Developer post

Im behind with the developer, I previously had to change developers pretty late on and even though I now have a new developer, I was thrown off course by the essential need to a php questionnaire, I need to do the questions for the questionnaire this weekend at the latest, I hoped that questions I drew up previously early on in brainstorming would come in hgandy but they were not suited to the change in project concept, so from fresh this weekend. I should be ok, as the structure and php form are straightforward and don't require too much scripting, so should be completed soon but I think a back up plan is a must, something that can be implimented that can over ride the need for a developer if the project time scale closes to a near.

Pondering innovation

Does my project need to be more innovative?

I haven't had the best reaction from adults/students in regards to my concept, though I've had a real good response from kids of the age range of my potential users, the later is good, real good, the earlier makes me ponder the above question. Which is more important the reaction from peers or from my users? , well would love to say the users, but they arent marking my work, I wonder if there is still anything I can do to balance this out without disrupting the effectiveness of the delivery to the users.

The concept of a design magazine for aspiring creatives, or just those curious of middleschool age is innovative in itself, though could it be more innovative, in its delivery, the medium / platform taken,

• paper based is out, the project needs to be interactive and pop out books are for the preschool, (NOTE: PAPERBASED VERSION WOULD BE WORTH PRODUCING),
• if its not internet based, how about cd/dvd - though distribution is a problem, the ideal solution would be for a weekend newspaper or monthly magazine, but problems occur for this without a deal, the project doesn't get seen, a deal for the distribution is a must, though costs also are a big problem?, this would be a simple endevor if I had a team and money but alone its too big scale and the negative would be my work being unseen on a degrading disk, I say this is a no, but I wouldnt mind such a project if I had a distribution deal and a budget to charge my costs to.
• Over the internet makes sence but avaliable offline too? In recent times PDF magazines have become rapid appearing, especially seen at www.pdf-mags.com - host to design magazines for adults , including candy and oddica that I have read on occasion, good for laptop users, how useful for my user, if they use their family computer, internet maybe a problem- limited time? or if they use school computers they can download it to disk to view at home if they don't have the internet, so a pdf version is an worthy option but pdf has limited interaction possibilitys, so not an innovation in regards to my project, but maybe a possible add on later.
• Version avaliable for mobile devices, with a connection if the site is xhtml it will be viewable on the lastest display phones, a deal with phone co, 3G? avaliable by sucription on to phones, this is such a future possiblity, kids dont have massive display phones, not the size of business phones, so for now not worth it unless its a game thats not information based, if the user was different , a magazine business users, I could see that working.
• A final blast would be an online magazine , totally interactive, how about graphical done as a newspaper middle pages but interactive, so the same style layout, no menu just content spread out, different colors and font sizes and style to seperate up. I've seen this work for a poster (not interactive) but an online magazine is information based, would it be too much so the information doesn't come across, non effective, so no no.

I seem to go round in circles, but what a journey, ok the form my online magazine works best, for the user group, for the fact that its information based, for the future possibilitys of expansion. A note the choice of downloading a pdf version as a add on is worth doing if not in this time fame later on. If the form it takes is fitting for the project and users then unnessesery innovations are well unnessessery to delve into anymore just now.

Dilemma again

I chose Julie as the tutor to oversee my project, though I havent been able to meet, which has become a problem, Ill try and arrange another meeting, but Ill also email the areas that I see a problem with and also areas noted by vicky, so even we can't meet straight away at least I can get some feedback.

The issues,
How to prepare for scoping sponsors.
What do I need to show to illustrate the need for my project.
Making up for the lack of early user testing - a php questionnaire- but what else can I do.

The money topic

In my sesson with vicky 'money' was a concern, how would I make money from the project, if it was to be carryed on pass the trial version then money would indeed be needed, but to be honest it didn't really come to mind during the brainstorming for the project as I guess the fact that its a student project has remained at the front of my mind.

Thats not to say I havent ran through options and development ideas on occasion.

