Genius Interview #4 - HH

Raw notes:

Connected to HR challenges 9+10 work groups in many countries, a diaspora of organisations involved in humanitarian efforts.

They conducts a similar kind of event more focussed more on the initial project stages so: Isolating a design problem Discovering a technological solution (if current) prefer OSS but also if not contact org to try to encourage OSS. Discover and train on the tech solution if there is a current one If no current solution or adaptions are needed then they do design thinking event with designers & the affected community.

It’s very important to involved at least one person who has been personally affected by the design problem you’re looking to solve. This builds and creates connection and empathy for the designers and allows them to ask questions and probe design use cases.

They create conceptions and potential solutions

They follow up within 1 year with the group and the design project idea to see where it is. And make it OSS. It needs to be a sustainable solution and they build initial steps in the design thinking process to ensure sustainability. They sometimes build links to projects or inbetween projects.

Ushahidi is the kind of org that they would approach as a potential solution org to some of the problems they discover through their events.

They bring together many disciplines in the events depending on what is needed to address the particular need.

5 a year challenges.

All attendees are volunteers

‘It’s a group of people who want to make things better for the affected people’ typically university students, companies and OSS advocates.

Designer as a ‘saviour’ -> tricky and dangerous The way hague hacks works differently as they ask the affected people and involve them in the design process and keep them in a working group. Hague hacks has access to a lot of affected people to build this model from. They also bring them in to speak on their experiences regualrly.

Building a ‘legitimate connection between need + tech + solution + design/technologists and then loop for sustainability.

They aslo do tools gathering and assessment when they discover tools. But there is no definitive list of tools (Engine Room’s in 5 year old now). They never want to re-build any current tech tools. Only augments ones that don’t serve an exact need or purpose then and there. They extend, remix and make relevant.

The Hague is a global centre of peace and many refugees and different human rights defenders arrive there or travel through there. It’s a good place to operate from.

Some of the deisgners involved in these events would never have met if it hadn’t been for this project. They find that beneficial. Connection with other likeminded designers is key. Collaboration is a driver and draw but it’s tough to gather the people. They are typically young and have spare time/freetime

(Product Hunt model of Open Design via Joy’s insight)

The design ego part is a hard thing to assess and tackle. Some have it and others don’t and do you really want to tackle that kind of mindset in your solution focus? Is it avoidable though? Doe sthis go back to eductaion/uni/class? Ownership becomes a problem here but the hope is that the technology is super relevant to the use case (human righst defender) that it doesn’t have a life within the deisgner and the ownership is less of a problem.

Prototyping phase is popular ← similar to TenFour design jam’s ‘vapour ware’

Some large tech comapnies are enthusiastic about the project/prospect and have engaged through their corporate responsibility hrs.

Hague Hacks is currently two people running it.

July-Aug 2019 to visit the Hague to chat in person

Dec 6th 2019 is the big hague hacks week and we should consider partnering for an end of year event there.

ushahidi / opendesign

Genius Interview #4 - HH #94