SkillSwap/SkillConnect by Faith Jegede

[catarinalouza]

What is your project's name?

SkillSwap/SkillConnect

What's the problem you are trying to solve?

The problem is the need for a platform where individuals can easily find others willing to exchange skills or knowledge with them. Traditional methods of skill exchange, such as in-person classes or workshops, can be limited in terms of availability, cost, and scheduling. There is a growing demand for a more convenient and flexible way to learn from and teach others.
The app that facilitates skill exchange aims to address the following challenges:

1. Limited access to diverse skills: Many individuals possess valuable skills that they are willing to share, but there is often no platform to connect them with others who can benefit from those skills.
2. Unequal exchange opportunities: Traditional methods of skill exchange, such as paid services or formal education, can be costly and may exclude individuals who lack financial resources or formal qualifications.
3. Lack of organization and structure: Without a centralized platform, it can be difficult to find suitable skill exchange opportunities or coordinate exchanges efficiently.

What's your idea for a solution to the given "problem"?

Create an app / an online platform that connects individuals with various skills and facilitates skill exchange. This app will allow users to create profiles, list their skills, and search for others who are willing to exchange skills. It will provide features such as messaging, scheduling, and rating systems to ensure smooth and organized exchanges. As skills are exchanged, this app addresses the issue of costs associated with acquiring new skills. The app will provide a matching algorithm that suggests potential skill exchange partners based on users' skills, interests, and preferences. This algorithm will consider factors such as geographical location, availability, and desired learning outcomes to ensure compatible matches for skill exchange. In order to encourage the users, a rewards system will be implemented, that incentivizes active participation and quality contributions to the skill exchange community. Users can earn points, badges, or other forms of recognition for their contributions, encouraging engagement and fostering a sense of community. Lastly, skill exchange events or workshops can be included in the app where individuals can come together and exchange skills in person. These events can include hands-on activities, networking opportunities, and expert-led sessions. The platform can facilitate the organization, promotion, and registration process for such events.

Which tracks do you think could be involved?

DL/DS, WD, UX

How do you imagine Deep Learning and/or Data Science could contribute to this project?

By leveraging Deep Learning algorithms, the app can analyze user preferences, skills, and past interactions to provide personalized recommendations for potential skill exchange partners. This can help users find the most relevant and compatible matches, increasing the chances of successful exchanges.

How do you imagine User Experience Design could contribute to this project?

UX designer definately have an important role to contribute to the success of this skill exchange app.
User Experience design will be responsible for the conduction user research to gain insights into the needs, motivations, and pain points of the target users. Through user interviews, surveys, and usability testing, UX designers can gather valuable feedback to inform the platform's design decisions. And also creating user personas. UX designer will also be responsible for UX designers creating a clear and intuitive information architecture that organizes the platform's content and features in a logical manner. UX designers will also create wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualize and test the app's user interface (UI) design. UX designer will also focus on creating visually appealing as well as interactive design that are usable for designers. And lastly, UX designers will conduct usability testing sessions with real users to evaluate the platform's usability and identify areas for improvement.

How do you imagine Web Development could contribute to this project?

The web developer will develop the frontend interface, backend infrastructure, and database systems to ensure smooth user interactions and data management.

What are the most important challenges & bottlenecks of your project?

The project needs to address the challenge of connecting individuals with a wide range of skills and ensuring that users can find the specific skills they are seeking. This requires a robust search and filtering functionality, as well as a large and diverse user base. Everyone should have equal opportunity to learn a new skill as cost of acquiring a new skill can be a limiting factor for some people. This may involve implementing a system that allows for both paid and free skill exchange options, as well as providing resources and support for individuals who may lack financial resources or formal credentials. Without a centralized platform, it can be difficult for users to find suitable skill exchange opportunities or coordinate exchanges efficiently. The project needs to address this challenge by creating a user-friendly interface and implementing features such as messaging, scheduling, and rating systems to ensure smooth and organized exchanges.

What are the most important success factors of your project?

The project's success relies on attracting a large and active user base who are willing to participate in skill exchanges. To achieve this, the platform should be user-friendly, offer a wide range of skills, and provide a seamless experience for both skill seekers and skill teachers. Continuous user engagement efforts, such as marketing, promotions, and community building, are essential to ensure a vibrant and thriving skill exchange. Another success factor will be accessibility and inclusivity, the app should be accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds and skill levels. It should overcome barriers such as financial constraints, formal qualifications, and geographical limitations, allowing anyone with a desire to learn or teach a skill to participate. Ensuring inclusivity through features like free skill exchange options, resources for skill development, and support for individuals with different abilities will contribute to the project's success. Also, the project should prioritize continuous improvement based on user feedback and evolving user needs.

[catarinalouza]

In the project phase, your team will start to working on an MVP and within ten weeks it will be only possible to create an early concept and some features which can then be demonstrated in your prototype in final project presentations. Your proposal is thorough but you might benefit from scaling it down for this first contact with it.

What we would need to know from you is what if your first priority in building the app. What's the absolute minimum you see your app doing?

[catarinalouza]

You should sync with DS/DL techies and Track Leads on slack #bl-project_ideas on their view of the DS/DL contribution for this idea. Link them with this issue and ask their view on DS/DL participation. The way you see your project working might be out of scope but we would recommend you get more feedback on it. Ask specifically where can you gather data to make this idea work.

If you get approval on how DS/DL can contribute, then you can make a gameplan for it based on that feedback.

[catarinalouza]

For UX and Web Dev, here are some answers we need:

• What's your game plan to roll out a UX process? Do you need any specific support?
• What features are you prioritising for Web Dev techies to work on? (Relates back to my first comment on scaling down your proposal)

[FaithJegs]

For this project what will be most important in the early stage will be;

1. Users should be able to create user accounts, managing profiles e.g profile setting. so the first page to be desigened will be the login/sign up page
2. Users should be able to list their skills and also search for specific skills they will like to learn. This page will the core purpose of the platform, facilitating skill exchange between users. This will be the homepage
3. On the same home page there should be a chat or messaging system. This feature will allow users to discuss skill exchange arrangements, share information, and ask questions.
4. Providing users with the ability to manage their availability for skill exchanges and schedule sessions should be considered.

The Web Dev techies can work with me developing these features (user registration, skill listing, and search functionality would be a good first step.) and the app progresses other pages will be added.
I will also need the help of a fellow UX techies with the designs etc...

[catarinalouza]

That's great @FaithJegs, thanks for clarifying.

I'm moving your idea to scoping level, and in terms of team constitution you should be looking for another UX techie to join you and 2 WD and DS, split like this:

• 1 UX Techie (this is you @FaithJegs)
• 1 UX Techie @PippiLo
• 1 WD Frontend Techie @4atatime
• 1 WD Backend Techie @drlst7777
• 1 DS Techie
• 1 DS Techie

If you are a techie interested in joining this project, or you, Faith, are able to "recruit" techies, comment here so you're assigned to the team constitution and this git issue.

[4atatime]

hey all! would love to join as a front end dev :)

[drlst7777]

Hi! Sounds very interesting, I'd love to join as WD Backend :)

[catarinalouza]

Moved this project to accepted! Great to see some names being attached, will assign you both to this issue! Don't forget to submit your names and project in the Team Formation submission form by January 26th (more details about it tomorrow at the project info session!)

[PippiLo]

Happy to be joining at @PippiLo as the second UX techie :)

[PippiLo]

I see I have not yet been assigned, but also mentioned this in the form submission :)