Tonight was the first time the students focused on designing apps. They faces were filled with intrigue, but I can tell they were a bit hesitant and not sure of exactly what to do. To help, I used a design technique that I created with colleagues at the University of Maryland called ‘Moving Panels.’ Some students got into it, but others still looked at the materials of the technique as if they were pads of paper on which to list their ideas. The technique calls for illustrations and explanations of the intended user interface.
But after some time, you could slowly see details of app ideas coming through, and some of the ideas were awesome. I can’t wait until they are made and available for everyone to see and use.
The students are extremely creative and by the end of class, I could tell that they appreciated the true challenge of creating an app idea and fleshing it out with details. It was inspiring to watch. I would share some of their ideas, but I don’t want to spoil it. 🙂
We’ll continue this exercise on Thursday.
Stay tuned.
-Leshell
Lead Instructor
