Half-day workshop given at Big Design 2011 by Dana Chisnell and Yoni Knoll, teaching the design studio technique.

1. Design and Critique for
Challenging Problems
Jonathan Knoll
@yoni
Dana Chisnell
@danachis
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2. You read the bios in the program,
right?
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3. The design studio technique
Research
Pre-work
Present
Critique
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4. Ungar & White
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5. Collaborative sketching
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6. Groups
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7. Goal:
Ensure that all voters can vote
as they intend
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8. Research
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9. Poor ballot design
frustrates voters
undermines confidence
contributes to Election Day problems
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10. All voters are affected
thousands of votes are lost or miscast
all voting technologies are affected
greater risk for some groups of voters
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11. Pre-work + personas
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12. 12

13. Instructions
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14. Contests
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15. Propositions
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16. Sketch
rough
radical
risky
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17. First time
voter
18-24 years old
not very political
OR
may be very political
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18. Low literacy
voter
English may be a second
language
Usually low education, with no
civics education
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19. Elderly
voter
May have multiple disabilities
to greater or lesser extent
OR no disabilities at all
Lots of voting experience
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20. You
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21. Present + critique
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22. Critique: Ask questions
why were the decisions made?
how does it meet the goals?
how does it not meet the goals?
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23. Receiving critique
improvement, not judgement
be a critic
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24. Activity
present quickly
critique quickly
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25. Break
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26. Constraints
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27. State laws Technology Expense History
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/plemeljr/61432544/

28. Classic problems
splitting contests into different columns
placing different contests on the same screen
placing response options on both sides of names
using arrows rather than bubbles on paper ballots
leaving in disqualified candidates
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29. Better Ballots: Re-designed Ballot, Kewaunee County
Keep contests
in same
column

30. Better Ballots: Sarasota County, FL (2006)
One Contest Per Screen for DREs

31. Classic problems
inconsistency in format and style
not using shading, bold text
not writing short, simple instructions
placing instructions too far away
not telling voters how to correct paper ballots
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32. Collaborative sketching
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33. Sketch
best ideas from the group
ideas that meet the goals
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34. Groups of groups
Come together
Pick a presenter
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35. Presentations + critique
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36. Collaborate
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37. Activity
best ideas from the group
ideas that meet the goals
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38. Wrap up Questions?
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39. Call to action
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40. Be a
poll worker
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41. Observe
elections
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42. Volunteer to
proof ballots
and materials
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43. Use the
accessible
system
http://trace.wisc.edu/voting/ 43

44. Join our
projects
AIGA Design for Democracy
UPA Usability in Civic Life
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45. Dana Chisnell
dana@usabilityworks.net
twitter: @danachis
www.usabilityworks.com
415.519.1148
Jonathan Knoll
jonathan@infinityplusone.com
twitter: @yoni
www.infinityplusone.com
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