• Vicky made the suggestion for a password protected online verson, like the kinderegg promotion, or the cereal box versions. But for me to have a paperbased version of the magazine that I sell which has a code inside for more content online. This I dont see being possible as the distribution of the magazine is a large task in itself and having a paperbased and digital version of the same magazine is a problem as why buy a monthly magazine when there is a lot more online, it gets a bit brain numbing besides it really needs to be interactive. Putting that aside, who would buy a monthly design magazine, when they can spend the money on sweets, junkfood etc, and parents with a tight budget buying it monthy I dont think so, would a paperbased version be bought. I've thought hard into this idea, for it to work it would have to be a product wanted by kids and is affordable by parents, maybe to do a promotion with crayola or a art supplies co with codes on the packets for the online magazine. This is a possiblilty but I dont see it being viable to propose to such companys without something visible, so I would need to complete the trial verson.
• I could develop it for an in house magazine for a school, run by an after school art club, dreamy but unlikely, rules and regulations and the admin are very strict, as I would need to deal direct with a school, businesses I guess go to agencys to do all the in between part, and have mutual beneficial relationships with schools, I cant match that or come close in the time set for planning at the start.
• I could be bad, and go for the google advertisments or the worst kind of links. Though I won't go there, way too unethical for me.
• I could do the donate to me button strategy, taken up by download sites though my users would be kids, so it wouldn't work the same as how it does on download sites.

With these options for income on the project, who pays, its the child which is basically direct from the parent anyhow, so the parent, now would a parent pay monthly, I hit on it before, the answer proberly no, especially without a product, its just an online pressence, people don't like to pay for what they can't hold. Also by making the parent pay, those whos parents won't by lack of budget or wish, those children miss out, that would be a lot of potential future design lovers, I dont want to cut down on my potential audience, so changing who pays is a strong option. So who, who has money, business, but do they get in return, access to my users, so business who want to come face to face with my age group of users, that could be google ads, but im thinking more ethical, how about already reliable brand that touch on child education, disney, peguin books, red house books, cbbc?, etc (NOTE MUST RIGHT UP A LIST), sponsors in other words, who can place banners, links on to the online magazine, maybe even develop the online magazine to look more closely part of there brand. Though again I state hunting and proposing businesses is unlikely successful with nothing visible to show, so completing the beta version is a must.

My thoughts.

Work in progress

The work in progress presentation I presented today-extention, I will upload and add as a link soon. It was a tough presentation, I was so fatiqued and totally lost my focus beforehand, so it didn't start well, well it didnt have a good middle too, I was very disappointed.

Vicky had concerns over how I would make money from the project and user testing the project . The first one I wasn't expecting and the later one I knew would come up but didn't have a good enough answer to, as I didnt have the resources to do the user testing I wanted to do.

I plan to complete the verson 1 of the online mag, a prototype, so then I can test it with 7-11 year olds and promote to possible sponsors. Something workable and visible is needed to do both of these.

Though I take on a couple of vickys suggestions adding a php questionnaire on the quality of the online magazine to be answered by readers, to get feedback whether good or bad, really like this, I didn't think to include, Ill include it with the developers work and getting a teacher on board straight away to advise on the project, I was going to leave it till later as I think i will have problems later on, testing once uploaded, evaluating, putting the project together to hand in, but vicky strongly adviced against it, I think it would be wise to take the advice, especially as shes marking the work, It would be idiotic to ignore any advice.

Once I get a teacher to work with I will go through the project, theres many faults I can see, and need to find solutions or work on but also I need to know the strengths so I can back them up. I had julie samuals in mind since the start as she was the module leader for design for learning so I know she has knowledge of designing educational projects. I've emailed Julie, because its the second semester I don't know whether she has to many students on her list, I hope not, Just wait for a response. It would be good for some further advice.

I will post again on the issue of money further, I need to de bug my head, its quite late, but I want to cover the avenues I thought and didnt think about in regards to making money to sustain the project on a longterm and future plans.

The screenshots

I still am unable to scan in all my sketches, as a lack of a scanner is the problem, will be uploaded when possible. Skipping ahead here is the screenshots of the index page, the magazine section, the blog section.



