Solution Brainstorm
The purpose of this document is to help an EdTech-a-thon developer and educator start their collaboration. Specifically, by the end of the conversation…
- The developer should understand the problem the educator is facing
- Both the educator & developer should articulate multiple ways this problem could be solved
- Collaboratively define the simplest solution possible to the problem (KEEP IT SUPER SIMPLE)
1. Understanding the problem
Problem statement
As a ____ [role: teacher / tutor / admin], I’m trying to ____ [goal], but ____ [what gets in the way]. This happens ____ [how often / when], and it affects ____ [students, me, families]. Right now I work around it by ____ [current workaround], which means I have to ____ [what is the consequence?].
Follow up questions
- Can you give an example of when the last time this problem arose happened?
- What have you already tried?
- What didn’t work about those options?
- Who exactly are we helping? (e.g. are you saving time?, are students learning in new ways?, or are you helping other teachers/staff organize?)
Solution brainstorming
List two possible ways to solve this problem without digital technology
- One way
- Two way
List two possible ways to solve this problem with only one tool already available to you (powerpoint, google spreadsheets, canva, etc…)
- One way
- Two way
*List two possible ways to solve this problem with fully custom technology (e.g. an app, or a website)
- One way
- Two way
Defining the Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
- For each of the solution brainstorming tiers above, what do you gain or lose between each tier? (for example, without an website, I couldn’t automatically track progress)
- What’s the least we could build that you’d genuinely use in your classroom?
- What can we leave out of that first try to get it to you sooner?
Implementation Plan
[one line summary]