{
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    "title": "Home on Superbloom",
    "description": "Recent content in Home on Superbloom",
    "home_page_url": "https://superbloom.design/",
    "feed_url": "https://superbloom.design/index.json",
    "language": "en-US",
    "icon": "https://superbloom.design/android-chrome-512x512.png",
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    "items": [
        {
            "title": "Join Us As A Coach",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-12T18:02:36-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/coaches/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/coaches/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIf you enjoy mentoring and supporting teams working on public interest technology, we’d love to hear from you!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom has been offering coaching since it was founded in 2014. Initially, we focused on UX/UI/product related topics. We now offer a broader array of topics – from communications, project management, community management, and fundraising, to graphic design, branding, documentation, and conference presentations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re currently accepting applications for paid coaches. Read on to see if it might be a fit for you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"our-coaching-partners\"\u003eOur coaching partners\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the moment, most teams we work with are funded by the \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e, a program of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-the-prototype-fund\"\u003eAbout the Prototype Fund\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Prototype Fund supports individuals and small teams in testing ideas and developing open source tools and applications in tech that benefits the public interest. Topic areas often include civic tech, open data, IT security and software infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach six-month Prototype Fund round supports 25 projects, each of which receive up to \u003cstrong\u003efour hours\u003c/strong\u003e of coaching from Superbloom. Generally teams opt for \u003cstrong\u003etwo 2-hour sessions\u003c/strong\u003e, but the projects are allowed to use their four hours of coaching how they prefer. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Prototype Fund is based in Berlin, Germany and the program is conducted in German. However, if you don’t speak German, nearly all teams are happy to be coached in English.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-were-looking-for\"\u003eWhat we’re looking for\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeep practical experience on a wide variety of open-source, civic tech, and/ or public interest tech projects, in any capacity:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container container--columns columns-3\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"columns\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelopment\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunity work\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunications\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFundraising\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAcademic research\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eListening skills\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReliability and trustworthiness\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe are especially looking for coaches who:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan coach in languages other than English\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre based in EMEA, Asia, and Oceania time zones\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"sessions\"\u003eSessions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a coach, you should be prepared for each session to be different from the last. Some projects come with a long list of discussion points. Others have a very specific project query. Still others need more assurance or help with organising their project. We provide tools and training to guide you in structuring many different types of sessions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"time-commitment-and-booking-system\"\u003eTime commitment and booking system\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenerally, you will coach up to four hours/month, often less.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use a booking system, \u003ca href=\"https://cal.com\"\u003ecal.com\u003c/a\u003e, where teams can book time slots with coaches. As a coach, you need to set several time slots as “free,” though they may not necessarily be booked for a session. We’ll remind you to update your availability periodically. Projects generally book a week or two in advance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou will need to make blocks of at least 90 minutes available for booking at a CET friendly time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"live-or-remote\"\u003eLive or remote?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the most part, sessions are held remotely. Prototype Fund sessions may also take place in Berlin if both the coach and the team are based there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"rates\"\u003eRates\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer all coaches a rate of $90 per hour. You are paid for the time you spend coaching and writing up notes. If applicable, we will also reimburse local transportation costs to a maximum of $20 per day.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou may, of course, coach on a volunteer basis if you prefer. Let us know what works best for you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"our-coaching-team\"\u003eOur coaching team\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur coaching team is made up of current Superbloom team members, past Superbloom collaborators, and people from our wider network. You can check out some of our current coaches \u003ca href=\"about/people/#coaches\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e. This is a program that we hope to grow over the coming years as it continues to be a successful model for projects. Relationships started during coaching sessions often lead to follow-on collaborations.  If you have ideas of folks who would be good to connect with as coaches, we welcome suggestions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"next-steps\"\u003eNext steps\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’d like to join our coaching team, please email \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003ecoaching@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. We’d like to know:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat do you feel you can offer teams?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy are you interested in coaching?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat languages do you speak, and what time zone are you in?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ll get in touch to arrange a short interview. If we decide it’s a good fit, we need a bio, photo, a list of your interests/specialities, a web link, time zone, and languages spoken. Then we will set you up with a contract, then connect you with a team member for an intro/onboarding session. We do most of the coordination around teams/sessions in a channel in our Slack, so we would also ask you to join Slack.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are unsure about whether this is a fit for you, you are welcome to shadow a session or two to learn more. Write us at \u003ca href=\"https://www.notion.so/10355d7356e747f8b17ca78b4ae5028e?pvs=21\"\u003ecoaching@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Mentoring Packages for Funders \u0026 Fiscal Hosts.",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-12T18:02:36-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/funders/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/funders/",
            "content_html": "\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner section-hero img-right\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch3 id=\"we-incubate-values-driven-practitioner-movements-through-fiscal-sponsorship\"\u003eWe incubate values-driven practitioner movements through fiscal sponsorship.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom leverages fiscal sponsorship as a tool to support the growth and maturity of the digital rights and Internet Freedom communities, with a focus on human-centered research and design. Projects can seek and receive tax-exempt contributions and grant support without delay, bypassing the costly, burdensome and lengthy process of creating a free-standing organization with its own infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince 2014, Superbloom has operated as a remote, international team. We work with diverse types of funding, including US Government, European Commission, and foundation grants, and offer various contracting options to fit the needs of our fiscally sponsored projects in the US and internationally.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--img\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"sectionpic\" src=\"/images/about-us/illustration-lego.svg\" alt=\"Illustration of placing a lego piece.\" /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\n\u003ch1 id=\"what-is-the-accompaniment-youve-dreamed-of-for-your-grantees-investees-and-fsps\"\u003eWhat is the accompaniment you’ve dreamed of for your grantees, investees, and FSPs?\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a US 501(c)3 nonprofit, we’ve been providing practical and strategic support for public interest, open source, and nonprofit tech projects for almost 10 years.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe know the field, and we’re here to help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"what-we-offer\"\u003eWhat we offer\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarting from these three building blocks, we create an accompaniment program that fits you and your projects. We take a collaborative approach to building the coaching and mentoring offering that your teams really need.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTargeted 1:1 problem-solving sessions focused on the needs of your projects.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Ask Me Anything”\u003c/em\u003e sessions with a panel of coaches: teams bring your questions and we work on them together.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReusable tool and template creation for your program.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also offer coaching for individual teams. If you’re an independent project, see Coaching and Mentoring from Superbloom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"who-we-work-with\"\u003eWho we work with\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe work with funders and fiscal hosts who support public interest, open source, and nonprofit tech projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of our past and current partners include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[Partner grid from main page, but ONLY PARTNERS THAT ARE FUNDERS]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s what we keep in mind as we support teams:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container container--columns columns-1\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"columns\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Our work\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrivacy first.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSecurity-aware.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGenerous with credit.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCentering marginalized voices.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen-source whenever possible.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLifting, supporting, and growing the community.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbstaining from unnecessary data collection.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTransparent and mindful about any use of AI.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\nIf this sounds like you, too, we may be a good match. Write to us and let’s get to know each other.\n\u003ch1 id=\"our-topics\"\u003eOur topics\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have supported teams with these topics and more. If you’re looking for a specific topic you don’t see here, \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003ejust ask us\u003c/a\u003e! We can source the expertise from our broad network of technologists, funders, and mentors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container container--columns columns-3\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"columns\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUX design + product strategy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterface design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIllustration + visual design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser research\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInformation architecture\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWriting + communication\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccessibility\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBranding\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eData handling\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNaming\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConference presentations\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGovernance\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeam dynamics\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorkflows\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGDPR + privacy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorkshop + facilitation design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocumentation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLicensing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFundraising + sustainability\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNarratives + framing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen source community dynamics\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen processes\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign tooling\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsability\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"our-coaches\"\u003eOur coaches\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe select coaches who have a deep expertise in tech topics, a talent for sharing and explaining knowledge, and a wide, up-to-date professional network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach coach has extensive training and onboarding to ensure that they provide teams with a smooth, efficient experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"cards coaches\"\u003e\n  \n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/lisa-baird\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Lisa Baird\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKpr9j45tNfFkOup29\u0026#43;/gQEAAD//zhNCIqHpcA\u0026#43;AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/lisa-baird_tone_hu_a5fa93d2b41af163.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Lisa Baird\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGI5d\u0026#43;4cGxsby4EDB5iYmAABAAD//ylIBMvM4knZAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/lisa-baird-b_w_hu_b560cf6609d782b8.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/lisa-baird/\"\u003elisa baird\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/johanna-barnbeck\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Johanna Barnbeck\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGKpTJ/HxMHFws/xX0ORERAAAP//GAoC\u0026#43;9ASF8MAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/johanna-barnbeck_tone_hu_13f97a9fa8e120d.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Johanna Barnbeck\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGKZPHkyDw8Pi5CQkLCwMCAAAP//F9ICVacX6c8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/johanna-barnbeck_bnw_hu_bbf840d279488a24.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/johanna-barnbeck/\"\u003ejohanna barnbeck\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/tori-boeck\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Tori Boeck\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGIpLVjP\u0026#43;fkpi7m\u0026#43;qJIAPyAAAP//JkMEOlT5MQAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/tori-boeck_tone_hu_2da78cbdf743447d.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Tori Boeck\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGJ2d3fn5\u0026#43;dnsba2ZmFhAQQAAP//D3IBx\u0026#43;o/unUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/tori-boeck-b_w_hu_dfa79f2e1c71e0f4.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/tori-boeck/\"\u003etori boeck\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/victory\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Victory Brown\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKpSJxmLfaOiYv5rxrfZ0AAAAD//yGuBOZu17r/AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/victory-brown_tone_hu_a0daa8492cda2bc1.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Victory Brown\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKpr69/8OAB08ePH1\u0026#43;/fg0IAAD//z1xCbj2yXaVAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/victory-brown-b_w_hu_f7533ef620108155.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/victory/\"\u003evictory brown\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"design researcher\"\u003e\n    design researcher\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/georgia\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Georgia Bullen\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGIpLtz078c3Ftfv26X4/gECAAD//zg0B6QjMzv2AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/georgia_tone_hu_dee64dda1e13c690.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Georgia Bullen\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJZsGABJycno6Oj4\u0026#43;/fvwEBAAD//yFxBbXO4XC\u0026#43;AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/georgia_bw_hu_17397bb2b3338513.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/georgia/\"\u003egeorgia bullen\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"executive director\"\u003e\n    executive director\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/ann-marie\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Ann Marie Carrothers\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGJpzl8owP6HRZb7u5YcOyAAAP//IWkEHZcc/qEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/ann-marie-carrothers_tone_hu_7a02c6e210a613cb.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Ann Marie Carrothers\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGIxNzfn4uJikZKS4uPjAwQAAP//CwYBRCcP5ZMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/ann-marie-carrothers-b_w_hu_ac7966b3de113f89.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/ann-marie/\"\u003eann marie carrothers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"lead, public privates\"\u003e\n    lead, public privates\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/pooja\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Pooja Channaveerappa\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLZ2DTpz8\u0026#43;fLPz87GKCvIAAAAD//zFQBRXvx1KDAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/poojay-tone_hu_656a8a1296546bba.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Pooja Channaveerappa\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJpbW39//8/y\u0026#43;/fvxkZGQEBAAD//zy2B4m2W5zMAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/poojay-b_w_hu_bd37dd070d0cad3e.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/pooja/\"\u003epooja channaveerappa\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/jan\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Jan Dittrich\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGK5NWvq5RcsLDdZ1F4yfAIEAAD//zMIBq\u0026#43;pc7r0AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/jan-dittrich_tone_hu_f912c02037a49ef2.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Jan Dittrich\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAHklEQVR4nGJJSUn5LyMj84dFVlaWgZubmwEQAAD//zG8A/xeMkX6AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/jan-dittrich-bnw_hu_36c352e75257c46d.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/jan/\"\u003ejan dittrich\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"design researcher\"\u003e\n    design researcher\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/meag-doherty\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Meag Doherty\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGIpjJ78X0qK/z/j8S2n/2tyv/0PCAAA//9JxwkLyi47IgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/meag-doherty_tone_hu_bc0df48c5c48e3bf.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Meag Doherty\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGIJCgqys7Nj8vX1/f//PyAAAP//HOMFm6uiVAYAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/meag-doherty-b_w_hu_94c2357527737b40.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/meag-doherty/\"\u003emeag doherty\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/ame\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Ame Elliott\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJxD1juo8/AEix0SejFd0AAAAD//xwaBOo/\u0026#43;j0tAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/ame-elliott-duotone_hu_d264a6d23843d619.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Ame Elliott\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGKxsLAwNjZm1NbWZmRkBAQAAP//EBkBywT8c1oAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/ame-elliott-b-w_hu_3076c5640fb50617.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/ame/\"\u003eame elliott\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"senior fellow\"\u003e\n    senior fellow\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/memo-esparza\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Memo Esparza\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGLJjpnFxi/AYsx8Q4npOyAAAP//GAQDuKRNrIkAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/memo-esparza_tone_hu_a2b7aed40100579.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Memo Esparza\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGKRlJRUU1NjZmJiYmBgAAQAAP//B/8Ay4RB\u0026#43;88AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/memo-esparza-b_w_hu_f1a2014d9ffd06fe.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/memo-esparza/\"\u003ememo esparza\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/laura-gaetano\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Laura Gaetano\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLJy1zF/usji7\u0026#43;VIOcfZkAAAAD//yggBR52nPOlAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/laura-gaetano_tone_hu_5a930ead2f683d2d.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Laura Gaetano\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAHElEQVR4nGLZvHnz06dPmT59\u0026#43;vT9\u0026#43;3dAAAAA//9FnwqKSlVw7AAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/laura-gaetano-b_w_hu_5cea726fa7644eef.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/laura-gaetano/\"\u003elaura gaetano\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/allen-gunn\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Allen Gunn\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKZMuHQjyf3WMR\u0026#43;PhJmvA4IAAD//zmbB4UKrAkeAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/allen-gunn_tone_hu_f3531261e0ef05b1.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Allen Gunn\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAHElEQVR4nGK5e/funTt3WE6dOrVnzx5AAAAA//9G6AnGQgceywAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/allen-gunn-b_w_hu_dd5c4e1d8669c744.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/allen-gunn/\"\u003eallen gunn\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/sumana\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Sumana Harihareswara\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKJj1umLfydRZfntQ33M0AAAAD//yF2BPLf07huAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/sumana-harihareswara_tone_hu_399d6934840cf35f.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Sumana Harihareswara\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAHElEQVR4nGLZtm3b06dPWc6ePXvjxg1AAAAA//9DNAnJ0fWyMQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/sumana-harihareswara-b_w_hu_7f48a77e19fc9d1e.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/sumana/\"\u003esumana harihareswara\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/kj-hepworth\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"K J Hepworth\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGKZUDzz/\u0026#43;P3TP9ZeAR4GFzU2RkAAQAA//9LmQYRpfqzbAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/kj-hepworth-tone_hu_9023ee26c0fde047.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"K J Hepworth\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGIpKytjYWFhUVJS\u0026#43;vv3LyAAAP//GVIE1EW5yt0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/kj-hepworth-b_w_hu_b3e8fbaf36ffe1b5.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/kj-hepworth/\"\u003ek j hepworth\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/dan-hon\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Dan Hon\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGIpSZ3/X15B5D\u0026#43;TgeB7Bi5eLgZAAAAA//87jAUhyVd4XQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/dan-hon_tone_hu_5f0ff89aa15ccf25.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Dan Hon\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLZv38/Jycn04ULF9jZ2QEBAAD//yh9BOSKhM4MAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/dan-hon-b_w_hu_6ca1424b5ca591d.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/dan-hon/\"\u003edan hon\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/justina-leston\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Justina Leston\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGIpzF7Jzs7CeGr3pQ9f/gACAAD//yRVBtQZLdy6AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/justina-leston_tone_hu_45297f813434932b.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Justina Leston\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJZsGABHx8fi46Ozv///wEBAAD//yDqBZRWrQMrAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/justina-leston-b_w_hu_eabc420f146f8ea4.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/justina-leston/\"\u003ejustina leston\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/geoffrey-macdougall\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Geoffrey MacDougall\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGLpa9n2X0CQ6z\u0026#43;L3P8nDOwMogyAAAAA//9ETwYXts0qAQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/geoffrey-macdougall_tone_hu_71b5cee5bac3f815.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Geoffrey MacDougall\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLJzs6WlJRkevv27devXwEBAAD//yWkBzm5eoxdAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/geoffrey-macdougall-b_w_hu_c5d46d5585fc83c1.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/geoffrey-macdougall/\"\u003egeoffrey macdougall\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/julia-racsko\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Júlia Racskó\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGJJz9rAxcHM4mQmKC7KAQgAAP//Fj4CXNuOCbAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/julia-racsko-duotone_hu_a2e12006cc103178.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Júlia Racskó\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wCEACgcHiMeGSgjISMtKygwPGRBPDc3PHtYXUlkkYCZlo\u0026#43;AjIqgtObDoKrarYqMyP/L2u71////m8H////6/\u0026#43;b9//gBKy0tPDU8dkFBdviljKX4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;P/AABEIAAIAAgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAGiAAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAUGBwgJCgsQAAIBAwMCBAMFBQQEAAABfQECAwAEEQUSITFBBhNRYQcicRQygZGhCCNCscEVUtHwJDNicoIJChYXGBkaJSYnKCkqNDU2Nzg5OkNERUZHSElKU1RVVldYWVpjZGVmZ2hpanN0dXZ3eHl6g4SFhoeIiYqSk5SVlpeYmZqio6Slpqeoqaqys7S1tre4ubrCw8TFxsfIycrS09TV1tfY2drh4uPk5ebn6Onq8fLz9PX29/j5\u0026#43;gEAAwEBAQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAECAwQFBgcICQoLEQACAQIEBAMEBwUEBAABAncAAQIDEQQFITEGEkFRB2FxEyIygQgUQpGhscEJIzNS8BVictEKFiQ04SXxFxgZGiYnKCkqNTY3ODk6Q0RFRkdISUpTVFVWV1hZWmNkZWZnaGlqc3R1dnd4eXqCg4SFhoeIiYqSk5SVlpeYmZqio6Slpqeoqaqys7S1tre4ubrCw8TFxsfIycrS09TV1tfY2dri4\u0026#43;Tl5ufo6ery8/T19vf4\u0026#43;fr/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AL1FFJTA/9k=\" data-src=\"/images/drawing-ii-salon_hu_ded13f4cfbfb9c92.jpg\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/julia-racsko/\"\u003ejúlia racskó\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/schirin-lucie-richter\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Schirin Lucie Richter\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKpyV0i\u0026#43;OslCxfLPzkFGUAAAAD//yiQBPB0nxliAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/schirin-lucie-richter_tone_hu_d015bbec5d4df4bf.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Schirin Lucie Richter\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGJWVVXl5ORkYWdn19XVBQQAAP//B/IBLi8oJ94AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/schirin-lucie-richter-b_w_hu_4505d105fcab615b.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/schirin-lucie-richter/\"\u003eschirin lucie richter\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/romain\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Romain Robert\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJJSljGz/qbxZPvGsvPT4AAAAD//yHdBZyaJiFRAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/romain-robert-tone_hu_c155c2b90eba6f5e.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Romain Robert\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAIElEQVR4nGLZu3fv/3fv3v1jDAwM/P/x48d/gAAAAP//ckAMxxlFTloAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/romain-robert-b_w_hu_c409f76d78e2b45f.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/romain/\"\u003eromain robert\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/jon-rogers\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Jon Rogers\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGIpK1jHys7GEmDMys3NBggAAP//FusCU8hpVhUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/jon-rogers_tone_hu_a2e7f5a82ebd7d1d.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Jon Rogers\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJpa2v7\u0026#43;/cvCwcHx79//wABAAD//zRVB6TuZV8HAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/jon-rogers-b_w_hu_71707a1c6713aad.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/jon-rogers/\"\u003ejon rogers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"professor of design and creative technology, northumbria university\"\u003e\n    professor of design and creative technology, northumbria university\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/saptak\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Saptak S\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJZmlHJxcHEJM32ieH/f0AAAAD//xsJBLKyyDBQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/saptak-s_tone_hu_a8c210a09a9d9831.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Saptak S\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGLx9fUVExNjYmRkZGVlBQQAAP//DacBQqwiXq0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/saptak-s-b_w_hu_b49149c005bc2e9f.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/saptak/\"\u003esaptak s\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/abhishek\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Abhishek Sharma\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLpK5n7h0uYxdpM6vlPHkAAAAD//yYcBTg\u0026#43;uUxjAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/abhi_tone_hu_139ee33c04c7befb.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Abhishek Sharma\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGKZPXv2f3Fx8f9M379/Z/j//z8DIAAA//9V2gn9S/OvbAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/abhishek-sharma-b_w_hu_3c474648262868b8.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/abhishek/\"\u003eabhishek sharma\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"senior designer\"\u003e\n    senior designer\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/lisa\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Lisa Steingräber\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGKpKNvGy/6PxUBTUJSPGRAAAP//HxQDTxKG5VQAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/lisa-steingraber_tone_hu_df8e579cc7854a7.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Lisa Steingräber\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGI5fPjwhw8fmFhZWbm5uQEBAAD//zWdBVBRGT2NAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/lisa_s_b_w_hu_fb9a7cd49417ebe2.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/lisa/\"\u003elisa steingräber\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"ux designer \u0026amp; innovation consultant\"\u003e\n    ux designer \u0026amp; innovation consultant\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/matt\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Matt Stempeck\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGIJiV7D8P8/iyPjKTaW/4AAAAD//ycJBXdjJLjjAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/matt_tone_hu_14941c89c2c9d954.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Matt Stempeck\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGKZOGHC35\u0026#43;/fjIyuri4/GVgYGAEBAAA//9W6gdru2MmRAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/matt-stempeck-b_w_hu_db8759d32e2684f7.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/matt/\"\u003ematt stempeck\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"curator, civic tech field guide\"\u003e\n    curator, civic tech field guide\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/rocio-armillas-tiseyra\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Rocío Armillas Tiseyra\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGIJiV7NyvSfRZyfkYXxPyAAAP//GmUDlEFWF4AAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/rocio-armillas-tiseyra-duotone_hu_b4072923f7fff14b.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Rocío Armillas Tiseyra\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGJRkNNiZmJiEdDSZP7zHxAAAP//Ck4C2bBuOIAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/prime_capybara_74131_robotic_llama_-creative_-test_f81c318e-d34d-4082-8188-8c7a06cabff6_1_hu_681e770b3f4ebb70.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/rocio-armillas-tiseyra/\"\u003erocío armillas tiseyra\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/bernard\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Bernard Tyers\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGIpLtz0/99/BgYWU/7n/9nZWRkAAQAA//9NHAbYxpPaaAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/bernard-tyers_tone_hu_183a8fce4814e785.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Bernard Tyers\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGLZt2/fB2FhYUaWu3fv/n/27BkDIAAA//9TJgm11A3izwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/bernard-tyers-b_w_hu_286e0fb556529d84.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/bernard/\"\u003ebernard tyers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"user researcher \u0026amp; interaction designer, sane ux design\"\u003e\n    user researcher \u0026amp; interaction designer, sane ux design\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/james-vasile\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"James Vasile\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGLpbdryj4OdmZGJ5csrBl3\u0026#43;DwyAAAAA//86SQXpmwyvGwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/james-vasile_tone_hu_eb8e4131875ce20f.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"James Vasile\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGJJSkri5ORkYmVlZWdnBwQAAP//D4QBbPowY0IAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/james-vasile-b_w_hu_f76b94010d2f05fc.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/james-vasile/\"\u003ejames vasile\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/nimisha\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Nimisha Vijay\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGLJSZzPyMrGkqB07xWDICAAAP//GtcD3FVM3yoAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/nimisha-vijay-tone_hu_3562f074991ab06b.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Nimisha Vijay\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKZMmWKvLw8Mxsb28ePHwEBAAD//x5wBQZUUeLnAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/nimisha-vijay-b_w_hu_25339899e2d8c533.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/nimisha/\"\u003enimisha vijay\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/veszna\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Veszna Wessenauer\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAH0lEQVR4nGKZ2Lf//\u0026#43;cH9/8zsf7\u0026#43;yiAtxMQACAAA//9j2wi5SWN82gAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/vezna_tone_hu_77f6d3db778028f7.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Veszna Wessenauer\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLu6OgQFBRk\u0026#43;vr164cPHwABAAD//yksB4D0e4dOAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/veszna_bw_hu_7a957138534cc8ad.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/veszna/\"\u003eveszna wessenauer\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"senior program manager\"\u003e\n    senior program manager\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/molly\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Molly Clare Wilson\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJpS5/8X0iayV3t5/2nXwEBAAD//ylfBtKoWMKgAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/molly_tone_hu_240579f172eaaa7.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Molly Clare Wilson\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGJpaGiwtbVlunfv3s\u0026#43;fPwEBAAD//yubB8OavCvFAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/molly-wilson-b_w_hu_8b74124b446a190d.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/molly/\"\u003emolly clare wilson\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"senior designer \u0026amp; researcher\"\u003e\n    senior designer \u0026amp; researcher\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/an-xiao-mina\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"An Xiao Mina\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGKpK1z27\u0026#43;cPFnXO1\u0026#43;L8XwABAAD//zO9BsJqfvI1AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/ax-mina-duotone_hu_40d2cd6b0f197e3b.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"An Xiao Mina\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAHElEQVR4nGK5cvLY1x8/WU6cPnPrzn1AAAAA//9IIgpG34kEWAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" data-src=\"/images/image-3-_hu_820b55a703d7d81f.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/an-xiao-mina/\"\u003ean xiao mina\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/tin-geber\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Tin Geber\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGI5vP7AocvfmT5\u0026#43;\u0026#43;ikrygIIAAD//0AvB9fmGh28AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/tin-geber-duotone_hu_7c1449874f09575e.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Tin Geber\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wCEACgcHiMeGSgjISMtKygwPGRBPDc3PHtYXUlkkYCZlo\u0026#43;AjIqgtObDoKrarYqMyP/L2u71////m8H////6/\u0026#43;b9//gBKy0tPDU8dkFBdviljKX4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;Pj4\u0026#43;P/AABEIAAIAAgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAGiAAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAUGBwgJCgsQAAIBAwMCBAMFBQQEAAABfQECAwAEEQUSITFBBhNRYQcicRQygZGhCCNCscEVUtHwJDNicoIJChYXGBkaJSYnKCkqNDU2Nzg5OkNERUZHSElKU1RVVldYWVpjZGVmZ2hpanN0dXZ3eHl6g4SFhoeIiYqSk5SVlpeYmZqio6Slpqeoqaqys7S1tre4ubrCw8TFxsfIycrS09TV1tfY2drh4uPk5ebn6Onq8fLz9PX29/j5\u0026#43;gEAAwEBAQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAECAwQFBgcICQoLEQACAQIEBAMEBwUEBAABAncAAQIDEQQFITEGEkFRB2FxEyIygQgUQpGhscEJIzNS8BVictEKFiQ04SXxFxgZGiYnKCkqNTY3ODk6Q0RFRkdISUpTVFVWV1hZWmNkZWZnaGlqc3R1dnd4eXqCg4SFhoeIiYqSk5SVlpeYmZqio6Slpqeoqaqys7S1tre4ubrCw8TFxsfIycrS09TV1tfY2dri4\u0026#43;Tl5ufo6ery8/T19vf4\u0026#43;fr/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AJwowOBS7R6D8qB0FLUlH//Z\" data-src=\"/images/tg-pfp_hu_3fe1cd1c7f691b94.jpg\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/tin-geber/\"\u003etin geber\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/tara-kelly\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Tara Kelly\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLJSVn898cPFnvp938\u0026#43;fQQEAAD//zdvCJFoFVbSAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/tara-kelly-duotone_hu_2f3d30f1c52b9e76.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Tara Kelly\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGK5evXq06dPmdXV1S9fvgwIAAD//z2xCCQ2PcNkAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/tara-kelly-crop-b-w_hu_bb74ba599610da52.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/tara-kelly/\"\u003etara kelly\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"communications lead\"\u003e\n    communications lead\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/alicja-peszkowska\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Alicja Peszkowska\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAGklEQVR4nGJpyFvAx/KTRUX0HyMDCyAAAP//IKID3pkkw1AAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-src=\"/images/alicja-peszkowska-duotone_hu_2de28d08f4b14e06.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Alicja Peszkowska\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAHklEQVR4nGIpLS2N\u0026#43;/TpkwQLGxubhYiICCMgAAD//0DVBTv21rRLAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/alicja-peszkowska-b-w_hu_4f46707c0aeb11b.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/alicja-peszkowska/\"\u003ealicja peszkowska\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"coach\"\u003e\n    coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003carticle class=\"card card--people clickable\" onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/about\\/people\\/jamie\\/'\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"image-wrapper\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad asterisk card__asterisk\" alt=\"Jamie Tomasello\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAG0lEQVR4nGLZ0DFz500OFrH31wOkBAEBAAD//y8gBctWvw/NAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/jamie-tomasello-duotone_hu_bd8cb92aea1c1267.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"image lozad\" alt=\"Jamie Tomasello\"\n      src=\"data:image/jpeg;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAHklEQVR4nGKuqKhYoq6u/piZnZ29kZmZ2QIQAAD//zGgBEJhmOB5AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" data-src=\"/images/jamie-tomasello-b-w_hu_650b92f99a7d50d9.png\"\n      width=\"280\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"title card__title\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"name\" href=\"/about/people/jamie/\"\u003ejamie tomasello\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"peopletitle\" data-default-title=\"senior fellow, coach\"\u003e\n    senior fellow, coach\n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eContact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003ecoaching@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e for more information about pricing and structure. We look forward to talking more with you!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Our story",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-01-23T18:12:43+05:30",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/story/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/story/",
