Maddison Nielsen

SimpleSIGN is parking signage for a new era. Its use of technology allows visitors in the area to understand parking rules at a glance, and its assistant website allows for even more flexibility in interpreting parking rules.

Melrose & Fairfax is a super trendy shopping district with tons of visitors flocking to shop at its unique locations from all over the world. However, parking in the area is extremely limited: there are no large parking garages limiting visitors to street parking only, which is highly regulated due to the residential areas that surround it. This difficulty in parking leads to thousands of parking tickets and unhappy visitors year after year.

During interviews with visitors and workers in the area, we discovered that one of the main issues with parking is confusion about signage. We did a lot of research into parking signage and what makes it so confusing, and what can possibly be done to help.

The digital sign is made to be noticed easily from a moving car and deciphered in a single glance with the use of color: white and green for parking availability, and red for parking unavailability. The language is also as clear as possible pertaining to when the rules will change and who is exempt. It would change accordingly throughout the day. Posted beneath the digital sign at eye-level would be the static schedule. Almost all of the users we tested were enthusiastic about this sign and its use of visuals instead of text to convey when parking would be available throughout the day. It also allows for a visitor to plan their parking ahead if they see a full schedule for the day quickly and easily. It would also advertise and offer quick navigation to the simpleSIGN website! The website provides more accessibility tools, including a language translator, a legend of the signage, assistance in finding additional parking, and a timer to avoid those pesky 2-hour time limits.

We partnered with MaCher, a certified B-corp, to redesign one of their signature items – a luggage tag – according to their eco-friendly parameters, and additionally created a digital companion for the item.

The luggage tag has had the same design for hundreds of years, so how do we update it? Furthermore, how can we create additional use cases so that it doesn’t just sit in the closet most of the time? Finally, how can we make sure to make the production of the product as eco-friendly and cost-friendly as possible?

Our initial product ideation sketches were broad as we experimented with form factor, branding choices, and a variety of use cases. We quickly shied away from the traditional luggage tag, opting for more creative solutions that had potential for additional functionality beyond luggage identification. Our mentor Jamila was drawn to similar items that she felt promoted circularity and re-use: the “bracelet” design was something she was interested in as an item that could be worn “off luggage.” This concept, “off luggage,” was what primarily inspired our final idea. If an item is unique and well made, consumers will hold onto it for longer, and potentially share it with family/turn it into an heirloom. Instead of a luggage tag, we could create a different kind of luggage ID system that potentially has other use cases as well.

To create a set of luggage straps that can be used on luggage or shared between two people/bags using recycled PET and upcycled billboard. For the digital companion, each bag is linked to its own unique digital album, allowing people to add photos and collect stamps during their travels tying into a brand’s travel offerings.

For our senior capstone in the IXD program, we were asked to make something that complimented all the work we had achieved in our studies. The prompt was wide open; we could do any kind of design that interested us, or fill a gap in our portfolio that we were interested in. I decided to really have fun with it and go all in on a dream project of mine: developing a video game.

The "problems" this project solves for are more personal, one problem that I didn't have any video game projects in my portfolio. However, there is a systemic problem I think this project also addresses: the lack of women in video games. Women, both as characters in games and developers of them, continue to be ostracized, and by solo-developing a game featuring women characters as the protagonists, I like to think I bring something to the table. However, the main problem remains ultimately personal, where I wanted to create a video game, but had never actually done so before.

I knew by tackling a game development project I would really be allowed to flex my skills not only as an interaction designer, but as a writer, artist, and programmer. I'd never worked in Unity or C# before but I thought that tackling something like this head-on would also be a great exercise in learning a new tool quickly. Additionally, it was imperative that I strengthen my project management skills so that I could block my time effectively to create a deliverable by the end of the semester I could be proud of. There were bumps along the road for sure, mostly in the time management sector; I found that one piece of background art could take me twelve or more hours. Scoping became key to the success of the project, and outside insights I gained from interviewing people in the game industry cemented the importance. Though I wasn't able to deliver a fully polished, fully finished game by the end of the sixteen weeks, I knew I could come through with something both playable and beautiful!

The semester finished with a presentation, which I treated like a pitch, and our grad show, where I was able to present and test a playable demo for the rhythm section of my game, as well as selections of art and other visual developments for folks to check out. I was really happy with the result, and it was received well! I'm excited to continue working on Ventura Girls, and see it through to completion, and was grateful for the opportunity to explore a space that had always interested me in the world of technology and design.