Video Prototype — HCDE 451
I designed and created a video prototype for a refined version of my 3D printed prototype from a previous week. The original prototype was a medication tracker from daytime and nighttime doses. Based on provided guidelines and the use of the product I had the following goals for design:
- Must refine and add a smart element to my original object
- Must communicate the usage and value of the product effectively through the use of video narrative
Ideation
With a focus on my design goals, I began refining my prototype and planning out my video.
Refining the Smart Object
Using the feedback I received during the critique of my original object and the experience I had using the product for a few days, I refined the medicine tracker and added a “Smart” element.
Notes from Prior Feedback
- Intended Usage — I need to clarify that a pill bottle is to be placed in the device and not individual pills.
- Size — The size of my first prototype was too large to fit my pill bottle so the two did not seem compatible.
- Weight and stability — There were concerns that the medication trackers were too light and that without a pill bottle they may move around too easily.
Process
In refining size and shape, I kept the overall design the same as I liked the current shape and I had been able to identify between the two easily when I used it for a few nights. I went into Dremel slicer and scaled the product down using calculations I had from the Onshape 3D program and the equation for circle diameter. I also increased the fill of the object to make the object heavier.
- Two Separate Pieces — There were suggestions for combining the two trackers with a base, but I decided to keep them separate as I sometimes take my medication in two different locations depending on the time.
- Increased Weight — I decided to make the object heavier to increase stability and reduce movement.
- Traction — I added traction dots made of glue to prevent movement and sliding on tables.
Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the refined product is not in the video but I was able to create it after I completed my video filming.
Smart Compatibility
In adding smart compatibility, I wanted the device to be minimally invasive and simple to use. I decided to add an app that notifies the user when they haven’t taken their medications by a certain time or before they leave the house. Notable aspects of the design are:
- The app would require a one-time setup with the latest times to take medication and locations in the house to remind by (like the front door).
- There would be additional setup if the user moves medication spots.
- The object would have a weight sensor that can tell when the medication bottle has been moved between the two trackers, indicating to the app that medication had been taken.
Video
Video Description
The video is 2 minutes long and consists of two parallel scenes.
- Scene 1: First, the main character (MC) wakes up in bed at 9:30 am. They go about their day making breakfast, walking their dog, and getting dressed, but they forget to take their medication for chronic pain. Sounds from each part of their morning linger and get louder, representing the progression of chronic pain. The morning continues and it is 11:30 am when the MC remembers their medication. They are unsure if they took it so they opt not to possibly take a second dose. The MC leaves the house and goes to class, with the sounds continuing and being added onto from the classroom. The sounds get unbearably loud and the MC is visibly distressed, closing their eyes.
- Scene 2: The MC wakes up in bed again at 9:30 am. They go through their morning routine and forget to take their medication again. The sounds from their morning routine start to build. As they are about to leave the house, they get a notification that they did not take their medication that morning, which prompts them to go take it. Once they take it, the sound subsides and there is silence.
Inspiration
I had a few inspirations when creating the plot for my video
- Uninvited Guests Video Shown in Class — I really appreciated the narrative shown here with clear shots and little text. The seriousness and drama they added to everyday tasks and the avoidance of them inspired me to make the video simple and serious.
- Personal Experience with Medication — I created the plot to be similar to my experiences with medication. Specifically, I will forget to take my medication in the morning or evening and then remember later in the day, unsure if I took it or not. I then won’t take the medication out of fear of overdosing. I felt this was especially appropriate as I originally designed this object for my own daily use and because I received confirmation of similar medication experiences from others when testing the object.
Process
I started by conceptualizing key features of my video, like the overall message, how pain would be represented, and the story I wanted to replicate. These were influenced by my inspirations. I then created a video plan, which was a list of actions and feelings I wanted to be portrayed in each scene. I paired storyboard sketches with things in the video plan and then started filming.
Note: Originally I planned to be the main character in my video and to film at my apartment, but as a result of unforeseen circumstances, I had to change my location and subject.
Filming
I filmed a lot of takes of each event I was planning and filmed multiple angles so I could edit them together for a more visually interesting video. As I filmed I would see opportunities for more shots or things that could be added, so I would film those as well
Editing
I edited using Premiere Pro and iMovie. While it wasn’t my first time editing a video, it was my first time using Premiere Pro so there was a bit of a learning curve, especially when working with sound.
Sound
The sound is comprised of a base high-pitched noise that is added on to by the sounds of routines, like making breakfast, walking the dog, shaking the pill bottle, and classroom chatter.
Design Decisions
The following are key design decisions I made when creating my video.
