Project Planning & Managment

After getting all my elements ready for my prototype, I put them all together in Axure RP and then started to create interactions within the app for the users to trial. I chose to include to fade in and out for the menu because I wanted it to look soft and gentle, to go with the warm colour scheme and the selling point of the app being soft furnishings. It was also important to include easy access throughout the app, the menu can be reached from any page of the app and can be used to navigate anywhere. This was easily achieved due to the tutorials I watched prior to the creation process. When I was finished with adding the interactivity elements such as buttons and fading in menu's, I shared my prototype to Axure share.

To create my working prototype I used a range of platforms to enable myself to get a really clear visualisation of what I want my app to look like and also how I would want it to work . Below is a video of my working prototype  as well as a link to the Axure share page in which it can be tried from.  https://lr0bgm.axshare.com

When putting all my elements together I needed some guidance towards the interactivity side of my prototype. I had all my panels pre-made from Figma and imported into Axure and I wanted to get them to change on queue from actions from the user. This video was again posted by Axure RP on their youtube channel and was very detailed and full of useful tips. The video is short but straight to the point, as I know of the software I was comfortable following this video to achieve my goal of my working prototype. The video below is what I watched and it was a live screen tutorial meaning I could work alongside it and because of this I could easily navigate around Axure. 

When considering the design of my app I wanted to partake in online tutorials to give me some background knowledge towards my designs. I found the website 'Udemy' and searched for videos focusing on design, particularly ones which focused mostly on UI and App Design. These tutorials acted like a 'fast track' way for me to gain extensive knowledge on what it takes to conceptualise a well rounded design. From logos to the final working prototype, I need to always think of my users and not just about how it looks.  These short videos taught me to; communicate a concept in a way that is enticing for the audiences but also easily usable; To create mock up visualisations but to always keep in mind the user and the user journeys. And most importantly to keep the design consistent throughout every aspect of your work. I found these tutorials helpful in the aid of my project and with them I feel I can get the best out of my application.

During the creation of my app, I frequently used Figma as the platform for my designs. The two images on the left are my most finalised visualisations of what the app could look like. I have chosen the bottom design with the coloured background to go forward with my app. Although bold I find this, combined with the simplistic logo works really well and helps convey what my app is about. I want the app to be very visual and I will be including enticing images on almost every single page of my app. To be able to use the app, the user has so sign up or log in. After this page, they are shown our terms and conditions and are also asked for permission to use the camera when using the app. The next page after this is the home page, I want this to be the heart of the app and the users should be able to navigate anywhere in the app from here. It needs to be clean and organised so the user flow isn't disrupted which is important as I want the app to be simply used and enjoyed....

In this stage of the prototype creation I have all my panels completed in Figma, as well as my augmented reality scene recorded from WiARframe ready for importing. However I was unsure on how to import my video into Axure so that it plays when the page is visited. I read Axure's support blog and learnt that it is easily embedded. They posted a link within the blog post and it took me to their youtube channel. I followed their online tutorial which enabled me to import my video into Axure RP. I now have a semi-working prototype and the next step is to insert my pre-made designs and put it all together for a finished product. 

In order to create my prototype I will be using Figma, alongside Axure RP and WiARframe. Figma will play an important role when designing my interface and I will create all of my design screens. I will then insert them into Axure, along with video of me using the augmented reality aspect in WiARframe and combine them into a working prototype. The reason behind using Figma is due to the simplicity of the software, I can drag and drop all of my materials and start creating quickly and smoothly. I am relatively familiar with using Figma, however to get a really consecutive design I used their youtube channel to find a tutorial on creating styles. Styles allow me to reuse my own designs to define my branding. this is done through  the use of colours and typography.  This 6 minute video was short but very informative. After watching, I had my styles set up and I was able to create a consistent series of designs ready to import into Axure RP. The HEX codes we...

To aid me in the creation of my prototype I found this online youtube tutorial very helpful to ensure I fully discover the potential of the software. WiARframe is a great augmented reality prototyping software and I quickly got the hang of it due to the simple interface, step-by-step instructions and this tutorial (see video to right). This tutorial is a walk-through video showing the different assets within the software and this was published by the wiARframe company on YouTube. It starts by showing you how to make your own 3d model and then how to personalise it by adding textures to it. It then shows you how to add interactions for the users and change the state of your assets when loaded up in the app for a number of different gestures.  This was a trusted source because of who posted the video, and I found that I often referred back to this when creating my prototype. After following this tutorial I was able to have a 3d model of my rug with a 3 d...

Ikea has recently released a new augmented reality  app which is a similar route I want to go in, making this a potential competitor. By using AR it creates a new way to shop at home. It allows users to see their furniture before they buy and see how it fits into their home. Computer generated images of their products can be placed right into the users living room on both the IKEA app and mine.  The way I can ensure that I am different is the fact that I am adding another layer of interaction. My app will  allow the users to chose what the product looks like and personalise it to their own taste. I hope to include a range of pre made designs which can be made into a rug of any shape and size. I am also featuring the option to drag and resize the 3d objects and this another thing that the IKEA app doesn't do.   The overall app itself is a strong competitor and the design l ooks very professional and it is something that I will ref...