Big Bang (Rosa, Ian)
Virtual Civic Notifier
The Virtual Civic Notifier acts as a tool for connecting positive interaction between state and local government body’s . VCN promotes communication in attempts to build better relations with the public, and for the public to actively engage in their civic duties.
also be most up to date with any new information.

The reason for having this website is so that there will one central system where everyone can find the most up to date information and also more involved with the government. As we all know, there seem to be so much of miscommunication between departments within the government and some don’t even communicate with each other. For a person trying to find out information regarding themselves is like trying to find a needle in the hay stack. An example of the miscommunication would be the Social Security Office. They have a website that is supposed to be making everyone’s life easier by going online to see how much in benefit they will receive at retirement age. The website is always down and when it is up you can’t ever log in. When you actually go to the social security office to find out what is going on, they send you to their main office to check with their online desk. This whole running around just wastes people time and not to mention the people in the office don’t seem like they want to work even though they get paid for it.
Another reason for our notifier would be initial contact from the government to fulfill your civic duties, they will get a letter informing them to log on to the website and fill out the questionnaire. A new requirement in the questionnaire will be the addition personal email address. This is important because now it alleviate previous problems with tracking a person’s current address with their name. With the new system, your identity by your email address instead of your address. With the old system, often times, when a person moves they don’t report the move. So the census application was sent to their previous address instead of the current. With the new system, your email address will always stay the same unless you change it, or if you don’t response to the email and/or submit your online application, you will be mailed a paper copy of the questionnaire and failure notice of compliance. Once census is complete, you would get email confirmation and access to whatever is allowed for public view in regards to that year’s census. Another advantage to the email questionnaire will be, not only the ability to update your information but to also apply for selected service, employee to census, where you are able to submit your temporary employment application. The site can also be used as a segway to view other links to where public information is accessible. The site is another way to be notified for jury selection. You can register to vote.
There is so much more that Virtual Civic Notifier can do once it becomes a central system. We can have access to all public records, pay tickets, etc. With a special login we can find answers to questions we have regarding our own personal information. This will benefit both sides. It can help save time and money.
To make this Virtual Civic Notifier, we will need a big enough web space to hold everyone information and a team of programmers to be back just in case if there are any technical problems.

Virtual Civic Notifier Flow Chart/Wire Frame

In order to improve on the notifier, we will first start off with something simple information from each department and each person’s personal file and put it together. Then we will ask each user opinion to see what they would like to be improved and move forward from there. We expect to have a very good outcome with this because it will improve the speed of communication for everyone.

Virtual Civic Notifier

Flowchart

The Statistical Graph of stock prices located on pg. 15 is a great example of information over kill to the point of illegibility.  The way the graph is set up from left to bottom is correct.  The info on the right how ever creates confusion in determining which place and data the graph is personifying.  The place and radiation is already personified by the lines on the chart but what becomes confusing is the numbers on the right, then the places written on the side as the identifier.  What should have been written on the side by the numbers was radiation levels as an identifier.

Absolutely design wise McDonald’s golden arches always stuck out in my mind.  When i was a kid, when ever I saw those arches with red and gold, a sensation of hunger filled my very being.  If there were ever a disclaimer like there is today (fast food will make you fat, or the forced implementation of calorie count to be displayed) as a child it would have been ignored but as an adult and parent I’m forced to take into consideration the effects of fast food due to the law suits of recent times.

Interestingly enough the authors analogy of waiting for a web page to load, is comparable to road rage. Which leads me in my own frustration with use of the internet. So much so I’m coining the phrase Cyber-Rage. Pretty much its occurrence from slow uploading/downloading speeds leads me to want to verbally and physically attack this inanimate/inorganic machine, of which half of my day is spent on.  I agree that in today’s world time is definitely more precious than money.  This need for efficiency has a great influence on how we create technology.  For example last night I downloaded an new app for my android phone called Dolphin Companion.  This app in short saves battery life on mobile phones and or tablets.  The major complaints today for cell phones is battery life (time used).  It turns out the app was a file management application that took control of my settings and preference and catered them around my usage as to increase my efficiency and power by 30%.  As much as I’m grateful for this app app there are other app that do more than whats required.  for example when you download an app by accepting the terms your agreeing to expose location, caller info personal data etc.  Especially file management apps send your data back to corporations.  This is unacceptable and dangerous for as time is expensive, so is information.  Identity theft is not only on a rise but is happening to large corporations gathering your info from these apps and company security being breached.  Our impatience and laziness as a society cost us more when our identities are stolen. In my own experience in the corporate arena I found that the best way in dealing with waiting examples of internet usage was simply time management by means of multitasking my assignments.  Instead of allowing idle time to pass while waiting for uploads/downloads I revert my energy to another task ergo alleviating my frustration.  Or I would pass the buck to someone else as it has been pass to me.  I call this the circle of laziness.  The article stated for manufacturing technology to shrink time by saving time or staying in line with the flow of time which ever cost less to implement wins.

1. John Maeda’s book The Laws of Simplicity explores effect emotions have on subject matter, in correlation of emotions being brought out by designs. This can be proved by advertising during the holidays or even by company’s like Hallmark. Your meant to feel insensitive unless you buy this item for whom ever. Another example would be the fast food industry. Every time i see a McDonald’s I’m hungry.
2. It fosters interaction for example RPG games where the outcome is dependent on interaction like farm ville. which also incorporates social media.
3. I’m Definitely attached to my PlayStation . I know this because i cant wait to go home and play it. This is true for a lot of men who’s relationships are in jeopardy due to lack of attention paid to there partners.

The Bill Moggridge “People” Analysis Traditional research methods to gauge relevance for an design. They pointed out the idea of what people say they want vs. what they actually do. There were four methodology used to acquire relevance for designs.  The first is to analyze the information you’ve collected, this stage is called Learn.  The second is to observe people to discover what they do-not what they say they do, this stage is called look.  The third is to enlist peoples participation to elicit information relevant to the project, this stage is called ask.  The forth is to create simulations and prototypes to help emphysize with people and to evaluate proposed designs, this stage is called try.  the example of the consumer compliant board board personifies this idea.  for my future project i would like to form an interactive art exhibit where the needs of the individuals becomes the main purpose goal of the art work.  for my project i would attach actually all four methodologies to produce my desired outcome.

The article takes aim at the understanding of abnormal behavior in relation to the everyday objects from a design standpoint. One view of why people buy products and don’t take the time to learn their functionality. For example the article touches on the washer and dryer, microwaves, etc.  The author stress the importance of a good design in correlation to the human minds ability to rationalize its functionality, and vice verses for a bad design.  As well as how the mind utilizes the principle of mapping out the functionality of an object.  This is illustrated by the example of his friend trapped between revolving doors in another country.  Signs of operation should be clearly visible by which is another principle for its design.  basically the designer should convey signals in the design for the door natural operation.

My example of a bad design would be subway turnstiles and walk a bouts.  I cant tell you how many times I’ve gotten myself or belongings stuck in them to the point of receiving instructions from the token booth clerk on how to alleviate my situation.  The embarrassment that ensued my turnstile situation was intellectually insulting.