Expertise: Entrepreneurial initiative, UX, design thinking
Course: Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (BCII)
Subject: Initiatives and Entrepreneurship 
Date: 2020

Orbit was a part of the two-week sprint BCII subject, Initiatives and Entrepreneurship in which our team was tasked with conceptualising and producing a unique and original initiative to intervene in a problem space we are passionate about. The project was intentionally open to limitless creative potential, with the aim being for us to flex our entrepreneurial abilities and produce something which could actually be implemented or put to market if we desired. 

SOLUTION

My transdisciplinary team was made up of eight students from design, communications, law, business, science and IT backgrounds. This provided a unique array of perspectives, skills and passions which were instrumental in producing an interventional with the broadest coverage and impact possible.

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In response to the brief, we created Orbit as an intervention to combat the rise of mental health issues amongst young people through promoting meaningful interaction in a congested and intangible social media industry. Orbit takes the form of a messaging application which prompts uses to "check in" with their mates on a deeper level – similar to the transparency of initiatives such as RUOK?. The crux of the platform uses simple, non-confrontational prompts to encourage users to broadly analyse how they are feeling that day through the use of simple emoji-based symbology. Other users can then see their friend's status and are encouraged to pop-up and check-in on how their friends are really feeling. The app is also facilitated through other elements such as; use-based revenue raising (through ad exposure), linked support services and a profile impact section.