            "content_html": "\u003cdiv class=\"container\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"hero--action-5\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"hero--content\"\u003e\n      \u003ch5 class=\"hero--header\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n        Our mission is to change who technology serves\n      \u003c/h5\u003e\n      \u003csection class=\"text\"\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          By prioritizing human-centered design, community-based research, and knowledge sharing, we’re shaping a collective online future where everyone has the knowledge, network, and tools they need to thrive.\n        \u003c/p\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          \n        \u003c/p\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          \n        \u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/section\u003e\n      \u003cbutton class=\"button\"  onclick=\"window.location.href='\\/work'\"\u003eLearn about our approach \u0026gt;\u003c/button\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"hero--actionpic\" src=\"/images/our-story/illustration-match.svg\" alt=\"Striking a match.\"\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"hero--action-6\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"hero--content\"\u003e\n      \u003ch4 class=\"hero--header\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n        From Simply Secure to Superbloom\n      \u003c/h4\u003e\n      \u003csection class=\"text\"\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          In 2022, we surveyed our community and discovered we had outgrown our Simply Secure name and branding. Through the same collaborative design process we champion with our partners, we landed on a new direction that conveys the breadth of our current work, as well as our values, practice, and growth: Superbloom: Changing Who Technology Serves.\n        \u003c/p\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          Our vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their lives. As Superbloom, we’re leveraging design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem to center people and their needs. We’re building and supporting a community focused on shaping our collective online future.\n        \u003c/p\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          \n        \u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/section\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"hero--actionpic\" src=\"/images/our-story/illustration-hammering.svg\" alt=\"Hammering a nail.\"\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Our Support",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-17T09:51:56-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/",
            "content_html": "\u003cdiv class=\"tabs\" role=\"tablist\"\u003e\n\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"tab\" data-tab=\"fiscal-sponsorship\" class=\"tab tab-1 visually-hidden\" id=\"tab-controler-1\"  checked\u003e\n\u003clabel for=\"tab-controler-1\" id=\"tab-label-1\" role=\"tab\" aria-posinset=\"1\"\u003efiscal sponsorship\u003c/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tab-content tab-content--fiscal-sponsorship\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"tab-label-1\"\u003e\n  \u003csection class=\"page-section--inner section-hero img-right\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch3 id=\"superblooms-fiscal-sponsorship-program-is-an-ecosystem-of-projects-united-by-shared-values-shared-infrastructure-and-collective-impact\"\u003eSuperbloom’s fiscal sponsorship program is an ecosystem of projects, united by shared values, shared infrastructure, and collective impact.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToo often, critical momentum on innovative projects run by small teams is lost to organizational overhead. The fiscal sponsorship model can help remove that friction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom leverages fiscal sponsorship to support the growth, development, and maturity of initiatives working to change who technology serves, with a focus on human-centered research and design-driven approaches.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince 2014, Superbloom has operated as a distributed, international team embedded in the communities we support. We work across diverse funding environments, including public and government funding, philanthropic grants, and individual donors, and provide flexible structures that support projects working across jurisdictions.\u003c/p\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--img\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"sectionpic\" src=\"/images/coaching/illustration-match.png\" alt=\"Illustration of striking a match\" /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-is-a-fiscally-sponsored-project\"\u003eWhat is a fiscally sponsored project?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur fiscally sponsored projects are independent initiatives that operate within a shared ecosystem of public-interest work. Projects can leverage Superbloom’s fiscal sponsorship network to connect and collaborate, and to fundraise together, strengthening each other.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a California nonprofit corporation with a 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS, Superbloom provides the legal, financial, and operational infrastructure that enables projects to operate, access funding, and grow without the need to establish a standalone nonprofit organization. Projects benefit from Superbloom’s charitable status, governance, and support structures, while remaining independently led and responsible for their direction, delivery, and budget.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is responsible for stewardship, compliance, and fiduciary oversight, with support from our Board and team. In parallel, project leads are responsible for managing their work effectively, delivering on their objectives, and ensuring funds are budgeted and used appropriately.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy operating within this shared framework, projects can reduce operational overhead, move more quickly, and contribute to a broader collective of aligned initiatives, strengthening both individual impact and the wider ecosystem.\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"active-fsps\"\u003eActive FSPs\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"image-grid\" style=\"gap: 2px; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://chaoss.community/kb/local-chapters/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/CHAOSS-Africa.png\" alt=\"CHAOSS Africa\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eCHAOSS Africa\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://civictech.guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/Civic-Tech-Field-Guide.png\" alt=\"Civic Tech Field Guide\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eCivic Tech Field Guide\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://www.dataumbrella.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/Data-Umbrella.png\" alt=\"Data Umbrella\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eData Umbrella\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://www.empathyintech.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/Empathy-In-Tech.png\" alt=\"Empathy In Tech\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eEmpathy In Tech\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://frameshifter.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/frameshifter.png\" alt=\"Frameshifter\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eFrameshifter\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://platform.coop/about/icde/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/ICDE.png\" alt=\"Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eInstitute for the Cooperative Digital Economy\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://measurementlab.net\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/Mlab-logo-extended-blue.png\" alt=\"Measurement Lab\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eMeasurement Lab\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://namesake.fyi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/namesake.jpg\" alt=\"Namesake\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eNamesake\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://www.pitalumni.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/PIT-Network-Alumni.png\" alt=\"PIT Network Alumni\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003ePIT Network Alumni\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://publicprivates.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/Public-Privates.png\" alt=\"Public Privates\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003ePublic Privates\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://rankingdigitalrights.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/rdr-logo-blue.png\" alt=\"Ranking Digital Rights\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eRanking Digital Rights\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://realml.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/realml-logo-full-midnight-2.png\" alt=\"REAL ML\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eREAL ML\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://theupskillinglabs.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/USLLogo.png\" alt=\"The Upskilling Labs\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eThe Upskilling Labs\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/fsp/SEA.png\" alt=\"Studio for Emergent Action\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eStudio for Emergent Action\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"why-does-superbloom-support-fiscally-sponsored-projects\"\u003eWhy does Superbloom support fiscally sponsored projects?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe developed fiscally sponsored projects to strengthen and sustain public-interest work in digital rights and responsible technology. Too often, important initiatives are slowed down or constrained by the time, cost, and complexity of setting up independent organizations. Our fiscal sponsorship model removes that friction by providing shared infrastructure, governance, and support, allowing practitioners to focus on the work itself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the same time, it brings these initiatives into a connected portfolio, where they can learn from one another, collaborate, and contribute to a broader ecosystem. Rather than focusing solely on individual projects, the goal is to drive collective impact by strengthening resilience, accountability and effectiveness across the field.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-services-does-superbloom-provide-to-fiscally-sponsored-projects-and-what-is-the-fee-structure\"\u003eWhat services does Superbloom provide to fiscally sponsored projects, and what is the fee structure?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom provides the operational infrastructure behind each project, including HR, people operations, and financial management. \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/Superbloom_Fiscal_Sponsorship_2026-02_Overview.pdf\"\u003eSee our services brochure\u003c/a\u003e for full details on our administrative offerings and fees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-do-we-look-for-in-fiscally-sponsored-projects\"\u003eWhat do we look for in fiscally sponsored projects?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom’s overall mission is to transform the current design paradigm in tech by centering the needs of people. We believe technology design is integral to the open source movement and should be leveraged to affect societal change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe support projects that advance digital rights and responsible technology, grounded in strong practitioner leadership and a clear path to impact. We are particularly interested in work that is shaped by real-world challenges and brings a clear perspective on power, accountability, and how technology is designed, governed, or experienced. We also support work that goes beyond tool-building, spanning research, policy, education and practice that shifts how technology operates in the public interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur portfolio is intentionally curated. We prioritise projects that not only succeed individually but also strengthen our wider ecosystem of practice, working collectively toward more usable, secure, and accountable technology systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-are-the-expectations-for-a-fiscally-sponsored-project-at-superbloom\"\u003e​​What are the expectations for a fiscally sponsored project at Superbloom?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a fiscally sponsored project, you are responsible for your work and maintaining healthy relationships with the community. This includes managing your budget, delivering on your objectives, and ensuring the project is run effectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a steward, Superbloom supports you with operational infrastructure, compliance, and strategic guidance, but project leadership and accountability sit with you. Fiscal sponsorship is a collaborative partnership, grounded in trust, shared values, and clear responsibilities on both sides.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-does-my-project-apply-for-fiscal-sponsorship\"\u003eHow does my project apply for fiscal sponsorship?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your project aligns with our mission and you’re interested in learning more, please get in touch by completing \u003ca href=\"/fiscal-sponsorship-interest/\"\u003ethis form\u003c/a\u003e. A member of our Fiscal Sponsorship Project team will follow up in due course. We are currently reviewing applications on a quarterly basis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-does-superbloom-hold-and-manage-public-interest-funding\"\u003eHow does Superbloom hold and manage public-interest funding?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a US 501(c)(3) public charity, Superbloom operates within the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern non-profit organizations. This means there are clear boundaries on how funds can be used and what activities we can support. For example, Superbloom does not engage in or support political campaign activity, including contributions to candidates or coordination with electoral campaigns.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also do not act as a passive conduit for funds. All funding received is stewarded under Superbloom’s charitable mandate, with responsibility for ensuring it is used in line with its intended public-interest purpose. This includes financial oversight, governance, and compliance managed by our board and team.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbutton class=\"button clickable\" aria-label=\"Donate\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"\"\nhref=\"/fiscal-sponsorship-interest/\" \u003eExpress Interest in Fiscal Sponsorship\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"tab\" data-tab=\"coaching\" class=\"tab tab-2 visually-hidden\" id=\"tab-controler-2\" \u003e\n\u003clabel for=\"tab-controler-2\" id=\"tab-label-2\" role=\"tab\" aria-posinset=\"2\"\u003ecoaching\u003c/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tab-content tab-content--coaching\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"tab-label-2\"\u003e\n  \u003csection class=\"page-section--inner section-hero img-right\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 id=\"we-offer-tailored-coaching-for-individuals-and-teams-working-on-open-source-and-public-interest-technology\"\u003eWe offer tailored coaching for individuals and teams working on open-source and public interest technology.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur pragmatic approach to capacity-building gives you tools and techniques to dramatically improve the impact of your work. We focus on collaborative goal-setting and take a human-centered approach to helping you help your community.  Our experienced coaching team covers all global time zones and works in at least 15 languages.\u003c/p\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--img\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"sectionpic\" src=\"/images/community/illustration-paintbrush.png\" alt=\"Illustration of striking a match\" /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"container container--columns\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"columns\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003eAre you a funder or a fiscal host? Let’s design a custom program to support your teams.\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbutton class=\"button clickable\" aria-label=\"Donate\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"\"\nhref=\"/community/our-support/funders\" \u003eLearn more\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner \"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 id=\"we-help-you-with-the-human-aspects-of-tech\"\u003eWe help you with the human aspects of tech\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom product design to community governance, from fundraising to communication, from naming and branding to information architecture: \u003cstrong\u003ewe help your project connect with the real world.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do people find, use, figure out, and learn about your project?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow does your team work together and keep your project going?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow does your project flourish in society and create change?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re here to provide you with customized support for these questions and more. \u003ca href=\"#coaching-topics\"\u003eSee all topics we cover\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner section-flex img-right\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-we-do\"\u003eWhat we do\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe work with \u003cstrong\u003eprojects\u003c/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eteams\u003c/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eorganizations\u003c/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ecompanies\u003c/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003efiscal hosts\u003c/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003efunders\u003c/strong\u003e. We offer:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTargeted 1:1 problem-solving sessions focused on your needs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e“Ask Me Anything” sessions with a panel of coaches: you bring your questions and we work on them together.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReusable tool and template creation for your group or team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre you a funder or fiscal host? We design \u003ca href=\"funders/\"\u003ecollaborations with funders\u003c/a\u003e in the public interest technology space, offering grantee accompaniment to help support and enhance their impact. \u003ca href=\"funders/\"\u003eWe design custom coaching programs to support your teams.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--img\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"sectionpic\" src=\"/images/coaching/illustration-match.png\" alt=\"Minimalist line drawing of hands striking match\" /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner section-flex img-right\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"our-approach\"\u003eOur approach\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur coaching and mentoring is \u003ca href=\"/work/\"\u003einformed by our values\u003c/a\u003e every step of the way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe help you serve your community\u003c/strong\u003e, using methods from human-centered and human-rights-centered design.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe collaborate to create the sessions that work for you\u003c/strong\u003e. We build your capacity, showing you the way and creating reusable resources.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe are practitioners, just like you\u003c/strong\u003e. We aren’t afraid to roll up our sleeves and pick up tools when that’s what you need.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe triage, prioritize, and focus\u003c/strong\u003e. We help you get things done when time and resources are limited.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe center your community’s privacy and security needs\u003c/strong\u003e and threat model. We use secure and open-source tools wherever possible.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--img\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"sectionpic\" src=\"/images/coaching/illustration-postit.png\" alt=\"Minimalist line drawing of hands writing on post-it note\" /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner \"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 id=\"coaching-topics\"\u003eCoaching topics\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer coaching on these topics and more. If you don’t see what you need, \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e! We can find the right people to work with you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container container--columns columns-3\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"columns\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUX design + product strategy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterface design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIllustration + visual design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser research\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInformation architecture\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWriting + communication\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccessibility\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBranding\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eData handling\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNaming\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConference presentations\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGovernance\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeam dynamics\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorkflows\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGDPR + privacy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorkshop + facilitation design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocumentation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLicensing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFundraising + sustainability\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNarratives + framing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen source community dynamics\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen processes\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign tooling\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsability\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you need something you don’t see here, let us know at \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003ecoaching@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e, and we’ll connect you with the right people.\u003c/p\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--img\"\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"sectionpic\" src=\"/images/coaching/illustration-hammering.png\" alt=\"Minimalist line drawing of hands hammering nail\" /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner \"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 id=\"our-partners\"\u003eOur partners\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur current and past coaching partners include individual projects, foundations, funders, and fiscal hosts. (In fact, we’ve coached over 300 projects since we were founded in 2014!). Projects we\u0026rsquo;ve coached include:\u003c/p\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner \"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"image-grid\" style=\"gap: 2px; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/partners/PrototypeFund-P-Logo.png\" alt=\"Prototype Fund\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/partners/mozilla-logo.png\" alt=\"Mozilla\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eMozilla\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://prereview.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/partners/prereview-logo.webp\" alt=\"PREreview\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://measurementlab.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/partners/mlab-logo.png\" alt=\"M-Lab\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eM-Lab\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://www.turing.ac.uk/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/partners/turing-project.png\" alt=\"The Turing Way project at The Turing Institute\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eThe Turing Way project at The Turing Institute\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://awana.digital/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/partners/MAPEO.webp\" alt=\"Awana Digital\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eAwana Digital\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https://helpfulplaces.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"text-decoration: none; color: inherit;\"\u003e\n    \u003cfigure class=\"grid-item\"\n      style=\"margin: 0; padding: 20px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv style=\"height: 200px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/images/partners/helpful-places-logo.webp\" alt=\"Helpful Places\" loading=\"lazy\"\n          style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; height: auto;\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cfigcaption class=\"grid-item-name\" style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003eHelpful Places\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n    \u003c/figure\u003e\n  \u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner \"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 id=\"our-coaches\"\u003eOur coaches\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur coaching team has deep professional experience in many different verticals related to design, research, strategy, product, fundraising, and sustainability. \u003ca href=\"/about/people/#coaches\"\u003eFind out more about our coaches here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"page-section--inner \"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"page-section--content\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 id=\"get-in-touch\"\u003eGet in touch\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more about our coaching offerings or to \u003ca href=\"coaches/\"\u003ediscuss joining us as a coach\u003c/a\u003e, write \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003ecoaching@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e and one of our coaching team will get back to you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container container--columns\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"columns\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeorgia Bullen, Executive Director\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNicola Pratt, Project Coordinator\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMolly Wilson, Learning Lead\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVictory Brown, Community Building Lead\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/section\u003e\n\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Superbloom Board and Governance Overview",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-10-16T14:20:28-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/board/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/board/",
            "content_html": "\u003cdiv class=\"container\" id=\"action-3\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Hero section\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"hero--action-3\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"hero--content hero--actioncontainer\"\u003e\n      \u003ch2 class=\"hero--header\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n        \n      \u003c/h2\u003e\n      \u003csection class=\"text\"\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          Superbloom Design is a US 501c3 and is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors works in a voluntary capacity to support the organization in driving impact against its strategic goals. The Board of Directors has the fiduciary responsibility to ensure the financial health of the organization, maintain strong operational practices, and remains in compliance with its legal obligations. Superbloom also has an Advisory Council which is comprised of experts from the ecosystem who provide strategic advice to the Superbloom Board and team.\n        \u003c/p\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          \n        \u003c/p\u003e\n        \u003cp class=\"actiontext\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n          \n        \u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/section\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n    \u003cimg class=\"actionpic\" src=\"/images/our-work/illustration-knitting.svg\" alt=\"Two hands knitting.\"\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- Board Criteria \u0026 FAQs \n\"Using design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem, Superbloom applies a holistic approach and views design as an intervention opportunity to center people and their needs. Its vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their life. It works to build and inform technology, resources and programs that protect people's dignity, safety and privacy. It leverages practices from human rights, systems thinking, service design and threat modeling to help teams design technology and services that are responsible, respectful, and inclusive. It has a proven history of partnering with critical organizations in the ecosystem to dig into user experience challenges and needs, evaluate the service design of their offerings, and provide recommendations for improvement.\"\n\n--\u003e\n\u003c!-- ## About a non-profit governance\n\nThe Board of Directors is the governing body of a non-profit. Individuals who sit on the board are responsible for overseeing the organization’s activities. Board members meet periodically to discuss and vote on the affairs of the organization. Its Board is different from its management team because governance is high level: strategy, oversight, accountability. Management is the day-to-day operations of a non-profit. The Board, as a governing body, focuses on the organization’s mission, strategy, and goals; staff members are responsible for the implementation of the mission. Learn more about [nonprofit governance](https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/running-nonprofit/governance-leadership/good-governance-policies-nonprofits) from the National Council of Nonprofits. --\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"current-board\"\u003eCurrent Board\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- ADD CURRENT PEOPLE WIDGET - Superbloom Board Members --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/people/jackie/\"\u003eJacqueline Lu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/people/jasmine/\"\u003eJasmine McNealy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/people/erika-owens/\"\u003eErika Owens\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/people/adriana-valdez-young/\"\u003eAdriana Valdez Young\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"current-advisory-council\"\u003eCurrent Advisory Council\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- ADD CURRENT PEOPLE WIDGET - Superbloom Advisory Board --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/people/A.Sasse.html\"\u003eAngela Sasse\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/benlaurie\"\u003eBen Laurie\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://craphound.com/\"\u003eCory Doctorow\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/gdanezis\"\u003eGeorge Danezis\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://wendy.seltzer.org/\"\u003eWendy Seltzer\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorothy-chou-647a0b4/\"\u003eDorothy Chou\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.reset.tech/people/\"\u003eBen Scott\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/people/scout/\"\u003eSara \u0026ldquo;Scout\u0026rdquo; Brody\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"board-make-up-and-selection-criteria\"\u003eBoard make-up and selection criteria\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Superbloom Board of Directors is made up of experts in the public interest technology space who apply a critical lens to technology, and believe that design is a lever for changing who technology serves. Board Members bring a diverse, socio technical range of expertise in areas such as technology, design, organizational management, privacy and security, open source, human rights, digital rights, communications, fundraising, and social change. Its Board has a strong interest in stewarding and connecting its network with the organization and provides credibility in a given context and/or discipline.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following criteria are employed when selecting new Board members:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"practitioners-and-established-leaders\"\u003ePractitioners and established leaders\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Board should include both practitioners and established leaders: Superbloom’s Board of Directors has established leaders and decision-makers within their organizations and fields. Established leaders provide a crucial view and the ability to get things done. This view is balanced by members who are working practitioners, leading from the ground. Their views and experiences guide Superbloom to prioritize realistic action that’s informed by needs for the communities we serve.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"culture-add-vs-culture-fit\"\u003eCulture add vs culture fit\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we talk about “fit”, we gravitate toward candidates who are like us: people who fluently speak our language (figuratively and literally), who represent ideas we resonate with, and with whom we are comfortable. Superbloom’s growth and stability depends on including different cultural backgrounds on its Board; each with different perspectives and ideas.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"profile-vs-potential\"\u003eProfile vs potential\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as Board members bring their profile and experience to Superbloom, it invests in the potential and growth of its Board members by providing access to global conversations and a broader community of colleagues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"established-vs-atypical-title-and-education\"\u003eEstablished vs atypical title and education\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSystems of power from the global north and western culture tend to prioritize hierarchical positions (executives) and specific formal education (doctorates). This prioritizes western cultural tendencies, and excludes the more democratic view of expertise that it support in its values including different skillsets and backgrounds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"expectations\"\u003eExpectations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Board’s remit includes:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport Superbloom’s mission, purpose and long-term strategy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWork with the interests of the non-profit to ensure the organization is well managed and on a sound financial footing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOversight of Superbloom programs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOversight of Executive Director\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeneral mentorship for leadership, staff, and fiscally sponsored project leads\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttend meetings, provide strategic input and guidance, accountability on leadership\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstand and obey governing documents and laws\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"commitment\"\u003eCommitment\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts Board members commit to approximately one hour-long Board meeting per month, one Annual Board meeting, and when applicable, vote on the information provided. In addition, its Executive Director may call upon Board members for ad hoc 1:1 guidance or small group meetings on specific topics. The Board also has a Secretary who reviews and approves meeting minutes, and a Treasurer who reviews and signs-off on taxes and other financial documents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"more-information\"\u003eMore information\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/work/\"\u003eAbout Our Work\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/people/#board-of-directors\"\u003eCurrent and Previous Board Members\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/funding/#funding-history\"\u003eHistory of Financial Support\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Funding",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-04-08T03:07:25-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/funding/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/funding/",
