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GenoCAD • Project & UX Lead • www.genocad.org

 

About

GenoCAD was a web application created for the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute to help researchers create inherent genetic sequences with theoretical biological functions.

Responsibilities:

  • Project Lead
  • Requirements and Specifications
  • UX and Interaction Design
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Animated Feedback

We used motion to demonstrate to the user how the sequence was being built. Clicking on a sequence block would "open" new possible sequences. Users could then choose a specific string of that sequence block.

Animated Feedback

It's Complicated

A large number of blocks can quickly become confusing for users and making an incorrect step was common. We created a history of undo as the sequence is generated so that a user could quickly go back to a previous step if they encountered a dead end.

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Validating

We also created a feature that used the same validation engine in reverse. That is, instead of building valid sequences, a user could upload and test the validity of their own sequences that they may have generated in another application.

Validating

 
 

Behind the Scenes

 
 

Research
Understanding how to approach the problem took a fair amount of research and studying exactly how and why sequences were generated. We looked at both current research and other applications to understand the domain.

Inspiration
The history palette in Photoshop served as inspiration as the way for a user to correct mistakes. It builds dynamically as the user creates sequences and clicking on a link animates the sequence back to a previous state.

Whiteboard
This is one project where I wish I still had some of the photos of the whiteboard. The interaction for animating the building of the sequence was figured out at the whiteboard while in consultation with the client. The concept was a hit with everyone who used it.