Challenge Summary
Welcome to Fujitsu - Android Home Screen Concept UI Design Challenge.
Fujitsu is one of the largest Android device manufacture. In this challenge, we are looking to conceptualize the home screens for Fujitsu’s new android smartphone specifically targeted to “Otona” consumer market.
You will be focused on creating an unique idea on how the new home screens should look and feel with brief documentation on design philosophy/concepts that your designs are based on. Can you come up with great concept and design for next generation Android phone that could potentially have big impact to the future of mobile UI?
Note: we are reposting the challenge with more simple requirements definition — See feedback forum thread for insights. We are also running a rolling checkpoint session to provide early feedback to those who submit by the 8th @6PM EST.
1. Concept Design Pitch
2. Home Screen (s)
- Please provide a MarvelApp Presentation (see details below).
- Make sure all pages have correct flow! Use correct file numbering. (00, 01, 02, 03).
1. Concept Design Pitch
2. Home Screen (s)
- Please provide a MarvelApp Presentation (see details below).
- Make sure all pages have correct flow! Use correct file numbering. (00, 01, 02, 03).
Rolling Checkpoint
Submit your initial concept and designs for an early checkpoint feedback. It should contain at least the concept design pitch (see item #1 in the Screen Requirements section below).
All concepts submitted by Thursday 8th @6PM EST will receive early feedback
Project Overview
The goal of this competition is to come up with the new concept and look and feel of a custom Android UI Home screen for Fujitsu smartphones based on a specific target audience.
Supporting Material
- Market: Otona target audience and brand practices.
- Concept Pitch: Rough sample of expected pitch elements.
Concept Design Goals
This project is loaded of innovation opportunities. It is not very traditional, requirements wise, since you won’t be designing a typical “app”, you will be designing an experience around a phone device following a criteria/story. Meaning that you will take the story of a user (that you will come up with based on the target audience – “Otona”), then represent the experience of this user on the best fit scenario of the magical piece of UX design a mobile phone is; all of this through the Android “home/launcher” screen (see samples of custom in the reference section below).
Client is specifically looking for designs and ideas that can meet following:
1. Your design philosophy or concept is clear to understand. Your catchphrase can be grasped in “5 seconds” (5 seconds appeal).
2. UI ideas that had not been seen into smartphones until now. For example;
2.a. Unique UI that can utilize unique features on their smartphone such as “Exlider” (see supplementary material of this feature and others).
2.b. unique UI that utilizes technology trends (like AI, home appliance, IoT) or Handwriting interface.
3. UI ideas that considers the mentality and/or physical declining body of “Otona” market into account.
4. UI design that utilizes the large 18:9 display size.
The following are some of the keywords that client is looking for in the design:
- Unique. No other.
- Sophisticated.
- Modern style.
- Fashionable.
Following are the keywords that should NEVER be in the design:
- Rude.
- Discriminatory.
- Provocative.
- Cheap.
Screens Requirements
Overall
Upon designing, you must consider that your design, when implemented, will work with following number of items in mind:
- Number of applications: minimum of 100 (assuming there will be 70 pre-installed apps and users download 30 after having the phone) — Can your concept allocate these items? You won’t need to display the 100 apps but the spacing you allocate must clearly be prepared for that somehow.
- Phone book entries (Contacts): minimum of 500 (If your design needs to demonstrate using Contacts), not mandatory.
1. Concept Design Pitch – Presentation Screen
Given the "Otona" market feature, create a story and represent it graphically through the following items (one or several presentation screen (s) will contain the items below - dimensions up to you):
1.1. Catchphrase/tagline
- Main item/title in your story.
- Example: Reinventing the future, guiding you through life, etc – come up with your own!
1.2. Description (concept idea)
- Brief background of your design philosophy or concept. Make it simple.
1.3. User story
- Come up with a short user story where you showcase a scenario.
- Example: user is a woman, 45 yrs old, kid just got into college away from her home and want to keep in touch with them often to see how they are doing, etc.
- Make it realistic and very short.
1.4. Imagery
- Create a visual presentation to demonstrate your unique Home Design concept.
- The presentation should go along with story-related imagery (background, etc). On the case of the fake user story above, imagery should be probably related to a 45yrs old woman, in a house, etc.
- Consider this is your sales pitch! Basically, write down the story, represent it visually and sale it. Use your Home Screens designs to compliment the pitch.
You can create a PPT, PDF or PNG file for this. See a rough sample which contains the elements we expect to receive.
