INTERACTIVITY

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BULLETIN: AN INTERACTIVE PROJECT
by JEAN CHISHOLM

KEYWORDS

interaction, design process, co-creation,
culture, communication design, website,
prototyping, storyboarding

ABSTRACT
This paper focuses on the process of
designing an interactive digital space.

Aiming to facilitate growth and connection

within the Vancouver local music scene,
the resulting project is a user-centred
web space named Bulletin that enables

interaction between event planners, artists
and audience members. The importance of
co-creation in the developmental and end

stages of this project is explored.

Over the course of one semester at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, our communication
design class was asked to conceive, research, prepare, ideate, refine and implement an interactive
project that could take the form of any screen-based interaction. Supervised by Tak Yukawa and
Don Williams, this project pushed us to think about changing users’ experiences in a way that
would create positive repercussions in their community. My project, Bulletin, aimed to create
interactions within Vancouver's local music scene and enable that scene to grow in digital and
physical environments (Figure 1).

The need for co-creation at all stages of the design process is a welcome and necessary change in
design. By working with users and embracing their creativity and input, designers can facilitate
fulfilling and positive interactions. C.K. Prahalad and V. Ramaswmy proposed in 2004 that “the
meaning of value and the process of value creation are rapidly shifting from a product- and
firm-centric view to personalized consumer experiences. Informed, networked, empowered and
active consumers are increasingly co-creating value with the firm.” [6] By opening up design to all
participants, designers encourage users to infuse the project with personal and community values,
creating a richer, more defining experience.

As | developed my own interaction project, my design practice became more flexible and open to
input, which was then reflected in my design’s purposes and function. By embracing the creativ-
ity of my peers and the populous, my design transformed from a passive experience to an active
experience.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Focusing on local music culture, | wanted to explore the ways | could create an interactive expe-
rience that would help make the Vancouver music scene more accessible and vibrant. Despite
Vancouver's reputation as one of the world’s most livable cities, many feel that the city can be
lonely, isolating and uninviting. [5] These feelings can extend to Vancouver's local music culture,
which is full of outstanding bands and venues, but which can also feel insular and difficult to
access. By having a space where local artists, venues and audience members can interact with one
another, the music scene can become more accessible and Vancouver's unique culture can emerge
and grow.

METHODOLOGY

EMBRACING THE FUZZY END. While my goals for this project remained consistent throughout
the process, its form and function underwent many changes and evolutions. The first iteration
was a standard event website that would highlight prices, so visitors would be able to find activ-
ities within their budget. This version of the project focused on the fact that Vancouver is one of