Inspiration
Fast Food Economics was inspired by the necessity for accessible and interactive media, aiming to demonstrate intricate and complex subjects by presenting them in a pictorial and easy-to-understand manner.
What it does
It visualizes data derived from the popular economic theory of the Big Mac Index and other very similar parameters. It aims to graphically represent the correlation between the cost of fast food items in different parts of the world with the purchasing-power parity (PPP).
How we built it
We used multiple resources to build this website to deliver an easy and accessible user experience. We used python for the backend of it. We implemented libraries like pandas, geopandas, plotly, folium to dynamically present our data on an interactive world map. We also used MATLAB to graphically represent our data, ensuring a clear and insightful presentation of statistical information. We created our frontend design with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. We connected them both using Flask.
Challenges we ran into
One of the major challenges we faced as a team was the lack of front-end design experience. None of us were familiar with the tools needed to develop a comprehensive front-end design. We ended up having to learn most of it as we worked on this project. Another challenge we ran into was data collection and organization. Some of the data used for the website was readily available, but a lot of it had to be carefully looked for and consolidated so It could be used for the visualization.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are very pleased with the appearance and accessibility of the website considering we started the project with very little knowledge or confidence in this area. We are also proud of the idea, as it is somewhat unconventional but given enough time can be utilized as a powerful tool to aid and assist learning not only at an individual level but also at an institutional level.
What we learned
We learned a lot in this process, both technically and about the economic principles our project outlines. As previously stated, this project introduced a lot of us to the foundations of front-end development and design. We learned how to more efficiently gather data that may be hard to find. As for the economic aspect, we learned about the trends that these seemingly trivial data points imply can be very helpful in any geopolitical economic analysis.
What's Next for Fast Food Economics
Our website can be expanded upon indefinitely. The map currently is multidimensional in the aspect that it covers multiple different fast-food franchises and their worldwide prices. We think there is room for expansion into the economic implications that these data points could be corroborated with. For instance, many demographical statistics could be included (Happiness Index, Poverty Rate, Healthcare, etc.). Furthermore, this can be used as an educational resource for people looking to get a thorough understanding of economics or companies.
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