Knight Lab Tools & Prototypes
Business Profile
Core Value Proposition
Knight Lab provides media innovation through exploration and experimentation to push journalism into new spaces.
Target Customer
Northwestern University students, faculty, and staff; journalists and media-makers; educators and researchers seeking to prototype and deploy new storytelling tools.
Key Differentiator
Open-source, adaptable storytelling tool suite (TimelineJS, JuxtaposeJS, StoryMapJS, Scene VR, SoundciteJS, StorylineJS, Timeline JS, etc.) combined with an interdisciplinary lab + device lab and a strong academic/educational orientation that publishes prototypes and guides for media makers.
Implementation Timeline
Not explicitly specified; tools are described as easy-to-use and suitable for prototyping and education.
Pain Points
- 1Need for accessible, easy-to-use storytelling tools for journalism and education.
- 2Desire to experiment with new technologies (VR, data visualization, audio) to improve reporting and storytelling.
- 3Exploration of sustainable approaches to local news and innovative journalism through prototyping and research.
Key Features
- 1Open-source storytelling tools: Juxtapose JS, Scene VR, Soundcite JS, Storyline JS, StoryMap JS, Timeline JS.
- 2Knight Lab Studio: interdisciplinary lab class with student teams addressing real problems at the intersection of storytelling, design, and technology.
- 3Device Lab: access to new technologies (VR, bots, 3D, etc.) for experimentation and learning.
- 4Guides and living documents for media education and practice.
- 5Past and current prototypes/projects (e.g., SensorGrid, City Hall Monitor, Piquote, Pitcha, TweetCast, twXplorer) and a broader project ecosystem.
Target Customer Industries
Decision Makers
- 1Senior Lecturer, Product, Marketing, and UX
- 2Associate University Librarian for Academic Innovation
- 3Associate Professor
- 4Knight Chair in Digital Media Strategy
- 5Director of Data Journalism
- 6Chief Nerd
- 7Assistant Professor
- 8Postdoctoral Scholar, Generative AI in the Newsroom Initiative
- 9Program Director, Data-Driven Reporting Project
- 10Senior Engineer
- 11Professor and Knight Lab Faculty
- 12Knight Professor of Digital Media Strategy
- 13Lecturer
- 14Advisor/Director roles mentioned in faculty listings
Client Results
- 1TimelineJS has been used by more than 250,000 people to tell stories, and is available in more than sixty languages.
- 2Alumni and fellows from Knight Lab have gone on to work at major outlets such as The New York Times, Vox Media, NPR, Medium, FiveThirtyEight, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, and more.
Competitive Advantages
- 1Strong academic/educational alignment with Northwestern University
- 2Open-source, adaptable, lightweight tools for media makers
- 3Prototyping culture with real-world impact (Local News Initiative, Studio projects, etc.)
- 4Comprehensive ecosystem including device lab and studio class for hands-on learning
- 5Proven adoption and global reach for key tools (TimelineJS)
Key Benefits
Case Studies & Success Stories
TimelineJS adoption and impact
TimelineJS has been used by more than 250,000 people to tell stories and is available in over 60 languages.
City Hall Monitor
A Knight Lab project described as smart search for city documents.
Piquote
A Knight Lab project designed to make picture quotes easy.
Additional Product Information
Product Description
Northwestern University Knight Lab is a team of technologists and journalists developing open-source storytelling tools and experimental journalism prototypes to advance media innovation through exploration and experimentation.
Target Market
Newsrooms, media organizations, educators, journalism students, and researchers seeking innovative storytelling tools and prototyping capabilities.
Unique Value Proposition
A university-backed, open-source toolbox and lab environment that combines journalism, design, and technology to prototype and deploy accessible storytelling tools for a global audience.
Technical Requirements
Not explicitly specified; tools are described as open-source and lightweight.
Pricing Model
Not specified
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