Imagine Cup 2006
Official Competition Guidelines and Descriptions

Imagine Cup 2006    1
Official Competition Guidelines and Descriptions    1
Software Design Invitational    3
General Guidelines    3
Required Elements    3
Optional Elements    3
Deliverables    3
Calendar    3
Judging Elements    3
Scoring System    3
Requirements to Reach Worldwide Finals    3
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals    3
Algorithm    3
General Guidelines    3
Required Elements    3
Deliverables    3
Calendar    3
Competition Rhythm    3
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals    3
Short Film    3
General Guidelines    3
Required Elements    3
Deliverables    3
Calendar    3
Judging Elements    3
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals    3
Information Technology (IT)    3
General Guidelines    3
Deliverables    3
Calendar    3
Judging Elements    3
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals    3
Project Hoshimi – Programming Battle    3
General Guidelines    3
Deliverables    3
Calendar    3
Judging Elements    3
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals    3
Interface Designer    3
General Guidelines    3
Required Elements    3
Deliverables    3
Calendar    3
Judging Elements    3
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals    3


Software Design Invitational
The Software Design Invitational challenges students around the globe to explore their own creativity by using technology to solve what they consider to be challenging problems. Imagine Cup provides a theme but the competitors provide the genius behind innovative, dynamic, and powerful software applications. Using Microsoft tools and technology, competitors can unleash their ideas, their curiosities, and their talents towards creating usable software applications. Competitors are asked to demonstrate innovation on the .NET Framework and Windows platform but the possibilities only begin with these requirements. Globally, students in this invitational conceive, test, and build their ideas into applications that can change the world. Many former winners go on to start their own companies, work at major corporations, and even integrate their projects into how their schools approach teaching.
General Guidelines
•    Teams of up to 4 individuals
•    Theme: Imagine a world where “technology helps us to live healthier lives”
•    Presentations and documentation at the WW finals must be in English, first and second rounds are subject to language requirement set by the Microsoft subsidiary you compete within.
Required Elements
•    Self created Web service
•    Designed on .NET Framework 2.0
•    Use of Visual Studio family (Express, Standard, or Team System) for development
Optional Elements
•    Mobile device
•    .NET Compact Framework
•    ASP .NET
•    SQL Server
Deliverables
•    Application executables and readme files
•    Project specification, no more than 5 pages
•    One page executive summary
•    Oral presentation – length TBD based on number of qualifying teams
•    Visual representation of system architecture
Calendar
o    Calendar for Software Design will be decided by the local Microsoft subsidiary


Judging Elements
•    15%    Problem Definition
o    How difficult is the problem being addressed? How well is it being defined?
•    60%    Design

o    Equal consideration will be given to:
•    Innovation – applications that approach a new problem, or look at an old problem in a new way.  
•    Impact - applications that either impact a large number of people very broadly, or impact a smaller number of people very deeply.
•    Effectiveness – to what degree the application actually solves the problem in question.

•    15%    Development
o    The judges will be looking for elegant system architectures that break the problem down into logical chunks and modules.

•    10%    Presentation
o    The judges will be looking for oral presentations that provide background and context to the project, explain why the problem is an interesting one, highlight how the system works, and include an insightful demonstration. Teams will also be evaluated on their ability to take questions from the judging panel.
Scoring System
•    A simple numerical scoring system will be used. Each Judging element will be given a score of 1-10 and weighted according to guidance seen in the percentages associated with each.
Requirements to Reach Worldwide Finals
•    Participants must have built and presented a running software application that won a national or regional level competition in a country or region that is sponsoring a winning team for the worldwide Imagine Cup finals.
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals
•    First Place        $25,000
•    Second Place        $15,000
•    Third Place        $10,000
•    Additional prizes: Competitors that achieve advancement to the worldwide finals will also receive travel and accommodations to attend the final competition in Delhi, India.


