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Module 14

Final Thesis Approved | 15 Dec 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I presented my Final Thesis, Out Without Doubt on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 at 12:00pm. I was approved meaning that once the semester is over, I will have earned my Master of Fine Arts in Web Design and New Media. My reviewers said that they were impressed at the amount of work I managed to accomplish in the given time since the Midpoint Review. Nikki Oettinger, who I had as my professor for a number of classes, knew how much work I put into my wireframes and wanted my final project to reflect it, but she understood that what I wanted was too advanced code for me to design.

What will you complete next week?

Nothing. Finally, again, I can say that I am done with school. Or, no more school for me!

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

Final Review Committee Comments: Congratulations Matthew! Your project is approved. Your concept was well developed and your presentation was polished and professional.

EXCELLENT WORK IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
- Extremely organized and well spoken in the presentation and Q&A.
- Your presentation walked us through a lot of great process and iterations.
- Technical aspects of the project were well done, detailed and in depth.
- Overall good implementation of the project.

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
-The main area of improvement the committee saw was your UI. Understanding the users and their needs better would help in identifying if the content was presented to them in an appropriate manner or if there are features that could be included in the project they may need.
- More focus on visual design/UI and design patterns.
- There were questions regarding the traffic feature which was spoken to.
- It is suggested that on your prototype, when the user logs in they are taken directly to the map page.

Congratulations again, Best of luck as you move forward in your career.

Nikki Kipple
Online Director
School of Web Design & New Media

Past Entries

Module 13

Final Thesis Submission | 08 Dec 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I finished my thesis book and project to where it needed to be to present at the Final Review on 12/12 at 12pm.

What will you complete next week?

My only objective is to prepare for the presentation. I will update the maps to a more current data and also include Oakland and Marin County.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

Nothing.

Module 12

Submission Deadline Soon | 01 Dec 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I finished my project. For my demo, if I don’t get my add a new marker feature working, then I will use a different user task flow. I am almost done fixing the Mapbox for the crime list icons. Currently, it is Google Maps, which works, but I want to use Mapbox because of consistency. I have the code. It is the matter of getting it to work.

What will you complete next week?

My goal due date for everything to be complete is Dec. 4, a day before everything is actually due. This way, I will be able to proof everything and do one more test run of my project to make sure everything works well. I know that I will have time for more tweaks between the 5th-12th, but I rather set my mind to having everything done on the 4th knowing that when I present, the project will be working no matter what.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

Nothing.

Module 11

Main Map Complete | 24 Nov 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I finally completed the Main Map part of my project. It is where the user can input directions on top of the crime markers. Although, it doesn’t alert the user when travelling to the location of a recent crime, I know to get to where I want it to be, I need to know advanced code like java or some other computer science language. I also received the email for my presentation date, which will be on 12/12 at 12 Noon.

What will you complete next week?

The last part of my project that needs to be completed is the add a new marker feature. I also need to finish my thesis book so that I can send it on Dec. 5 for the Final Review.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

Nothing.

Module 10

Final Review Materials Continued | 17 Nov 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week was kind of crazy in that I realized I never received a confirmation email about when my final review date and time will be. I tried contacting the Final Review people through email and phone and never received a return. I learned after contacting my advisor that the department was late in scheduling and that I will be presenting in either Wk 13 or 14. So that was a stress reliever because I was trying to complete the thesis book and the presentation while trying to get the directions working on my mobile app. I found that Mapbox doesn't have an embed feature and have reverted back to Google Maps to plug in my markers.

What will you complete next week?

I’m finding trying to add a directions service like Google Maps to a custom map with my markers increasingly difficult. I don't want to pay to use the Google Maps API. Mapbox has a directions API, which I am learning how to use and incorporate into my map.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

Nothing from the instructor. I received more information from my advisor.

Module 9

Final Review Materials | 10 Nov 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I am still trying to find a way to add directions to my project. I can do it with the Google plugin in appery, but I need to then I would need to transfer everything from Mapbox to Google.

Here is the link. You may use this to test the prototype: Username: User | Password: 123456 or you can create your own login. The page and databases required for registering and current users are working.

What will you complete next week?

