The ShiraX Challenges: Challenge S - "The Warm Up"

Background

Global Learning XPRIZE is a competition challenging teams to develop open-source software that will enable children with limited access to schooling to teach themselves basic reading, writing and arithmetic. XPRIZE, a non-profit organization, is the world’s leader in designing and managing incentive prize competitions for the benefit of humanity.

Midnight Illusions Ltd. is a +20 year strong digital media solutions company specializing in award-winning start-to-finish mobile application development services for all major mobile platforms.

The Global Learning XPRIZE is a crowdsourced problem designed for the world to solve. Midnight Illusions has taken on the challenge of addressing this problem by crowdsourcing the solution.

We have conceptually developed our solution, known as The ShiraX System™, from the ground up specifically for the Global Learning XPRIZE competition.  The System will not only achieve the competition goals but has massive potential to greatly exceed them.  And we look forward to adding YOU to our team by working together to fully realize this System!

What is The ShiraX System™ ?

The Cocktail Party One-Liner

The ShiraX System™ is a web-based magic toolbox that will allow anyone to easily create and share their educational app with the world.

The Geek Meetup Two-Liner

The Super Helpful Intelligent Resource Architect (Shira) X System™ (or simply, “ShiraX”) is an open source layperson-friendly modular platform that facilitates the creation of educational apps for Android, iOS, Web, PC, and Mac deployment.

ShiraX blends a highly-intuitive User Interface (UI) with strong User Experience (UX) design principles and strong MVC architecture at its core.

Challenge S - "The Warm Up"

Click the "Guidelines" tab for more information about this specific Challenge.

Prize Payout Structure

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN INDIRECTLY FUNDED CHALLENGE
Awarding of any prizes in any of The ShiraX Challenges is contingent on the Midnight Illusions Ltd. team being chosen as either a Finalist or Winner in the Global Learning XPRIZE.

The following breaks down the potential prize amount ranges:

Submissions and Team Invites

We will evaluate all submissions, comparing against this Challenge's technical requirements and all other judging factors.  See the Guidelines tab for this Challenge for more information.

Innovator submissions will be short-listed and organized by the top performing submission, onward.  The Top Innovator will be contacted first.  A list of Finalists will also be assembled, in the event that the Top Innovator is unable to continue.

An invitation will be sent to the Top Innovator submission for this Challenge to officially join Team "Midnight Illusions" in the Global Learning XPRIZE Challenge.  The Innovator must meet all Global Learning XPRIZE requirements and sign both an agreement with Midnight Illusions Ltd. and a Team Member agreement with Global Learning XPRIZE.  All documentation and forms will be supplied.  

Should the top Innovator decline the invite, the invitation will then be sent to the Finalist(s) in the order of their evaluation in this Challenge.

Open Source.  Variable IP.

Should our team earn the status of Finalist or Winner, our collective software solution will be open sourced to the world.  As per Global Learning XPRIZE regulations, IP is retained by the team (Midnight Illusions).

Shoud our team not earn Finalist or Winner status, our collective software solution will still be open sourced to the world.  You, the Innovator, will retain the IP related to your code.

Post-HeroX Challenge &
Global Learning XPRIZE Timeline

The ShiraX Challenges on HeroX represent one key component of our solution submission to Global Learning XPRIZE.  After the winners are announced for each HeroX Challenge, with your assistance as an official Team Member we will continue to enhance the System, while our team educators load in English and Swahili content, to meet the requirements of Global Learning XPRIZE.  This process will occur from mid-Sept to end of October 2016.  We officially submit to XPRIZE on or before November 1, 2016.

After submission, we wait to hear back from Global Learning XPRIZE to learn if we have made it the semi-finalist level (currently March 1, 2017).  In the interim, solution development will continue, as we are able to submit updated software at each evaluation milestone.

Should (no....WHEN!) we make it to the Finalist announcement (currently July 10, 2017), we will arrange prize payout with each ShriaX Challenges HeroX sub-challenge Winner, as per the "Finalist" Prize Payout Structure outlined above.  Solution development will further continue, with our assistance as an official Teal Member from July 2017 to September 2018.  We will have several opportunities to submitted updated code while our solution is being tested in the field (with appox. 800 children in several villages in Tanzania), further enhancing our opportunity to fully win Global Learning XPRIZE.

Should (no...WHEN!) we make it to the Global Learning XPRIZE Grand Prize announcement that team Midnight Illusions has W-O-N (currently April 2019), we will arrange prize payout with each ShiraX Challenges HeroX sub-challenge Winner, as per the "Winner" Prize Payout structure outlined above.

And of course, we'll have to arrange some sort of massive party to celebrate!  ;)

Additional Rules

Who can participate:
The Challenge is open to individuals and teams. To be eligible to compete, you must comply with all the terms of the Challenge as defined in the Challenge-Specific Agreement.

