Weehawken/Union City

Social Innovationhosted by MPACT! Lab

MPACT! Lab

About me, Sandy Soto… and how this project came to be

• Live in Weehawken

• Have a son in WHS

• User Experience Design

• Discovered Design Thinking at work

• Also being used to tackle social issues

• Self Expression & Leadership Program

community service project

MPACT! Lab

Agenda What we’re going to cover tonight

• What is… social innovation? design thinking?

• Examples in real life

• How can we use it in our own communities?

• ¡MPACT! Lab: about, where we’re at, what’s next

• How to participate

• Volunteer opportunities

• Q&A

MPACT! Lab

Activity Create an object that represents your partner (20 min)INTERVIEW - 6 min (3 minutes each person) - Ask your partner about their life. - Uncover something that means a lot to them (an event, person, place, thing, hobby, etc.) - Find out WHY this holds such meaning; what is the story behind it?

*Take notes

CREATE - 7 minUsing the tools provided, create an object that represents your partner’s meaningful thing/person/etc. PRESENT - 10 minIntroduce your partner to the group and present your creation.

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- This is (name).

- He/she (some things you learned).

- I discovered (meaningful thing) so I created (briefly explain your creation).

Introduce Your Partner

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What is Social Innovation?Coming up with novel solutions to social issues that are more effective, efficient, sustainable, or just than current solutions. The value created primarily benefits society rather than private individuals.

Social Innovation addresses topics like: • Arts & Culture • Civic Engagement • Education • Economy • Housing • Health & Safety • Environment & Public Spaces • Recreation

Solutions can include: • Programs • Systems • Services • Events • Public Installations • Physical Products • Digital Products

MPACT! Lab

Design ThinkingA creative approach to problem solving with a heightened focus on understanding the people involved.

It draws upon logic, imagination, intuition, and systemic reasoning, explores possibilities of what could be, and creates desired outcomes that benefit the end user.

“Human-Centered Design” is at the core of Design Thinking.

It was developed at IDEO and Stanford University.

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Human Centered Design

Watch video: https://vimeo.com/106505300

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Design Thinking Framework

Stanford’s Design Thinking Framework

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How are other communities and organizations using this?

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Design Thinking MN Closing the Achievement Gap and Digital Divide

• Came up with personas and formulated problem statements for each: “Tara needs a way to help her child access digital learning opportunities so that her son can receive the same training as her classmates.”

• Formed two groups and came up with dozens of ideas to respond to each need statement.

• Picked their favorite idea, and developed a detailed concept brief that allowed them to develop a sketch, dig deeper and pressure-test the idea.http://reveconsulting.com/designthinking-meet-up/

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Design Thinking Miami Make More Miami Public Spaces

• The Health Foundation of South Florida and the Office of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Juan C. Zapata invested $305,000 to make the top ideas a reality.

• Individuals, groups, for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations submitted ideas to help make Miami a more lively, engaged place to live, including: - PLAY Stations Miami: Creative, fun & safe spaces for Playing Learning Aspiring Youth (Recreation, Education)

- Leah Arts District Community Event Series (Civic Engagement, Arts & Culture)

- Marine Stadium Floating Park & Mangrove Sanctuary (Environment, Education)

- Lighting the Way: NW 20th St/I-95 Underpass Safety and Beautification Project (Health & Safety)

http://ideas.ourmiami.org/list

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Int’l Design Thinking Week• Students of HPI and D-School as well as guests from

the US, Sweden, Nigeria, Botswana, South Africa, Switzerland, Greece and Egypt searched for innovative solutions to help people with illiteracies through new technologies.

• Identified the needs of the target group and came up with several ideas, including: - Software program that lets internet browsers read texts, functions and links out loud so that people with reading problems can still use news sites or social networks like Facebook. - A picture based app for mobile phones that helps to orientate oneself – instead of using maps and street names it leads the way step by step by using pictures of buildings and streets. - A video portal where the user can ask “how to” questions via video to a community of helpers.

http://hpi.de/en/news/jahrgaenge/2015/design-thinking-week-students-improve-the-daily-life-experience-for-people-with-illiteracies.html

Improve the Daily Life Experience for People with Illiteracies

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VisionSpring + IDEO• A social enterprise called VisonSpring and the design

firm IDEO observed and interviewed teachers, students, and authority figures in several remote villages in India.

• Identified the needs and concerns of children and adolescents. Discovered that they want to be treated like adults; they enjoy being compared to movie stars; and they frequently influence their mothers’ decisions.

• Team split into groups and built prototypes for an eye camp for kids, a screening and awareness program for schools, and a promotional campaign through self-help groups.

• Tested several prototypes (banners, take-home kits, ID cards, group networks, data management systems) and refined their approach.

• As of June 2009, in India, VisionSpring had conducted 5 eye camps for children, screened 1600 children, provided transportation to the local eye hospital for 130 children, and provided glasses for 46 children.

https://www.ideo.com/work/childrens-eye-care

Provide vision exams and eyeglasses to families in poor, remote communities

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How can we innovate together, HERE, in Weehawken and Union City?

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Who Participates The nature of the challenge determines who is needed

For-profitCompanies

Individuals

Organizations

Educators

Collaboration

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Individual Participants Imagine what could happen when people with various talents, skill, and expertise collaborate to create a solution!

Individuals

People who simply believe the world can be a better place. Anyone can become a change maker.

People with skills

Professionals

Educators Students

Business Owners

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"Never doubt for a moment that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."

― Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

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¡MPACT! Lab¡MPACT! Lab is a grass-roots social innovation collective in Weehawken & Union City that empowers the people to transform their communities. ¡MPACT! Lab organizes these Meetup events, which is where all the magic happens.

Individual To access the untapped creativity in each of us; to re-ignite our curiosity of the world and the people around us; to awaken empathy towards others; to empower each person and experience our impact on the world.

Community To combine our efforts, talents, and resources to create the community we want.

World To create a society in which empathy, free-thinking, and creativity drive solutions to our world’s problems.

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¡MPACT! Lab How it started, where it’s at, what’s next• Started in March 2016 as a

community project born out of the Self Expression and Leadership Program

• Researched and was mentored/advised by several people

• Early stage of development (just me)

• Looking for volunteers to design and grow the program with

• Intend to expand the program to other communities as well as the education system and local gov’ts

WHAT’S NEXT:

• Assign volunteers

• Develop partnerships and sponsorships

• Hold events

- Workshops - Social Events - Community Challenges - Youth Challenges - Fundraisers * Paid events: workshops and some social events/fundraisers; FREE events: challenges and some social events/fundraisers

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How to Participate

• Make sure we have your email • We’ll send you an invite to the Meetup • Sign up for the Meetup at meetup.com/mpactlab • Indicate if you have a particular skill or expertise • Keep an eye out for the upcoming events

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Volunteering Interested? Talk to me after the presentation.

• Partnerships and Sponsorships

• Events Coordinator

• Social Media 

• Community Liaison

• Program Development

• Facilitators

• Leadership

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Thanks!• Thank you for participating!

• Thank you, Rita Mann and the Union City Public

Library, for your generosity in providing the space

and helping to make this event happen!

Check us out at mpactlab.org

Contact Sandy: info@mpactlab.org