Life Hack 1 of 5

This badge will take you through 5 different life hack examples, which you will need to complete in order to pass this badge.

Let's start with a simple one. Say you wanted to do the following: Using GPS, when I leave home I'd like my phone to automatically text my friend to let them know I am on my way.

What technology should trigger the Life Hack?

When should the technology activate?

What should the technology use?

What should the technology do?

That's right!

So what's happening here?

Answer - you're using an algorithm!

What's an algorithm? It's a way of solving a problem using a set of steps – in this case to automate your life, well part of it anyway!

The algorithm is as follows:

For this technology,when something happens use this to do this

There are four steps:

technology
= channel for trigger

What is the technology we're using? It could be software, for example social media like Facebook or Instagram, or hardware, for example a phone's GPS or a printer.

something happens
= trigger

When are we using it? It could be when something happens, for example your phone battery is low, or when it doesn't happen, for example when you've not updated your status for a week.

use this
= channel for action

How are we using it? If it's software, what can we check? Status, messages, traffic levels? If it's hardware what can it tell us about? GPS, battery, light levels?

do this
= action

What should it do? Well once you've got the other three things sorted then you can use the action to complete your algorithm and do something which is useful for you.

Can you work out what is the channel for the trigger, the trigger, the channel for the action and the action in the last example? Drag the answer to the right place below.

Using GPS,

when I leave home

I'd like my phone to automatically
text my friend

to
let them know I'm on my way.

Answers

The Action

The Channel for the Trigger

The Channel for the Action

The Trigger

That's right!

Well done! Let's move on to the next one.

On to the next task

Task: When I leave home I'd like my phone to automatically text my friend to let them know I am on my way.