Dig.it is a mobile tool where the user can send and receive mixtapes. The catch is, these mixtapes are tied to a physical path, as identified by the phone's geolocation. As the recipient navigates the mixtape's path, they unlock successive tracks, resulting in an audio experience that is customized specifically for them.
Inspired by the contextualization of physical space through music, and inversely, how music is transformed by its association with a place, the result is the translation of a physical, emotionally charged object (the mixtape of the past) to a digital product and experience.
Background
I first User Tested the way people create analog versions of mix tapes that are tied to maps. Research about mix tapes, how we consume and share audio, coincided. As a follow-up to User Testing, I asked the participants questions about their motivations, experiences, and reflections. This lead to decisions that will informed the transition from Research to Design through a process of wireframing and prototyping. I then User Tested my prototype(s), made refinements to my design plans, and moved into technical execution of the mobile app.
Audience
My target audience is largely in Gen Y and are savvy mobile users. It is a group of people who take relationships seriously and act with intention. They love music, and feel it contributes to an experience. This group is creative and thoughtful, and, although they have a fondness for old things, are aware of new technologies.
User Scenario
Who is it made for? A love interest or former love interest, a close friend, or someone who has an interest in the intersection of audio and location.
What does it signify? A gift, a message, or a tour of a new area/tool for exploration.
When is it presented? A special occasion, when the end-user is exploring a new place, as an accompaniment to an established routine or a suggested deviation from a routine.
Implementation
My finished product is two things: an interactive front-end prototype with final UX/UI elements and a fully-built, functioning prototype of the navigation function of my application.
Conclusion
Prior to this experience, I'd never made a mobile application, had never used Javascript, and had never been through a formal User Experience Design process. I feel that I learned all of these things in the process of creating Dig.it.
Inspired by the contextualization of physical space through music, and inversely, how music is transformed by its association with a place, the result is the translation of a physical, emotionally charged object (the mixtape of the past) to a digital product and experience.
Background
I first User Tested the way people create analog versions of mix tapes that are tied to maps. Research about mix tapes, how we consume and share audio, coincided. As a follow-up to User Testing, I asked the participants questions about their motivations, experiences, and reflections. This lead to decisions that will informed the transition from Research to Design through a process of wireframing and prototyping. I then User Tested my prototype(s), made refinements to my design plans, and moved into technical execution of the mobile app.
Audience
My target audience is largely in Gen Y and are savvy mobile users. It is a group of people who take relationships seriously and act with intention. They love music, and feel it contributes to an experience. This group is creative and thoughtful, and, although they have a fondness for old things, are aware of new technologies.
User Scenario
Who is it made for? A love interest or former love interest, a close friend, or someone who has an interest in the intersection of audio and location.
What does it signify? A gift, a message, or a tour of a new area/tool for exploration.
When is it presented? A special occasion, when the end-user is exploring a new place, as an accompaniment to an established routine or a suggested deviation from a routine.
Implementation
My finished product is two things: an interactive front-end prototype with final UX/UI elements and a fully-built, functioning prototype of the navigation function of my application.
Conclusion
Prior to this experience, I'd never made a mobile application, had never used Javascript, and had never been through a formal User Experience Design process. I feel that I learned all of these things in the process of creating Dig.it.