3.1 Identifying Solutions

Dear learner, let’s break down this lesson on “Identifying Solutions” for your Innovation project. This section is all about turning the problems you’ve identified into actionable, technology-driven solutions.

The Big Picture: From Problem to Solution

You’ve already learned how to pinpoint a problem in your community. Now, it’s time to brainstorm ways to solve it. This isn’t just about coming up with any solution; it’s about finding innovative, relevant, and technology-based solutions, specifically through a mobile or web app.

Key Concepts:

• Solutions Aren’t Always Brand New:
  • You don’t have to invent something completely novel. You can:
    • Improve existing solutions.
    • Reduce the cost of existing solutions.
    • Apply existing approaches to new situations.
• Technology as an Enabler:
  • While technology is powerful, it’s not always the answer. The lesson emphasizes analyzing whether technology truly enhances a solution.
• App Features:
  • Consider these potential app features:
    • Data Collection and Awareness: Using sensors, AI, or user input to gather data and educate.
    • Behavior Change: Motivating users through rewards, games, or community sharing.
    • Empathy Building: Helping users understand the problem on a deeper level.
    • Implementation and Tracking: Enabling users to take action and monitor their progress.

The “Elderly Loneliness” Example:

The lesson uses the problem of “elderly people in the community are lonely and isolated” to illustrate how technology can and cannot help. It shows how simple ideas can be improved with technology, and that some ideas are better served without it.

• Technology Enhances:
  • An app to connect volunteers with seniors.
  • Organizing online video chats.
  • Creating online social groups.
  • AI to detect mood, and trigger a visit.
• Technology Isn’t Essential:
  • Organizing in person outings.
  • Starting a community center.
  • Starting a club for young people to visit elderly people.
• Implement and track
• so users take action on the problem and track their actions.
• Logical Framework Methodology, 2011, Bellagio Principles on Valuing Water, 2017

Brainstorming: The Heart of Solution Finding

This is where your creativity comes into play. The lesson provides guidelines for effective brainstorming:

• Capture All Ideas: No idea is too wild.
• Defer Judgment: Don’t criticize ideas during brainstorming.
• Build on Ideas: Combine and expand on each other’s suggestions.
• Be Visual: Use drawings and diagrams.
• One Conversation at a Time: Avoid interrupting.
• Aim for Quantity: Generate as many ideas as possible.
• Stay Focused: Keep the problem in mind.

Activities:

• Activity 1: Brainstorming Solutions (30 minutes):
  • Use various tools (paper, whiteboards, online boards) to record ideas.
  • Clearly define the problem.
  • Generate as many solutions as possible.
  • Review, group, and select top solutions.
  • Do a second round of brainstorming if needed.
• Activity 2: Choosing a Solution (15 minutes):
  • Use a worksheet checklist to evaluate solutions based on innovation, relevance, and technology use.
  • Choose the solution you want to build.

Reflection and Iteration:

• Understand that your idea will evolve throughout the Technovation program.
• Reflect on:
  • Which solution excites you the most.
  • How your solution is innovative.

Additional Resources:

• Technovation App Gallery: Explore past projects for inspiration.
• ChatGPT: Use AI to generate ideas (with caution and critical thinking).
• Problem Mapping/Mind Mapping: Visually connect problems and solutions.

Key Takeaways for You:

• Think broadly: Don’t limit yourself to obvious solutions.
• Technology is a tool: Use it strategically.
• Collaboration is key: Brainstorm with your team.
• Iterate and refine: Your idea will evolve.
• Utilize resources: Explore the app gallery and other tools.

This lesson is designed to guide you through the process of turning your problem into a concrete, technology-based solution. Embrace the brainstorming process, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

App Gallery

You might want to check out what Technovation Girls teams have done in the past. Here are to the steps to find pitch videos from past Technovation Girls teams:

• Visit the Technovation App Gallery
• Choose a topic from the dropdown that matches the category your problem falls in
• Filter by location, year, and division
• Click Apply Filters

ChatGPT

Another exciting tool that can help you identify a problem is ChatpGPT, from OpenAI.

You can sign up for a free account that will give you enough free credit to work on your Innovation project.

Click the toggles below to see some examples prompts using ChatGPT for Technovation ideation.

