Challenge Summary
Welcome to GE Mobile Low Connectivity Framework Ideation Challenge! The focus of this Idea Generation Challenge is to ideate on frameworks, tools, and potential architectures for enabling mobile software applications to work in areas with low Internet connection speeds, or intermittent connectivity issues.
GE would like the Topcoder community to begin the innovation process by first thinking through the art of the possible with an Ideation Challenge.
Important Rule Update for all Ideation Challenges:
- You are allowed to submit your ideas at any time during this challenge.
- You are also allowed to submit to the final phase even if you did not submit to the checkpoint phase.
- All ideation submissions will be accepted (that pass screening).
- While we are allowing this challenge to be "open," we do recommend you submit to the checkpoint so we can review and provide valuable feedback. Good luck!
Additional GE Challenge Rules
- Refer to GE Official Rules attached to this challenge.
- To the extent there is any conflict between these Official Rules and additional Topcoder Terms and Conditions of Use referenced off the Website, these Official Rules govern.
- 1st through 5th Place winners from this challenge need print, sign and send back to us the IP Rights document from GE before eligible for the prizes.
Round 1
Submit your Idea for initial Checkpoint Review and feedback!
Round 2
Submit your Final Idea's (plus any checkpoint updates)
Challenge Details
The ‘Low Connectivity” framework will be used by developers at GE to create applications that are useful and functional when consistent high speed connections are unavailable. We know how to write applications that are on high speed connections, and we know how to write offline applications. The question is how to best write applications that handle the in-between of those two.
There are regions around the world that do not have consistent, fast, dependable Internet connectivity. How can we utilize tools to make writing software handle these cases easier? What architecture considerations should be taken into account?
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Idea Generation Problem
Enterprise field applications perform poorly in countries with low bandwidth & poor connectivity. This has limited the usage of such applications and impacts employee productivity. What are possible frameworks, tools, and potential architectures for enabling mobile software applications to work in areas with low Internet connection speeds?
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Things to think about:
- We are interested in techniques for the mobile side, but also the server side (i.e. protocols or communication techniques).
- We are looking for "real" solutions and not hypotheticals
- Fault tolerance and Reliability
- Using Protocol combinations (e.g. HTTP, Messaging over TCP )
- Industry adoption/acceptance
- Security and (ease of) Maintenance
- Total cost of ownership
- Compatible with all major platforms ( iOS, Android etc)
This is an Open Innovation exercise to explore the art of the possible
Challenge Deliverables
We are looking for technical ideas and solutions. We need you to structure your ideas so we can understand them and make it easier when reviewing:
Important: Submit your idea using this format!
1) Idea: High-level overview/statement of the idea: one or two sentences describing your idea
2) Name: Idea name or "tagline" you would like to associate with your idea. This helps us when reviewing as we can refer to the solution names.
3) Idea Description: This is critical. 2-3 paragraphs of what your idea, technical details, frameworks, tools, main benefits, architecture details etc.
4) Details: Any sketches, architecture diagrams, wireframes or designs/images to better explain your idea so we understand it. We would like to see a detailed listing of what existing frameworks, libraries, or technologies you would use, as well as an explanation of what problems they solve and how they would work together to help solve the larger connectivity problem.
5) Corroborating Research (Important!)
This section should include a detailed technical discussion of your solution: Any details of the technologies used, system architectures and including why these were chosen and how they meet the specific technology considerations.
Important Note
Although there is no limit to the number of submissions you can upload, you should only upload multiple submissions if each one is substantially different from your others. Within these constraints, you are free to describe any number of alternative approaches and extra features. In fact, we encourage you to do so. You can't have too many ideas.
Judging Criteria
- Feasibility of your idea
- Technical coverage and detail (make sure your idea is realistic)
- Presentation of your idea
Submission & Source Files
Preview Image
Create your preview image as one (1) 1024x768 JPG or PNG file in RGB color mode at 72dpi and place a screenshot of your submission within it.
- You can take a screenshot of your idea document and submit it.
- You can also provide a blank image file and use it as the preview image.
Submission Files
Follow the Challenge Deliverables (1-6) items.
All source files of the submitted ideas, it can be PNG, JPG, PDF, HTML, DOC, TXT, RTF, PPT, MP4 or AVI file.
Source Files
All source files of the submitted ideas, it can be AI, PSD, PDF, HTML, DOC, TXT, RTF, PPT, MP4 or AVI file.
Final Fixes
As part of the final fixes phase, you may be asked to complete one round of minor changes to ensure your submission meets the stated requirements of this challenge.
Please read the challenge specification carefully and watch the forums for any questions or feedback concerning this challenge. It is important that you monitor any updates provided by the client or Studio Admins in the forums. Please post any questions you might have for the client in the forums.