2. Home Screen (s)
Branding Guidelines
Your concepts and designs will need to follow the overall brand vision and core values of their mobile phone product line called “arrows”.
Screen Specifications
- Source files for android screens must be created as 360 x 720 dp.
- Screen files for android screens must be exported as @3x (1080 x 2160 px).
- Source/screen files for pitch screen (s) can be any format as long as it is visual (PDF, PPT, Video, etc).
- All graphics must be created as vector so they resize well on larger devices.
Target Audience - The “Otona” market
“Otona” translated as “mature/adult” in English is a specific group of consumers that has unique characteristics. The product will be conceived to be sold in Japan only. Use English as language for this design exercise though. No need to think about Japanese Language specifics.
References
Following are few design examples to provide you guidance to concepts and designs that client are looking for. Note that the following design (it’s philosophy and look & feel) itself is NOT what the client is looking for, but these are purely for example purpose to guide you how your submissions should be structured and what client has in mind to score your submissions.
MarvelApp Presentation
- Request a MarvelApp prototype from me (mahestro@copilots.topcoder.com). Do not use the forums to request for MarvelApp.
- Provide clickable spots (hotzones) to link your screens and showcase the flow of the solution.
- Provide the MarvelApp shareable link in your notes during submission upload.
Stock Artwork (Illustrations, Icons, Photography)
- Stock artwork is allowed for this challenge.
- Make sure to declare all your assets properly or you might fail screening.
Judging Criteria
Overall design, UI and user experience is important. In addition, the following criteria is used;
Must have;
- The design meets all the requirements above.
- The design have information on page transitions (MarvelApp working links would be fine).
- The design do not have unexpected keywords explained above.
- The design is not targeted for senior people. (but must meet the “Otona” people. see supplementary materials for example)
- The design is simple enough to be Android Home. Users should be able to understand how to use without any manual or documentation but has enough functionality.
Criteria by higher priorities on top;
1. The design have clear philosophy or concept (the background, reasons, satisfaction, etc. The client assumes you will create philosophy based on the additional materials we provide in forums, especially the reasonings being for “Otona” target).
2. The design follows “arrows” brand vision and core values.
3. The design meets expected keywords explained above.
4. The catch phrase is clear, easy to understand, and attractive.
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, Illustrator or Sketch. Layers should be named and well organized.
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 checkpoint feedback.
Fujitsu is one of the largest Android device manufacture. In this challenge, we are looking to conceptualize the home screens for Fujitsu’s new android smartphone specifically targeted to “Otona” consumer market.
You will be focused on creating an unique idea on how the new home screens should look and feel with brief documentation on design philosophy/concepts that your designs are based on. Can you come up with great concept and design for next generation Android phone that could potentially have big impact to the future of mobile UI?
Note: we are reposting the challenge with more simple requirements definition — See feedback forum thread for insights. We are also running a rolling checkpoint session to provide early feedback to those who submit by the 8th @6PM EST.
Round 1
Submit your initial concept and designs for a checkpoint feedback:1. Concept Design Pitch
2. Home Screen (s)
- Please provide a MarvelApp Presentation (see details below).
- Make sure all pages have correct flow! Use correct file numbering. (00, 01, 02, 03).
Round 2
Submit your initial concept and designs for a checkpoint feedback:1. Concept Design Pitch
2. Home Screen (s)
- Please provide a MarvelApp Presentation (see details below).
- Make sure all pages have correct flow! Use correct file numbering. (00, 01, 02, 03).
Rolling Checkpoint
Submit your initial concept and designs for an early checkpoint feedback. It should contain at least the concept design pitch (see item #1 in the Screen Requirements section below).
All concepts submitted by Thursday 8th @6PM EST will receive early feedback
Project Overview
The goal of this competition is to come up with the new concept and look and feel of a custom Android UI Home screen for Fujitsu smartphones based on a specific target audience.
Supporting Material
- Market: Otona target audience and brand practices.
- Concept Pitch: Rough sample of expected pitch elements.
Concept Design Goals
This project is loaded of innovation opportunities. It is not very traditional, requirements wise, since you won’t be designing a typical “app”, you will be designing an experience around a phone device following a criteria/story. Meaning that you will take the story of a user (that you will come up with based on the target audience – “Otona”), then represent the experience of this user on the best fit scenario of the magical piece of UX design a mobile phone is; all of this through the Android “home/launcher” screen (see samples of custom in the reference section below).
Client is specifically looking for designs and ideas that can meet following:
1. Your design philosophy or concept is clear to understand. Your catchphrase can be grasped in “5 seconds” (5 seconds appeal).
