"Six Questions Behind the Question"

1. Is this a visual story?

I think this story definitely has the potential to be a visual story. Photos I would like to see accompany it are ones of people giving blood, the set up of the room (since the reporter describes it in the story), perhaps a sign/poster/flyer with "Red Cross" (since they are the ones doing the blood drive) and even a detail shot of a vile(s) of blood. Since this event spans over a week, I think another useful web graphic would be a small map showing the room where the event is happening. This would be useful for non-students/Durham residents/others who want to give blood to find their way around a building that often confuses people.

2. Is this a complex story?

I don't think this is a complex story. It's mostly informative, telling the basics about the blood drive while also letting readers know the event is still happening. The only thing in this story that would make sense to hyperlink would be to the Red Cross main website.

3. Is this a time-sensitive, developing, or deadline story?

This story is a simple deadline story. The event is taking place over a week so having a story early on to let people know what/when/where is happening is a good idea. I think an interesting way to involve readers would be to allow them to post blood-giving tips in a forum. Many who have never given blood are nervous their first time, so hearing from those who have successfully done it in the past would be encouraging and neat to read. Some examples that might pop up are what foods to eat before, ways to calm yourself if afraid of needles and how long you should take it easy after you give blood.

4. Could the reader have a role in this story?

Click me.

5. Is this story fun, or serious?

Since it's an informational story, I'd label it serious not fun. Other than reader tip and a map, I don't think other interactive tools would pair well with the story.

6. Does location matter?

Location does have a part in this story. The map I spoke of above could be useful for this story as well as having readers "check in" via Foursquare or Facebook. This let's people share about what they're doing and get the word out.