Blockchain for humanity: rapid prototyping workshop

[mozfest-bot]

[ UUID ] 190df20c-9f57-4be1-9d64-29fdf2de41af

[ Session Name ] Blockchain for humanity: rapid prototyping workshop [ Primary Space ] Open Innovation [ Secondary Space ] Decentralization

[ Submitter's Name ] Kate Dodgson [ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] HumanityX [ Submitter's Github ] @LU-C4i

What will happen in your session?

Participants will address a humanitarian problem and explore whether blockchain can offer a solution. The workshop will follow a rapid prototyping methodology which involves short, time-boxed activities designed to pick apart and probe the context of the problem, and the technological possibilities of the solution.

Plan International will present the user case: should birth registrations in Bangladesh be recorded in blockchain? Participants will be split into groups and the activities will require them to consider necessity, feasibility, desirability, scalability and incentive to use blockchain for birth registrations. The activities are designed so that by the end of the session, fifteen basic prototypes have been created. The three most feasible will then be further elaborated on and judged against criteria.

What is the goal or outcome of your session?

This workshop benefits technologists and humanitarians alike. It allows techies to understand the humanitarian context their products will be applied to and allows the humanitarian sector to explore how and whether blockchain could be used in their organisations.

The activities and iterations force participants to consider blockchain contextually – whether the technology could work in a country such as Bangladesh, whether people would actually use it, whether they have the equipment and expertise to maintain it, and whether it’s worth the development costs. HumanityX is not a blockchain company, therefore have no vested interest in organisations choosing to use blockchain. Helping them decide NOT to use it is of just as much value.

Time needed

90 mins

[KirstieJane]

[ Facilitator 1 Name ] Kate Dodgson [ Facilitator 1 Github ] @LU-C4i
[ Facilitator 1 Twitter ] @C4Innovation

Requirements

• Projector
• General stationery (pens, paper etc)

[katedodgson]

I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know how to use Github. That's my secret shame... So for now I'll just have to add a note here saying that my description has now changed to the following:

Can blockchain help with human rights and international development? If so, how?

This workshop will present attendees with a humanitarian issue: civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) in developing countries. Without identity and registration documents, many people are left to fend for themselves. They cannot get bank accounts, attend school, get jobs, and sometimes even access aid.

Humanitarian organisations are looking for ways to simplify and digitise the recording of CRVS. Could blockchain offer a solution?

This workshop will look at the current state of blockchain technology but through a humanitarian lens. It will follow a rapid prototyping methodology which involves short, time-boxed activities designed to pick apart and probe the context of the problem, and the technological possibilities of the solution.

Participants will be split into groups and the activities will require them to consider necessity, feasibility, desirability, scalability and incentive to use blockchain for CRVS.

The purpose is to allow designers and technologists to better understand the end-users and beneficiaries of their product: the most vulnerable and in-need people in the world.

Co-facilitator is Thiago Zagatti.

[KirstieJane]

Hi @katedodgson - the sessions are now in the guidebook webapp: you should have a link in your email that allows you to log in and update your session. This is important because it allows you to connect with participants (and upload pictures and things like that). You can ask questions in the #help slack channel if you can't find the guidebook invite email or have any challenges logging in etc.

[KirstieJane]

(@katedodgson - I have just uploaded your description though, but please try to access the webapp so you can upload a bio and pictures etc).

[katedodgson]

I have?! I did it last week and then I made edits to it today. It has the same description as above, and I added HumanityX's logo. Don't know why it's not coming up for you as it comes up when I click the links in my email

[KirstieJane]

I see a header banner for you (but no thumbnail picture) but nothing on the session itself.

Sorry for not realising the description was already up to date. You're all set! No need to do anything else (unless you want to add the pictures!)

On 20 October 2017 at 14:40, katedodgson notifications@github.com wrote:

I have?! I did it last week and then I made edits to it today. It has the same description as above, and I added HumanityX's logo. Don't know why it's not coming up for you as it comes up when I click the links in my email

— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/MozillaFoundation/mozfest-program-2017/issues/413#issuecomment-338209590, or mute the thread https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ADdVQhwRgBwxmZvEW5s__kA-fNQYEmjcks5suKKygaJpZM4OoY9C .

-- Kirstie Whitaker, PhD

Research Fellow, Alan Turing Institute Research Associate, University of Cambridge

Mailing Address Brain Mapping Unit Department of Psychiatry Sir William Hardy Building Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EB

Phone: +44 7583 535 307 Website: https://whitakerlab.github.io Twitter: @kirstie_j https://twitter.com/kirstie_j

[katedodgson]

Great, thanks!