Following are four key elements in developing your digital media prototype. First are
the steps in developing a media prototype. You should follow these steps in developing
your prototype. Next is a list of media experimentation or innovation project ideas.
Review this list of ideas and see what topic or topic seems most interesting to you.
Then is a list of what elements to include in your prototype. Finally, there is a
description of the format for your media prototype and presentation, including a
template you can use.
Steps in Developing Prototype
? Select a project idea from the list of ideas outlined
? Conduct background research on the general media technology involved.
? Determine what other innovative work has been done to date. Some students
find it helpful here to conduct a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats).
? Assess what resources you will need in order to create your prototype.
? Outline a set of objectives and timeline and set of tasks for completing your
project.
? Develop an initial model of your prototype for testing.
? Finalize your prototype for final testing: note you need only develop a
conceptual prototype for this class; it does not need to be functional or
operational.
? As to the length/format of what you submit, length depends a great deal on
the format of your presentation. If you were to use mainly text, it would
probably be about 5-7 pages. But with a greater use of a combination of
media, such as audio, video, interactivity and text, the multimedia component
would be the equivalent of about 2-3 minutes, plus a shorter amount of text.
See below for more on format.
Experimental Digital Media Project Ideas
? Improvisational journalism project
? Vyond Links to an external site.
animation project
?
? Ishowu news project
? Geotagged news photo project
? Digital media game via Shockwave Flash, or ppt project
? News Copy prototype
? News fact/source matrix (including fake news detector)
? News text AI editor per Newssim (or digital assistant such as Amazon Echo
with Alexa)
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Apply combinformatio to media
Mobile media or Hyperlocal news project
iPad or other e-reader/Kindle/Nook app
3D printer in NYC makerbot
Speech recognition technology (e.g., Dragon) for reporting
foursquare or Facebook location service as reporting tool
Wearable app (e.g., such as Google Glass or smart watch)
Augmented Reality (AR) project; Google’s Arts & Culture app enables you to
create, share and experience arts and culture anywhere anytime immersively
and via AR. See this example from New Mexico, where my spouse has a
ceramics studio:
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/micaceous-pottery-of-northern-newmexico-bureau-of-indian-affairs/dwLSRvkhVDotKA?hl=en
VR or MR for media
Pulse project
Social media innovation app for media
Cloud computing
Live blogging for social media
Drones and media
Data-driven, coding media project
Smart devices for journalism and media
Substack newsletter
Podcasting
NFT for media
A virtual world on The Metaverse (see Meta’s Horizon page
https://www.oculus.com/facebook-horizon/)
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?
Ebook innovation
Final Prototype (note: this assignment is to create a conceptual prototype; it’s
not necessary that it be functional).
You should include the following ten elements in your prototype submission (with
maximum points for each element noted). 1) Executive summary describing the key
features of your prototype. UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
2) Name or title of your Prototype (remember your prototype need only be a
conceptual prototype, not a functional one), something distinctive and bold (consider
the name of this recently launched asynchronous video communication app
…its name connotes a lot). UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
3) Detailed description of your Prototype and what its unique value is (why is it worth
developing; what makes it an exciting digital media innovation). UP TO 3 POINTS
MAX
4) Outline of resources needed to bring your prototype from testing stage to
marketplace. Syndicode provides a helpful overview of the steps and timeline in mobile
app development
. UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
5) Assessment plan for evaluating your prototype if it were to be introduced into the
marketplace. This link provides some helpful information about assessing an app:
Clearbridge Mobile highlights five key elements in evaluating or assessing an app
(although these ca be applied to any digital media prototype): 1) User Acquisition, 2)
User Retention, 3) Revenue Impact, 4) Mobile App Performance and 5) User
Experience. UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
6) Identification of target market or audience for your prototype (i.e., who would use
your media product, once it would move past the prototype stage and why). UP TO 3
POINTS MAX
7) Description of competing media products or services; some students find it
helpful here to conduct a SWOT analysis
(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
8) Interactive experience or Slideshow to highlight the design of your prototype in
visual form. Proto.io and other tools for doing this are described in further detail below.
