Students
Students come to the Parsons MS SDM program from all over the world. Their experience combines studios, seminars, networking, events, symposia, and more. This page will inform you about student projects like First Year Studio and Second Year Studio, student resources, and other opportunities.
Microsoft 2024
Style Without Boundaries Our project addresses the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in finding stylish, well-fitting, and affordable clothing options. We conducted thorough secondary research, user interviews, and collaborative design sessions with organizations like Open Style Lab, Tilting the Lens, and Parsons to gain key insights and validate our concept. We uncovered two core challenges: (i) difficulties in locating suitable clothing due to inadequate product descriptions and inaccessible store layouts/user interfaces, and (ii) limited stylish clothing choices stemming from a lack of detailed body measurements, materials information, and successful use cases by brands. To provide users with greater choice…
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Public Policy Lab 2024
Watershed: A Wellbeing Quality Index (WQI) Tracker How might verbal and visual signals become indicators of well-being? With the heightened exposure to doom-scrolling, there is an increase in the generation of neurotoxic noise. However, as we move forward to 2039, there is an increased desire to cancel generated noise, and a longing for detoxification. In this project, we reinterpret and reframe noise from the form of verbal and visual signals not as a cause of addiction but as an indicator of our youth’s well-being. Here, we integrate the power of language as a biometric tool in proactively safe-guarding mental health…
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Addapta 2024
Organizations operate in an environment of rapid change. Today’s business challenges will look very different tomorrow. To address disruptions, organizations need teams and people that are adaptable. When it comes to bringing new skills into teams, hiring and developing for adaptability (the human abilities to learn, think, and collaborate) means that when new business problems inevitably emerge and new technology needs integration to your workflow, your teams have developed to adapt from Day 1. Addapta builds resilience and adaptability through development of human skills as a way to future-proof teams and organizations. We are a suite of digital tools that…
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OjaLáb 2024
OjaLab is a lab empowering Latin-owned brands and local boutiques to shape the future of global retail by fostering strong relationships between responsible makers and those connecting them with consumers. We work with brands in fashion, lifestyle, accessories and home decor and create real business partnerships with boutiques in emerging cities in the US. Designers Camila Ordonez
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Bridge Studio 2024
A sustainable textile manufacturing company that leverages R&D to turn crop waste into valuable products. Concept: Development, manufacturing and market textiles made from crop waste (70-80%) and cotton and/or polymer reinforcement (20-30%). Studio Instructors Sasha Charlemagne Designers Mh Talha, Jacky Marquardt
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Saathi 2024
Saathi is a digital companion and a platform designed to revolutionize senior care and learning by seamlessly integrating video-sharing features. Saathi enables caregivers to provide enhanced support to seniors, creating enriching and interactive learning environments. Its focus on inter-generational care goes beyond traditional approaches, fostering meaningful connections between different age groups. It empowers seniors by promoting technological autonomy, allowing them to navigate and utilize digital tools with confidence and ease. This holistic approach to caregiving and technology integration sets Saathi apart as a pioneering solution in the realm of senior support and education in India. Studio Instructors Sasha Charlemagne Designers…
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Zero CDW 2024
Zero CDW aims to revolutionize construction waste management by minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency to address environmental challenges in the industry. Through extensive research and strategic development, we identified an opportunity to optimize waste management processes comprehensively in the construction industry. Our main innovation lies in offering a holistic approach to waste reduction, including waste management consulting, a reuse ideation hub, a marketplace for reusable materials, educational resources, and clean building certification. The purpose of our project is clear: to promote sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of construction activities. Successfully implementing our solution would lead to several positive impacts….
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Unity-Next 2024
While embracing the hybrid-work model, employees are experiencing disorientation and disconnection, and companies consequently face challenges in sustaining organizational culture, driving huge costs in talent management. Our product, Unity-Next, is a B2B SaaS(plug-in) application that aims to enhance distributed team collaboration and build a stronger team culture in a hybrid work context. It offers a virtual gamified scenario and incentive system for distributed teams to have continuous interaction with their colleagues, as they grow themselves, contribute, and harvest in their flourishing company garden. Our product has been through four rounds of iteration, and finally achieved over 65% satisfaction rate in…
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FloodBits 2024
Addressing the urgent challenge of inland flooding in NYC, FloodBits offers digital toolkits for residents and businesses in low-lying areas. By streamlining access to city services and fostering community intelligence, FloodBits empowers individuals and their communities to mitigate flood impacts effectively. Through user-friendly iOS Shortcuts, the toolkits provide one-tap resources, making them actionable and reducing technological barriers in urgent situations. FloodBits aims to cultivate proactive preparedness and community collaboration, fortifying resilience against climate-related challenges. Studio Instructors Cindy Hsiao Designers Wasim Abbas, Dinky Asrani
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Made to Fade 2024
Product packaging serves as a means to an end, rather than the intended product itself. However, in 2018, containers and packaging accounted for a staggering 28.1 percent of municipal solid waste in the United States, according to the EPA. Bio-based materials have offered hope in reducing reliance on traditional plastics and lessening packaging-related environmental impact. However, many of the compostable plastics available in the market today behave similarly to conventional plastics in uncontrolled environments and require handling in industrial composting sites for proper treatment. Otherwise, their purpose is defeated. The harsh reality is that there is currently insufficient infrastructure to…
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