🤓 Interaction Nerds by UXA | S25.09
Current UX & HCI News (100% Real & Legitimate): Canva acquires Canvas, Farnum Tuna Melt Tracker, Registration Times aren't Random
Hi Interaction Nerds! Today seemed like the perfect day to inform you all of three key new pieces of information we’ve uncovered in the UX and HCI world. Enjoy :)
🎒 Canva acquires Canvas
Written & edited by: 🦖 Gabi Howse
In a record breaking $7.2 billion purchase, Canva, the beloved graphic design software has acquired its long-time url buddy Canvas, the widely disliked learning management software. This is a revolutionary step forward in the design and education spaces. The merger boasts two key benefits for users of either platform: more efficiency and more fun! The websites used to be one character different from each other, causing frequent confusion that has since been eliminated; now, students and designers can use autocomplete stress-free!
Additionally, Canvas’ long-hated interface is getting a major upgrade! The previously cold design made getting tough grades even tougher. But with Canva’s advanced design capabilities, students can get feedback in a prettier, better environment.
The two companies are excited about starting this chapter together. Who knows what the future holds for design and education with this transformative collaboration?!
🥪 CMU’s Next Big App—The Farnum Tuna Melt Tracker
Written & edited by: 🍳 Evelyn Lui
One of my favorite things to order at The Exchange is the FTM—the Farnam Tuna Melt, a hearty and delightful tuna salad sandwich I often pair with dill pickle chips for an extra punch in texture. As I savored each fishy bite on one particular Monday afternoon, I ruminated on what I can do to make sure more people learn of this amazing yet underappreciated sandwich.
As a UXA member and CMU student, obviously the solution is to create an app for everything Farnam Tuna Melt! The very next day, I pitched this brilliant idea to my fellow UXA members. They quickly got on board with me as they were also very invested in spreading the good that is the Farnam Tuna Melt sandwich to the rest of the community.
We got right to work on prototyping the app for the next few days, keeping in mind our higher goal of making FTM the most celebrated sandwich of CMU. As of now, the FTM app supports functionalities that allow users to track their FTM intakes, produce metrics relating to FTMs, and schedule FTM deliveries to the furthest corners of the earth! 🌎
If you think this is an app you wish to see on your phone, let us know! We can make it happen (am I hearing a UXA x ScottyLabs collab? 🤔)!
To learn more about the FTM, here’s a funny article written by The Tartan on its origins. Enjoy! 🥪
🕒 Registration Times Aren’t Random
Written & edited by: 🐥 Grace Conard
You heard it here first — CMU course registration times aren’t random! We recently received an anonymous report exposing an overheard conversation in the University Registrar’s Office:
“It’s crucial the students must never find out this is how we assign registration times… if they knew, they could destroy our whole system.”
To get the inside scoop, our dedicated reporter snuck into the office late last night, and you won’t believe what they discovered… behold the secret code!
def calculate_registration_priority(student):
P = student['tartan_wear_count'] # Number of times tartan worn in the past month
T = student['booth_hours'] # Total hours spent at Spring Carnival booths
B = student['buggy_races'] # Number of Buggy races attended (adjusted for weather)
L = student['kiltie_band_cheers'] # Loudness of Kiltie Band cheers (measured in decibels)
M = student['free_food_minutes'] # Total minutes spent standing in line for free food
S = student['spirit_questions'] # Number of times school spirit was questioned
registration_priority = (P * T ** 2) + (B * (L + M)) - S
return registration_priorityWhat does this mean for you?
It’s not too late to change your fate! Rumor has it that if your priority changes by more than 100 after the times have been assigned, the university will modify your registration time in SIO. With many of the criteria centered around school spirit, Carnival offers the perfect opportunity to maximize your registration priority:
Don your best tartan plaid this week!
Spend as much time as you can building and/or exploring the booths at Midway!
Be sure to catch the buggy races Friday and Saturday morning on Tech and Frew Street! (And don’t forget to line up for free donuts to get your free food minutes)
Cheer loud and proud at the Kiltie Band’s concert at the CUC Kirr Commons (Thursday at 3:30PM)!
And whatever you do, don’t question the school spirit! (You know, just… don’t look at Pitt.) Make the most of Carnival, and you might just be moving on up in the registration times.
🤔 Who’s behind the scenes?
The editors behind this week’s issue are 🐥 Grace Conard, 🦖 Gabi Howse, 🍳 Evelyn Lui, and 🦑 Kaitlyn Ng
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