" Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking. " - Albert Einstein

" Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is the result of good work habits." - Twyla Tharp

" The creative habit is like a drug. The particular obsession changes, but the excitement, the thrill of your creation lasts. " - Henry Moore

 “ The way to create art is to burn and destroy ordinary concepts and to substitute them with new truths that run down from the top of the head and out of the heart. ” - Charles Bukowski

“ Only after disaster can we be resurrected. ” - Fight Club 

Log VI

1. Why is healthcare so expensive in America? Favorable insurance laws seems to be a huge problem contributing to this issue.
2. How can we use powerful smartphones to aid to diagnostics? 
3. Is it possible to combine healthcare data over few decades and derive meaningful relationships from it?
4. How can we increase the transparency between the patient and the doctor? Is there a way to present healthcare data that can be understood by everyone? There is a deeper design issue at play here.
5. Large-scale IT infrastructure is usually hard to switch out and pivot. Can it be built using modular systems that are super flexible and updatable?
6. Enterprise solutions have a disconnect; the buyer and user are not the same. Can we design a system for more precise communication b/w the two parties so that better decisions are made?
7. How do we spread production-level code literacy and encourage documentation amongst novice programmers?
8. The best way to write code is fail easy and fail fast. It is almost certain that a first-attempt at writing code is not going to be the last. How can we reduce that cost of failure so that development cycles are small and agile?
9. How do we generate cues for using creativity techniques while writing code?
10. Text-editors are to programmers what paintbrushes are to painters. Is it possible to personalize and hack test editors to provide more control over the environment in which code is written?
11. Sharing music/videos involve sharing an ugly link. Is there a better way to go about it?
12. Why can't I share text or media with someone sitting next to me without logging into specific services? Is there room for a peer-to-peer service that does not involve logging in?
13. How can we reuse expensive headphones? Audiophiles love to use them only for a short duration and then throw them away because the quality degrades. Can they be put to a better use?
14. Why hasn't anyone figured out a good way to do crowd-sourced music in public areas? With voting and favorites and a sophisticated algorithm to predict good songs.
15. I think some foods/beverages go well with certain kind of music. Can we create a metric scale to judge them? This will not only increase sales but also be more enjoyable to the consumers.
16. International music is hard to get into. How can we lower the barriers to entry?
17. I hate it when songs are stuck in my head.Is there a precise scientific methodology to get rid of that? Can we conduct more research?
18. Netflix has solved the problem of overpaying for particular media content. Can we do the same thing for books?
19. Publishers take a huge cut from the profits because of distribution costs. However, technology has made it exponentially easier to do that. But prices have not gone down proportionally. How can startups topple giant publishing houses?
20. Netflix uses big-data to analyze actor-director combinations that will be well received by majority of the audience. How can we quantify contents from books and provide the same insights?
21. A lot of people waste time binge-watching shows on Netflix (i'm guilty too). Increasing barriers to viewing unlimited Netflix will decrease people bingeing on TV shows. Can we create a browser plugin that increases those barriers to entry?
22. Most college students spend a lot of time looking at screens (laptops, phones) and yet do not realize how much damage that is causing to their eyes. Can we quantify this? How do we increase transparency of this data?
23. We all spend money of services like Netflix, Spotify and on food quite regularly. These seem like harmless transactions but can add up quickly to drain you of your fiscal resources. How do we extrapolate these purchases in the future and show an effect on lifestyle and savings so that people are more willing to save?
24. It's hard to read while in bed. This is a huge problem for a lot of people, and can surely be solved via some clever design.
25. Spotify does not interact very well with twitter/facebook to give me more insight into how music habits tie into my social media usage. I think this is a good problem to solve because this data can be valuable to advertising companies.

Log V

1. Why does it take so long to fix an elevator in Sherman Hall (9 months) ? Can we expedite the process?

2. How can we get more clarity about how the University spends our tuition money?

3. Why is there inflation is Café Credits? Can't we prevent it by some simple math calculations?

4. Why is healthy food more expensive than junk food? It doesn't seem to be the case anywhere else outside the United States...

5. How can we incentivize people to go to the gym?

6. How do we know when the gyms aren't crowded? Almost a heat map of the gym throughout the day so that we know the optimal time to work out.

