I was delighted to be invited back to the University of Lincoln this week to do some more teaching.
I was asked to review responses to this year’s ISTD briefs by the 2nd year students. There was some excellent presentations and I really enjoyed giving feedback – hopefully some of it was useful!
This summer it will be 10 years since I graduated from the course… Something I can’t quite believe.
Last week, Ric Gravina and myself returned to the University of Lincoln to hold another ‘App day’ with 2nd year students on the BA Graphic Design course.
Like last time, we asked them to come up with a new app concept in just one day. After a briefing and inspiration session, in small groups, the students had to concept, wireframe, design and create a simple prototype before pitching their idea at the end of the day.
Again we were really impressed with the students and their ideas. The winning team came up with an app called ‘Dispute’ in which a group of users can settle an argument or decide whose turn it is to buy a round of drinks for example, by playing series of quick fire games against each other.
Other concepts included various apps to manage food and drink in your fridge, including keeping on top of expiry dates, automatically reordering groceries and recipes to make use of left over ingredients. There was also an app to manage student house budgets, a food allergy checker, an app to discover new bar and nightclubs and a couple of games.
We hope to catch up with the students early next year to see if any of them will look to develop their ideas further.
Last month, fellow Lincoln graduate Ric Gravina and I headed back to our old Graphic Design course at the University of Lincoln to run a one-day workshop and kick start a project on mobile apps.
We were asked back by new Joint Programme Leader Barrie Tullett to work with the Second Year students. We talked a bit about ourselves and then showcased a number of apps, before briefing the students. We asked them to concept, wireframe, design and prototype an idea for a new app in just six hours and then pitch their idea back to the group. Not long at all, but as ever we were both really impressed, not just in terms of their ideas, but also the way they approached the project.
The 'DJ X' team present their idea to the group.
The winning group was 'DJ X'. Their concept explored the problem of managing music at small parties where a single device is often plugged into a speaker. The app allowed different users to easily vote up and down the upcoming songs and suggest new ones from their own device and without disturbing the current track or unplugging the host device.
We have been back since to help the students develop their ideas further and add some finesse to their interface designs.
It's always great fun and fingers-crossed we will be back again soon.