Algorithm
The algorithm invitational highlights a pure skill of one’s ability to solve a problem. The discovery and use of the right algorithms, and clever implementations and application are building blocks upon which the whole field takes collective steps forward. In our world of limited processors and limited storage there is a dire need for this art. It is through this remarkable skill that we can attempt unimaginable feats like decoding the human genome, routing millions of packets across networks, and even searching the entire internet. The Algorithm Invitational takes competitors through a series of brain teasers, coding challenges, and algorithmic puzzles, and seeks to engage the sharpest student minds in technology around interesting problems.
General Guidelines
•    Individual competition
•    All students achieving the minimum qualifying mark will advance to the 2nd round
•    The second round is a take home coding challenge
•    6 individuals advance to the worldwide finals
Required Elements
•    Take-home challenge coded using one of the .NET family of languages (C#, VC++, VB .NET, or J#)
Deliverables
•    Round 1 – Complete online quiz
•    Round 2 – Complete take home challenge
•    Round 3 – Onsite 24hr WW Algorithm Finals

Calendar
o    Nov 1, 2005    Registration Opens
o    Jan 30, 2006    Registrations Closes – Competition begins
o    Feb 6, 2006    Round One Begins
o    Mar 15, 2006    Round One Closes
o    April 1, 2006    2nd Round finalists announced
o    April 5, 2006    2nd Round Begins
o    May 8, 2006    2nd Round Closes
o    May 22, 2006    6 Worldwide finalists announced

Competition Rhythm
•    Round one – Online quiz
o    Individuals will participate in an online quiz to be found on the Imagine Cup Website
o    Dates: See Calendar details on this page
•    Round two – Take home challenge
o    Take home challenge consists of project starter files for a series of problems (such as efficient routing through a network, text parsing, etc). Students return compiled DLLs as well as project files
o    Deliverables: source code, compiled binary
•    Round three – Worldwide Finals
o    Those individuals that win national/regional finals will advance to the worldwide finals competition to be held in mid to late July in Delhi, India. Expense and accommodations are provided for by Microsoft. The competition will be a 24hr challenge between the world’s top algorithm winners against a series of very difficult challenges to determine the global champion.
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals
•    First Place        $8,000
•    Second Place        $4,000
•    Third Place        $3,000
•    Additional prizes: Competitors that achieve advancement to the worldwide finals will also receive travel and accommodations to attend the final competition in Delhi, India.

Short Film
The Short Film Invitational highlights the art and science of telling a story. Students are challenged to share a perspective on the theme of the Imagine Cup but moreover they are asked to express themselves in a unique medium that still challenges even the most veteran of filmmakers. From concept and storyboard, to footage and editing, these participants must bet able to put it all together and move an audience. Unique perspectives and creativity abound in this process but the story must still come through the digital media and have a strong purpose and meaning. Only the most talented young filmmakers will event attempt such a feat.
General Guidelines
•    Teams of up to 4 individuals
•    Share a perspective on “technology that enables us to live healthier lives”
•    Film concept can be modified between rounds – passing through the first round qualifies the storyteller, not just the story
•    Up to 30 teams move on to second round. These 30 teams will be selected based on community voting.
•    6 teams advance to India
Required Elements
•    Round 1: Abstract must be less than 500 words, in English. Storyboard must be less than 25 MB, in Microsoft PowerPoint or other standard image display format (jpeg, gif, etc)
•    Round 2: Film must be playable in the Windows Media player with standard install codecs, less than 150 MB zipped
Deliverables
•    Round 1 – Abstract, digital storyboard
•    Round 2 – Film, and written film description
•    Round 3 – Onsite 24hr WW Finals Short Film competition
Calendar
o    Nov 1, 2005    Registration Opens
o    Feb 1, 2006    Abstract/storyboard submission window opens
o    Mar 1, 2006    Abstract/storyboard submission window closes
o    Mar 13, 2006    Community voting begins
o    Mar 24, 2006    Community voting closes
o    April 1, 2006    2nd Round finalists announced
o    April 5, 2006    2nd Round design submission begins
o    May 8, 2006    2nd Round design submission closes
o    May 22, 2006    Worldwide finalists announced (6 teams move on)
Judging Elements
•    Round 1: Review of Abstract/storyboard
o    50%    Story idea (through abstract and storyboard)
o    50%    Expressiveness/Artistry (storyboard)
•    Round 2: Review of films; selection of worldwide finalists
o    50%    Story
o    50%    Technique
•    Round 3: Selection of prize winners
o    60%    Score from round 2
o    40%    On site documentary film project
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals
•    First Place        $8,000
•    Second Place        $4,000
•    Third Place        $3,000
•    Additional prizes: Competitors that achieve advancement to the worldwide finals will also receive travel and accommodations to attend the final competition in Delhi, India.


