Provide your name, major, year in school (sophomore, junior, etc).
Hello, my name is Ryan Wu. I am a Junior with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Human-Computer Interaction.
Tell us a bit about your background and what prompted you to take this class.
Even though I have a minor in Human-Computer Interaction, I have primarily studied and worked in spheres related to "backend" development. I would like to round out my education by learning about how the design of digital tools can greatly benefit a user. I wish to be prepared for my transition into a role where the products that I make will have more of an impact on an end user in critical situations.
Do you have any experience with HTML/CSS/JS? If so, tell us a bit about it.
I have some experience with HTML/CSS/JS through a few WashU courses: CSE 204 and 330.
Name one thing you hope to learn in this class.
While I believe I have a competent technical grasp of HTML/CSS/JS, I hope to learn to use these technical skills to design interfaces that people intuitively understand and benefit a user.
Name one way you expect designing for screen to be different from designing for paper.
Screens are inherently captivating due to their bright colors and dynamic components as opposed to the relatively binary color and static nature of paper. It's critical that our designs do not overwhelm a user, rather shepherd a user.
Provide a link to a website you think exemplifies effective design. Explain your choice.
Apple Vision Pro Website Link(Hover on the link above!) Apple's primary goal is to sell their (arguably pricey) products to consumers. This website carefully walks an unassuming consumer through all the features and benefits of this specific product. In fact, we can observe a rather linear, story-like thought process carefully guiding the consumer. The consumer only sees the benefits of a product and by the end may not be able to resist the urge to invest in their product.
Provide a link to a website you think exemplifies effective communication. Explain your choice.
Patagonia Homepage Link(Hover on the link above!) Similar to Apple, Patagonia's primary goal is to sell their products to consumers. Rather than directly speaking on their products and their technical specifications, Patagonia focuses on how their products benefit your goals and their goals of supporting the planet. In one of the sections, Patagonia includes stories of people exploring the outdoors and undertaking new adventures while subtly wearing Patagonia.
Provide a link to a website you think works well. Explain your choice.
Reddit Homepage Link(Hover on the link above!) The Reddit hompage is relatively straightforward. The main purpose of the website is to display different forms of media specifically text, video, and images and does so without any functionality issues. The website isn't incrediby overcomplicated and intuitive to navigate: the explorable media immediately accessible and scrollable. In all my experiences with Reddit, I have never any issues with the implementation, that is how the website displays and interacts with a user.