Project 1 :: Community Building System

Design a multimedia system for a community of individuals involved in a common activity. This system should move content fluidly across platforms/mediums to display, map and share information. Define ways to facilitate interaction and sharing, finding ways to collect information from the real world to send, analyze, and visualize in the electronic world. An online area will respond to the needs of the whole community, while an iPhone and iPad application will be designed with the individual user in mind. 
*iPad may be used to address community needs if you move to large shared touch screen. iPhone/iPad platforms are negotiable. 

project objectives

• understand what Web 2.0 means 
• understand the differences between, and design appropriately for, both static and dynamic content 
• design for a specific user group considering ethnography, age, location, etc. 
• apply user research to inform both your concept and design 
• apply (and expand) your technical and design knowledge from Information Architecture to complex situations 
• design at both the component and system level for screen-based communications 
• further develop your presentation and critique skills 
• integrate linear and non-linear elements into a seamless user experience. 
• understand the multiple tools & multiple technologies makeup of interactive design and explore their combination of these technologies 
• design screen-based systems that rely on and respond to user input 
• understand the separation of design and content that is integral to current multi-authored web content 
• demonstrate understanding of user-centered, contextually appropriate navigation structures 

project considerations

• consider both available and hypothetical technologies when concepting, be creative!
• almost ANY individual activity can be the basis for a community, think about it!
• your ideas and the design of your interfaces are the most important aspects of this project
• you will not be expected to program functioning prototypes of this project, static click through demos and timeline-based Flash are fully acceptable, your final artifact will be a produced video that summarizes your research and artifact. 
• those inclined and interested in deeper technologies like Actionscripting and Javascript are encouraged to develop those skills and use them for the prototyping of this project