This is an idea I have for an online software called CompileIt. Rather than a user manually entering in their syllabi, athletic and work schedules into their native calendar, they can drag and drop their PDF or doc into the software and it will create one large schedule by smart reading strings. Users can then organize their schedule through the website or download the app to their Apple or Android device.
Here are some original protyotypes for CompileIt.
Here is the executive summary.
I already have it built and Apple wants to buy it so don't try stealing it.
- Evan
Here are some original protyotypes for CompileIt.
Here is the executive summary.
I already have it built and Apple wants to buy it so don't try stealing it.
- Evan
Time. The problem is time. Every semester I begin by gathering each syllabus for my classes, my athletic schedule, my work schedule and other events, then I manually type each date and event into my Apple calendar. This keeps me organized, but it is such a time wasting activity. People who see my Apple calendar usually think I have little time to eat or sleep. On the contrary, I have little time to eat or sleep because I spent so long typing in everything to my calendar.
Originally the thought for CompileIt was to simply combine each syllabus into one major syllabus through an HTML5 drag and drop system. As I thought through this further, I realized that a giant syllabus would only be half of my schedule. Plus, if I wanted to market CompileIt, I wouldn’t want to limit it to just students.
The users are mainly students, but the program can also be used for employees, athletes and particularly parents trying to organize their children’s schedule. As design develops it seems as though minimalism is the name of the game. Users want to be able to complete a task effortlessly. This type of program is attractive because it does the work for the user. Right now, users have a few systems that have smart behavior that reads certain strings, or text. The most commonly used system is probably Apple mail, especially on iPhone and iPad. When a user receives an email stating a time and date, a link surrounds the text and the device then creates an event in the native calendar with the email subject as the title. Since this system is very user friendly, I would like to implement many of the same features into CompileIt.
Since the program is available when connected to the Internet, the user will have to first have an Internet connection. CompileIt is very modern, and even though it is a simple design, users must be somewhat computer-savvy. The user must have their schedules in either PDF or DOC formats to be dropped into the software. The system will be unable to read any image format. Luckily, most syllabi and schedules will already be in a PDF or DOC format. To import their calendar, they must have an existing calendar hosted through Apple, Google or Microsoft. Once the user has uploaded documents, the software may not correctly read all of the data on the schedule. Therefore, a percentage has been placed next to the document to give the user the amount that was processed.
On the design space, there are few options in the menu, to keep things simple. This can also be a problem. If the user is looking for something such as “About Us” or “Advertise”, they will have to go to a link in the footer. This shouldn’t be an enormous problem, since websites like Facebook and Twitter have a similar format.
A consideration that I did not add in the wireframes is a tutorial for how to use the software. Personally, I never watch tutorials on websites so it will also be necessary to outline main points and instruct stubborn users through non-cluttered text. On the landing page, there could be more exact information for what the software does. Once the user has uploaded documents,
Originally drafted wireframes are attached.
In my web design business, I often hear people’s complaints with websites. I have determined that the simpler a website, the better it is. For CompileIt, the software needs to run as smoothly and simply as possible. There is a slight Apple-like theme to the design, purely because I respect how they design.
The software can’t do everything. It is meant to create large schedules instead of lots of small ones. Until Apple or Google buys out CompileIt, it will always be looked at as small software and this may turn people away. Even though Bing is almost compatible with Google, I still look at Bing as “not as good”. The great thing about CompileIt is that is has yet to have been created. Personally, it would save me a ton of time, and I know many of peers would enjoy using it.
