After a very long research phase me and my team from Newcomer now have conceptualized a smartphone-app, which familiarizes not only refugees but any newcomers with their environment. Our team is working in the Hacking Utopia project at UDK (University of Arts) in Berlin. We are two product designers and two communication students.
Main target group are refugees why we mostly talked to young men from syria. Of course they are facing a lot of problems and some are probably more serious tha the one we are trying to solve. We found out that -waiting for german bureaucracy to give them the needed papers and learning german- a lot of them feel lost in their new environment. Although our focus is on refugees Newcomer is for everyone, who is new in the city.
Our App combines different types of challenges in a city-rally taking place in Berlin. They make them explore the town and talk to people. So for exapmple it asks them to take a photo of something, that reminds them of their origin. Also we are inviting Institutions like Bars, Cafés and Eventspaces be a part of our project. So for example we lead a participant to a café and ask him to drink a coffee with someone. Both drinks are half priced so they get in contact by using this discound. With a growing community different app-users could match and meet to solve tasks together and have a nice experience.
So our app definitely is no tourist guide. It is more like a motivation-tool to go out and socialize. In two weeks we are starting a crouwdfunding-campaign on start next. Until then we clarify our concept and test it with people. If you have questions or suggestions please feel free to comment.
@Alberto gamification is the right word. The app works as a city-rally including different types of challenges. We are already in touch with institutions like bars and cafés. Still we have collect more but this will happen as soon as we get it expanded. We work on it.
Hi! I really like your idea and I think it can work out very well.
From what you presented and how funny it seems, I think people can easily take it as an adventure call and that’s nice. But I think you should pay attention so that the purpose of your project is understood: the fact that it’s referring to refugees groups. For example, is the app going to be in German? Or what other languages? Refugees might have difficulties learning German (and not only refugees, newcomers too)… How is the project evolving, by the way?
Hi Felix. Amanda’s video was a bit slow and I didn’t get how the app would work?
I think one some of challenges included are the cost of producing content as well as community management. @Augusto_Pirovano and @Matteo_Uguzzoni have a lot of experience in running urban games and I think they might have a lot of valuable experience to shar.
