Specification
System Overview
The Hello World Game is a collaborative platform that enables schools worldwide to participate in a structured exchange by "sending hellos" to each other. The platform consists of a web portal for school administrators and delegates, and a public interface displaying the global network of connections.
Core Game Mechanics
Game Flow
- Initiation: Game starts with one school (Davao City pilot)
- Participation Cycle: Every two weeks, each participating school may send one hello
- Joining: New schools join by receiving a hello from a school already in the game
- Waiting List: Schools can join a waitlist to express interest
Hello Submission Process
When a school sends a hello, a school admin or delegate completes a questionnaire that includes:
- What schools were considered?
- Which school was chosen to receive the hello?
- How many staff and how many students were involved in the decision?
- How was the decision arrived at, and over what span of time?
- Were there objections to the decision, and what were they?
Privacy Note: No individual student information is permitted in submissions.
Platform Components
School Admin Portal
- Mobile-friendly, accessible website interface
- Free accounts for school administrators
- Administrators can create additional delegate accounts
- Dashboard for managing school participation
- Submission portal for hellos and questionnaire responses
Questionnaire System
- Structured form for schools to describe their hello selection process
- Captures decision-making context and deliberation
- Records participant counts (staff vs. students)
- Optional field for objections/dissenting views
Public Interface
- Mobile-friendly, accessible website
- Interactive map or globe visualization showing all hellos being sent
- Real-time or near-real-time display of active connections
- Research-accessible telemetry data
User Roles & Accounts
| Role | Responsibilities | Account Type |
|---|---|---|
| School Admin | Create school account, manage delegates, submit hellos | Primary |
| School Delegate | Submit hellos on behalf of school | Secondary |
| Public Visitor | View interactive map and global network | Read-only |
| Researcher | Access anonymized telemetry data | TBD |
Data Model
School Entity
- School name and location
- Country (mapped to UNESCO ISCED classification)
- Admin contact information
- Delegate accounts (if any)
- Participation status
Hello Record
- Sending school
- Receiving school
- Send date
- Questionnaire responses
- Metadata (decision timeline, participant count, etc.)
Constraints
- No individual student data collected or stored
- All interactions through admin/delegate accounts only
- Questionnaire responses are de-identified for research purposes
Definition of "School"
A "school" is any institution delivering education at ISCED Levels 1–3 (primary and secondary), as defined under the national education system of its home country and mapped by UNESCO UIS.
Qualifying criteria: - Operates within country's nationally recognized education system - Can demonstrate registration (Ministry registration number, DepEd accreditation, provincial registration, etc.) - Falls within ISCED Levels 1–3 classification
Technical Requirements
Platform Requirements
- Mobile-friendly, responsive design
- Accessibility compliance (WCAG standards)
- Secure authentication and authorization
- Data privacy and security compliance
- Scalable to support hundreds/thousands of schools
Visualization Requirements
- Interactive map or globe interface
- Real-time or near-real-time hello display
- Geographic accuracy
- Performance optimization for large datasets