Get ready for Imagine Cup 2012

It’s time to start polishing your SketchFlow-prototypes and writing up that “Imma change the world“-document! Yes, you guessed it.. It’s time for Imagine Cup! Actually Round 1 ends in just a few days and I wanted to give you some tips and tricks, before the D-Day!

So you got your team, you got your idea and are ready to take over the world? To participate in Imagine Cup you’ll need to register to www.imaginecup.com and submit your files by the 13th of March.

You’ll need to rock the judges socks with…

A SketchFlow-prototype

This is extremely important! Please keep in mind that SketchFlow is the actual tool that you’ll need to use to mockup your application. As a student you can get SketchFlow for free through www.dreamspark.com And drop me an email if you have difficulties with DreamSpark veritification (for example, your school is not listed).

If you are completely new to SketchFlow then I’d suggest checking out this 90-second video from Channel 9

http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/LauraFoy/Sketchflow-in-90-seconds/player?w=512&h=288

You can find more great resources for SketchFlow from:

Videos

• http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/MIX/MIX09/C01F
• http://channel9.msdn.com/events/MIX/MIX10/CL03
• http://channel9.msdn.com/events/MIX/MIX11/DES02

Articles

• http://electricbeach.org/?p=302
• http://www.silverlightshow.net/items/Sketchflow-from-a-developer-point-of-view-part-I-Basics.aspx

and of course the always popular MSDN Library http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee341458(v=Expression.40).aspx

The document

Well, not much to say about this…fill out the document and you’re ready to go! Make sure you read the rules carefully and keep in mind the judging criteria, when writing filling up your document.

Listen to the Captain

You should also listen through the call with Jukka Wallasvaara, the Imagine Cup Windows Phone Challenge-captain! Listen to it here. In that call you’ll get some insight on how the competition will proceed and especially how Round 1 works

F.A.Q.

Q: I already have a Windows Phone application ready, do I need to create a SketchFlow-prototype?
A: Yes, for the first round you’ll need to submit a SketchFlow-prototype and the document describing your idea.

Q: Can I just sketch my application on paper?
A: Nope, you’ll need to create a SketchFlow-prototype

Q: Can I convert my Windows Phone application to a SketchFlow-prototype?
A: No. You can convert your SketchFlow-prototype to a Windows Phone application, but not the other way around. You can apply the “sketchy-styles” to your controls, but won’t make it a SketchFlow-application.

Q: SketchFlow is not a part of Windows Phone tools, do I have to pay for it?!
A: No. SketchFlow is included in Expression Studio Ultimate that you can get for free as a student. You can download it from www.dreamspark.com

You can read more about Imagine Cup on the official website and read more about the Finnish local finals right here on DiggTheDrazen.

Now go, run, get ready to see some amazing koalas and kangaroos!