Selection of Winner:
Based on the winning criteria, one or more prizes will be allocated, pending the performance of the Midnight Illusions team in the Global Learning XPRIZE.  See "Prize Payout Structure", above.  In the case of a tie, the winner will be selected at the discretion of the Judging Panel.

Submissions:
All Team submission materials must be submitted online on or before August 12, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. No submissions will be accepted after this time. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted. All submissions must be received online, via the Challenge website, and all uploads can be in PDF format only. Submission reporting requirements are detailed in Judging.

Challenge Guidelines are subject to change. Registered competitors will receive notification when changes are made, however, we highly encourage you to visit the Challenge Site often to review updates.

The ShiraX Challenges are an ambitious plan for compassionate coders to
create a self-teaching educational system that will significantly improve
the status quo of impoverished girls around the world,
by providing hope, freedom, and possibility.

Join  •  Code  •  Innovate  •  Win!

Technical Code Requirements

Technical code requirements for all ShiraX System components are listed below.

• Code runs on PHP 5.6 or higher
• Renders to a web browser as HTML5 and CSS3.  Responsive (mobile) layout.
• JavaScript allowed
• MySQL Database

Also please note the following:

• Flash is not permitted
• Java is permitted, however:
  • Preferential treatment will be given to solutions that do not include Java programming.

Code Development Outlines

Please review the information below to learn more about the requirements for each coding component of this Challenge, which has 4 components:

S1.  Software Installer
S2.  Multilanguage Support
S3.  Account Manager
S4.  Tutorial Guide / Online Help

For reference, in this Guideline:

"ShiraX" - Refers to The ShiraX System™
"Creator" - Refers to the user of the system, who typically will have a non-tech. background
 

S1.  Software Installer

General Overview

Create a user-friendly installer that loads ShiraX on a server.

NOTE:  Should Team Midnight Illusions successfully win the Global Learning XPRIZE, we will set up dedicated ShiraX turn-key servers at our facility.  This will allow any potential Creator to set up an account and use the system to create educational apps, without requiring a Server or any FTP/Database knowledge at their end.

Component Outline

• User copies all folders/files to a server, via FTP.
• User runs an “install” file contained in the root folder where the platform was installed.
• Populate database, once user provides DB details
  • Randomize DB table prefix, with advanced option to allow user to customize
• Ensure all files in package are present
• Compare with manifest.xml file in root folder
• Save configuration info. (db name/user/password) in the root folder where the platform was installed.  Set permission (CHMOD) to 664.
• Error handling as needed, with plain-text explanations to user.
• Progress bar, checkmarks, etc. outlining installation steps
• Administrator account setup (referred to as the “Master Creator”)
  • User provides Name, Description, Email Address, Password
    • User logs in to system with email address
    • Password field uses password strength checker
• Launch the Platform
• Create a basic HTML “ReadMe” file, outlining installation steps.
  
   

S2.  Multilanguage Support

General Overview

ShiraX will use language definition files for all instances where text is displayed in a component.  This will allow future developers to adapt ShiraX to any language desired.

Component Outline

• Text should be derived from a language file, e.g., en-GB.com_shiraxcore.ini
  • For each instance of text, in the .ini file use the format KEY=”Your Text”
• We will provide the filename for a master language file for you to reference.
  • Estimated Date:  May 31, 2016

S3.  Account Manager

General Overview

This component allows users to add/manage/delete Creator accounts.

Component Outline

• Manage “Master Creator”, i.e., top-level project admin
  • User was created during platform install
  • Change real name
  • Change description
  • Change email address
  • Change password
• Manager all other users
  • Change real name
  • Change description
  • Change email address
  • Change password
  • Set user’s read/edit status

S4.  Tutorial Guide / Online Help

General Overview

The goal of ShiraX is to be as user-friendly and FUN to use as possible!  We know that people love using Instagram and Pinterest and Khan Academy and many other platforms because they make the experience a truly positive and enjoyable one.  ShiraX will succeed in this area as well, as we are building from this reference point from the ground up.

We want to ensure Creators both enjoy using the platform and can easily succeed at creating educational apps.  To this end, we will offer an initial walkthrough when the platform is first used, guide the Creator through making their first project, as well as provide help to assist the user when using any aspect of the system.

Component Outline

• First Time Usage
  • Provides user with an initial Platform walkthrough
• First Project
  • Assists Creator in completing their 1st Project, in under 10 minutes
• Ongoing Help
  • Help for any section always available, via Help icon
  • Help based on the context of the current screen/popup
  • System to label screens/popups accordingly and cross-reference with local or online help guide.
    • Help guide will be in HTML5 format

Judging Breakdown

Evaluation criteria that will be used to evaluate your Submission will be posted soon...