2. UI ideas that had not been seen into smartphones until now. For example;
2.a. Unique UI that can utilize unique features on their smartphone such as “Exlider” (see supplementary material of this feature and others).
2.b. unique UI that utilizes technology trends (like AI, home appliance, IoT) or Handwriting interface.
3. UI ideas that considers the mentality and/or physical declining body of “Otona” market into account.
4. UI design that utilizes the large 18:9 display size.
The following are some of the keywords that client is looking for in the design:
- Unique. No other.
- Sophisticated.
- Modern style.
- Fashionable.
Following are the keywords that should NEVER be in the design:
- Rude.
- Discriminatory.
- Provocative.
- Cheap.
Screens Requirements
Overall
Upon designing, you must consider that your design, when implemented, will work with following number of items in mind:
- Number of applications: minimum of 100 (assuming there will be 70 pre-installed apps and users download 30 after having the phone) — Can your concept allocate these items? You won’t need to display the 100 apps but the spacing you allocate must clearly be prepared for that somehow.
- Phone book entries (Contacts): minimum of 500 (If your design needs to demonstrate using Contacts), not mandatory.
1. Concept Design Pitch – Presentation Screen
Given the "Otona" market feature, create a story and represent it graphically through the following items (one or several presentation screen (s) will contain the items below - dimensions up to you):
1.1. Catchphrase/tagline
- Main item/title in your story.
- Example: Reinventing the future, guiding you through life, etc – come up with your own!
1.2. Description (concept idea)
- Brief background of your design philosophy or concept. Make it simple.
1.3. User story
- Come up with a short user story where you showcase a scenario.
- Example: user is a woman, 45 yrs old, kid just got into college away from her home and want to keep in touch with them often to see how they are doing, etc.
- Make it realistic and very short.
1.4. Imagery
- Create a visual presentation to demonstrate your unique Home Design concept.
- The presentation should go along with story-related imagery (background, etc). On the case of the fake user story above, imagery should be probably related to a 45yrs old woman, in a house, etc.
- Consider this is your sales pitch! Basically, write down the story, represent it visually and sale it. Use your Home Screens designs to compliment the pitch.
You can create a PPT, PDF or PNG file for this. See a rough sample which contains the elements we expect to receive.
Your philosophy/concept needs to be derived from the supplementary materials, specifically making the reasons derived from the target “Otona” users and “arrows” brand vision.
2. Home Screen (s)
Deliverables
Once defined your story from your concept design, create the necessary amount of screens (1, 3, 10, as many as you need to) to showcase how the Android Home screen looks and feel.
Consider using Lock Screen and Default Home screen to show your unique features:
- How to place app shortcuts? Does your case/story need app shortcuts at all?
- What other features or data could be displayed in the home screen besides basic temperature, time, etc? What can help providing the user a centric and careful experience?
- How does the background behave?
- How do the features you’re offering help the user from the story you came up with?
- How does the user app access his/her applications?
- Consider the potential of the phone hardware and OS. Besides simple tapping what else the user could use do in order to perform tasks? e.g. swiping, tilting, pinching, etc.
- What other features or data could be displayed in the home screen besides basic temperature, time, etc? What can help providing the user a centric and careful experience?
- How does the background behave?
- How do the features you’re offering help the user from the story you came up with?
- How does the user app access his/her applications?
- Consider the potential of the phone hardware and OS. Besides simple tapping what else the user could use do in order to perform tasks? e.g. swiping, tilting, pinching, etc.
Android Guidelines
Last but not least important, your design must meet following Google regulations and Google Design Principles that can be set as the default home screens:
- The first screen shown on the home screen needs to have Google search bar.
- The first screen shown on the home screen needs to have Google Play Store icon.
- The first screen shown on the home screen needs to have Google Folder.
- There needs to be an area where the Widgets can be placed within the home screens.
- The first screen shown on the home screen needs to have Google search bar.
- The first screen shown on the home screen needs to have Google Play Store icon.
- The first screen shown on the home screen needs to have Google Folder.
- There needs to be an area where the Widgets can be placed within the home screens.
Your concepts and designs will need to follow the overall brand vision and core values of their mobile phone product line called “arrows”.
- “arrows” Brand Core phrase
- Use with comfort.
- “arrows” Brand Vision
- "arrows" helps me understand me more than anyone, free from bothering and living a step one step further into the future.
- “arrows” Brand Keywords
- Kizuna (a special bond).
- Efficiency.
- Reassurance.
- Exciting.
