REFLECT
BIG PICTURE
Overall, I had a positive HDD project experience. This senior capstone project has taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. I have learned new skills such as 3D printing, Solidworks, wireframing, and Adobe web design. I was also able to expand my skills in problem-solving, communication, presentation, and time management. Overall, I am so glad to have been able to wrap up my STEAM experience with a senior capstone project.
THE PROBLEM
I chose to tackle the issue of accidental overdoses and confusion revolving around over-the-counter medications. There are several websites to educate parents, but many aren't user friendly or 100% accurate on what medicine to take.
I first thought of this idea when observing parents, like my Dad struggle to find what over-the-counter medicine to take. Not every parent has a medical background or medical knowledge. I thought that there should be some sort of catalog to help struggling parents. A catalog similar to the ones you would find in an auto store when searching for what kind of oil to get.
Finally, I really found a deeper interest in medicine while doing this project. I am so excited to further this knowledge in the fall when I attend the University of Minnesota School of Nursing.
EXPO
The Expo was very colorful and full of interaction. As a member of the Expo, it felt somewhat like a science fair. To the audience, it was a cool experience and full of activities to check out. What went well was my setup. My table turned out much better than I expected. Each component that I placed on my table had a purpose. My trifold board drew a lot of people to my table; my Google Slideshow showcased how much thought and effort I really put into it; and finally, my website on display helped the audience interact with my solution.
What I didn't like about the expo was the buildup. The window of 2 hours and 30 minutes before the Expo was pure anxiety and confusion. I think that everyone was nervous about what people would think of their project. For myself, I was so nervous that people would think my project was "stupid" or "a waste of time" I was super worried that once I spoke about my project, I wouldn't live up to what people expected.
If I were to do the Expo again, I would want to have more confidence and faith in myself. I would also want to practice speaking and the presentation part of my project, as I was super nervous and stumbled a little when speaking to the audience.
MY SOLUTION
I feel very proud of what I have accomplished. I think that my solution will help parents choose the right medication. I feel that I continued to evolve and make changes to my project. I can say with confidence that I didn't slack off, and I tried my very best to improve my solution.
In the real world, I think that there is no real solution to this issue because medicine and health are always evolving and changing. I feel that, for the most part, my solution did address the problem I tried to solve. The main part of my solution was to make a website educational and more user-friendly than Google or WebMD. I feel that I accomplished this.
My solution went through multiple changes. The biggest change was changing my target audience. At first, I tried to include medication for adults, children, and the elderly. This was very time-consuming and overwhelming to research hundreds of OTC medications. I also found while researching that simple cough syrup can negatively interact with elderly heart medications or diabetic medications. For all of these reasons, I switched over to parents as my target audience and focused on children's over-the-counter medication. Another change I made to my solution was to focus on the four main categories in the pharmacy. At first, I wanted to accommodate skin conditions and first-aid care. This research was super overwhelming, and the purpose of implementing the over-the-counter medications was to show the purpose of the website and how it works. This is when I switched over to over-the-counter allergy, cold, cough, pain, fever, and digestion medications. The last biggest change I made was my kiosk design. My first design was a stencil with a device in it. The user would walk up to the stand and take interest in the electronic device. After discussing it with people at my table and Mr.Hunter, I evolved my kiosk design to include an iPad case that could be attached to the classroom shelves. This design was more welcoming to the user and easier to use and clean.
After 6 months, I completed 9/10 components. The components that took the longest were the research and web design components. The component that I didn't complete was component 10: printing out the 3D design of the kiosk.
FUTURE
Throughout this senior capstone project, I gained and expended several skills. One of the new skills I learned was web design. Using Adobe XD was very time consuming but it truly paid off because I am very happy with how amazing my website turned out.
Some skills that I improved on were my CAD drawings. I learned how to use Solidworks (CAD drawing program) during my sophomore year of distance learning. I continued this new found skill junior year when I took the 2nd level class. During this project, I used my skills to accurately 3D model a tablet kiosk. Another skill that I improved upon was my problem-solving skills. I first developed these skills my junior year in a college creative problem solving class. Throughout the class, I not only expanded my level of creativity, but also my confidence in trying out new solutions. During my senior capstone project, I ran into several different problems. I used my problem solving skills, to try to come up with new creative solutions, rather than giving up and asking for help.