            "content_html": "\u003cdiv class=\"tabs\" role=\"tablist\"\u003e\n\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"tab\" data-tab=\"support-us\" class=\"tab tab-1 visually-hidden\" id=\"tab-controler-1\"  checked\u003e\n\u003clabel for=\"tab-controler-1\" id=\"tab-label-1\" role=\"tab\" aria-posinset=\"1\"\u003esupport us\u003c/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tab-content tab-content--support-us\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"tab-label-1\"\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003e\u003cbutton class=\"button clickable\" aria-label=\"Donate\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"\"\nhref=\"https://www.every.org/superbloom?suggestedAmounts=50%2C100%2C250%2C500%2C1000\u0026amp;theme_color=424faa\u0026amp;utm_campaign=donate-link#/donate\" \u003eDonate to support our work.\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"we-rely-on-your-support-to-create-broad-impact\"\u003eWe rely on your support to create broad impact.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSupport at any level enables us to build and connect our community, promote leadership through fellowships and sponsorships, and develop resources to help change who technology serves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is a registered US 501(c)3 nonprofit. We work with \u003ca href=\"https://www.every.org/superbloom?suggestedAmounts=50%2C100%2C250%2C500%2C1000\u0026amp;theme_color=424faa\u0026amp;utm_campaign=donate-link#/donate\"\u003eEvery.org\u003c/a\u003e to accept tax-deductible charitable donations by credit card, Venmo, PayPal, bank transfers, stock donations, and DAF pay. Your donation is made to Every.org, a tax-exempt US 501(c)3 that gifts unrestricted funds to Superbloom Design on your behalf. Superbloom Design will honor any designations detailed in the donation information. Donating via Every.org means that we receive every cent of your donation. A donation acknowledgement letter is sent for all donations over $75.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor other methods of payment (ACH/Wire) see more information below, and reach out to us for support via email: \u003ca href=\"mailto:donations@superbloom.design\"\u003edonations@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour kind and generous support of Superbloom enables us to continue to change who technology serves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbutton class=\"button clickable\" aria-label=\"Donate\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"\"\nhref=\"https://www.every.org/superbloom?suggestedAmounts=50%2C100%2C250%2C500%2C1000\u0026amp;theme_color=424faa\u0026amp;utm_campaign=donate-link#/donate\" \u003eDonate now.\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"additional-options\"\u003eAdditional options\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eACH/Wire\u003c/strong\u003e: Please email \u003ca href=\"mailto:donations@superbloom.design\"\u003edonations@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e for wire/ACH instructions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCheck\u003c/strong\u003e: Please make checks payable to Superbloom Design, and please email \u003ca href=\"mailto:donations@superbloom.design\"\u003edonations@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e for our mailing address for checks.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWise\u003c/strong\u003e: Wise allows us to accept direct deposit payments in a variety of currencies (e.g. Euros, GBP, and more). If you would like to donate via Wise, please email \u003ca href=\"mailto:donations@superbloom.design\"\u003edonations@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e and we can share a currency-specific link.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/TAJ4KKJ3B32ZN\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePayPal\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e: Every.org accepts PayPal as a payment method, but you can also give directly to us on Paypal if you would like.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://opencollective.com/superbloom/donate?interval=oneTime\u0026amp;amount=20\u0026amp;name=\u0026amp;legalName=\u0026amp;email=\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpen Collective\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e: Open Collective is a platform focused on increasing openness, transparency, and support in grassroots fundrasing. Superbloom and our fiscally sponsored projects are on Open Collective, if you would like to leverage the platform to support our work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"tab\" data-tab=\"transparency\" class=\"tab tab-2 visually-hidden\" id=\"tab-controler-2\" \u003e\n\u003clabel for=\"tab-controler-2\" id=\"tab-label-2\" role=\"tab\" aria-posinset=\"2\"\u003etransparency\u003c/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tab-content tab-content--transparency\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"tab-label-2\"\u003e\n  \u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"financial-transparency\"\u003eFinancial transparency\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is supported through individual donations, collaborative projects, event sponsorships, grants and awards from an array of nonprofit and corporate organizations in the U.S. and Europe. We strive for transparency and independence in all of our financial relationships. To ensure independence and integrity, we ask ourselves the following before applying to a project, accepting an invitation to collaborate on a project, or accepting a grant award or donation:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre the organization’s intentions transparent and do they align with our core values?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs the program or project beneficial to the communities it’s intended to serve? Are those communities involved in the work itself?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes this project or program have proper processes and safeguards in place to ensure it will not do harm in the form of mishandling data, dark patterns, or targeting vulnerable populations?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWill the project further our overall mission?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, we accept support contingent upon the following non-negotiables:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuperbloom does not accept funding that places our team, partners, community members, or mission at risk.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuperbloom does not accept funding that compromises our relationships with partners, community members, stakeholders, or networks.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuperbloom does not accept funding that compromises our organizational independence, including funding that may influence programmatic priorities.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuperbloom does not accept funding that poses a risk to our reputation. This statement was adapted under CC-BY license from Access Now.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"tab\" data-tab=\"funding-history\" class=\"tab tab-3 visually-hidden\" id=\"tab-controler-3\" \u003e\n\u003clabel for=\"tab-controler-3\" id=\"tab-label-3\" role=\"tab\" aria-posinset=\"3\"\u003efunding history\u003c/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tab-content tab-content--funding-history\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"tab-label-3\"\u003e\n  \u003c!---## Current funding partners:\n\n\u003csection class=\"table-wrapper\"\u003e\n  \u003ctable class=\"table-grid\"\u003e\n    \u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n      \u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/about-us/otf-logo.svg\" alt=\"Open Technology Fund\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/about-us/reset-logo.svg\" alt=\"Reset Network\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n    \u003c/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n      \u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/about-us/pf-logo.svg\" alt=\"Reset Network\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/about-us/mozilla-logo.svg\" alt=\"Reset Network\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n    \u003c/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr class=\"row\"\u003e\n      \u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/about-us/usable-logo.svg\" alt=\"Reset Network\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003ctd class=\"cell\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/about-us/ai-logo.svg\" alt=\"Reset Network\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n    \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e --\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2022\"\u003e2022\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3x3 Design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArebyte Gallery\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAspiration Technology\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAtlantic Council of the United States\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCalyx Institute\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChan Zuckerberg Initiative\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCode for Science and Society\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommon Knowledge\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConsumer Reports\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInteraction Design Association\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternews Network\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLAFT\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeast Authority GmbH\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLuminate Projects / Reset Tech\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarigold Strategies\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNational Endowment for Democracy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNewkinco\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNorthumbria University\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOkthanks\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Collective Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRadio Free Europe / Radio Liberty\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReset Tech\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoftware Acumen Limited\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechCongress\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Future Laboratory\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTides Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniversity of Berkeley\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniversity of Omaha\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniversity of Vermont\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWebrecorder Software\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorld Wide Web Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2021\"\u003e2021\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAmnesty International\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAspiration Technology\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCode for Science and Society\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoil Technology\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommon Knowledge\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConsumer Reports\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFurtherfield\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInteraction Design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternational Women’s Media Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternews Network\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLEAP\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeast Authority\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLuminate Projects / Reset Tech\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMozilla Corporation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMozilla Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNational Endowment for Democracy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew Venture Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOmidyar Network India Advisors Private Ltd\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Source Collective: Digital Infrastructure Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Source Collective: Samsung NEXT\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Tech Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePEN America\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePython Software Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublic Office\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRadicle Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReset Tech\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechCongress\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Future Laboratory\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTides Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniversity of Dundee\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniversity of Omaha\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWebrecorder Software Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWicked Co-op\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2020\"\u003e2020\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAmnesty International\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAspiration Technology / Reset Tech\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoBox Cloud Cooperative\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCode for Science and Society\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoil Technology\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFurtherfield\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInteraction Design Association\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternews Network\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLuminate Projects / Reset Tech\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMozilla Corporation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNational Endowment for Democracy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew American Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNorthumbria University\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Tech Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePython Software Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSamsung Next\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniversity of Amsterdam\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2019\"\u003e2019\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdobe\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAmatus GMBH\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBetterplace Lab\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCenter for Tech Cultivation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCode for Science \u0026amp; Society\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFront Conference\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHRX Veranstaltungen GmbH\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMedieninnovationszentrum Babelsberg\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMozilla\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOCCRP\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOmidyar Network\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Tech Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRuhr University\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2018\"\u003e2018\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdobe\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA-F Digital Solutions\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBetterplace Lab\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBiz to Buttons\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCerner Corporation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClearleft\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFord Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternet Society\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternews\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInvoice2Go\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOmidyar Network\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSamsungNext\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHERE Deutschland\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2017\"\u003e2017\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFord Foundation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeast Authority\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMozilla\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOTF\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeerio\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2016\"\u003e2016\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCFR\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeepMind Tech\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGoogle\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOTF\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2015\"\u003e2015\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDropbox\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGoogle\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Call for Proposals: MakeShift 2026 Submissions Now Open",
            "date_published": "2026-03-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-03-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/call-for-proposals-accepting-submissions-for-makeshift-2026/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/call-for-proposals-accepting-submissions-for-makeshift-2026/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDigital systems increasingly shape public life, from sensors embedded in city infrastructure to AI-enabled systems that influence how services, mobility, and public spaces operate. Yet the technologies shaping our shared environments often remain invisible to the people affected by them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMakeShift 2026: Accountable Tech by Design\u003c/strong\u003e invites designers, technologists, researchers, artists, and advocates to reimagine how we design and govern digital systems to make them more legible, accountable, and trustworthy in public spaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.helpfulplaces.com/\"\u003eHelpful Places\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/\"\u003eSuperbloom Design\u003c/a\u003e, and the \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesign.sva.edu/\"\u003eMFA Interaction Design program at the School of Visual Arts\u003c/a\u003e, MakeShift 2026 will take place \u003cstrong\u003eMay 20–21, 2026,\u003c/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003eNew York City\u003c/strong\u003e during \u003cstrong\u003eNYC Design Week\u003c/strong\u003e, with support from the \u003cstrong\u003eU.S. National Science Foundation POSE program\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are now accepting submissions for call for proposals across two tracks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTrack 1 - Propose a Session\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe welcome proposals for talks, workshops, roundtables, design sprints, or community gatherings that explore questions around AI accountability, civic technology, digital governance, public infrastructure, and participatory design. Sessions may run up to 90 minutes and should contribute new ideas, practices, or frameworks for designing accountable technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTrack 2 - Respond to the Design Challenge\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants may also submit creative projects responding to the \u003ca href=\"https://dtpr.io/\"\u003eDigital Trust for Places \u0026amp; Routines\u003c/a\u003e (DTPR) standard—an open-source framework designed to make technologies operating in shared spaces more transparent and understandable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProjects might include prototypes, research, signage systems, speculative design, installations, or other creative work exploring how design can make digital infrastructure more visible and accountable. Selected projects will be exhibited during NYC Design Week at the School of Visual Arts and featured as part of the conference program.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"who-should-apply\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho Should Apply\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe welcome submissions from designers, artists, researchers, technologists, civic technologists, digital rights advocates, public-sector innovators, and community organizers working at the intersection of design, technology, governance, and digital justice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-to-apply\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow To Apply\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubmission deadline:\u003c/strong\u003e 17 April, 2026\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubmission Guide:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://tinyurl.com/makeshiftguide\"\u003ehttps://tinyurl.com/makeshiftguide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApply Here:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://forms.gle/gbVY6rc93JSmPAcU8\"\u003ehttps://forms.gle/gbVY6rc93JSmPAcU8\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHave Questions?:\u003c/strong\u003e Contact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hello@dtpr.io\"\u003ehello@dtpr.io\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Making Threat Modeling Human: Key Takeaways from Our Work with Bitpart ",
            "date_published": "2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-threat-modeling-human-key-takeaways-from-our-work-with-bitpart/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-threat-modeling-human-key-takeaways-from-our-work-with-bitpart/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch4 id=\"introduction\"\u003eIntroduction\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImagine you\u0026rsquo;re a librarian of a vast library of precious books. What keeps you up at night? How would you protect the books from threats? You might worry about fires, floods, or people trying to steal or destroy what’s inside. But what if the biggest risks weren’t outside the library at all—what if they lived inside it, in the everyday decisions and limits of the librarians themselves? How would you keep everyone safe, including the people doing the protecting?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the kinds of questions that guided our work with \u003ca href=\"https://throneless.tech/\"\u003eThroneless Tech\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"https://bitp.art\"\u003eBitpart\u003c/a\u003e, a secure communications platform for journalists, activists, and human rights defenders. This work was part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/uxd-lab/\"\u003eUXD Lab\u003c/a\u003e, supported by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e. Before its launch, we worked together with Throneless Tech to design and stress-test the platform\u0026rsquo;s prototype. By combining \u003ca href=\"https://coach.andrewlb.com/workshop/disaster-game\"\u003eDisaster Games\u003c/a\u003e with \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-non-grata/\"\u003ePersonas Non Grata\u003c/a\u003e— methods used to surface failure modes, threats, and risks—we learned that you can’t secure a “library” if you don’t account for the stress, burnout, and humanity of the people caring for the books and holding the keys.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-problems-we-aimed-to-solve\"\u003eThe Problems We Aimed To Solve\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s no shortage of threat modeling frameworks. \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STRIDE_model\"\u003eSTRIDE\u003c/a\u003e, attack trees, and data flow diagrams offer structured ways to surface technical vulnerabilities and answer questions like, what can an attacker do to our assets, and where might the system be weak? Those tools are valuable when you have a relatively stable product, team, and architecture, and you mainly need to harden endpoints, restrict access, or perhaps patch dependencies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBitpart was not that kind of project. It was an early-stage prototype for high-risk users, built by a small developer co-op balancing multiple commitments, in environments where “security” has to include legal, social, and organizational realities—not just encrypted databases and hardened APIs. So we needed to understand threats that don’t show up neatly in predefined categories: burnout, coercion, overwork, and single points of human failure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat meant offering space for participation, not prescription. A prescriptive use of a traditional framework might have produced a solid list of vulnerabilities to fix, but not a shared understanding of why they mattered in this context or how new ones might emerge over time. Instead, with the team, we were aiming to build threat literacy specific to Bitpart: a shared capacity across users, administrators, and maintainers to think proactively about risk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExisting frameworks acknowledge concepts such as insider threats and social engineering, but they usually frame humans as attack vectors or points of failure. We were focused on what could go wrong with the people and how that would cascade through everything else. That required empathizing with the exhausted, stressed, multitasking people operating and sustaining the platform and treating their cognitive limits and working conditions as core security concerns, not necessarily edge cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/screenshot-2026-03-03-at-19.40.34_hu_c1c86a7ffbb58c8b.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"66\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"our-approach\"\u003eOur Approach\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaking space\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo begin, we anonymously collected team members\u0026rsquo; anxieties using a short survey before the Disaster Game workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.27.26_hu_b718d730ae7c357f.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"632\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe wanted to give all team members the space to communicate the disasters they see as possible and the anxieties they hold about Bitpart. We would later prioritize the responses we compiled from the survey during the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePriming the team\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo begin our workshop, we decided that before we even mentioned threats or any consequential risks we had gathered from our short survey, we should facilitate a review of the user personas from our earlier research. These were not demographic composites but instead personas of end users and admins with concrete scenarios about how they would actually use Bitpart under pressure. In taking a moment to do this from the outset, we were centering human experience to prime the team’s imagination. I believe this was an important step for a product prototype. Meaning rather than talking about Bitpart users in the abstract and/or hastily crafting scenarios on the spot, we were prepared to ground the exercise in specific people, contexts, and constraints. That way, later, whenever we asked, “What could go wrong?”, the question would be anchored by something shared and concrete.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/bitpart-organizer-persona_hu_d859a0a8522bd6a4.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"meet-akello-online-organizer\"\u003eMeet Akello: Online Organizer\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/screenshot-2026-03-03-at-13.26.32_hu_603d4b0184265939.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"667\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlaying With Disasters\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith those personas in mind, we continued on with the Throneless Tech team. We deliberately steered the focus away from the “easy” disasters—server crashes or widespread data breaches—and instead, focused the team on clear stress cases (i.e. catastrophes like arrests, device seizures, admin abductions, and funding cuts). As the team played the game, it focused on these “likely” catastrophes, threats, and vulnerabilities that surfaced across end users, admins, and maintainers—the platform\u0026rsquo;s whole human stack.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAfter the Workshop\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the close of the workshop, we shifted to an “actor-based” threat-modeling approach. That is, after composing and sorting the most likely disasters for Bitpart, we helped the team decompose one of those disasters to properly identify potential threat actors within an inflection point or catastrophe. So after the workshop, I continued with this process for the rest, ultimately grouping them into a threat-scenario matrix that detailed all the actors, their goals, potentially affected system areas, and potential consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/bitpart-state-actor-persona_hu_6405771519d59ae0.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.45.29_hu_77baf89a134ee010.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"202\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI used this as input to take a more process-based approach to understand the threats in the specific conversational flows and the larger arcs of user journeys. Using the Personas Non Grata, I stepped through both conversational flows and journeys to see exactly where and how a disaster could emerge from a threat actor at a specific interaction (i.e. site of vulnerability).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-we-discovered\"\u003eWhat We Discovered\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSafety and Care Throughout the Whole Human Stack\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop reframed where safety and care “live” in Bitpart. As the group played through these catastrophes, something important emerged. The threats they identified didn’t cluster around a single type of user. Vulnerabilities showed up across three distinct but interdependent layers:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/screenshot-2026-03-03-at-12.49.33_hu_ff8e3de4a4dabbd8.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"272\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnd-users whose devices and identities could be exposed, Bitpart Administrators whose judgment and capacity shaped how safely Bitpart was operated, and the Maintainers whose ability to sustain the project determined whether any of that protection would exist over time. A failure in any one of these layers could cascade into the others; e.g., an overworked admin making a rushed decision could expose subscribers, or a burned-out maintainer could leave critical vulnerabilities unpatched.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat became clearer was that a “harmful librarian” is almost always a system failure, not a personal failure. People might make unsafe choices when systems they use lean too heavily on their memory and attention. Furthermore, without giving them adequate support or guidance, these people are likely to sacrifice their own well-being under pressure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, Disaster Games worked not because it produced a better checklist, but because it emotionally simulated what panic, stress, and overwhelm might feel or look like in practice. We weren’t just thinking through risks; we were feeling what it would mean to be the “librarian” while everything went wrong. That simulation surfaced vulnerabilities that no audit alone would have revealed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePersonas Made Threats More Designable\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe surfaced a lot of emotional content during the workshop: fear of legal retaliation, worry about making mistakes under pressure, and anxiety about being the only person who knows how a specific system works. The patterns in those fears told us where the team already had awareness of Bitpart’s fragility—places where responsibilities were vague or where safeguards relied too heavily on individual heroics. We turned those anxieties into Personas Non Grata; we weren’t inventing new threats; we were giving shape to the risks the team already felt but hadn’t yet named.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce those anxieties were crystallized into concrete personas—the coerced admin, the overextended moderator, the solo maintainer—they became design inputs. With the team, we could ask targeted questions like, \u003cem\u003ewhat happens in this flow if the admin is exhausted? What if they are under legal pressure? What guardrails or prompts in the UI would help?\u003c/em\u003e This was an important shift, since it turned abstract anxieties into specific design opportunities. Meaning the team could make design decisions more effectively. Examples could include clearer defaults, better documentation, safer handoff points, and ways to reduce the cognitive load on people operating Bitpart under stress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSustainability is a Risk\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most important discoveries was that project sustainability itself emerged after the workshop as a security problem, not just an operational one. Through the game and the subsequent mappings, it became clear how much of Bitpart’s safety depended on some people continuing to have time, energy, and funding to maintain it. The lack of contributors was not just a potential problem of governance; it was an existential threat to any user who might rely on Bitpart, since an unmaintained security tool quickly becomes a dangerous one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere, the divergent exploration of “everything that could go wrong” in the Disaster Game helped prevent tunnel vision and provided a diversity of ideas. By opening up to a wide range of socio-technical catastrophes (and only later converging on the most likely and impactful ones), we weren’t fixating on a single, familiar category of risk (e.g., external attackers) and missing slow-moving threats like maintainer exhaustion or funding gaps. This insight led directly to another workshop focused on mapping the Contributor Persona and Journey with conversations about documentation and governance as forms of safety and care work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-outcome\"\u003eThe Outcome\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgain, the most important outcome wasn’t a checklist of issues; it was shared threat literacy across everyone working on Bitpart. Now, Throneless had a common vocabulary for talking about risk at the end-user, administrator, and maintainer layers, with a clearer sense of how failures in one layer could cascade into the others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCombining Disaster Games and Personas Non Grata turned ambient worry and rumination into actionable design questions. Instead of the vague sense “someone is at risk,” the team could now ask, what happens in this flow if the administrator is overwhelmed? What guardrails or defaults could better support them in this moment? This led to concrete changes: clearer defaults in flows, safer handoff points between the platform and users, and a renewed focus on documentation as a way to reduce cognitive load.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the team recognized that their nascent platform’s security depended heavily on a few people continuing to maintain and fundraise for the project. That realization led directly to the team treating governance and contributor onboarding as forms of safety and care work for the communities Bitpart aims to serve.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e for supporting this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "From Content to Interface: Rethinking Platform Transparency Through Design",
