NM Design Slam

NM Media Industries Conference III (Friday, February 2nd @ UNM)

Design Slam 2007

Report from writer Ellen Cline

A company wants to develop a website called youknow.com that will enhance the user experience and leapfrog existing technology product review sites. Imagine epinions.com or cnet.com done in a whole new way. That was the challenge given to the teams of participants in the Design Slam held at the New Mexico Media Industries Conference at UNM February 2. Sure the teams had $1 million and a year to produce it in the imaginary world, but only an hour to do it at the Slam.

How would the design teams choose to aggregate content and thought from the youknow site as well as from others? How would they decide to visualize and search product reviews? Could they leverage the best of web 2.0 and make a site that would be stand out from the crowd, yet be usable enough to become popular and successful?

As part of the client team of the hypothetical company, I got to answer questions from the teams about what we were looking for, and judge the presentations to pick a winning solution. I have to admit it was fun being on the other side for once, having all those creative professionals trying to make me happy and turning on the charm.

So what did the teams come up with?

The Q Team’s concept was that all data would be presented visually first, with search results appearing as a cluster of photos so that the largest product image represented the most popular item of its type. Rolling over the photo would bring up more info, and clicking on it would pull up reviews. Ratings from other sites would be presented visually as spheres extending on tentacles from the central circle that held the reviews at youknow.com. The “youknow player” would allow users to submit and receive feedback to reviews in video, audio and written forms.

The Dream Team’s idea was “the customer knows themselves best.” So the website’s layout could be totally rearranged by the user to suit their design sensibility and interests. Modular components such as reviews, rss feeds, and even the logo could be moved about the page, and content could be set for visual, auditory, or textual display to suit individuals’ taste and interests. Community would be built through interest group blogs on topics such as digital photography.

But Team Sharpie’s simple metaphor driven solution won the day. “Sink or swim” was their theme. You threw the product you wanted to know more about into the animated water tank to see if it would rise to the top as a winning choice or flounder at the bottom. While Team Sharpie also offered some of the web 2.0 features other teams had suggested, their unique visual solution and clear focus allowed them to swim past the other teams and take the prize.

The Design Slam was presented by Chris Rivard and Kevin Silver of Clearwired (www.clearwired.com).

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Many thanks to Ellen for the write-up and Chris and Kevin for putting the session together.

Design Slam 2007

3:00 - 4:30 PM Mirage / Thunderbird Room (2nd Floor SUB)
Design has become a differentiating factor in many industries with the emergence of the fields of interaction design and user experience design. Chris Rivard and Kevin Silver of Clearwired will facilitate an exciting session that will test participants' problem solving and design skills to create the best solution to a real-world problem.
Awards and bragging rights for the year will be given to the victors!

What's a "design slam"?
During the meeting, participants will be teamed and introduced to a full-fledged hypothetical project, including appropriate client-side deliverables. They'll then have an opportunity to interview key players on the client's team. The session will conclude with proposal presentations from each of the groups to the "clients" and the assembled audience.

Then the "clients" team will choose a winner. Members of the winning team will receive a plethora of praise from your peers and perhaps an award.

What's in it for me?
This is a chance for interested designers, multimedia developers, and creative professionals to get their hands dirty working side by side with colleagues as they tackle tough cross-channel business problems in a fun and sometimes crazy environment. Knowledge transfer, technique sharing, and a social atmosphere makes this session stand out from the garden-variety "lecture-and-Powerpoint" presentation.

Visit http://www.e-reiss.com/Seminars.aspx to learn more about the IA Slam concept.

Chris Rivard
Chris founded Clearwired in 2004 after relocating to New Mexico from the Washington D.C. region. Chris has led user experience design initiatives for clients including The College Board, PBS.org, Discovery Communications, Oregon Health & Science University and Norwegian Cruise Line. Chris’s experience has been gained through contributions to the successful startup and growth of three web consultancies where he was served as designer, developer and executive producer. Chris is the Local Ambassador for the User Experience Network, a worldwide organization of user experience professionals.


Kevin Silver
Kevin Silver is an empathetic champion of the end user and a strong proponent of user centered design. Involved in desktop application design and development since 1995, Kevin started tinkering with HTML in late 90’s just in time for the flurry of growth before the big .com bust. As an Information Architect and Interaction Designer, he has worked on a diverse range of web projects for Indian Health Services, Envision Utility Software Company, Rick Johnson and Company, University of New Mexico, Ideum, Museum of the African Diaspora, Adobe and the Air Force. Currently as an user experience architect for Clearwired, he has worked on projects for Norwegian Cruise Line, Dr. Martens and King Retail Solutions, and is currently refining Clearwired’s user experience practice.
Read more at www.clearwired.com

 

 

LOCATION, PARKING & TRANSPORTATION

UNM's Student Union Building (SUB) is located near the center of the main Albuquerque campus, between Lomas and Central to tne North and South; Girard and University to the East and West. A Google map is available here. A pdf map of the campus can be found here.

Parking while classs are in session can sometimes be difficult, so plan ahead and carpool or take public transportation if possible. Hourly visitor parking is available in the Cornell Parking Structure on Redondo just east of Stanford. Please note that due to construction Stanford Drive is closed, entry is from Lomas or Girard (see maps and more information here). Cornell Parking Structure Rates are $1.35 per hour. The first half hour is 65 cents. A lost ticket results in a $15 charge.

There are several additional paylots within walking distance, both on University, West of campus, and on Yale, South of campus. Friday parking is usually plentiful before 9AM.

Within Albuquerque, UNM is conveniently located on the City's 66 and Rapid Ride routes. Visit their page here for more information.

SUPPORT NEW MEXICO'S MEDIA INDUSTRIES


VOLUNTEERS & SUPPORT

We can't do it without you. If you can offer your time or other support for the conference, please contact Conference Coordinator, Eric Whitmore, at whitmore@unm.edu

MATERIALS & INFORMATION

This year we've set aside a hall for program materials and information. If you'd like to participate, please contact artslab@unm.edu for more details.