(index page)














(magazine section)














(blog section)

Progress

Design specification almost complete - done but very messy.

Converstations with developer- will report on progress.

Sketches of layout and design - to be scanned and posted once find a new scanner or alternative.

Content retrieval - still on going

Photos - Photos for cover and insides to be taken at the right opportunitys.

Graphics for the website and for the cover- to be designed further soon.

Written content - write content for articles section (also take photos for and relevant info).

Contact with designers - once I have gotten further with the tasks above I will start communicating with designers for profiles and interviews.

Presentation blues

Wasn't able to present my 'work in progress presentation', but it was for the best, letting my project develop at its own pace instead of cutting corners or rushing work to be able to show more visuals. I was blue, as extentions are new to me and not much liked, though presenting when I go back after half term is good, I will have visual work to show- designs and I would be full in the design stage, looking forward to.

Issue ideas

I brainstormed loads of ideas for the previous proposal magazine topics and noted them but for this proposal I havent noted them on this blog, my bad.

I know the first three are

Paper - so much can be down with paper in design and art, this one might be my favourite soon see, will include simple projects like origami but also slightly more complex ones, like creating something from cutting out a shape from a piece of paper, with the cut out bit still connected, theres an artist who does this but its stunning and inspiring, perfect to mention maybe Ill try and do a profile on the artist. I'm looking forward to this one.

Grafetti- I think ill do this one as its definatley a talking point, which is what I want not only for the readers to view images and learn new techniques, ideas but also discuss design topics, is grafetti bad good? can you call it art? etc, but also ill include street art, and grafetti on more than walls, clothing design, and projects such as grafetti for excersize books and poster art.

Recycle - an issue on reuseing materials for design, show examples and easy projects. Also a good discussion topic for the blog. I like the idea of reusing lego as dominos by just adding on stickers, I think I posted an image earlier.

These are definate.

Other ideas for issues include:

Type
3d - look at movies, look at old 3d through red blue glasses.
color
sound
flash
best of digital design
animation
comic/storyboarding art
texture
doodles
pattern
collarge
advert
pixel
think-an inspiration issue
experiemental design
influences from culture - america, china, japan, brazil, europe, etc.
photography fun
promote - how they can make a difference, promoting themselves.

This is the fun thinking but cant collect too much content, ill do the three months for the hand in so it will cover the end of my time at uni, then I can always research and collect info during the summer for the following issues.

Scanner crisis

Really it seems to one problem after another, I must have broke a ton of mirrors or was cursed by wrong doings in a previous life, unluckyness follows me. My scanner broke, it was a crap one so doesn't surprise me, though it was only bought recently so it shouldn't have.

I needed it to scan in the sketches for the layout, the sketch for the marketing material and pages of designs that have caught my eye and are some what relevant in getting across the design in mind for this project. Oh and any further sketches or things I see.

This is a problem, I don't know how to fix, I wouldn't say there is any close internet cafes with scanners? actually there proberly is but I cant see myself doing that and scanners in uni, I cant even log in so use of the scanners is even more impossible, unless I befriend someone but I'm not in uni long enough. Ponder Ponder, I try giving my scanner a good shake up, though at the moment the sound it is emitting is pounding my head. I would look at picking up a cheap scanner but I still have study material to buy, and that was a cheap scanner and it lasted a piterful amount of time.

Something to ponder further I can't think, with the noise its making.

Extention?

Looks like I have no choice but to ask for an extention for the work in progress presentation, I juggled so much especially trying to catch up, I failed to spot the deadline in time, for anything decent, I'm disappointed but couldn't have been helped. I didn't think I would ever ask for one on this module but my minor, multimedia computing I don't relate well to so its hard as it is but when its research based it almost is impossible, (i cant read well any more, cause of my learning difficulty) and this has had a knock on effect with this module.

