CERT Application Solution Wins Code for Change 2012 Challenge

Friday, October 12, 2012 – A year ago, I didn’t know that “Challenges” existed.  Today, an idea that I submitted to a challenge just a couple of months ago has a working prototype and has taken the top prize!

The idea was inspired by the students in the CERT classes I was co-teaching in San Jose, CA in the spring of 2012.  With no resources to fund and develop the idea, I thought there was little chance of making the application a reality.

Fortunately for me I happened to meet Arthur Grau, manager of Innovation Leadership at Applications for Good.  A4G is a non-profit that brings together sponsors, developers and ideas for applications that benefit society. After an introductory phone call, I submitted the idea to the Code for Change Challenge and Arthur and I got to work.

My role was to define the problem, rally the local CERT teams and Emergency Managers and answer whatever questions might arise.  Arthur managed everything else including all the details of what was happening in New York.  He convinced Meagan Van Harte, a senior Program Manager in the NYC Office of Emergency Management to represent the idea in person at the Challenge.  Meagan did an excellent job and as a result attracted a very talented team of developers.  Once formed, the team was able to create a prototype in two weeks!  Amazing!

The judging took place on Friday, Oct 12, 2012 and our team won the Grand Prize based on the following 4 criteria:

  • Potential Impact on target audience
  • Feasibility to implement
  • Usability
  • Originality

We won free workspace for 6 months, a web design audit, lunch with venture capital mentors and $8,000.  In other words, we received enough resources to keep the project growing.

To view the project’s current status, visit the CERT Application Project.