HIKERPATH
Augment.
Educate. Entertain.
This is your route from the past into the future. Get. On. It.
A critical evaluation of the finished artefact
The finished artefact for my creative media practice module
is a fully-functioning website, an interactive Google map and a short
demonstrational/promotional video which functions as an aid to the final
presentation of my idea and also to introduce users to the Hikerpath
experience. These three separate
elements exist both independently as ‘live’ media artefacts on the internet but
also converge to form parts of a fragmented narrative.
Design and planning of HIKERPATH website
The project would use the existing National Cycle Network(NCN) routes as its basis for the narrative structure. One element of the intended
user experience and the target audience for the project was for me to focus on cyclists
and walkers who would hopefully stumble upon the QR codes at the physical
geographical locations and augmentation points themselves. I felt that users of the Trans Pennine Trail
would relate to the colour schemes used on the cycle route signs, (red, white
and blue) so I adopted a similar theme to the website.
One original concept I created was for users to engage with
the experience at locations marked with footprints which would be painted onto
the ground at specific points, indicating an interactive artefact is located at
a particular site. I developed this idea
further during the implementation stage as I decided that in practice there may
be a danger of damaging public property.
My initial design for a logo would incorporate a footprint graphic, but
acting on feedback from my tutors, I felt that using a ‘smart device’ graphic
would be a more relevant use of semiotics in this case.
I created my own logo for the site using Photoshop which I
incorporated into the design and layout of the finished website. The logo was modelled on the existing route
signs. Where the existing signs would show
the route number, in this case 62 for the Trans Pennine Trail, the Hikerpath
logo would include a ‘smartphone icon’ graphic, which would act as an
instruction for users to engage with the experience via mobile device,
either by augmenting or QR scanning, as and when they arrive at the locations.
I created my own images for the website, some of which can be linked
to here (URL for Photobucket Gallery).
These photographs were captured during the production phase and formed
part of a shooting script I created during the location video shoot. (copy of shooting script). I felt satisfied with the production quality of the images and video
obtained. However, given the opportunity
to revisit this project I would like to spend some more time obtaining some
more professional looking shots. One
major setback for me during this part of the process was the weather, which I feel limited the diversity of the shots I was able to achieve.
One other aspect of the layout and design of the HIKERPATH site which I would draw further attention to would be to use opacity functions within the software to appropriately hue the text which overlays the images in the gallery on the home page. Although satisfied with the layout, on some images, the 'Trans Pennine Trail' title is difficult to read as it becomes obscured by a lighter image in the background. Given more time, I would like to have been able to test this website on a user group and take their feedback into account before re-addressing some of these issues.
Apps, Maps and Linking Artefacts
I feel that one of the project's successes was the ability to include the element of ‘Augmented Reality’ by introducing an external app which users could download from scanning a QR code on a signpost or from linking to the HIKERPATH site. I researched a
number of different apps which are currently available in order to provide a
‘hidden’ element to the project. It was
my intention to use this newly available technology in order to progress the
story further. I felt it was a method of providing
an alternative to QR codes 'on location' whilst still incorporating the use of QR codes into
the main website.
Due to the scale of the project and the tight deadline in which to achieve both creating and implementing a finished artefact, I felt that
overall the project was a success. All links were tried and tested and I was able to present and demonstrate the QR codes' successful navigation to the Google map artefact during my presentation.
However, if provided with the opportunity to produce a similar project in future, I would try to
allocate more time to rehearsing the final presentation. One shortcoming of the overall project and presentation was that I was unable to
complete the annotated youtube element to the completed video I produced.
Although
I concentrated on high production values for the finished video, using previously learned methods of digital manipulation and editing tools via Adobe After Effects and Premiere software, I was unable to fully complete the links to the options
provided to the user at the end of the film, (Get the App, Get the Map, Get
involved). If able to complete a similar project in future, I would allocate more time to researching other available options such as WireWax and Klynt. This would enable me to provide users with links to additional external sites, rather than limiting myself to Youtube.
I created two different types of 'augmentation locations' for the HIKERPATH project, in keeping with the idea that the project was to ‘Educate and Entertain’. 'Eduplaces' would be points
that linked to interactive artefacts of historical and cultural significance,
where 'Ent-terrains' would be points of interest which would link to blog
entries, social media group threads and artefacts uploaded by the Hikerpath
community. I felt that during the final
presentation, this area was perhaps not fully explained so given the opportunity, I
would like to practice the delivery of the presentation further in order to
prepare me for pitching the idea to peers and professionals in the future.
Future Development, Geocrashing and Running on Reserves
This production experience will be used as a prototype for my final end
of year project, which is an interactive socio-economic documentary – The location of which is
situated directly adjacent to the ‘HIKERPATH’ project on the opposite bank of
the river Mersey. I intend to use the HIKERPATH experience as a
way of linking the two projects. Users
will be able to visit the ‘Future Flower’ on the Trans-Pennine Trail and access
the completed interactive documentary from an ‘augmentation’ point at that specific
location, in order to generate further interest and help build a larger community to become involved in HIKERPATH, Geocrashing UK and Running on Reserves (working title for interactive documentary project)
From this location, there will be an opportunity for users
to take their own photographs of the existing landscape and upload them to the
documentary project (via an facebook group or twitter account specific to the HIKERPATH project). This collection of
images will form an important part of the interactive film which is intended to document
the changing landscape of the Transpennine trail and adjacent community park and nature reserve, as a new six lane road bridge is built overhead linking
the two areas together.
I intend to build upon the HIKERPATH project, whilst exploring other available digital media technologies thorugh emerging HTML5 software such as WireWax and Klynt.
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