Design Challenge
#2: How might we encourage our community to support one another and look out for those who are socially isolated?
Project Description
2 Degrees is a social app geared towards mutual learning for specific skills for both home and professional setting. It uses your network of friends to find an expert that can teach you what you need. You may not know someone directly, but in your friends’ friends network, you probably do. Through the app, you can send requests for experts to your friends, to learn any skill that you need to know. These skills are very specific skills and things you can learn quickly through another person in one or two video calls.
An example: Tom, a working professional, usually buys chili crab for his elderly mother every Friday evening on his way home. Due to corvid19, he is working from home and the restaurant is closed. He also wants to minimize going out to buy food. He learns the basics of how to m…
Criteria #1: Value
Target audiences are working professionals that care for children and elderly, and socially isolated individuals. Because of Corvid19, they cannot outsource many tasks such as plumbing or sending kids to art classes. They still want to do these at home, but do not know how. They need a way to quickly learn, preferably from a local trusted source. On the web there will be too many guides that are created for western audiences. Best to learn from someone that a friend recommends.
Criteria #2: Inspiration
The idea draws inspiration from Granovetter’s paper “The Strength of Weak Ties” where acquaintances, or friends’ friends, can substantially affect interactions, outcomes and well-being. Applying this to our idea: Singapore is a tight knit community. You may not know an expert whom you are direct friends with, but your friends might probably know someone. The app allows you to extend your network far beyond your normal reach to trusted and relevant experts.
Criteria #3: Impact
For working professionals that care for children and elderly, this idea allows them to conduct some of the activities they were doing for their loved ones before the Corvid 19 period. It allows them to better care for them and to do things that they enjoy better. For socially isolated, this idea allows them to reach out to more people who share their interests. They can learn from them or teach them things. It expands their social circle and gives makes them feel more valued.
Criteria #4: Timeliness
Proposed idea is estimated to completion in 4 months: 1st month User Research, 2nd month UI design + user testing, 3rd and 4th month development.
Criteria #5: Systems Thinking
This idea supports the Skillsfuture and Lifelong Learning movement in Singapore. Skillsfuture currently supports individuals through institutional learning via course fee funding and Skillsfuture credits. The next bound of Skillsfuture will also further enhance the role of enterprises in developing their workforce at the workplace. This idea supplements both with peer to peer learning. Workers when working from home, can use the app for just in time specific skill development to help do their jobs better.