Ambient Alarm Clock

Your assignment is to design and prototype an “ambient” alarm clock .

Each student is responsible for creating two storyboards and one rapid

prototype that communicates the intended design.

1. Brainstorm

To begin, generate at least ten different ideas for an interactive alarm

clock . Focus on capturing the following aspects of the design of the

clock:

▪ High-level concepts (e.g. “Teddybear clock”)

▪ Features (e.g. “Tickle-me snooze button”)

▪ Contexts of use (e.g. “Holiday clock”)

Be visual and sketch drawings of your various concepts. It’s easier to

tame down a wild idea than heat up a boring one, so go wild and think of

some crazy stuff. When coming up with wild ideas, also try to consider

how to keep your ideas “concrete.” Could they be implemented as actual

features, objects or services?

2. Storyboard

Create a storyboard communicating two different experiences that the

user might have with the clock (e.g. at different times of day, in differ-

ent contexts, or different users altogether). Be visual, and sketch draw-

ings of these different concepts in sequence over time. Each storyboard

should have at least three panels.

3. Rapid Prototype

Using your storyboards as inspiration, build a rapid prototype to realize

the intended design of your clock . Use whatever convenient materials

you like; the prototype doesn’t need to be fully functional or interactive,

but it wouldn’t hurt if it had some special features that were fun to in-

teract with (e.g. buttons you can push, flashing lights, sounds, different

PROJECT #5

Introduction to IxD

IXDSN-100-01

Spring 2019

states, fun materials that make you want to cuddle it, etc.).

Tip: for interactivity, leverage the resources of the HybridLab. Ard uinos

and technical support staff are available to help you realize your vision.