Bucca-NEAR-u Review

Well done to this group and their presentation on Saturday. This group won with near half again the votes of the next group, and clearly deserved to.
The project consists an app that works to alert campus security in a more streamlined way to incidences on campus. While not meant to replace the hotlines, this app would allow for quick connection to security on a range of topics, from important need help now, to smaller nuisance reports that security should still know about.
Starting out with strong researched facts on campus violence, they group addressed a local and pressing issue. These facts were further broken down into subcategories with accompanying definitions. Making up most of the presentation start, the group painted a very clear picture of their problem. Part of these facts also addressed why some incidents would go unreported normally, which they hoped their app would alleviate. The app itself would both solve this issue as well as raise awareness of this social issue as a problem. It would become a simpler way to present issues to campus security, as opposed to referencing an 87 page document on the proper specific response. The app is also very simple to use and understand, although they still went through and broke that down too. On its main page it also provides hotline numbers that can be used instead or to potentially supplement with the app. It would address a much wider selection of problems, specifically 'minor' problems that go under the radar. Finally, the group also noted the flaws and potential growth of the app near the end, which is important to keep in mind.
Not to mention that the app actually works, even if it is on a small scale.
Personally I see the app making the strongest impact in areas that are not normally reported, such as minor issues and anonymous reporting. Larger issues should still go through the proper channels, which would give better response times, and they do mention this so good on them. The idea is not broad, but instead focused, allowing them to come up with a specific solution instead of something conceptual which may never get off the ground. Other presentations fell short here, as many were too broad to be feasible. This group proved it could find a solution by actually creating the app itself, establishing the feasibility of their project. Projects like this were my favorite, as they wouldn't just fade away and were actually well thought out, not just appearing to be with big claims and numbers that didn't actually add up with any detailed look at the project.