Hoot is a flash-based application that brings an element of play into traditional video chat. It fosters a strong connection between children and any family members that are temporary separated from them. Hoot does this by allowing families to virtually smile, laugh, and compete with each other. Hoot was my final major project for my MA degree show. We were challenged to create a fully functioning interactive product in 6 weeks. We were given a studio space in which to mock up our display and (almost) all the equipment we needed. I was the project manager of our group of four, and was able to oversee every aspect of the product. Keeping involved with my team from concept to delivery allowed me to be the spokesperson for our product, and taught me about effectively managing a group of culturally diverse workers on a tight deadline. Many people who attended our degree show labeled Hoot the most interactive and fun product of the bunch. I also had a great time watching people jump around our display yelling at each other while trying to catch invisible ice cream cones.
