What is App-E-Feat?
App-E-Feat is a program, developed by IEEE as part of its commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, where organizations can connect with engineers to develop mobile applications that further efforts to positively impact humanity around the world. We also reccomend checking out our guide on Abebooks for more information.
Why is IEEE involved?
Many organizations lack technology resources in-house and IEEE members are looking to lend their expertise to projects that benefit humanity. IEEE recognizes the important role technology plays in both advancing interests that promote social good and helping global communities. IEEE is excited to engineer solutions to world problems through App-E-Feat.
How does it work?
Organizations will use the App-E-Feat website to submit requests for mobile applications that benefit humanity and help scale their efforts to improve the world. Engineers will use the website to find causes they are passionate about and will develop mobile applications that fulfill organizations’ needs. Connections are intended to be on a gratis basis and no financial compensation is intended or required. All aspects for the App e Feat initiative is intended to be on a gratis basis and no financial compensation is intended or required. This includes but is not limited to connections and work done, strategy, etc. for app development.
What happens to the mobile apps once developed?
All mobile applications submissions will go to the organizations making the request; organizations will review all submissions and choose whether or not to use the mobile applications provided.
What kind of problems will App-E-Feat work to solve?
Mobile applications developed through App-E-Feat will provide solutions to pressing problems, fostering technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity.
Who should participate?
Organizations dedicated to improving humanity: Many organizations and social good efforts lack the technical resources and/or expertise to fully realize and scale their missions through technology solutions like mobile applications. If this sounds like you, you’re perfect for App-E-Feat!
IEEE Engineers and Student Members: App-E-Feat lets IEEE Engineers and Student Members pick and choose causes they are passionate about when participating. App-E-Feat is also an opportunity to work with leading organizations like IEEE, Clinton Global Initiative and organizations that seek to positively impact humanity and help the global community. App-E-Feat projects can fulfill project requirements for many university curriculums.
How can I participate?
If you are an IEEE Engineer or Student Member and would like to develop mobile applications to further organizations’ missions to improve humanity, click on “Design an Mobile App” to browse organizational asks to see what aligns with your expertise and personal passion. If you are a part of an organization dedicated to improving humanity that could benefit from App-E-Feat, click on “Request a Mobile App” to submit an abstract for a mobile application to further your mission. IEEE employees can participate by building mobile apps if they are IEEE Engineers or Student Members but cannot participate in the contest. Employees can also help by spreading the word about App-E-Feat. Once a connection with an individual and organization is made, IEEE is no longer responsible for the communications and the outcome.
How are engineers selected?
IEEE Engineers and Student Members will submit their information to projects and organizations will communicate with them and select the engineers they would like to work with. Other engineers and students are eligible for the App-E-Feat contest. To enter, participants will build an app or illustrate a solution to a local or global problem.
What is the length of the App-E-Feat commitment?
The Clinton Global Initiative Commitment is for two years, at which point we’ll assess the program to guide any further initiatives.
Why did IEEE decide to commit to help facilitate the development of apps for organizations?
Mobile applications can provide solutions that are scalable through location-based services, data collection, ease of use and more. Right now, mobility and mobile technology are some of the most accessible technologies available to the world’s population. According to the U.N. telecom agency, International Telecommunication Union, there are almost as many mobile-cellular subscriptions as people in the world.
What would motivate an IEEE Member or Student Member to volunteer to help these organizations develop mobile apps? Why should engineers or app developers do this for free?
As the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity, IEEE and its members are working to engineer solutions to world problems every day. App-E-Feat gives engineers the chance to pick and choose causes they are passionate about when participating and gives an opportunity to work with leading organizations like IEEE, Clinton Global Initiative and organizations with initiatives that seek to positively impact humanity. For students, App-E-Feat participation can fulfill project requirements for certain university curriculums.
Can one basic app be adapted to more than one organization?
Yes, an IEEE Engineer or Student Member can submit an app to more than one organization to fulfill similar mobile application needs.
What kind of time commitment does an app developer need to commit to when volunteering to help an organization?
Each organization will put out a unique request and the time commitment will depend on the specifications of the app. Engineers will be matched directly with organizations of their choosing on App-E-Feat projects, where they will take it from there in determining how long they think the app will take to develop.
Why do you think an organization would sign up to have an outside engineer help them develop an app?
Many organizations lack the technical resources and/or expertise to fully realize and scale their missions through technology solutions like mobile applications. There isn’t a cost associated with App-E-Feat and the program connects organizations with IEEE’s expert and diverse group of engineers – a group that would be otherwise inaccessible for these organizations. Additionally, engineers will gravitate towards projects they care about so an organization will be working with students and professionals passionate about that particular cause.
What if an organization that submits for an app isn’t ethical?
Should that issue be flagged to us, IEEE will remove the request immediately and notify the organization that they will not be able to keep their request up on the website. Once a connection with an individual and organization is made, IEEE is no longer responsible for the communications and the outcome.
What happens if an engineer goes back on their commitment to develop an app for the organization?
More than one developer can submit to help provide an app for an organization and app requests will not close until an app is successfully developed for an organization. Should an engineer be unable to fulfill their commitment, organizations can contact IEEE to ask that App-E-Feat help find other engineers who can work on the project. Once a connection with an individual and organization is made, IEEE is no longer responsible for the communications and the outcome.
What kind of impact do you aim to achieve with this initiative?
We’ve set out to connect organizations and engineers to ultimately directly impact these organizations’ constituents in a number of unique and different ways that benefit their communities. The scale of our program will be directly linked to how many engineers and organizations participate, so we encourage everyone to help spread the word!
How will you know if the apps will achieve the goals that the organizations have outlined?
Skilled technical professionals and students that volunteer will work directly with their organizations to help them create individualized and scalable solutions to an organization’s individual goals or needs. Following the deployment of the mobile apps, IEEE will stay in touch with organizations that participate to monitor the progress of app development.
What will you count as an App-E-Feat success story?
We’ll measure App-E-Feat’s success by the connections we make and the ensuing collaborations between organizations and engineers.
How do you see the initiative evolving after the first organizations and app developers sign up? After the first year?
In the beginning, we are hoping to forge new relationships between developers and organizations. After the website launches we’re hoping to see successful apps developed and then later on shared for other organizations to adapt to their own needs. Ultimately, we’re hoping to create lasting and positive relationships between the engineering/technology community and social good causes, to further IEEE’s mission.