Archive for October 30, 2007

Developed Proposal

{ October 30, 2007 @ 11:06 am } · { Katie Butler, PHP, Web 2.0 }
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Project Outline

The main aim for my assignment 2 project is to design and create a fully working application for Facebook. However realistically speaking, this will prove to be a difficult challenge for me and my personal technical abilities, especially as I will be embracing the field of PHP and technologies that I have previously never used or worked with before. What’s more, professional developers themselves do not always produce flawless applications to begin with, so with this in mind I can probably expect that my own application will take a great deal of work and progress to become effectively useable. 

Ideally I hope to be able to meet the demands of this project outline, because in doing so I can expect many personal benefits. Nevertheless at the very least I will certainly produce a finished prototype for my proposed Facebook application.

Target Users

My taget users will initially be users of Facebook whose profession or hobby is as a web designer - a profession/interest which I can connect with. Nonetheless if this application does become developed successfully, then there is no reason to say why a similar application for photographers or designers for instance might not be developed as well, and which can be used in the same way.

Market Research: Analysis of similar/exisiting Facebook applications

In order to gain some insight into the types of characterisitcs that make an application successful on Facebook, I have done some initial research into similar existing applications to that of my proposed idea.

‘MySpace Link’ - The MySpace link is a popular application that allows users to put screen grabs of their MySpace page onto their Facebook profile. This application is what inspired my idea for a portfolio application specifically for web designers, and therefore the objectives for both applications are the same: 1) To Promote something 2) To Attract attention towards something that reveals more about that user, or represents that user.

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2444083156&ref=s

‘Blog Link’ - Designed by the same developer, the Blog Link appears to be a relatively new application that is an extension or adaptation of the original MySpace Link. Instead of putting a screen grab of your MySpace page onto your Facebook profile, with this application you can but a screen grab link to your blog. As a new application the percentage of users is relatively low, however with the popularity of Facebook and blogging combined, I can almost certainly see this application growing in popularity, especially with professionals such as journalists etc.

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2804306884&ref=s

‘Top Friends’ - The reason why I have considered the Top Friends application is because it uses ’skins,’ something which I may incorporate into my own application. The use of ’skins’ with the Top Friends application is extremely popular and makes the application highly distinguishable on a user’s page - This is a quality I would like my own application to have.

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?api_key=217a985a6147764ff583cc944fa14633

‘Top Sites’ - Finally the Top Sites application is one that I came across when looking at the Top Friends application, and allows a user to put screen grabs of their favourite websites onto their profile. The application however doesn’t appear to be very popular which could be due to a number of reasons - I.e. It could be quite new, users might experience technical problems with it, however the reason why I feel it is not so popular is because it is quite broad. By this I mean that it may become more appealing if it was more focused, for example instead of just being ‘Top Sites’, it could be ‘Top Clothing Sites’ or ‘Top Music Sites’ etc.  

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=4247506471&ref=s

Market Research: Would a web designer use my application?

Instead of just follwing my own judgement on whether my proposed idea would work well or not, I decided to contact an established industry professional through Facebook to see what their thoughts on my idea are, and whether or not they would potentially consider using the application on their own profiles.

My contact was Steve Firth, and below is a short extract from what I asked:

‘Im looking to develop an application for Facebook, and was proposing an idea which would allow web designers to put screen grabs of their work onto their profiles to promote themselves.
I was wondering what your thoughs on this idea are as a web designer (good or bad!) and would you consider using the application on your own Facebook account? if yes, why? if no then why not?’

Below is the response I got back from Steve: 

‘Yes i’d certainly use the app myself (would be nice to install a useful one for a change). Any extra links and exposure is always good, web worlds pretty saturated [mostly by bodgers] and anything that helps one rise above the bg noise is always welcome.As regards making it ‘commercially viable’ i’d consider keeping it quite open, don’t pitch it too tightly to a niche as if you miss it it’s pretty much end of story … if you kept it so that, for example other creatives could use it as a portfolio or even gen public you’ll probably get a wider uptake.If you’re being marked on just the app itself, that it works, forfills spec etc then keep the focus tight - that way you control the varibles that you’ll be marked on, take up being secondary.If you’re being marked on the ’sucess’ of the app then flexibility is key, people will find use a general app for their purposes. Some gen thoughts:

You can go mad on javascript, facebooks dependant on it anyway (also with slow general loading times ppl wont notice the overhead)

Whilst your designing an app for webdevs, its the public that will ‘use it’ and public like shiney/popup things (am thinking ask’s use of url preview etc)

Any support for stylesheet switching so they can skin own portfolio? (cross url content is common on FB so isnt a security block on this)

Hope this is of help, feel free to msg/add me should you want to bounce any ideas off me or just fancy a webby chat.

gl with your app, it’s nice to see a some women coming into webdesign to balance off a pretty much XY world.

