A global challenge to design life-changing inventions in less than 48 hours is to return to Dundee this month.
The world-wide Service Jamming movement sees creators from a variety of industries come together to develop unique ideas within just two days.
The Dundee event is the ninth biggest of its kind in the world – larger than both Los Angeles and New York.
Participants from a range of backgrounds are challenged to create and design ideas in two days, with support from mentors and speakers.
The movement, which began in 2011, is now found in 120 locations around the world, with close to 3,000 people taking part each year.
Andrew Campbell Forbes, a design student, is one of the organisers for this year’s event.
He said: “I think this is a great experience to try something new. Someone who is in industry or works a 9-5 job can join in with something completely different.
“We are hoping to get as wide an array of people as possible. Because we are a group of students we have had interest from other students, but in previous years there have also been chefs, people working in banks, six-year-olds and parents.”
This year’s theme will be revealed on Friday evening, and it won’t be announced to anyone, even the organisers, before that.
Andrew said: “Although we have to prepare for the event, we don’t know what we are preparing for.
“It’s meant to be a fun, rapid thing to do. If you have an idea, you can build it as quick as you can or try out a service you’ve thought of with someone.”
In the past, the Dundee jam has created services and items that could be used in education, health care, and to boost inter-generational cooperation.
Jammers will also get to connect with a number of the other global design jams, take part in design skills workshops and games, listen to short talks, meet new faces and design a project to present to the world.
It is hoped two enterprise mentors will be present, looking specifically at how ideas can be developed into commercial or social enterprises.
The full details of the weekend programme are still being refined, but updates have been promised on the Dundee Service Jam website at www.dundeejams.co.uk.
This year’s jam will take place in the Vision Building, and includes access to some of the Makerspace’s prototyping tools and equipment.
The 48-hour jam will begin on Friday February 17 at 5pm and finish at Sunday at 6pm.
Any further questions can be sent to dundeeservicejam@gmail.com.
