shravani agashe

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Prerna Path Foundation

Prerna Path Foundation

Prerna Path Foundation

Rapid Prototyping for On-Field Problems

Rapid Prototyping for On-Field Problems

Rapid Prototyping for On-Field Problems

Shravani Agashe

Shravani Agashe

Shravani Agashe

Academic Project

October 24

Academic Project

October 24

Academic Project

October 24

What is it?

What is it?

As the assignment for our college studio went, we were asked to create an imaginary idea as the context for our prototyping explorations. This helped me shape my explorations better as I could map the consequences of a decision making the idea more sustainable. The following is the context set for the prototype.

As the assignment for our college studio went, we were asked to create an imaginary idea as the context for our prototyping explorations. This helped me shape my explorations better as I could map the consequences of a decision making the idea more sustainable. The following is the context set for the prototype.

A service that allows students to volunteer for teaching the urban underprivileged children.

The content taught would go beyond subjects taught in school. It will focus more on different ways of engaging the students with the world around them.

The focus of the company is to stay effective rather than expand and grow. It has an ethos of working for the people of the communities it serves.

A service that allows students to volunteer for teaching the urban underprivileged children.

The content taught would go beyond subjects taught in school. It will focus more on different ways of engaging the students with the world around them.

The focus of the company is to stay effective rather than expand and grow. It has an ethos of working for the people of the communities it serves.

What process was followed?

What process was followed?

Contextualizing

Connecting students to the urban underprivileged children.

Connecting students to the urban underprivileged children.

Well-rounded development of the underprivileged children.

Well-rounded development of the underprivileged children.

Keeping social engagement with peers as a core value.

Keeping social engagement with peers as a core value.

Fixing revenue streams for the business.

Fixing revenue streams for the business.

Making the experience valuable for all parties involved.

Making the experience valuable for all parties involved.

Ensuring the enjoyment of the children in the learning space.

Ensuring the enjoyment of the children in the learning space.

Maintaining the safety of all volunteers and children.

Maintaining the safety of all volunteers and children.

Establishing trust between the stakeholders by keeping a thorough verification in place.

Establishing trust between the stakeholders by keeping a thorough verification in place.

Checking the volunteering and learning hours, ensuring not to overwork anyone.

Checking the volunteering and learning hours, ensuring not to overwork anyone.

How did others view it?

How did others view it?

True to the “rapid” in the title, we conducted mock stakeholder meetings to get multiple perspectives on our ideas. Group members assumed different stakeholder roles and a collaborative discussion round added more nuance to the business idea.

True to the “rapid” in the title, we conducted mock stakeholder meetings to get multiple perspectives on our ideas. Group members assumed different stakeholder roles and a collaborative discussion round added more nuance to the business idea.

Volunteer

“I need to understand the exact benefits. If its helping me accelerate my school credits I’ll do it. I would like to ensure my safety as well and would not want to be overworked.”

Donor

“I would like to see the success stories of past students and understand the ground level situation before donating”

CEO

“We should stay small, focus on the cause than expand through numbers”

Parents of Underprivileged Children

“How can I trust the people coming in my area? How is my child’s safety being guarded? How is my child benefitting?”

Underprivileged Children

“I don't want to learn the same things I learn at school here. I will attend only if I can enjoy myself. I also want no strict teachers guiding me here.”

The application

The application

After integrating these insights into the business idea, I proceeded to make the prototype for an app that would propose solutions for some of these issues. While the contextual problems may have better solutions outside the scope of the app, the context acted as a base to carry out the prototyping. The presented solutions are a limited scope based answer to the possible issues.

After integrating these insights into the business idea, I proceeded to make the prototype for an app that would propose solutions for some of these issues. While the contextual problems may have better solutions outside the scope of the app, the context acted as a base to carry out the prototyping. The presented solutions are a limited scope based answer to the possible issues.

Session Details

Tracks the current details of the volunteering session including time, location, activity and allows for photo and video documentation.

