TIME OUT PRATT 2011

Information Technologies Spring 2011Megan Georgia, Alena Marchak, Aimee Slater

Information Technologies Spring 2011

Project Definition and Planning

Target Users / Purpose of the projectTarget Users: PMC StudentsPurpose: Pratt Manhattan is just outside the boundaries of the neighborhoods commonly known as Flatiron, Union Square, Greenwich Village, Chelsea and Meatpacking which means that retailers in the immediate area of the campus are rarely highlighted and PMC students are forced to fend for themselves in the immediate area.

Trends and Precedents

Numerous sites list cheap, cool and interesting things in NYC

No sites specifically geared toward Pratt students.

Most sites have a right-pane navigation and left-pane content. We modeled that.

A lot of websites have flashy, eye catching animation and images. None of us have that technical skill.

Inspiration – Brooklyn VeganNavigation was inspired by their methodology – categorize everything and build the navigation as a custom menu from the categories.

Inspiration – Time Out New YorkTONY has great resources and ideas. Their layout is a lot busier than ours, but they have a lot of good content.

Inspiration – New York MagazineThough this website has a lot of additional content, they have great suggestions and ideas of what kind of content to include.

Information Technologies Spring 2011

Site Design and Construction

TemplateWe chose this template for its clear, simple and uncomplicated design.

TypekitFree option to change the limiting typeface of the Coraline theme

BatchgeoUsed to map locations and provide addresses

Content

Items that are in close proximity to Pratt Manhattan

Items that provide student discounts Items that are free Items that are must-see New York

attractions Items that will enhance the Pratt

Manhattan Student’s experience, whether food, drink, an activity or a place

Interactivity

Facebook, Twitter, Tags

Email Us A Suggestion

Flickr Feed

Email us a suggestion…

Click icon to add picture

Usability Evaluations

Scenario 1: 3 Hours to KillFeedback Changes Lots of scrolling Did not use tag cloud No search bar Broken Link “Get Directions” Link

Unhelpful Comments closed on

certain posts Email button missing Images don’t link to posts –

is confusing.

Bring Tag Cloud up to featured

Add Search Bar Fixed broken link Added directions link to

Map Opened Comments Removed email feature –

substituted Facebook / Twitter

Make images link to posts

Scenario 2: Post-Class Socializing

Feedback Changes Couldn’t find the

answer to a question – finding a book after late class ends

Option to email suggestion was difficult to find

User suggested adding a food place that was open late (not just snacks)

Entry for the Strand was sorted incorrectly

Changed “Suggestion” on the menu to Email a Suggestion” to clarify

Good Stuff Diner added in “Things to Eat” – open 24 hours

Scenario 3: Family Visit

Feedback Changes Did not notice tag

cloud Did not notice search

bar Found some of the

links did not open up to another tab but rather redirected from our page

Moved tag cloud up Moved the search bar

up changed the known

links to open up in another page

General Usability Feedback Because the tasks were specific,

users requested a search box to complete the tasks.

Very few users used the tag clouds because they were hidden and hard to see

Over focus on right hand navigation with other content – make tag cloud the featured widget in order to make navigation as easy as possible.

Future Plan

Uploading content regularly would further fill out the tag clouds.

Bring in someone with the technical skill to “liven up” the page including transitioning images for each page of navigation.

Fully publicize our desire for Pratt Manhattan Students to add suggestions / places, and post those places as well.

Time Out Pratt 2011Megan Georgia, Alena Marchak, Aimee Slater

Time Out Pratt 2011

Click icon to add picture

(After usability tests)

Time Out Pratt 2011

Click icon to add picture

Megan Georgia, Alena Marchak, Aimee Slater