Savannah College of Art and Design, MFA - June 2016

Objective: This mobile application is the visual to my MFA thesis–

Abstract:

The purpose of this investigation is to inform the design community of how powerful user interface and user experience design of social media can be to create action from its users. User interface and user experience design use strategies of persuasive design that make for better experience, more emotional and impactful connections with intended audiences. User interface and user experience design of social media can bring its users together to help fight social issues through these social networks. This thesis will seek to increase awareness of social media activism–particularly against social issues like police brutality in the United States–and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of both the user interface and user experience design in Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, three popular social media outlets. Through evaluating these social media outlets, one may accept how powerful user interface and user experience design of social media can be used as a tool for increasing participatory action in activism.

Spark Plug is a social media organizational tool. It helps users keep track and manage many social network channels used in activism. It can enable users to monitor what people are saying about social issues and help them respond instantly. Users can view streams from multiple different social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope, and GroupMe and post updates or reply directly. Spark Plug also allows users to donate to social issues, schedule and organize events in the Calendar feature, be up to date on current events and inform users on the hashtag origins with reliable sources all within the application. Spark Plug is a tool designed to increase action in social media activism.

Expected outcomes from using the Spark Plug mobile application would be to create a network of individuals who share an interest in social activism and assessing user interface/user experience technologies for social change. This mobile application will welcome participants who are knowledgeable about social issues and those who are not to evaluate how one uses social media as a means for activism. The role of this application is to initiate critical discussions, advance active participation in social media activism and reintroduce the essence of true activism through the hands of the user. Spark Plug expects to create: successful online activism, features that will educate users on social issues and increase action in social media activism.

Process: Research, user surveys, flow charts, paper testing, persona development, wire frames, more paper testing, prototypes, etc.

Design Solution: Based on all of the interviews, testing and feedback from the users of different social media platforms, I designed an interface for Spark Plug that introduces features that will help people become involved in activism in hopes to prevent slacktivism.