Note that responses are AI-generated, so not necessarily factual or complete. Use of ChatGPT is recommended as another resource of many in the ideation process. It may help generate some some ideas your team can expand on and use as a launchpad for other ideas.

BIODIVERSITY

Student’s Question: Hi, I’m concerned about biodiversity as an issue in Uganda right now. How can I, as a teenager, help tackle this problem?

ChatGPT’s Answer: Biodiversity is very important, and it faces many challenges such as deforestation, pollution, and climate change. As a teenager in Uganda, you can make a difference! Here are a few things you can do to help protect biodiversity:

1. Learn and Share Knowledge
   • What to do: Educate yourself about the importance of biodiversity and the different ways it’s being threatened in Uganda, like habitat loss in our forests or pollution in Lake Victoria.
   • How it helps: Once you understand the issue, you can share the information with your friends, classmates, and family. When people understand the importance of protecting nature, they’re more likely to take action.

2. Support Local Conservation Efforts
   • What to do: Find and support organizations working to protect Uganda’s biodiversity, like the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or Nature Uganda. You could donate, volunteer, or simply raise awareness about their work.
   • How it helps: By contributing time or resources to these groups, you support their important work in preserving Uganda’s wildlife and ecosystems.

3. Join or Start Local Environmental Projects
   • What to do: Look for local environmental groups or projects that you can join, such as tree planting events, beach or river clean-ups, or campaigns to protect endangered species like the mountain gorilla.
   • How it helps: Getting directly involved in conservation efforts in your community can have a big impact. It’s also a great way to inspire others to join.

4. Reduce Your Environmental Impact
   • What to do: Start making eco-friendly choices, like reducing waste, recycling, and avoiding the use of harmful plastic. You can also encourage your family and friends to adopt these habits.
   • How it helps: By making small changes in your daily life, you reduce pollution and contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment.

5. Advocate for Conservation
   • What to do: Use your voice to advocate for environmental protection. Write letters, sign petitions, or speak to local leaders about the importance of protecting Uganda’s biodiversity.
   • How it helps: Speaking up for nature can influence local and national policies, encouraging governments to take stronger action in protecting Uganda’s wildlife and natural resources.

By taking these steps, you can make a positive impact on biodiversity in Uganda and help protect the country’s unique wildlife for future generations. Remember, even small actions can lead to big changes!

• Student’s Question: Hi ChatGPT! I’m thinking about how to turn one of the ideas for protecting biodiversity into a mobile app. Can you help me with some ideas for how to do that?

ChatGPT’s Answer: Sure! Here are some cool ideas for turning your thoughts about protecting biodiversity into a mobile app:

1. Educational App

• What it does: You could make an app that teaches people about biodiversity, the importance of different species, and how ecosystems work. The app could also explain the environmental threats like pollution and climate change, and give tips on how users can reduce their impact on the planet.
• How it helps: By learning more about biodiversity, people will understand why it’s important to protect wildlife and ecosystems, and they might be inspired to take action.

2. Conservation Support App

• What it does: This app could let users donate money or time to conservation projects that help protect endangered species, like Uganda’s mountain gorillas, or ecosystems, like the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The app could list local organizations that work on these efforts, and users could sign up to volunteer or make donations.
• How it helps: It makes it easier for people to support conservation projects that are already doing great work, so their contributions go toward helping protect wildlife and nature.

3. Local Conservation App

• What it does: This app could focus on getting people involved in local conservation activities, like clean-up drives at Lake Victoria, tree planting, or restoration projects in national parks. It could have a calendar of events, allowing people to sign up and join.
• How it helps: By participating in these activities, users directly contribute to their local environment, making the app a tool for hands-on conservation.

4. Environmental Impact Tracker

• What it does: This app would help people track how much energy they use, how much waste they produce, and how eco-friendly their habits are. It could have features like a carbon footprint calculator, a recycling guide, and suggestions for using less plastic and more sustainable products.
• How it helps: By understanding their own environmental impact, users can take small steps to reduce it, like recycling more or choosing eco-friendly products.

5. Advocacy App

• What it does: You could create an app that helps users take action on environmental issues by allowing them to easily contact their local leaders or sign petitions that advocate for stronger environmental laws and policies.
• How it helps: This app would help users speak up for conservation and environmental protection, encouraging them to influence decisions that could make a big difference for biodiversity in Uganda.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but you could combine features from different ideas or come up with your own unique twist. The most important thing is that your app can make it easier for people to get involved and make a difference for biodiversity!