Also, this new phone that you will design has certain hardware features (like “Exlider”) that is unique within the market to follow the above brand vision. Incorporating these features into your design is considered as plus.
Consider that following Fujitsu’s logo or color guidelines is not mandatory. We are open to ideas regarding to how to style this interface.
Screen Specifications
- Source files for android screens must be created as 360 x 720 dp.
- Screen files for android screens must be exported as @3x (1080 x 2160 px).
- Source/screen files for pitch screen (s) can be any format as long as it is visual (PDF, PPT, Video, etc).
- All graphics must be created as vector so they resize well on larger devices.
Target Audience - The “Otona” market
“Otona” translated as “mature/adult” in English is a specific group of consumers that has unique characteristics. The product will be conceived to be sold in Japan only. Use English as language for this design exercise though. No need to think about Japanese Language specifics.
References
Following are few design examples to provide you guidance to concepts and designs that client are looking for. Note that the following design (it’s philosophy and look & feel) itself is NOT what the client is looking for, but these are purely for example purpose to guide you how your submissions should be structured and what client has in mind to score your submissions.
A. Smart Launcher (https://www.smartlauncher.net/)
Their design catchphrase is “Simple, Light and Fast” targeted for the specific consumer market and the designs built upon it. The main screen looks like a lock screen, however, can launch applications with a bubble icon. Client likes the uniqueness in design placing icons in a circle which is unlike the regular home screens. But is looking for more resonings around your submissions such as user friendliness or ease of usage.
Their design catchphrase is “Simple, Light and Fast” targeted for the specific consumer market and the designs built upon it. The main screen looks like a lock screen, however, can launch applications with a bubble icon. Client likes the uniqueness in design placing icons in a circle which is unlike the regular home screens. But is looking for more resonings around your submissions such as user friendliness or ease of usage.
B. Drupe (http://www.getdrupe.com/)
Their design catchphrase is “People First” and all the design philosophy built upon it. As you can see, it covers all contact management and communications with other people - be able to dial, recording, sending text messages, know who the caller is, etc.
Client likes the unique and clear concept that the design is based on, although feels it might be inconvenient if the user wants to continuously use this app for normal day usage.
As you can see from the supplement materials, the target “Otona” segment uses SNS services a lot and can be seen that they have desire to connect with other people. “People First” pitch can be seen as good reasoning for the design to this market although you should freely make other reasonings to your design. Also note that this app is not for home screen. We are looking for comprehensive home screens in this challenge.
Their design catchphrase is “People First” and all the design philosophy built upon it. As you can see, it covers all contact management and communications with other people - be able to dial, recording, sending text messages, know who the caller is, etc.
Client likes the unique and clear concept that the design is based on, although feels it might be inconvenient if the user wants to continuously use this app for normal day usage.
As you can see from the supplement materials, the target “Otona” segment uses SNS services a lot and can be seen that they have desire to connect with other people. “People First” pitch can be seen as good reasoning for the design to this market although you should freely make other reasonings to your design. Also note that this app is not for home screen. We are looking for comprehensive home screens in this challenge.
C. Articles sites: sample one, sample two - inspirational images only, to understand what a custom Home screen is about.
MarvelApp Presentation
- Request a MarvelApp prototype from me (mahestro@copilots.topcoder.com). Do not use the forums to request for MarvelApp.
- Provide clickable spots (hotzones) to link your screens and showcase the flow of the solution.
- Provide the MarvelApp shareable link in your notes during submission upload.
Stock Artwork (Illustrations, Icons, Photography)
- Stock artwork is allowed for this challenge.
- Make sure to declare all your assets properly or you might fail screening.
Judging Criteria
Overall design, UI and user experience is important. In addition, the following criteria is used;
Must have;
- The design meets all the requirements above.
- The design have information on page transitions (MarvelApp working links would be fine).
- The design do not have unexpected keywords explained above.
- The design is not targeted for senior people. (but must meet the “Otona” people. see supplementary materials for example)
- The design is simple enough to be Android Home. Users should be able to understand how to use without any manual or documentation but has enough functionality.
Criteria by higher priorities on top;
1. The design have clear philosophy or concept (the background, reasons, satisfaction, etc. The client assumes you will create philosophy based on the additional materials we provide in forums, especially the reasonings being for “Otona” target).
2. The design follows “arrows” brand vision and core values.
3. The design meets expected keywords explained above.
4. The catch phrase is clear, easy to understand, and attractive.
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, Illustrator or Sketch. Layers should be named and well organized.
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 checkpoint feedback.
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.