Addressing environmental sustainability and harnessing the power of AI are key challenges for today's youth. Our world's future depends on the participation of every young person. Past generations haven't quite managed to fix these issues – in fact, they've added to them – but could it be that teenagers hold the key to sparking change? Join the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and other companies, who care about using AI for the good of all.
In this Challenge, you'll explore the question:
What ideas do you have for using AI to address environmental issues?
This Challenge is open from
November 13 - December 13, 2023
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It's time to get creative and CREATE a prototype of your idea. This is what you'll use to explain your awesome solution! By the end of the Create phase, you should be able to:
Show your Business Blueprint
Explain how you created your prototype(s)
Share your feedback and demonstrate how you revised your prototype(s)
Be ready to create your video pitch
⏱️Time: 4-5 Hours (Week 3 of Challenge)
✏️Use the optional KNOtebook to record your ideas
💼 Mentor: Get feedback from a mentor, and others, on your business concept
🎯 Future Ready Skills: Problem-Solving, Collaboration
In this phase, you'll create a concept for a new or improved "business". Perhaps, a for-profit business or a non-profit organization?
Yay! You have an idea for a business, organization, or service! First, let’s meet someone who started their own business.
Your "business" idea may be a for-profit business, like a restaurant or shoe store; an organization, like the Girls and Boys Club or a sports team or a service, like Uber or tutoring, for example.
Think of a business, organization, or service that you really love or one that solves a hard problem or meets a deep need. Ask yourself:
What makes this company one of my favorites?
What value does it add to my life?
What problem does it solve?
What do I like/dislike about their name?
Use a Business Design Framework to help you plan out your idea.
All businesses, organizations and services create something of value, gain from it, and deliver it to customers. The following framework is useful for business, organization, or service planning. Flip the cards to learn about each element of the framework.
Review the slide show below to understand how to put together a business concept.
Now that you have a blueprint, you're ready to create a prototype to get feedback. Rapid prototyping is the process of turning assumptions into opportunities to learn. You can create all kinds of prototypes to transform abstract concepts into something that people can experience. Prototypes should be real enough to get valid reactions from people, but not so real that they take a long time to build. Watch the video to see a unique example of prototyping.
Live prototyping is one way to get feedback. It can be hard but is also fun and rewarding. You can learn a lot in a short time. Flip the cards to see some different types of rapid prototyping.
Creating physical prototypes is another way to test your ideas and get feedback.
Using your Business Blueprint as a guide and your selected materials, determine what aspect of the business you’d like to prototype first and how you’d like to prototype, then start creating! Consider using the the following tools:
Building materials: Great for prototyping processes, infrastructures, and work flows and just fun for everyone.
Recyclables: Take something apart and use the parts for your prototype or dig into your recycling bin and see what you can use.
Video: A short and scrappy video can go a long way to communicate anything.
Paper, cardboard: Sketching, drawing, diagramming, building
Now that you have your first prototype, it's time to share it and get feedback so that you can improve it.
Take a look at an example of creating a testing plan to get feedback.
Consider using any of the following methods to structure and organize your feedback-gathering process. Select the plus signs.
After you get feedback, it’s time to make changes to your prototype or prototype another part of your product. Remember, the goal is not for your prototypes to be universally loved. The goal is to get as much feedback as you can to help you make your concept better. Continue to prototype, test, and iterate as much as you can, until you are satisfied with your prototype. This may be a multi-day process and is not to be rushed.
Continue to prototype, test, and iterate, as time allows and you feel happy with your final prototype.
Make sure your prototype demonstrates that your idea is:
Purposeful: Addresses the problem
Results: Will have an impact
Original: Is unique from everything that already exists or builds on something in a new way