It was only at the end of the summer I was dignosed with a learning disability and its has taken time to be able to work with it, even now im still behind. Hopefully next semester when I start new modules I can get a bulk of work done for double project, I wanted to spend more time on this module than what I have done, but I am still looking forward to doing the designs and putting the content up and putting it all together, and I hope to carry on the magazine beyondmy time at university.

All I have to do now is email Vicky, I hate asking for extentions, I haven't ever done in previous years, so its new to me but I dont like it, no choice, in order to catch up with my project timing and get fair grades I have to. Ill post how it goes.

Designers contacts

Because I changed my proposal for the project, some of my work was wasted, I had been gathering contacts of educational figures to contribute knowledge, project ideas etc, but now because of the change I have been collecting designers contacts instead, I will do this untill I have a spread of designers from different aspects of design, then I will send them all out a contact asking to include them in the magazine in the form of a profile or interview. The wasted time couldn't have been avoided I'm glad I changed the project idea.

As for the list of contacts, which is growing all the time, this won't be used untill the design specification is handed over, as its the priority. This task has been done instead of high agenda its been done during my time spent on the computer in general, I visit alot of designer portfolios, blogs etc, so its been an easy task, just jotting done names numbers etc.

The kinda of email will be just something allong the lines of asking if they would like to feature in a magazine aimed at the early creatives, just answering a few questions a profile about your design. Who am I, a sentence will do, Then say more about the magazine what it covers whats its purpose and follow up with I would like you to feature within the magazine even if you can just give a word or two of advice to young creatives.

tadaa, well a bit better written though, but nothing written to formal, I always get a better response back by email when I'm a little more human in a email.

The designers I hope to feature, will be designers that specialize in

webdesign
experiemental design
game design
photographers
illustrators
video design
packaging design
Graphic design
animators
character design
identity design
advertising

Fields that primary school kids can relate to, product design for example less so, as its something a primary school kids might not have the means to experiement or explore. Video design I have included as primary school kids are very aware of video, even if the issue is mainly about showing how the mtv videos are designed, or the tv adverts are done.

I must admit I have more illustrators and graphic designers contacts than any other designers. Though graphic design is a good type of design for getting interest, as its so relatable, drawing isn't hard I would say but time consuming, and children can see that and are more willing to give it a go.

youngCREATIVE structure

I haven't as yet really commented on the structure of I wouldn't say the magazine as thats only one part I would say of the artifact that is youngcreativemag.co.uk.

Well the website structure that the online magazine is part of is broken up into sections of the website, The magazine is one section, the blog to accompany the magazine topics is another section, the third is archives, this would be previous magazine issues, then the final would be a contact section.

Within the magazine section the content is broken up into, the different forms,

article- this would be a article written by me, to inspire, would include photos, it might be upon an exhibition, things a primary school kid maynot have access to but is interested in, it could be just to show different things to inspire or to promote talk within a topic, might be linked the months topic.
profile / interview - it might be one some months the other other months, but would consist oif information on designers in perticular fields, showing some of their work.
projects - how to tutorials, or ideas that the user can try.
links - links for further reading or websites under the months topic.
Recommendations - within the months issue, any recommendations such as books, places to visit etc.
resources - extra resources such as templates.

Under the blog section, well a blog, but every month I will post entries of images of links or questions for anyone reading to ponder or talk about, but the blog will be open, so if the user is stuck on a topic, or wants to know something perticular, they could post querys to be answered or they can email me work that they have done and I will post it up, Its very open, but I will put on a log in to post, so I can control it in part.

I though I would mention the structure and my ideas as I am working on the design specification and twinning features etc. But the above is guarenteed to be featured.

Photo ready

Allong with the website I bought a digital SLR, its a beauty, with a nice lens. Been waiting ages to get the one I was after, now I am ready for the time I need to take pictures for the covers and for the articles and of any bits that I recommend. But they will be beautiful photos and do the website proud. A magazine has to have good photos. Though not studio perfect I dont have those resources on hand.

Website crisis over

I own www.youngcreativemag.co.uk , its mine, finally the previous crisis has been sorted. I've only just paid so by tommorrow its should have all gone though. yeh.