Google Slides is also an interesting option, with the potential to easily add interactivity
to your presentation (e.g., via links) or more sophisticated interaction (e.g., games,
quizzes, etc.). For a guide to adding interactivity to Google Slides see:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1URDLpLfJY2x-5saWaWafn_Mia_IrNmbxQc7lSH
AEmTs/edit#
You might use PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Prezi or some other presentation
tool. or a website design tool such as Wix or Indigo). Using these slides, you might
record a video of you presenting or describing your digital media prototype (via
Screencast-o-matic or via your smartphone). Or, you might record an animation to
illustrate your Prototype, perhaps a user perspective (e.g., using vyond, Powtoon)
. UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
9) Video or animation. Using your slides, record a video presentation or description of
your digital media prototype (e.g., via Screencast-o-matic or via your smartphone). Or,
record an animation to illustrate your Prototype, perhaps a user perspective (e.g., using
vyond, Powtoon) Or, use some other digital tool to create a multimedia presentation of
the key features of your prototype. UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
10) Sources
Because this is not a typical academic paper but more of an applied assignment, there
is no set expectation regarding sources or number of them. You should indicate
sources that you have relied upon, but the work you present should be based more on
your own original research and analysis. Where you have drawn upon the work of
others, provide the appropriate citations. A specific citation style is not required but be
consistent in your use of any particular style (e.g., ALA). UP TO 3 POINTS MAX
*******************************
But these are just ideas to get you thinking creatively about how you MIGHT present
your final prototype. You might take an alternative approach and try something unique
to your prototype, or use a new digital media tool that fits perfectly to your innovative
prototype idea.
In creating or designing your prototype, there is a growing number of options. You
might consider any of them, and choose one that best meets your needs or capabilities.
If you are inclined toward social media, Instagram might be a platform worth
considering. Heres a link to an Instagram page template you might find helpful:
https://www.canva.com/instagram-posts/templates/
If you are thinking about a prototype optimized for a mobile experience, then using a
prototype app tool might be the way to go. Here are links to two you might find helpful:
https://proto.io/ app.uizard.io https://www.adalo.com/
You might be thinking about creating a web-based innovation. In that case, Wixsite.com
might be worth employing for creating an innovative website.
Regarding these online tools. you can use most of them for free for a limited period of
time to create a prototype.
Some students have in previous semesters found these tools very useful.
Security, or cybersecurity, continues to grow in importance for all of the online world,
including for media. You might have heard about ransomware attacks; a big one was in
the news in early 2021 A good approach to take in helping ensure that your prototype
will have an effective approach to cybersecurity, you can consider two-factor
authentication as a minimum for your digital media prototype.
Two-factor authentication requires two sources of user identity, such as a password and
a mobile phone number. Cybersecurity has become a major problem for media around
the world. For details, see
https://cyware.com/news/cyberattacks-on-media-agencies-increasing-1835b93c/?web_
view=true
Rubric
Final Digital Media Prototype
Criteria
Ratings
Pts
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Executive Summary
3
pts
Executive summary describing the key features of your
prototype.
Full
Mar
ks
0
p
t
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Name or Title
Name or title of your Prototype (remember your prototype need
only be a conceptual prototype, not a functional one), something
distinctive and bold.
3
pt
s
F
ul
l
M
ar
k
s
0
p
t
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Detailed Description
Detailed description of your Prototype and what its unique value
is (why is it worth developing; what makes it an exciting digital
media innovation).
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
r
k
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Outline of resources
Outline of resources needed to bring your prototype from testing
stage to marketplace. Syndicode provides a helpful overview of
the steps and timeline in mobile app development.
