Team J*MP presents Project Change

Overview

Project Change connects girls from around the world gets them involved in thinking about ways they can create social change. Teams of three girls from the United States, Kenya, India and China combine to form a larger network of twelve that provides each other possible solutions for a local problem each team identifies from their community. Over the course of a year, each team of students receive feedback and solutions from the other girls in their network and use those insights to develop a solution that may be implemented during the next school year. 

Concept Note (PDF)

Vision (PPT)

Prototype Images

Contents of the Project Change box

Includes: Handouts for instructions, finding a social change problem and brainstorming; a digital camera and batteries; notebooks and pencils; post-its and markers; mailing labels for the next country and an iPad (high-tech option)

Handout summarizing Project Change

Handout about the process of brainstorming

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Packet of mailing slips that would be pre-filled out for the students. As they send off a box, they simply affix the top slip to the box. This also tracks where the box still needs to go.

Revisions to the Project

Based on feedback, we decided to focus on a low-tech option rather then the high-tech option that included an iPad. Although an iPad could be pre-loaded with all applicable materials, as well as have the ability to upload feedback and brainstorming notes to a website for more immediate feedback, we recognize that with varying states of technology access in other countries this may be a challenge to use. However, we did keep it open as an option. 

We also decided to develop the idea of the competition further. Rather than competing with the other members of the international team, winning projects would be selected from each school. This way, the schools can choose to do this element of the project. As part of a larger curriculum, we then would anticipate that the classes could work on implementing the winning project as seventh graders. 

Feedback

I (Dan) love the work you have shared here. Documenting your process including your revisions helps the client understand how you got from 'a' to 'b' and it also reminds you as designers why you did the things that you did.  This will help you justify decisions/budget/time etc. as you convert this from idea to real project.  Your sketches are very helpful in particular, keep that up.    The slide is fabulous, helps us understand the process you have in mind and also the cyclical nature of it. Good job packing information on a slide without overdoing it, Tufte would be proud.  

The Concept Note is really strong.  Working backwards, the description of your background, the budget and the references are all accessible. Having two versions also helps clients feel like they are in control of the project - you gave them some choices, even though you have designed the basic solution.  This also opens doors for suggestions from the client which makes it more likely that you will get something like this actually implemented.  The budget is still high in the low end version, so I would challenge you to think what a version of this would look like at the under $10 price point.  

I also like your explicit goals and objectives and I see how they fit in the narrative that you have created in the description piece.  The only thing I would add is a description of how you will know if you are successful and how will the girls know if they are successful.  Are their opportunities for reflection, metacognition, sharing, as the project is happening or several years down the road?  

Great work