Who:
You are designing for forward thinking e-mail and messaging users. People who are not afraid of changing their e-mail clients in favour of something new and more intuitive. This is for people who use a multitude of social networks and mailing lists, and as a result need a better way to handle their message content.

What:
Raindrop is a way of organizing different types of messages within your inbox. The challenge is to find a useful way to separate your direct messages, @replies, notifications, mailing lists, and broadcasts, into clear levels of importance.

Message Categories:
1) Direct message — A message sent to you by another person
2) Group Conversation — @replies on twitter or a group email with a CC list
3) Notification — Twitter follow notifications, personalized service updates
4) Mailing list — A mailing list you subscribe to sent you a new message
5) Broadcast — Email alerts from advertisers or friends status updates

Things to think about:
→ Way-finding and navigation amidst a large inflow of information
→ Creating a layout which will accommodate extensions and plugins
→ Creating grid systems
→ Breaking grid systems
→ Web typography
→ A layout which can be applied and modified for mobile use
→ Thinking beyond the standard two column layout of blogs and social networking sites
→ Information architecture

When:
Raindrop 0.1 is being released on October 13th, 2009. Future releases to be announced periodically.

How:
Submit design ideas and feedback via our Flickr group. Design iterations can take the form of whatever you feel communicates your idea best (screenshots, mockups, sketches etc).

Why:
Raindrop is an open design process in building a better, more personal and useful way of participating in your existing communications.