Challenge Summary
Welcome to TopCoder Studio - Portfolio Showcase Design Concept.
The TopCoder Design Studio community has always blown us away with amazing designs. We want to showcase your incredible work! In this contest, we are going to develop a completely new Portfolio Showcase for Studio. Your concept should be responsive, fun and easy to use. This Portfolio Showcase will replace the old "Portfolio" linked in the navagation of the Studio site. We are starting over and we need your fresh design concepts!
So, what are you waiting for? Get involved and show us your concepts for the new Studio Showcase Portfolio!
Round 1
You need to submit these files for round 1:
- Your design screen(s) that will showcase the Portfolio page
- Notes about your design flow/iteractivity, etc.
Round 2
You need to submit these files for final round:
- Your complete screen(s), with all the feedback from checkpoint implemented
- Notes about your design flow/iteractivity, etc.
For this contest we need you to focus on "Design Concepts"
(visual ideas with any notes for any explanations and interactions)
We need your new design concept for a Showcase Portfolio in Studio. This will replace the “portfolio” page linked in the navigation of Studio.
This portfolio’s primary purpose is to target potential designers to explore Studio. The Portfolio Showcase should be highly graphical with minimal text. The three main goals are:
- Show the awesome design work from the current community
- Show the awesome prize payouts
- Show big-named clients Studio has designed for
Visitors (potential members) need to see and understand those three things within 20 seconds.
Secondary Goals:
Once the potential member is interested, they have the opportunity to explore more. This means they can potentially:
- Watch an embedded “intro” video about Studio
- Dive deeper into any of the featured images on the showcase
- Explore Studio’s social media
- Learn how to get involved (start the path to registration, profile creation and competition)
- Other ideas you have for further interaction? What do you think they should explore?
Design Considerations:
1. We want to see your best design concept for the Portfolio page. Really "wow" us here!
2. We are starting over, so please forget about the current studio portfolio page. None of the design elements or functionalities should be kept.
3. On this contest, focus on the User Experience and layout, NOT the branding. Colors are irrelevant right now - do whatever you want!
4. Do NOT include the header or footer of Studio in your ideas. We just need concepts for the “meat” of this page and how it would look without the wrappers. In fact, pretend you are designing for a brand new site. You can add a small logo placeholder and a new footer with lorem ipsum if you want, but it’s not necessary.
5. Please position yourself as the one who visiting the Portfolio. What do you want to see on the portfolio? What do you think that will make you feel the page is "awesome"?
6. Beyond what we have mentioned above in the primary goal and the secondary goal, you are free to design concepts for any ideas you have to make this page more fun, and easy to use. We need your ideas!
7. We want your concepts on how to make the showcase gallery images easy to view both as smaller versions (some kind of thumbnails) and in larger versions.
------ Think beyond “portfolio” How could the larger image view eventually just become the standard view for each submission in Studio? Could your idea be something we use in every single contest across the site when showing subs? We would like that.
------ What information should be included on this larger version? What is the most important info to show (prize won? link to contest? placement? how many people submitted?) You tell us!!
8. It would be great to search and sort through the designs (date and category?)
------ What do you think would make it easier for user to browse the designs showcase?
Important:
- Look into the latest trends to display online portfolios. Make your design unique or cutting edge.
- Do some research about how to display great portfolios. Here is a reference:
http://www.onextrapixel.com/2011/05/19/55-inspiring-and-clever-online-portfolios/
Design Requirement:
- Please design for the standard 1024 px size. But please keep in mind your design must be responsive. So it should be flexible to be developed on other devices (mobile, tablet)
- Your design must be flat, clean, and simple with white space.
- For content samples, please use the Sample requirement (attached to this contest)
- DO NOT design using modal windows.
- You are free to design as many screens as you want to explain your ideas/concept.
- Please include notes about your concept if possible, this will make us easier to understand your ideas for flow, interactivity, etc.
Flat Design Reference:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/09/03/flat-and-thin-are-in/
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2013/09/the-ultimate-guide-to-flat-design/
http://fltdsgn.com/
Please take cues from the Studio newsletter screen(attached). This is a reference design, an example of good design that we like about flat, white space and responsive.
DO NOT COPY THE NEWSLETTER, it's only for reference.
Target Audience:
- Studio existing/potencial competitors
- Studio existing/potencial clients.
- General public that will visit Studio.
Judging Criteria:
- How well your concept conveys all the requirements mentioned in the spec.
- Excellent user experience.
- Is your design concept fun and easy to use?
- Cleanliness of your graphics and design.
Submission & Source Files
Preview Image
Please create your preview image as one (1) 1024x1024px JPG or PNG file in RGB color mode at 72dpi and place a screenshot of your submission within it.
Submission File
Submit JPG/PNG for your submission files.
Source Files
All original source files of the submitted design. Files should be created in Adobe Photoshop and saved as layered PSD file.
Final Fixes
As part of the final fixes phase you may be asked to modify your graphics (sizes or colors) or modify overall colors. We may ask you to update your design or graphics based on any missed specification or checkpoint requirements.
Please read the challenge specification carefully and watch the forums for any questions or feedback concerning this challenge. It is important that you monitor any updates provided by the client or Studio Admins in the forums. Please post any questions you might have for the client in the forums.