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PowrKidz
Enhancing Children's Health and Wellbeing through digital innovation
Recognising a pressing societal issue in England, where a significant number of pupils fall short of national fitness levels, PowrKidz was determined to tackle this health epidemic through a unique solution for primary and secondary schools. The vision was to create a digital platform that would make health and fitness both fun and accessible for children, while also offering educators effective tools to deliver exercise classes and monitor students' wellbeing.
The objective was to rapidly develop a scalable, secure, and user-friendly digital application that could be rolled out to schools across Sheffield and Derbyshire. The platform needed to engage children in health and fitness, provide instant feedback and rewards, and support teachers with live reporting and motivational tools for students.
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"We chose the OutSystems platform for its development capabilities, which allowed rapid creation and integration of complex features. A single developer was tasked with building the application, focusing on delivering a native-app-like user experience without the need for software installation, which could be a barrier in school environments."
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Adaptability During the Pandemic
The COVID-19 crisis posed an unforeseen challenge, requiring a swift reprioritization of the platform's features. Doddle and PowrKidz quickly adapted, enhancing the home workout section of the app and enabling teachers to assign activities remotely. This flexibility showcased the strength of the OutSystems platform and Doddle's agile development approach.
"The PowrKidz platform has got so much material, and there’s so much thinking behind that material, that it helps teachers deliver really high-quality lessons in a really simple and effective way."
Within just six months, the PowrKidz digital platform was developed and launched in 20 schools, involving 5,000 students and 700 teachers. The platform was well-received, with positive feedback highlighting its ability to provide high-quality, engaging fitness lessons in a straightforward manner. It also facilitated personalized development plans for students, offering insights into performance and areas needing extra attention.
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Looking ahead, PowrKidz plans to integrate with wearable devices to gamify exercise and motivate children further. Virtual workouts and additional content partnerships are also on the horizon, aiming to expand the platform's capabilities and reach.