Projects

QA Graphics Develops Educational App for Skewed News Tutor

October 28, 2013

October 28, 2013

QA Graphics has developed an educational mobile app for Skewed News Tutor. The app has been published in the App Store, available for purchase for use in the classroom to help middle and high school students become more discerning news consumers.

Skewed News Tutor is the creation of Colleen Bradford Krantz, journalist, author and documentary filmmaker. After a decade of reporting, Krantz grew frustrated with the sometimes-subtle opinions buried within news reports. This led her to begin Skewed News Tutor in 2012, a trusted provider of educational resources aimed to help students and others improve their ability to filter information and identify solid reporting. The News Tutor mobile app, developed by QA Graphics, was created for use in the classroom to help students gain a better understanding of the process behind journalism and news reporting.

“I’ve always loved journalism. This is not an attack on journalists but is designed to set expectations for high-quality journalism,” said Colleen Bradford Krantz, founder of Skewed News Tutor. “I looked to QA Graphics because I felt a level of professionalism right away, and was pleased that they were able to develop the app as I had envisioned.”

The app, titled News Tutor, was designed to put users in the shoes of a journalist and help them learn what makes a good and accurate report. Krantz outlined the educational lesson, and then looked to QA Graphics to design and develop the app. The app sets the scene where the user begins as an intern and is guided through a series of situations in which they must determine the most fair and accurate way to report on news. They are provided a series of videos, quiz questions, and a game in which they are to determine the accurate way to report on a situation. As they progress through the quiz, users are promoted to beginning reporter, senior reporter, and then overseeing other reporters.

QA Graphics Provides 3D Floor Plan Graphics for WattStopper

September 22, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

QA Graphics, leading provider of design services for the building automation industry, has provided 3D floor plan graphics for WattStopper, a Legrand group brand and leading manufacturer of energy efficient lighting controls for commercial and residential use.

WattStopper looked to QA Graphics to develop 3D floor plan graphics for a web based lighting controls server that allows them to track lighting power usage and occupancy down to the room level. The WattStopper DLM system allows individual room control with out-of-the box code compliance and power monitoring of lighting and plug loads.

“The benefits of the enhanced floor plan graphics are very evident from a presentation standpoint,” said Craig Payne, project manager, WattStopper. “There really is no comparison to the low resolution, 2D graphics that are generally used for such projects. You can try to improve on every other aspect of a dashboard or graphic page, but if you don’t use the enhanced graphic, it still ends up looking outdated and doesn’t usually impress the client.”

QA Graphics initially worked with WattStopper to develop a single floor plan graphic as part of a demonstration that was being presented to their client. Once that was approved, they went ahead and completed all of the remaining floor plans.

View more 3D floor plan examples here.

QA Graphics Provides Bridge Data Manager for SystemWorks LLC

September 9, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

QA Graphics is pleased to share that their client SystemWorks, LLC has implemented the Bridge Data Manager during one of their commissioning projects for Central College.

SystemWorks, an independent, third-party commissioning provider has implemented Bridge as part of a commissioning project for Central College. QA Graphics’ Bridge Data Manager is a data logger tool that can collect and log data from virtually any source to track performance data for comparing, trending, validating, commissioning, and reporting on that data.

SystemWorks worked with Mike Lubberden, Central College’s director of facilities planning and management to implement the Bridge Data Manger. It is being used by the campus to verify that the utility meter data reporting, including the electrical, gas, steam, and chilled water use is performing as the building design intended. To get the campus data from the building automation system to the Bridge Data Manager, SystemWorks used QA Graphics’ Web Interface for JCI Metasys. The interface is a web-based, software solution used to map data from the Johnson Controls MSEA system to Bridge, where the data is logged via the network or cloud storage using Microsoft SQL Server.

“We looked to QA Graphics because of their experience and history in successfully collecting JCI Metasys data,” Scott Talbot, commissioning supervisor, SystemWorks, LLC. “The software was quick to install, and has been easy for us to work within setting up points and collecting the data remotely.”

QA Graphics Develops Website for SystemWorks LLC

August 7, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

August 7, 2013

QA Graphics, Iowa based interactive design firm, is pleased to announce that they have developed a website for SystemWorks, LLC. SystemWorks, LLC is an independent, third-party commissioning provider located in West Des Moines, Iowa. The company specializes in building commissioning, retro-commissioning, LEED commissioning, facility analysis, thermal imaging, indoor air quality testing, energy audits, utility benchmarking, and certified testing and balancing. The company was looking for a new and more modern website and looked to QA Graphics.

QA Graphics provides custom website solutions, whether it’s a new site, an update of an existing site, or an interactive component to incorporate into an existing site. For SystemWorks, QA Graphics created a new site, developed with an open-source CMS platform that gives them the ability to update content, graphics, and videos as needed. On the site, SystemWorks is able to showcase their extensive services and credentials, introduce the team members, and share a portfolio that highlights past projects.

“The new website is impressive; the look is fresh and professional, and it showcases our work very well,” Scott Talbot, SystemWorks, LLC. “We truly love the look and functionality of the site. The staff was great to work with and very knowledgeable.”

QA Graphics Introduces AcquiSuite Integration for Energy Dashboard

July 30, 2013

Contact:
Sarah Erdman, Marketing Director
515.965.3403
serdman (at) www.qagraphics.com

July 30, 2013

QA Graphics, Iowa-based interactive design firm, is pleased to announce the release of 3.3.1 of QA Graphics’ Bridge Data Manager, an integral part of the award-winning Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard. With this release comes native integration with the Obvious AcquiSuite devices.

The Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard (EEED) is an interactive application used to create occupant awareness through the display of building performance data, demonstrations of sustainable building features, tips on how to be efficient and other educational features. The Bridge Data Manager acts as the central communication hub for this solution. Now with the release of 3.3.1 the Bridge Data Manager, comes native integration with the Obvious AcquiSuite devices.

Any data request made is managed by the Bridge Data Manager, which gathers information from the AcquiSuite A8812 device through a configurable port on the network. Available through the web services from AcquiSuite, a simple XML request can be made from the Data Manager through an added gateway. The Bridge Data Manager supports multiple gateway integration and allows for multiple AcquiSuite devices to be added. Once this data becomes available to the Data Manager, it can be provided for the Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard application to display metered data throughout a facility or campus. The data can be displayed through a variety of educational graphs, comparison charts, leaderboards, etc., to educate viewers about building performance and provide insight on how everyone’s actions impact building efficiency.