Global Goals Jam 2018 — Copenhagen
I joined Global Goals Jam 2018 because I have always considered myself as the type of person who cares for the world and I saw this event as an opportunity to express that in a meaningful way. The event was held in Copenhagen´s School of Design and Technology which I am currently studying in.
The team I was part of consisted of Rebecca, who is a sustainable engineer, Beth - a product designer and myself - a computer science student. I believe that the fact that each of us comes from a different background played a significant role in creating an innovative solution to the problem we had to tackle. What is more, we were able to observe our solution in various perspectives which turned out to be very beneficial to our end product.
During Sprint 1, we spent a lot of time in clarifying our focus area since the challenge was very broad. After that, we created a map which portrayed our main stakeholders and the relations between them. I would advise others to not spend too much time on small details because it can be very time-consuming, as well as steer the focus away from the problem. ‘
I believe that communication is the key part of Sprint 2. This is the part where the fun begins. During that phase we started brainstorming and expressing our creativity. I think that actively listening to each others ideas is vital for the success of this phase and the project overall. When I do so, I get inspired to by my teammates´ passion which leads to us developing a more creative idea. This really helps getting each member of the team on the same wave.
While the first two sprints were a bit chaotic and intense, on the following day our team was very focused and way more relaxed. We were lucky to have great mentors by our side ready to help us whenever we faced a serious design problem or simply needed a glue gun. Our team split into two sub-groups in order to be more productive and deliver the solution on time. I would say that this was truly a great idea. We also decided to use very familiar resources for our prototype such as cardboard and tape. I believe that helped the others to visualize it.
After reflecting over Sprint 4, I realized how hard it is for me to describe and share my idea objectively and to someone that has never heard of it before. After the presentation I felt as if I have missed pointing out some things just because in my mind they felt very obvious. However, that was not the case for the audience. Nevertheless, I am glad that our idea was chosen as the best one.
Overall, I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to take part in this wonderful event and share my passion for a better world with people who have the same vision and spread it to others.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone cross waters to create many ripples.” — Mother Teresa
I believe that this quote is a great description of the meaning behind Global Goals Jam.
I would like to thank everyone involved in organizing and facilitating the event. Furthermore, I would like to express my deep gratitude towards our mentor Petra, who supported us during the whole process and was just as passionate as us. A big thank you to Peder who gave me a lot of insights on prototypes despite being a coach of the other team :) and last but not least — Marie Louise and Clarissa this would not have been possible without you and your great effort. I had a wonderful time. I hope that you did too.
With love,
Plamena
