hello my name is Kiana Lowry and I am a user experience designer born and raised
user experience designer born and raised
user experience designer born and raised in Los Angeles and as a user experience
in Los Angeles and as a user experience
in Los Angeles and as a user experience designer my goal is to identify problems
designer my goal is to identify problems
designer my goal is to identify problems empathize with those affected by a
empathize with those affected by a
empathize with those affected by a problem ID to solve for a problem test
problem ID to solve for a problem test
problem ID to solve for a problem test my ideas and ultimately design effective
my ideas and ultimately design effective
my ideas and ultimately design effective solutions for a problem as best I can
solutions for a problem as best I can
solutions for a problem as best I can and I’m here today because I believe
and I’m here today because I believe
and I’m here today because I believe that whether or not you consider
that whether or not you consider
that whether or not you consider yourself to be a designer you can
yourself to be a designer you can
yourself to be a designer you can implement Design Thinking principles to
implement Design Thinking principles to
implement Design Thinking principles to do the same so what is design thinking
do the same so what is design thinking
do the same so what is design thinking design thinking is envisioning a desired
design thinking is envisioning a desired
design thinking is envisioning a desired future using our imagination our
future using our imagination our
future using our imagination our creativity and our logic to think of the
creativity and our logic to think of the
creativity and our logic to think of the possibilities that could be rather than
possibilities that could be rather than
possibilities that could be rather than choosing the best choice from the
choosing the best choice from the
choosing the best choice from the options in the world that already exist
options in the world that already exist
options in the world that already exist so what does Design Thinking look like
so what does Design Thinking look like
so what does Design Thinking look like in practice
in practice
in practice well I’d like to give you an example
well I’d like to give you an example
well I’d like to give you an example first let’s identify a problem there are
first let’s identify a problem there are
first let’s identify a problem there are a number of issues currently facing
a number of issues currently facing
a number of issues currently facing South Los Angeles today such as
South Los Angeles today such as
South Los Angeles today such as gentrification homelessness and food
gentrification homelessness and food
gentrification homelessness and food deserts to name a few I had the pleasure
deserts to name a few I had the pleasure
deserts to name a few I had the pleasure of speaking with a woman named rebus
of speaking with a woman named rebus
of speaking with a woman named rebus Stevens who knows homelessness all too
Stevens who knows homelessness all too
Stevens who knows homelessness all too well for 21 years of her life Reba was
well for 21 years of her life Reba was
well for 21 years of her life Reba was homeless she shared some of her
homeless she shared some of her
homeless she shared some of her challenges with me
challenges with me
challenges with me she told me she felt hopeless afraid and
she told me she felt hopeless afraid and
she told me she felt hopeless afraid and as if no one cared she wondered where
as if no one cared she wondered where
as if no one cared she wondered where her next decent meal would come from and
her next decent meal would come from and
her next decent meal would come from and as a woman she felt especially
as a woman she felt especially
as a woman she felt especially vulnerable on the streets Reba fell into
vulnerable on the streets Reba fell into
vulnerable on the streets Reba fell into a major depression
a major depression
a major depression and she began to use drugs and alcohol
and she began to use drugs and alcohol
and she began to use drugs and alcohol to cope with her pain access to
to cope with her pain access to
to cope with her pain access to resources was extremely difficult for
resources was extremely difficult for
resources was extremely difficult for her to find in part because homelessness
her to find in part because homelessness
her to find in part because homelessness she says has become a business and her
she says has become a business and her
she says has become a business and her troubles didn’t end once she gained
troubles didn’t end once she gained
troubles didn’t end once she gained access to housing she then needed to
access to housing she then needed to
access to housing she then needed to learn how to live how to say hi to
learn how to live how to say hi to
learn how to live how to say hi to people in the grocery store and how to
people in the grocery store and how to
people in the grocery store and how to carry a conversation and this is just a
carry a conversation and this is just a
carry a conversation and this is just a small segment of Reba’s story and yet it
small segment of Reba’s story and yet it
small segment of Reba’s story and yet it illustrates just how important and
illustrates just how important and
illustrates just how important and urgent it is to eradicate homelessness
urgent it is to eradicate homelessness
urgent it is to eradicate homelessness altogether so how can we utilize
altogether so how can we utilize
altogether so how can we utilize design-thinking
design-thinking
design-thinking to come up with potential solutions for
to come up with potential solutions for
to come up with potential solutions for issues such as homelessness well I’d
issues such as homelessness well I’d
issues such as homelessness well I’d like to tell you a little story about my
like to tell you a little story about my
like to tell you a little story about my very first hackathon on March 15 2017 I
very first hackathon on March 15 2017 I
very first hackathon on March 15 2017 I attended Sola hoc which stands for South
attended Sola hoc which stands for South
attended Sola hoc which stands for South Los Angeles hackathon and at the time I
Los Angeles hackathon and at the time I
Los Angeles hackathon and at the time I was not completely sure what a hackathon
was not completely sure what a hackathon
was not completely sure what a hackathon even was since I had only been studying
even was since I had only been studying
even was since I had only been studying user experience design formally for
user experience design formally for
user experience design formally for about two weeks I thought we might be
