Slides from Laurenellen McCann's workshop at the Code for America 2015 Summit. This talk explores how civic technology is made today and explores alternative methods for creation based on real world examples that prioritize people and civic context above raw technology production. Based on research conducted by McCann and the Smart Chicago Collaborative as part of the Knight Foundation's Community Information Challenge. For more information (and to check out the accompanying book), head to http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes or http://buildwith.org.

1. @elle_mccann
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
IN CIVIC TECH
Laurenellen McCann
@elle_mccann

2. @elle_mccann
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
IN CIVIC TECH
Laurenellen McCann
@elle_mccann
LET’S ACTUALLY
DO IT!

3. @elle_mccann
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
IN CIVIC TECH
Laurenellen McCann
@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

4. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
@elle_mccann
TODAY

5. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
WHAT WE THINK WE’RE DOING
@elle_mccann

6. IDEA DESIGN BUILD RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
@elle_mccann
Civic technologies’ “engagement” model
*~engagement~*

7. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
WHAT WE THINK WE’RE DOING
@elle_mccann

8. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO
@elle_mccann
small group
ideation

9. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
WHAT WE DO
@elle_mccann
small group design
OR “empathy”-driven
design in small group

10. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
WHAT WE DO
@elle_mccann
collaboration
w/team or
open source
community
maybe feedback
loop w/focus group
or other “testers”

11. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
WHAT WE DO
@elle_mccann
punt tool out
into the universe,
call it a success

12. WHAT WE DO
@elle_mccann

13. @elle_mccann
…and then *~civics~*

14. CIVIC TECH
@elle_mccann

15. WHAT ARE CIVIC
TECHNOLOGIES?
“ ….tools we use to create, support, or serve public good
http://civichall.org/civicist/what-is-civic/
@elle_mccann

16. “PUBLIC GOOD”
@elle_mccann

17. @elle_mccann
It’s people! -- Detective Thorn, Soylent Green, 1973

18. 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

19. BUILD WITH,
NOT FOR
@elle_mccann
http://buildwith.org

20. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
@elle_mccann

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

22. SPOILER ALERT
there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution
@elle_mccann

23. SPOILER ALERT
there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution
except…
@elle_mccann

24. MEET PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE…
@elle_mccann

25. MEET PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE…LITERALLY
YOU
@elle_mccann

26. @elle_mccann
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

27. @elle_mccann
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

28. 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
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

29. MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE…
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
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

30. @elle_mccann
most common practice used to make
civic tech with, not for communities:
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

31. @elle_mccann
working in partnership
with hyperlocal groups
with intersecting interests
most common practice used to make
civic tech with, not for communities:
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

32. @elle_mccann
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

33. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST RELEASE
THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE
WHAT WE DO
@elle_mccann

34. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
WHAT THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE COULD BE
@elle_mccann

35. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
WHAT THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE COULD BE
@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

36. WHAT THE CIVIC TECH
PRODUCTION LINE COULD BE
IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
@elle_mccann
SOURCE: The Pew Commission for Completely Real Fake Data
*~engagement~*

37. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
@elle_mccann
LargeLots.org

38. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
@elle_mccann

39. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
@elle_mccann

40. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
@elle_mccann

41. …cool, buuuuuuut
@elle_mccann

42. MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE…
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
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes

43. @elle_mccann
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
IN CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION

44. @elle_mccann
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
IN CIVIC TECH PRODUCTION

45. @elle_mccann
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
IN 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.

46. IDEA DESIGN BUILD TEST SHARE
@elle_mccann

47. @elle_mccann
INVITATION
+
INFORMATION
=
PARTICIPATION
Whitney May, Center for Technology and Civic Life

48. YOUR OFFICIAL INVITATION:
JOIN THE CONGA LINE.
YOU
@elle_mccann

49. @elle_mccann
THANKS
http://smartchicagocollaborative.org/modes
http://buildwith.org
http://laurenellen.com