Many newsrooms around the globe dedicate generous human and monetary resources to the creation of new products. That is why this semester I have assigned my students in Multiplatform Design & Storytelling to create a product that they could pitch as an enhancement to a company’s existing offerings.

The students worked in teams of two and had to consider all aspects of the new product: content/storytelling, visuals and design, technical aspects and monetization efforts.

Anyone interested in additional information about these projects can contact me and/or the students directly. Their Twitter handles are given next to their names.

Today I am profiling two of the students’ new product projects.

Merge (in Teen Vogue)

Where young activists find a home

Authors: Abby Lieberman (@AbbyLieberman29) and Jenna Chambers (@JennaNichelle94)

There is no question that teenagers have a voice. The recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida, has given birth to a wave of activism represented by the young voices and faces of students who survived the massacre where 17 of their classmates and teachers died. Merge can be a platform for discussion and debate of issues that affect young people, but also a source of news and information especially crafted with teenagers in mind.

Take a look:

https://marvelapp.com/40i5640/screen/39248102

The Purple (for The Washington Post)

The platform for victims of domestic violence

Authors: Marie Patino (@mariepastora) and Ali Alidi Tehrani (@Ali_Tehrani)

Concept: Domestic violence is part of the daily life of many in the United States. However, it is a subject that is rarely talked about. There is much shame

for the victims. Now, The Purple becomes a forum for all topics related to domestic violence, as well as a place for victims to find each other, seek counsel and learn about their legal rights. The Purple takes a page from its sister app, the much successful The Lilly, from The Washington Post.

Take a look:

https://marvelapp.com/40i5640/screen/39248102

More new product projects tomorrow

To be continued tomorrow with projects that involve Starbucks and Facebook.

Those front page Ads

While working in Germany today, spotted this front page of Die Welt, complete with a full ad on its page one (which then gave way to a real Page One where Page 3 usually belongs).

Society of News Design New York: Celebrating 40 years

The Society for News Design’s 40th Anniversary Workshop, Creative Conference and Awards Gala will be in New York City, March 22–24.

Workshop chair Tyson Evans, of The New York Times, and an army of volunteers are organizing three packed days of talks, training, networking and inspiration about the future (and past) of storytelling, visual journalism and news products across print and digital.

Speakers announced so far include Scott Stowell, proprietor of Open and winner of the National Design Award for Communication Design; Jennifer Daniel, of Google; John Maeda, of Automattic and visual journalists from The New York Times, Washington Post, Axios, Vice, ProPublica and more.

I am honored to be one of the speakers.

If you would like to attend what promises to be one of the best SND gatherings ever, please go here for more information:

https://nyc.snd.org