site. This includes posts implying drinking or using drugs, poor communication skills, previous criminal behavior, or even immaturity due to an unprofessional screen name.” (Hendrickson) Even the smallest things can affect a job or schools’ decision to accept you. A post from a year ago talking about a huge party you went to could be translated to say that you drank at that party and may drink regularly even if the post says nothing about drinking. Your email and screen names could also cause a negative effect to your acceptance. Having an immature email or username could communicate that you are not mature and therefore not ready for a specific job, promotion or to start school at a university. “It bugs me when students use email addresses that they made in middle school for official communication with colleges. What college admission counselor would want to accept ‘snookysbae@hotmail.com’?” (Hendrickson) Your email address, a single social media post from years ago, or even something a friend shared to you on social media could make or break it for you. Jobs and schools are looking for responsible and respectful pupils to fill the spaces they have. People are constantly seeing friends post about things that could get them in trouble or make them look bad, Lisa Ostoikoff wrote an article about how your digital footprint can hurt you. She talked about two very recent instances where a single action on social media can hurt your reputation. “In the first instance, a business owner publicly called someone out on Facebook regarding an extremely personal issue, complete with profanity. In the second incident, a professional who works for a major energy company ‘Liked’ what could be considered an inappropriate public photo. The action showed up on the feed of everyone who followed them.” (Ostrikoff) These actions could end up being a fireable offense, especially the first one.  

Next, some of the positive affects of your digital foot print on your life, both virtually and physically. While many people hate constant ads that pop up while surfing the web, the tracking systems in place now not only help companies create you personalized ads but also personalized discounts. You have a chance to purchase something at a lower price because the company wanted to incentivize you to get it now. Everyone knows the internet can be very dangerous for children as well as grown adults. However, with all the new technology available there are now many technologies available to help keep you safe. There is a keychain that when pressed for a certain amount of time will emit a loud siren like sound and alert your friends and family that you may be in trouble complete with your GPS location. There are also many apps that you can connect to as a family and know where your family members are at all times with the location if their smart phones. These types of technologies can go a long way to keep you safe in a dangerous digital world. In our new virtual world, it is also so much easier to stay in touch with friends and family as people move away and move on with their lives. A great example in my personal life is my older brother. He moved to Florida almost 2 years ago and it is very hard for either of us to find the time or money to visit each other. He keeps in touch with our entire family through social media. He has recently started converting an old school bus into a tiny home for him and his wife to live in and travel in. He posts frequent updates to how it is progressing and what had gone into getting it ready. So even though I don’t talk to him very often I feel like I still know what is going on in his life and feel connected to him.  

Finally, the negative affects your digital footprint can have on your life, both virtually and physically. While your digital foot print can occasionally get you discount from certain stores it can also cause the prices to go up. When you are searching for flights on the internet and tracking the prices, the airline companies are tracking you also. They will raise the price of the plane tickets when they see you are interested because they know they can. The same is true for insurance companies and many other companies. “Does it matter if your browsing and shopping habits are tracked? Maybe not, if you like having ads targeted to you in a more personal manner, if you do mind having your car, home, and health insurance rated adjusted (usually to your disadvantage) depending on your internet habits.” (Webb) From a young age we were are told about the dangers of social media and of the internet. The internet has made it so much easier for predators to find and lure you in. Online gaming has become a huge concern for parents because you really have no way to tell who you are communicating with. “In April of 2017, a mother of an 8-year-old boy told the NBC affiliate in New York City that her son was “groomed” by a sexual predator on the popular Roblox game.” (Smith) I will commonly see people posting saying that they may have been hacked and not to accept friend requests from another profile with their name. Predators are using this to get in contact with your friends to lure them in or to give you an extremely negative image. Cyber bullying is also becoming much more common and troubling. In the book “Social Media: Your child’s digital Tattoo” there are 2 stories that jumped out at me. The first about a young girl who had become a victim of identity theft when another student created a fake Instagram page in her name and then populated the page with pornography of a girl performing sex acts. The girl went on to suffer through weeks of embarrassment and humiliation which were very difficult for this young child to manage. They later found out that the student who created this account was one of her best friends who had become jealous of her popularity. The second story about a boy who had taken his own life due to a fake Instagram page that was created and populated with homosexual pornography. Through the digital footprint they found out the culprit was in England, an entirely different country. No one had any idea why this boy was targeted. (Smith) These stories are just a few of the many instances of this happening all around the world. These unintended consequences are something we never saw coming.  

In Conclusion, your digital footprint is something you must be very careful about. It is bad to have a negative footprint, but it is also bad if you have no footprint at all. A digital footprint can positively or negatively affect your schooling and career acceptance, and it can either positively or negatively affect your safety on the internet and in person. It is important to think about these things from the very beginning of a social media page. The smallest things could have the largest impact on your future.  

Bibliography 

Gupta, Priyanka. Interesting Facts on Digital Footprint and Reputation. 01 March 2017. <http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/trends/2679-digital-footprint-and-reputation-information-facts>. 

Hendrickson, Jeweliana. Digital Footprints: How will your posts affect your future? 22 April 2015. <https://lhslance.org/2015/news/digital-footprints-will-posts-affect-future/>. 

Ostrikoff, Lisa. How Your Digital Footprint Can Hurt You. 05 May 2013. <https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/lisa-ostrikoff/digital-reputation_b_3325957.html>. 

Smith, Stephen J. Social Media: Your Child’s Digital Footprint. A Wired Family LLC, 2017. 

Webb, Simon. Digital Footprint: Stop Being Tracked and Profiled on the Internet. 2012.