            "date_published": "2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2026-the-year-we-choose-to-protect-childrenor-fail-them/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2026-the-year-we-choose-to-protect-childrenor-fail-them/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/chirayu-trivedi-lh-6oe-dllu-unsplash_hu_2e9067877d8af67.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of a lit candle with stars in the dark.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few weeks ago, a photo on LinkedIn from the TikTok For You(th) Summit in London caught my eye. Baby pink background, cheerful branding, adults discussing safety and well-being for youth. It was optimistic. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was a stark contrast to \u003ca href=\"https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/POL40/0360/2025/en/\"\u003eAmnesty Tech’s report on TikTok\u003c/a\u003e’s treatment of teens, which I stumbled upon only hours before. The findings specifically focused on how accounts coded as children were pulled into self-harm content spirals within hours after signup. Those two moments, the glossy summit and the grim findings, sat side by side on my screen like two realities that cannot co-exist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne is the safety story platforms tell us. The other is what research continues to show.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd this isn’t unique to TikTok. Instagram recently received its own reckoning in \u003ca href=\"https://fairplayforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Teen-Accounts-Broken-Promises-How-Instagram-is-failing-to-protect-minors.pdf\"\u003eTeen Accounts: Broken Promises,\u003c/a\u003e a report co-authored by the Meta whistleblower who has been warning the company internally for years. The headline number is devastating:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e64% of Instagram’s safety mechanisms for teens were “red” — meaning they didn’t work or were easily bypassed. Only 17% worked as promised.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeta says children are protected. The numbers suggest children are navigating these systems mostly alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a Hungarian, design-focused digital rights researcher — and a parent — I’ve come to recognise the pattern: big tech platforms, like governments, often prioritize the performance of care instead of delivering it. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve also witnessed childhood safety being compromised and justified not only on social platforms but by generative AI chatbot firms, too. Look no further than the recent OpenAI suicide case, where a child used ChatGPT to assist them in taking their own life. The company argues that a 16-year-old violated its terms by bypassing safety measures, and that its FAQ warned users not to rely on outputs without independent verification. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExpecting a teenager to read, understand, and comply with the terms of service is not child protection. It is abdication. Terms of use and FAQs are not safety measures; they are legal shields. They exist to manage corporate liability, not to protect a child in crisis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOffloading responsibility onto minors by asking them to decipher legal language, interpret abstract warnings, and regulate their behavior while interacting with a persuasive, human-like system is the opposite of safety by design. It is a calculated transfer of risk from companies to children.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd let’s be clear: if a “safeguard” can be breached by a child through ordinary, foreseeable use, then it was never a safeguard at all. A protection a child cannot understand, access, or use in the moment it matters is not protection. It is a fiction and a dangerous one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"might-2026-signal-a-long-awaited-shift\"\u003eMight 2026 signal a long-awaited shift?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), passed in 2022, was designed to finally give regulators the power to intervene when digital platforms harm users. DSA’s Article 28 requires platforms to make environments safe and age-appropriate for minors by design. One part of the \u003ca href=\"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C_202505519\"\u003eArticle 28’s guidelines\u003c/a\u003e deals specifically with children’s user experience: the buttons they see, the defaults they’re nudged into, the friction they meet when trying to protect themselves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConfronting this is vital because children are not harmed only by content, they’re harmed by the design choices that surround them. Children encounter everything from autoplay to infinite scrolling, night-time notifications, default-open DMs and perhaps even a \u0026ldquo;safety\u0026rdquo; toggle buried under six cheerful menus. These harms are not distributed evenly: marginalized children – racialized, disabled, queer, migrant, or low-income youth – often face compounded risks and fewer accessible protections. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNone of this is random. All of it is measurable if we measure the right things. These design choices don’t appear in a vacuum. They are embedded in \u003ca href=\"https://rankingdigitalrights.org/its-the-business-model/\"\u003ebusiness models\u003c/a\u003e that depend on maximizing attention, data extraction, and engagement. Any meaningful safety effort should confront not only interface issues but also the incentives beneath them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20251120IPR31496/children-should-be-at-least-16-to-access-social-media-say-meps\"\u003eEuropean Parliament is pushing even harder\u003c/a\u003e: proposing a 16+ minimum age for social media, banning engagement-based recommender systems for minors, and switching off addictive features like infinite scroll and autoplay by default. While the EU currently leads on regulatory frameworks, children’s digital experiences and the harms they face vary widely globally. Any approach to platform safety must avoid exporting a single regional standard as universal, and must include voices and realities from the Global Majority.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, we face a crucial question: How do we study manipulative platform design without exposing children to harm, and in a way that regulators can enforce? Most research still focuses on what children see, and that is important. We are interested in understanding how they get there. In our work, we don’t chase virality metrics or moderation logs. We look at flows. Because harm is rarely a single feature. It’s the journey: the clicks it takes to report abuse, the invisibility of the “off” switch, how fast a child can exit once something feels wrong.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow might we avoid exposing children to harmful feeds, while still learning what matters—namely, whether safety features are truly usable?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCan they turn off tracking? Can they delete an account? Can they limit recommendations, set time boundaries, and exit when things don’t feel right?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf reporting a harmful interaction takes seven taps and a trip outside the app, only \u003ca href=\"https://fairplayforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Teen-Accounts-Broken-Promises-How-Instagram-is-failing-to-protect-minors.pdf\"\u003e0.02% of teens will get help—as Meta’s own data shows\u003c/a\u003e. UX is not superficial: it is the mechanism through which harm travels. \u003cstrong\u003eIf a safety control is unusable or inaccessible to a child, it is effectively not there.\u003c/strong\u003e And that’s problematic for children, parents and society as a whole. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditional oversight models rely on content analysis, algorithmic audits, or risk assessment documentation provided by platforms themselves. All are valuable but not sufficient for effectively measuring compliance of platform design-related issues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCivil society faces two barriers:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe cannot ethically expose minors to harmful environments to study them. And when we involve young people in research, that participation must be ethical, compensated, consent-driven, and grounded in long-term relationships not extractive.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis research must be replicable and affordable, not just something a well resourced organisation can do once.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe good news is that in user research, when a feature is broken, it breaks fast. We don’t need thousands of minors, just small, diverse cohorts of users. Patterns reveal themselves quickly.  Children and teens are not only vulnerable. They are experts in their own experiences. Effective safety systems must be shaped with them, not merely for them, especially across lines of race, disability, gender, and socioeconomic background.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe part that needs to scale isn’t the children. It’s the structure around them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003einterface maps of entire safety journeys\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eshared taxonomies of manipulative patterns\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003estandardized walkthrough scripts for regulators\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/superblooms-user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/\"\u003eusability \u0026amp; accessibility heuristics\u003c/a\u003e tied to Article 28\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeuristics, in plain language, are rule-of-thumb tests for whether a design works. Did the child understand the setting? Could they find it? Did it behave as expected? If not, it fails, even if it “exists” on paper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis matters because compliance has often meant: the safety feature exists somewhere. What we need is a safety feature that works for the users it is intended to serve, and it protects them.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd if \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/meta-buried-causal-evidence-social-media-harm-us-court-filings-allege-2025-11-23/\"\u003erecent revelations about Meta\u003c/a\u003e have shown us anything - from lawsuits alleging intentionally ineffective youth safety tools to internal reports where researchers were allegedly told not to collect data on under-13s “due to regulatory concerns” - it’s that platforms cannot be relied on to evaluate their own design risks. Someone else has to test the interface.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"so-what-should-change-look-like-in-2026\"\u003eSo, what should change look like in 2026?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s the hopeful version, and I think it’s still possible:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDefault-safe design, not default-addiction.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSafety features that work, not safety features that just exist.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSafety feature design needs to be co-designed with children. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShared interface design audit tooling so every investigation doesn\u0026rsquo;t restart from zero.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegulators don’t just need data. They need methods. And they are starting to say so out loud. Parents across the political spectrum want change, and patience is gone. 2026 won’t be the year we fix everything. But it could be the year we stop pretending and start acting. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo single team, researcher, regulator, or NGO can solve this. Durable change requires shared accountability across youth, parents, educators, civil society, platform workers, and regulators. Our work is one piece of a much larger ecosystem.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "DTPR",
            "date_published": "2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/dtpr/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/dtpr/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Growing the DTPR Ecosystem: A New Chapter for Digital Trust and Transparency",
            "date_published": "2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/growing-the-dtpr-ecosystem-a-new-chapter-for-digital-trust-and-transparency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/growing-the-dtpr-ecosystem-a-new-chapter-for-digital-trust-and-transparency/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dtpr-header-2.svg\" alt=\"A graphic of a park and members of the community in a publlic space in pale blue. \"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.helpfulplaces.com/\"\u003eHelpful Places\u003c/a\u003e and Superbloom are excited to team up in order to grow the open-source ecosystem around \u003ca href=\"https://dtpr.io/\"\u003eDigital Trust for Places \u0026amp; Routines (DTPR)\u003c/a\u003e. This next chapter isn’t just about launching new work. It’s about expanding a shared story: seeing the invisible digital systems around us, building practical tools that make transparency meaningful for everyone, shifting norms, and setting new expectations for how technology is introduced into communities. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"seeing--making-the-invisible-visible\"\u003eSeeing → Making the invisible visible\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery day, digital technologies operate quietly in the background of our physical world: sensor networks in transit hubs, analytics in cultural spaces, smart infrastructure in public parks, traffic management systems and automatic license plate readers on our roads. For most people, these systems are invisible.\u2028 DTPR helps people see them. It’s a human-centered, open framework inspired by visual languages and the “nutrition label” to make AI and data practices that are part of the built environment and our everyday routines more visible. Consisting of a structured taxonomy, associated icons and design patterns on how to use and present these components, DTPR explains what data is being collected, by whom, and for what purpose. It turns hidden digital infrastructure and processes into something legible and accountable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"building--turning-principles-into-practice\"\u003eBuilding → Turning principles into practice\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the U.S. National Science Foundation, Helpful Places and Superbloom are exploring ways to lay the groundwork for DTPR to scale as an open-source ecosystem. Over the coming months, the partnership will focus on three pillars:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEcosystem research: Mapping how DTPR is currently being used, identifying which communities, geographies, and sectors might be interested in using it next, and what barriers might be limiting adoption and contribution. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunity development:\u2028 Creating spaces such as workshops, collaboration channels, and convenings where designers, cities, researchers, and civic technologists can learn from each other, engage around governance, co-create, and develop DTPR.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShared governance: Designing a sustainable structure so that DTPR remains community-led, open, and adaptable long into the future.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis phase is about learning, listening and figuring out how to make it easy for practitioners and community members to implement DTPR, contribute back, and shape it as a living public resource that serves everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"shifting--from-pilots-to-norms\"\u003eShifting → From pilots to norms\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTransparency shouldn’t be a special project or a nice-to-have. It should be standard practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs digital technologies become embedded in everyday places and daily routines -  From libraries to transit systems, people need ways to understand and trust the digital systems that affect their lives and communities. DTPR helps create that cultural shift: openness not as a promise, but as an expectation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“DTPR began as a way to make invisible technologies visible,” said Jacqueline Lu, Founder and CEO of Helpful Places. “Now we’re building the networks and governance that can sustain it, ensuring it remains open, adaptable, and rooted in public benefit.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“This next phase is about growing DTPR as a living ecosystem,” said Georgia Bullen of Superbloom. “We’re creating the conditions for open collaboration, so communities can build on DTPR and make transparency a shared standard.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, Helpful Places and Superbloom are working toward a world where public technologies are designed with care, accountability, and community at the center.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWant to learn more or be part of the growing ecosystem? \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCOrFKYzPwjqhGlvbaKNOXjXXvpY7kGGRUbf79moVayX8azQ/viewform\"\u003eRegister to attend\u003c/a\u003e our workshop at Smart Cities Connect on Friday, November 21, at 9:00 a.m. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollow along as we share updates, invitations to participate, and stories from the growing DTPR community. Visit: \u003ca href=\"https://dtpr.io\"\u003ehttps://dtpr.io\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis project, Legible Urban Tech - Digital Trust for Places and Routines, is made possible by support from the U.S. National Science Foundation through the Pathways to Open Source Ecosystems (POSE) program.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "NSF POSE",
            "date_published": "2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/nsfpose/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/nsfpose/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Open Source Summit Europe",
            "date_published": "2025-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/open-source-summit-europe/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/open-source-summit-europe/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Seeing Open Source Through a Designer’s Eyes at Open Source Summit Europe 2025",
            "date_published": "2025-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/seeing-open-source-through-a-designers-eyes-at-oss-summit-eu-2025/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/seeing-open-source-through-a-designers-eyes-at-oss-summit-eu-2025/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_oss_summit_2025_hu_51761ecd596e1cd2.png\" alt=\"Event slide image. Teal/yellow/lilac Van Gogh style image with the slide title: The Secret Lives of OSS Designers: Understanding Designers Contributing to OSS\" width=\"740\" height=\"414\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn August 2025, I had the chance to attend Open Source Summit Europe 2025, a flagship event by the Linux Foundation, held in Amsterdam from 25 to 27 August. As a first-time speaker and designer stepping into a developer-dominated space, I joined thousands of contributors, maintainers, and innovators for four days of talks, workshops, and community days focused on advancing open source software. What started with a bit of hesitation quickly turned into an inspiring experience, proving that design has a vital seat at the open source table.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdFID6ViKHo\u0026amp;list=PLwz4EueITgvmJzrNWbGkAMeDVLlOWQuch\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThis year, I walked into \u003ca href=\"https://events.linuxfoundation.org/archive/2025/open-source-summit-europe/\"\u003eOpen Source Summit Europe 2025\u003c/a\u003e for the very first time, not just as an attendee, but as a speaker. And I’ll admit, I carried a quiet hesitation with me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a designer in the world of open source, I’ve learned to expect raised eyebrows. At best, polite confusion: “What’s a designer doing here?” At worst, a cold shoulder. This is especially given that OSS spaces have historically catered to developers. Too often, design is treated as decoration, something that comes after the “real” work is done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut something shifted at OSSummit. Instead of skepticism, I found curiosity. Instead of dismissal, I found conversations. Contributors and maintainers asked questions, sought out resources, and welcomed design as part of the fabric of open source. For me, it was a reminder that OSS doesn’t just belong to developers. It belongs to anyone willing to help make it stronger, safer, and more usable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"security-as-a-shared-responsibility\"\u003eSecurity as a shared responsibility\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne theme echoed through almost every session: security and integrity in OSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI sat in on Daniel Rabinovitz’s talk, “Keeping Your Software Supply Chain Healthy.” His message was simple but powerful: every contributor—regardless of role—has a part to play in securing OSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt first, it felt far from my lane as a designer. But the more I listened, the clearer it became:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a researcher and designer, understanding developers’ priorities around security helps me grasp their workflows, their mental models, and the pressures shaping their decisions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a contributor, even if I’m not writing code, knowing the risks of supply chains and dependencies makes me a more responsible member of the OSS ecosystem.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a reminder that open source isn’t a collection of silos. Documentation, design, code, and community are all interconnected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"oss-as-critical-infrastructure\"\u003eOSS as critical infrastructure\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWalking between sessions, another theme emerged: open source as critical infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalks on digital public goods and civic technology painted OSS as globally essential, powering research labs, public services, and everyday tools. It was inspiring to see OSS spoken about in the same breath as utilities we rely on. But it was also sobering. With recognition comes responsibility: How do we maintain stability? How do we sustain it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe answers weren’t simple. Funding models. Licensing debates. Contribution infrastructure. Borrowing practices from the proprietary tech world. No silver bullet, just a collective willingness to wrestle with the complexity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"inclusion-and-non-code-contributions\"\u003eInclusion and non-code contributions\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of the most powerful conversations weren’t about code at all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor instance, Imma Valls from Grafana Labs gave a talk, “Understanding the Need for Systemic Change in Open Source Through Intersectionality.” What started as a presentation on gender disparities became an open-floor discussion. People spoke candidly about their experiences, their frustrations, and their hopes for change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt flowed naturally into my own talk: “The Secret Lives of OSS Design Contributors.” I spoke about how design can bring accessibility and usability into OSS, and how projects can make space for that. The response was energizing. Attendees connected it to their own realities: maintainers juggling multiple hats, contributors trying to make tools usable beyond tight developer circles. That mix of perspectives felt like the best of OSS: conversations that challenge, expand, and connect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-value-of-variety\"\u003eThe value of variety \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver coffee breaks and hallway chats, I kept hearing the same thing: projects want varied contributions, as long as they’re useful and relevant.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompanies building OSS tools told me they’re actively looking to involve designers. For them, it’s not about ticking boxes. It’s about setting up users for success, from hiring designers or supporting community contributors. Either way, design isn’t optional; it’s key to usability and growth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"community-days-learning-in-action\"\u003eCommunity days: learning in action\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the main summit wrapped, I joined the Open SSF Community Day. I half-expected to feel out of place in a security-heavy crowd. Instead, I was met with an unexpected energy. People introduced me to those shaping attestations and other security practices. I even got to share some of my own UI/UX work and gather direct feedback.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat day underscored the value of these community spaces. They’re not just deep dives into niche topics. They’re spaces for cross-pollination. Security meets design. Research meets development. Ideas flow in ways they can’t during formal sessions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"final-reflections\"\u003eFinal reflections\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the end of the week, one truth became clear for me: design belongs in open source. Not as an afterthought, not as polish layered on top, but as a core contribution shaping usability, accessibility, and sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat struck me most was how open people were to that message. Whether in supply chain sessions, inclusion talks, or community days, the response was the same: OSS thrives when skills mix.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI left the summit feeling more connected, more informed, and more hopeful. Designers may still be a minority in OSS spaces, but moments like these prove our perspectives matter, and that the OSS community is ready to listen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n      \u003ciframe allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen\" loading=\"eager\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZdFID6ViKHo?autoplay=0\u0026amp;controls=1\u0026amp;end=0\u0026amp;loop=0\u0026amp;mute=0\u0026amp;start=0\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" title=\"YouTube video\"\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n"
        },
        {
            "title": " Sustain Africa",
            "date_published": "2025-10-22T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-10-22T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/sustain-africa/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/sustain-africa/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Sustaining Open Source Design: Reflections from Sustain Africa",
            "date_published": "2025-10-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-10-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sustaining-open-source-design-reflections-from-sustain-africa/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sustaining-open-source-design-reflections-from-sustain-africa/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_sustain_blog_white_hu_658a799b4c9b1099.png\" alt=\"White image of the letters OS where the centre of the \u0026lsquo;o\u0026rsquo; is an outline of the map of Africa\" width=\"740\" height=\"350\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"background\"\u003eBackground\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Sustain Africa event is a one-day unconference held at the OSCA Festival, a huge open source conference hosted by the Open Source Community Africa (OSCA). It brings together builders and users of open source projects to discuss key aspects of OSS, including design, governance, web development, and maintainer burnout. As a designer, I found the conversations on sustaining OSS design really valuable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome open source organizations like CHOASS, Gnome, and Nextcloud have tried to prioritize design and have made efforts to push design contributions and make designers visible, yet compared to other aspects of open source contributions, design remains hidden in the ecosystem. We discussed how this is evident in the allocation of grants, where a smaller number is given for the maintenance of design or dedicated-design programs. This year’s discussions explored in greater depth how we can sustain OSS design as contributors, how African designers can leverage contributions as a pathway for growth, and how projects can articulate their design needs and document processes in a way that promotes the development of the community and projects. Listening to participants, I reflected on the challenges of trust, sustainability, and visibility for design contributors, issues that resonate globally.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-do-people-think-oss-design-is\"\u003eWhat do people think OSS design is?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne key question was: What do we think OSS design is?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe answers varied: some saw it as designing assets, such as icons, buttons, and layouts, while others defined it as applying open and collaborative OSS principles to design. More experienced contributors expanded it to include shaping user experiences beyond interfaces, that is, onboarding, documentation structures, and even how a community is governed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf design is viewed solely as UI, contributors with research or strategy skills may be overlooked. A broader framing positions design as a bridge between users, maintainers, and developers. It also highlights unique challenges in a design context—the complexity of tools, differences in technical skill, and language barriers. We define OSS design in this way to ensure we are part of the global conversation and can shape how design is practiced worldwide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"sustaining-oss-design\"\u003eSustaining OSS design\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSustainability requires more than one-off design contributions. Design work must be thoroughly documented and treated as integral to projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEducation is foundational. Many Africans are introduced to OSS through talks and articles, but a deeper understanding of the space requires in-depth education. Although GitHub and Linux provide resources, design education often falls short because programs tend to prioritize technical skills over design principles.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSustaining OSS design also means recognizing that research, prototyping, and usability testing need resources. Without funding, contributors burn out. Financial support not only helps designers but also strengthens overall project development.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocumentation is another challenge. README files rarely include design information, as many technical writers, though talented, may not be able to fully document a design process, except they are designers themselves or have a design background. Assigning designers to collaborate, set up, and maintain these assets ensures clarity and consistency. Find a designer who can document design or train a designer to document design. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntegration matters too. Too often, design conversations are scattered across external tools or private chats. When design discussions are integrated into platforms like GitHub Discussions, GitLab issues, and mailing lists, contributors can trace the history and access conversations. While some projects hesitate to add this layer, fearing disruption, it is key for continuity.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinally, mentorship is lacking. Developers often have maintainers or senior guides, while designers lack role models in OSS. Without senior contributors to mentor, knowledge sharing and sustainability suffer. Building mentorship is essential for long-term design growth.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-oss-playbook-community-vs-core-trust\"\u003eThe OSS playbook: community vs. core trust\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother theme discussed was the need for a playbook or widely accepted documentation from the OSS design community. Such a resource could help projects define design direction and avoid treating design as an outsourced, one-off effort.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis raised questions of trust. Are design contributors seen as collaborators or just surface fixers? If communities limit design to polishing interfaces, we are reproducing closed practices within spaces that claim openness. Including design voices early reshapes trust dynamics and ensures access and influence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"pathways-for-contributors-to-grow-in-design\"\u003ePathways for contributors to grow in design\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA major frustration is the lack of visible pathways for designers in OSS. Developers often move from beginner issues to maintainer roles, but designers rarely see progression or leadership opportunities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants explored what growth pathways could look like. Visibility was a recurring theme: contributors need platforms to showcase their work through blogs, portfolios, or community highlights. Recognition motivates designers and helps them translate contributions into career opportunities. Without visibility and pathways, talented designers remain on the sidelines, unable to shape the ecosystems they support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"improving-design-contributions-in-open-source\"\u003eImproving design contributions in open source\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe discussed practical ways to improve design contributions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAutomation reduces repetitive tasks and lowers the risk for newcomers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTemplates provide structure for design changes and ensure uniformity in contributions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear documentation helps new contributors understand standards and processes, making design more transparent.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese processes make design contributions less intimidating and more impactful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"keeping-the-conversation-alive\"\u003eKeeping the conversation alive\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the session, I felt a renewed commitment to the OSS design community in Africa. We have a unique opportunity to shape the future of OSS design by investing in education, funding, mentorship, and documentation. Sustaining design isn’t only about technical fixes—it’s a cultural shift toward openness, recognition, and collaboration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe OSCA Festival may have ended, but the conversations must continue. As OSS advocates, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to influence the next chapter of open source design globally.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Do’s and Don’ts for Visual Storytelling in Sensitive Scenarios",
            "date_published": "2025-09-15T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-09-15T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/dos-and-donts-for-visual-storytelling-in-sensitive-scenarios/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/dos-and-donts-for-visual-storytelling-in-sensitive-scenarios/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThe images you use matters to your audience. To help brands choose visuals with sensitivity and respect, we’ve created a \u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVLBlTwlA=/\"\u003eMiro board\u003c/a\u003e showing the do’s and don’ts for various scenarios that impact marginalized genders and identities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt covers a range of scenarios from war to revenge porn, gun violence, stalking and more. This is a resource for anyone seeking to create visual design that truly resonates with marginalized genders and the potentially tough topics that interest them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis practical resource was shaped with real community input.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside, you’ll discover:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKey topics and tough scenarios requiring thoughtful image selection.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuidance on tone and pacing to prevent harm and foster empathy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTips for communicating authentically and inclusively.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid common pitfalls—explore the board.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can find \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1goyrZkSzVaKmTIfjjCpVwBE746cQeYwJ/view?usp=drive_link\"\u003ea PDF of the Miro board here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"disclaimer\"\u003eDisclaimer\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe images collected in the ‘ok’ and ‘bad’ examples don’t mean these are ‘ok’ and ‘bad’ designs or images, it means they are more likely to be upsetting when seen in context of ‘marginalised genders and identities using secure and private communication technology, based off our user research with marginalised genders and identities. In certain cases, creating ‘upsetting’ imagery may be the point/focus of a design/image.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Why Defining Gender Diversity Matters to Your Brand — and the Challenges You May Face",