Session Over

The app flashes a warning that the allotted volunteering time is over and the volunteer should now promptly terminate the session.

Adding a Session

The app auto fills information that has previously been inputted and ensures that the volunteers can keep a track of all their sessions for acquiring any school credits.

SOS Screens

The SOS screen pops up after the user shakes their device. It has a clear CTA and minimal elements to ensure pace of action.

The current flow is coded such that the YES button allows the user to send an SOS message to a pre-programmed number.

The message is already typed out and the user has to press the send button to relay the communication.

The making process

The making process

I used the platform “Thunkable” to make the application. The exploration was diverse as I looked at things like Firebase Authenticator for verification, Accelerometer of teh device to instigate an action in the application and variables and data sheets for the app to “remember” and autofill data.

I used the platform “Thunkable” to make the application. The exploration was diverse as I looked at things like Firebase Authenticator for verification, Accelerometer of teh device to instigate an action in the application and variables and data sheets for the app to “remember” and autofill data.

Thunakble used the logic of code by introducing the concept of a block. I made and used the correct logics to build the desired functionalities.

Thunakble used the logic of code by introducing the concept of a block. I made and used the correct logics to build the desired functionalities.

The Code

Connecting sign in to a firebase authenticator and adding new values to variables and data sheet

Inserting a timer to count down and restrict the volunteering hours of the volunteers. After a certain amount of time passes, the volunteer is asked to terminate the session.

Shaking the phone leads to a SOS screen popping up, where one can send SOS signal directly to the police.

Using a location sensor to get the volunteer’s current location for ensuring their safety. Deployed only when the Session details screen is open. A camera to document the session while it is going on.

The Final Product

The Final Product

Here is a link to view the demo of the product

Here is a link to view the demo of the product

The final product explored the prototyping possibilities of the idea. I tried to stretch the boundaries of the features by taking into account the ground realities of the atmosphere the volunteers would be placed in. The product is an application for volunteers to track their volunteering activities. It also acts as a medium for donating, however the pathwasy isn’t explored in the prototype.


The prototype has features made for concerns highlighted in the ideation stage of the process which ensure volunteer safety, potential fatigue, trust issues, transparency and bias in engagement.

The final product explored the prototyping possibilities of the idea. I tried to stretch the boundaries of the features by taking into account the ground realities of the atmosphere the volunteers would be placed in. The product is an application for volunteers to track their volunteering activities. It also acts as a medium for donating, however the pathwasy isn’t explored in the prototype.


The prototype has features made for concerns highlighted in the ideation stage of the process which ensure volunteer safety, potential fatigue, trust issues, transparency and bias in engagement.

Reflecting

Reflecting

The final output was more or less close to what I visualized at the start of the process. My learnings from the class were both technical and abstract. My technical learnings spanned across the logics used to build the application. Understanding key functionalities, restrictions of features and what can go from design to development was a crucial learning arc in this studio.

The abstract learnings were fueled by the discussions in class. They made me question the premise of the context itself. Concepts such as saviour complex, the power dynamics between the stakeholders, potential misuse of technology questioned the business idea. This was a fruitful discussion to be had as it made me understand the consequences of merely introducing a idea and technology into a space which it hasn’t entered before. It made me be more mindful of my ideas and actions.

The final output was more or less close to what I visualized at the start of the process. My learnings from the class were both technical and abstract. My technical learnings spanned across the logics used to build the application. Understanding key functionalities, restrictions of features and what can go from design to development was a crucial learning arc in this studio.

The abstract learnings were fueled by the discussions in class. They made me question the premise of the context itself. Concepts such as saviour complex, the power dynamics between the stakeholders, potential misuse of technology questioned the business idea. This was a fruitful discussion to be had as it made me understand the consequences of merely introducing a idea and technology into a space which it hasn’t entered before. It made me be more mindful of my ideas and actions.

So glad you visited!

If you like my work, do reach out!

Check out my resume

agashe.shravani@gmail.com

So glad you visited!

If you like my work, do reach out!

Check out my resume

agashe.shravani@gmail.com