February 02, 2004 | View Comments (23) | Category: Version 2
Summary: The Version 2 Redesign Series begins.
Every once in a while a redesign contest comes around that gets everyone excited and a lot of designers get to show their talents against others. A great benefit from these redesigns is that you can do a design and see how other designers' envision the site. This helps open your eyes to different techniques and philosophies expressed by designers. The problem with design contests is that the large ones are far and few between. You can find many small ones, but those are only entered by 3-5 people. When it comes to these things the more, the merrier.
Redesign contests allow you to practice your skills. To hone them if you will. If you are stuck in client work, a redesign contest gives you the freedom to get back to doing the fun stuff. If you are relatively new, it is a good way to get your name out. Basically, the good outweighs the bad when it comes to redesign contest.
Version 2 is my new series of redesign contests. Instead of doing one redesign contest and that is it, I am hosting one each month of this year. Each month will produce three finalists, with one being crowned the winner. Next February 2005, all the finalists get to compete in the final redesign contest and the winner will be crowned Version 2 Grand Champ.
Your design does not have to have all the content or any of the content of the site that is too be redesigned. It's a redesign contest. Not a makeover contest.
In the first round the community gets to vote for the 3 finalists. After that a small panel of judges will select the winner for that month.
There will be prizes for each month and this month the prizes will be announced shortly. If there are any prizes that you would like to donate feel free to let me know and you can become a Version 2 Sponsor.
So go visit the site to get all the details. First design is the equivalent of working with a blank canvas. It involves the Gutenberg Project. Good luck to everyone who participates.
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No need to explain anything. Just redesign the page as they see fit. And yes it is only the homepage.
Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)
Since I will only be taking links from people's works, all images, files, designs are property of the creator.
Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)
Great idea! I look forward to participating as often as I can make time.
Chris Vincent (http://dris.dyndns.org:8080/)
Does the design have to incorporate the original logo or can that be re-designed too?
Danny Shepherd
Scrivs, you really work hard to earn the title of busiest man on the web. :)
I love the idea. Something like this is less intimidating than the CSS Zen Garden because there's also the emphasis on usability and less pressure to make something really visually exciting.
Jack (http://boxofjack.com/)
This is a COMPLETE REDESIGN. Absolutely no elements are needed from the original page. I would like to know that the page you are designing is about Project Gutenberg though. And it is only the HOMEPAGE.
Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)
Yes redesigns will only be viewed on the last day. We don't want anyone "borrowing" ideas for their own designs.
Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)
This is indeed a cool idea, and I most likely will take part in it. A good first candidate site to redesign as well!
Ben (http://www.stijlstek.nl/)
heh. I almost posted the CNN version of that this morning, Patrick.
I've been quite fond of the Gutenberg project ever since I first found it. I think it'd be fun to try and redesign their site. Might have to give it a shot. :-)
JC (http://thelionsweb.com/weblog)
Patrick: Man that is a weird story. Nothing to do with that. I had this in mind for the past 2 months.
Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)
I dont want this to turn into another thing like the debate over the Zeldman critique, but I am assuming that the site of the month to make over has no part in the judging or even knows about the contest? Some people might be offended that so many people want to make over their site because it is old or just bad or whatever. I dont have a problem with the contest idea, but there is always one in every bunch who does so it is better to cover all the bases.
Josh Jarmin (http://www.radiantrock.com/blog/)
It should be no debates. The Gutenberg people were contacted and I made sure to let them know that this redesign was in no way a disrespect to their site, but a sign of appreciation for their hard work they have put in to it.
R: Single column and brown could do that :)
Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)
Is there any chance that they will use the submitted design Scrivs? That would be incredibly cool.
sergio (http://overcaffeinated.net)
They have mentioned that they will take great interest in the contest and could very well possibly be using elements or the entire design for the site.
Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)
They have mentioned that they will take great interest in the contest and could very well possibly be using elements or the entire design for the site.
That's certainly a better response than I got from Nielsen for the ReUSEIT! contest... :-)
Great stuff - think I'll give it a go!
Bob (http://www.builtforthefuture.com)
I really like the idea behind Version2. I liked it so much that I started working on a Gutenberg redesign the first day i read about this contest. Especially for me, still a recent css-convert, it is a great opportunity to train my css-skills.
Anyway, what I actually wanted to say is that your Version2 submission form is broken. Apparently I am the first one to send in? Thanks for fixing it ;-)
Geert DD
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#1
Sounds good Paul!
Two questions - are you only asking people to redesign the front page?
And if people remove content from the current design, do they have to explain where it will go?
Just two thoughts that popped into my head at... oh, 0517 :o)
Good luck with it!
Dunstan (http://www.1976design.com/blog/)