In 1924, George Brooks of Topeka, Kansas patented the concept of the corkboard (patent number 1,494,583). His concept is still one of the most commonly used bulletin boards at MIT.
Cork:
The lightweight elastic outer bark of the cork oak, used especially for bottle closures, insulation, floats, and crafts [2].
[3]
Since Brooks' invention in 1924, physical bulletin boards have not really changed much other than their variety in materials and hanging methods. These boards typically range in price from $100 to $600 and are manufactured by a large number of companies.
As electronics technology advanced, electronic bulletin boards became popular. Two of the most popular examples are (1) managed electronic forums, where a company manages an online advertisement forum for a large group/organization, and (2) public slide shows, where a managed slideshow presentation is viewed on publicly displayed screens. "eBoard: Campus Electronic Bulletin Boards" is an example of managed electronic forums at the university level. This study focuses on physical boards; however, electronic boards are referenced in the redesign process. |