The Gold Book

Inspiration

Georgia Tech’s alumni network is powerful, but finding the right person at the right moment can still be difficult. We asked: How could a student or alumnus find a local connection, get career advice, or give back through the Georgia Tech connection they already share?

We found that alumni connections are spread across GT Connect, LinkedIn, databases, and spreadsheets. The Gold Book is our idea for making those connections easier to discover and act on.

What it does

The Gold Book is a proposed living alumni network for Georgia Tech. It helps students and alumni discover relevant people, communities, events, jobs, and resources in one experience.

Members could explore a Gold Map and directory by location, industry, company, and interests. They could also indicate how they are willing to help, such as offering a short conversation or reviewing a resume, so outreach is purposeful and manageable. The concept includes onboarding, profiles and privacy settings, community spaces, events, and opportunities.

How we built it

We researched Georgia Tech’s existing alumni tools and compared them with approaches used by Harvard and Stanford. We reviewed potential data sources, permissions, privacy requirements, and the needs of students, alumni, and the university.

We used that research to design a user journey and visual prototype, including onboarding, a searchable directory and Gold Map, community and event dashboards, and a Buzzing community feed. We designed The Gold Book as a discovery layer across existing networks, with Georgia Tech verifying membership and LinkedIn serving only as an optional source of professional information. Coming from our consulting background, we were able to build the Gold Book in a "MECE" fashion, from ideation to implementation.

Challenges we ran into

Our biggest challenge was balancing discoverability with trust. A useful directory needs current information, but alumni should control what they share and whether they want to be contacted. We designed around privacy settings, opt-outs, and controlled outreach requests.

We also had to account for what already exists. GT Connect supports mentoring and outreach, so The Gold Book should complement existing services. Data access, ownership, profile freshness, and the best way to pilot the idea still need validation.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We turned a broad idea, helping Yellow Jackets stay connected, into a researched platform concept with a clear user journey. Our research identified gaps in discovery, profile freshness, and the way alumni tools are spread across platforms.

We are proud that the concept focuses on helping people find relevant connections and make a specific, respectful request, not just browse a list of names.

What we learned

A strong alumni network depends on more than having people’s information. Members need a reason to participate, confidence in how their data is used, and simple ways to connect that respect their time.

We also learned that the best solution may connect existing systems rather than replace them. Verification, consent, accurate profiles, and clear ownership are central to making the idea work.

What's next for The Gold Book

Next, we would validate the concept with students, alumni, and university stakeholders; confirm data ownership and integration requirements; and test a small pilot cohort. We would measure profile completion and freshness, successful connection requests, participation in events and communities, and whether members find the experience valuable enough to return.

With that evidence, Georgia Tech could refine the experience and determine how The Gold Book can grow into a trusted connection point, from Tech to everywhere.