Moderator’s note: The text has been updated from the original posting on Sept 10, 2009.
THEME:
One Hour+ Design Challenge: The Future of Digital Reading
DOORS OPEN:
September 9, 2009
9 PM PST (4PM GMT)
DOORS CLOSE:
October 14, 2009
9 PM PST (4PM GMT)
BRIEF:
What will reading look in the future? Will we be using printed books, rectangular electronic devices, embedded technologies?This competition challenges designers to envision a rich future digital reading experience, based on a defined set of design research.
Recently, Portigal Consulting undertook an exploratory research project on reading, books, and digital reading devices, entitled Reading Ahead. Here’s what they found:
[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/6491185[/vimeo]
- Books are more than just pages with words and pictures; they are imbued with personal history, future aspirations, and signifiers of identity
- The unabridged reading experience includes crucial events that take place before and after the elemental moments of eyes-looking-at-words
- Digital reading privileges access to content while neglecting other essential aspects of this complete reading experience
- There are opportunities to enhance digital reading by replicating, referencing, and replacing social (and other) aspects of traditional book reading
And here’s what they suggest for your design explorations:
- Include the sensual
- Support the social side of reading
- Consider the varied modes and rituals of reading
- Develop an ecosystem
HOW TO ENTER:
Watch the video pitch above, get familiar with the Reading Ahead research, and check out the slideshow below for more:
portigalconsultingreadingaheadresearchhighlights-090908145658-phpapp01
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the research, take 90 minutes to generate as many ideas as you can, based on the research findings. (Remember that the time you spend going over the material doesn’t count against your design time.)
Use sketches, renderings, storyboards, comics, diagrams, or even short videos to convey your designs, and upload them here.
JURY:
Winners will be selected by Core77 and Portigal Consulting.
CRITERIA:
Judging will be based on inventiveness of ideas, with a sharp focus on how well those ideas build on the Reading Ahead research. So be sure that you communicate those connections!
PRIZE:
Portigal Consulting and Core77 will each be donating $300, in the name of the prize winner, to 826 Valencia (a nonprofit that helps kids with expository and creative writing, and San Francisco’s only independent pirate supply store). 826 Valencia will put together a celebratory gift bag (i.e., pirate booty!) to honor the winner. Results will be published at both the Core77 and Portigal Consulting websites.