GAA Reporter -
The focus of this project is to develop a real-time smartphone application for Gaelic games, to be used by audiences of all ages, (and by the players and coaching staff) to keep updated on match information in real time. The aim is to help improve the matchday experience for those involved, whether attending or tuning in from home, from anywhere in the world. Success would be measured by creating something that helps to achieve that improvement. The app would aim to use technology that is already available and used in different sports and to transfer it to this sport. It is perceived that this would have a positive influence on its achievability. As a community-based sport, the GAA does lots of work to bring people of all ages together and it is hoped that the app can be relevant to what the organisation stands for.
For context, the initial idea for this app came during an Inter-County Gaelic football match between Donegal and Derry in January 2019. Pre-Covid, myself and my parents had developed a habit of attending as many Donegal games as we could manage, both National Football League and All Ireland Championship. The League runs from January to April and the Championship, from May until September, and whilst the Championship is very well attended, the League matches are less desirable. Conditions can be cold, wet and windy. Less support means less revenue and less emphasis on things like match programmes and functioning scoreboards and the wind and rain can make it difficult to hear announcements over the speakers. The problem I recognised was that having wrapped up and made the effort to stand out in the cold wet wintery night, I didn’t know half of the team, the scoreboard wasn’t working and the whole thing was a frustrating guessing game. It occurred to me that there must be a PR or match reporter, on the other sideline, taking down scores, fouls, substitutions and keeping time and I wondered why it was that he couldn’t be updating all of that information live, so that I could access it? This question has been with me for a while and the Innovation & Creativity module felt like a good way of exploring it.
The aim is to recognise and consider the value in what works and what is enough and to use it to guide the creativity. To show people something that might make life easier and the experience more enjoyable but to be careful not to create something that will put them off. The key is in simplicity. Finding a foundation for design decisions by placing the idea in the context of theoretical contributions has been challenging but rewarding. It feels very much like this is just the beginning for this project and I’m excited to explore the idea further
