Design students from the School of Art + Art History + Design were among the winners at the 14th annual Women in Informatics (WINFO) Hackathon, one of the UW Information School’s longest-running student-led events. The 12-hour hackathon welcomed students of all backgrounds and experience levels to collaborate on brand-new projects inspired by this year’s theme, “Depths of Discovery, Currents of Creation.” Out of 60 teams competing across four tracks, two teams with design students were awarded Best Design and Best Impact.

While not all of the projects are speculative or intended for long-term development, hackathons like WINFO encourage students to collaborate across disciplines and develop creative solutions in a time-constrained environment. Participants sharpen their skills, receive mentorship, and in some cases, take home prizes as well. 

Best Design: WNBA

The Best Design award honors projects that prioritize intentional design, visual creativity, and strong craft, with a clear product narrative and an intuitive, user-centered experience. 

Suni Tian (Informatics), Farrel Sudrajat (Interaction Design) and Isaiah Hoagland (Interaction Design) developed a concept that reimagines how new fans are introduced to the WNBA through a more accessible and intuitive fantasy sports experience. View the app's prototype. 

Best Impact: Canario

The Best Impact award recognizes projects that demonstrate meaningful social or community impact. 

Kai Barnum (Visual Communication Design), Vania Benitez Salgado (Informatics), and Pimpia Thawai (Human-Centered Design & Engineering) created CANARIO, an app that alerts friends and family with a custom message and location ping if a user is detained by ICE. View the team's presentation.