 Illustration, artwork and mix by me.
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Kona, Hawaii - best vacation spot in 2019
For me, 2019 brought a move back to San Francisco, leading all things design at ChefsFeed. We integrated our Feastly acquisition into the ChefsFeed platform of products, transitioning from media-driven content to a marketplace empowering chefs with new revenue streams. I'm most proud of the accessible and user-centric homepage makeover, our newly improved iOS app, and media project with Maker's Mark. Excited for what's to come with our product design in 2020! And now for my favorites of 2019...  Johnson states that individuals would rather take a familiar path as opposed to exploring new routes toward a desired goal. Attention and short-term memory are burdened when an individual is problem solving to face a previously unknown action, while familiar paths are an automatic reflex and use much less attention and memory. This raises the question of what incentives or features must be in place in order to attract a user into a new experience.
Much of the research exploring digital technology use in new and unknown environments centers around physical, location-based experiments. With the common use of map and location-based software, it is simple to identify where users have been, where they have not yet explored, and what features drive them to a new location. By learning from the preferences of users in a physical sense, we can duplicate those techniques and test with users in a purely digital goal-seeking interaction. When examining the likelihood of a user to physically visit a new location compared to those they have previously visited, Perttula, Carter, and Denoue found that user-generated content from others drove users to new spaces. By displaying “hot spots,” or concentrations of others’ activity, users would be more likely to navigate unfamiliar locations. Aggregating other user’s preferences requires no distraction or work on their part, and significantly influences those who have not been to follow suit. As this research has been performed in an environmental setting, we could apply the same techniques in a web based setting, notifying current users of past user’s preferences in an attempt to influence them into taking a new path. By introducing a gradient of highlighting according to visitation rates around links within an application, the user will be naturally drawn to choices others have made in an act of, what Johnson describes as, mindlessness. When studying interaction with mobile systems in an unfamiliar physical environment, Lueg, Göth and Bidwell found that orientation to locations they have previously visited is important in empowering users into following new paths. Mobile information systems further help users in a new environment by providing a perspective the user can draw upon in the future. By orienting an individual within an environment according to past experiences, users feel more aware in relation to the unknown. This research further supports the use of navigational tools such as progress bars or maps of a user’s activity. By both drawing attention to previous user’s choices and providing perspective in reference to past events within our interactive design choices, we connect to Johnson’s recommendation to “guide users to the best paths.” Based on this research I am inclined to use heat maps reflecting previous user choices within online applications, as well as ensure perspective is provided in the form of navigational tools when driving users to previously unknown experiences. This post is a paper from my graduate studies in Digital Communication at the University of Baltimore.  Photo by Aaron Mello In the first chapter of Weinschenk’s “How to Get People to Do Stuff,” she states that while competition is a motivator for men, it does not work for women and specifically that men and women should not both be included in competition. While she references performance in competition based on specific gender matchups, it is important to identify factors that level the playing field for men and women in competition, specifically and especially in the digital world.
In the Quarterly Journal of Economics (2007), Niederle and Vesterlund examined deeper the relationship of gender and competition. While they are examining results to address women’s underrepresentation in leadership positions and among entire professions, they offer additional clues to better developing inclusive online environments. By identifying women’s preferences and motivators, we have an opportunity to welcome more gender equality into competitive spaces. As children, when choosing activities, it was found that boys are drawn to competitive games while girls look for continuity with no clear end or winner. Continuing this trend through adulthood, twice as many men than women see themselves as competitive and thus, enjoy competing more. This is directly related to higher confidence levels in men with less risk aversion, as it it biology natural for women to avoid risk to protect their offspring. Another factor preventing women from competing is an aversion to receiving feedback. In the online game King of the World, approximately 60% of players are women, which could be caused by the game’s continuous play, collaborative approach, and resetting the playing field every 24 hours. This means that when designing digital environments, we must be aware of specific elements like empowering women to raise confidence levels, mitigating risk factors and tailoring feedback to encourage equality in competitive environments. More encouragement when beginning an activity and less grave results and messaging could help bring more women to a platform. Pattanaik (2005) notes that Information and Communication Technologies are a source of empowerment, specifically involving access to knowledge which could also help motivate women to participate in more online activities. This may suggest that educational elements within an online system would encourage more women participants. There is hope on the horizon for more women’s empowerment online. Gallula and Frank (2014) state that while the most recent wave of Human Computer Interaction has focused on User Centered Design, the next major shift will be toward User Empowered Design which will surely deliver more gender equality and women competing online. This post is a paper from my graduate studies in Digital Communication at the University of Baltimore.  Photo via Joshua Fuller Adaptation is a fundamental element in all design, whether consciously or subconsciously. While adaptation is specifically expanding upon existing design elements, a designer’s brain is programmed for this every time we are faced with a new project. We automatically know what will work based on prior experience, inspiration and designs. The more great design we consume, the greater expansion of our potential adaptations.
Hutcheon mentions adaptation as a simplistic view, repurposing content to appeal to a different audience than the original in “Beginning to Theorize Adaptation.” In adaptation, the storyline and theme remain the same but economically-driven forces naturally create adaptations. He states that it’s “more capitalism than fine art” but the connection to culture, aesthetic and personal elements maintains creative control. When designing, we are constantly thinking of the potential market while also ensuring an added artistic touch. In “Why a Toaster is a Design Triumph,” a simple, instinctive addition of the “A Bit More” button made Bogost’s toaster adaptation the ideal kitchen appliance. By focusing on the users and object together along with needs and pain points, you can create “something that is even more of what it is.” With every design we create, we are making something more, showing something in a more appealing view. Highlighting the need to build user experience into the design process is a helpful reminder of how we create more successful designs. Comparing these takes on adaptation with Latour’s “A Cautious Prometheus?,” which outlines a philosophy of design, shows nearly identical similarity between the concepts of adaptation and design. Latour suggests that design is a reimagined modernization, turning objects into things. This is greatly related to Hutcheon’s view of adaptation as repurposing. Finally, in the case of the Hello Kitty toaster, we are reminded that some adaptations are so disconnected with their original inspiration, that they are truly original designs in themselves. Adaptations, while often clear in their link to other work, can often be so far from the original that the inspiration is a second thought to the product. Sometimes it’s much more difficult to notice, but subconsciouly our brain has adapted for us naturally within the design process. This post is a paper from my graduate studies in Digital Communication at the University of Baltimore.  With roots at Google Ventures (GV), IDEO and Stanford's d.school, the 5-phase Design Sprint process takes a team through understanding, sketching, improving, prototyping and validating a new idea. I illustrated this to print and keep on my office wall as a reminder of the creative process in general.
To have your event or talk live illustrated, or to tell your story through illustration, please reach out.
I attended my first Creatives Mornings event in Baltimore last week at Showroom Cafe in the Motor House event space and gallery on North Ave. With a death theme, our speaker was the passionate and caring Erricka Bridgeford who leads Baltimore Ceasefire's efforts to curb violence in our city and actively creates sacred spaces where lives have been lost. I live illustrated Erricka's bright light and messaging on the strength of community to prevent violence.
To have your event or talk live illustrated, or to tell your story through illustration, please reach out.  Visual notes from an NPR Here & Now segment by Jeremy Hobson with Adam Steltzner on lessons learned from the 2012 Mars Rover landing.
 Visual notes from NPR's Here & Now 'View From the Top' segment with Sal Khan on Computer Science Education Week and the new Khan Lab School.
 Visual notes from an NPR WBUR Here & Now story by Robin Young on the Boston charity organization Christmas in the City, bringing joy to thousands of children in need.
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