Students from across the College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries (DCDI) attended and participated in the Google Design Sprint Master Workshop Hackathon organised by Savraj Matharu, Programme Director of the Interactive Media Practice MA course and Principal Lecturer in Digital Innovation.
The design sprint showcased Google’s design methodology used to solve real-world problems. This year, there were four primary challenges the group were able to choose from: supporting young children to read more, managing digital anxiety and overstimulation, tackling a gambling addiction and supporting women in tackling domestic violence.
The winning team, comprising Fumi Ono, Service Designer and Project Manager, Yalina Ansari, Marketing Executive Intern and CMS Developer, and Devansh Karia, Software Engineer and UI Designer, tackled the challenge of encouraging young children to read more. The team developed a proof of concept leveraging an Augmented Reality (AR) experience, integrating innovative features such as voice detection and generative AI to create engaging visual simulations. Their solution used AR to interpret audio inputs, generate relevant animations and employ speech-to-text tools to enhance the interactive experience. Additionally, the team addressed socioeconomic factors, emphasising the importance of cultivating reading habits, fostering continuous learning and strengthening parent-child bonding.
About winning the Hackathon, Fumi Ono said: “The Google Design Sprint event was a great opportunity to have hands-on experience of ideation in a quick way. Our team was able to propose a solution to the given problem in a few hours. I realise that it is very useful to use the design sprint methodology in the real working context as well. My key goals from the event were to specify the tackled problem, set the goals with the numeric criteria and check if the proposed solutions met the set goals. I enjoyed this exciting event, which was well-organised, encouraging and informative. I was able to have a practical and enjoyable experience, and I appreciate our teammates, other attendees and the organisers.”
Alvaro Caiza Infante, Lecturer in Media Technology, and Clive Castillo, Lecturer in Sports Management BA Honours in the School of Management and Marketing at Westminster Business School, supported the event through personalised assistance during the intense session, whilst sharing their expertise. Edgar Lee, International Student Support Officer in the DCDI, was supporting the international students, some of whom had attended their first hackathon event.
Savraj Matharu said: “It was fantastic to witness a diverse group of students from various disciplines collaborating with industry professionals in an interdisciplinary team environment to tackle challenges using the Google Design Sprint Methodology. The teams' ability to develop and propose innovative solutions through technological interventions within such a short timeframe was truly impressive. To celebrate their achievements, the winning team was presented with a small award as a token of recognition.
“We were thrilled to share our expertise, knowledge and insights to bridge the gap between industry and academia, ensuring students are equipped with the relevant skills for employability. Our goal is to empower students to enter the workforce with confidence, a future-focused mindset and the ability to innovate. It’s inspiring to see how many of our young students, with their strong connection to technology, harness creativity to build and develop innovative solutions. The creative industry is a vibrant and diverse sector, rich with a blend of skills, perspectives and cultures, and this event beautifully reflected and celebrated that richness.”
Areeb Aliku, alumni graduate from the Interactive Media Practice MA course and attendee of the event, added: “The Google Design Sprint event was a great experience that enhanced my understanding of industry-standard design processes. This was my second time collaborating with the students and industry professionals which allowed me to gain invaluable insights while applying the Sprint methodology in a real-world context. The event was well-organized, engaging, and provided practical resources that I’ll carry forward into my career – Bravo Savraj.”
This hackathon directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education and 17: Partnerships for Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about the College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries at Westminster.
Related articles
