KENT WANG
“Infinispace”
Co-Design App Interface
Using sticky notes and the whiteboard to organize information is no longer good enough for ideas generation. Need a more powerful tool to be capable of brainstorming.
Form /
UI
Role /
UI designer
Domain /
Interaction
Year /
2014
In generating ideas, the connection with the designer, researcher, and users is getting closer and tighter during the brainstorming process. They usually sit together and use recording tools, such as a whiteboard or sticky notes, to collect and refine the raw data, whereas these tools have many constraints. For example, the information on the whiteboard can not transmit to other media directly; unreliable paper notes hardly link with each other following the request, which means data can not have advanced construction being converted to an organized database. Even if feeling unfamiliar with the ongoing conversations usually causes misunderstanding. It makes me think that a digital co-design app might have more potential to handle these tasks.
First of all, I have realized that a loading information platform without a physical boundary is necessary. In addition, the role of brainstormers in the conference also should be compartmentalized. Who asks the question? Who provides the solution? Who guides and organizes information? The tools in the "Infinispace" are specifically designed for these roles’ behaviors.
Using Cloud technology, the "Infinispace" platform can be shared with anyone who wants to be involved and edit content. In terms of operation administration, each participant has editing functions designated by the platform creator. Typically, there are two models to set up the system. The first one is the Master-Slave model; the other one is the Freestyle model. In the Master-Slave model, the host can edit all the guests' inputs while they are only allowed to edit their own. In the Freestyle model, all participants can freely edit each other inputs.
"Lasso" tool can select information on the board and extracts it for moving.
"Linking" tool can connect extracted information on the board.
By applying "Label" and "Lasso" in a flexible way, you can check those information relationships in the"Outline" function. It helps you clarify how the data is connected.
"Capture" tool can screenshot the panorama of everything on the board into a timeline album. The album and outline also can be uploaded to the cloud server and shared with other users.