DM7903 - The MA journey is coming together and here are some of my findings...
OK lets get to it... design and app or website or digital interaction to solve a problem - GO!
Day one... what problems need to be solved - lots!! my initial ideas were around a recent experience with fire safety for my elderly mother. could that be the big question that required a big solution?
Fire safety seemed to fit the bill, public information to benefit lots of people not just a small group of society. Fire safety requires us all to be vigilant and not to take risks. I looked into the types of thing online currently and the schools seem to have it covered and nationally the smoke alarm adverts are still out there and ramp up seasonally due to christmas and overloading the circuits with fairy lights...
So I changed my thoughts to what was the essence of my initial thoughts and that was to help others.
I thought about the post pandemic society we are living in, children have been warned to keep their distance, wash their hands a lot, keep to yourself. Children may be loosing the essential point of human interactions and that of the rights and wrongs in society.
The Helping others App (title needs looking at)
Being socially conscious could be brought to this idea and contain other areas of concern to people.
Litter picking
Manners
Being kind
Help and care
Doing good deeds - this made me think of the scouts and their badges… also girls guiding and Duke of Edinburgh awards
“Big society” to coin a phrase!
Research
So my initial research looked at what known good deed organisation do currently. The scouting movement have a badge collection that links to community impact. They link directly into the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. I came across this in my very module for my MA. https://sdgs.un.org/goals
With this broader remit of inclusion and making our communities and environments a better place, I think that developing the Helping Others App has a good base to work from.
The three main areas to concentrate on are:
1. The app allows you to build a profile for yourself to show your good deeds, after all everything on the net builds into profiles so why not show the positive side to yourself ?
Positive Influencers…. The app would need to be 13+ for tasks and community action.
2. So the app is a login tool for the three good things you did today
The app can set daily challenges, so you get points towards a badge… perhaps this could link to the scouting movement, you don’t need to be a scout but perhaps by contributing to the aims of the scouts and the SDGs we are bigger than just one organisation. Together we are Helping Others !
3. The app requires a gaming element to it, earn points = get rewards, the ultimate thing could be to get an actual scout badge for good deeds… a bit like the Blue Peter badge ! Kudos to those who get it…
So moving forward my plan is to really develop the idea
Research what is out there already
Research gamification of apps
Look at motivators and age groups who would get involved
Approach the Scouting movement to ask about my idea, this can be local and national
Contact the Duke of Edinburgh scheme to gain feedback, perhaps life after DoE
Think about the overarching organisation that would be giving the award… It would be very cool for it to be the United Nations!! (Blue Peter eat your heart out!) So perhaps making contact with them to find out about other initiatives they are involving themselves in.
Research research research!