REGISTER
Teachers register their schools for the iOS Design
Challenge Club. Teachers sign up their students for the iOS App Design Challenge.

Thank you for your interest in the iOS Design Challenge. 2023
submissions are now closed.
Watch this space for details of the next edition later on in the
year.
Thank you for your interest in the iOS Design Challenge. 2023
submissions are now closed.
Watch this space for details of the next edition later on in the
year.
Resilience is the ability to recover from setbacks or adapt to change and adversity. Build an app prototype that helps to promote personal growth and development.
Compassion is our ability to recognize the suffering of others and then take action to help. Build an app prototype that inspires people to make a difference in the lives of others.
Teamwork occurs when diverse abilities and insights come together to work towards a common goal. Build an app prototype that supports people to create diverse and inclusive teams.
Dialogue means more than just talking. It is the free and open exchange of ideas and opinions. Build an app prototype that guides people to solve life's challenges through constructive dialogue.
The iOS App Design Challenge runs during the academic year of 2022-23. Along the way, there are exciting events and training sessions for teachers and students. Teachers must register their school for the iOS Design Challenge and attend the five-day teacher training workshops during November 2022 and January 2023. Read more about teacher training below.
REGISTER
Teachers register their schools for the iOS Design
Challenge Club. Teachers sign up their students for the iOS App Design Challenge.
KICKOFF
Get up to speed with the Challenge by attending a
teacher or student kickoff session. Teachers attend iOS Design Club teacher training.
TEACHER & STUDENT TRAINING
Attend ongoing training
sessions with Apple Professional Learning Specialists, Apple Distinguished Educators and Industry
Specialists.
SUBMISSION
Put down your devices! Time to submit your app
prototype design. Upon submission, a panel of judges will evaluate each project. Good luck! May the
best designs win!
AWARDS CEREMONY
All finished projects will receive
certificates. An Awards Ceremony will be held to honor the top participating schools and student
projects. The Top 200 students will be invited to take part in the Sandooq Al Watan Swift
Accelerator Program in Summer 2023 .
Want to be an app designer? These workshops will launch your design journey. Students have the opportunity to attend workshops to build their skills throughout the year. These workshops are led by Apple certified trainers, covering core topics that are essential for successful app design.
18 Jan 2023
05:00 - 06:30 PM
Find
your problem and find your team!
By now you should have an idea of what app
you want to create. How do you build a team that delivers a solution everyone is proud of? What does
it take to align your vision with your teammates? The key is to use empathy as your guide for
inclusive collaboration! In this workshop, you will learn how to work together as a team to create
amazing app designs.
25 Jan 2023
05:00 - 06:30 PM
Make
it work, test and revise.
You only have a few
seconds to capture your users’ attention when they open your app. Building prototypes helps you test
what works and what doesn’t! How can you make your user experience stand out?In this interactive
workshop, you will learn how to create a seamless user experience.
1 Feb 2023
05:00 - 06:30 PM
Learn
about user interfaces!
We are excited that you are creating an app to solve
a need in your community, but have you thought of everyone? How will a blind user or person with
limited mobility use your app? What color scheme and features will you use to ensure all users can
navigate your app? In this workshop, you will learn about accessible and inclusive app design.
8 Feb 2023
05:00 - 06:30 PM
A good
pitch is everything!
You have built an app prototype that you are proud
of. You know that it solves a problem, but how do you convince others about what your app has to
offer? In this workshop, you will learn how to promote your app prototype. You will learn how to
articulate your idea and convince people that your app is the best app for the problem you are
solving.
15 Feb 2023
05:00 - 06:30 PM
Design
is more than meets the eye.
Designing apps for Arabic language speakers
presents exciting opportunities and unique challenges. How do you plan app layouts that read from
right to left? In this workshop, you will learn how to create beautiful right-to-left layouts. You
will explore UI components and iconography, while discovering the nuances of Arabic script, numerals
and typography.
The workbook will take you through each step of the process and provide you with tips and tricks to design the best app possible.
All student submissions will receive an iOS Design Challenge 2023 Certificate, and your school may also be recognized. If your iOS app design is judged to be in the Top 200 submissions, you will have the opportunity to attend Swift Accelerator 2023.
Teachers sign up for the challenge and take part in the teacher training program to
become iOS Design Club Leaders. Teachers establish either an in-school iOS Design Challenge Program for
their students, or else run an after-school iOS Design Club as an extra curricular activity for students.
Workshops to Guide You Each Step of the Way
Teachers are invited to attend a
five-session teacher training program in November 2022 (3 days) and Jan 2023 (2 days) led by our team of
Apple Distinguished Educators and Apple Professional Learning Specialists. Upon completion of the teacher
training program, teachers will earn an iOS Design Leaders Certificate. Teachers will be able to start
running the program with students from mid-November 2022.
What competences will students
gain?
Critical Thinking | Digital Fluency | Entrepreneurship | Cognitive Flexibility |
Collaboration
What skills will students learn?
Computational Thinking and
Logic | Creativity | UI Design | UX Design | Coding Principles | Project Management | Goal Setting |
Real-World Problem Solving | Communication and Teamwork
How you start matters!