Sure! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can start building an app for protecting biodiversity. I’ll focus on one idea and walk you through it, but you can apply these principles to any of the ideas above.

Let’s say you want to build the Local Conservation App to help users find and get involved in local conservation activities like tree planting, beach clean-ups, or wildlife protection efforts.

Step 1: Define the Purpose and Features

Before you start coding, clearly define what your app will do. For the Local Conservation App, here’s a list of possible features:

• Event Calendar: Users can see upcoming events like tree planting or clean-up drives.
• Sign-up/Volunteer: A way for users to register for events and show interest in volunteering.
• Location-Based: Allow the app to show events based on the user’s location.
• Educational Content: Include articles, videos, and tips on local conservation efforts.
• Push Notifications: Alert users when new events are posted or remind them of upcoming events.

Step 2: Plan Your App Structure

Now that you know what the app should do, think about how it should be organized. Here’s an example of how the app might be structured:

• Home Screen: Display upcoming events, with a button to sign up for volunteering.
• Event Details Screen: Show detailed information about each event, including time, place, and how to get involved.
• Profile Screen: Allow users to track events they’ve signed up for and save favorite activities.
• Educational Screen: Provide a section with information on biodiversity, why conservation is important, and how users can help.

Step 3: Choose Your Development Tools

You’ll need a development framework or platform to build your app. Here are a few options:

• Flutter: If you want a cross-platform app (for both Android and iOS), Flutter is a great choice. It uses Dart and provides a lot of pre-built components to make the development process faster.

Advantages:

• Cross-platform
• Great UI design tools
• React Native: Another option for building cross-platform apps, using JavaScript.

Advantages:

• Large community
• Reusable components
• Android Studio (Java/Kotlin): If you’re focusing only on Android devices, this is a great tool.

Advantages:

• Powerful, especially for Android-specific features
• Xcode (Swift): If you’re developing only for iOS, Xcode is a great choice.

Advantages:

• iOS-specific features

Step 4: Build the User Interface (UI)

For the Local Conservation App, the design should be clean and user-friendly. Here are some UI ideas:

• Simple Navigation: Use a bottom navigation bar with options like “Home,” “Events,” “Profile,” and “Education.”
• Event Cards: Display events in a card view with the event’s name, date, and location.
• Map View: For location-based events, you could use a map to show where the events are happening.

Step 5: Develop the Core Features

Here are some key features you’ll need to implement:

1. Event Calendar:
   • Use a calendar API (like Google Calendar API or a custom calendar) to list and display events.
   • Allow event organizers to submit events through a form.
2. Sign-Up System:
   • Create a user registration and login system. You can use Firebase or other back-end services for user authentication.
   • Let users sign up for events and save them to their profile.
3. Location-Based Features:
   • Use the device’s GPS to display events near the user’s location.
   • Integrate a map API (like Google Maps or Mapbox) to show event locations.
4. Push Notifications:
   • Use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) to send notifications to users about new events, reminders, etc.

Step 6: Test Your App

Testing is crucial! Here are some ways to test your app:

• Unit Testing: Make sure individual components (like event sign-up or notifications) work properly.
• User Testing: Let people in your community test the app to see if it’s easy to use and useful. Collect feedback for improvements.
• Beta Testing: Release a beta version of your app to a small group and fix any bugs or issues before the full release.

Step 7: Publish Your App

Once the app is ready, you can publish it on the Google Play Store for Android or the Apple App Store for iOS. Each platform has its own submission process, so you’ll need to:

• Prepare app screenshots, descriptions, and any other materials for the store.
• Set up your developer account on Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Step 8: Promote and Keep Improving

• Share your app: Tell friends, family, and local organizations about it.
• Update regularly: Keep adding new events, educational content, and features based on feedback from users.

Conclusion

Building an app for conservation efforts is a fantastic way to get people involved and make a real difference! By following these steps, you can create an app that helps protect Uganda’s biodiversity and encourages people to take action for the environment.

Safe Cities

Gender Equality

Plastic Pollution

Another brainstorming technique is called problem mapping or mind mapping. You write the problem in the middle of a large sheet of paper and write down solution ideas around the problem. Connect similar or related solutions to combine them or spark new ideas.