about two weeks I thought we might be
about two weeks I thought we might be hacking into computers or something but
hacking into computers or something but
hacking into computers or something but I wasn’t sure but I soon found out we
I wasn’t sure but I soon found out we
I wasn’t sure but I soon found out we would be designing potential technology
would be designing potential technology
would be designing potential technology solutions for the issues facing our
solutions for the issues facing our
solutions for the issues facing our communities Zanetti Smith and Julien
communities Zanetti Smith and Julien
communities Zanetti Smith and Julien SCAF organizers of Sola hack presented
SCAF organizers of Sola hack presented
SCAF organizers of Sola hack presented research on the socio-economic issues
research on the socio-economic issues
research on the socio-economic issues facing south Los Angeles today they then
facing south Los Angeles today they then
facing south Los Angeles today they then asked us to break off into groups of
asked us to break off into groups of
asked us to break off into groups of three and challenged us to come up with
three and challenged us to come up with
three and challenged us to come up with ways to improve the well-being of people
ways to improve the well-being of people
ways to improve the well-being of people in our society they told us we would
in our society they told us we would
in our society they told us we would have four hours to do so and I will be
have four hours to do so and I will be
have four hours to do so and I will be honest my initial response was well how
honest my initial response was well how
honest my initial response was well how am I going to create a mobile
am I going to create a mobile
am I going to create a mobile application
application
application or websites or anything else that will
or websites or anything else that will
or websites or anything else that will solve for issues as complex as
solve for issues as complex as
solve for issues as complex as gentrification or homelessness or food
gentrification or homelessness or food
gentrification or homelessness or food deserts and do so in four hours but I
deserts and do so in four hours but I
deserts and do so in four hours but I realized my thought process was faulty
realized my thought process was faulty
realized my thought process was faulty for many reasons and the main reason
for many reasons and the main reason
for many reasons and the main reason being that I was too intimidated by
being that I was too intimidated by
being that I was too intimidated by these large and complex issues to begin
these large and complex issues to begin
these large and complex issues to begin thinking at all and so I challenged
thinking at all and so I challenged
thinking at all and so I challenged myself to begin thinking my team and I
myself to begin thinking my team and I
myself to begin thinking my team and I decided we wanted to address the
decided we wanted to address the
decided we wanted to address the challenges of homelessness and so we
challenges of homelessness and so we
challenges of homelessness and so we began to brainstorm we took out a bunch
began to brainstorm we took out a bunch
began to brainstorm we took out a bunch of post-it notes and each individually
of post-it notes and each individually
of post-it notes and each individually wrote down our ideas we probably came up
wrote down our ideas we probably came up
wrote down our ideas we probably came up with about six or seven each and then
with about six or seven each and then
with about six or seven each and then put them on the wall to discuss and
put them on the wall to discuss and
put them on the wall to discuss and synthesize and I noticed that during
synthesize and I noticed that during
synthesize and I noticed that during this process I was doubting a lot of my
this process I was doubting a lot of my
this process I was doubting a lot of my ideas I thought are we trying to
ideas I thought are we trying to
ideas I thought are we trying to incorporate too many features into one
incorporate too many features into one
incorporate too many features into one application or are these ideas actually
application or are these ideas actually
application or are these ideas actually going to solve the issues were trying to
going to solve the issues were trying to
going to solve the issues were trying to address but I realized that during this
address but I realized that during this
address but I realized that during this process we must remember to ID without
process we must remember to ID without
process we must remember to ID without judgment which means to allow ourselves
judgment which means to allow ourselves
judgment which means to allow ourselves to think of ideas that may or may not
to think of ideas that may or may not
to think of ideas that may or may not work knowing that we’ll have the chance
work knowing that we’ll have the chance
work knowing that we’ll have the chance to test them later and find out a couple
to test them later and find out a couple
to test them later and find out a couple of things stood out to my team and I
of things stood out to my team and I
of things stood out to my team and I walls Aneta was presenting her research
walls Aneta was presenting her research
walls Aneta was presenting her research number one the growth of social
number one the growth of social
number one the growth of social enterprises in Los Angeles such as
enterprises in Los Angeles such as
enterprises in Los Angeles such as goodwill la Kitchen Downtown Women’s
goodwill la Kitchen Downtown Women’s
goodwill la Kitchen Downtown Women’s Center and homeboy industries and number
Center and homeboy industries and number
Center and homeboy industries and number two that the majority of people who are
two that the majority of people who are
two that the majority of people who are homeless do own or have access to
homeless do own or have access to
homeless do own or have access to cellphones and so with this information
cellphones and so with this information
cellphones and so with this information my team and I conceptualized a mobile
my team and I conceptualized a mobile
my team and I conceptualized a mobile application called open door open door
application called open door open door
application called open door open door connects people who are homeless with
connects people who are homeless with
connects people who are homeless with social enterprises that are interested
social enterprises that are interested
social enterprises that are interested in hiring them as well as housing
in hiring them as well as housing
in hiring them as well as housing developers who have an affordable
developers who have an affordable
