This collaborative Design Community Hub proposal from various designers in our community (see contributors below!) proposes a gathering space for all things design at Devcon. Designers, creatives, founders, developers, and curious minds can stop by and learn more about the design process through interactive, engaging activities, or take a break from the conference chatter to create and play. Inspired by the design room at Devcon Prague, the Design Community Hub would be the space where:
Designers can hang out and meet each other
Hosts design orientated interactive activities, experiences and intimate breakouts like Onboarding and User Research Programming
Becomes the meeting point for developers and founders to engage with designers or see various design processes showcased through activities
Provides a break from “conference” chatter and transforms into a cool makerspace (making music, screenprints, etc) for the curious to play
Audience:
The Design Hub will serve as a space for anyone to stop by, but we anticipate a particular focus on:
Founders & Developers who are interested in learning more about Web3 design or meeting designers
Designers interested in meeting other designers or using the space as a hangout or meeting point/room
Artists and other creatives interested in making or meeting other creatives
PMs or Marketing folks who may want to join user-centered vibes
Programming & Activities
How can we make it a cool place for people to come by? The various programming and activities are designed in mind for interaction of all personalities, from the introverted to extroverted.
Programming
Below are proposed sessions, a day-by-day schedule in the works:
UX Audits (@amy-jung): 45 minute sessions where founders/developers are paired with a designer for 1:1 product/protocol feedback.
UX Research Advice (@georak): 60 minute window every day, for anyone to drop in on a group discussion with a user researcher on tactical recruitment or interview question writing.
Basic How2 of UX Research (@Diegomazo): Session covering topics like How2 select the right user, How2 do a interview guide, How2 run an interview, How2 analyze, How2 share it with the team/client
Meet with a Designer (@jouni): Pre-booked meeting times for early stage founders/builders to request help from designers on a specific topic ahead of time.
Music Jam Session (@jonny): Come make some music and jam
Web3 Designers Onboarding Breakout (Mind the gap between web2 and web3) (@Diegomazo): Breakout for new designers to onboard onto the web3 space or buy-in for founders looking to meet and hire designers/researchers.
Other Activities & Resources
Ad Hoc Meeting Corner: Ad hoc sessions where people can breakout to have discussions. Example: Field Day Gathering Space, The Future of Web3 Design (trends, tools and tips) (@Diegomazo)
UX Research Resource Pack (@georak ): QR code people can scan and get example discussion guides and cheat sheets
Free Booklet/PDF on Teaching Empathy (@jouni)
Hiring Board: A board for people to post work opportunities
Physical User Research Survey (@hesterbruikman): An easy, visual activity where people passing by the hub can contribute to research (for example, candy in a jar for voting one form or another). People can leave contact details for a digitized version of the results and option to sign up to participate in further user research studies.
Collaborative Mural: Big canvas where people can contribute
Makerspace Corner (@amy-jung): An area with materials (like raspberry pis, paper, VR Tilt Brush, etc) dedicated to creative exploration and making
Interactive Games: Sit down for a few moments to play chess, backgammon, twister, solve rubrik’s cubes, and more
Coffee / Matcha / Kava Bar: Sip and chill
Contributors
List of dedicated people that will organize, oversee and be responsible for the Design Community Hub:
Below is how we imagine the space being segmented:
“Breakout”: Quieter, slightly closed off area with a chill, circular seating (couches, beanbags) to create intimate, smaller group breakouts. Option to connect to display / projector.
“Play-Station”: More structured area to play with 3-4 smaller tables, 1 Large Table. To be used as a makerspace, games area, hold printouts / resources.
“Slow Stir”: Smaller area next to the Coffee/Matcha/Kava bar for 1:1 conversations
Outdoor access (if possible)
Equipment details are optimistic and expected to be finalized depending on the space:
Equipment
Provided by Devcon?
Lead
X# Power Sources / Extension Cable
Yes?
1 Display or Projector
Yes
Monitor for (UX Research Advice)
Yes?
2 Couches, 3-4 Beanbags (Depends on size of space)
Yes?
Strong, reliable, (preferably one dedicated to the space) wifi!
