INSTRUCTIONAL
DESIGNER
CURTIS WANG
Camo
Concept
A photo gallery and editing web app that scaffolds expert actions and expert decision-making
for intermediate learners by presenting processes (rather than products) as learning goals.
October 2014
Notification of successful upload to gallery and editing queue.
Project selection window.
Imported photo.
First adjustment to imported photo as recommended by Camo.
Final adjustment to imported photo as recommended by Camo.
Call to Save and Export edited photo.
E-TUTORIAL DESIGN
I was originally tasked with redesigning a cloud-based photo management application. Need-finding work further focused the challenge on the transition from intermediacy to expertise in photo editing skill and confidence level. How might we make anxious users feel that they can edit their photos masterfully? My novel approach was to entirely do away with product goals in favor of focusing the user's attention on learning process goals.
In other words, instead of having the user strive toward a concrete end goal (by matching their own photo editing parameters to the model's parameters), I only offer the user an approximation of the final product so as to compel them to actively monitor and evaluate their own decision-making, and in turn facilitate deeper learning mechanics.
EMPATHY-DRIVEN DESIGN APPROACH
Photographers come in all shapes and sizes. Some identify as perfectionists in all stages from capture to editing to cataloging. Others are far more partial to function than fashion as they exchange photos with friends to notify them of the latest goings on with functional, visual evidence.
I interviewed 3 users: Rachel the "Self-Aware Semiotician", Ricky the "OCD Archivist", and an analogous user DJ Dai Chi, whose music cataloging thought processes might provide insight into an efficient approach to mass-organizing digital files. [describe each of Rachel, Ricky, and DJ; two sentences each max]. The insights that emerged were sorted into a number of themes: 1) Purpose of Photography, 2) Attitudes About Picture Quality vs. Content, 3) Quantity of Photos, 4) Overall Attitude & Comfort, 5) File Naming & Labelling Practices, 6) Metadata & Tagging, 7) Photo Editing, 8) Attitudes About Backup & File Organization, 9) Photo Retrieval, 10) Special Tensions & Misc.
Ultimately, Ricky's need appealed most to me as an opportunity to further explore his needs within learning sciences frameworks.