Ruums: Virtual Rooms for Better Connections and Studying!

*Describe the problem your solution addresses?

Just because we're not together, doesn't mean we can't connect! In these times of remote learning, connections are more important than ever. Even the smallest things like spontaneous study sessions are treasured and missed by students. So, how can we replicate human connections quickly and easily? Our problem is that students feel disconnected during remote learning, subsequently creating a barrier to their digital working environments and mental health. Our virtual study rooms app “Ruums” is a simple, quick, solution to connecting people together, so people can get more work done together, as humans.

* Why did you pick this solution and how does it address the problem?

After plotting a prioritization matrix of our ideas, we evaluated that creating a platform to facilitate virtual study sessions friends had the highest user value while still having high feasibility. We found that other potential solutions would have new pain points like professor/university buy-in. The current process to study together involves difficult scheduling, often limits it to 1:1 calls, and formalizes a casual and spontaneous process. We add that spontaneous factor back! Our design decisions are connected to our users: students who seek connections in an efficient and casual manner. We kept app features minimal as the focus ought to be on the video call connection rather than on the app. The applications of efficient virtual rooms and video chat availability are endless - workplaces, blind students, mental health hotlines to see which hotlines are available, and more! Right now, our flow is focused on studying and how to create productive yet inherently human connections.

Inspiration

Students with deteriorating mental health due to loneliness.

What it does

Focuses on connecting people together by allowing users to toggle if they're studying, see their friends that are studying, create public or private virtual study rooms, explore friends study rooms, and view what other users are in the same University that study for the same class. Allowing students to meet new friends is an extra feature we considered for students learning online, as many, especially freshman, have expressed difficulties in new relationships. Studying is an easy way people typically meet new friends in person, and so we replicate the in-person studying experience this way.

Who is it for

Primary users: high school students, university students, studying facing mental health issues due to isolation, generally students who are used studying in groups and it iss a big part of their learning process, environment, and mental stability! Secondary users: people wanting to meet new study groups.