Information Technology (IT)
The IT Invitational highlights the art and science of developing, deploying, and maintaining IT systems that are efficient, functional, robust and secure. In most scenarios IT professionals have a base set of tools and techniques, but still have to work through custom needs and configurations that require an intimate understanding of how all the pieces fit together. They also have to know how far the systems can be pushed before they might break. This means that every coffee shop, office environment, university, and even restaurants require these skills to run well. The IT invitational challenges students to demonstrate proficiency in the science of networks, databases, and servers, as well as the areas of analysis and decision making in IT environments.

General Guidelines
•    Individual competition
•    First round is an online quiz
•    All students achieving the minimum qualifying mark will advance to the 2nd round
•    Second round is a series of business cases that will need to be solved
•    6 individuals advance to final competition in India
Deliverables
•    Round 1 - Complete online quiz
•    Round 2 – Complete business cases
Calendar
o    Nov 1, 2005    Registration Opens
o    Jan 30, 2006    Registrations Closes – Competition begins
o    Feb 6, 2006    Round One Begins
o    Mar 15, 2006    Round One Closes
o    April 1, 2006    2nd Round finalists announced
o    April 5, 2006    2nd Round Begins
o    May 8, 2006    2nd Round Closes
o    May 22, 2006    6 Worldwide finalists announced
Judging Elements

•    Round 1
o    Score in online quiz
•    Round 2, business cases
o    Score based on rubric assigned to questions
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals
•    First Place        $8,000
•    Second Place        $4,000
•    Third Place        $3,000
•    Additional prizes: Competitors that achieve advancement to the worldwide finals will also receive travel and accommodations to attend the final competition in Delhi, India.

Project Hoshimi – Programming Battle
Imagine that you are the only one that can save a person, a city, or even a nation and that you can use the right combination of strategy and programming skills to do this. The Project Hoshimi – Programming Battle invitational brings to life the world of Professor Hoshimi and his faithful crew of scientists and programming experts in a fantasy of life and death. This popular competition uses a background story, comic style graphics, and very real challenges to test the skills of programmers everywhere and allow them to compete, directly online, with people all over their nation and eventually the world to see who has the fastest program to save the day. In Project Hoshimi – Programming Battle, you write the code representing the behavior and the strategy of a team of characters going through different types of missions.. The results are not only fun to create but also fun to watch as the programs play it out in a virtual 3D environment for all to see.
General Guidelines
•    Teams of 1-2 individuals
•    SDK based strategy/programming competition
•    All teams meeting the minimum qualifying standard move on to second round
•    Second round is based on an evolution of the round 1 SDK: participants’ programs compete head-to-head in a game.
•    6 teams advance to final competition in India
Deliverables
•    Round 1 Upload round 1 DLL
•    Round 2 Upload round 2 DLL
•    Round 3 24 hr onsite worldwide finals competition – details released to those competitors who achieve this status
Calendar
o    Nov 1, 2005    Registration Opens/ Round One Begins
o    Mar 15, 2006    Registration Closes/ Round One Closes
o    April 1, 2006    2nd Round finalists officially announced (however qualification for 2nd round will be shared with competitors as they do or do not achieve the minimum mark for advancing)
o    April 5, 2006    2nd Round Begins
o    May 8, 2006    2nd Round Closes
o    May 22, 2006    12 Worldwide finalists announced
Judging Elements
•    Round 1: Opening Round
o    All entrants that achieve the published minimum standard in the first round advance to round two

