TAPS Challenge: Team Action Problem Solving

We are the flagbearers of a problem-solving society, building sustainable communities through our social Makerthon dubbed TAPS Challenge.

TAPS Challenge is a problem-solving platform and social innovation concept that is being designed to facilitate community solutions design and development. We help economically, geographically and socially excluded communities, design and build technology solutions to their biggest challenges across industries, with a specific focus on STEAM (Sports, Tech, Entrepreneurship, Arts & Manufacturing) to help solve real 21st Century problems.

 

TAPS Challenge Flagship Event

Come build solutions for Sebokeng's community challenges in Manufacturing to help solve real 21st Century problems.

TAPS Challenge: Sebokeng

The workshops are designed to co-create community-led technology products & services with different stakeholders and end-users. The workshop will adopt the design thinking process incorporating the Internet of Things. The workshop will follow a 1-day Participant Induction, a 4-day Design sprint structure followed by a 2-day Live Prototyping event for two shortlisted design solutions (Proof of Concept). 

Our challenge statement is...What Might Happen If we redesign & build an effective response experience to manufacturing-related problems using low-cost technology components to improve the lives of community members socially & economically?

Event Details

Venue: VUT Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park, 05 Moshoeshoe street, Sebokeng, 1983
Dates: 15-21 July 2019
Times: See Workshop Schedule (typically 9am-4pm)
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/rSHZL1tu46Hu3dCj9
Entrance: Free for community participants, design coach trainees, builders, and stakeholders.NB: Sign up is important for entry and ensures that your seat is reserved. See ticketing for the general admin ticket price if you want to support the event.

Food & Drinks:
Participant and general admin tickets include free light meals & refreshments. If you know that a platter meal won’t be enough for you, we’ll have food stalls available for food & beverage purchases.

Transportation:
If you would like to get transportation from Joburg, we’ll have a shuttle service available with the following stop points:

  1. Sandton Gautrain Station
  2. Park Station Gautrain Station
  3. Mandela Square Shopping Centre Evaton, Cnr Golden Highway
  4. Engen Armstrong One Service Station
  5. BP Garage TK
  6. Thabong Shopping Centre

Contact organizer for an updated transportation schedule. 

Design Workshop : 4 Day Design Sprint

+ 1 Day Participant Induction Workshop

Making Workshop : 2 Day Prototyping Event (Live)

Our Facilitators & Speakers

Graham Smale, Founder, Innovation Coach & Facilitator at Innofindo

Connect with Graham

David Crellin, CEO & Founder at Sciencescope

Connect with David Crellin.

Jennifer Sutherland, Co-founder of Creative Leadership Collective

Connect with Jen.

Prajesh Bhikha, Senior Research Information & Marketing Officer at VUT

Connect with Prajesh.

Charlene George, Managing Director at Verve Digital

Connect with Charlene.

Danie Maritz, Co-founder of Moonshot and Partner at Vollar Cryptocurrency for Good

Connect with Danie

David Du Plessis, Founder & Director at Africa Design Lab and Experience Design Director at Mckinsey & Co

Connect with David Du Plessis.

Irven Hope, Co-founder & President at Skill Exchange Makerspace

Connect with Irven.

Scott Walker, Director at Matter Innovation

Connect with Scott.

FAQ's

Where do I register to become a Design Coach Trainee?

Please click here to sign up.

Where do I find the Identifying Triggers Poll?

Please click here to take the survey.

Where do I register to become a stakeholder?

Please click here to sign up.

What are the participation requirements?

 

  • Community Participants: Speak & write English, between ages 16 to 35 years, living, working or hometown is within the Vaal Triangle region. Completed or still to complete grade 12. Will be available throughout the 7-day event activities between 9am-4pm.
  • Stakeholders: Community based organizations, potential customers, civil society organizations, local businesses, researchers. Will be available throughout the focus group sessions.
  • Builders: Speak & write English. Provide technical support come from IT, Engineering, R&D, Business Management and Marketing functional backgrounds. Commit to online availability for a minimum of 1hour per day throughout 5 days of design workshops to provide mentorship to participants. And commit 2 days onsite availability for TAPS Challenge Making Workshops to build the solutions.
  • Design Coach Trainees: Speak & write English, between 25 to 45 years. Completed grade 12. Will be available throughout the 7-day event activities between 9am-4pm. Wants to learn how to become a design thinking coach.

