Flopbook
Overview #
The goal of Flopbook was to provide an accessible platform where anyone can create and share short digital Flip Books. Users can receive feedback in the form of comments, fostering a creative and collaborative environment.
Inspiration #
Flopbook was inspired by the design philosophy of “Low Floors, High Ceilings, and Wide Walls,” a concept introduced by Mitch Resnick, creator of Scratch. This principle suggests that for technology to be effective, it should:
- Low floor: Be easy for novices to start using.
- High ceiling: Offer opportunities to engage in more complex and sophisticated projects over time.
- Wide walls: Allow users to explore multiple paths to reach their goals, encouraging creativity.
In addition to this, I was inspired by research that shows how constraints can fuel creativity. I’ve observed this firsthand on the Scratch platform, where users, despite the tool’s limited functionality, create impressive games, stories, and animations. I wanted to emulate a similar environment with Flopbook, allowing users to explore their creativity within certain boundaries.
Technology #
- Vanilla JS frontend with Fabric.js editor
- ExpressJS backend
- PostgreSQL database
Flopbook was developed as part of my IB MYP Personal Project.