            "date_published": "2025-08-18T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-08-18T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/why-defining-gender-diversity-matters-to-your-brand--and-the-challenges-you-may-face/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/why-defining-gender-diversity-matters-to-your-brand--and-the-challenges-you-may-face/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_butterfly_messages_hu_6d7fe46458e367e8.png\" alt=\"Image of two mobile phones with hands coming out of them pointing at one another with a butterfly on the index finger. Left hand phone with purple phone and butterfly. Right hand in green.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Superbloom, clients often are curious about audience and how to reach people beyond the usual suspect for an app or tool. Most recently, we were approached by a client who asked a vital question with real implications: How can our tool and brand better appeal to marginalized genders and identities? It\u0026rsquo;s a question more organizations should be asking — especially those building tools meant to empower or protect users, such as privacy-focused software. But as simple as the question sounds, answering it—and acting on it—requires a deliberate, often uncomfortable reckoning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore we could begin designing for inclusion we needed to address a foundational issue we encounter often in the tech world: many tools are originally built for majority audiences—most commonly, men with a high degree of technical fluency. Unsurprisingly, this history shapes everything: product features, tone, visual language, even how user trust is earned. When these systems attempt to pivot toward inclusion without reevaluating their assumptions or defining their strategy clearly, they often fall short. That’s because diversity can’t be retrofitted around a default — and certainly not when that default is exclusionary from the start.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-fallacy-of-broad-appeal\"\u003eThe fallacy of “broad appeal” \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTime and time again, we hear clients say: “We just want to appeal more broadly.” While well-intentioned, this type of wishful thinking is ultimately ineffective and even risky. Without specificity, efforts to engage with marginalized genders and identities tend to default into the vague—and the vague is almost always a re-centering of the dominant group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake, for example, the vague catch-all term “marginalized genders.” Too often, this label is treated as an umbrella that includes “everyone who isn’t a tech-bro,” a definition that over-simplifies, erases nuance, and reinforces the norms marginalized individuals are already pushing against. Worse still, it sustains harmful hierarchies by positioning those users as deviations from the imagined “typical” user — male, cisgender, and highly technical.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEffective, respectful design begins with clarity. Who are we really talking about? Which identities, lived experiences, and cultural contexts are we centering? What does trust look like for them? What past harms must we be mindful not to repeat?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"why-this-process-is-hard--and-necessary\"\u003eWhy this process is hard — and necessary \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarifying these definitions isn’t just a semantic exercise; it can be organizationally and emotionally uncomfortable. It requires brands to step out of autopilot mode — to challenge internal assumptions and recognize gaps in team knowledge, systems, and design approaches. It can bring teams face-to-face with blind spots they didn’t know they had.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor our client, this process can mean shifting from a broad, undefined concern about diversity to a deeper interrogation: Who exactly are we doing this for?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo guide our user research and shape our design direction, we collaboratively defined what we meant when we spoke of gender diversity. Not a monolith — but a spectrum of experiences, sensibilities, and social contexts that deserved acknowledgment in specifics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_pixel-butterfly-3_hu_984571e10c3d1e09.png\" alt=\"Image of three dark purple butterflies side by side morphing from left to right - image to pixelated image\" width=\"740\" height=\"252\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"our-working-definition-of-gender-diverse-users\"\u003eOur working definition of gender-diverse users \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo design with intention and empathy, we developed the following working definition for our team:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"who-we-mean-by-gender-diverse\"\u003eWho we mean by gender diverse\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIndividuals who identify as: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFemme-presenting\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMan (not cisgender)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWoman (cis and trans)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTransgender\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNon-binary\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGender-fluid\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGender-queer\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndrogyne\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"they-have-often-experienced\"\u003eThey have often experienced: \u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscrimination, exclusion, and “othering”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA lack of visible role models\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMisrepresentation in technology and media \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHate or backlash from groups like incels\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe need to mask or hide their identities\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"theyve-also-found-strength-in\"\u003eThey’ve also found strength in:\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunity (online and offline)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInclusive spaces\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eActivism, collaboration, and mutual support\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStrong social networks and alternative structures of connection\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"their-behavior-around-privacy-tools-varies\"\u003eTheir behavior around privacy tools varies:\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome use them actively\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome wish to but haven’t started\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome avoid them intentionally\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome choose not to for personal or systemic reasons\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstanding this range allowed us to pinpoint whom we should prioritize in research, how to create inclusive design strategies, and how to avoid tokenism or generalizations . Without such grounding, there’s too great a risk of flattening experiences and missing the point entirely.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_pixel-butterfly-4-2-_hu_c4f3c873445e2e33.png\" alt=\"Image of three light purple butterflies side by side morphing from left to right - image to pixelated image\" width=\"740\" height=\"265\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"why-definitions-make-brands-stronger--not-weaker\"\u003eWhy definitions make brands stronger — not weaker \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s natural to fear that narrowing your scope will limit your reach. But from Superbloom’s experience, the opposite is true: By meeting a specific community with specificity, you demonstrate integrity, depth, and real commitment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrands that say “we welcome everyone” but sidestep the hard work of clearly defining who everyone means often foster exclusion by default. A vague welcome is no welcome at all. And in industries where gender-diverse individuals have historically been pushed out or ignored, this approach feels like more of the same.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen brands get intentional about speaking directly to historically marginalized users, they don’t exclude the majority users—they just stop over-prioritizing them. They stop designing only for one type of user and instead allow room for multiple histories, values, and ways of connecting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-takeaway\"\u003eThe takeaway\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigning for marginalized genders and identities is not about checking a box. It’s about stretching your organization’s values to meet the real diversity of lived experience with clarity and respect. The first step? Say what you mean. Define who you’re designing for, and involve them meaningfully. Yes, it might force some uncomfortable conversations. But it will spark the kind of growth that makes your product—and your brand—more relevant, more just, and more human.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWant to learn more about how to create truly inclusive, user-centered design strategies? We’d love to talk! Get in touch: \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/impact-engagement-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Impact \u0026amp; Engagement Lab\u003c/a\u003e (formerly Learning lab) for supporting this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Feature Guide for High-Risk Contexts (2025)",
            "date_published": "2025-02-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-02-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/feature-guide-for-high-risk-contexts-2025/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/feature-guide-for-high-risk-contexts-2025/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_feature_guide_for_high-risk_contexts_-2025_edition-_hu_ec2d4947bc4564b9.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you’re creating technology in 2025, take a hint from the feature wish lists of activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. Here’s our 2025 guide to what you should consider including in every tech tool and why.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis guide helps designers and developers adapt tech tools for high-risk contexts. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you design specialized tools for high-risk contexts, or you want to create adaptable, resilient technology that can flex with different levels of risk, this list is for you. At Superbloom, our goal is to use design to help improve both types of technology. Specialized apps need to be usable in order to fulfil their promise of security; everyday apps should take higher-risk environments into account. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/Superboom_Design_Feature_Guide_for_High_Risk_Contexts.pdf\"\u003eOur Feature Guide for High-Risk Contexts\u003c/a\u003e is a selection of security and privacy features that people in high-risk contexts have brought up in our research projects from 2018 to 2024. Additionally, we hosted a workshop with other designers and tool builders in the space (and hope to host more soon). We identified a menu of features that we divided into five categories:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures that disguise help people hide their use of a tool.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures that delete help people minimize data or easily make their data go away. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures that educate give people hints and reminders relevant to privacy and security.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures that welcome make a tool pleasant and straightforward to use.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures that support social dynamics let people use the group structures and roles that work best for them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"our-high-risk-design-approach\"\u003eOur high-risk design approach\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are all at risk when participating in the modern technology ecosystem: it is powered by monetizing user data, with an experience splintered by microtargeting and governed by opaque corporate policies. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, some environments and interactions are especially risky. People in these contexts are particularly helpful to learn from, since they often have already spent time thinking about the features, protections, and mitigations they need from their technology. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are grateful to many activists, journalists, and human rights defenders from all over the world for sharing their do’s and don’ts with us, their wish lists and wisdom. The strategies they use and the reality of their day-to-day tech use inform our approach to design: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStrengthen both specialized and everyday tools.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid interfering with users’ own risk-mitigation strategies.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffer protective features that empower users without restricting them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdapt to real-world usage patterns and evolving threats.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"high-risk-features-are-for-everybody\"\u003eHigh-risk features are for everybody\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/Superboom_Design_Feature_Guide_for_High_Risk_Contexts.pdf\"\u003eOur feature guide\u003c/a\u003e comes from interviews we conducted between 2018 and 2024 with people who are using technology in high-risk contexts. But given economic and geopolitical trends in 2025, these features will be helpful to everyone at some point. Risk is layered and shifts over time; factors as diverse as identity, government and corporate policies, and personal circumstances all determine how vulnerable a particular person is, at what time, and to what threats. If you have ever switched from Facebook Messenger to Signal, if you have ever closed Chrome and opened Tor, or if you have ever lowered your voice in a café, you have experienced how risk can shift based on context. At Superbloom, we want technology to support shifts in the risk landscape.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, no matter what kind of technology you are working on, no matter who you expect will be using it, \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/Superboom_Design_Feature_Guide_for_High_Risk_Contexts.pdf\"\u003echeck out the 2025 edition of this feature guide\u003c/a\u003e. There’s a good chance some of these features make sense for you to include. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you see something missing, please let us know. Even better, if you would like to take part in a mini-workshop to update and expand the list, reach out to us! We find that group settings work particularly well for exchanging this type of information. Write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"further-resources\"\u003eFurther resources\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a more holistic approach that integrates accessibility and usability, see Superbloom’s \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/\"\u003eUser Experience Toolbox for Risk Mitigation and Accessibility\u003c/a\u003e. It contains a wealth of higher-level resources to inform your overall process and philosophy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProfiles:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-non-grata/\"\u003ePersonas Non Grata\u003c/a\u003e, a collection of adversary types by Superbloom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/personas/\"\u003eProfiles of high-risk users\u003c/a\u003e, part of the USABLE project by Internews. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/adversaries/\"\u003eProfiles of adversaries\u003c/a\u003e, part of the USABLE project by Internews. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/organizations/\"\u003eProfiles of high-risk organizations\u003c/a\u003e, part of the USABLE project by Internews.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLibraries of interface-level suggestions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eDecentralization Off the Shelf (DOTS): a design pattern library for usable decentralization\u003c/a\u003e, by Superbloom and others. For apps with decentralized structures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://catalogue.projectsbyif.com/\"\u003eTrustworthy Design patterns for digital services\u003c/a\u003e, by Projects by If.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://developer.android.com/privacy-and-security/security-best-practices\"\u003eAndroid Security Best Practices\u003c/a\u003e, by Google. Aimed at developers, but also relevant at the UI level.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis blog was written by Molly Wilson. Report by Molly Wilson and Katie Wilson.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/uxd-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund User Experience \u0026amp; Discovery Lab\u003c/a\u003efor supporting this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "High Risk Contexts",
            "date_published": "2025-02-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-02-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/high-risk-contexts/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/high-risk-contexts/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Report Launch:Design for Internet Shutdowns in Taiwan. Taxi Drivers, Satellites, and Tech: The Surprising Heroes in Taiwan's Fight Against Internet Shutdowns",
            "date_published": "2025-02-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-02-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/report-launch-design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-taxi-drivers-satellites-and-tech-the-surprising-heroes-in-taiwans-fight-against-internet-shutdowns/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/report-launch-design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-taxi-drivers-satellites-and-tech-the-surprising-heroes-in-taiwans-fight-against-internet-shutdowns/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom_design_design_for_internet_shutdowns_in_taiwan_report_image_1_hu_e15b7ad37e4f96c9.png\" alt=\"Image alt text: A stylised illustration of 4 people holding devices, speaking with each other with other technology and internet/web imagery surrounding them like routers, microphones and browser frames. There are sticky notes and paper clips in the background and silhouette hands holding smart phones, tape recorders and floppy disks. The people have various Taiwanese cultural symbols on them such as flag hats, vegetable bags and charm necklaces. Find out more about this image by reading the documentation by the artist, Vico Yang on Github here. This image is under the license Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal.\" width=\"740\" height=\"524\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"開源設計工作坊-捍衛台灣網路中斷無名英雄-計程車司機衛星和科技\"\u003e開源設計工作坊-捍衛台灣網路中斷無名英雄-計程車司機、衛星和科技\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuperbloom is delighted to launch its report, resources, documentation and open source artworks focussing on the Design for Internet Shutdowns OSS Technology workshops at COSCUP 2023. This report has insights into how designers practice in OSS, how Taiwanese and South East Asian citizens view critical internet shutdowns and censorship circumvention topics and a framework for running similar workshops for OSS anywhere in the world.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"introduction\"\u003eIntroduction\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is invested in how design, and design processes are improved, sustained and made more accessible worldwide in internet freedom open source software. This is not only achieved through direct interventions and a design procurement process for OSS projects that are fortunate enough to fund the hiring of designers or design agencies, but achieved through investment in design communities, OSS communities and internet freedom communities. We practise design as a method of bringing together these three stakeholder groups. In order to improve internet freedom OSS as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis report stresses the importance of bringing together:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigners that know how the internet freedom OSS space works.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigners with citizen and cultural context who want to contribute to improve internet freedom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternet freedom OSS tool maintainers and developers being included in user centred design processes.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy bringing these stakeholders together and iterating on usable and useful resources is critical in better understanding how internet freedom OSS gains improved and sustainable access to designers and user centred design methods. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can read more about what we did at the \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/open-design-workshop-at-coscup-2023-understanding-internet-shutdowns-and-how-design-can-improve-tools/\"\u003eCOSCUP 2023 workshop in our blog\u003c/a\u003e, and at the \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-contributions-to-oss-at-coscup-2024/\"\u003eCOSCUP 2024 workshop in this blog\u003c/a\u003e. Most but not all sections have both English and Mandarin language available.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-importance-of-design-for-internet-freedom-oss-and-the-taiwanese-perspective\"\u003eThe importance of design for internet freedom OSS and the Taiwanese perspective\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the first section of the report (viewable as \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/tree/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/1-introduction\"\u003eindividual text files on GitHub\u003c/a\u003e here or at the beginning of both the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/No%20executive%20summary%20-%20of%20Design%20for%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20in%20Taiwan%20-%20Report%20(en%20%26%20cn).pdf\"\u003epdf files\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-report-en-cn.md\"\u003etext files\u003c/a\u003e on the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/tree/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop\"\u003eGitHub repository\u003c/a\u003e) we explore three framing topics:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy design and designers are important for internet freedom OSS \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy COSCUP is an important event for internet freedom OSS\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTaiwan\u0026rsquo;s relationship to internet freedom and OSS\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn these introductory chapters we explore the statements of activists, journalists and internet freedom tool users when they speak to the user experiences of these tools, with comments such as:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well I use these tools for my journalism reporting but, honestly I still use big tech’s communication tools too, even though I know it’s risky, they are easier to use and my family won’t switch to secure tools.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs designers, when we hear these statements from users, alarm bells ring about how the usability of these tools fails to meet the needs of those using them. Though these are the comments and statements that we are able to culturally and contextually understand. There are many more circumstances and situations that only designers with specific localised citizen based knowledge can address. The importance of COSCUP as a catalyst event for OSS in Taiwan, and better understanding the relationship that Taiwanese citizens have towards internet freedom topics such as internet shutdowns, censorship, misinformation, disinformation and internet scams are paramount.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-workshop-framework\"\u003eThe workshop framework\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom has tested many workshop frameworks, activities and resources over the years for different and diverse audiences. This 2023 iteration of the workshop is intended to focus on design methods and skills and applying them to the internet freedom OSS tool space. As such, the workshop is structured into five sections: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction, safety, goals and team formation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTool landscape and understanding goals of internet freedom OSS\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser research Insights and practice scenarios\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign activities: Personas, User Journeys, User Scenarios and Ideation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocumentation and feedback opportunities\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis framework empowers designers to take the lead and centers users through those activities and opportunities for investigation. This process can allow for non-designers, developers and tool maintainers to learn and practice design in a supportive and encouraging environment and gives them the opportunity to focus on users and explore scenarios and journeys without being held back by technical requirements and possibilities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis workshop specifically allowed for designers to explore the motivations and journeys of activists and users of internet freedom OSS and add their Taiwanese and South East Asian citizen perspectives. By stepping back from what any existing internet freedom OSS currently ‘want’ to develop, the user journeys and technology ideas were able to ground themselves in the Taiwanese lived experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-report-en-cn.md#workshop-methods-and-processes--%E5%B7%A5%E4%BD%9C%E5%9D%8A%E7%9A%84%E6%96%B9%E6%B3%95%E5%92%8C%E9%81%8E%E7%A8%8B\"\u003eRead the workshop framework here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom_design_design_for_internet_shutdowns_in_taiwan_report_image_2_hu_71e41b87acd4bc6a.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"insights-into-taiwanese-designers-solutions-for-internet-freedom-challenges\"\u003eInsights into Taiwanese designers\u0026rsquo; solutions for internet freedom challenges\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the workshop was completed, Superbloom staff and our partners undertook user interviews with the workshop participants to better understand each team’s user journey and which led them to create their chosen solutions. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe teams all picked their own persona and their own user journeys/scenarios and found a moment in those journeys where a technological intervention could be made in order to create a better outcome for the user in an internet shutdown or other human rights circumstance. All teams came up with a Taiwanese scenario and solution grounded in the existing infrastructures and realities of Taiwan and its citizens.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy interviewing the workshop participants we were able to ask questions about these solutions that we were not able to achieve in the one day workshop. We were able to dig deeper into the choices made by teams and how that was connected to specific internet freedom issues in Taiwan. We were also able to better understand how designers, most of whom had never interacted with OSS technology or internet freedom technology as configurers, and only as potential users, felt about engaging with design improvements to these OSS technologies and how they need to feel more empowered to be able to contribute outside of supported workshop spaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe solutions the teams - all named after group members\u0026rsquo; favourite foods - came up with ranged from the analogue to the interconnected:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdeas around how taxi drivers in Taiwan can help to move critical verified information around a city in times of misinformation as well as people who are seeking safety in crisis. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUtilising 7-11 convenience stores as hubs for connectivity and verified information via QR codes. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstanding how information puts journalists and publishing researchers at risk when they want to ensure citizens have the most accurate information in times of national crisis and how they might utilize systems of limited connection and satellites to communicate as they attempt to leave the country.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-report-en-cn.md#workshop-team-solutions-and-designer-analysis--%E8%BB%8A%E9%96%93%E5%9C%98%E9%9A%8A%E8%A7%A3%E6%B1%BA%E6%96%B9%E6%A1%88%E5%8F%8A%E8%A8%AD%E8%A8%88%E5%B8%AB%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90\"\u003eRead the solutions here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"recommendations-design-workshops-for-internet-freedom-oss\"\u003eRecommendations: design workshops for internet freedom OSS\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this section Superbloom summarises a series of improvements to workshops of this nature. These recommendations were all informed by the participant interviews post workshop about what they aspired to see happen in subsequent workshops. Recommendations are written to be actionable steps for those looking to run their own workshops along similar themes or structures. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe example below outlines the structure of recommendations:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecommendation #3 - including activists in workshops\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe presence of people with experience of human rights abuses and internet censorship/shutdowns is important to designers, technologists and OSS developers alike. When workshop participants get stuck on a particular point, question or circumstance they can look to the person with experiences to offer perspective and their own account. As an informational resource people with lived experience can quickly feel exploited and vulnerable when offering information and therefore we recommend the safest ways to involve these people possible be it remotely, funded in-person attendance and anonymous representation or representative information. We encourage offering access and further value to the activists or communities in the form of involvement in the OSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-report-en-cn.md#looking-ahead-post-workshop-feedback-and-improving-workshops\"\u003eRead the recommendations here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"positionalities-documentation-and-artwork\"\u003ePositionalities, documentation and artwork\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, those involved in the workshops offered positionality statements using a pseudonym. These give an insight into the hopes, aspirations, experiences and also some of the bias introduced when running a workshop. It’s important to remember that as people invested in the improvement of internet freedom, technology, design and OSS, as well as our own identity backgrounds (race, country of residence, gender etc) we bring our own selves into this work. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-report-en-cn.md#positionality-statements\"\u003eRead the positionality statements here.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe documentation process is \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/design-for-internet-shutdowns-in-taiwan-report-en-cn.md#oss-and-documentations-process\"\u003edescribed and referenced here\u003c/a\u003e in brief.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of this work we worked with a Taiwanese graphic artist and illustrator who was part of the workshop herself. She was able to bring to life the workshop team solutions, visually representing these ideas and grounding them in Taiwanese culture. You can \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/blob/main/Documenting%20Internet%20Shutdowns%20Workshop/graphics%20and%20illustrations/visuals-and-graphics.md\"\u003eread more about the motivations behind each piece of artwork here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom_design_design_for_internet_shutdowns_in_taiwan_report_image_4_hu_542a4b4e6373414a.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1048\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-next\"\u003eWhat next?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom continues to invest time and resources into bettering design for internet freedom OSS and cultivating and shepherding the design communities interested in OSS contributions. We’ll continue to run workshops that aim to iterate based on our informed recommendations where funding and support is available but we hope that these public resources empower designers to run workshops on contributing to OSS globally and we encourage you to add your insights, frameworks and resources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you would like to discuss a design for internet freedom OSS workshop at your conferences or ask questions on the framework, we’d love to talk to you. Likewise, if you’d like to make a contribution, \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/tree/main\"\u003efork the repository\u003c/a\u003e or translate this framework into another language we welcome your contributions. Get in touch!: \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlog post contributors:\u003c/strong\u003e Eriol Fox, Abhishek Sharma.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith thanks to:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e for funding critical documentation and design related to internet freedom globally. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://coscup.org/2023/en/\"\u003eCOSCUP\u003c/a\u003e for hosting and supporting design in OSS and the attendees and volunteers for the workshop that dedicated their time to making these workshops successful over 2023 and 2024.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.ixda.org.tw/\"\u003eIxDA Taiwan\u003c/a\u003e for supporting the local design community in the COSCUP 2023 workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-wang\"\u003eTofu Wang\u003c/a\u003e for translations of the documentation for 2024 COSCUP workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/liujulia/\"\u003eJulia Liu\u003c/a\u003e for project management across OSS workshops and this work and Mandarin translations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/vicoyang\"\u003eVico Yang\u003c/a\u003e for the graphics and illustrations of this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Measuring the Privacy Experience",
            "date_published": "2025-02-20T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2025-02-20T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/measuring-the-privacy-experience/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/measuring-the-privacy-experience/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_measuring_the_privacy_experience_image_hu_c88e304a311a5426.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow do you know that a product respects your privacy – other than by wading through the fine print? We’ve created a framework to measure the way people actually experience privacy in tech products.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, even where people’s privacy is protected by policy, they may not actually experience privacy. That’s where our Privacy Experience Heuristics come in. They list aspects of the end-user experience that bring people into contact with privacy policies. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA product that performs better on the Privacy Experience Heuristics isn’t just doing a better job with privacy: it’s doing a better job in a way people will notice. Privacy Experience Heuristics takes privacy from being a technical compliance issue to becoming something people like and value about a product. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"guides-and-rankings-in-the-era-of-privacy-awareness\"\u003eGuides and rankings in the era of privacy awareness\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGDPR reflects a global shift in people’s attitudes towards their personal data online. According to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/10/18/views-of-data-privacy-risks-personal-data-and-digital-privacy-laws/#personal-data-and-information\"\u003e2023 Pew Research report\u003c/a\u003e, 81% of Americans are concerned about how companies use their personal data. 73% of Americans say they have little to no control over the data that companies collect, and 67% say they have little to no knowledge of companies’ practices. According to a 2021 \u003ca href=\"https://blog.google/products/admanager/new-european-research-privacy-focused-future/\"\u003eIpsos/Google report\u003c/a\u003e, 80% of people in Europe are concerned about the potential misuse of personal information online. The phenomenon isn’t confined to the US and EU. A \u003ca href=\"https://iapp.org/resources/article/privacy-and-consumer-trust-summary/\"\u003e2023 IAPP report\u003c/a\u003e stated that 68% of consumers globally are concerned about their online privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe average consumer will likely find it difficult to figure out which products respect data privacy. Stepping into the gap are civil society organizations that rank and score products based on their privacy practices. Resources such as \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/\"\u003ePrivacy Not Included\u003c/a\u003e (Mozilla), the scorecards from \u003ca href=\"https://rankingdigitalrights.org/\"\u003eRanking Digital Rights\u003c/a\u003e, US organization \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/digital-security-privacy/\"\u003eConsumer Reports\u0026rsquo; privacy-focused guides\u003c/a\u003e, and in Germany, \u003ca href=\"https://www.test.de/thema/datenschutz-it-sicherheit/\"\u003eStiftung Warentest\u003c/a\u003e, aim to assist consumers in making informed decisions based on the privacy practices of products and services. These guides not only help users identify products that prioritize privacy but also put market pressure on less privacy-conscious companies to improve their practices. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"privacy-experience-heuristics\"\u003ePrivacy experience heuristics\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA list of heuristics allows us to identify strengths and areas to improve. In this case, we’re evaluating the privacy features offered to people who use a tech product. This is not an evaluation of privacy practices, nor is it a legal compliance checklist: it’s a way to measure whether people can find, understand, and use privacy features.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThird-party assessments spotlight current products that are doing privacy particularly well (and particularly badly), a major boon to readers doing comparison research before a purchase. But these rankings and assessments are not designed to be performed by the readers themselves. Another limitation of buyers’ guides: they report results, but rarely show how the product could have improved. We saw a need for a complementary tool, an open methodology that offers concrete examples of dos and don’ts: Privacy Experience Heuristics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeuristic evaluation and benchmarking practices are a core part of the privacy professionals’ toolbox, both on the legal and technical sides of privacy. Privacy practices are defined in requirements, internal documentation and training, and internal policies. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut most people outside the company don’t see any of this material. They only see the legal fine print – the privacy policy, the terms and conditions – and the options and text included into the product interface.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Privacy Experience Heuristics are for you if you are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorking on a technical product. Use these heuristics to evaluate how people experience your privacy features. Compare yourself against competitors to see how you measure up.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNot working on a product yourself, but interested in evaluating and comparing the privacy experience\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/privacy-experience-heuristics.pdf\"\u003eRead or download the Privacy Experience Heuristics.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"privacy-feels-smooth-supportive-and-empowering\"\u003ePrivacy feels smooth, supportive, and empowering\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor our Privacy Experience Heuristics, we wanted to quantify the experience of using a product that respects privacy. We broke down the experience of privacy into three aspects: a privacy-respecting product should feel smooth, supportive, and empowering. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Privacy Experience Heuristics build on \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_by_design\"\u003ePrivacy by Design\u003c/a\u003e (PbD), a framework that defines seven broad principles to guide a privacy-friendly approach to user data. These heuristics apply Privacy by Design principles directly to the user experience. They illustrate that Privacy by Design, usually read as applying to legal and technical privacy professionals, can also be implemented in product design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"smooth\"\u003eSmooth\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes a privacy experience feel smooth? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople can just start using the product without being hassled or burdened with too many choices. They can trust that the default settings will meet a majority of their needs. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelected heuristics:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers are not nudged to enter information that is not required for platform use.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRejecting non-essential cookies is possible with 1 click.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdvertising is based on activity, not demographic data.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCorresponds with Privacy by Design, Principle 2: Privacy by Default.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"supportive\"\u003eSupportive\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes a privacy experience feel supportive? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople are nudged towards actions that are in their interest. Personal data collection is minimized. The product warns or even forbids people from doing things that would compromise their privacy. People know there are guardrails in place to protect them, both from the company and from other people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelected heuristics:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCamera and microphone access is only requested and used when relevant to what the user is doing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMetadata is removed from uploaded images.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePermission to use precise location is not requested, unless users are aware of a feature that needs precise location to function.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCorresponds with Privacy by Design, Principle 3: Privacy Embedded Into Design; Principle 5, End-To-End Security; Principle 1, Proactive not reactive.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"empowering\"\u003eEmpowering\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes a privacy experience feel empowering? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople can control their experience, change their settings, and understand what’s going on. They can exercise their legal rights, whether that’s accessing their data or lodging a complaint. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelected heuristics:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers can view how their profile looks to others.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers are periodically prompted to review their privacy choices.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers can request a copy of their data in the interface. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCorresponds with Privacy by Design, Principle 6: Visibility and Transparency; Principle 4, Full-Sum, Not Zero-Sum.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"but-wait\"\u003eBut wait… \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"do-people-actually-want-more-transparency-and-choice-or-do-they-want-smart-defaults-so-they-dont-have-to-think\"\u003eDo people actually want more transparency and choice, or do they want smart defaults so they don’t have to think?\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople need both! That’s why our list of heuristics has categories called both “smooth” and “empowering.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDefaults should be privacy-preserving. People should opt in, not out, of sharing their data. A person who doesn’t want to dig around in their profile settings should have the most privacy-preserving experience that is practical.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt should also be easy to alter the defaults: easy to find the settings, easy to figure out what the settings mean, easy to change settings and change them back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"are-these-heuristics-a-guide-for-companies-to-fake-privacy\"\u003eAre these heuristics a guide for companies to fake privacy?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, they aren’t. The features described require appropriate policies to back them up, otherwise they (mostly) won’t work. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s what the heuristics do for companies:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEven if a company’s policies are compliant with regulations, that might not be clear to the average user. Most people don’t read the fine print of terms and conditions to learn about the privacy they are entitled to. Their rights should be expressed in the product itself, as well as in the legal and technical documentation. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThese heuristics help companies to identify and enhance privacy features that are not just compliant with regulations, but also increase competitiveness and brand value.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBy highlighting how improved privacy can serve as a competitive advantage, the heuristics engage teams not traditionally involved in privacy, like product and marketing, encouraging them to champion privacy features. Their advocacy can drive support for enhancing privacy policies across the organization.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Veszna Wessenauer, Molly Wilson, Abhishek Sharma.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis blog post is based on a session at MozFest 2024, “\u003ca href=\"https://pretalx.com/mozfest-house-amsterdam-2024/talk/DXZF9W/\"\u003eElevating Privacy: Centering User Experience\u003c/a\u003e,” presented by \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/veszna/\"\u003eVeszna Wessenauer\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/mascha-a-188a1a145/\"\u003eMascha Arnst\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasper-enderman/\"\u003eJasper Enderman\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech",
