Semester In Review

Working on the MeNext android app this semester has allowed me to learn alot about android development as well as programming in general. This is the first time I have worked on someone else's code base (Josh's) and it was very informative. By looking at his code I found out how to do alot of things that had previously been too confusing to figure out through reading stack overflow posts. My app last semester had the basic functionality done but did not have any sort of flow between different parts of the app. Looking at Josh's code I was finally able to understand the "lifecycle" of an app. Also, while working on the app I redesigned parts and had to figure out how to fit everything together which was a fun puzzle. I wanted to get to a point where I could upload my version of the app to the google play store at the end of the semester but right now that doesn't seem like the best idea. There are features josh has added to the backend which I still need to make available on the app as well as things I have added to the app which are not supported on the backend as of yet. Because of this we have decided to bring all versions of the service (web, IOS, android, windows?) up to the same level and do a widespread release and call it 2.0 I am looking forward to returning to work on MeNext semester and will probably end up tinkering with it periodically throughout the summer.

Plans

We plan to release 1.1 this semester for revisions and 2.0 in the Fall.  2.0 will be a full redesign looks wise so we won't be releasing any logo or color or general looks revisions until.  However, we have lots of other changes and features and those are getting pushed at will, so keep an eye out for that!

More to come,

-Jim 

iOS

iOS for MeNext is moving slow and steady whenever I have time.  I'm going to be putting in some solid work this week on it and hopefully getting close to a finished application ready for a 2.0 update soon.  The app generally looks beautiful and I'm making solid progress, I just have a lot to do.  Theo is specifically trying to work out a new logo and so once we get that together, I will probably be ready to push out a 2.0 update and it can go all in one swing with the product's make over!

MeNext will be looking better than ever very soon.

-Jim

Rethinking the Party Page

As it currently stands, MeNext is quite a solid product. The web app is fully functional, there are applications available for multiple platforms, and the app has been well received so far.

So, the question remains, what next? I believe that there are a lot that can be done to improve the web app's user experience. The party page currently has only one definitive layout with minor component tweaks based on who's accessing the page for any particular party. I think that, with different people using the page in different ways, the page should be laid out differently for each use case.

Look for changes to the site user experience soon!

Use case 1: the player view

This is the computer that is playing the music, usually while connected to a projector. This view prioritizes the video player, as this is the primary purpose of the view. Beneath the video player, party details (such as the title, description, picture, and upcoming songs) are displayed to keep the viewers informed. The upcoming songs list is live updated with the next three songs, based on the vote counts.

The player view

Use case 2: the party creator / moderator view

The creator view has been slightly reorganized to provide the creator or moderator with a bird's eye view of all aspects of the party. The name, description, are modifiable just by clicking on the existing field. The middle of the sidebar is for changing other settings of the party. The bottom of the sidebar shows the party member list and allows the creator or moderator to invite people to the party. The main frame of the window shows the current list of upcoming songs, ordered by vote. The voting buttons and the remove button are present for easy moderation of songs. The song search box is pinned to the bottom along with a new 'Quick Add' button, which automatically adds the first result to the playlist (in a similar vain to Google's 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button).

The creator & moderator view

Use case 3: the party member view

The view for standard members of a party is still being worked on and refined. The general structure of the page will be similar to what is currently present; however, we are working to ensure that all screen space is used efficiently.

iOS

Not too much to report this week.  Very sick mixed with spring break.  However progress is being made nonetheless by my team.  MeNext will look better than ever after the semester is out! :)

-Jim

A Real Blog?

As MeNext progresses into a new era of user experience, it's only natural that our blog follows. Before the semester ends, we will have a much more suitable WordPress blog up, designed to fit the UI changes as well as possible.

As for the UI itself, the home page is the main focus and then additional changes will follow. A unique color palette needs to be chosen and implemented throughout the site, and then again through the mobile apps, so it's important that decisions are made carefully before implementation.

Thank you for checking in on MeNext, expect some really cool changes, announcements, and surprises in the near future!

iOS

iOS is chugging along, doing a huge refactor and getting things going without a storyboard.  Most of the hard work is done and most of what is left is a lot easier.  I'm redesigning login at the same time and after that, I'll be adding local database support to improve offline and low-service functionality.

Hopefully I can finish login this break.

This whole group has been doing fantastic.  Expect to see great changes to Web this break as well.

Exciting semester so far!
-Jim