Weekly Blog Post Animated Band Map

Please follow the link below to see an interactive map of the "Drew Davis Band." Who are they you ask....hell if I know, I just found this GRUVR site that shows dates/locations of where live bands will be playing locally. This particular band is playing at Mason so that's why I chose them!

http://gruvr.com/band/drewdavisband/

Cool Maps of War website (Animated Map Post)

Check out this really cool web site called Maps of War...the "author" is a history buff and self-proclaimed Flash geek...but he does really AWESOME historical Flash maps.

The link below is specifically for the Middle East and North Africa and who controlled land over time....ignore the name "Imperial History." He does have other maps like the spread of religion and US History.

Enjoy......

http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/imperial-history.html

Lab 5 Republican Election Results

Please follow the link to get to my Republican Party Election Results Flash movie. I am not too please with the colors....but everything works and I actually thought the scripting was pretty easy. I thought this one was way easier and straightforward than the Superbowl map from Hell! Maybe less frames and no timeline to deal with helped!

Thanks for everyone's help.....I learn a lot from my fellow students. I also stole Kevin's checkbox legend to actually name the candidates...it is definitely interesting to see the visual of the Bush family for 4 election years.

Enjoy....or not :-)

http://mason.gmu.edu/~mpickar2/lab5_final.html

Lab3/4

Okay, FINALLY after lots of frustration, procrastination, illness (flu and strep) and injury (two times) my Lab3&4 are DONE! I would like to have made it prettier and I noticed a few minor things but all the buttons, timelines and everything WORK!

I also downloaded a 30-day trial copy to use at home, because I couldn't get into the lab. Thanks to all my fellow students who both helped me directly and indirectly by my observing them in the lab.....okay I will stop rambling and finish this damn blog....did I mention I hate football and had to re-do this thing because I didn't have the schedule with the BYE weeks and couldn't figure out why I onlyhad 19 weeks....what the hell is a BYE week anyway?

Don't answer because I hate football more than ever now ;-)

http://mason.gmu.edu/~mpickar2/Lab4_final.html

Map brief - Interface Design for Interactive Maps - Kevin & Martha

The following information and sites talk more specifically about "web interface design" in general, but considering that maps like the ones we are making are being presented digitally and through the web, we think the criteria for good web interface design applies to good interface design for interactive maps as well.

-What is Interface Design and what is the goal of good interface design?

"Interface Design - The creation of a way for a customer, client, or visitor to interact with a product, be it a piece of software, instructional material, technical documentation, etc. The interface may take the form of a computer screen, a hand-held control panel, a set of pushbuttons, etc. Design of the interface is critical to the user's successful, positive experience with the product. Interface design encompasses an analysis of the needs and expectations of the user and the needs and tasks that the product is designed to help the user perform.

"User-Centered Design - "The goal is to provide for the needs of all your potential users, adapting Web technology to their expectations and never requiring readers to conform to an interface that places unnecessary obstacles in their paths.

Sources: http://www.denow.com/6gloss/index.html
http://webstyleguide.com/interface/user-centered.html


-What aspects make a good interface design for interactive maps?

Usability - "refers to how intuitively or easily your media item is navigated and processed (flow, sequence, instructions, download time). Note, this construct is the most inclusive of the three and is influenced by both visualization and functionality.

"Visualization - "is creating visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing media items while avoiding potentially distracting or unncessary "bells and whistles.

"Functionality - " refers to the features of your media item and how useful they are for supporting a given task (e.g., interactive simulations, drill and practice quizzes, site maps, frequently asked questions, search engines).

"Accessibility - " is an emerging Web interface design topic; if not addressed, it will negatively influence Web site usability for users with certain disabilities; tools that help users access your site in alternative formats (e.g., text, aural, visual) provide for increased functionality.

Source: http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/interface


Common Interface Design Considerations:

Layout-
-What is your purpose?
-Display only or user interaction?
--Downloadable or View only?
-How much data do you have to communicate? Who is your audience?
-Dynamic user interaction OR a movie type animation?
-Single or Multiple Pages? (Keep it simple)
-Opening Intro/Splash page and Closing Page?
-Timeline on bottom or top, moving left to right through time
-How will the user interact with the timeline.....click, scroll, auto play with pre-defined stops?
--Do you have any additional info to provide when user clicks on dates on the timeline?
-Table of Contents or User manipulated layers on left
--How will the user toggle layers for viewing....pull down, check boxes, tab menu?

Buttons/Interface
-VCR buttons for stepping through the timeline sequence
--Play, Stop/Pause, FWD, REV-Rollover effect (user provided info about particular button or graphic)
--Text box appears OR icon changes color, line width etc.
-Cursor changes from arrow to hand symbol to show user ability to do or select something
--audible clicks when user selects an option
-Scroll bar effect for text boxesInteractive

Map Examples: The GOOD...

New York Times - Presidential Candidate Schedules http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/schedules/pastevents#candidate99

More maps from this cartographer...http://maps.grammata.com/

Dave Matthews Band 2002 Tourhttp://www.mapbureau.com/tours/davematthews/flashindex.html

More from this company...http://www.mapbureau.com/

The NOT SO GOOD...

Jehovas Witnesses http://www.ilabmedia.com/service_year/

More from this company...http://www.reddingwebdesign.com/maps/

Iditarod Maphttp://www.iditarod.com/flashmap/


Additional Info...

Adobe sites of interest

- Flash Design CenterThis site provides all kinds of tutorials for the Adobe FLASH software suite. It also provides links to Blogs and Podcasts about using Flash with other applications and formats such as XML.
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/designcenter/search.cfm?product=Flash&go=Go

This next link will take you to the subset of the above Flash Design Center that covers "interactivity."
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/designcenter/search.cfm?product=Flash&term=Flash&topic=Interactivity#targetFinally

This one from Adobe covers "animation." http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/designcenter/search.cfm?product=Flash&term=Flash&topic=Animation#target

LUKAMARAS----The most detailed flash tutorials on the web!http://www.lukamaras.com/index.htmlhttp://www.lukamaras.com/tutorials/menus-interfaces/menus-buttons-interfaces-tutorials.html


Open Geospatial Consortium
-The Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc (OGC) is an international industry consortium of 345 companies, government agencies and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available interface specifications. "OpenGIS" Specifications support interoperable solutions that "geo-enable" the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT. The specifications empower technology developers to make complex spatial information and services accessible and useful with all kinds of applications.

http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards
http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/bp

Lab2 Flash1 Super Tuesday!

Okay so after dealing with the flu and Strep throat this past week....I have finally finished my Super Tuesday map. I still amhaving trouble with Alaska and Hawaii....but gave up until I can get some Flash help. I am still confused on exactly how all the tools work and the pieces/parts fit....on to the next lab......yeah flash!

I stuck to just the democratic primaries and showed the three categories of Before, During and After.