Co-Design

You bring the knowledge in your scientific topic – we bring the expertise in professional media design. Together, we create media that capture your student’s attention, aid them in information retention and foster deep learning through visual representations of complex subject matters.

  • Teachers and scientists, professors or professionals - they are the experts on certain scientific topics. They have in-depth knowledge about their field of research or teaching.

  • Every medium has its own rules and affordances. Videographers, animation experts, interaction designers, or illustrators—the choice of whom a content expert works with depends on the media format we choose to pursue.

  • In our edumedia team, we always try to implement fundamental learning science practice and media didactics. In most projects, we need a script writer; in another, we might need to include a learning psychologist or a media theory expert.

The co-design method is an interdisciplinary collaboration where experts from different fields come together to combine their skills and knowledge. Their shared goal is to create audiovisual media that seamlessly integrates their diverse expertise.

Three core areas

Our audiovisual media productions are divided into three main focus areas:

Co-​design of media productions &
critical media reflections

These projects are designed and implemented directly with ETH departments. Most of the projects are financed by the Innovedum Fund or other third-​party funds.

Media competencies

A relevant mission on our part is to train ETH lecturers with future-​oriented knowledge about the reception of audiovisual media, to build up media competencies and to practice applied skills. For this purpose, various course formats, mentoring and coaching programs are developed and directly applied by means of case studies in ETH practice.

Lighthouse projects

In the third focus, new cutting-​edge media technologies, audiovisual narratives or speculative scenarios are explored through applied settings and media productions, and evaluated for their effectiveness and scalability for teaching at ETH. Here, too, we are very happy to work in direct co-​design with the departments of ETH Zurich.

Step-​by-step process

of an audiovisual media production

In the illustration below, you can see an exemplary step-​by-step process on how we co-​design audiovisual media with different experts together. Sometimes, the sole steps vary a bit depending on the media format and production style (e.g. short animation, documentary film, case study docu, expert interviews, laboratory shots, concept videos etc.). 

Idea

A spark ignites – your idea is born!

Contact point

You share your vision with us. Together, we delve into refining your vision into a tangible project. Collaboratively, we can prepare a proposal to secure the necessary funding. Ready for the next step?

Script & Storyboard

Enter the storytelling phase! Together, we develop a script and storyboard, constructing a compelling narrative tailored to our chosen media and target group. This step involves feedback loops until everyone is happy with the result. Once script and storyboard are finalized, we reach the “point-of-no-return” – no more alterations.

Montage

Here we hit another “point-of-no-return” as production concludes, entering the post-production phase. This means all components – voiceovers, video footage, animation files – are finalized. No more additional recordings! The art of editing begins.

Final Version

This marks the culmination of our collaborative efforts. The project is a refined masterpiece and ready for its big reveal – publication. We will hand over all data and the high-resolution files to you so you can embed it in your courses and platforms.

Brainstorming

It’s time to let creativity flow! Brainstorm on style, content, and the overall vibe; we establish the core of the media we’re co-designing. In this step, we also outline the next steps and establish a detailed project timeline.

Animations and Motion Design

The moment visuals come to life! Bear in mind, animation creation is costly and takes time. Again, this step involves feedback, proceeding only once everyone is satisfied with the outcome. It’s not all about looks: scientific accuracy matters to all of us and we need you, the content expert, to confirm it.

Evaluation

Is the implemented solution effectively solving the initial challenge? To answer this question we rigorously evaluate the result for usability, learning outcomes, and other relevant metrics, in an ecologically valid environment.

Publication

The grand finale! Your project is ready for the world of education. Congrats!

Expert Interviews

For expert statements, we work with you to craft interview questions. We schedule the interviews with the experts – including potentially you - and scout for the ideal location. On site, we ensure your comfort and confidence in front of the camera. We understand nerves, so trust us – anyone can shine on camera, and we’re here to make it a breeze.

General Production Process

A professional speaker voices the script, our camera crew captures footage, animators build layouts and assets, and designers craft illustrations, infographics, typography, or comics. Feeling out of the loop? Don’t worry – we give you full access to our collaboration spaces to ensure you’re up to date and happy with the progress.

Rough-Cut Review

Here, we present an initial version of your project, combining voiceovers, footage, and animations. It’s a raw glimpse, intentionally unpolished. We gather your feedback, seeking insights and suggestions to refine and enhance the project before the final touches.

Accessibility

Accessibility is a constant companion in our development process. We ensure that our digital products can be used to their full potential by people with sensory and motor disabilities.

Prototyping

In order to quickly evaluate potential solutions, we develop physical and/or digital prototypes. This is an important step of the process as it helps identify feasibility and challenges for each solution in a timely manner and leads to educated decisions for the future implementation.

Implementation

Through short iteration cycles, we implement a digital solution to the identified challenge, leveraging insights from both interaction design and pedagogy. The solution is repeatedly tested to ensure it is most beneficial to the end users.

Small Changes

This is where we fine-tune details based on your input. We address specific requests, adjust nuances, and ensure every element alignsseamlessly with our vision and remove ambiguities. The goal is to perfect the project, incorporating your feedback to create a harmonious and polished result. This includes color grading, sound mixing and precise timing of the fine cut.

Audiovisual Media

Videos (Concept Videos, Expert Interviews, Documentary,
Observational, Tutorial, Introduction Videos, etc)

  • Animations (2D, 3D, Stop-Motion, Pixilation, Animated Documentaries, Deepfakes etc.)

  • Illustrations

  • Comics, Graphic Novel

  • Graphic Design

  • Graphics & Diagrams

  • Drawings

  • Photography Series

  • Interactive Media Formats

  • Mixed media (VR, AR, 360-Videos)

  • Game Design

  • Hybrid Media Formats

  • Audio Podcasts

  • Soundscapes, Sonifications

  • Memes, Gifs, Videoloops