Inspiration
As a team of high school students, we understand how difficult it can be to stay focused, especially with so many digital distractions around us. Our own experiences with juggling school work, relaxation, and a social life made us seek a solution. We wanted to make staying on task a more enjoyable experience through Honk Helper. By turning productivity into a game with adorable geese, we hope to help others conquer procrastination and achieve their goals.
What it does
Honk Helper is a chrome extension that allows a charming goose to frolic on a portion of the users’ screen. When the user goes to an unproductive site, such as Instagram or YouTube, the goose goes to sleep. It wakes up after the user spends too long on the sites and honks until they switch to another tab.
In addition to the above mentioned features, Honk Helper can also block specific websites specified by the user.
How we built it
We built Honk Helper, a chrome extension, using Javascript, HTML, and CSS.
Challenges we ran into
During the development of Honk Helper, we faced various challenges. One of the recurring issues was dealing with merge conflicts, which often occurred as we worked simultaneously on different features. These issues took a significant amount of time to resolve.
Another challenge was managing our time effectively, particularly with the tight deadlines. We had to prioritize tasks and make quick decisions to ensure we could deliver a functional prototype. Finishing the application while also having time to rehearse our pitch was a challenge that taught us valuable lessons in teamwork, adaptability, and perseverance.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Accomplishments we are proud of include successfully developing the initial version of Honk Helper, creating a unique and engaging way to help people stay productive. We are particularly proud of our innovative approach, blending productivity features with a fun, goose-themed experience that resonates with users.
What we learned
Participating in the hackathon taught us invaluable lessons about time management and the importance of effectively allocating tasks. We learned how crucial it is to prioritize our objectives and ensure that each team member could contribute their strengths effectively. Collaboration and communication were key, and by keeping everyone on the same page, we managed to finish our project on time.
What's next for Honk Helper
Honk Helper can be further expanded upon to provide more functionality. For instance, a feature where the goose can summarize the content of the web page the user is on. This would be incredibly helpful for students and researchers. Imagine getting a quick overview of an article or study material – perfect for efficient learning and information retention.
Another feature that could be implemented in the future would be integrating a checklist and reminder system. That way, the goose could provide you with a checklist of things to complete throughout the day. This would be especially useful for those juggling multiple responsibilities or projects.
Lastly, the chrome extension could be made to be more interactive. By having the goose visually change as the user is productive for longer periods of time, we can create a more engaging and rewarding experience. This feature could effectively incentivize them to stay on task for longer periods of time.
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