Action Inclusion Challenge

• Carry out a design-thinking challenge focused on equity, diversity and inclusion in artificial intelligence;
• Use the talents of our IVADO ecosystem to solve pre-defined inclusion problems with concrete solutions;
• Create collaborations around high-impact AI projects within academic and industrial settings in the IVADO ecosystem;
• Facilitate the concrete implementation of innovative AI solutions to provide pathways to solving inclusion issues.

Each team will work on the project of their choice:

• Access to information for all Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) patients;
• Inclusive chatbot for CHUM so that patients can efficiently find their way around;
• AI faciltating the accessibility of the new NBC building;
• Myelin’s Synerpsy app, accessible for neurodivergent people and for all levels of literacy;
• Development of a pipeline for the attraction and retention of a diversified workforce in upper management at IBM.

Each project has been created in collaboration with participating industry partners: the CHUM,  National Bank of Canada, Myelin Solutions and the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM).

For each team, we are seeking at least one professional from the AI sector, one student, and one professor or researcher using the IVADO ecosystem. Each participant must devote a total of 80 hours to carrying out the project (an average of approximately 10 hours a month) between Octobre 2021 and March 2022.

Project participants will receive an attestation of success for the challenge and a free pass for one of our IVADO training sessions.

Profile: student in digital intelligence and/or social science

We’re seeking an AI design student (e.g.: IA interface design, data science, artificial intelligence, psychoeducation, human resources, IT, etc.).

Students who have completed the challenge will each receive a $2,000 honorarium as thanks for their participation.

• Take part in the workshops and working sessions organized as part of the challenge;
• Devote a total of 80 hours to carrying out the challenge (an average of 10 hours a month).
• Time frame: Octobre 2021 to March 2022 (7 months).
• Ability to use digital tools and online methods of interaction (e.g.: Zoom).

We will be working by means of online meetings via Zoom.

From September 2021 to March 2022, social innovation activities will be held for participants to help them develop projects before the celebratory exhibition. Throughout the challenge, participants will be offered:

• Co-development workshops and activities;
• Training;
• Mentorship sessions with experts from the stakeholders;
• Internship and job opportunities at the end of the challenge;
• Opportunities to make their project into a research topic.

PHASE 0: Recruitment of teams and creation of workshops

• Final selection of teams (x 5)

PHASE 1: Understanding

• October 13, 2021, 2 to 4 p.m.: Launch activity
• October 20, 2021, 9:30 a.m. to noon: Empathy workshop with the stakeholder (one meeting per team)
• October 27, 2021, 9:30 a.m. to noon: Workshop: collective definition of needs
• November 2, 2021, 1 to 2:30 p.m.: Lecture: “Understanding how to plan inclusive co-creation and design thinking” with Kathy Malas
• December 1, 2021, 10 a.m. to noon: Workshop on collective redefinition of needs

PHASE 2: Experimentation

• January 19, 2022, 1:30 to 5 p.m.: Brainstorming workshop
• January 26, 2022, 1:30 to 5 p.m.: Brainstorming workshop—Review of idea choices
• February 9, 2022, 1:30 to 5 p.m.: Prototyping workshop 1
• February 16, 2022, 1:30 to 5 p.m.: Prototyping activity 2
• March 2, 2022, 1:30 to 5 p.m.: Workshop—Review of solution choice

PHASE 3: Presentations

• March 16, 2022, 1:30 to 4 p.m.: Preparation of the March 23 exhibition
• March 23, 2022, 3 to 5 p.m.: Celebratory exhibition—Presentation of projects to the general public