community partnership in civic tech: workshop, code for america summit 2015

@elle_mccann

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPIN CIVIC TECH

Laurenellen McCann@elle_mccann

@elle_mccann



LET’S ACTUALLY

DO IT!

@elle_mccann



LET’S ACTUALLY

DO IT!and learn from other people and fields and places and

traditions etc where people do this and have been doing it

for a long time is this too much text yet what do you think

IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE

THE CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION LINE

@elle_mccann

TODAY


THE CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION LINEWHAT WE THINK WE’RE DOING

@elle_mccann

IDEA DESIGN BUILD RELEASE


@elle_mccann

Civic technologies’ “engagement” model

*~engagement~*


THE CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION LINEWHAT WE THINK WE’RE DOING

@elle_mccann


THE CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION LINEWHAT WE ACTUALLY DO

@elle_mccann

small group ideation


THE CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION LINEWHAT WE DO

@elle_mccann

small group design OR “empathy”-driven design in small group



@elle_mccann

collaboration w/team or

open source community

maybe feedback loop w/focus group or other “testers”



@elle_mccann

punt tool out into the universe, call it a success

WHAT WE DO

@elle_mccann

@elle_mccann

…and then *~civics~*

CIVIC TECH

@elle_mccann

WHAT ARE CIVIC TECHNOLOGIES?

“ ….tools we use to create, support, or serve public good

http://civichall.org/civicist/what-is-civic/

@elle_mccann

http://civichall.org/civicist/what-is-civic/

“PUBLIC GOOD”

@elle_mccann

@elle_mccann

It’s people! -- Detective Thorn, Soylent Green, 1973

IN A DEMOCRACY,the civic arena includes how government works and how

people interact with government, but also how people interact with each other — the structures we use to govern ourselves informally as well as formally.

*

*actually, this applies to all forms of government; I just wanted to remind you that we’re talking about GOVERNANCE not MARKETS

@elle_mccann

BUILD WITH, NOT FOR

@elle_mccann

http://buildwith.org




@elle_mccann

@elle_mccann

“building with” helps us escape small group mentality for civic problem-solving—starting with “problem” identification.

SPOILER ALERTthere isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution

@elle_mccann

SPOILER ALERTthere isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution

except…

@elle_mccann

MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE…

@elle_mccann

MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE…LITERALLY

YOU@elle_mccann

@elle_mccann

http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

http://smartchicagocollaborative.com/modes

PEOPLE FIRST CRITERIA

1.Start with people: Work with the real people and real communities you are part of, represent, and/or are trying to serve

2. Cater to context: Leverage and operate with an informed understanding of the existing social infrastructure and sociopolitical contexts that affect your work

3. Respond to need: Let expressed community ideas, needs, wants, and opportunities drive problem-identification and problem-solving

4. Build for best fit: Develop solutions and tools that are the most useful to the community and most effectively support outcomes and meet needs

5. Prove it: Demonstrate and document that community needs, ideas, skills, and other contributions are substantially integrated into — and drive — the lifecycle of the project

@elle_mccann




1. ...socially (Utilize Existing Social Infrastructure)

2. ...technically (Utilize Existing Tech Skills and Infrastructure)

3. ...physically (Lead from Share Spaces)

4. ...on equal terms (Distribute Power)

5. ...and decide where you’re going together (Create Two-Way Educational Environments)

@elle_mccann



@elle_mccann

most common practice used to make civic tech with, not for communities:



@elle_mccann

working in partnershipwith hyperlocal groups

with intersecting interests

most common practice used to make civic tech with, not for communities:



@elle_mccann



IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE

WHAT THE CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION LINE COULD BE

@elle_mccann



@elle_mccann

thinking about civic tech in terms of relationships puts us in a framework that includes not just “literacy”, but human exchange, stewardship, invitation, iteration, etc



@elle_mccann

SOURCE: The Pew Commission for Completely Real Fake Data

*~engagement~*


@elle_mccann

LargeLots.org

http://LargeLots.org


@elle_mccann

…cool, buuuuuuut@elle_mccann


1. ...socially (Utilize Existing Social Infrastructure)

2. ...technically (Utilize Existing Tech Skills and Infrastructure)

3. ...physically (Lead from Share Spaces)

4. ...on equal terms (Distribute Power)

5. ...and decide where you’re going together (Create Two-Way Educational Environments)

@elle_mccann



@elle_mccann

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPIN CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION

@elle_mccann

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPIN CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION

“community” is an abstract, meaningless unit of “engagement” until we get brave enough to define not just WHO is part of “it”, but who isn’t. without this examination of inclusion and exclusion, we can’t make informed decisions about

how to do our work better—who must be included in a project and when in order to create the civic work we aspire to in a way that is impactful, just, and worthwhile.


@elle_mccann

@elle_mccann

INVITATION+

INFORMATION=

PARTICIPATION

Whitney May, Center for Technology and Civic Life

YOUR OFFICIAL INVITATION: JOIN THE CONGA LINE.

YOU@elle_mccann

@elle_mccann

THANKShttp://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes


http://laurenellen.com



http://laurenellen.com