{"id":613,"date":"2020-05-28T12:29:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-28T16:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/?page_id=613"},"modified":"2025-07-08T13:05:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T17:05:40","slug":"building-algorithms-launch","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/challenges\/building-algorithms\/building-algorithms-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Algorithms: Launch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n<div class=\"ncst-fancy-paragraph-fifty is-text wp-block-ncst-fancy-paragraph\">\n                \n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-fp-accompaniment\">\n    \n<div class=\"fancy-paragraph__image wp-block-ncst-fp-image\">\n  <figure class=\"fancy-paragraph__image-container fancy-paragraph__image-landscape\">\n    <img \n      decoding=\"async\"\n      class=\"fp-image\"\n      src=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/04\/001_DP_Algorithms_Thumbnail.png\"\n       alt=\"\"           >\n      <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div>\n\n\n                  <p class=\"fancy-paragraph__text fancy-paragraph-right\">\n            Read your <strong>Challenge Statement<\/strong> and watch your Challenge Champion\u2019s <strong>Set the Stage video<\/strong>. Be sure you have a clear understanding of the problem.\n          <\/p>\n              <\/div>\n      \n\n\n\n<p>Then do some research to <strong>identify<\/strong> and <strong>understand<\/strong> the users \u2013 the people or organizations who need a good solution to this problem. What do users need in a solution? Why? What\u2019s wrong with the solutions they have now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"setting-the-stage-with-your-challenge-champion\">Setting the Stage with Your Challenge Champion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Challenge Champion Cathy Yee explains your challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Building Algorithms: Challenge Statement\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fpUKLgqKoB0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"challenge-scenario\">Challenge Scenario<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Is LeBron James a better basketball player than Michael Jordan?&nbsp;Is Chinese food better than Tex Mex? In today\u2019s internet world, data on people\u2019s opinions are highly prized. One way to figure out those opinions is to ask people to complete surveys where they rate or rank their favorites and figure out how to use those results to create an ordered list of people\u2019s top choices. The way they figure out the final ordered list of favorites is to create formulas that put together those answers in an automated process. That process is called an algorithm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How one carries out the algorithm on the data is objective because it is a well-defined set of combination of computations. But the way the algorithm was built to weigh some characteristics as more important than others is not objective \u2014 the values of the designer of the algorithm come&nbsp;into play. In the case of basketball players, do you value their scoring more or less than their rebounding? In restaurants, do you like rice with your meal or prefer tortillas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"challenge-statement\">Challenge Statement<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"ncst-fancy-paragraph-fifty is-text wp-block-ncst-fancy-paragraph\">\n                  <p class=\"fancy-paragraph__text fancy-paragraph-left\">\n            Many successful businesses are built around algorithms. Your challenge is to build an algorithm that uses people\u2019s opinions to rate or rank something you care about and\u00a0that can be the start of a successful business. Your solution must:\n          <\/p>\n                \n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-fp-accompaniment\">\n    \n<div class=\"fancy-paragraph__image wp-block-ncst-fp-image\">\n  <figure class=\"fancy-paragraph__image-container fancy-paragraph__image-landscape\">\n    <img \n      decoding=\"async\"\n      class=\"fp-image\"\n      src=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/04\/001_DP_Algorithms_Thumbnail.png\"\n       alt=\"\"           >\n      <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div>\n\n\n              <\/div>\n      \n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Allow users to put in data and automatically rate or rank the thing you care about (You are not&nbsp;allowed to rate or rank students or physical appearance).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include weighted categories*.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be transparent (Users should know how your algorithm works and be able to test it).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include a way to make money.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>*Weighted Categories:&nbsp;Algorithms often assign \u201cweights\u201d to categories depending on how important they are to the builder of the algorithm. For example, suppose you were building an algorithm to decide where to live when you graduate from college. You might care more about the average temperature of the city than the size of the city. You can use weights so that average temperature has a larger impact on the ranking than population. Explore the interactive spreadsheet&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1JMivCnBGRhMlJEGnf7OaseclAo7EzYor\/edit?