Project Brief: Inducing (small) Change

Introduction
Our world always has room for improvement, whether it is with ourselves, our communities, or society at large. Self-help books fill the shelves of people seeking to improve their lives. Service groups raise awareness of important issues and bring communities together. Non-profit organizations work to better the lives of the underprivileged both locally and abroad. Until recently, our mobile devices have served as simple two-way communication devices, without much impact on social change. But now, advances in mobile technology have unlocked our potential to make a difference: now more than ever, we can choose to better ourselves and our communities. How can we use mobile technology to make our world a better place, one (small) step at a time?

Your Mission
Use the power of mobile technology to make a positive change for good.

What Success Will Look Like
Successful projects in this domain will follow a user-centered design process to create an application or service that is based on real-life observations and that creates a shift in personal behavior or social issues.

Design Inspiration
  1. How can mobile technology promote behavioral change?
  2. How do people learn about social issues, and are there more powerful ways to spread awareness?
  3. How can we use mobile technology to encourage sustainable behaviors?
  4. What's the most effective way to join people together to help a cause?
  5. How do people kick bad habits and maintain good ones? Could your mobile phone incentivize healthy eating, exercise, doctor visits, a good night's sleep?
  6. How can we strengthen communities using mobile technology?
  7. How can mobiles improve the experience of volunteering or political activism?
  8. Could mobile technology play a role in global issues like hunger, disease, the environment?
  9. What if mobile technology could make people safer, happier, and healthier?