            "date_published": "2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/comms__design_templates/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/comms__design_templates/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Tools For Teams Like Yours (And Ours)",
            "date_published": "2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/communications-tools-for-teams-like-yours-and-ours/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/communications-tools-for-teams-like-yours-and-ours/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_comms_toolkit-cover_hu_b3b73ca7324c0a62.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is proud to be part of a community that actively contributes to the responsible development of technology. There are lots of people like us out there: small teams and organizations, lots of us nonprofits or open-source projects, all of us working different angles to improve and diversify the tech landscape.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile we don’t have a large marketing budget, we do want to deliver quality communications and be noticed and understood and get the work into the hands of the people who need it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Superbloom, we work with nonprofits working to strengthen their tech and strategy offerings. In collaboration with the Open Technology Fund’s Learning Lab, we’ve made a collection of resources for small tech and activist organizations who are undertaking communications projects. We like to share the tools we use ourselves. These are also the tools we use when we work together with other organizations. And we hope they’re useful to you as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’d like to spotlight two parts of this communications toolkit that we think are particularly applicable to civic and nonprofit tech projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_comms_toolkit_row_1_hu_2d4b79bc00587a8f.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"164\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"can-you-do-this-in-a-month-check-our-scoping-guide\"\u003eCan you do this in a month? Check our scoping guide\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, we’d like to show you our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/scoping-communications-projects/\"\u003eCommunications Project Scoping Guide\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is plenty of great communications advice on the internet. But how do you turn advice into deliverables? And how do you turn deliverables into a plan (and a budget)? That’s why we wrote some sample project plans for you to pick from and use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a small organization, we know that before you start a project, you need to resource it. What’s the budget, where’s the expertise, and what timeline are you working with? If you don’t have much familiarity with communications projects, this lack of planning information could stop you in your tracks. Our scoping guide removes that blocker. We aren’t afraid to get specific: we tell you what you likely need (and what you don’t), and approximately how long we think it should take to complete. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_comms_toolkit_row_2_hu_dcb164a9e5a14928.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"164\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"design-with-your-community-not-just-for-them---heres-how\"\u003eDesign with your community, not just for them - here’s how \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext, we’d like to point you to our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003eGuide to Participatory Approaches in Communications\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA lot of communications advice is about “getting your message out there.” What if you don’t know what your message is? And what if you’re not sure about the best way to say it? We can’t answer those questions for you. But there are people who can guide you: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003eyour community\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs human-centered designers, we start a project by involving people affected by it. Our guide to participatory communications processes gives you some starting points for bringing stakeholders together in co-design workshops. This doesn’t apply to every type of communications project – your community doesn’t need to help you with your invoice letterhead – but especially for projects around how to project your image externally, some well-structured workshops with your community can be an enormous source of insight and inspiration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, your community isn’t a source of free labor; don’t expect them to design you a logo or write you a pitch deck. You still need to take responsibility for driving and completing the project. Think of your community rather as a group of wise, trusted mentors. They likely see you more clearly than you see yourself. They can help you emphasize the right points, get the most out of your communications efforts, and avoid messaging missteps. Just remember to respect their time, open your mind to their feedback, and give them credit when you launch. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you coordinate your communications, branding, and identity, it doesn’t just help your organization – it helps us all. People can find us all more easily, understand what we’re trying to do, and engage with our work. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs this toolkit helpful to you? We’d love to hear how.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs there a resource you’d really like us to create or add? Tell us that, too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWould you like to work together on a communications project? Our mailbox is open. Say \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Ame Elliott, Veszna Wessenauer, Abhishek Sharma, Georgia Bullen, Laura Gaetano, Molly Wilson.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "182 Days To Create A Prototype",
            "date_published": "2024-09-25T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-25T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/182-days-to-create-a-prototype/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/182-days-to-create-a-prototype/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_182_days_prototype_fund_schwag_hu_6470df7b977948fe.jpg\" alt=\"Photograph of a table with a piece of checked paper and a beaded wristband with the initials P T F. Above the wristband is the word ANALOG in blue overlaid by the word DIGITAL in blue.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey have an idea. They have programming skills. And now they have 182 days to create a prototype. This is the Prototype Fund, a German government program to support open-source projects. Superbloom has been providing support for the teams on “everything but code” since 2018 – from UX design to fundraising and everything in between. This blog post is for Prototype Fund teams, and really, it’s for anyone hoping to do a lot on a development project in a short time. Here’s how you make the most of 182 days!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve written this blog post for Prototype Fund teams, or really for anyone who’s working on an early-stage tech project. We’ve assumed you have expertise in the technical nuts and bolts. What we can help you with is… well, everything else. We’re experts in many different areas adjacent to civic, open-source, and nonprofit tech, and we specialize in providing you with just enough expertise to get you going in the right direction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s our perspective on how each project needs to focus its efforts and create a good flow. It’s a non-exhaustive list, and our intention is to create talking points for teams, and ideas for coaching sessions with us where we can dig into some of these topics more. Here we go!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"usability-testing\"\u003eUsability testing\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdentify and resolve usability issues early! You’re the wrong person to find the usability hiccups with your project – everything makes sense to you, after all – but minor issues can cause major problems, making it harder for others to find, download, or use your project. Getting feedback is easy and often even fun, and becomes easier the more you do it. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTest opportunistically and often: Testing is part of a process, not a last step. In fact, if you wait to test until the end, we guarantee you will wish you’d done it earlier. We like to store results on a digital whiteboard, such as Miro or Excalidraw so you can cluster similar feedback from different tests, even if they’re weeks or months apart. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStart with your friends: Some people worry about finding testers who are an exact demographic match for the target user group, or about reaching the correct sample group size. These are valid concerns, but they should not stop you from testing! A small “hey, could you try to make a meeting on this app” with a friend beats testing too late in your process. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTesting without code: You can test even if you do not have any running code. You can use paper prototypes, boxes-and-lines mockups, or code that just shows UI with no real data behind it. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTesting with code: Once you do have code, aim to reach a point where you run all relevant parts of the software together instead of just single bits. It helps with both testing code and usability since you always have a running version of your software. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuggested reading and resources:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003eA Dev\u0026rsquo;s Guide to User Testing, Superbloom\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/how-to-test-software-for-usability-and-usefulness-when-you-havent-finished-writing-the-code/\"\u003eHow To Test Software For Usability And Usefulness When You Haven’t Finished Writing The Code, Jan Dittrich/Superbloom\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/user-testing-cheatsheet/\"\u003eUser Testing Cheat Sheet, Molly Wilson/Superbloom\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sensible.com/rocket-surgery-made-easy/\"\u003eRocket Surgery Made Easy, Steve Krug\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780123848697/observing-the-user-experience\"\u003eObserving The User Experience, Goodman et al\u003c/a\u003e (chapters 2, 11 in particular)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"branding-and-identity\"\u003eBranding and identity\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt first glance, “brand” might sound like something a nonprofit or civic tech project needs to prioritize. The word “branding” carries the connotation of advertising, selling, and competing in the marketplace, which may not match your project or goals. But at its core, branding is about making clear who you are (and who you aren’t), something every project can use. Even a no-frills, minimalist approach to a consistent look and feel goes a long way to help others recognize, understand, and be able to talk about your work. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocus on consistency, not uniqueness. It’s hard, and becoming harder, to come up with groundbreaking brand elements that nobody has used before. Of course, you don’t want people to confuse you with other projects, and straight up copying others leaves you open to legal threats. But if a tea house in Yorkshire has the same name as your ad-blocking browser extension, nobody is realistically going to be confused. The same goes for colors, illustrations, and typography. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTest brand elements in context: It’s far easier to judge whether a name, logo, or other building block is working well when you mock it up in the exact place you’re going to use it. Practice saying “you should check out [name] on GitHub.” Write a “lorem ipsum” website and tweak the colors and images before you try writing a real blog post. Photoshop your logo onto a picture of a laptop to see how it works as a sticker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRely on libraries and helper tools: Especially if you’re not confident with visual communication, take advantage of the many libraries and tools out there that can help you create a professional, consistent look and feel quickly. \u003ca href=\"https://leonardocolor.io/#\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor open-source fonts, check out \u003ca href=\"https://open-foundry.com/fonts\"\u003eOpen Foundry\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://leonardocolor.io/#\"\u003eLeonardo\u003c/a\u003e is an open-source color theme generator.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd, the \u003ca href=\"https://search.creativecommons.org/\"\u003eCreative Commons search portal\u003c/a\u003e points you to images and other media that are free to use under CC licenses.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s not just how you look, it’s how you speak: Branding and identity aren’t only about the parts you see (such as the visuals, name, and tagline). Branding and identity are also about how you speak to your users and community (also called “voice”), what you stand for, and your values. For example, if you’re trying to make a complex and intimidating process accessible to beginners, your voice should be friendly, approachable, and encouraging. If you’re writing a more advanced library or API, your voice should probably be knowledgeable, clear, and collegial\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe smallest bits are the most challenging: Creating a logo and deciding on a name are actually some of the hardest parts of creating a branding and identity. These building blocks need to do a lot of work in a small space, so a lot of work is needed from concept to finished design. Don’t be afraid to ask for help (for example, from us).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuggested resources:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit/\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech, Superbloom\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.fordes.de/posts/logodesign_softwareproject.html\"\u003eDesigning A Logo For Your Software Project - Fordes\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"technical-infrastructure-and-code\"\u003eTechnical infrastructure and code\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve put together a short list of some of our top tips for early ideas and tech prototypes for technical builds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWork on creating a running version early on: An early version is also great for obtaining early feedback from users via user testing! Most importantly, make sure different parts of your system will work together, even if they just pass hard-coded mock data. A simple method to plan and collaborate on running software is the tracer bullet method described in \u003ca href=\"https://pragprog.com/titles/tpp20/the-pragmatic-programmer-20th-anniversary-edition/\"\u003eThe Pragmatic Programmer\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://pragprog.com/titles/prj/ship-it/\"\u003eShip It!\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid building from scratch: Make use of existing open source software and tools instead of building everything from scratch.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid elaborate development methods or complex tools if possible: These were often designed and developed for work for big companies, and we find it’s best to keep it simple.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse tools that you and your team are already familiar with, even those others may see as boring: For example, e-mail, chat groups and office programs are not cool, but often do the job well. Java, Python, JSON, and Object Oriented Programming are not particularly exciting, but have plenty of documentation and best practices. It is important to be able to collaborate and work efficiently and this works best if you build on knowledge and skills you already have.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuggested reading: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://pragprog.com/titles/tpp20/the-pragmatic-programmer-20th-anniversary-edition/\"\u003eThe Pragmatic Programmer, David Thomas and Andrew Hunt\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://pragprog.com/titles/prj/ship-it/\"\u003eShip It! A Practical Guide to Successful Software Projects, Jared Richardson, Will Gwaltney, Jr\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"organization-and-management\"\u003eOrganization and management\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing organized is a sure way to set yourself up for success in short turnaround projects. We’ve made a list of recommendations:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunication: Rules, tickets/issues and meetings may seem useless - and this is certainly sometimes the case - but very often they help a team to work better. A lot of organizing is about communicating in a way that people have a shared understanding of what they need to do now and what they want to achieve next. What may seem like mere bureaucracy can help with that. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTodo list: There are many organization and project management methods. The basic version is a shared, prioritized list. Important things are listed at the top, and project teams pick things from the top. There are many free todo list apps and project management tools such as Notion, Monday etc.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMake tasks clear and actionable: Vague tasks such as “Make software more usable” or “Clean up code” are never completed on a todo list. Move tasks like this to another place eg “Values” or “General ideas to consider”. Tasks should be self contained and it should be easy to decide if and when they are to be actioned.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWinning: To feel like you’re winning, at the end of each working day, make a list of the three things you want to achieve/complete the following day (big or small), and do those three things before you do anything else the following work day. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe specific: If you find yourself making lists of lots of issues, try to find a format that you can repeat. We like: “User story/what should happen/what happens now/notes”. This helps to remember information that is important later. “Fix FooBarManager: Crash condition” might make sense now, but in a few days’ time, you may not remember what those notes were for.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStandups: Have a regular (ideally daily) project team standup meeting where you briefly say what you did, what you want to do and what you need help with. No discussions or explanations; just a quick update for all. After the standup you can collaboratively decide what you want to hear more about, or what you want to discuss together.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"fundraising-and-sustainability\"\u003eFundraising and sustainability\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThinking and planning for a fundraising and sustainability strategy in OSS often begins with a series of decisions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow much do you and your users/maintainers want to diversify funding streams? \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat does sustainability really mean to your OSS project and your users? \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat values does our OSS uphold when it comes to financial sustainability and fundraising matters, and how might we govern difficult decisions?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShould we search out grants, corporate sponsorships, membership fees, tenders, individual donations, or similar?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre we putting all our eggs in one basket, or should we explore a few different options to stay secure?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShould we be a non-profit, foundation, or something else that fits our funding goals?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBesides money, what else do we need, for example: maintainers, infrastructure, hardware or volunteers to keep things running smoothly?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre we ready to pivot or tweak our strategy if our/the situation changes?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsidering these questions as discussion points is a good place to start, followed by finding out what other stakeholders think, and what they need will help you better define a strategy. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow you have your list, we’ve put together our top seven fundraising and sustainability tips:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLegal and compliance considerations: Make sure your OSS project is set-up to legally accept funds, whether as a non-profit, foundation, or another type of entity. Be aware of any tax issues, licensing concerns, or legal rules that could affect your fundraising and sustainability plans. Don’t forget that the legal structure you choose for your company will affect the kinds of funding you can go after in the future. Not every company type can accept all kinds of funding, so think carefully about how your setup matches with potential grants, donations, or investments.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNetworking and follow-up: Maintain relationships with the people and funders you meet. Stay in touch via emails, professional networks, or however works best. Don’t just take their business card and leave it at that. Keep them in the loop about your project’s progress and any cool new updates. By regularly reaching out and making them feel like part of your community, you’re more likely to keep them engaged and supportive.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eValue proposition for funders: Your value proposition/vision may take time to become clear to you, but once it does, it will be a powerful tool in securing funding. A solid value proposition connects your project’s goals with what funders care about, helping them see why they should support you. It also keeps your fundraising efforts aligned with your company’s values and long-term vision.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiverse funding sources and risk mitigation: Look into different funding sources to avoid relying too much on just one eg individual donations, corporate sponsorships, grants, tenders, or selling services. It’s also a good idea to have a backup plan in case funding streams dry up or the economy takes a downward turn.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn-kind contributions and non-financial support: Remember to encourage and recognize non-financial support such as hardware e.g. donated server space or volunteer developer hours. These kinds of contributions are super important for keeping your OSS project going and should be part of your strategy. A rainy day fund is also important for good financial health.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiversification of funding streams: Consider all the different ways of diversifying your funding streams such as one-time vs. recurring donations, or revenue from related services or products and membership fees. Each type of funding plays a key role in keeping your project sustainable.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreate a sustainability plan/roadmap: Having a roadmap of what you would like to be funded, and the approximate labor or infrastructure costs to support that is key. Make these fundraising goals public in your OSS codebase as this can make it easier for funders to assess and find projects to fund. Also, consider what beyond financial funding would be needed in order to keep the project operational in various scenarios. For example, if your project would need 2-3 maintainers with specific programming skills in order to assess and merge pull requests, your sustainability plan would outline who is needed and how.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"community-building\"\u003eCommunity building\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommunity building is a broad and far-reaching topic, and summarizing how to build a community is often over-generalized. Here are are how-to’s:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstand what your community expects of you and what you expect in return: As the OSS project and the maintainers of the OSS project, being clear, honest, and communicative about these expectations is always beneficial. Understanding your community\u0026rsquo;s expectations can be done by utilizing GitHub’s discussions/issues, forums, chat services and email feedback.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAsk yourself why you need a community?: Yes, community is important for sustainability, but community building and engagement is a lot of work for a small project team. And sometimes the time isn’t right. Evaluate whether building and engaging with a community is right for you.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild documentation and processes: Once expectations have been communicated and set, you can begin to build documentation and processes that meet and expand on these expectations. For example, ensure your readme document is clear, informative and descriptive beyond the installation or functions of your OSS project work. Making sure you have a readme in \u003ca href=\"https://book.the-turing-way.org/project-design/code-styling/code-styling-readability.html\"\u003eHuman Readable Code\u003c/a\u003e ensures that people of all skill levels, entry points and interests can participate. Human Readable Code, as referenced in the linked article is a great practice across issues, pull requests and the code base itself.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreate contributing documents: Moving on to create dedicated contributing documents per function contribution (e.g. design-contributing.md, documentation-contributing.md etc.) sends a clear signal to your community that you value contributions beyond code. These are actions that subtly promote inclusion and diversity in your OSS Project.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreate a roadmap: Write a short guide for you and your team to set up your community. Include your aims: who is your community, where will you find them, how will you engage with them, what are you offering them, how often will you engage with them, what you are hoping to gain from them etc.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaking your community self-supporting: Once you’ve begun to grow community participation, you can consider what it means to have the community support, promote and grow itself, so that it becomes a self-supporting function of the OSS project. This is a long-term goal – it’s unlikely you will accomplish this in your first 182 days.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"networking\"\u003eNetworking?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNetworking may not seem like a priority, or very important, and tends to be downplayed as something rather unserious or not valued. It’s also about making new connections, such as:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuperbloom coaches who themselves might be well-connected to the open source or civic tech world.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Prototype Fund team, who through their work in the last few years have met a lot of different people and are well-connected (and might have pointers about other ways to support a project financially).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople with similar interests who may be interested in supporting your work financially or contributing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a lot of myths surrounding networking. You don’t have to be an “extrovert” to network and it doesn’t just happen at events. It also doesn’t have to be exhausting! Connecting with fellow projects informally for inspiration and camaraderie often happens online as well as offline. If you do want to attend events:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe present: Be present in the spaces (physical or otherwise) you enjoy and want to be involved in will allow people to remember you and remember your work. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent your ideas: Present your ideas and work at relevant conferences as this allows you to learn about people working on similar topics/projects. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe visible: Be part of relevant physical and digital space, which will help people think of you as part of a particular community. These can also act as “multipliers” by sharing your work, or connecting you to similar people (“hey, you’re working on X, you should meet Y who is working on Z, as there is some overlap”).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s lots of overlap between networking and usability testing (see above); networking is full of opportunities to seek and receive feedback throughout the whole development process. If nothing else, connecting with others can be a powerful motivator to be told that what you\u0026rsquo;re working on is exactly what someone else needs, wants to see, or always hoped would be developed. You’re on the right track!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-next\"\u003eWhat next?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe hope you enjoyed reading our perspective about how to make the most of 182 days to work on your prototype! There’s a lot to keep track of, but there are many people out there - including us - in the open source and nonprofit tech community excited, and able to help and support you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’d like more customized advice, we’d love to talk to you. If you’re a Prototype Fund team, good news – this is already covered for you. Get in touch!: \u003ca href=\"mailto:coaching@superbloom.design\"\u003ecoaching@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlog post contributors: Rocío Armillas Tiseyra, Tori Boeck, Victory Brown, Jan Dittrich, Eriol Fox, Laura Gaetano, Nicola Pratt, Saptak Sengupta, Molly Wilson.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith thanks to the \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/en/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e, a Berlin based program of the \u003ca href=\"https://okfn.de/\"\u003eOpen Knowledge Foundation Deutschland\u003c/a\u003e dedicated to supporting public interest tech.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech: Participatory Approaches",
