Each student in my class was given the opportunity to select one of the several projects they completed during the semester. I have asked the students to provide a short explanation of their own projects below.
Meghan Washington, Master of Science in Journalism
The New York Times tablet edition
I chose to feature this on the blog because I think it exemplifies the kind of tablet-specific app that would serve The New York Times well.
The New York Times’ current tablet app is very similar to the website, which is very similar to the print edition. This app would utilize the unique platform of the tablet by encouraging touch, swiping, and full screen photography.
I tried to keep the Times’ general style the same, with similar fonts and organization of text, categories, etc. I would have this require a $2.99 payment, and of course one would need a NYT digital subscription. It would refresh with new content continuously, like the NYT.
Users would take a brief questionnaire after downloading the app—with the option to opt-out—to assess their news interests. The main page of the app would reflect these interests, with analytical data being collected every so often if these preferences change. The main page would start with images only, and then the user would select the symbol on the top right to see all the headlines and bylines for each story.
Individual stories will highlight photography first, full screen, with the option to zoom in and out by touch. Sliding the arrow at the bottom up will bring the story up with a transparent overlay, keeping the photo visible and as part of the story.
Amelia Bourdeau, Master of Arts in Journalism, May 2015
Amelia Bourdeau, Master of Arts in Journalism, May 2015
I chose the NY Post and wanted to make the popular Page 6 section more prominent on the mobile and tablet editions, so that one did not have to scroll to see it. The NY Post online editions have a lot to look at – photos, headlines, horoscopes – and I sought to organize the layout better.
I chose this project to feature because it was an effective exercise to learn the importance of consistent source order, organization, and layout. Also, I chose it because I read the NY Post daily.
Jason Myles, Master of Science in Journalism
The Williams Sisters: tablet
I chose to revise the project I did about the Williams sisters because I wanted to continue to play around with the “layback Sunday” feel for tablet. As I hope to be able to do long-form feature pieces in the future, I thought it’d be good to revisit one I designed.
I used the red background and border to tie in the pops of red in the large feature photos. I also used the gray backgrounds to separate sections on the same page in a way I thought was clean and distinctive to the reader. I also thought the yellow tennis ball added a nice graphic and pop of color to the second page.
What I learned from this project is that often times you have to try and retry something to make it look right. Many times my original idea didn’t look how I thought it would, so you’ve just got to try something else until you’re happy with the design.
