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Pallavi Pallerla

Mr. Speice

Independent Study Mentorship 3A

02 March 2018

Final Product Proposal

Introduction and Statement of Purpose:

Access to clean water is a global problem as clearly highlighted by the United Nations

2016 Sustainability Goals. Many developing countries such as Mexico, Nepal, Cambodia, and

Haiti, are struggling to get clean drinking water or water for their irrigation systems. This water

deprivation prevents them from achieving a higher standard of living compared to first world

countries. To address this problem, there have been many different types of water filters

developed. However, these filters do not always take into consideration the local communities

access to resources, or attributes of the specific geographic location. To help minimize this issue,

I am planning to create a model of an efficient, low-cost water filter for a developing country that

struggles to access clean water. By designing a blueprint for a new water filter suitable for a

specific country, I hope to help the world overcome this issue and move it closer to achieving the

UN’s Sustainability Goals.

The main goal I have in mind while designing this water filter is to make sure it is created

with resources that are locally available and cost-efficient. By putting together a filter that meets

these standards, I will ensure that the filter will not put so much stress on the country or

community to manufacture. Building the water filter from a blueprint will be difficult. To help

ease the assembly process, I am planning on putting together a manual either physically or

digitally depending on whether the country or village has access to the Internet. To successfully
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create this product, many skills such as researching, time management, and knowledge of water

filtration will be required. I hope to improve my skills in these areas on the journey of

developing a new water filter.

Review of Skills and Research:

To create this model and blueprint, I will need various skills. One of the most important

skills I picked up this year in ISM is researching a specific topic. I will need to heavily use this

skill to successfully complete my Final Product. Researching is the key factor in my product

because it will allow me to get a better understanding of the current situation of the country I

plan on helping and also techniques to filter water. I plan on using academic databases to gather

the information I will need. My mentor and I have already created a research chart that will

enable us to look at many different aspects for each country such as the specific application

needed, the locally-available material and technology resources, etc. when I am creating the

filter. Looking at the big picture, the overall topics I need to familiarize myself with are water

pollution (sewage contamination, arsenic, etc.) and filtration techniques. By doing so, I will get a

better grasp of the topic of filtration.

Another skill that will be important and will determine the success of my product is time

management. Without time management, it will be very difficult to accomplish this task and

create a product that shows the effort it took to make it. The water filter idea I chose for my

product pushes me beyond my comfort zone to do something I have never done before in a short

amount of time. Creating a well-developed plan on how I am going to accomplish this product is

my solution to not get behind and put forth my best effort. These skills have been improved
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throughout my journey in ISM and I hope to further improve them in the process of making my

product.

Methodology:

I will take many steps to bring this project to completion.

1. Research:

I conducted plenty of research just to write this proposal. However, there is a lot more research

to conduct before physically starting the Final Product. The main goal here is to learn about

different countries’ environments and how the water problem affects them. The next goal is to

research potential solutions and create a hypothesis for the final product. All research will be

documented in the Research Chart document.

2. Analyzing all information to create hypothesis:

After intensive research, all the information will be already organized into a chart. However, just

looking at the information on the chart will not bring me closer to my product; I must outline a

plan. To assemble my outline, I will break down the research and extract key factors to develop

my hypothesis. The hypothesis will be my initial solution of the type of water filtration method

needed.

3. Designing blueprint based on the hypothesis:

The blueprint will help me create a model of the water filtration system which I will use to

potentially build my filter and test it out (should I have access to the resources).

4. If failed, repeat step 3 with a new hypothesis

Materials:
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There are many materials necessary to complete my product. However, at this stage of

my research, I do not know exactly what type of materials I will use to build my filter. The

materials that will be used are resources that the country I am designing the filter for will have

access to at a low cost. After designing the filter, I will create a 3D model of it by using a 3D

printer. This will give an accurate representation of the filter I designed.

Conclusion:

The Final Product that I intend to create is a 3D model of the water filter I plan on

designing for a developing country that faces a serious water problem. Depending on the filter

size for the specific community, the 3D model of my filter may be to scale so that it will be

closer to the original filter. I intend to create a manual on how to replicate the filter so people in

developing countries can build it themselves. This filter will reduce the current water problem

they are facing since it will purify the polluted water. This will benefit their community because

it will bring them closer to a higher standard of living.

Product Calendar

February 27th:
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➔ Complete the Research Chart

➔ Look over research during mentor visit

➔ Select a country to develop filter for

➔ Discuss during Mentor visit about future plans

March 13th:

➔ Finish research for water filtration methods

➔ Select ideal method for the country

March 20th:

➔ Brainstorm list of materials necessary for filter

➔ Create blueprint for the filter.

April 17th:

➔ Send filter design in for 3D printing.

➔ Start to create a How To Create a Filter website

April 24th:

➔ Finish digital portfolio

May 1st:

➔ Develop presentation to include information about product

➔ Develop presentation to include what I learned

May 18th:

➔ Allow for any extra adjustments and plan out speech

➔ Collect any materials needed for presentation

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Final Presentation night May 29th