Video Prototype | Write It Out.
Design
My initial scenario focused on having haptic interactions with the app for speedier access. I wanted the user to shake the phone in order to open the app. I also felt that the motion of shaking the phone may help the user work some stress out or pull out from a dissociating or stressed state of mind. However, I found it difficult to work this into the video without adding more confusion to what was happening (especially in a low-fidelity state), along with privacy concerns if this shaking action unlocks the phone.
For the final iteration of my scenario, I focused on the app itself and removed the shaking interaction. In this scenario, the user, stressed and overwhelmed from being stuck on an essay she can’t finish, opens the app and uses it to journal out her feelings and worries. After she journals this, she feels better and is able to keep writing.
Storyboards
The first storyboard below is from my initial scenario. The second storyboard is the final scenario I went with.
Analysis
I filmed all shots at night and compiled them on Microsoft Clipchamp, along with background audio I recorded (like the mechanical buzzing sound and the fan sound) as well as free audio from Clipchamp (the music at the end when the user is being supported by the app). I did several reshoots of scenes as well.
My points of evaluation were the following:
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Desirability: The app feels compelling to people and people want to download it to support their stressful moments
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Impact: Increased calm and productivity. Using this app allows the user to refocus and lower the feeling of overwhelm, which allows them to do what they want to get done.
I sent the video to three people and asked them the following questions:
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On a scale of 1-5 (1 = absolutely not, 5 = absolutely yes), how likely are you to want to download this app, and why?
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How do you feel about this video’s story? (compelling / boring? clear / unclear? relatable / not relatable?)
The feedback I got from two of my reviewers for the first question was a 4 and a 5; my third reviewer said that they don’t like downloading apps in general, but if they were my target audience they would want to download it.
One reviewer advised me to add a shot at the end that shows the user smiling and seemingly relieved. Another reviewer advised me to try to split-screen the shots of the user typing and the user holding the phone so that we can see the text appearing. My third reviewer remarked that for the ending I could show more text appearing on screen, but added that even the small amount of text is good because it shows that any progress is good progress.
From this feedback I added a shot at the end of the user smiling, and I also added a typewriter-effect text on the screen to show what the user is typing.
I believe my video scenario effectively shows the purpose of the app and how it can help people, which addresses impact, and my feedback shows that I generally succeeded in making this app desirable to my reviewers. For future improvement I want to try adding voice-overs that add to what’s happening (maybe a monologue of the user’s stressed-out thoughts).
Reflection
This project was both easier and harder than I thought it would be. I was initially very overwhelmed by the prospect of doing this whole video by myself, but once I began filming and putting the shots together I began to have a lot of fun with the project. Clipchamp was also decently easy to learn and use (pretty good UX design).
I wish I had done more work on planning out and documenting my filming process. Reshoots made my original shotlist quickly devolve into chaos, and if I had known this ahead of time I would find a better way to keep track of all my old versus updated shots.
I’m most proud of my sound design—one of my reviewers remarked on how much they liked the sequence of quick shots with the loud background noise because it really effectively conveyed how distracting and overwhelming the moment was.