Archived Projects
Fall 2022 - Spring 2023
Here for You
How can we refine Here For You's presence online and offline to engage and support university students.
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Sustain CMU
Spring 2021 - Spring 2022
Project Description
Sustain CMU is a project addressing waste management issues on CMU's campus. Carnegie Mellon has given their on-campus dining options 100% compostable packaging and intends to start offering compost bins in on-campus housing, but thus far their efforts to encourage correct waste disposal among the students seem to be ineffective. We are trying to come up with a solution that will close the knowledge gap and/or incentivize students to dispose of their waste correctly.
CMU Dining Services
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Project Description
The CMU Dining Services team is looking to improve spatial design and wayfinding of the Marketplace to improve the experience for both students and dining staff.
Operation Better Block
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Project Description
Mobilizing neighborhood by neighborhood, Operation Better Block (OBB) promotes community-centered improvements in Homewood, Pittsburgh through its Junior Green Corps, utility assistance, professional development workshops, and other services. At CMU DFA, we work hand in hand with OBB to solve problems surrounding youth engagement and resident communication. Currently, we are focused on restructuring OBB’s community engagement methods from in-person to digital ones to overcome challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we are improving resident engagement by redesigning OBB’s website with user-centered designs including interactive graphics and improving OBB’s social media presence.
YMCA Changemakers
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Project Description
How can we transform youth interested in creating impact into confident and community-centered changemakers?
412 Food Rescue
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Project Description
DFA worked with 412 Food Rescue to research how we can build a resilient system to that best supports those who are experiencing food apartheid. This project focused on developing 412 Food Rescue’s Cooking Education program that provides people in need with easy recipes and ingredients for daily meals.
Spring 2021 and Earlier
YMCA Changemakers
2020
Problem
How can we help students discover a passion for changemaking and introduce them to organizations that share their interests?
Solution
This team worked with the YMCA Wapakoneta branch to create a prototype program/ initiative for the National YMCA to increase youth community involvementand encourage children to discover a passion for changemaking.
SENTENCE MOSAICS
2020
Problem
How can we assist individuals in their formulation of novel, complete, and meaningful spoken or written sentences to facilitate meaningful communications?
Solution
Sentence Mosaics is a speech-language therapy app that simulates a color-tile foam board system to help students associate words with certain parts of speech and form sentences.
HOMELESS OUTREACH PROJECT
2017
Problem
How can we improve coordination between homeless outreach organizations to better serve individuals on the streets?
Solution
Working with Operation Safety Net and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Homeless Services, this team prototyped a mobile-web application to coordinate between 5-6 different homeless outreach organizations.