•    Round 2: International Selection
o    All qualifiers are distributed into pools by country. An elimination format is used to determine the top 3 teams per country. Those top 3 teams per country are then all put together in one pool. An elimination format is used to determine the top 6 teams to move on to the final round.

•    Round 3: Worldwide Finals
o    The top 6 teams will advance to the worldwide finals competition to be held in mid to late July in Delhi, India. Expense and accommodations are provided for by Microsoft. The competition will be a 24hr challenge to determine the global champion.
Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals
•    First Place        $8,000
•    Second Place        $4,000
•    Third Place        $3,000
•    Additional prizes: Competitors that achieve advancement to the worldwide finals will also receive travel and accommodations to attend the final competition in Delhi, India.


Interface Designer
Creativity and usability – when these two elements come together for users of software or web applications it becomes pure magic. The experience that the artist and developer can create with a well designed user interface can make or break the application that it sits in front of. The Designer invitational challenges designers all over the world to create useful and compelling user interfaces that are unique and forward thinking. Participants have the opportunity to dream of an application, connect to the theme of the Imagine Cup and show the world how their skills can bring that to life.

General Guidelines
•    Teams of 1-2 individuals
•    Teams will create interface designs that represent the theme and envision software or web applications either existing or not, designers are not restricted to running applications in order to conceive and create their designs but must mock up a demonstration version for the 2nd round that represents how the interface would work.
•    Invitational consists of two rounds that determine the WW finals and a third and final round at the worldwide finals in mid to late July.
•    Theme: “technology enables us to lead healthier lives.”
•    Teams begin by submitting a short abstract and storyboard. The storyboard should give a visual sense of the interface and user experience.
•    Required tools and delivery format: .xpr file format source files and accompanying html or other presentation framework
•    30 teams move on to the 2nd round based on community voting
•    The concept can be modified between the storyboard round and final submission – the storyboard and abstract qualify the designer, not just the idea.  
Required Elements
•    Use of Microsoft Expression design tool code name "Acrylic Graphic Designer" for all designs
Deliverables
•    Round 1:      
o    Abstract must be less than 250 words, in English. Storyboard must be less than 25 MB, using .xpr file format as source files and should run inside of a presentation framework such as HTML, PPT, etc.
•    Round 2        
o    Website or other self installing/running interactive interface design using .xpr source files
Calendar
•    Nov 1, 2005    Registration Opens
•    Feb 1, 2006    Abstract/storyboard submission window opens
•    Mar 1, 2006    Abstract/storyboard submission window closes
•    Mar 13, 2006    Community voting begins
•    Mar 24, 2006    Community voting closes
•    April 1, 2006    2nd Round finalists announced
•    April 5, 2006    2nd Round design submission begins
•    May 8, 2006    2nd Round design submission closes
•    May 22, 2006 Worldwide finalists announced (6 teams move on)

Judging Elements
•    Round 1, abstract selection
o    50%     How innovative is the interface/interaction concept (abstract and storyboard)
o    50%     Visual expression of concept (storyboard) and adherence to the theme

•    Round 2, final submission
o    50%     How innovative is the interface/interaction concept
o    50%     Quality of the overall user experience (works well, looks good, high production quality)

•    Round 3, worldwide finals
o    60%     Score from round 2
o    40%     On site 24 hr design competition

Prize Amounts for Worldwide Finals
•    First Place        $8,000
•    Second Place        $4,000
•    Third Place        $3,000
•    Additional prizes: Competitors that achieve advancement to the worldwide finals will also receive travel and accommodations to attend the final competition in Delhi, India.