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=114908534592259578299&amp;rtpof=true&amp;sd=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Building an Algorithm Worksheet<\/a>&nbsp;to see examples of algorithms that use weighted categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Algorithms-Challenge-Statement-PDF.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Building Algorithms Challenge Statement<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"ncst-labeled-section wp-block-ncst-featured-content ncst-featured-content is-card-style layout-three-column\">\n  <div class=\"ncst-labeled-section__background\">\n    <div class=\"ncst-labeled-section__container\">\n             <div class=\"ncst-labeled-section__content\">\n        \n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-featured-content\"><a\n    class=\"ncst-content-card wp-block-ncst-content-card with-image\"\n    href=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/challenges\/building-algorithms\/building-algorithms-prepare\/\"\n  >\n  \n\n          <div class=\"content-card__image-container\">\n        <div class=\"content-card__image-background\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"247\" height=\"138\"\n            class=\"content-card__image wp-image-300\"\n            alt=\"\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Wires-Circuitboard-Thumbnail.png\"\n            style=\"aspect-ratio: 16\/9; object-fit: cover; \"\n srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Wires-Circuitboard-Thumbnail.png 247w, https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Wires-Circuitboard-Thumbnail-230x129.png 230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"content-card__text-container\">\n      \n                        <h3 class=\"content-card__headline\"><span class=\"text\">Prepare<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span><\/h3>\n              \n\n      \n              <p class=\"content-card__cta\"><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n\n  <\/a>\n\n\n<a\n    class=\"ncst-content-card wp-block-ncst-content-card with-image\"\n    href=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/challenges\/building-algorithms\/building-algorithms-engage\/\"\n  >\n  \n\n          <div class=\"content-card__image-container\">\n        <div class=\"content-card__image-background\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"247\" height=\"138\"\n            class=\"content-card__image wp-image-299\"\n            alt=\"\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Neural-Pathways-Thumbnail.png\"\n            style=\"aspect-ratio: 16\/9; object-fit: cover; \"\n srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Neural-Pathways-Thumbnail.png 247w, https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Neural-Pathways-Thumbnail-230x129.png 230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"content-card__text-container\">\n      \n                        <h3 class=\"content-card__headline\"><span class=\"text\">Engage<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span><\/h3>\n              \n\n      \n              <p class=\"content-card__cta\"><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n\n  <\/a>\n\n\n<a\n    class=\"ncst-content-card wp-block-ncst-content-card with-image\"\n    href=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/challenges\/building-algorithms\/building-algorithms-persuade\/\"\n  >\n  \n\n          <div class=\"content-card__image-container\">\n        <div class=\"content-card__image-background\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"247\" height=\"138\"\n            class=\"content-card__image wp-image-303\"\n            alt=\"\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Sunny-Rainy-Flow-Diagram-Thumbnail.png\"\n            style=\"aspect-ratio: 16\/9; object-fit: cover; \"\n srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Sunny-Rainy-Flow-Diagram-Thumbnail.png 247w, https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2020\/05\/Sunny-Rainy-Flow-Diagram-Thumbnail-230x129.png 230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"content-card__text-container\">\n      \n                        <h3 class=\"content-card__headline\"><span class=\"text\">Persuade<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span><\/h3>\n              \n\n      \n              <p class=\"content-card__cta\"><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Then do some research to identify and understand the users \u2013 the people or organizations who need a good solution to this problem. What do users need in a solution? Why? What\u2019s wrong with the solutions they have now? Setting the Stage with Your Challenge Champion Challenge Champion Cathy Yee explains your challenge. Challenge Scenario&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":0,"parent":67,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-613","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=613"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4967,"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/613\/revisions\/4967"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/67"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.ced.ncsu.edu\/design-and-pitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}