What is X? Why X? How does Google come in? These and many more are the questions that filled the ambient Outbox incubation Hub in Kampala on 17th July as Google X VP Megan Smith and Puneet Ahira talked to developers, tech enthusiasts, NGOs and other people from various Academia and government spaces.
The conversation in the room started off with Puneet a Googler from the Google X team talking to the audience about some of the things Google X does, from Driverless Cars to Google Glass. Puneet also talked about the concept of Solveforx and how everyone is welcome to host one.
What is Solve for X?
Solve for X is an initiative from Google X where different people from the communities come to an event and propose a solution to a problem (Usually an X). In order to find your X you should find a Huge Problem like world hunger, use a breakthrough technology, this might be existing or you can event it and come up with a radical solution. The whole process is based on Moonshot thinking which mainly focuses on going where no one has gone before and paving the way for the future of Technology.
The Event according to Megan Smith should be arranged in search away that after the different speakers propose a radical solutions, the audience then gets into groups and try to help these people who have pitched these different ideas using IMPROV. IMPROV is where you spend 2/3 of your time of discussion on the Yes And…….. and 1/3 of time on the Yes But…. This method is preferred because it reduces on the critics that always happen when someone tells you about the new Idea and because SolveforX is more like venturing into a new territory, most of the critiquing is not needed. The different people then pick someone among themselves to present some of the constructive solutions they have come up with and how they can help the people who pitched.
This is more like the TED talk however instead of just being inspired you go ahead and contribute to how these speakers can actually better their idea, or connect them to someone in the industry who you think will help them accelerate what they are working on.
One of the pontentials I saw in Solveforx for Ugandans is the network that innovative people are going to be exposed to. We are also going to be able to source out new talent
