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Six ways to step up to the challenge.
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Interface Designer
Creativity, innovative ideas, and usability - when these three elements come together for users of software or web applications it becomes pure magic. The experience that the artist and developer can create with a well designed user interface can make or break the application that it sits in front of. The Designer invitational challenges designers all over the world to create useful and compelling user interfaces that are unique and forward thinking. Participants have the opportunity to dream of an application, connect to the theme of the Imagine Cup and show the world how their skills can bring that to life. Innovating and envisioning revolutionary interfaces are the goals. Get away from traditional user interface approaches. Rethink the way we behave when in front of a computer screen.
General Guidelines
- Teams of 1-2 individuals
- Teams will create interface designs that represent the theme and envision software or web applications either existing or not, designers are not restricted to running applications in order to conceive and create their designs but must mock up a demonstration version for the 2 nd round that represents how the interface would work.
- Invitational consists of two rounds that determine the WW finals and a third and final round at the worldwide finals in mid to late July.
- Theme: “technology enables us to lead healthier lives.”
- Teams begin by submitting a short abstract and storyboard. The storyboard should give a visual sense of the interface and user experience.
- Required tools and delivery format: .xpr file format source files and accompanying html or other presentation framework
- 30 teams move on to the 2 nd round based on community voting
- The concept can be modified between the storyboard round and final submission – the storyboard and abstract qualify the designer, not just the idea.
Required Elements
- For round 1, graphical designs should be created in Microsoft Expression Graphic Designer or any other graphics/interface design software.
- For round 2, the demonstration version must run self-contained on the Microsoft Windows platform. Possible scenarios could include:
- The use of Expression Graphic Designer to create a standards-based HTML, CSS, JavaScript & ASP.NET prototype.
- The use of Expression Graphic Designer and Expression Interactive Designer to create a WinFX prototype application.
- The use of Visual Web Developer Express to create an "Atlas" prototype.
For Designers
Free Community Technology Previews (CTP) of Expression Graphic Designer and Expression Interactive Designer are available at www.microsoft.com/expression
Support on these CTPs is available in the following Microsoft public newsgroups which are monitored by development engineers from the product teams:
microsoft.public.expression.graphicdesigner
microsoft.public.expression.interactivedesigner
Additional ASP.NET info for designers can be found in http://msdn.microsoft.com/asp.net/reference/design/
For Developers
You can try a fully functional version of Visual Web Developer Express with ASP.NET 2.0 at http://msdn.microsoft.com/asp.net/ |
Calendar
- Nov 1, 2005 – Registration Opens
- Feb 1, 2006 – Abstract/storyboard submission window opens
- Mar 1, 2006 – Registration Closes
- Mar 15, 2006 – Abstract/storyboard submission window closes
- Mar 20, 2006 – Community voting begins
- Mar 29, 2006 – Community voting closes
- April 1, 2006 – 2nd Round finalists announced
- April 5, 2006 – 2nd Round design submission begins
- May 8, 2006 – 2nd Round design submission closes
- May 22, 2006 – Worldwide finalists announced (6 teams move on)
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Deliverables
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Round 1 – Abstract must be less than 250 words, in English. Storyboard must be less than 25 MB; participants need to deliver storyboards in a PowerPoint presentation or other self-contained presentation framework such as HTML. This presentation should include a series of images in PNG format with a maximum size of 1280 x 800 pixels. The incorporation of different images of the full process of design (from sketches to concept/composition and final images) is encouraged. All files, including the graphics source files (.xpr, etc.), should also be included and uploaded to the website as a single compressed .zip file.
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Round 2 – Self-contained working prototype demonstrating the interactive behavior and concept for the user interface created to run on the Microsoft Windows platform and may also use any Microsoft existing or emerging technology. Must be no larger than 250 MB. |
Judging Elements
- Round 1 – Abstract selection
- 50% How innovative is the interface/interaction concept (abstract and storyboard)
- 50% Visual expression of concept (storyboard) and adherence to the theme
- Round 2 – Final submission
- 50% How innovative is the interface/interaction concept
- 50% Quality of the overall user experience (works well, looks good, high production quality)
- Round 3 – Worldwide finals
- 60% Score from round 2
- 40% On site 24 hr design competition
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Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals
- First Place – $8,000
- Second Place – $4,000
- Third Place – $3,000
- Additional prizes – Competitors that achieve advancement to the worldwide finals will also receive travel and accommodations to attend the final competition in Delhi, India.
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