 

 

Do I need anything to prepare for the workshops?

Community Participants

All preparation material will be given to you in the participant induction session. All you need is your phone or laptop, email address, and a notepad. You can find out more about our technology component, the BBC micro:bit device on https://microbit.org/

Design Coach Trainee’s

Attend our Introduction Training Session

Date:10/07/2019

Format: Webinar (online)

Webinar access link & Time: Will be provided once you have confirmed sign up.

What to have: Laptop/Computer/Phone with headphones, Internet access, notebook, pen

Builders (Technical Support)

Attend our Introduction Training Session: 

Date:11/07/2019

Format: Webinar (online)

What to have: Laptop/Computer/Phone with headphones, Internet access, notebook, pen

Webinar Access Link & Time: Will be provided once you have confirmed sign up.

You can find out more about our technology component, the BBC micro:bit device on https://microbit.org/ that will be used during the Making Workshop.

What are my commitments as a TAPS Challenge community participant?

Be there, we just want your uniqueness

  • Commit the whole week of the 15-21 July 2019 from 9:00am-16: 00 pm to helping us solve Sebokeng’s crucial community problems

 

 

What does it mean to be a TAPS Challenge stakeholder?

Stakeholders are individuals that represent organizations that are directly or indirectly affected and/or effect the challenges we’re solving for. They provide insights on how we can solve these challenges through focus groups sessions.

What does it mean to be a TAPS Challenge builder?

 

  • Provide product design and development instructional support, expertise and intentional support to participants who demonstrate behavioral, social and educational challenges via online support.
  • To use expertise during the 2-day Making Workshop to build the prototype.
  • Meet builder requirements

 

 

What does it mean to be a TAPS Challenge Design Coach Trainee?

 

Design coach trainees are people who are seeking to learn how to facilitate design thinking and making workshops. These individuals do the following:

  • Document the workshop session and manage team projects.
  • Undergo Design Thinking Coach Training

 

 

Do I need an idea to enter the challenge?

No, you don’t need to have an idea to enter the challenge. The TAPS Challenge is structured to help you design and develop your ideas to working prototypes.

Do I need to be in a team to enter the challenge?

No. you can enter the TAPS Challenge as an individual or a team compromising of 2-6 people.

What challenges will we be solving for in Manufacturing?

We are looking to solve everyday challenges caused by the manufacturing process and it’s bi-products. Examples include a) plastic & glass packaging waste in illegal dumping sites , b) water pollution, c) counterfeited goods, just to name a few.

How do you select winners?

Winning solutions from the teams will be selected through two stages.  

  • The first stage is on Day 5, the product pitch and proof of concept selection. 
  • The second stage is on Day 7, the prototype selection.

 

 

What is my reward as a winning community design team and builder?
  • Having the opportunity for your prototype/product to be showcased at the Live EXPO 2020-is a World Expo to be hosted by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, opening on October 20, 2020, with 192 countries confirmed to participate.
  • Obtain ongoing product development support until initial funding injection.

 

 

What is the challenge statement?

How Might community teams living and working in & around the Sebokeng, redesign & build an effective response to manufacturing-related problems using low-cost technology components to improve the lives of community members socially & economically?

What do I need to enter the challenge as a community participant?
  • Take the Identifying Triggers Poll
  • Sign up on the online form or attend information sessions
  • Meet the participant requirements

This could be done through submitting a 2min video via email to irven@skillexchangemakerspace or Whatsapp 0813728508 or alternatively fill in our sign up form.

What do I need to enter the challenge as a stakeholder?
  • Take the Identifying Triggers Poll
  • Sign up on the online form or attend information sessions
  • Meet the participant requirements
  • Attend focus group sessions to:
  • Provide your organizations Point of View (POV) on how we can build solutions to eliminate Manufacturing pollution, waste or good counterfeit?
  • Provide your professional experience on the problems and frustrations you have encountered personally, witnessed among colleagues, seen in your job.
  • Show your understanding of the socially desirable conditions and the existing reality

 

 This could be done through reserving your seat for focus group discussions held between the 15th- 18th July 2019 between 12:30-13:30. Confirm your attendance before the 12th July 2019 by emailing irven@skillexchangemakerspace.com