            "date_published": "2024-09-16T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-16T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis resource is part of our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditionally, communications is about crafting a message and delivering it to an audience. You decide what you want to tell people. You choose words, media, and channels to get this message across to those people. And you put the message out in the world, and measure whether it\u0026rsquo;s having the effect you wanted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut this approach contains assumptions that you, and we, may not actually agree with.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou assume that you know what needs to be communicated, and to whom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou assume that you are the right person to be communicating it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou assume that you know the most effective way to communicating it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePut another way: \u003cem\u003eyou assume that you know what others want and need.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat if we flip the traditional communications approach on its head? What if we put the needs and priorities of our community first?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis point of view has been beautifully articulated by the \u003ca href=\"https://designjustice.org/\"\u003eDesign Justice Network\u003c/a\u003e, a group that aims to move beyond \u0026ldquo;design for social good,\u0026rdquo; which assumes that a benevolent designer knows what\u0026rsquo;s best for the target audience, and towards a \u003ca href=\"https://designjustice.org/read-the-principles\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;design justice\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e\nthat centers the people affected and aims to heal, liberate, and restore.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf this sounds too lofty for organizational communications, consider that the role of communications is to \u003cem\u003econnect\u003c/em\u003e. In the nonprofit world, connection is not as easy as declaring our desire to help. Depending on your own positionality related to the communities you\u0026rsquo;re working with, you may have centuries of patriarchy, colonialism, ableism, and other supremacist mindsets gumming up the channels of communication – even if you personally see yourself as not perpetuating these forces, you still need to push back against them, and your communications practices are a key piece of your strategy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour name, branding, and overall vibe can either distance you from your community, or bring you closer. Your use of social media will either make you into cringeworthy do-gooders, or show that you\u0026rsquo;re serious about making a difference.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis change in approach can be described in many ways. You may hear the terms \u0026ldquo;co-design,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;participatory design,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;human-centered design.\u0026rdquo; These terms indicate different degrees to which the community is involved in the process. We aren\u0026rsquo;t going to define the terms here, since the nuances depend somewhat on which field you\u0026rsquo;re coming from; for example, the terms mean different things in citizen science than they do in urban planning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhatever you call the process, \u003cstrong\u003eyou can involve the people you serve in every phase of your communications work\u003c/strong\u003e – and you\u0026rsquo;ll be glad you did.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"whats-different-about-a-community-led-process\"\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s different about a community-led process?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll need to give people an overview of the whole process. Let them know where decision-making power lies at each part of the process: with the community, with a small committee, or with your organization? (This may challenge you to give the community more decision-making power than you had originally intended - that\u0026rsquo;s usually a good thing!)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf people come to a meeting, offer to compensate them for their time. Cash or a gift certificate are common acknowledgements of people\u0026rsquo;s time and effort.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpect some drop-off from people who don\u0026rsquo;t have time to participate in a longer process; start with a slightly larger group than you need.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReplace an extractive mindset – you\u0026rsquo;re gathering material and using it to make decisions – with a collaborative mindset – you\u0026rsquo;re learning and making decisions together.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe clear with everyone involved when you are in a \u0026ldquo;flare\u0026rdquo; mode, where more input and ideas are better, and when you are transitioning to a \u0026ldquo;focus\u0026rdquo; mode, when you are editing down and making decisions. In our experience, collisions between one person\u0026rsquo;s flare and another person\u0026rsquo;s focus make up most of the conflict in a participatory session or project.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"folks-we-admire\"\u003eFolks we admire\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have learned an enormous amount from the collaborative design studio \u003ca href=\"https://www.andalsotoo.net/\"\u003eAnd Also Too\u003c/a\u003e. They were instrumental in helping us shape the community-driven approach that we took to our own rebranding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://www.de-center.net/what-is-design-from-the-margins1_\"\u003eDesign from the Margins (DFM)\u003c/a\u003e methodology developed by re|center is a research-based methodology that emphasizes deeply taking the perspectives of vulnerable people into account. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.de-center.net/resources\"\u003ecase studies\u003c/a\u003e of DFM in practice are powerful and important to read.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"practical-resources\"\u003ePractical resources\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere isn\u0026rsquo;t exactly an existing toolkit for community-led design in organizational communications. (That\u0026rsquo;s one big reason we\u0026rsquo;re writing this series!)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re interested in taking this approach, first, understand and scope the communications issue you want to solve.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen, peruse some of these participatory design toolkits developed for other applications, and consider which ones might work well for different phases of your communications project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re stuck, you can \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact us\u003c/a\u003e! We did our own rebrand using a community-led process, and we\u0026rsquo;d love to talk through your ideas with you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout this toolkit, we\u0026rsquo;ve called out opportunities for giving your community the opportunity to guide you - look for the purple boxes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://www.liberatingstructures.com/ls/\"\u003e35 patterns of Liberating Structures\u003c/a\u003e are an excellent jumping-off point if you have a bit of facilitation experience. They describe ways to arrange and structure a group in order to challenge or even invert the existing power dynamics.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Crown Wellness Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.colorado.edu/crowninstitute/welcome-crown-institute-participatory-toolkit\"\u003eParticipatory Research Toolkit\u003c/a\u003e that is primarily geared towards health and wellness research, but could also be useful for communication design, especially since the methods are described for both physical and digital groups.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe majority of participatory design toolkits deal with the topic of space – \u003ca href=\"http://urbantoolkit.eu/tools-and-methods/participatory-design/\"\u003eurban space\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://deptofplaces.org/partdesigntoolkit\"\u003earchitectural space\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/resources/participatory-design-toolkit\"\u003eaffordable housing\u003c/a\u003e. These methods can be challenging to translate to the digital realm, but they are helpful to understand the mindset of participatory design.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://www.liberatorydesign.com/\"\u003eLiberatory Design Toolkit\u003c/a\u003e works at a broader level than the other toolkits above, and may help you to rethink your relationship to the communication project you\u0026rsquo;re planning.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Shannon Webber of Northeastern University \u003ca href=\"https://dsg.northeastern.edu/asking-questions-that-matter-the-power-of-participatory-design/\"\u003ewrites\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipatory design is not about not \u003cem\u003efearing\u003c/em\u003e the public, it’s about \u003cem\u003eengaging\u003c/em\u003e with them in spite of the fear of rejection. As a facilitator it is your job to figure out the problems that they want solved by asking as many questions as possible. More questions mean more answers. More answers mean more information. More information means better opportunity for understanding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere aren\u0026rsquo;t so many examples of participatory design in communications, and we\u0026rsquo;d like to create more. If you end up using community-centered methods in your communications project, please let us know! We would love to feature your work and help others get inspired.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit",
            "date_published": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/communications-toolkit-for-civic-nonprofit-tech-1/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/communications-toolkit-for-civic-nonprofit-tech-1/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech: Crafting a Press Release",
            "date_published": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/crafting-press-release/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/crafting-press-release/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis resource is part of our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStructured public communications, like press releases, media advisories, and research reports, are important tools for you to communicate your advocacy and impact. This post leads you through the building blocks of a press release. (If you like, you can also fill out our \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KNHTTzDREANkMbqb61osQHRQI-etGpRcv26xiKIAocs/edit#heading=h.y86i10uckoir\"\u003epress release template (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"understanding-different-communication-tools\"\u003eUnderstanding different communication tools\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore we dive into creating a press release, let\u0026rsquo;s clarify the key communication tools at your disposal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"press-release\"\u003ePress release\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDefinition:\u003c/strong\u003e A press release is a formal written statement aimed at journalists and media outlets. It provides detailed information about a specific event, development, report, or issue.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose:\u003c/strong\u003e To announce news, generate media coverage, and provide journalists with comprehensive information for reporting in your area. Many journalists may not be experts, and you can help them get the information they need and frame the issues in a way that Effective use of press releases can lead to media coverage and build momentum towards change.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"media-advisory\"\u003eMedia advisory\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDefinition:\u003c/strong\u003e A media advisory is a brief alert to journalists, inviting them to an upcoming event, press conference, or interview opportunity.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose:\u003c/strong\u003e To grab journalists\u0026rsquo; attention, encourage attendance, and ensure people are aware of your event.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"research-report\"\u003eResearch report\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDefinition:\u003c/strong\u003e Civil society organizations at the intersection of technology and human rights often conduct research.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose:\u003c/strong\u003e Research reports use the insights you collect to inform policy decisions and advocacy efforts. Research reports often present data, analysis, and recommendations in order to educate the public and raise awareness. Reports are also a \u0026ldquo;show, don\u0026rsquo;t tell\u0026rdquo; way to illustrate your expertise and impact, which can support fundraising and further your mission. (Check out this toolkit\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yftME-d9EZxAxoxQfQ51mbhmtRu-6AXO1f5emnTILkI/edit\"\u003etemplate for a research report (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"crafting-a-press-release\"\u003eCrafting a press release\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;ll be talking here about \u003cstrong\u003epress releases\u003c/strong\u003e. Follow these steps to create a press release, using prompts and examples that you can modify for your needs. (We also have a \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KNHTTzDREANkMbqb61osQHRQI-etGpRcv26xiKIAocs/edit#heading=h.y86i10uckoir\"\u003epress release template (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e you can fill out.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"start-with-a-compelling-headline\"\u003eStart with a compelling headline\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Write a headline that summarizes the main message of your press release.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ldquo;New Report Reveals Alarming Data Privacy Violations in Tech Industry\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"write-an-engaging-lead-paragraph\"\u003eWrite an engaging lead paragraph\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Craft a concise lead paragraph (1-2 sentences) that captures the most important information.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ldquo;A groundbreaking report by [Your Organization] exposes widespread data privacy violations within the tech industry, raising urgent concerns about the protection of user data.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"provide-key-details\"\u003eProvide key details\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Share the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your news.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho: [Your Organization]\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat: Release of the Data Privacy Violations Report\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen: [Date], [Time]\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhere: [Event Venue or Online Platform]\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy: To inform the public about data privacy issues and call for industry reform\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow: Through a press conference and online publication\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"include-quotes\"\u003eInclude quotes\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Add quotes from key stakeholders or experts.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e[Leader in Your Organization]: \u0026lsquo;This report underscores the urgency of protecting user data in the digital age.\u0026rsquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e[Data Privacy Expert]: \u0026lsquo;These findings reveal a systemic problem that demands immediate attention.\u0026rsquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"provide-background-information\"\u003eProvide background information\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Offer context or background information about the issue or event.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e Explain the current state of data privacy in the tech industry and your organization\u0026rsquo;s role in advocating for change.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"add-multimedia-content\"\u003eAdd multimedia content\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Consider including images, infographics, or videos to enhance your press release. Make sure to properly credit any media you did not create.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e Attach a graph showing data privacy violations by tech companies.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"end-with-a-boilerplate-and-contact-information\"\u003eEnd with a boilerplate and contact information\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Include a brief description of your organization and contact information for media inquiries.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbout [Your Organization]: [Brief description of your organization\u0026rsquo;s mission and work], and link to website\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor media inquiries, contact [Name], [Email], [Phone Number].\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"proofread-and-edit\"\u003eProofread and edit\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Review your press release for grammar, spelling, and accuracy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExample:\u003c/strong\u003e Ensure all names, dates, and facts are correct, and that the writing is clear and concise.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"send-it\"\u003eSend it!\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo this:\u003c/strong\u003e Post the press release on your website. Post a link to your social media. If you have a newsletter, include it in your newsletter. And send it individually to anybody you feel would benefit from it – especially journalists or media professionals you have been in contact with in the past.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech: Resources for Communications Strategy",
            "date_published": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/organizational-comms-strategy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/organizational-comms-strategy/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis resource is part of our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;ve collected some resources from around the web to help guide you through your organizational communication strategy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"is-it-ethical-to-use-social-media\"\u003eIs it ethical to use social media?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCorporate social media platforms would like you to think they are neutral channels delivering information to people. In fact, the companies behind the large social media platforms are some of the biggest for-profit companies in the world, and they make that money (for the most part) by \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/social-media-ceo-hearing-cant-defend-business-model/\"\u003egathering as much user data as possible so that they can targeting ads as precisely as possible\u003c/a\u003e. Social media\u0026rsquo;s UX features, privacy and security, and moderation practices all exist in service of \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8179701/\"\u003eattracting users, increasing engagement, and targeting advertisements\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re guessing this mission doesn\u0026rsquo;t exactly match your values. You\u0026rsquo;re probably not that enthusiastic about encouraging your community to \u0026ldquo;engage\u0026rdquo; on social media in order to feed the data machine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlternatives like \u003ca href=\"https://mastodon.social/explore\"\u003eMastodon\u003c/a\u003e offer an appealing way to use social media in a way that better matches our values. At the same time, many of us can\u0026rsquo;t afford not to be on corporate social media. We may need to get our message out and reach a more mainstream audience. How do we manage these competing priorities?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDigital strategist \u003ca href=\"https://keidradchaney.net/\"\u003eKeidra Chaney\u003c/a\u003e has written in Nonprofit Quarterly about \u003ca href=\"https://nonprofitquarterly.org/why-nonprofits-need-a-values-based-social-media-strategy/\"\u003ethe tradeoffs values-driven organizations should consider when developing their social media strategy\u003c/a\u003e. Her article is a must-read and will help you make key decisions that show your audience who you are. After all, the medium is the message.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-to-create-a-campaign\"\u003eHow to create a campaign\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you have a certain issue or message you need to get the word out about?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis could be something linked to current events, such as an urgent legal, policy, or human rights issue. Maybe there is a unique and timely opportunity to create momentum and change. Social media is a great fit for this kind of issue, since new posts with a clear call to action will show up on the top of people\u0026rsquo;s feeds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, many important issues are seen as harder to communicate because of a lack of built-in urgency – particularly issues that have been around for a long time and aren\u0026rsquo;t going away anytime soon. A communications campaign can also help here, giving you the opportunity to craft a sharp and timely message.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003ca href=\"https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/human-rights-speech/communicate\"\u003eguide from the Council of Europe\u003c/a\u003e is tailored towards human rights organizations will help you plan a campaign around a particular issue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-to-communicate-with-care-and-safety\"\u003eHow to communicate with care and safety\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of us need to think about safety when we plan our communications – whether that\u0026rsquo;s the safety of our organization, the safety of the people we serve, or both. Tactical Tech and the Association for Progressive Communication have published \u003ca href=\"https://xyz.informationactivism.org/en/zen-art-making-tech-work-for-you/\"\u003ethese manuals and case studies for how to create safe(r) online spaces\u003c/a\u003e. A must-read, especially if you work near topics such as gender, harassment, sexuality, or sex work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"from-social-media-to-movement-building\"\u003eFrom social media to movement-building\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s move beyond clicks, shares, and likes: what is the real-world effect you want to see from your communications?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.civicus.org/documents/Strengthening_Citizen_Action_Communication_for_Civil_Society_Organisations.pdf\"\u003eThis guide from Civicus\u003c/a\u003e leads you backwards through designing your communications, starting with the result you want to achieve. We highly recommend this toolkit for anyone who wants to develop their movement and turn ideas into action.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech: Resources for Social Media Posts",
            "date_published": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/social-media-graphics/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/social-media-graphics/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis resource is part of our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinding information online about how to create social media posts can be like drinking from the proverbial firehose. We have selected a few resources we\u0026rsquo;ve found useful when we\u0026rsquo;re making posts for social media. \u003cem\u003eThese resources are current as of fall 2024, when this toolkit was published; we\u0026rsquo;ll do our best to keep them up to date.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"assessing-your-social-media-needs\"\u003eAssessing your social media needs\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMKoSauM=/\"\u003eSocial media needs assessment template, by Superbloom (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"audience-definition\"\u003eAudience definition\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur pick for beginners: \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/persona-builder\"\u003ePersona builder, by Okthanks\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMIFHYqo=/\"\u003eAudience persona template, by Superbloom (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/dashboard/?tpTemplate=behavioral-persona\u0026amp;isCustom=false\u0026amp;share_link_id=212384798363\"\u003eBehavioral persona exercise, by Miro team (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/file/wODaaKxGdvL0ggXbKlT2e2/User-Persona-Template?node-id=0-1\u0026amp;t=tWnT70iogZET0T8k-0\"\u003eUser persona template, by Figma (Figjam)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"competitive-analysis\"\u003eCompetitive analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/dashboard/?tpTemplate=competitor-analysis\u0026amp;isCustom=false\u0026amp;share_link_id=955115531366\"\u003eCompetitive analysis exercise, by Miro team (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://mailchimp.com/resources/what-is-competitor-analysis/\"\u003eHow to conduct competitor analysis\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"writing-text\"\u003eWriting text\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buffer.com/library/headline-formulas/\"\u003e30 headline formulas for tweets, posts, articles, and emails, by Buffer\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buffer.com/library/ways-to-write-social-media-updates/\"\u003e71 techniques for social media updates, by Buffer\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/15SlUvGNfdL02pQoQxCxVpYaKnDF3WTRf_3ox-9BBz1U/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Social media text (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"creating-images\"\u003eCreating images\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMLagH4k=/\"\u003eTemplate: Social media posts, by Superbloom (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/social-media-image-sizes-guide/#section-7\"\u003eSocial media image size guide, by Brandwatch\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re tempted to use generative AI for your social media posts, our advice is: nope. \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creating-brand-guidelines#generative-ai\"\u003eHere\u0026rsquo;s why\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"planning-and-scheduling\"\u003ePlanning and scheduling\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buffer.com/library/schedule-social-media-content-plan/\"\u003eScheduling social media content, by Buffer\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BWJY-dsdNrhsh1_frT7L6C-omzle6HvD/edit?usp=drive_link\u0026amp;ouid=106639959202589259575\u0026amp;rtpof=true\u0026amp;sd=true\"\u003eTemplate: Social media calendar, by Superbloom (Google Sheets)\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"guidance-for-specific-platforms\"\u003eGuidance for specific platforms\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"linkedin\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fred-melanson_35-linkedin-secrets-you-need-to-know-activity-7029857413897854976-AEVB?utm_source=share\u0026amp;utm_medium=member_desktop\"\u003e35 LinkedIn tips (on LinkedIn, of course)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"instagram\"\u003eInstagram\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-best-practices/\"\u003eBest practices for growth on Instagram, by HootSuite\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://business.instagram.com/instagram-post-tips\"\u003eCreating successful posts on Instagram, by Instagram, naturally\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"general-social-media-guidance\"\u003eGeneral social media guidance\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://nonprofitquarterly.org/why-nonprofits-need-a-values-based-social-media-strategy/\"\u003eWhy nonprofits need a values-based approach to social media, by Keidra Chaney for Nonprofit Quarterly\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.undp.org/eurasia/blog/social-media-tips-for-nonprofit\"\u003e10 social media tips for nonprofits, by United Nations Development Programme\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-content-creation/\"\u003eContent creation strategy, by HootSuite\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"fundraising-on-social-media\"\u003eFundraising on social media\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.nptechforgood.com/101-best-practices/social-media-statistics-for-nonprofits/\"\u003eSocial media stats for nonprofits 2024, by Nonprofit Tech for Good\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.societ.com/blog/nonprofit-marketing/how-to-get-started-with-social-media-giving-tools/\"\u003eThe ultimate social media guide to nonprofit giving tools, by Societ\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoes social media feel like a lot to take in? Orient yourself by \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003egiving your community and other stakeholders the opportunity to guide you\u003c/a\u003e. Ask them what platforms are most meaningful to them and why. If your loyal boosters like staying caught up on LinkedIn, posting your updates on GitHub may not be reaching as many people as you\u0026rsquo;d like to!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech: Scoping Communications Projects",
            "date_published": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-10T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/scoping-communications-projects/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/scoping-communications-projects/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis resource is part of our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n    .scoping-template tr td.work-area p span, .scoping-template tr td.project-scope p span, .scoping-template tr.project-sml p span {\n        font-family: \"JetBrains Mono\", \"Ubuntu Mono\", \"DejaVu Sans Mono\", \"Courier New\", Courier, monospace, sans-serif !important; \n        font-weight: 600;\n}\n    .scoping-template tr td.work-area {\n        background-color: #ffffff;\n        color: #000000;\n        font-family: \"JetBrains Mono\", \"Ubuntu Mono\", \"DejaVu Sans Mono\", \"Courier New\", Courier, monospace, sans-serif !important; \n        font-weight: 600;\n    }\n\n    .scoping-template tr td.project-scope {\n        font-family: \"JetBrains Mono\", \"Ubuntu Mono\", \"DejaVu Sans Mono\", \"Courier New\", Courier, monospace, sans-serif !important;\n        font-weight: 600;\n    }\n    .scoping-template tr.project-sml {\n        background-color: #424faa;\n        color: white;\n        font-family: \"JetBrains Mono\", \"Ubuntu Mono\", \"DejaVu Sans Mono\", \"Courier New\", Courier, monospace, sans-serif !important;\n        font-weight: 600;\n        td {\n            background-color: #424faa;\n            color: white;\n        }\n        p, span {\n        font-family: \"JetBrains Mono\", \"Ubuntu Mono\", \"DejaVu Sans Mono\", \"Courier New\", Courier, monospace, sans-serif !important; \n        font-weight: 600;\n        }\n    }\n   .scoping-template tr.project-sml td {\n            background-color: #424faa;\n            color: white;\n    }\n\u003c/style\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most daunting parts about undertaking a communications project comes right at the project’s beginning: \u003cstrong\u003eplanning and scoping the project.\u003c/strong\u003e These projects, by definition, aren’t frequent. You only need to do them once every few years at most. So it makes sense that most organizations don’t have much practice scoping them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you choose to fund and pursue the project internally, you need a sense of not just the expertise required, but also the time investment needed for various results. The \u003ca href=\"#identity-project-scoping-template\"\u003escoping templates\u003c/a\u003e we have created can guide you through planning and resourcing your project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging external partners is a great option, but that too requires a sense of the project’s scope. Even if you work with external partners, these scoping templates will help you communicate your needs and use the partner’s time efficiently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote that we’re using the word “organization” to refer to the group doing the project. Substitute “project,” “group,” “collective,” or any other description that matches you.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#identity-design-project\"\u003e1. Identity project\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#communications-strategy-project\"\u003e2. Communications strategy project\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#communications-design-project\"\u003e3. Communications design project\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"identity-design-project\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"identity-design-project\"\u003eIdentity design project\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-an-identity-design-project\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is an identity design project?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn identity design project has to do with defining the way your organization’s visuals communicate your mission, values, and personality. On a small scale, it involves harmonizing multiple elements that don’t quite hang together. On a larger scale, it involves articulating who you are and creating a visual language that expresses it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDepending on the scale and scope of the identity project, you may also need a small, medium, or large \u003ca href=\"#communications-strategy-project\"\u003ecommunications strategy project\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"#communications-design-project\"\u003ecommunications design project\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoing identity work \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003etogether with your community\u003c/a\u003e can be a powerful way to learn and reorient. You may know why \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c/em\u003e would like to rebrand and what you would like to communicate, but what do others think? Before you decide on your direction, convene at least a few interviews with people affected by your work. Find out what they like, how they see you, what they think you should be emphasizing in your brand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"identity-project-scoping-template\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIdentity project scoping template\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003ctable class=\"scoping-template toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n        \u003cthead\u003e\n            \u003ctr class=\"c19\"\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c26 work-area\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c38\"\u003eWork area\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c16 c49 project-scope\" colspan=\"3\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eProject scope\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003c/tr\u003e\n            \u003ctr class=\"c19 project-sml\"\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c25 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c40 c41\"\u003eSmall \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c40 c41\"\u003e(50-200 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c17 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c40 c41\"\u003eMedium \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c40 c41\"\u003e(200-500 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c10 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eLarge (500-800 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003ctbody\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eGoal\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1 c11\"\u003eFix inconsistencies and technical issues, fill gaps, bring\n                        together existing resources\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1 c11\"\u003eUpdate and modernize identity, expand available assets\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1 c11\"\u003eRefresh and redefine identity, reframe position in landscape, a\n                        \u0026ldquo;makeover\u0026rdquo;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c39\"\u003eDoes this work need to be communicated to your community?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1 c11\"\u003eProbably not. Your identity will look better but not that\n                        different.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1 c11\"\u003eMaybe. Depends on how close you stay to your existing\n                        identity.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1 c11\"\u003eDefinitely! Make sure you plan time and resources for your rollout. People need to know that you're still you, just with a new look. If you structure a process that gets input from your community, this can help you communicate the rationale and result behind this work. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eBrand audit\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eName audit\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003ePossibly\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eNaming workshop\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003ePossibly\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eLogo\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eTechnical adjustments, such as different file formats or\n                        resolutions\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eUpdate logo with tweaks and adjustment \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;when the logo\n                        direction is right but needs visual touch-ups.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c39\"\u003eNew or refurbished logo \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\n                        class=\"c40 c45\"\u003eexploring new directions for existing logo\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c19\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eColor scheme\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eFixing any styling inconsistencies\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eAdjust and tweak color scheme, fonts, font combinations\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c40 c45\"\u003eNew\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;color scheme, fonts, font\n                        combinations \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c19\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eTypography\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c19\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIllustrations, icons, photography\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eVisual language\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eExamples of how colors, fonts, illustrations/icons/photos come together\n                        in comms materials such as social media posts\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eExamples of how colors, fonts, illustrations/icons/photos come together\n                        in comms materials such as social media posts \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eExamples of how colors, fonts, illustrations/icons/photos come together\n                        in comms materials such as social media posts\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMarket research\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eGathering a few impressions about what similar organizations are doing with their branding.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMarket informed brand design \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;studying the landscape\u003c/span\u003e\n                \u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eCommunity involvement\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eConvene a session with some members of your community to get their reaction to your branding – but make it clear that you are only making small tweaks at this point. This session can help you focus on the important aspects for now, and give you ideas for larger projects you might want to undertake later.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eConvene a session with some members of your community to get their reaction to your branding.\u003c/span\u003e\n                \u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eConvene several sessions with some members of your community to get their reaction to your branding, structuring your process so that they give feedback and help you make decisions as you go.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eStakeholder feedback\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMaybe\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e1-2 rounds of feedback from internal and/or external stakeholders\u003c/span\u003e\n                \u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c26\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eAssets\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c25\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eAsset library including:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cul class=\"c37 lst-kix_5tnj66msvj7r-0 start\"\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eBrand book\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIllustrations (stock selections)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                \u003c/ul\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c17\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eAsset library including:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cul class=\"c37 lst-kix_5tnj66msvj7r-0\"\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eBrand book\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIllustrations (stock selections)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMerch (stickers, tshirts, letterhead\u0026hellip;)\u003c/span\u003e\n                    \u003c/li\u003e\n                \u003c/ul\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eComplete asset library including:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003cul class=\"c37 lst-kix_5tnj66msvj7r-0\"\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eBrand book\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eSet of branded illustrations\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMerch (stickers, tshirts, letterhead, business\n                            card\u0026hellip;)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                    \u003cli class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c39\"\u003eSet of social media posts\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n                \u003c/ul\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003c/thead\u003e\n    \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"communications-strategy-project\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"communications-strategy-project\"\u003eCommunications strategy project\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-a-communications-strategy-project\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a communications strategy project?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA communications strategy project helps you figure out how to shape your communications process, content, and workflow.