As the guiding design direction, Quicksand decided to explore the intersection of visual art, music and interaction technology. Visitors were provided access to the music library through isolated ipod modules, each of which was also an independent radio stream that could be accessed through wireless headphones. Large image collages were used to heighten interest and relevance to the culture of music.

Strong icons, such as the Indian coin operated payphone & the London phone booth, were modified and using embedded technology converted into interactive installations.

The space in turn was designed with built-in modularity that made replication across other British Council centers fairly simple.

Quicksand was brought in as the design research team to evaluate the unique aspects of Indian education, including constraints on rural schools, teachers, children, parents and infrastructure. The research in turn led to design recommendations on:

• Suitable collaboration platforms between various stakeholders
• Concepts for content delivery, interaction and system interfaces at each consumer touch point for phase one of program implementation
• A future blueprint of the program with respect to new technology & human interventions
• Internal & external communication necessary for system roll out
• Tweak existing user interface making it relevant for the new context of education

Following are some design & research artifacts from the project.

The program was piloted at district Bardhman, four hours from Calcutta. A week long ethnographic research established some key personas, concerns and paradigms that would govern the design of the Education Helpline. The work consisted of observational studies, in-depth interviews, group discussions as well as photo and film documentation – all aimed at moving towards a richer understanding of the current context.

A short film on teachers sharing their concerns and opinion on the existing education paradigm

Synthesis of the research data led to preliminary identification of user concerns, which provided an indication of the level of complexity that would be demanded of the system. Some key findings are shown below:

The next stage of the study involved developing interaction concepts that were tested with users to establish:

• Program positioning
• Training & Capacity building amongst stakeholders
• Usability of existing interface
• Database management & build-up

SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT: Illustrations of possible scenarios from point of view of teachers, field workers and knowledge workers

CALL FLOW SCHEMATIC: An illustrated depiction of how a call generated travels through the system and the key stakeholders at each stage.

SYSTEM SCOPING: Feature specification of the system in its short, medium and long term manifest

Finally, the Quicksand design team did an audit of the existing web based user interface, navigation and database structure and made simple visual design changes that would enhance its usability. This was important from the point of view of pilot implementation and was used to brief the technology development team.

Brand Coke wanted to develop a small format museum that could become a traveling exhibit across about 20 Coca-Cola plants in India. Meant to educate regional media-persons and consumers on the rich legacy of the brand, its commitment to local communities & its support to local art & crafts, the traveling exhibit would front-end a countrywide PR initiative for Coca-Cola.

Quicksand conceptualised, designed and executed the first 3 exhibitions across Jaipur, Hyderabad and Mumbai. The key features of the exhibit were:

• information design to assimilate, sort and design content across 400 brands, and 200 plus countries where Coke is present
• a geodesic structure that would house all exhibits and is easily assembled and disassembled
• an interactive software developed in collaboration with FLIP design, Bangalore
• graphic artworks depicting the Coke chronology, its Olympic & FIFA associations and Coke’s brands in India
• life size impressions of the Coke bottle that were fabricated in different crafts from all over the country – terracotta, soft stone carving, wood carving, textiles, madhubani painting

CONCEPT PRESENTATION

EXHIBITION PHOTOGRAPHS: Pictures from one of the installations of the exhibition at Hyderabad

COKE INTERACTIVE GAME

The Coke Interactive installation was designed to engage visitors in a short, informative game on the brand. Published below is the interaction concept.

As the first pilot in India, Quicksand was brought on board to design the space, individual technology modules and integrate all system components. Technology interactions within the Red Lounge comprised of:

• interactive packaging (a special ink printed on the PET bottle label has a video code embedded in it – when swiped against a code reader it triggers the video on an adjoining display screen)
• mobile content download (a content portal from which users can download content locally through their bluetooth enabled mobile devices)
• Coke connect (a closed user group chatting interface which allows for users to chat with each other anonymously through their mobile phones – users SMS to a display screen which relays their messages real time)

Quicksand partnered with Nest and a Finnish startup to develop some of these interfaces. The Red Lounge was piloted in the city of Pune and later scaled to Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi.

Reebok commissioned Quicksand to conceptualize and design an inspirational space in their flagship RBK Arena store. The brief required the space to accommodate Reebok’s line of fitness equipment, a biometric analysis space, a timeline of Reebok’s brand history focusing on their athletes, and a shoe customization space that would let customers create and order their own designs for shoes.

In line with the nature of the space requirements, Quicksand proposed a space concept that weaved in all the requirements into an aesthetic that mutates ideas of the future and those of creation. Quicksand also undertook the design of the software and interaction of the RBK KREATE system – in partnership with CoDesign – a studio space that customers can use to create, store, browse and order designs for shoes.

The software design effort included understanding the back end supply chain for the delivery of the shoes right up to the customer’s doorstep. The interaction design also included the preparation of a film that acts as an introduction and screen saver. Images from the store concept, and from the software are provided below. Also preview an in-store film Quicksand made for the brand.

Here’s a flash demo of the interactive software made for the store.

RBK MERCHANDISE

Quicksand was commissioned by Reebok to design merchandise for their 50 Cent shoe line, inspired by hip-hop culture, Manhattan and the 50 Cent artist imagery. The proposed design includes the use of innovative materials such as used music vinyls for surfaces and a modular system in moulded acrylic.

Quicksand designed a table top swim wear merchandise system for Reebok, taking a cue from the aesthetics of water and the lightness of the swimsuits.

Quicksand designed an exhibition space for the Reebok retailers meet that included a chronicle of Reebok’s brand history, highlighted new footwear technologies and displayed various new garments for that season.