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I'm a software engineer and project manager enthusiastic about technology. I've had the opportunity to work on a number of interesting projects over the years.  Here are some thoughts, whitepapers and code folks may find interesting.

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Art Collections

Collections is an iPad app that allows you to browse art, photographs, antiques and other content from a well-known museum in the United States.  The free app provides access to more than 25,000 pieces and was built specifically for the iPad.  If you have an iPad please download Collections and enjoy!

While building this app I received a number of questions about the product. Here is a summary of frequently asked questions.  If you have additional questions not listed feel free to contact me. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What inspired you to create Collections?

The idea for Collections came about while visiting The Huntington and Getty Museum in Southern California. Both locations provided a wonderful educational experience, but these sites are massive and cannot be seen in their entirety in a single visit.  I started to think about how one could experience the richness of the art if they didn't have the time or means for an extended onsite visit. The iPad had just been announced so it made great sense to explore a solution using that technology. 

While planning the idea I researched organizations planning to replace their audio tour hardware with smartphone apps. We are now seeing many "helper-apps" that blend connectivity, mobility and location. Blended technologies such as augmented reality are also coming into the mainstream which are amazing. 

However for my product I wanted to move in a different direction. The goal was to create a learning tool that could be used in a classroom, at home or on the go.  Ideally folks will use the app as an interactive picture book, similar to e-textbooks now being adopted by students. 



How did you come up with the design?

The design evolved by looking at leading consumer apps that manage large datasets.  These include award winning solutions such as Flipboard, Pandora, and Evernote.  Once researched, those ideas (with many others) were blended to make it work.  

 

 

What were the technical challenges?

The biggest challenge was creating a solution that was absent of basic user interface elements such as textboxes and buttons.  What makes the iPad unique is its ability to receive user input through gestures such as taps, pinches and swipes. So, instead of dragging and dropping controls onto a screen, the iPad essentially became a blank canvas that was filled with content.   

The other priority was to design an experience that was beautiful, intuitive and fun. People love the iPad because it's so easy to use.  As most of us know, creating something that "makes sense" is often complex and involves many iterations to get right.

 

 

How long has it been available in the App Store?

The product has been available as a free download since April 2011. Initial planning started September 2010. With the release of Art Collections 2.0 the app is now in its fourth iteration.  

How is Collections able to view and process so many images?

Collections doesn't store content but accesses information directly from the Internet.  This architecture allows the app to be highly flexible and can scale to support any number of records. 

Are you planning versions for the iPhone and Android?

Yes! We are actively exploring new and exciting platforms such as iPhone, Android and Windows 8.

 

 

How does Collections work with Twitter?

Collections is the first art-related mobile solution to utilize iOS 5.0 and its native support for Twitter. Users can post tweets of content by tapping the Twitter icon from the main window.  If an image is available it will automatically be attached to the Tweet as a thumbnail. This makes sharing content exceptionally easy and fun. 

 

 

Can Collections work with my museum's content?

With our proven architecture we are excited about delivering the latest in technology.  Along with iPad, this includes supporting other platforms such as iPhone, Windows 8, Windows Phone and Android. If your group would like to learn more feel free to contact me.