Thanks for pushing this through @amy-jung been waiting for it! For context, there are more talks of having Music have it’s own presence at the event so maybe Jonny can tap into that as well Music Sessions | Open Mic Stage - #19 by Rose.
In addition, if the event venue already had it’s own play, music, puzzles, and coffee areas, would you still want those included the UX Hub?
Love this proposal, thank you for putting it together @amy-jung!
We are currently looking into options for getting a closed room / quiet space for the UX audits part.
As Aqeel also outlined above, some ideas may overlap with other initiatives at Devcon. I’m sure we can somehow collaborate on those.
General update on the process: The RFP is open until end of this week. Shortly after this (beginning of next week), we will share which Community Hub proposals got accepted and will work with those accepted teams to fine-tune the proposals / hubs.
Yes, I think the hub is more about creating the meeting point for designers and others interested in design to come together. These activities / experiences allow interaction to be more natural. Also having more games and coffees doesn’t sound too bad
Really appreciate you and the team for looking into it! If you need more context to feedback from previous years regarding space layout, please see this retrospective report.
Yes, I’m open to collaborating as referenced in @hesterbruikman comment regarding sharing with UXR.
Couldn’t edit the proposal above, but I wanted to make a note that we’ll also be adding one more to the programming:
Iain from Zora who’s going to have some really cool hardware projects/workshops for the makerspace of the hub. He’s deployed these projects in the makerspace at ETHDenver so I’m super excited for him to bring it to our hub! https://twitter.com/isqueeniee/status/1494905834048008195/photo/4
He will come up with some sample projects that can get people making fun little HCI and physical ux at the event
@franzihei do you have any update regarding a closed quiet room for UX audit and Live UXR to share? For the Live UXR proposal we’d need to have some idea on what to expect. Else I’m afraid it will be a crunch to complete preparations (inviting teams to participate, preparing studyplans, recruiting participants). Much appreciate you looking into options for this!
We would like to thank you again for putting together this proposal!
With this post, I’d like to inform you that your proposal was chosen for this year’s Devcon Community Space!
What’s next?
In order to confirm the commitment from your side we would like to ask you to submit a DIP in our DIP repository. This is for us to keep track of all community initiatives and will also show your Community Hub in the DIPs section of the devcon.org website (Contribute — Devcon Bogotá, Oct 11 → 14).
We will work together with our production team to get you the exact dimensions of the space and other production details.
We will get back to you on details of your envisioned program and will try to support you with feedback as best as we can to help you bring a great experience to Devcon!
Again, thank you for showing initiative to contribute to the experience and we can’t wait to see your Community Hub come alive at Devcon Bogotá!
Great thank you! For the Kava bar… maybe this is an opportunity to collaborate with @serg4peace who also proposed hot chocolate for the event. But everything drinks etc needs to be coordinated with production as well. Just leaving this here since I believe it could be a cool fit!
Also, since I can’t edit the proposal, quick update, Jouni / Aave is not certain he can make it to Devcon therefore his “Meet with a Designer” is pending!
Hola Amy, great to connect with you. Loved the vision of the community hub. Let’s explore how we can conspire for good! You could reach me at sergio@choco4peace.com.
We could have a chat on Monday at 9am (EST)?
Hi @amy-jung , it’s sad that Jouni / Aave may not make it. If this happen, please count on me I can take over this part. Will sync with him on what he envisioned there so we can make it happen in full.
@amy-jung Thank you for kickstarting the Design Hub!
I’m a designer and creative dir. at DWeb, DWeb Camp and (now occasionally, prev. full time) Jolocom, and a host of DWebDesign meetups in Berlin.
I would love to get involved in co-creating the Design Hub. Besides backing up the Meet-a-designer activity, I can facilitate sessions on two topics: Branding and pre-onboarding UX — workshop How we can get more experienced designers to join DWeb orgs? — a discussion and workshop.
Awesome, would love to have you involved! What’s your telegram or email? (I’m OOO/offline until 22nd) but feel free to ping me (email is in the DIP) and I’ll follow up when I get back
Inspired by the design room at Devcon Prague, the Design Community Hub would be the space where:
Audience:
Programming & Activities
Programming
Other Activities & Resources
Contributors
Equipment/Production Needs