I feel that Steve has made several key points in his response that I can and should take into account, making this particular research quite valuable towards my assignment. For instance when he talks about targeting a niche or mass audience depending on the assignment criteria - I found this particularly important to consider. I also liked the fact that he too suggested the idea of using ’skins,’ something that I have proposed but did not actually put foward to Steve in my original message.

A link to Steve’s company: http://www.devolved.co.uk/

Other comments welcome

Proposal

{ October 30, 2007 @ 12:57 am } · { Flash, Marie Williams }
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Aim 

Design, produce and test an online mobile application for Monday Street to use as a way of promoting new songs, upcoming gigs and news.

 Project outline 

 Whilst walking around, take a note of the amount of people on mobile phones, what are they doing? Are they making a phone call? Are they sending a text or browsing the internet?

 

For my project I am attempting to manipulate the extensive use of the mobile phone by consumers and then furthermore using it as a way of marketing and promoting the band ‘Monday Street’. As a young and up coming band, most of their fans will be using mobile phones if not, they will know some one that has access to a mobile.

 

My idea is to make an interactive flash website that people can access through their internet browser on their mobile phone; it will be through this medium that people will be able to get up to date information when ever they wish.

 Target Audience 

This is quite a hard area to differentiate one sector of the market, as the band I’m promoting are young. I want to stage my main platform at their fan base, this would be young adults, but then also I have to take into consideration the professionals, like their manager and producers; they will have some kind of say in what products are used to promote their band, therefore, I have decided to make an application that could appeal to people aged 18 and upwards. This will mean that I have to keep the product quite simple, but more professional in the way it is delivered and broadcast. 

 Colours, themes and designs 

From looking at the bands My Space, their photos, and seeing them live, I have quite a good feel about what they are about and how they wish to be viewed by the public. I am still brainstorming design ideas and I really want to make this one project stand out from my previous one. I have added a few colour charts, fonts and mock ups that are basic which will be built upon. (Appendix One)

     Mobile Content Online

Unlike producing a project simply for the open Internet market where every one can upload information when and how they please, the mobile environment is completely different to this.

 

One of the main aspects that I will have to consider is networks speeds and screen sizes, its ‘Adobe Flash Lite’ that will help me develop the content purely for mobile development and delivery, it will be this that will either make or break my project.

 Market Research The Fray Website: 

I have taken a quick look at ‘The Fray’ website and really like the way in which each individual element at the top of the screen moves in slowly by itself, the volume control button is placed at the top right hand corner, discreet enough it doesn’t take your mind of the rest of the site.

 

The links between each page show another flash action as the buttons spin in the screen, however I don’t like that you have to scroll down the page to get the rest of the information, there is clearly too much information fitted into each section. The website is a bit bland and boring and could do with some kind of colour. (Appendix Two)

 

This website is just for the web only, there is nothing there that interacts with any kind of mobile device, ‘Monday Street’ will be one step ahead, I need to correctly design, construct and test my application to make it a success.

 

Testing is an area in which I will research more; I need to understand the whole process from start to finishing, by using websites such as http://www.adobe.com/devnet/devices/articles/packing_lite_03.html I will be able to get some kind of idea of what processes I have to go through.

 Mobile Phones 

I also have to decide what type of mobile I will be aiming by project to be tested and viewed on. As there are so many different types of mobile phones it would be impossible for me to produce a product that could be all on all of the different platforms, therefore I have researched into two different mobile models and then from this research I have decided what mobile device I will be building my application for.

  Sony Ericsson W810i  

Screen Resolution: 176×220

Flash Lite Version: 1.1

Supported Content Type: browser

Device Profile Update: 3

Sony Ericsson has 18 different models with Flash Lite pre-installed.

 Nokia 6126 

Screen Resolution: TBD

Flash Lite Version: 1.1

Supported Content Type: TBD

Device Profile Update: TBD

 

I am still undecided which module I wish to make my application for, if I choose to make my application for the Sony Ericsson W810i, not only has it already got Flash Lite 1.1 installed in the phone, but the memory space is bigger and the screen resolution will be easier to work with. I also have this phone so will be able to test the application when ever I wish.

However when looking over my research I noticed that one of the media professional suggested that it “If you have a Nokia this is easier to get into” but I am unsure whether the screen size of the Nokia 6126 is too small. This is another area where I will continue too research.

 

During the research process I have been able to see that flash is an ever advancing technology, by using Flash Lite I am not only enhancing my skills but I am making a project that is up to date with the technology.