Apply your knowledge to build something amazing!
Time to solve a real problem in your community using databases! Instead of building another generic system, identify an actual need around you - at school, in your neighborhood, or online - and create a database-powered solution that people will genuinely use. This is your chance to make a difference while showcasing everything you've learned.
Find a problem worth solving, then build the solution.
Go out and find real problems:
Once you've found your problem:
Build with users in mind:
Ship it to real users:
"Campus Food Rescue" by Sarah M.
"Study Buddy Matcher" by Alex K.
"Local Artist Marketplace" by Maya P.
"Volunteer Time Bank" by James T.
Choose what fits your solution:
Your database needs a frontend:
Handle the messiness of reality:
Plan for success:
// Example: User Research Database Schema
CREATE TABLE user_interviews (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
interviewed_at TIMESTAMP,
user_profile JSONB,
problem_statement TEXT,
pain_points TEXT[],
current_solutions TEXT[],
willing_to_pay BOOLEAN,
feature_requests JSONB
);
CREATE TABLE problem_validation (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
problem_description TEXT,
affected_users INTEGER,
frequency VARCHAR(50), -- daily, weekly, monthly
current_cost_time INTEGER, -- minutes wasted
current_cost_money DECIMAL,
impact_score INTEGER CHECK (impact_score BETWEEN 1 AND 10)
);
// Focus on core features that solve the main problem
// Example: Food Rescue App Core
// Real-time food availability
CREATE TABLE food_offerings (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
provider_id UUID REFERENCES users(id),
food_type VARCHAR(100),
quantity INTEGER,
pickup_location TEXT,
available_until TIMESTAMP,
dietary_info JSONB, -- {"vegetarian": true, "gluten_free": false}
claimed_by UUID REFERENCES users(id),
status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'available'
);
// Implement real-time matching
const matchFoodWithUsers = async (offering) => \{
// Find nearby users with matching dietary preferences
const matches = await db.query(`
SELECT u.*,
calculate_distance($1, u.location) as distance
FROM users u
JOIN user_preferences up ON u.id = up.user_id
WHERE u.status = 'active'
AND up.dietary_restrictions ?& $2
AND calculate_distance($1, u.location) < 5
ORDER BY
u.need_score DESC,
distance ASC
LIMIT 10
`, [offering.pickup_location, offering.dietary_info]);
// Send push notifications
await notifyUsers(matches.rows, offering);
};
// Track usage metrics
CREATE TABLE user_analytics (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
user_id UUID REFERENCES users(id),
action VARCHAR(100),
metadata JSONB,
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
// A/B testing for features
CREATE TABLE feature_experiments (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
experiment_name VARCHAR(100),
variant VARCHAR(20), -- 'control' or 'treatment'
user_id UUID REFERENCES users(id),
conversion BOOLEAN,
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
// User feedback collection
CREATE TABLE feedback (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
user_id UUID REFERENCES users(id),
feature VARCHAR(100),
rating INTEGER CHECK (rating BETWEEN 1 AND 5),
comment TEXT,
improvement_suggestion TEXT,
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
// Performance monitoring
CREATE TABLE performance_metrics (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
endpoint VARCHAR(255),
response_time_ms INTEGER,
query_count INTEGER,
cache_hit_rate DECIMAL,
timestamp TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
// Success metrics tracking
CREATE TABLE impact_metrics (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
metric_name VARCHAR(100),
value DECIMAL,
unit VARCHAR(50),
measured_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
// Example: Track your app's real impact
INSERT INTO impact_metrics (metric_name, value, unit) VALUES
('meals_rescued', 127, 'meals'),
('money_saved', 635.00, 'dollars'),
('co2_prevented', 254, 'kg'),
('active_users', 89, 'users'),
('user_satisfaction', 4.7, 'rating');
| Component | Weight | What We're Looking For |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Validity | 25% | Is this a real problem worth solving? |
| Solution Effectiveness | 25% | Does your solution actually help? |
| Technical Implementation | 20% | Is it well-built and scalable? |
| User Adoption | 20% | Are real people using it? |
| Impact & Innovation | 10% | What difference did you make? |
Watch previous presentations: [YouTube Playlist] Try live demos: [Project Gallery] Read case studies: [Success Stories]
This is your chance to build something that matters. Not just another CRUD app, but a solution that improves lives, saves time, or brings communities together.
The best projects start with genuine curiosity: "Why is this still a problem in 2024?"
Your database knowledge is a superpower. Use it to organize chaos, connect people, and create systems that work better than what exists today.
Go forth and solve something real! :star2:
"The best way to predict the future is to build it." - Your chance starts now.