Tuesday, 15
November
Workshops:
English 04:00 - 05:00 PM
Arabic 05:30 - 06:30 PM
Learn how the
program works and understand the project themes. Help students scope their projects and frame the
challenge that they want to solve. An introduction to all materials and student resources will also be
presented.
Understanding iOS devices
Thursday, 17
November
Workshops:
Arabic 04:00 - 05:00 PM
English 05:30 - 06:30 PM
Understanding the
core functionality built into iOS devices is an essential step at the beginning of any app design
journey. This workshop will explore all the things that are possible with iOS devices and how to teach
them to your students.
Time to get building...
Tuesday, 22
November
Workshops:
English 04:00 - 05:00 PM
Arabic 05:30 - 06:30 PM
Prototyping and
designing an app requires considerable skill across many disciplines. Teachers will understand core
design principles and prototyping strategies and processes they can teach to their students.
Testing and iteration
Tuesday, 24 Jan
2023
Workshops:
Arabic 04:00 - 05:00 PM
English 05:30 - 06:30 PM
Testing and improvement
is a vital part of the app design process. Learn how to assist students with developing effective test
scripts and how to convert their user feedback into actionable steps for improving their prototype.
Sell your creative ideas
Tuesday, 31
Jan 2023
Workshops:
English 04:00 - 05:00 PM
Arabic 05:30 - 06:30 PM
Coach students to
sell the story of their app design by preparing a presentation video. Discover some helpful pitching
strategies, as well as important pointers about presenting design work in a clear and effective manner.
Resources for
Educators
The teacher guidebook will provide detailed instructions on how to lead
students through the various phases of app development.
1. What is this program all about?
The
iOS Design Challenge is an app design challenge for high school students that takes place over four
months. Students will use free online resources and tools from Apple to develop an app prototype that
supports and enhances tolerance and understanding within the multicultural population of the UAE
.
2. Who can participate?
This challenge is open to all students aged
13-18 currently enrolled in private and government high schools in the UAE.
3. Is the
competition free?
Yes, it is free to participate in the iOS Design Challenge. This
initiative is fully funded by Sandooq Al Watan and supported by Apple Distinguished Educators in the
UAE.
4. What are the dates?
Register:
Teacher register on the
competition website by 31 October 2023.
Virtual Sessions (Teachers):
Virtual
sessions will run from November 2022 to January 2023. Exact dates/times are reflected in the Program
Guidebook and on the competition website.
Virtual Sessions (Students):
Virtual sessions will run from January 2023 to February 2023. Exact dates/times are
reflected in the Program Guidebook and on the competition website.
Competition
Submissions:
All final submissions are due on 27 February 2023. There will be milestones
to complete along the way. Please see the Program Guidebook and the competition website for details.
5. Can I work in a team?
Students can
participate individually or in teams of 2-4 students. Teams do not have to be from the same school.
Students must form their own team if they want to participate in a group.
6. Can I
submit as an individual if I registered as a team?
Yes, you can submit as an
individual if you initially registered as a team, provided the work that you submit was created by you
only.
7. Do I need to know coding to participate?
Students do not
need to have prior experience in coding to participate.
8. What type of support is
offered to participants?
Students will be provided with free virtual sessions
throughout spring, a comprehensive Program Guidebook and a number of free resources related to design
thinking, iOS app design, coding principles and more.
9. Do you teacher need to sign
up?
Yes, teachers must sign up for the Challenge in order for their students to take
part.
10. Can students
sign up for this challenge?
Students need to sign up for the Challenge through their
respective teachers.
11. Are teacher workshops in person or virtual?
All teacher workshops will be virtual.
12. Are student workshops
in person or virtual?
Student workshops with Apple/industry experts will be
virtual.
13. Are the live sessions recorded?
Yes, most live sessions
are recorded. Videos can be viewed here: https://training.iosdesign.ae/
14.
Will teachers receive a certificate for taking part in the iOS Design Club program?
Teachers who attend the training sessions will receive official iOS Design Club
Design Leader certificates (digital) for participating in the professional development
program.
15. Will students receive a certificate for taking part in the challenge?
Students who successfully submit their final project by 27 February 2023 will not
only receive an iOS Design Challenge 2023 certificate, but will get the opportunity to compete for a
place in the Swift Accelerator 2023 program.
16. Can I apply with a previous project
that I made?
No, you need to create a new solution/app design for this
challenge.
17. What is the last day for submissions?
27 February
2023.
18. What do I have to submit as a final product?
You have to
submit a three-minute video pitch demonstrating your app design solution.
19. What is
the best way to interact with the student workbook?
We recommend using Adobe Acrobat.
You can download it here.
20. What is
the purpose of the student workbook?
The student workbook is a portfolio of work that
will provide supporting documents for your final presentation.
21. What format can
the video be in?
.MP4
.MPEG-4
.MOV
.WMV
22. How do I
submit my final project?
2023 submissions are now closed. Watch this space for
details of the next edition later on in the year.
23. What devices are required?
Any of the following devices can be used to participate in the
challenge:
Apple Mac
iOS
Android
Windows PC
Tablet
24. What
downloads are required?
Optional - create a free iCloud account to download Apple
resources from PC andAndroid devices. https://support.apple.com/en-ae/HT204316
Optional - create a
free Figma account to create app prototypes from Mac and PC devices https://www.figma.com
25. What if I have
other questions?
Please send questions to: [email protected]