Employer Overview 

The UVA Data Science & Analytics Club (DSAC), in partnership with Riipen, is launching a co-curricular, project-based learning program focused on UX/UI and software development challenges. This initiative provides employers with the opportunity to collaborate with motivated UVA students who are eager to apply their technical and design skills to real-world projects, while employers gain innovative prototypes, design solutions, and a direct connection to emerging talent in software development and user experience.

About the students 

• Undergraduate members of the DSAC club at UVA, with concentrations in computer science, data science, and other technology fields.
• Students have completed coursework in programming (Python, Java, C++), human-centered design, and software development practices.
• Many have project experience through hackathons, research, and DSAC-led initiatives.
• Selected participants demonstrate professionalism, collaboration, and readiness to engage in industry-aligned projects.

Project Details: 

• Entry-level scope, designed to match beginner project complexity. 
• Runs January 5th-31st: students will complete the project over a 4-week sprint
• Approximately 20 total hours per learner over the 4-week period. 
• Teams of 5 students will be pre-assembled by the program to ensure balanced skills and collaboration. 
• Structured to provide tangible design/development outputs, build workplace readiness, and deliver real value to employers.

Employer Role: 

Minimal time commitment (~5–6 hours):

• Provide a clear project brief, user needs, and any technical requirements.
• Be available for an onboarding session, 24-48 hour response times to student questions, and feedback on the final deliverables.
• Ensure access to necessary tools, environments (sandbox if needed), and any design assets.

What Employers Provide 

• Project Brief: Problem statement, user goals, success metrics, technical scope.
• Design Assets & Access: Wireframes, brand guidelines, or testing environments as needed.
• Point of Contact: Available to respond to team questions within 24 hours during Week 1.
• Feedback Windows: Interim feedback on prototypes and final deliverable review.

Project Deliverables 

Upon completion of the project, student teams will provide tangible outputs that demonstrate both their technical and professional skills. Deliverables may include: 

• Design Documentation:  Project scope, personas, and user stories.
• UX/UI Prototypes:  Wireframes, clickable mockups, or design systems.
• Code Artifacts:  Simple front-end apps, scripts, or functional prototypes.
• Testing Reports:  Usability feedback and recommendations.
• Final Presentation:  A professional report/demo delivered to workplace standards.

Project Deliverables Examples 

• User journey map and wireframe set for a mobile app.
• Clickable prototype in Figma or similar tool.
• Basic front-end MVP (React or similar framework).
• GitHub repo with documented code and README.