Week 4 (2/3-2/7)

Previous Week

Last week the team worked over time developing four strong conceptual approaches to the client’s project that could definitively address the application’s needs.  Each approach touched on all of the client’s goals but primarily focused its features in one area in order to provide a strong user experience and stay within scope.  This would also allow the client to prioritize what they desired for the delivered product.

Week Overview

This week the team focused on strengthening four conceptual directions the project could take for the first half of the week, and implementing prototypes for the initial features of the application after obtaining the client’s approval for a social focus.

Progress

The team continued developing the conceptual project directions at the beginning of the week and compiled and organized these designs within a presentation which was shown to the client in the middle of the week.  The client indicated that the application design which focused on their social goals and provided an environment for users to share their content and progress would best align with their vision for the project.  Following the client meaning, the team conceptualized what we felt would be the primary features for the application and designated tasks for the first sprint.  By the end of the week, the developers had prototyped basic infrastructure and front end for allowing the user to select their avatar and desired environment.  The artists also contributed concept art for an initial avatar and user environment.

Prospect

The team has made good progress on prototyping the functionality for the first of the primary feature set and currently ahead of schedule on our sprint.  Next week we plan on finishing the prototype for a first user’s avatar and environment selection, and allow returning users to have their selections reflected on screen.  We also plan to move ahead with implementing a prototype for the next feature, the user’s communicate their reading experience and preferences through a bookshelf in their environment.