Activity: Impact Architecture Discovery

Objective

Analyze how successful social impact apps structure their solutions to maximize community benefit.

Instructions

Step One: Research (8 minutes)

Choose one app from each category and explore their approach:

Food Security Apps:

• Too Good To Go - Food waste reduction
• Olio - Community food sharing
• Feeding America - Food bank locator

Mental Health Apps:

• Crisis Text Line - Peer support
• Sanvello - Community wellness
• PTSD Coach - Veteran support

Step 2: Architecture Analysis (10 minutes)

For your chosen apps, identify:

1. Primary Impact Goal: What specific problem does it solve?
2. User Journey: How does someone find help in 3 steps or less?
3. Community Features: How do users help each other?
4. Data Approach: What information does it collect and why?

Step 3: Pattern Recognition (2 minutes)

Compare your findings:

• What architectural patterns repeat across successful impact apps?
• Which design choices prioritize user safety and privacy?

Deliverable

Create a simple comparison chart showing the core architectural decisions of each app and how they serve their social mission.

Reflection Questions

• How does app architecture influence social impact effectiveness?
• What trade-offs do these apps make between features and accessibility?

📤 Submit Your Work

Complete this activity and submit your work through the Activity Submission Form