• Importing and optimizing a government database with over 150,000 entries
• Developing custom graphing solutions based entirely in Ruby
• Logo and graphic design

For CleanScores, it was paramount that the site be easy to use, so Vestal took the time to perform in-depth user interaction work on the website, which represents a staggering amount of information in a pleasant and digestible format. CleanScores.com presents information in a format which helps every day users learn more about their favorite restaurants without sacrificing functionality for experts who may need technical information.

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Design Limitation

In doing so, we tried to approach the design with the most realistic expectations in mind. Train tickets have their info printed at (relatively) low resolutions. The colors, if any, needed to be simple and survive a low-grade 4-tone offset printing in mass production. Finally, the tickets needed their information arranged in a physically protective manner to account for wear and tear.

Goals

We approached the new tickets with very specific goals in mind:

• No understanding of the native language should be necessary to comprehend the ticket
• It should be easy to discern critical information in one glance. For example, one glance while sprinting towards the platforms.
• The ticket should not only accomodate passengers’ needs, but also those of conductors
• How to validate the ticket should be blatantly obvious

Design Elements

Some design element we would like to highlight are:

Origin and destination information: Graphical depictions eliminate the need for understanding the language the ticket is printed in. In addition, the clock hands reflect the time for quickly referencing times at stations with old-fashioned clocks

Where your seat is on the train car is displayed with an arrow, telling to whether to board at the front or back of the car.

Validation instructions: One of the most confusing aspects of having a train ticket is knowing when and how to validate the ticket. Again, a graphical depiction as well as distinctive color draw this information to the attention of the passenger. We’ve included a notch in the full size mockups in order to prevent users from entering the ticket backwards into a ticket validation machine.

Purchase and other information is concisely represented with a tamper-resistant background.

Design Process

Below are images of design iterations and other thoughts we had during the process.

Visualizing the flow of interaction

Listing the necessary information to show on the ticket

Blocking out information in three different ways

Iteration I

Iteration III

Iteration V

Final Mockups

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Premium accounts and online payment

Vestal Design responded within two months, building out the existing site with a new design that meshes well with the original branding. A credit card payment system allows restaurant owners to buy an account, and to upload a logo, post specials, upload a PDF menu, and more.

Mitigating a data entry nightmare

One of the client’s main considerations was data entry — Vestal helped modularize and simplify the system to meet the gargantuan task of gathering a mountain of data on each restaurant.

Community tools and API integration

Finally, Vestal drew upon it’s extensive experience with and community building tools and web service APIs to implement a Facebook sharing link and a Google mapping feature (showing a map of every restaurant). Watch out as Campus Vortex rolls out to cover an ever-growing number of campuses!

These simulated “trees” were generated using a randomized fractal pattern, and are responding to “wind” based on a Perlin noise generator. This unique visualization can be tied to a diverse range of input data, which can affect the formation of the trees and their movement in the simulated breeze.

To view this content, you need to install Java from java.com

Vestal’s Diego Rojas Bandini and Jeffrey Warren developed the Shufflr in Adobe Flash in just three weeks. Also see the PodTech Media Player

• Plays video or audio (with an associated image)
• Includes a Playlist which runs off PodTech’s RSS feeds
• Allows users to link to, embed, or email the player
• Intuitive and distinct controls
• Dynamically resizable, opens in pop-up window

To accomplish this, both Vestal’s Web Design and User Interaction groups tackled the player from separate view points. After each graphic iteration, the user interaction group would analyze the player for ease of use. The PodTech Player team at Vestal consisted of Diego Rojas Bandini, Jeffrey Warren, and David Pitman, with support from Jon Saints, Pete Habuda, and others.

Also see the Vestal Flickr Shufflr

The Writebird.com system offers the ability to produce additional advertising revenue, to provide more frequent and dynamic content, and to expand readerships. The features currently include a multi-level author/editor system, image uploading, PDF article conversion for download, and a variety of elegant built-in layouts. The system will soon have a subscriber list, online image-editing, a blog, sorting and email notification, a search engine, and online advertising.

Vestal Design is not simply a design firm; we’re active in developing of new, innovative web services in a variety of different domains.

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