In this final project I learned how to incorporate playable video footage into Figma. The easy part of this was editing the video down and converting it to the right format in Adobe Premiere Pro. The hard part of this was getting the overlays and components to appear at the right time in the frame. Sometimes pausing the video or lag will throw off the timing. I think my submission could be improved by adding more footage from a different environment. Using video in Figma will be useful for using the program in the future, even if the functionality is a little clunky now I’m sure it will improve. A reading that inspired me was “Augmented Reality: Everything You Need to Know” by Nextech.

In the second project of DMA 217, I believe that my Figma skills have continued to improve. I learned how to create a retractable interface on my frames, as well as add text/image scrolling. The easy part of this project was creating the general layout and pages for my website, as I had already done this in DMA 201. The most challenging part for me was creating the interaction for picture enlargement on my desktop website. I think my submission could be improved with more detail and pages, as well as a better theme (I used dummy text for some pages.) I will use this knowledge to help with formatting a website, maybe even outside of Figma, as the general concept will still be important. I am pleased with the way my website turned out and I think that I have gotten the basics of web design used in work or school.

This is the first project of DMA 217. The basic assignment was to design a reminder app for use on a smartphone. In this project, I used the basics of Figma I learned and expanded upon them. I learned how to create a proper button using the “variant” function, allowing me to have buttons switch between multiple states. I also learned that I should make everything into a component so I can copy it and update it very easily. The easiest part of this project for me was creating the logo. I had just learned how to make logos in another class, DMA 201, so I used that knowledge to create it. On the other hand, the hardest part of this assignment was creating the “Edit Task” and “Delete Task” functions for my TO-DO. At first, they were very overly complicated, but I was able to use the “variant” function to make them simpler.

I think my submission could be improved by adding more graphics and making it a little more ascetically pleasing. I wanted to keep my interface very basic so the user is not distracted with unnecessary clutter. However, I think a few smaller additional functions, even if they are not essential to the app’s purpose, would improve my project.

Luckily, I can apply this knowledge to any future projects using Figma. I can also apply the general creative principles I learned to projects outside of Figma.

There was also a reading that inspired me for this project. It was an article on the Adobe website called “Design Thinking Process and Its Phases.” The article can be found here:

https://xd.adobe.com/ideas/principles/design-systems/design-thinking-process/

I read it towards the start of my project, and it helped me visualize the basics of how I wanted my app to be built from the ground up.

I believe this project is a good stepping stone for my future works in DMA.