Dates

October 7th, 2023

Eligibility

Must be a BU student

Project and Submission Requirements

Prizes

Pool of prizes totaling $1250

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

Judging Category #1: Product-Need Fit

How clearly is the solution aligned with the broader problem statements (education, election turn-out, social justice–parents in need of support)? Does the Solution address the user need as presented by the students? Is there a unique value proposition or differentiated feature embedded in the product *vision* presented. It's okay to base your feedback on the future vision of the product, the students may not have achieved their full vision with their minimum viable product (MVP). However, if they are able to find even a small differentiator with their MVP, they should receive a higher score.    

Judging Category #2: Quality of Idea/ Potential Impact

Does the project have the potential for deep or broad impact, i.e. the potential to solve an important problem for a narrow user base or does it have the potential to impact a large number of people? How easy is it  to implement  the solution on a national scale? To what magnitude will this technology have an impact on election turnout, education, or parents in need of support.

Judging Category #3: Technical Execution

Did the team deliver a high-quality working product? If it’s a web-based app, is it running on a public server that a non-technical person can access? If it’s a mobile app, is it possible to download it from a mobile app store?  If it's an ML model, is it accurate and useful? Did they produce a substantial volume of work (~8-10 hours/ work week per team member x 9 sprints)? Is the product quality high? Is the code quality high? Teams that take on more difficult technical tasks and solve them should also be given a higher score.  

Judging Category #4: Design

The user experience is intuitive, i.e. it's clear how to achieve the tasks/goals that the solution is designed for and the user flow is obvious. The solution provides clear navigation and labeling. The user interaction and visual design is well defined. Typographic hierarchy is clear (i.e. Headlines, body copy, captions). Colors, iconography are consistent—no sections are left undeveloped. Overall visual language relates to the concept of project—nothing is frivolous.

Judging Category #5: Presentation 

Effectively communicate the idea, purpose, and impact of the project in a clear and engaging way. The team clearly states the problem they are trying to solve, and explains why it is important. Captures the audience's attention and leaves them with a clear understanding of the idea and its potential impact. Did the team deliver clear opening and closing remarks that capture the attention of the audience and set the mood according to a carefully planned framework?