Exploring New Agency: Creating a Sustainable Lifestyle App and Positioning My Professional Practice4/30/2024 In the DPS year, I aim to develop my critical thinking and design skills, while exploring fields related to critical issues and trying to develop an advanced solution to the problem. Lack of convenience in recycling items during moving out of the accommodation led me to consider creating a platform that provides recycling information, where users connect to share, inspire, and contribute to a sustainable lifestyle, forming a central hub for eco-conscious individuals. This app will enable users to find information on recycling locations, scan objects for recycling guidance, and connect with a community for recycling-related queries. This SIP project provides a great opportunity to explore my “New Agency” and take the initiative to seek new knowledge and experiences. The essay illustrates my exploration of my chosen subject in SIP and how it aligns with the UI/UX discipline and field. Then, I will discuss how engaging in a self-initiated project adds distinction to one's practice. Explain how the SIP allows for unique perspectives and approaches within the discipline. Finally, there will be a comparison and contrast of the SIP with the practices of the two practitioners, highlighting similarities and differences. It was inspired by my experience of the lack of convenience in recycling items during my moving out of accommodations. The recycling was inefficient, and there was a huge amount of waste thrown out during the end-term season. As I conducted research for surveys and similar app products, I discovered a lack of easy and convenient access to recycling information. The survey (2024) result revealed challenges among 18-24-year-olds in understanding recycling guidelines. There is a potential demand among users seeking accessible, reliable information. However, there was no good product for searching recycling info, which was restricted to the local area and lack of reliability in the latest recycling info. I aim to develop an advanced solution to this issue, utilizing an app platform to integrate the information and connect people to the action. Furthermore, It was aligned with my interest in the UI/UX field, in which I will be developing a UI interface for recycling info, and providing a convenient service to help people maintain a sustainable lifestyle. During the progress of the SIP project, I have restructured the working progress of how I approach the problem. Building an app requires specific data and a clear structure for the user experience. It not only trained my independent thinking but also provided a unique perspective on the issue, for instance, assumptions and questions before building the app shown in Figure 3(2024). Although it is a fictional project, the app feature must aligned with goals, which provide reliable info and a convenient life to a sustainable lifestyle as a priority. Based on my observation from Figures 4 and 5 (2024), recycling services are strongly related to the local community and local council regarding their guidance and laws. each area might be different ranging from the bin day to the object they are willing to recycle. Therefore, the function of locating users’ areas became important to provide relevant info regarding their living area. Figure 4. UK local council research, Figure 5. Locating users’ function in app prototype I gained valuable insights from the SIP project, which helped me position my professional practice in pre-graduation. Compared to the two practitioners Josie Allison (no date) and Simon Pan (2015), several key similarities and differences position me in a unique identity. Josie Allison is a UX/UI, Web, Branding, and Graphic Designer, which share a similar skillset as me in graphic design and branding. This skillset enhanced the aesthetic visual and app branding identity, providing a more empathic and connected user interface design. On the other hand, Simon Pan is a UX designer who specializes in designing the user experience. His work is more focused on how the users interact with the product, which is also the main challenge of my project: guiding users to the destination and merging the product with the reality situation. Compared to the two practitioners, one key component that separates my practice from theirs is the motion skill I gained from the internship. It not only could make the user interaction smoother but also could apply motion in dynamic branding identity. This unique position helps to contribute to a more engaging community platform and groundbreaking way to promote sustainable living. It also equipped me to specialize in the UI/UX field with a motion graphic skillset to create more intuitive and captivating digital experiences. Figure 6. Josie Allison’s portfolio website (Allison, J., no date), Figure 7. Simon Pan’s portfolio website (Pan, S., 2015) Overall, the essay illustrates the concept of the SIP project and its role in exploring the "New Agency." The app aims to provide localized information regarding recycling services and sustainable practices. On the other hand, I gained valuable insights and skillset from the development progress, It helped me develop my independent thinking skills and gave me an alternative perspective on the subject. Furthermore, the SIP project provides a clear understanding of my future career path and find a unique position in my professional practice. Bibliography
Allison, J. (no date) Josie Allison [Design]. Available at: https://www.itsjosie.com/ (Accessed: 27 April 2024). Chin, C. L. (2024) proposed outcome [Photograph] Chin, C. L. (2024) survey result data [Photograph] Chin, C. L. (2024) Questions and assumptions in the brainstorming stage [Photograph] Chin, C. L. (2024) UK local council research [Photograph] Chin, C. L. (2024) Locating users’ function in app prototype [Photograph] Pan, S. (2015) User Experience Design Portfolio of Simon Pan. Available at: https://simonpan.com/ (Accessed: 27 April 2024).
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