I would like to bring the following 5 core values to my work:
Diversity and inclusion – I believe that the best solutions come from a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints. I also know that a wide set of expertise is needed to tackle tough issues.
Collaboration – In order to develop the best solutions, there must be collaboration with the people whom I’d like to help. Open dialogue with the various stakeholders will ensure that the core problem is well understood and properly solved.
Drive to bring about positive change – There are a number of ways to improve the world and I strive to do what I can to help bring about that change.
Humility – I believe that I alone cannot bring about the change I want to see. I also know that my ideas will not always be the best ones and that I am not an expert in everything.
Problem solving – The ultimate goal is to solve problems. I will strive to push myself and others in order to do this through creative collaboration and knowledge exploration.
For my convening, I would like to design a hackathon that focuses on solutions for the housing crisis in the United States. The hackathon will consist of a variety of people from across the world. This ensures that the solution would be applicable across the US and also allows for the opportunity to compare solutions with those used internationally. The hackathon will be held in a large urban center so that it is easy for people to travel to. In addition, many housing issues are prominent in large urban areas, so it will be easier for those familiar with the issue to attend.
The hackathon will begin with a forum that highlights the many faceted problems of the housing crisis. The forum will include a number of speakers including residents, landlords, legal experts, economists, and more. Hackathon participants will then be split into teams based on skill set. This will ensure that each hackathon group has the necessary set of skills to propose a viable solution. There will then be time for each group to work on a solution. After 1-2 days of building solutions, each team will present their solution to others. There will then be at least one day allotted for members of different teams to work together to integrate their solutions and share ideas. By continually combining different ideas and viewpoints, participants will be able to learn more from each other and also generate even better solutions.
A: Humility – I really liked your point on humility. I think the first step to designing at and for the margins is realising our own inadequacies as the designers and the importance of bottom-up collaboration.
B: Radical collaboration/inclusion – I would suggest going beyond collaboration to ensure that the people you’re solving for have a seat at the table and that their voices are not just heard, but guide the hackathon itself.
C: I would think about the spatial redesign of the hackathon space and findings ways to ensure that it’s a comfortable space for people who are not used to being in a tech/hackathon setting. I would also rethink the conventional understandings of “skillsets” to ensure that people we’re designing for are also valued in their teams.