Collate is an experiment in collaborative publishing, installed at the Victoria and Albert Museum for the London Design Festival. Developed by London-based design agency Six:Thirty, it invited members of the public to collectively take part in the publication of a book.

Using a selection of touch screens, participants were encouraged to create their own layouts from a selection of images. The best layouts, voted for by the public, were then compiled and published by the group. The project gives consumers who may be tired of simply passively digesting content, the chance to be involved to some degree on the creative output, whether it be through content curation or user generated input.

Think back to the success of recent user directed projects such as Paddles On, and new generation clothing label Yr Store, which empower the consumer by turning them into the maker. As an impartial commentary on this changing dynamic, Collate successfully captures the prevailing mood of the design world in the digital age.