This week we are going to discuss societal problems. There are issues as simple as how to teach your children to tie their shoes …to achieving world peace.

We want to consider something in between. Interactive software could be created for teaching children how to tie their shoes, but we will never achieve world peace with software.

Think about the elements of life that could be improved with the use of computer-based technologies.

1 Overview

Post a description of societal problem which would require a software-oriented solution to resolve (one or more) that you would be interested in approaching with a CS410-411 team.

Outline a concept on how a software-based approach could be used to address the problem

2 Criteria

• The Problem Idea/Statement must identify a unique/unsatisfied societal need or a substantial and innovative and/or entrepreneurial enhancement to an existing situation.

• The problem must be addressable via an innovative, non-trivial software-based solution.

  • Can be an enhancement to an existing product/system

• Must be something that society will “buy” (i.e. desirable/marketable)

  • If it is a capability enhancement – must offer substantial improvement to what competitors are offering.

• The solution must be relevant and achievable (bounded, feasible)

  • something that can be taken from concept to design in CS 410 and specified and prototyped in software for demonstration in CS 411
  • Must be an idea than you can present (week 2) in a short (<10 minute) narrated PowerPoint presentation

3 Tips