The digital interactive winners of the New Zealand 2014 Best Design Awards have been announced at the awards ceremony at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland on October 10th.
Receiving the coveted Purple Pin and taking out first place is none other than KiwiBank’s Home Hunter app by Springload - otherwise known as the ‘property search tool on steroids’.
The judges said it makes searching for, and finding, the perfect property quick and easy with beautiful browsing and helpful features that keep the home hunter in mind.
With this app you can have a helping hand through every step, from working out budgets and mortgage rates, to finding the right house and getting a pre-approved loan.
Not only that, if users are searching for a property with another person or just want a second opinion, they can share watchlists with cross platform syncing.
Winners of the Gold Pin varied from legal documents for entrepreneurs, to a 3D animated story about a ‘Devils Chair’ that brings the world's worst luck to the owner.
Back of a Napkin targets entrepreneurs and start-ups. It generates legal contracts wherever you are with five easy questions. Topics covered include revenue shares, intellectual property rights and how key decisions are made. The app makes important aspects of new business legalities such as revenue shares and intellectual property rights accessible.
Also on the list is Digit Duel, a game that uses a motion-based controller so gamers can interact with the world of the game, Fisher and Paykel Kitchen Tools that target architects, and a robotic arm that re-creates the writing of a young Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patient.
The winners were a very diverse bunch, but they had one unifying feature: their creations were totally user-friendly. “Digital design should be driven by usefulness and empathy for user needs. The strongest work shows a real sense of purpose and relevance,” said Che Tamahori, convenor of the interactive judges and Creative Director of Digital Arts Network.