- Audio Indicator for Chronic Pain — I struggled with how I wanted to represent chronic pain as I wanted to make it realistic to how my days with migraines usually go. I do not often have bouts of pain or think about pain, but a general pain feeling looms constantly. The pain builds if I forget to take my preventative medication on a triggering day. Sounds can add to the pain, giving me the idea for a sound-build-up indicator. The sounds get louder and reach a climax at the end of the first scene.
- Little text and No Discernable Words — As I was using sound for the main problem of chronic pain and medication recall, I wanted there to be a large focus on sound and its relationship to the impact of the product. Thus, I decided to use minimal text and not include spoken words. I attempted to get as much across as possible with sound and visuals.
Difficulties
Challenges arose when creating my video and refined product, affecting my process and results.
- Premiere Pro Learning Curve — I decided to try to use Premiere Pro to take advantage of some of the video editing effects that I couldn’t do in iMovie, like background blur and detailed sound manipulation. However, using Premiere Pro was a lot more difficult than what I was used to with iMovie, especially when working with multiple soundtracks.
- Unforeseen Circumstances — Due to unforeseen circumstances, I had significant time constraints and had to switch up the subject and location of my video on short notice. I also did not have access to a 3D printer until after filming the video so my refined product was not used in the video.
Analysis
Feedback on my video was centered on the lack of understanding of the plot and distracting elements. The following are notes from the critique and from friends who.
- Sausage Sizzling Audio was Too Loud — One of the sound elements is the cooking of a sausage that is made for breakfast. In critique, it was noted that this sound was very distracting and made it difficult to hear the other sounds. This lead to confusion and an unintended focus on the sausage’s importance. Viewers were unable to discern the other sounds
- Too Few Shots of the Product — There were too few shots of the products and the ones that were there were brief and did not display the product in full detail.
- Notification Bubbles Don’t Appear for Long Enough and are Small — Viewers noted that the notification bubbles that popped up in my video were a bit small to read and did not stay on the screen long enough to read.
- Main Problem Unclear — Viewers were unsure what the main problem and solution were. A few viewers noted that they don’t have chronic pain so it’s not something they would have caught without clarification.
- Difference in Days and Scenes Unclear — The difference between the days and scenes was not clear enough. Viewers mentioned that they did not immediately know what was different about the second scene or that it was a different day.
- Inaccessibility for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing — Viewers noted that relying on sound to represent pain leaves an important part of the video inaccessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Provoking and Thoughtful Concept — Once I explained it, my audience could tell what I was going for and thought it was a good idea that would come across with better execution. They liked the idea of noise indicating pain and appreciated the attempted problem build-up.
Revision
In response to the feedback I received and reflection on my video, I would adjust aspects of my product, video, and process.
Product
- Color Differentiation — I would change the colors of the different trackers so that they are easier to tell apart. I would keep the night as dark purple and change the morning to yellow or orange. In the video, I would maintain the color so that the product as a whole is identifiable as a unit.
Video
- Balance the Sounds — I would lower the volume of the sausage sizzling sounds and increase the volume of other sounds.
- Highlight the Product — Including clearer shots of the medication tracker in action would clarify its usage and emphasize the benefits the product has for the MC’s issues.
- Emphasis on Lack of Sound — I would add more shots with silence to juxtapose the two scenes and further connect sound with pain and taking medication.
- Increase Continuity — When filming I intended to have my actor change clothes to indicate that the different scenes were different days, but I forgot to have my actor change between the two shots of him taking his medicine. I would ensure that the MC was wearing distinctly different clothes in the two scenes.
- Visual Cues of the Problem — Although this is not my experience, in video narrative form the pain needs to be more explicit. This is so others can understand that the issue is pain and so there are more indicators of a problem than sound, which is inaccessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. I would have the MC make more visible cues of pain, such as wincing. I would also play around with a waveform visual on the bottom of the screen that gets more erratic and amplified when the sounds get more intense.
- Increase Differentiation Between Scenes and Days — I would further differentiate between the days by having the MC do similar but different things on each day. For example, the MC would cook bacon instead of sausage.
Process
- Continuity Checklist — I would keep a checklist of things to maintain in each scene to aid in continuity.
- Research into Premiere Pro — I would investigate how to easily work with multiple audio tracks in Premiere Pro.
- Multiple Iterations — I would create multiple iterations of this video, testing with people who may be interested in the product to check their understanding and determine what is confusing. I would also take a break from working on the video to revisit it later with a fresh set of eyes.
Video Prototype
The following is the video prototype I created:
