Before I get into the pillars of this write-up that we need to touch on (Audience/Purpose, Image, etc.), I just want to express how much I enjoyed not only using this software, but also creating this project. Based on the grades I have received on my first two submissions, while I also enjoyed making those, I did not create final drafts that succeeded in enough areas this class expects. However, I feel like on this specific project, I was able to make something that looks great, tells an interesting story, and is easy to parse though thanks to the technology of StoryMap and KnightLab.
Audience / Purpose: The intended audience of this project can be extremely specific, and extremely broad. I'll begin with the specific portion: I think that my family and close friends are the people who would likely enjoy watching this slideshow the most. They have been along on this journey with me this entire way, and I think that seeing the pictures of me as a young boy, growing up into the man I am today and where I am going to be working a full-time job, will pull at their heartstrings a bit. On the other hand, I think that people who do not know me at all could enjoy this presentation, too. This is because I made sure to include a lot of information about each spot on the StoryMap, so even a complete stranger could understand the place in which I lived, as well as my feelings on it. While I think that my project is unique in that it can appeal to different demographics, I am trying to communicate to anyone who views it that I have not only loved the journey that I have been on, but also that I made the large decision to change coasts and how it has affected me as a person and how I view the world.
Image: My presentation includes photos from each place that I have lived, going all the way back to the hospital in which I was born. This is done in order to give my audience an idea of what I looked like when I lived there, and the text featured on each slide gives context to the place and my thoughts on it. In addition, being able to physically see on the map where I lived in each spot is important for the overall purpose of the project. The StoryMap comes together to show what has been the trajectory of my life: I was born in a place, moved around a couple of miles, and then when it was time to make one of my first big life choices on my own, I decided to go across the country and start something new. Then, I moved around very short distances in Santa Barbara, and now I am making another (albeit smaller) leap of faith to live in San Francisco. I am happy because I know much more people in SF than I did in SB when I first moved here, so I will be able to have a group of people I know and love to help me with the moving process.
Process: I utilized StoryMap and followed the instructions on their website. The interface is extremely easy to use and even for someone like me who could not be less of a graphic designer, I am happy with my creation and feel like this is certainly the best work I have created in this class. Probably the most difficult portion of this project was acquiring the photos of me as a child, because I had to text my mother for each of them. She lives in Virginia, with the rest of my family, and sometimes the time difference can create problems in her response time to my messages. But, she was able to get me all of the photos I needed of myself when I was young, and I was able to adequately represent what I looked like in each of the places I have lived! Also, before choosing StoryMap, I was considering doing a Twine, just because of how much you can do with that interface. However, I came to the decision that I felt the most comfortable with StoryMap, and went forward with it from there.
Learning: I learned that there are so many fun, useful websites in existence that people like me can use to create actually good-looking creations. While this had to be our final project in this class, I have learned that I really do enjoy finding new services that create illustrations, photos, and interactive projects. I will continue going forward to keep my eyes open for new opportunities where I can learn even more about myself. I have also learned that while I am not the best designer or artist, the tools that are available to us nowadays make it easy for even me to create something I am proud of.