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
r
k
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Assessment Plan
Assessment plan for evaluating your prototype if it were to be
introduced into the marketplace. This link provides some helpful
information about assessing an app:
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
r
k
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
Clearbridge Mobile highlights five key elements in evaluating or
assessing an app (although these can be applied to any digital
media prototype): 1) User Acquisition, 2) User Retention, 3)
Revenue Impact, 4) Mobile App Performance and 5) User
Experience.
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Identification of target market
Identification of target market or audience for your prototype
(i.e., who would use your media product, once it would move
past the prototype stage and why).
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
r
k
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Description of competing media products
Description of competing media products or services; some
students find it helpful here to conduct a SWOT analysis
(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
r
k
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Interactive Experience
Interactive experience or Slideshow to highlight the design of
your prototype in visual form. Proto.io and other tools for doing
this are described in further detail below. Google Slides is also
an interesting option, with the potential to easily add interactivity
to your presentation (e.g., via links) or more sophisticated
interaction (e.g., games, quizzes, etc.). For a guide to adding
interactivity to Google Slides see:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1URDLpLfJY2x-5saWaWaf
n_Mia_IrNmbxQc7lSHAEmTs/edit#
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
r
k
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
You might use PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Prezi or
some other presentation tool. or a website design tool such as
Wix or Indigo. Using these slides, you might record a video of
you presenting or describing your digital media prototype (via
Screencast-o-matic or via your smartphone). Or, you might
record an animation to illustrate your Prototype, perhaps a user
perspective (e.g., using Vyond, Powtoon)
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Video or Animation
Video or animation. Using your slides, record a video
presentation or description of your digital media prototype (e.g.,
via Screencast-o-matic (Links to an external site.) or via your
smartphone). Or, record an animation to illustrate your
Prototype, perhaps a user perspective (e.g., using vyond,
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
N
o
M
a
r
Powtoon). Or, use some other digital tool to create a multimedia
presentation of the key features of your prototype.
r
k
s
k
s
3 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Sources
Because this is not a typical academic paper but more of an
applied assignment, there is no set expectation regarding
sources or number of them. You should indicate sources that
you have relied upon, but the work you present should be based
more on your own original research and analysis. Where you
have drawn upon the work of others, provide the appropriate
citations. A specific citation style is not required but be
consistent in your use of any particular style (e.g., ALA).
Total Points: 30
3
p
t
s
0
p
t
s
F
u
l
l
M
a
r
k
s
N
o
M
a
r
k
s
1
Project Proposal
Description
My bold idea is an interactive mobile podcast platform. This bold podcast idea will seek
to transform the conventional podcasting experience by developing and providing an interactive
mobile podcast platform that enables the audience to engage deeper with podcasts and at the
same time offers podcasters innovative and engaging ways to connect and interact with their
listeners. Similarly, my bold idea podcast platform will merge audio features and interactive
features to enhance the podcast experience for both podcasters and the audience as a whole.
Some of the core features of the podcast platform will include: interactive segments, customized
recommendations, live audio Q&A sessions, precise and accurate transcripts, searchability,
offline listening, and collaborative podcasting.
Name: 360 Interactive Podcast
Timeline:
The timeline will include the following steps:
1. Week 1-3: Conduct research and develop the concept
2. Week 3-7: Design and create the prototype
3. Week 8-14: Develop the 360 Interactive Podcast App for both iOS and Android
platforms.
4. Week 14-18: Test for functionality and usability and gather feedback
5. Week 19-22: Refine the prototype based on feedback gathered
6. Week 23-30: Implement and launch the product
2
Feedback from professor: Your proposal to create a 360 Interactive Podcast is an intriguing and
creative idea. It could help to address a significant problem/opportunity, especially in todays
world of digital audio media. Your proposal covers all the required elements: 1) the general
description of the idea is clear and bold, 2) the working title of the project is descriptive, 3) the
timetable for completing the project and the steps involved is developing. Your proposal is good
and as you begin moving this forward for the final prototype submission you might further
develop the steps involved and refine who the intended end user is, and then further consider the
role of user experience (UX)
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