7. Why don't more people know about the University's free psychology counseling?

8. Why is University Housing so much more expensive than apartments? They don't seem to offer services that warrant a 100% markup in the prices..Can we do something about this?

9. How can we be more productive when we walk/travel to class?

10. Why is it so hard/expensive to take a bus/train to Chicago? There seems to be a duopoly.

11. How can we take more efficient notes in class?

12. What can we do to make class and homework more interesting? Simple grade rewards don't seem to work!

13. How do we minimize mobile distractions in class?

14. How can we reduce the illegal alcohol consumption in the university? Can we bring about a cultural change?

15. Why can't we be more sustainable? We need to promote REDUCE before RECYCLE.

16. How do we reduce our dependency on technology? We might be able to find a greater sense of inner peace.

17. How do I remember to write in my Personal Creativity Archive everyday?

18. Can we build a system to help us read more books everyday?

19. Why is it so hard to understand relevant information on Wikipedia?

20. Why is it so hard to read legal documents that are presented to us online before sign up any service? Why can't there be a summary so we know what's going on?

21. How do we promote a culture of world citizens, where we accept diversity and embrace it?

22. Why is it so hard to find interesting people to connect/talk to?

23. How do we make it easier to start conversations with strangers? Can we find a common ground?

24. How can we make University programs seem more appealing? How do we get more attendance to these programs?

25. How do I stop freaking out and reduce anxiety before exams?

Log IV

1. How do stop spending money in unnecessary purchases?

2. What's an easy way to do taxes and understand legalities?

3. How do we avoid getting mugged?

4. How do we use all the spare change we have? It just lies around, losing it worth year by year.

5. How can we clearly present all the hidden fees that banks have?

6. Why is there only one Bank of America ATM in Champaign-Urbana?

7. Why do we have to pay extra fees while using another banks ATM? Isn't there a better way to solve this problem?

8. Why is tuition so high? Can't we develop a better fiscal system to enable students to not graduate with $150K in debt? Maybe some sort of work-learn-teach program?

9. How can students learn to invest money in safe areas?

10. How do we prevent mutual funds from cheating us out of our savings?

11. How do we explain the stock market to high schoolers, so that they have a better understanding of our economic system?

12. Why do i forget my wallet everywhere? Can i design a better money-carrying solution?

13. How can we judge legitimacy of sales and discounts? We never know when they markup prices!

14. Why can't we know the source of products we buy? I don't want young kids with no money to work and build my iPhone.

15. How can consumers find the profit margin on every product they buy?

16. How do we find the best deal easily in brick-and-mortar stores?

17. When can we bring a shift in society's mindset about money being the sole indicator of success?

18. How do we have a clear view of our financial future? It's much easier to save when I know I'm going to need the moment in the future..

19. Can we develop a way for students to co-invest in ventures that will earn them high returns?

20. How can students start their legal side-business to earn a little more money?

21. How do we make freelancing more prevalent? Only 2.5% of CS majors in UIUC are freelancers, but everyone has the skill!

22. Cash loses 3% of its value every year. How do we educate people and make them aware to not save money in cash or in banks?

23. Why doesn't Apple Pay work?

24. Is it really safe to save our credit card information online? Can't we have a more secure and random way of authentication.

25. How can we be alerted about our bank balance before we spend any money everyday?

Log III

1.  Why is it so hard to get our bed in the morning?

2. How can we make the french press easier to clean?

3. How do we monitor effects of caffeine so that it doesn't disrupt sleep?

4. Why is there no app to guide me through making a perfect cup of coffee with a french press, or a drip or a chemex?

5. How can we design a system to remind us of our homework deadlines?

6. How do we arrange all the websites we need to visit to submit homework? Bookmarks are usually a terrible way to do that, and its hard to remember addresses of a dozen websites.

7. How can we develop a safe password manager so that we don't have to keep track of passwords, and have them secure all the time?

8. How do we limit wasting time on social media websites like Facebook and twitter?

9. How do we extract relevant information from social media websites so that we only read things we care about?

10. How can we always be on time for the bus? It usually varies by 2-3 minutes and its hard to time it perfectly, especially when the stop is unknown.

11. Is there anything we can design to prevent us from being late to class?

12. There are some grocery items that we buy every other week, so why isn't there a subscription service for getting it delivered to your house?

