OUGD504 - Studio Brief 02 - App Evaluation

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The original aim for this brief was to create an immersive and engaging screen based user experience for the NHS 111 non-emergency service that would aid in increasing accessibility to the current 111 service and relieving unnecessary strain on a number of NHS service, including local GP's and doctors. This app fulfils this brief and effectively provides a solution to a real-world problem.

The design of the app is simple yet bold. The limited colour scheme and standardised typeface create a clean and minimalist appearance while also adhering to the design guidelines of the NHS, which creates cohesion and recognition between the app and all other NHS services and online content.

The designs were appropriate to the limitations of screen based design - the type size is large enough to be legible on a range of screen sizes, line lengths are no more than 30 characters and copy text was kept as short as possible without the loss of important information. All text within the app is limited to one page only as it was also important to consider that users would need to access all of the information presented at once in order to reduce the chance of miscommunication.

The final designs for the app were created through a series of wireframes and prototypes, tested and critiqued at every stage of the project and then finalised using the Adobe Experience Design programme, a specialist programme that allows the creation of a fully functioning prototype application. This allowed the app to be trialled with a range of test subjects throughout the design stage and ensured and issues with legibility, cohesion or navigation could be solved efficiently.

The target audience was identified as individuals aged 18-60 as these are the age brackets for typically independent individuals, and any anyone younger or older than this is usually in the care of others. It was determined that people between these ages would be the most likely to use a non-emergency service, however the clear and simple design of the app would also allow for accessibility to younger children and older individuals with smartphones.

Both formative and summative feedback was gathered at every stage of this project from a range of sources including peers, tutors, and professional design studios. To understand how effective the app might be within a real-world situation I also reached out to a number of individuals in the medical profession for summative feedback. I asked a qualified Occupational Therapist working in the field of Care and Accessibility for the Aged to evaluate the accessibility of the app for a range of different ages and abilities. They agreed that the typeface was an appropriate size for most individuals, and that the additional feature allowing the type size to be enlarged would increase the accessibility to an older audience and those with visual impairments. They also commended the use of colour, both in terms of its iconography to the NHS and the contrast that it provided when combined with the colour white, allowing increased legibility on a digital screen.

The app was also given to a selection of volunteers aged between 65-80, all of who were able to understand the features, input information and navigate through the app successfully. All of the volunteers commended the concept behind the app and the format as nearly all owned or had regular access to a smartphone or tablet. There was much positive feedback for the functionality of the app and the designs were classed as highly appropriate for a range of target audiences.

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Project Evaluation

Presenting this project in a peer critique group produced positive feedback. The format of the publication was noted to be successful in representing traditional zine culture through both it's size and print production. It was noted that the use of only two colours during printing created a unique and distinct identity for the zine, which would improve the possibility of gaining more commercial success. The layout of the spreads was commended in retaining a minimalist design while also enhancing the featured work. The cohesive use of colour and typeface throughout the project's deliverables created a consistent design allowed expanded materials to remain a part of the brand.

It was concluded that the publication provided an appropriate platform for artists as it could be cheaply produced but to a high quality, and could be distributed easily. It was agreed that the use of social media was highly appropriate for the project as it expanded the reach of the project and allowed the publication to be accessible to an audience who could not purchase a physical copy. The social media platforms also created a larger platform for collaboration between the group and the audience and produced a network that could be utilised for more publications or projects in the future.

The final publication was released for sale through an online shop and sold out within three weeks.

Publication pack

Extracts from issue 1

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Posters, Stickers and Cards

After the initial production of issue the group again discussed the final format of the publication. It was decided that the project would revisit the original idea of creating a a limited edition pre-order pack that could be sold exclusively before the commercial release of the publication. This pack would include two posters, a sticker and business card.

The design for the first poster was taken from a selected work featured in the publication, and was formatted to be printed in blue risograph ink:

The design for the second poster was a variation of the cover of issue 1, featuring the same grid motif and the extended phrase of 'Shy Bairns Get Nowt':

The design for the sticker also features the same phrase but uses an exclusively red colour scheme and an alternative round shape to provide a contrast between the printed publication and posters:

The design for the business card again used an all-red colour scheme and a combination of full and outlined type:

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 02 - App Icon Design

Adhering to Apple's specifications for app icons the initial design for the NHS 111 app icon was simple, featuring only the signifying 111 numbering in white over a background in the NHS blue.

