iOS 9 - Concept - Design and Development

You always feel a little smarter when you find a flaw in design or in a product/software. However, we sometimes have to humble ourselves and take a second to question whether that current model we find error in, was designed that way by accident or on purpose.

I’ve recently experienced one of these moments in Apple’s iPhone operating system; iOS.  I was driving a long distance and needed to conserve my phone’s battery.  I didn’t have a car charger at the time.   I was using a maps service to help me navigate and found my self not needing to have location services on the entire time.  There were points when I would drive for miles and miles before needing another direction.  However, location services was was running the entire time and started to drain my battery quickly.  To avoid this problem, I would turn location services on and off to conserve battery.  This was an inconvenience, however, it could have been easier…

In iOS, to enable or disable location services, one has to go through a long process from unlocking the phone, to clicking through multiple pages in the settings app.  I had to go through all of this, and keep my eyes on the road.  I found myself wondering why there wasn’t an easier way to enable and disable this simple function.  It needed to be quick, and simple.  It shouldn’t take time or energy away from the user.

This whole experience provoked me to start looking at how others used location services and other functions.  I came across people who had their location services on, and didn’t even realize.  Others didn’t know where in settings to even find location services.   

In iOS, there is something called “control center.” With a simple swipe upward of a finger, on any screen, will bring up a transparent screen holding key function control such as airplane mode, bluetooth, wifi, volume, brightness and more.  It also displays basic apps such as the calculator and the camera.  Needless to say, the whole point of this screen is to bring the user quick and easy access to basic functions.  That being said, location services, personal hotspot, and cellular data are missing from this menu.  

I began to imagine a control center with these newly added functions.  How great would it be to swipe upward at any time on your phone, and have access to location services.  I would probably use location services more often since it wouldn’t be such a hassle to access.  I started making prototypes and brainstormed about how these newly added functions would be added to this screen.  I realized scrolling to the right to an abrupt end of list, would not enhance the experience at all.  It just felt awkward.  The idea was eventually had to have a continuous looped scrolling effect.  When a user scrolled over to the right, they could keep scrolling forever just to see a continuous cycle of all of the key functions.  It felt fun, and felt exactly right for iOS.  The scrolling effect of this interaction inspired me to name this project  "iOS infinite loop.“  It’s no secret that this term is very familiar to Apple.  

The real question is, did Apple design the current system this way on accident, or was this purposeful?…

https://www.behance.net/gallery/25794475/iOS-9-Concept-User-Experience

Future of Design

What can we create from these days, what is actually new? In a day when everything we see is influenced by something else? What is left to design from when every other avenue of creativity has been tapped out or saturated. What is left?

The future of design is driven by data.
What is data?

... It's us ...

We are the data to be designed from.
We are the input that future designers will be using as their medium to draw from, just as Picasso did with paint.

We are contributing data everyday. Whether we are driving in our car down a road, using google maps, online shopping, or writing a status on twitter, you are contributing data that can be used and designed from.

An example of this is Google keeping track of what you search, and displaying ads on the side of the screen based off of your interests. That is only now however. What can we really do, what is the true potential of data design? It could be limitless...

We will collect data from almost everything.  Everything will be monitored in some way.  These observations will be used to identify patterns and influence design.

This will be the true art, the true medium of the modern world. Imagine designing the flow of everyday life...

From Anxiety to Design Thinking

Anxiety is an interesting thing. 

Google's first search result states it as // 

 "A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome."  
It is present in all human beings, and even animals.  It keeps us aware and cautious.  From a primal perspective, it can keep us safe at times.  These are good instinctual forms of anxiety.  However, we can slip into other forms.  Some anxiety holds us back or leads us down into a dark place.  

What is the thought process like?  We first are triggered by a flaw that we have realized in our life.  We take current data in our mind that we have connected, and then we predict an outcome or develop insights.   However, many times the insight is wrong or irrational because the reason for being in this thought cycle came from "worry, nervousness, or unease".  These launching points don't allow for healthy or rational thought .  Many times this anxiety is triggered from an external source.  If only life was more "user-friendly" at times.  Unfortunately, many things are out of our control, which also has an essence of beauty.  Some experiences in life we must go through to grow. 

It's interesting what happens after these insights are developed.  We become extremely passionate about fixing what seems to be a flaw in our life.  We start problem solving...         

Having said this...

What if you enter this analytical state, not from worry or unease, but out of inspiration.  Thats a beautiful place to come from, because from here, we can use our complex thought cycle to identify flaw in the external world, and through creativity, find positive solutions.  This is design thinking. 

Man made design should not complicate another man or woman's life.  We have sometimes forgotten that. The goal is to create awe.  Giving extra comfort or ease to a human beings life can make the most difference.
Because as we know, life is hard enough.

New Beginnings

Who am I? 

My name is Christian Edwards, I'm an aspiring user experience designer living in the south east.  I have two cats and live in a little apartment.  I'm currently attaining a degree in service design and dabbling in interaction design.  I wish to see the world with more user centered design.

I believe design is a different conversation than art.  I feel art comes out of a true state of mind that is effortless and lacking in intent.  Design comes out of strategy and purpose.  Few realize that good design can help and create people to be more comfortable and happy in their everyday lives.  This is the direction I would like to see myself head towards . . .