13. How do we reduce the time it takes to shop at Walmart? Especially on campus, since it's an hour long bus ride away.

14. How do incentivize people to ride the bus and public transportation to reduce global warming and traffic problems?

15. How can you crack an egg perfectly without destroying the yolk?

16. Why do I have to swipe in to my dorm every time? Why can't it remember my identity somehow? Repetitive actions are very annoying.

17. How do we incentivize people to keep their promises? It's become very easy to not follow through on your word because of mobile phones and instant communication. Promises need to be kept!

18. Why do i need to buy a new laptop if I just want extra space on my SSD? Why can't i upgrade my laptop?

19. How do I prevent water spills from damaging my computer or mobile phone?

20. Why are phone alarms so annoying? Why can't I ever wake up peacefully?

21. How do we efficiently dispose Keurig cups? They create a lot of waste!

22. How do I keep my bread from going stale?

23. Why do ads on the internet suck so bad? Youtube ads are terrible.

24. How can we expedite doing laundry? Maybe build something to keep you occupied while washing your clothes?

25. Can we write down a precise protocol that will help us iron clothes more effectively?

Log II : Quotes

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did 
something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. 
It seemed obvious to them after a while." - Steve Jobs

"I'm as proud of many of the things we haven't done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things." - Steve Jobs

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that
voice will be silenced” – Vincent Van Gogh

“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people”
-Leo Burnett

“Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity” –Charles Mingus

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not’?” – George Bernard Shaw

Log I

1. Entrepreneurship centre (Research Park and EnterpriseWorks) is too far from campus and seems isolated. Hard for incoming freshman and even older students to know the opportunities. Make startups and corporate companies more accessible to students.

2. There are no startup weekends or hackathons in India for high school and college students. Initiate a startup conference, something I wish I had when I was in high school.

3. Why is there no crowdsourced app to tell me the approximate wait time in a line at chipotle, or whether there are any empty seats in a café?

4. Why aren't there more trash cans or recycling bins around campus?

5. The 'swipe' doors are not usable for people in wheelchairs. Maybe there is an opportunity to make a wireless authentication system that detects a user and opens the door.

6. There is no way for people with disabilities to get down an emergency staircase in case of a fire. That is definitely a problem that needs to be solved.

7. An opportunity exists in making people get out of bed to work out..There ahve to be beter ways to deal with snoozing your alarm clock.

8. Buying books at the Illini Bookstore is a nightmare. A better interface to buy/rent books.

9. Housing website is terrible and it is a pain to rent out the kitchen or even check for dining information. 

10. Where do i dispose my old laptop and electronics?

11. There has to be an easy way to listen to lectures, prelectures or class information while walking to class or while on the bus.

12. A better note taking application than evernote or word. They are not simple enough to seem as invisible as writing on a peice of paper.

13. Can someone buy groceries in bulk from Sam's or Walmart and deliver them to me?

14. Ironically, compass2g is probably the worst website interface i've used in a long time. And as a programmer, I can safely say that it has a ton of bugs on the backend to database calls and such.

15. Something that gently refocuses me if I get distracted, or reminds me my priorities for the day.

16. If i can know the data behind how much water/electricity i use in the dorms and how it compares to resources in developing countries, I'm more likely to save these resources and use them sparingly. 

17. Its a giant problem that there isn't a convenient way to find roommates to rent apartments with.

18. Centralized place so you can share your notes from class with other people.

19. If i need to ask a question about calculus and I'm at grainger, maybe there is someone who knows the answer and is willing to tutor/help me. An app oportunity defintely exists for that.

20. There is NO crowdsources cab service in urbana.

21. Car pooling is a big hassle. How can we reduce the barriers to car pooling?

22. I've tried to find a 'free' workout plan but have not found one thats simple yet compelling enough to follow. Maybe a wesbite devoted to that is neccessary.

23. Bike stands are awfully designed. Everything gets entangled and results in a gigantic mess.

24. Why aren't iphone screens more durable?

25. Location based app to make sure people dont lose their friend when they are innebriated.

26. There must exist a better way to pair up with someone as a workout buddy!

27. Make cooking easy!! Packed readymade ingredients, or easy to folow recipes.

28. Menu vs menu, item vs item, drink vs drink comparison of restaurants and cafés in urbana-champaign

29. Easy to read graphs of where tuition money is spent.

30. A NOT to do app that tells you things to avoid today!!