This week’s OpenGov Hack Night featured an app design workshop by the Knight Lab’s Miranda Mulligan. This design process doesn’t start with the latest data set, but instead starts with establishing empathy with the user.
Everyone partners up for the workshop and takes turns interviewing their partners about a particular problem they face. The workshop encourages participants to dig deeper by determining the user’s needs, insights on how they feel about the issue.
Miranda then encourages users to think of radical ways that app designers can meet the users needs. After this, participants get feedback from their partners to help refine their ideas.
Then comes the fun part – arts and crafts time!
Using a variety of multi-colored paper, participants build mock-up designs of their apps. We then went around the room showing off our work.
If this sounds like a fun workshop (and it is!) then you’re in luck! Miranda will be giving this workshop again as part of National Day of Civic Hacking June 1st at 1871. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Registration for the event will open up later this week!
And as always, you can join us each and every Tuesday at 6:00 for OpenGov Hack Night at 1871.
