For the second theme of GCSP, we went over Joy of Living, and improving the quality of life of civilians.
For the first activity, we first discussed the importance of engineering in modern society. Discussing various inventions ranging from we were organized into groups and then selected a certain technology, and analyze the Who, What, How, and Impact. Our group picked 5G internet and the use of self-driving vehicles. After this, we had to categorize the technology based off certain questions. Lastly, we were made to put all our information obtained on a chart and form connections between these categories given the answers we had gotten to them, identifying experiences/descriptions, stakeholders, needs, and target customer. This activity helped me understand the structure that businesses have to follow when providing a solution. For example, when Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, he likely had to identify the four groups listed above and then tailor it to feed all the needs of the target customer and stakeholders. This activity personally encouraged me to pursue entrepreneurship in the future, as previously I thought it was far more random and luck-based, but after doing this I realized that there is far more structure than what is apparent. If I am able to find a solution to a real-world problem, then the only issue becomes maximizing sales, which is far less random in comparison in hoping people like a product.
For the second activity, we had guest lecturer Dr. Helen Chavez who introduced the class to the concept of User Experience (UX). She first compared UX to the process and emotions you feel when first entering a grocery store, and the immediate opinions you make from them. This certainly aided in my understanding of it, as grocery stores want their place to look appealing, so customers feel motivated not only to come back, but to stay there in the first place. Furthermore, the discussion of making technology adapt to the customer, rather than only blindly prioritizing problem-solving was also interesting, as I never realized how much UX could aid in innovation and development of society. For example, there is no point in developing technology if no one knows how to use it. This likely explains Apple extreme success, as comparatively to Android, the UX is far better in comparison, and thus open to a wider range of customers. This helped me approach the Future Solutions project in a different light, as rather than making the AI companion with lots of customization, it would likely fare better to simplify for the sake of UX.
For the final activity, we had to find a target audience/customer and then work on how to develop the ‘Ideal Learning Environment’ given their needs. Our team chose ASU as target customer and sought to improve in-person learning altogether. Some of these solutions included anonymous in-class questioning, incentivization, and improving the efficiency of office hours. All of these are rather realistic and relatively easy to implement, as it would not require much change. Finally, an elevator pitch was given by our team to introduce these ideas. This was yet another activity that helped me understand how to provide a solution to a problem that was given, furthering my knowledge of the engineering process. In the real world, it is essential to take a structured approach to solving problems to allow for consistency, and thus this activity was very beneficial in demonstrating that.
Overall, this discussion of this theme helped me realize that when designing and releasing goods/services, it must be tailored towards improving the Joy of Living for the target consumers.