REAL-WORLD PROBLEM SOLVING
This website is the final deliverable for INTEG 452: Real-World Problem Solving, hosted through the Department of Knowledge Integration at the University of Waterloo. Established as an 8-month group project, we worked in close consultation with a large information broker to explore the potential development of blockchain in the legal sector. As a new technology evolving beyond the current scope of the law, lawyers and other legal professionals will have to educate themselves on safe practices and upcoming opportunities and threats regarding the use of smart contracts and blockchain networks in their practice.
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Knowledge Integration is an undergraduate interdisciplinary program that encourages students to think critically, collaborate effectively, and find creative solutions to real world issues. Here is a little more about each of us:
Solène Jollivet is a fourth-year student who is minoring in Psychology and Cognitive Science, with a Business option and Collaborative Design specialization. This project has helped Solène develop her research and analytical thinking skills as the team has had to learn about an up-and-coming technology without any prior experience or exposure to the field and consider how to explain it to others.
Erin Hogan is a fourth-year student minoring in Cognitive Science, with specializations in Collaborative Design and Science, Technology, and Society. This project has helped Erin to develop her adaptability and critical thinking skills by developing informed solutions from complex and ambiguous problem spaces.
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Heera Sen is a third-year student double-majoring in Psychology. This project has allowed Heera to develop an interest in the legal consequences of new evolving technologies and how the law has to change to accomodate for them. It has allowed her to develop her research skills and to gain in-depth knowledge regarding the legal aspects of blockchain technology.
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Emily Nordemann is a fourth-year student minoring in Mathematics and working toward a Global Experience Certificate. This project has been an opportunity for Emily to use her design skills and work with stakeholders to create a solution that represents disciplines in which she did not have previous personal experience, namely Blockchain, Contract Law, and Commercial Real Estate.
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Jessica Clark is a fourth-year student majoring in Knowledge Integration, minoring Psychology, and specializing in Computing and Collaborative Design. This project has helped Jessica develop her ability to work effectively as an individual that is part of a larger group as well as given her experience going from no working knowledge to having working knowledge of a previously unknown technology.
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Vanessa Schweizer (Course Instructor / Faculty Supervisor) is an Assistant Professor in Knowledge Integration at the University of Waterloo who teaches courses on design thinking and problem-solving. Her PhD is in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.
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For their work on the early stages of this project, we thank Hannah Paolini and Ethan Sabourin.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge and thank each of the stakeholders that we consulted throughout this project. We extend our gratitude to Thomson Reuters Labs, especially Brian Zubert and Aileen Schultz, for working with our team in an advisory capacity. We would also like to thank Dennis Huber and Syll Kushner for their insights and helpful comments. Your contributions are greatly appreciated.
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Contact Us
If you'd like to contact the team, please email eamnorde@uwaterloo.ca with your message.