developers who have an affordable housing quota to me
housing quota to me
housing quota to me and home owners or renters who have a
and home owners or renters who have a
and home owners or renters who have a sofa or a guest bedroom to lend out a
sofa or a guest bedroom to lend out a
sofa or a guest bedroom to lend out a couple of months after the hackathon I
couple of months after the hackathon I
couple of months after the hackathon I was scrolling down my Facebook feed and
was scrolling down my Facebook feed and
was scrolling down my Facebook feed and I stumbled upon a sponsored ad for a new
I stumbled upon a sponsored ad for a new
I stumbled upon a sponsored ad for a new platform by Airbnb called open homes and
platform by Airbnb called open homes and
platform by Airbnb called open homes and open homes has a very similar premise to
open homes has a very similar premise to
open homes has a very similar premise to open door open homes allows people to
open door open homes allows people to
open door open homes allows people to host refugees a vacuous and others in
host refugees a vacuous and others in
host refugees a vacuous and others in times of need in their homes free of
times of need in their homes free of
times of need in their homes free of charge and I believe that this platform
charge and I believe that this platform
charge and I believe that this platform could be instrumental in housing the
could be instrumental in housing the
could be instrumental in housing the homeless population of Los Angeles as
homeless population of Los Angeles as
homeless population of Los Angeles as well it’s great to see that a feature of
well it’s great to see that a feature of
well it’s great to see that a feature of open door is now live and a reality I
open door is now live and a reality I
open door is now live and a reality I think what’s most important to note
think what’s most important to note
think what’s most important to note about open door is that it was
about open door is that it was
about open door is that it was conceptualized by three ladies with
conceptualized by three ladies with
conceptualized by three ladies with little to no tech experience who were
little to no tech experience who were
little to no tech experience who were unfamiliar with the Design Thinking
unfamiliar with the Design Thinking
unfamiliar with the Design Thinking framework one of my team members is a
framework one of my team members is a
framework one of my team members is a fine art student with an emphasis in
fine art student with an emphasis in
fine art student with an emphasis in graphic design and sculpture design and
graphic design and sculpture design and
graphic design and sculpture design and our third team member is a research
our third team member is a research
our third team member is a research coordinator in medical research and
coordinator in medical research and
coordinator in medical research and despite having no experience in
despite having no experience in
despite having no experience in technology these ladies decided to
technology these ladies decided to
technology these ladies decided to attend the same hackathon as I did they
attend the same hackathon as I did they
attend the same hackathon as I did they came to think and to share their ideas
came to think and to share their ideas
came to think and to share their ideas which allowed open door to come into
which allowed open door to come into
which allowed open door to come into fruition and for me to tell you about it
fruition and for me to tell you about it
fruition and for me to tell you about it today
I told Reba about the app she told me
I told Reba about the app she told me she thought it was a great concept but
she thought it was a great concept but
she thought it was a great concept but she had a recommendation and her
she had a recommendation and her
she had a recommendation and her recommendation was to incorporate a
recommendation was to incorporate a
recommendation was to incorporate a place in the app where users could
place in the app where users could
place in the app where users could access resources such as mental health
access resources such as mental health
access resources such as mental health and wellness services Reba is already a
and wellness services Reba is already a
and wellness services Reba is already a design thinker by sharing her idea with
design thinker by sharing her idea with
design thinker by sharing her idea with me we’re already improving the concept
me we’re already improving the concept
me we’re already improving the concept of open door but perhaps open door isn’t
of open door but perhaps open door isn’t
of open door but perhaps open door isn’t the perfect solution perhaps there is an
the perfect solution perhaps there is an
the perfect solution perhaps there is an idea in this room that one of you is
idea in this room that one of you is
idea in this room that one of you is hiding that is way better because you
hiding that is way better because you
hiding that is way better because you see the hackathon I went to wasn’t
see the hackathon I went to wasn’t
see the hackathon I went to wasn’t necessarily the ideal space for Design
necessarily the ideal space for Design
necessarily the ideal space for Design Thinking and that’s because we didn’t
Thinking and that’s because we didn’t
Thinking and that’s because we didn’t have access to those who face the
have access to those who face the
have access to those who face the challenges of homelessness every single
challenges of homelessness every single
challenges of homelessness every single day and we always want to be designing
day and we always want to be designing
day and we always want to be designing with rather than four in addition we
with rather than four in addition we
with rather than four in addition we didn’t have your perspective present and
didn’t have your perspective present and
didn’t have your perspective present and in order for Design Thinking to function
in order for Design Thinking to function
in order for Design Thinking to function at its highest potential
at its highest potential
at its highest potential we need people from all walks of life to
we need people from all walks of life to
we need people from all walks of life to partake and so I challenge each of you
partake and so I challenge each of you
partake and so I challenge each of you to think and to share your ideas and to
to think and to share your ideas and to
to think and to share your ideas and to come together to design our own future
come together to design our own future
come together to design our own future thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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