Theme
The theme for course projects this year is
Re-envisioning How We Live, Work and Play. Our world is evolving rapidly, especially over the past few years, when the pandemic has made us re-think how we should live, work and play. In this design project, students are encouraged to identify a problem or an opportunty, and design an app to address the problem or capitalize on the opportunity. The final product is a high-fidelity prototype;
no implementation (i.e., programming) is involved. Project teams must choose from one of the subthemes below, and one of the project topics within that subtheme. All themes and subthemes are framed in terms of goal, i.e., the problem that your app is aiming to solve.
Subtheme A: Connecting People
- A1. helping student cohorts stay in touch
- A2. supporting living with roommates
- A3. helping families stay in touch
- A4. improving cross-generational or cross-cultural communication
- A5. supporting collaboration in different time zones
- A6. helping people connect or share information during crisis and disasters
- A7. connecting students with professionals (e.g., job shadowing)
- A8. helping people form clubs
Subtheme B: Promoting Personal and Community Well-Being
- B1. encouraging healthy habits (e.g., diet, fitness, internet use)
- B2. reducing carbon foootprint
- B3. maintaining good work-life balance
- B4. supporting maintaining good mental health
- B5. supporting post-pandemic life
- B6. helping overcome difficulties and building resilence
- B7. supporting local culture (e.g., local artist, musicians, businesses)
- B8. helping people express themselves (e.g., via art making)
Subtheme C: Support Teaching or Learning
- C1. enabling online study groups
- C2. supporting presenters and audience during lectures/live presentations
- C3. enabling informal learning online (e.g., music, cooking, languages)
- C4. enhancing team building in remote settings
- C5. helping students develop effective study habits
- C6. supporting mixed-mode (i.e., online and offline) discussions and meetings
- C7. supporting an inclusive learning environment
- C8. supporting Do-It-Yourself (DIY) experiential learning
Subtheme D: Specific Application Domains and User Groups
- D1. helping newcomers (e.g., immigrants, refugees, international students)
- D2. empowering women in technology
- D3. supporting elderly in their use of modern digital technology
- D4. supporting people in life transitions (e.g., moving out of home, becoming a new mother)
- D5. improving young adult's financial literacy
- D6. helping athletes train for a competition
- D7. helping first year students navigate campus life
- D8. supporting online or offline gaming communities
Aim for Impact
This course is the perfect place for you to spend time brainstorming and designing solutions for something that you personally care about. Your project should be aiming at having a positive and potentially lasting impact on your university, city and the world at large.