Frequently asked questions

What are the evaluation criteria for Solution Challenge entries?

Each solution will be evaluated on a scale of 1 to 50 points, across two aspects: Impact and Technology.

Impact (25 points)

Does the entry establish a clear challenge using their problem statement? (5 points)
Do they explain clearly which UN Sustainable Development goals and targets they chose for their solution and why? (5 points)
Feedback from users, testing & iteration (5 points)

Does the team clearly describe three feedback points they received from real users and the steps they took to test them?
Is there evidence of what the team learned and how the solution was iterated upon based on user feedback?

Does the solution address the challenge (and problem statement) identified by the team? Does the team adequately describe the success of their solution using metrics, goals, and outcomes? (5 points)
Is there evidence of next steps? Does the team display a clear plan for future extension to a larger audience if they were to continue? (5 points)

Technology (25 points)

Does the team clearly describe the following: architecture, high-level components, responsibility of each component, specific products and platform they implemented? Has the team clearly explained what Google technology they used and why? (5 points)
Does the solution implement all the technical components needed to solve the challenge? (5 points)
Code testing and iteration (5 points)

Does the team highlight one challenge they faced while building their code, how they addressed the issue, and the technical decisions and implementations they had to make? Did the team include guidance on running their code?

Does the video demonstration show an actual working application (not a mockup) and how a user will interact with the solution? Does the demo show how the solution makes effective and appropriate use of the features of the chosen Google technology or platform? (5 points)
Can the solution, in its current form or minor structural changes, support more users and increased scale? (5 points)

What are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations?

Created by the United Nations in 2015 to be achieved by 2030, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed upon by all 193 United Nations Member States aim to end poverty, ensure prosperity and protect the planet. More information about the 17 SDGs can be found here.

Can my solution solve a problem outside of the scope of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals?

No. We require your submitted solution to solve for at least one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). When you’re ready to submit your solution, please identify which of the 17 SDGs your solution is focused on solving, and which specific goal targets you are solving for.

Can one student or team submit with multiple submissions if they’ve contributed to both projects?

No. Terms and Conditions state: “LIMIT ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON,” so each student can only be a part of one submission.

Can I still participate in the Solution Challenge if there is no Google Developer Student Club at my university?

Yes, as a student you can still participate, as long as you team up with at least one student at an existing GDSC university near you. You must join that GDSC community through the GDSC event platform. We recommend you to then reach out to the GDSC lead for guidance on how to join or form a team with their community.

What is a solution demo? What should it feature?

The solution demo is a demonstration video that shows the most important part of your application. When evaluating, our judges will use the demonstration video to understand how a user will interact with the application.

Note that your video is limited to 2 minutes, so focus on what’s really important!

From the video, we want to understand how the user interacts with your application and its features. We don’t need to know about every little feature detail, we care far more about the core value your solution is adding. So focus on the most important features and functionalities for the user.

Can our demonstration video be longer than 2 minutes (120 seconds)?

No. As stated in the Terms and Conditions, “[The Video] cannot be longer than 120 seconds. If it is longer than this, only the first 120 seconds will be evaluated.”

The submission form asks us for a public link to our repository. Are we able to share our code repo while keeping our code private?

During the judging process (March 17, 2023 - June 19, 2023) we ask that you make your repository public to ensure that judges will be able to view the codebase.

If you’re running a public repository on GitHub, Bitbucket, or similar version control system, you can simply give us the link.

Below is the relevant section from the Terms and Conditions:

The link should direct the judges to a repository containing your code, which can be hosted on a Version Control System, such as GitHub or Bitbucket. In that repository, you should include a README.txt or README.md file in the root directory. This file should contain clear instructions on how to run your code for us to be able to test out the solution.

In addition to Google’s developer tools, we used developer tools that were not created by Google. Does that still qualify?

Yes. As per the Terms and Conditions, we require that your submissions “Use of one or more Google products or platforms including.” In addition to that, however, you can also use developer tools that Google did not develop.

Does our project have to be deployed for submission?

No, it does not have to be deployed. If the project is deployed, this will help our judges get a better understanding of what you’ve built, but it is not required.

Given the implications of social distancing, our ability to test with users was impacted -- will the judges consider this?

Our judges will surely be mindful of the limitations that have been added by COVID-19. This includes but is not limited to:

Ability to meet as a team
Ability to have users test the solution
Lack of internet access or proper developer environments due to displacement from your college campus.

User testing is important for the solution challenge. How would you recommend we do this while social distancing?

We recommend getting creative. To test your solution with users, it’s usually best to meet them face-to-face. This allows you to ask for real-time feedback, see upfront how they use your application, and pick up on subtle reactions. However, we know that might not be possible, given the current global pandemic. Here are some potential work-arounds:

Conduct the interview over a video call.
Conduct the interview over a phone call, asking the potential user to constantly speak their thoughts out loud, so you can hear all their feedback.
Write a series of questions, and ask your potential user to record themselves as they answer the questions and use your solution.
Ask for written feedback from your users.

I started working on a project before the solution challenge started -- can I submit it?

Yes -- it would be eligible for submission as long as it was built after April 12, 2022.