After presenting this to a critique group it was suggested that the inclusion of the NHS logo would make the icon more instantly recognisable both within the app store and a busy phone home screen. The NHS letters were added to the second design:

A secondary critique group gave positive feedback towards this second design. Although it is entirely text based, both the NHS logo and the 111 logo are universally recognisable and so the icon becomes easy to identify. The text also remains legible at varying sizes, meaning it would translate effectively across multiple devices. The background blue colour is also a recognisable shade, allowing users to still identify the app without reading the text. Its simplicity enhances the effectiveness of the design, making it an appropriate icon for the 111 app.

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 02 - App Icon Specifications

Alongside the design for the app itself, an icon also needed to be created. The icon would be used on a phone screen as well as online in the app stores. Apple has a set of specifications and suggestions to which all app icons should adhere to in order to make them both compatible for all devices and successful within the app market. The icon for the NHS 11 app was made according to these specifications:



Every app needs a beautiful and memorable icon that attracts attention in the App Store and stands out on the Home screen. Your icon is the first opportunity to communicate, at a glance, your app’s purpose. It also appears throughout the system, such as in Settings and search results.

Embrace simplicity
Find a single element that captures the essence of your app and express that element in a simple, unique shape. Add details cautiously. If an icon’s content or shape is overly complex, the details can be hard to discern, especially at smaller sizes.

Provide a single focus point
Design an icon with a single, centred point that immediately captures attention and clearly identifies your app.

Design a recognisable icon
People shouldn’t have to analyse the icon to figure out what it represents. For example, the Mail app icon uses an envelope, which is universally associated with mail. Take time to design a beautiful and engaging abstract icon that artistically represents your app’s purpose.

Keep the background simple and avoid transparency
Make sure your icon is opaque, and don’t clutter the background. Give it a simple background so it doesn’t overpower other app icons nearby. You don’t need to fill the entire icon with content.

Use words only when they’re essential or part of a logo
An app’s name appears below its icon on the Home screen. Don’t include nonessential words that repeat the name or tell people what to do with your app, like "Watch" or "Play." If your design includes any text, emphasise words that relate to the actual content your app offers.

Test your icon against different wallpapers
You can’t predict which wallpaper people will choose for their Home screen, so don’t just test your app against a light or dark colour. See how it looks over different photos. Try it on an actual device with a dynamic background that changes perspective as the device moves.

Every app must supply both small and large app icons. The small icons are used on the Home screen and throughout the system once your app is installed. The large icon is used by the App Store.

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 02 - Final Design

The finals designs of the 111 app, taking into consideration the changes suggested during the Studio Only critique.

Home

Profile

Information

Diagnosis search

Questions

Answers

Dialling

Example of the accessible text version

available via the type toggle function

The app designs were created in Adobe Experience Design, which allows each screen to be linked to the rest in order to produce a fully working prototype of the app. Each of these screens was linked via the different available buttons so that the app was able to navigate through the various options, and back and forth between the Questions, Answers, Home, Profile and Information screens.

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 02 - Studio Only Design Feedback

Critiquing the app designs with Studio Only, a visiting graphic design studio, provided some invaluable insight into how these designs could be finalised for a real-world functioning app.

Studio Only commended the concept of the app, stating that accessibility to the 111 NHS service was poorly limited, and this brief was similar to the problems that professional design studios work towards solving for real-world clients.

Positive feedback was given towards the choice of typeface and colour as they both create a strong sense of recognition and cohesion between the app and other NHS services. However, the hierarchy of the copy within the app was highlighted as something that could be strengthened, and the order of the information presented should be carefully considered to maximise efficiency for the user. 

To allow for full manoeuvrability within the app, it was suggested that once users had reached the end of the questions it should then be possible to navigate back to the beginning of the Diagnosis section. Also, in situations where calling an ambulance may be required but not immediately, an optional greyed out '999' button should be available so that users can continue to access the emergency services through the app without repeating the question process.

The inclusion of a voice-activated feature that would allow users to remotely control the app using voice only was suggested, as the app should be accessible to individuals of all abilities. However, including a functioning button that would allow the app to switch to voice-control would be counter-productive as users would still need the ability to press the button. This could be solved through the integration of the app with the phone's pre-existing voice activation function (Siri for iPhone, Ok Google for Android etc) to allow for a smooth transition between manual and voice control.

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 02 - Second Design

The revised designs for the app, using a higher pt. size for copy and a toggle option for the type size, a gradient background, and changes to the home screen including a newly labelled Diagnosis function and standardised NHS logo. NHS brand guidelines state that 'when using a coloured background, the NHS logo should be reversed out (with the lettering within the logo printing the same colour as the background)', so the new app logos are a reverse of the original.