The Problem:
This project came to life after a conversation with an art student about Le Corbusier’s Golden Mean. He observed that classical design often employed the ratio 1:1.618, which he then employed in his famous Modular architecture. This ratio is readily observed in art and nature. Being able to measure the ratio, however, isn’t easy. Existing iPhone apps are difficult to use or simply don’t work.
The Team:
I consulted with two art students and one architect. However, this was an independent project that I used to demonstrate interaction design.
The Tools:
The first tool I used was a small piece of engraved plastic called the “Golden Section Finder,” created by Parsons and Charlesworth for Areaware. By looking through the transparent plastic, one can see the etched boxes on top of whatever you’re looking at. My television, for example, uses the golden ratio – I just checked. I envisioned an iPhone app that was that simple to use.
Discovery:
During the discovery phase only a handful of “golden section” apps existed. One app was numerical calculator that produced the results from two figures – a calculator. Another app had interface problems. If you tried to take a picture, parallax shift occurred, with the image and grid no longer aligned on the saved file. A third app employed AR, with an ever-shifting grid that could not be locked in place. What each app lacked was the ability to hold the grid in place and then save an image to file if desired.
The Process:
I created two personas for the project – the art student and the architect. The fundamental assumption was that the app would be used in everyday journeys to explore the world around them. Or, quite simply, to check if a given artwork or building had the right proportions.
I used low-fidelity sketches to map out the app interface. The viewfinder needed a grid overlay, but also reliable, easy-to-use controls to adjust size and orientation of the grid. The competitor apps had taught me that you needed two active hands when using the app: one to hold the smartphone steady, the other to adjust the grid. I created high fidelity sketches in Sketch. For demonstration purposes, I created the interactive prototypes in InVision and Adobe XD.
The Outcome
The interactive prototypes work. I am currently looking for a developer to build the app.