I would like to test my prototype one more time before my scheduled review date that is TBD. I need to finish the presentation and transfer all from the presentation into the Thesis book.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

I was worried last week that I needed to code the entire project, which I am still finding very difficult as what I want to do with the maps turns out to be very advanced coding. But, now I learned that for the Final Review, I only need to have one user flow coded, which is a lifesaver as it is less work for me to worry about. Also, if I code at least 1 hour everyday, I should be able to complete this project.

Module 8

Midterm Presentation | 03 Nov 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I started on my presentation for my Final Review. I also submitted it as my midterm presentation. It is a work in progress, but I have most of the work done from previous classes. Now I need to find them all and choose the best that represent the work I’ve done for my thesis project. For my project on appery.io, I have all the pages ready. I am still trying to embed the Mapbox map to the appery page. The map markers are all in as of the latest data I have downloaded. For now, the prototype has a Google map placeholder, which is already built in through appery. I feel that since switching from Ionic Creator to Appery, I am much farther along than where I was at the beginning of the semester. And with Appery, it still contains the Ionic framework, which is much more stable and better in that I can create PWAs if necessary.

Here is the link. You may use this to test the prototype: Username: User | Password: 123456 or you can create your own login. The page and databases required for registering and current users are working.| Assignments: Midterm Presentation

What will you complete next week?

Realizing that the Final Review presentations begin on Nov. 11, I plan to work on my project, presentation, and thesis book everyday next week. I realize I procrastinate too much and I just need to set my mind to completing the project. I can’t believe how fast this semester is as we are already mid-way through.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

No.

Module 7

New App Framework | 27 Oct 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I started trying out a different app builder because I found Ionic to be very difficult especially when I needed to learn Angular JS. I am now using appery.io. I got the login page done with a database set up. Here is the test link. Username: User | Password: 123456

What will you complete next week?

I will complete the other pages and set up space for the maps from Mapbox.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

No.

Module 6

10 More Weeks Left | 20 Oct 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I added all the collected data from last week. I am trying to figure out how to separate the data yet keep it on the same map. When I input the data for arson, it keeps it in its own category so there must be a way to use the same map yet separate it for each categorical purpose. Here is the demo of the map. | Assignments: jQuery Switch Class

What will you complete next week?

I want to add my maps to my prototype.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

No.

Module 5

11 More Weeks Left | 13 Oct 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I gathered all the new data from the SFPD. I separated the categories so I could import them into Mapbox. I am having some trouble with spacing in the Ionic framework. I’ve been reading a lot of support pages this week in Ionic to hopefully clear it up. Here is the demo of the map.

What will you complete next week?

I want to add my maps to my prototype.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

No.

Module 4

12 More Weeks Left | 06 Oct 2019

What did you complete this week?

This week, I wanted to completely add all of my maps to my prototype. I don’t have that done. I had some family emergencies to go to this week and I am mostly tired. I did start working in Mapbox to add in some of the crime icons. Here is a demo of the map.

What will you complete next week?

I want to add my maps to my prototype.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

No.

Module 3

13 More Weeks Left | 29 Sep 2019

What did you complete this week?

I’m finding it interesting that the assignment due this week (Javascript Buzz Game) is the exact same assignment as in a previous WNM class, either 601, 608, or 617. I’ve taken this class 3 times because my thesis project requires as much coding help as I can get due to the advanced mapping. But, I’m finding these assignments are unrelated to what we should be focusing on as a directed study course and that would be our projects. | Assignments: Javascript “BUZZ” Application

What will you complete next week?

Finish adding the rest of the csv to Mapbox and import Mapbox into Ionic.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

No.

Module 2

14 More Weeks Left | 22 Sep 2019

What did you complete this week?

I completed the usual assignments. I have been working with Mapbox during parts of the summer to try to incorporate into my project. Earlier this week, I received an email from Google Fusion Tables — originally, my main way of inputting data to a map until it was shut down — that they are partnering with another table to map software so I will look into that to see which is best for me.

What will you complete next week?

I want to have my maps in place on my app.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

Participate more.

Module 1

New Journal Entries | 15 Sep 2019

What did you complete this week?

I applied for the final review and completed assignments. Over the summer, I took a break from my project and school. I needed the break as I was stressing out between work and school.

What will you complete next week?

Next week’s assignments.

Any feedback from instructor or peers from previous week?

No