Cumulus

Connecting researchers to relevant information

A design studio project co-sponsored by Microsoft & Motorola

The number of scientific journals published in the past 20 years has inceased by huge amounts, and electronic journal subscritions increased by a staggering amount. While people have more access to a vast wealth of knowledge, this increased access to information can also become a burden for researchers.

From talking with many real-world researchers, we discovered two basic types of researchers. The first type of researcher works on short-term projects. Students pursuing master's degrees fall into this type. Their research method is linear, which means it has a set beginning and end. The second type of researcher works on long-term projects. These could be PhD students or professors. Their projects typically do not have a clearly defined beginning and end point. The end of one project blends into the beginning of the next. These models guided us in finding the main needs of our users, and validating our core values of filtering, connecting, and collaboration.

Cumulus is a dynamic platform. It helps researchers filter and manage relevant information, provides proactive ways to connect and communicate with peers, and facilitates collaboration.

Download Final Presentation (PDF 6.2MB)