“swimsy” is the name of an app for swimming lessons at home. Media designer Luis Retzbach took on the problem that more and more swimming pools were closing and that many swimming courses had to be cancelled during COVID. A development that he, as a swimming coach, is following critically. In order to prepare children for the swimming pool, he simply moved the swimming exercises to the private home – on the living room floor or even in the bathtub. Rokko the crocodile and his friends make the dry runs fun. After the 19 units in the app, breaststroke in the pool should no longer be a problem. The programme is intended for children aged four to six. With a second place in the Innovation Award in the Early Childhood Education category shows Luis Retzbach from DHBW Ravensburg that he not only convinced with the design, but also with the didactic and pedagogical concept. The prize is awarded at LEARNTEC, Europe’s leading trade fair for digital education.
“For us media designers, this is special praise because, in addition to the visuals, the concept and use of technology are equally appreciated,” says Prof. Mathias Hassenstein, who supervised the bachelor’s thesis.
After studying media design at the DHBW Ravensburg, Luis Retzbach now works in Heilbronn at PROJEKT X Artwork GmbH. This was also his partner company from the fifth semester onwards. He is responsible for digital department and designs and programmes digital web experiences. In his spare time, he continues to work on making the swimsy app a reality.
