Lab Assignment: Define your social media profile -- DMA188

1. Identify the different Social media venues you are a part of.

Twitter

Facebook

Tumblr

BBM

Blogger

Skype

2. List the number of contacts you have on each social media venue

• Twitter
  Following: 130
  Followers: 107

• Facebook
  415 "Friends"

• Tumblr
  Following: 42
  Followers: 14

• BBM
  73 Contacts

• Blogger
  0 (strictly School work so far)

• Skype
  10 Contacts

3. List the amount of time you spend on each social media venue broken down by day and/or
week

• Twitter
  Since Twitter is on my phone, I tweet ALL the time. So i would say 24/7

• Facebook
  Facebook is coming to a lull at the moment so i would say 30min a day and 3-5 times a week.

• Tumblr
  Definitely 3hrs a day, everyday.
   
• BBM
  24/7. I barely even text.

• Blogger
  1-2 hrs a week
• Skype
  Not very often, probably 2hrs, in a day maybe 2 times a weel
  

4. List the different types of content you upload on each venue

• Twitter
  Whatever i feel like in that moment. I treat Twitter like a very  vague diary. I usually post something interesting to me. I also help advertise and promote for a Canadian rap artist.

• Facebook
   I used to post everything on facebook, pictures of a vacation, pictures of a day at school, anything. Nowadays, I hardly post anything. I let Tumblr do that for me, I synced my Tumblr with my facebook and now i don't do anything but check notifications on Facebook.
  

• Tumblr
  I barely upload anything on Tumblr but when I do I post pictures. On the other hand, I reblog a lot of people. When I re blog, I usually re blog imagery, such as fashion, or just plain comedy.
   
• BBM
  I don't upload much, I pretty much use BBM as a way to IM other people.

• Blogger
  I post my assignments and sometimes my photofraphy aside from school

• Skype
  I don't post anything on Skype.

5. List the social media venues you declined to be a part of and why

• Google Plus
  I don't really see the need to be on Google plus really. It doesn't interest me because everyone that i want to talk to at the moment are on primary social media sites.
  
• Second Life
  I already have one life I don't need another. If i wanted to have a virtual life i would go on Sims, where i don't have to interact with others.
  
• Oovoo
  Oovoo is just another Skype. Some attributes of Oovoo are better than Skype but everyone I want to talk to has Skype, so I don't see the need to have one.
  
• Myspace
  I used to have a Myspace, I have lost interest in using it. This site is the site that began my designing days but, it has become boring to me. Also, Myspace is geared toward the music industry and I'm not an artist.

6. List the one Social Media venue you use the most and why

TWITTER!
Twitter takes the cake on this one. I think i use twitter so much because its so accessible. Also, I'm just plain addicted. when I'm on the bus, I'm on Twitter. When I'm eating dinner, I tweet what I'm eating. Why? I have no clue anymore. The weird thing is, I don't even have that many followers.

7.Write a paragraph on why or why not Social media play a prominent role in your day to day life

Social Media does play a big role in my life. In the beginning it started out as a fad, with Myspace. But now, it's a part of my life, part of my routine. Every social medium has its reason in my life. Facebook, although it's becoming less and less apart of my life, was a way to really communicate with new and old friends. I have people on my Facebook that i used to go to elementary school with. Skype I use to connect with friends and family that I can't just get up and go see because they live out of the country. BBM has completely taken over texting. I can message friends and family that are anywhere in the world for FREE. It is also quick and convenient for me (Minus the little downfall it had). Tumblr is a new addition to my daily routine. Everyday, i come home, do what i have to do and when that is all done, there is a time when I become really bored. Tumblr has become my cure for boredum. I don't have tumblr because I want to blog, I have Tumblr to scroll and laugh. All in all, Social media plays a big role in my life because it's my primary key to communication.

User Interface Principles of Design -- DMA188

By: Tichina Hyman and Shalena SundarsinghThe Structure Principle
The Structure Principle is a way to organize an interface in a specific and intentional way. It's built so that the interface design and model is easy to use. This principle chunks information in groups, with similar things together and dissimilar separate.

The techniques used are:

• Consistency 
•  Efficient navigation between major user interface items
• Align fields effectively

 Microsoft Word is a good example for The Structure Principle. Word is a good example because the top navigation is organized into different categories with sub-categories which makes the software easy to use. Every link is there for a purpose and the navigation has a certain flow.

The Simplicity Principle
The Simplicity Principle keeps designs and layouts short and simple. It helps users get familiar and comfortable when using the program by including hot-keys and easy to find links.

 The techniques used are:

• Understand the UI widgets
• Expect your users to make mistakes
• Group things effectively

Adobe Photoshop is a good example because over time users become so familiar with the software that instead of using the mouse for everything or looking in the drop-down menus, users transfer to hot-keys.

The Visibility Principle
The Visibility Principle makes sure everything you need visible and easy to access. There is no clutter of useless information everywhere.

The techniques used are:

• Explain the rules
• Don’t create busy user interfaces
• Use color appropriately

Tumblr is a good example of The Visibility Priciple because everything you need to use is laid out right in front of you. All the major links are located on the home page which makes using Tumblr quick and easy.

The Feedback Principle
The Feedback Principle ensures that the software is working efficiently by telling the user what is going on and how well it is working.

The techniques used are:

• Word your messages and labels effectively
• Justify data appropriately
• Explain the rules

Skype is a good example of the Feedback Principle because it is always notifying users on its status. Skype doesn't use big nor complicated terms to show the user what's wrong, it explains it clear and concisely.

The Tolerance Principle
The Tolerance Principle makes sure that the user can make multiple mistakes without having to worry or fret about being stuck with the consequences. It does this by allowing an undo and redo button.

The techniques used are:

• Expect your users to make mistakes
• Your design should be intuitable
• Consistency

 Adobe Illustrator is a great example of The Tolerance Principle because it is one application that lets its user undo and redo as many times as needed.

The Reuse Principle
The Reuse Principle allows the user to repeat tasks without much thought or effort.

The techniques used are:

• Consistency
• Don’t create busy user interfaces
• Expect your users to make mistakes

Microsoft Powerpoint is a good example because it repeats and remembers tasks for the user. For example, when a background is set, Powerpoint applies that background to all the slides used.

Sports Team Logo -- DMA 101

For this assignment we had to re-create a sports logo. I chose the Philadelphia Eagles from NFL.

To start I made the realization that a lot of this logo is trace and resize. The first thing I did was trace the grey and green background.

I realized that a good idea would be to cut out the grey outline of the eagle since there is already a grey background.

As i went on layer by layer, I stumbled  upon my first hardship. The eagles eye. Dun dunn dunnnn...

It was hard for me to do because of all the different curves going in different directions.

The next thing I got stuck on were the lettering for PHILADELPHIA. It took me about an hour just to figure out how to go about doing it. This was difficult for me because when I zoom in on the letters, they get very pixelated. so pixelated that it's hard to trace.

Eventually I figured it out.

As i was tracing along, i realized that my smart thing to do was a not so smart thing to do.

When it was time to complete the black background of the EAGLES lettering, the black is supposed to fall behind the grey outline,

and it didn't. To solve this problem i had to trace a grey strip to cover it up

In the end, I ended up with this :)