ABOUT THE PROJECT

The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is a Chicago-based literary organization dedicated to bringing the best poetry to the largest possible audience. Guided by a National Organization for Research study on the presence of poetry in America, the Foundation determined that the web was a largely untapped medium for poetry and one of the best ways to reach new audiences.

Mobile Application

Driven by a goal to reach a younger, tech-savvy audience, Poetry Foundation partnered with us to design and develop an iPhone app that would act as a mobile database of poems. Search for your favorite poets, or browse the rich database of poems by subjects such as love or nature. Or give your phone a shake, and the slot-machine action matches emotions with subjects, revealing surprising juxtapositions like "guilt & family" or "doubt & youth". Read a review of POETRY in The New York Times

Usability Research

Tierra was hired to conduct usability studies on poetryfoundation.org and to consult on usability and navigation for new web initiatives such as the integration of Poetry Magazine into the Foundation web site. Tierra worked closely with the Poetry Foundation to refine and improve the site's overall user experience, user interface and navigation.

Content Management System

Tierra developed an open-source and easy-to-use custom CMS designed to meet the Poetry Foundation's specific publishing needs. The CMS includes tools for publishing poems, articles, audio and video, managing their vast database of poetry, importing content from Poetry magazine, and forward-scheduling site content.

Audio/Visual Discovery

Tierra created a new layout and user interface for the Audio & Podcasts and Video sections on PoetryFoundation.org that brought these materials to the forefront of the site. Poetry lovers can easily discover, listen to poems and watch shows and documentaries.

Learning Lab

Tierra worked with the Poetry Foundation to develop a learning area where “teachers, students, and learners of every age…can immerse themselves in poetry”. From poem guides and articles to glossary terms, Tierra helped the Poetry Foundation bring resources to those interested in exploring their inner poet.

DC Poetry Tour

Tierra put our flash skills to work to develop this fun and informative Poetry Tour for the Washington, DC metro area. Users can enjoy it from the comfort of home or download it to their mp3 players and follow along on a printable map as they explore the streets of Our Nation’s Capital. The project involved synchronizing audio components with visual elements and physical locations on a map to make an easy-to-follow tour. Tierra also created a behind-the-scenes tool that makes developing new walking tours faster and easier. Next stop, New York City?