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA small communications strategy project is suitable for an organization that already has defined a clear audience and message, but needs to refine their internal toolkit for delivering the message to the audience. It is also a good fit for organizations that need to communicate a major organizational change (e.g. rebrand, acquisition).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA larger communications strategy project helps organizations that are not yet clear on their audience and/or message, helping them define their communication goals and create an efficient, effective plan for getting there. A larger communications strategy plan also needs to both contain goals to be achieved, and have a plan for how to evaluate whether those goals are achieved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your organization’s identity is fragmented or you may need to undertake an identity project as well. \u003ca href=\"#identity-design-project\"\u003eSee the “Identity design project” scoping template\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"communications-strategy-project-scoping-template\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommunications strategy project scoping template\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"scoping-template toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n        \u003cthead\u003e\n            \u003ctr class=\"c19\"\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c8 work-area\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c38\"\u003eWork area\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c16 c29 project-scope\" colspan=\"3\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eProject scope\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003c/tr\u003e\n            \u003ctr class=\"c19 project-sml\"\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c10 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eSmall project (20-40 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c10 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eMedium project (40-100 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c10 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eLarge project (100-300 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003ctbody\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eGoal\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eClarify open questions regarding organizational communication;\n                        communicate a major change\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eRefine messaging, define audiences, streamline internal procedures\u003c/span\u003e\n                \u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eCreate a cohesive set of organizational communication goals; collect\n                        resources needed to reach them and evaluate progress\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eCommunication strategy audit\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eAudience definition\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eCommunity interviews\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMaybe\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eVoice and tone guide\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eSocial media channel analysis\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMaybe\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eSocial media posting calendar\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eMaybe\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eSet up, use, and monitor analytics (as well as privacy policy and\n                        disclosure!)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c8\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c39\"\u003eEvaluation plan\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c10\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003c/thead\u003e\n    \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"communications-design-project\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"communications-design-project\"\u003eCommunications design project\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-a-communications-design-project\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a communications design project?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA communications design project makes your external communications harmonize with and strengthen your organization’s identity. It concerns templates for reports, presentations, social media posts, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your organization doesn’t already have a consistent identity, you may need to undertake an identity project as well. \u003ca href=\"#communications-strategy-project\"\u003eSee the “Identity design project” scoping template\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your organization hasn’t defined its audience or message, you may need to undertake a communications strategy project as well. \u003ca href=\"#communications-strategy-project\"\u003eSee the “Communications strategy project” scoping template\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"communications-design-project-scoping-template\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommunications design project scoping template\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"scoping-template toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n        \u003cthead\u003e\n            \u003ctr class=\"c19\"\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c36 work-area\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eWork area\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c16 c51 project-scope\" colspan=\"3\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c47\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eProject scope\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003c/tr\u003e\n            \u003ctr class=\"c19 project-sml\"\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c42 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eSmall project (10-30 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c3 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eMedium project (30-60 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n                \u003ctd class=\"c33 c16\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                    \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c4\"\u003eLarge project (60-200 hours)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n                \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003ctbody\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c36\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eGoal\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c42\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eApply elements from existing identity to templates for a few specific use\n                        cases\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c3\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eCreate a template library based on an existing identity\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c33\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eCreate a design system that guides future visual design\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c36\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003ePresentation templates\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c42\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIf needed\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c3\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c33\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c36\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c39\"\u003eDocument templates\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;(letters, proposals,\n                        press releases etc\u0026hellip;)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c42\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIf needed\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c3\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c33\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c36\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eReport templates\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c42\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIf needed\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c3\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c33\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c36\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eSocial media post templates\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c42\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIf needed\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c3\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c33\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c36\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIcons/avatars\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c42\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eIf needed\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c3\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c33\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr class=\"c5\"\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c36\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003eDesign system \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c42\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c3\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c7 c18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n            \u003ctd class=\"c33\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"\u003e\n                \u003cp class=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026#10004;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n            \u003c/td\u003e\n        \u003c/tr\u003e\n        \u003c/thead\u003e\n    \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech",
            "date_published": "2024-09-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/communications-toolkit-for-civic-nonprofit-tech/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/communications-toolkit-for-civic-nonprofit-tech/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech: Creating Brand Guidelines",
            "date_published": "2024-09-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creating-brand-guidelines/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creating-brand-guidelines/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis resource is part of our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore we start: let\u0026rsquo;s talk about storytelling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHumans love a good story; for as far back as we know, humans have shared stories with each other in their own communities. At its very core, branding is about storytelling and communication: What story do you want to tell your users, your community, your stakeholders? Ideally, every single element you add to your brand should benefit this unified story you are trying to tell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you are stuck, think of that question: \u003cstrong\u003eWhat is our story?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow let’s get started!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"table-of-contents\"\u003eTable of contents\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#brand-guide-elements\"\u003eBrand guide elements\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#brand-background\"\u003eBrand background\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#brand-visual-foundation\"\u003eBrand visual foundation\u003c/a\u003e // \u003ca href=\"#logo\"\u003eLogo\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"#colors\"\u003eColors\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"#typography\"\u003eTypography\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#visual-language\"\u003eVisual language elements\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#brand-voice\"\u003eBrand voice\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#formats\"\u003eBrand guide formats\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#accessibility\"\u003eAccessibility considerations\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#color-considerations\"\u003eColor considerations\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#digital-first-logos\"\u003eConsiderations for digital-first logos\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#choosing-typeface\"\u003eChoosing a typeface\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#choosing-images\"\u003eChoosing images and illustrations\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#inspiration\"\u003eSources for inspiration\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"brand-guide-elements\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"brand-guide-elements\"\u003eBrand guide elements\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDepending on your organization’s needs, your brand guide might be thorough and extensive or fairly minimal. Here are the elements that you can use in your brand guide to describe and define your brand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"brand-background\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"brand-background\"\u003eBrand background\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brand background is an important part of who you are as a company or an organization, and it’s your chance to get really personal (if you want to). Your brand story could include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe brand name and history:\u003c/strong\u003e How was the brand established? How did you come up with the name?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe brand values:\u003c/strong\u003e What is important to your organization? What are some of the values that members of the organization should ideally strive towards or identify with?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe brand personality:\u003c/strong\u003e What are your brand’s key character traits?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"brand-visual-foundation\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"brand-visual-foundation\"\u003eBrand visual foundation\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brand visual foundation is an overview of all the core visual elements that make up your brand: logo, colors, and type.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"logo\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"logo\"\u003eLogo\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour logo can be a \u003cem\u003elogotype\u003c/em\u003e (which centres around stylised text and is also often referred to as \u003cem\u003ewordmark\u003c/em\u003e or \u003cem\u003elettermark\u003c/em\u003e), a \u003cem\u003elogomark\u003c/em\u003e (a pictorial mark, i.e. a symbol or image) or a combination of both.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou may also want to have different versions of your logo to cover all usage: For example, you could use a combination of logotype and logomark as your primary logo, but use only the logomark or symbol in certain situations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe more information you include with your logo, the less likely it is that it will be used incorrectly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormats\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvide your logo in a variety of file formats for download (we suggest at least PNG and SVG); this potentially includes different formats for print and digital.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave your logo available in several sizes, at least the following:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e64 x 64 px (for use as an icon or favicon)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e256 x 256 px\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1024 x 1024 px\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum size and spacing\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour guide should include information about the minimum size of each version of the logo. You might also want to include specifications around spacing — how much space should be left, at minimum, on each side (left, right, top and bottom) of your logo.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: you might want to include here a visual of what this could look like! Here\u0026rsquo;s an example from Firefox.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/fx_design_logo_masterlogo-space-horizontal-1.svg\" alt=\"Firefox brand guidelines showing clear space around logo, the height of the F in Firefox\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCorrect and incorrect usage\u003c/strong\u003e\nIt’s always helpful to give pointers on how to correctly use your logo — but also on what incorrect usage looks like.\nSome examples:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat colors can or can’t be used for the logo?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo you offer black and white variations on the logo? In what situations (e.g. to adapt to a certain site style)?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan the logo be placed in a container, a frame, or on a busy background?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan the logo be stretched, rotated or resized?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre there specific guidelines around using the different versions of the logo (e.g. when do you use the logotype or the logomark?)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSecondary marks and mascots\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou might also think about creating an additional, recognizable mark such as a secondary logo, a symbol or a mascot. This is either useful in places where your primary logo might not physically fit (for example, in a browser tab), or as an additional way to achieve brand recognition.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondary marks can be an important visual mark of your brand: Just think about the recognisability of mascots like the Duracell Bunny or Ronald MacDonald, Freddie (the Mailchimp chimpanzee) or Duo (the Duolingo owl). As always, consistency is key: those secondary marks are nice-to-haves, but they should also serve a purpose. In the case of mascots, this is often used to add playfulness and personality to your brand!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"colors\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"colors\"\u003eColors\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour color palette should include a variety of colors for different use:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eprimary color(s)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003esecondary colors\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eany additional accent colors\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eyour background, functional, or neutral colors\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBe clear about which is which, and how to use them, especially when it comes to accessibility, as not every color will fit everywhere or with every other color. Some brands also provide a color ratio for correct usage, i.e. what percentage of each colour type should be used across materials (for example: 50% neutral colors, 30% primary color, 10% secondary, 10% accent). This is useful to make sure your visual content is visually balanced and achieves the mood you want, but it’s in no way necessary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s good to keep in mind that your colors might be used in different media (digital and print), so provide color codes in different formats — at minimum HEX, RGB and CMYK codes. If you’re using Pantone colors, make sure you have those codes (PMS) in your color library, too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eColour resources\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://colourco.de/\"\u003eColour Code\u003c/a\u003e: A color palette generator\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://mycolor.space\"\u003eColor Space\u003c/a\u003e: A generator that creates different types and styles of palettes based on a single colour (HEX code or RGB) input.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"typography\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"typography\"\u003eTypography\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDepending on the media you work in, you might have to work with more or less typefaces, or adapt typefaces to the media you work in. Because of that, it’s good to have basic guidelines and principles in place for how you use typography within your organization and brand. In this section, we’ve collected the most basic information to include when defining guidelines for your brand’s typography.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGive context:\u003c/strong\u003e Which font style is used for what? Or, if you use more than one typeface — when do you use which font?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThink about the medium:\u003c/strong\u003e Do you have different typefaces for different media (digital, print, etc.)? Do you have fallback fonts for when access to your brand typefaces is limited?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGive guidance for presentation:\u003c/strong\u003e Provide specific guidance on how the text should be presented — this includes the text colour, but also what kind of spacing should be used (e.g. vertical spacing between lines or paragraphs), whether you follow a typographic scale, and how copy is aligned within the content (is text centred or left-aligned, or a mix of both?)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvide setup information:\u003c/strong\u003e How can your typefaces be downloaded, installed, and used?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"visual-language\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"visual-language-elements\"\u003eVisual language elements\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat do we mean by “visual language”?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe visual language is all the visual imagery you use across your brand and materials (apart from your visual foundation). This includes illustrations, photography, and symbols. Often, these are supporting visuals that will expand your brand, bring the point across and, in some cases, make your content more easy to digest and understand. Visual language elements can also be used to bring in an element of fun, where appropriate.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike everything in branding: Your visual language might be very simple or quite extensive — there’s no right or wrong way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s good to draft some guidelines on what type of illustrations or photography you want to use (and avoid), for example:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUsage of imagery:\u003c/strong\u003e What type of imagery (illustration, photography, abstract shapes and symbols, etc.) do you use? If you use different types: Are there rules around when to use which?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStock imagery:\u003c/strong\u003e Do you use stock images? If so, from which sources, and what are the usage guidelines?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVisual language system:\u003c/strong\u003e Especially if you use abstract shapes — do these shapes follow a pattern or a system? Are they taken from existing elements (like your logo or your organization name)?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImage library:\u003c/strong\u003e Do you provide access to an image library with images that have been “vetted” and can be used / reused?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaking your imagery inclusive:\u003c/strong\u003e Do you consider diversity and inclusion as part of your imagery choice? Do you specifically try to look for a diverse range of images and photographs?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"brand-voice\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"brand-voice\"\u003eBrand voice\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brand voice is the foundation of how you communicate with your users, stakeholders, and community. It’s important to have a clear idea of the brand voice to make your communication consistent and avoid confusion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome things to consider and questions to ask when defining your brand voice:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePersonality:\u003c/strong\u003e What is your brand’s personality?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHumor:\u003c/strong\u003e Is your organization more on the fun or the serious side? Do you bring humor into your communication?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVersatility:\u003c/strong\u003e Do you adapt to the communication platforms you use and to the different types of users you have, or do you keep a similar voice across all communication types?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecific guidelines:\u003c/strong\u003e Do you use American or British English spelling when communicating? Do you use emojis?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"formats\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"brand-guide-formats\"\u003eBrand guide formats\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no right or wrong format for a brand guide; as with everything, it will depend on your audience and your needs and resources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome things you might want to consider before choosing a brand guide format for your organisation:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho will be using the brand guide?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre there any specific needs of the users / designers / developers?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow often will the brand guide be updated and by whom?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOption 1: PDF\u003c/strong\u003e\nEspecially for smaller organisations, a static file (usually a PDF) is one of the most common formats for a brand guide. Having a PDF brand guide is easiest when the brand guidelines have already been established and will not be updated regularly (as making changes and exporting the PDF again can quickly become tedious). It might be the best solution for you if you want an easily shareable format that will not need constant updates; you can add it (or a link to it) to your organisation’s centralised knowledge database / system to make sure the latest version is always accessible to everyone.\nNote: Make sure your PDFs are versioned, so that when you do make changes to the brand guide, it’s clear from the version name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOption 2: Brand guide website\u003c/strong\u003e\nHaving a website for your brand guide is a bit of work, but it might be the most versatile type of format for a brand guide. It can be an internal or password-protected site, but can also be shared externally.\nWhile it might need to be maintained, it will also allow you to be able to add cross-references, links, and embed different types of content. This might be a good solution if you have people who can update / maintain the site, and if you have an extensive brand guide with the needs for cross references.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOption 3: A user-specific platform\u003c/strong\u003e\nMany organizations or teams, especially smaller ones, tend to put their brand guide in whatever tool is most accessible to or most used by them. This could be something like Notion or Confluence (a centralized knowledge / documentation tool), Figma (or another design tool), or GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket (their code repository).\nThis comes with advantages and disadvantages: A change of tooling might mean having to find a new home for your brand guide; on the other hand, when your brand guide is on a platform your whole team uses regularly, it also means that it’s more likely to be up-to-date than a static document.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhatever tool or format you use, make sure you don’t accidentally exclude some of your users — for example, by putting your brand guide in Figma even though it should also be used by developers who might not be using Figma, or even have access to it. This will ensure everyone is on the same page and will avoid information silos.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"accessibility\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"accessibility-considerations\"\u003eAccessibility considerations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to provide an inclusive and accessible experience for all of your users, it’s essential to think about accessibility at every step of the branding process. Accessibility can help users with permanent or temporary disabilities, but also, for example, users navigating your site on low data plans and bad connections. Often, when thinking about accessibility, we focus on the “obvious”, but text readability and color contrast are only the first step to an accessible brand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are a few things to consider to make sure you can avoid discriminatory design and biassed branding:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake your text readable:\u003c/strong\u003e Choose an appropriate text size that also factors in your choice of typeface\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake your text clear: T\u003c/strong\u003ehink about your users when writing your content, rather than about hypothetical “experts”. Everyone benefits from clear and concise explanations!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCheck your color contrast:\u003c/strong\u003e Use contrast checkers to make sure your brand colors work well together, and that you have alternate colors and a neutral palette to fall back on where needed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsider screen reader and keyboard users:\u003c/strong\u003e your site should be compatible with screen readers and the content should be easily navigated using a keyboard.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvide a clear hierarchy for your content:\u003c/strong\u003e Among other things, use semantic HTML — this is particularly helpful for users navigating your site using a screen reader.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWrite short and clear alt text for images:\u003c/strong\u003e It’s important to provide alternate text for users with visual impairments or users who might be unable to download or view images on their device, and to learn a bit about how to write alt text that is useful to users and provides the right context\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvide alternatives for media content:\u003c/strong\u003e Provide an alternative to audio content for people with hearing impairments in the form of  audio descriptions, captions, and transcripts\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid unnecessary animations, autoplay, or flashing content and text:\u003c/strong\u003e video and audio should never start playing on their own, and flashes must be limited to 3 per second for photosensitive viewers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsider the importance of inclusive representation:\u003c/strong\u003e Think about the variety and diversity of your users — would they all feel represented by the imagery and photography you have selected?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"color-considerations\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"color-considerations\"\u003eColor considerations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColors are a powerful tool in your toolkit. When choosing your brand or organization’s colors, it’s important to think about the context in which color will be used.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColors are often associated with certain feelings, moods, or adjectives. The easiest and most obvious example is for the color red, which is often used in Western cultures to signify “Danger” (think of the specific usage of red in road signs and traffic lights).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore settling on a specific brand color, it might be beneficial to learn more about color theory (how colors work in the physical world) and color psychology (how colors are perceived by humans).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeography, culture and religion will also play a role in your choice of brand colours: depending on where your users, community, stakeholders, etc. are located, are from, or which culture they belong to, they will have formed different associations to certain colors, which is something you will need to be aware of.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLastly, what field or area your organization is in, as well as the experience you want to be associated with, might impact your color choices: Think about how many tech and business companies have blue as a primary brand color, or how organizations that focus on the environment often use green in their communication and branding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"digital-first-logos\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"considerations-for-digital-first-logos\"\u003eConsiderations for digital-first logos\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA digital-first logo should be both simple and versatile. When designing primarily for digital media, you have to deal with different sizes, resolutions and contexts; because of that, your logo should be, first and foremost, recognizable at small sizes (think, a browser tab favicon or app icon), so here are a few tips and questions to think about when creating a digital-first logo.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUse a vector format where you can:\u003c/strong\u003e For example, SVG. This allows you to scale the logo up and down without losing quality.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUse an appropriate format and size:\u003c/strong\u003e This will always work in your favor, as it will positively impact loading speed and image quality, as well as compatibility with devices and platforms. You might not always have the possibility to use a vector format for your logo, but it’s still important to think about falling back on an array of sizes for raster formats (png/jpg).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid too many details:\u003c/strong\u003e When designing an icon at smaller sizes, for example as a favicon, it’s ok to let some details go in favour of readability — adapt your logo as needed so that it’s clean and can be recognized or seen well.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOffer different image ratios:\u003c/strong\u003e it’s important to think about the different contexts of your logo and where it will be seen. It could be that you need different image ratios based on where your logo is used, such as 2:3, 3:4 and 1:1 ratios.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBe prepared:\u003c/strong\u003e Ask yourself an array of questions to be prepared for different situations. Will our logo look good on a small screen and as an app icon? How will it look scaled down to the size of a favicon, on a variety of background colours?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"choosing-typeface\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"choosing-a-typeface\"\u003eChoosing a typeface\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChoosing a typeface might be a daunting task that feels like one of the hardest things in branding; we might not have all the answers, but we have a few thoughts on what can make your typeface decision easier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLean into your brand’s style:\u003c/strong\u003e Every typeface has different elements that contribute to  a certain style and visual aesthetic; be aware of this when picking a typeface. You can use your brand’s non-visual foundations to find a typeface that embodies the mood you want to create in your content.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoose legibility over aesthetics:\u003c/strong\u003e Ideally, the typography should be both readable and visually appealing; unless your style is purposely “messy” or “artsy”, prioritie finding a typeface that is legible.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen in doubt, use fewer different typefaces or styles:\u003c/strong\u003e An interface, website, or even a print medium can start to look messy fast if there are too many styles and typefaces being used. One of the most difficult things about type is pairing them, so where you can, stay on the minimalist side and think about where the fonts will be used (digital / printed material).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo a typography audit to help with consistency:\u003c/strong\u003e If your issue is an existing product or interface, try going through all of your content and material, writing down where you’re using which typeface, style, and size. You might uncover some inconsistencies or an overload of variations that can easily be fixed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFree typefaces are totally okay:\u003c/strong\u003e Just because a typeface is free, doesn’t mean it’s bad; and vice-versa, just because you paid a lot of money for a font, doesn’t mean it will serve you well or be perfect for your purpose. There are many free quality typefaces out there!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThink about your audience:\u003c/strong\u003e Another potential consideration to make is that of accessibility. Will the typeface need accented or non-English characters, diacritic marks, etc? If so you might want to make sure that all of those characters are included in the typeface.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"choosing-images\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"choosing-images-and-illustrations\"\u003eChoosing images and illustrations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like many other aspects of your branding, the imagery you choose will support your message and your story. It’s important to think a bit about the type of images you want to display (or not), the style of photography and illustration you want to use across your brand, and how it reflects and supports your values.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes this is really obvious, at times it’s less clear — regardless, it’s always helpful to take a step back and collect your thoughts before jumping into imagery research. This is also the right place for you to have fun, and collect inspiration!\nSo, while we can’t do the work for you, we can help guide some of your decisions with a few suggestions below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake it cohesive:\u003c/strong\u003e Ideally, pick a single illustration style. It doesn’t really matter if it’s found illustration (but don’t forget to credit!) or if you work with an illustrator for custom or bespoke illustrations — the style across all the illustrations you use should be similar enough that it doesn’t confuse your audience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHave guiding principles around photography:\u003c/strong\u003e It  doesn’t have to be a whole book of guidelines, it’s enough to have one or two guiding principles. For example, “photographs of people will be candid and spontaneous as opposed to posed” or “we will always use a backdrop with one of our primary brand colors for studio photography”.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExplore and experiment:\u003c/strong\u003e Try out different things, brainstorm, and play around. Get a feel for what imagery feels like your brand, and see what’s possible and what isn’t. Especially when it comes to illustrations, there are so many things to consider — shadows, perspective (such as flat vs. 3D), usage of shapes, lines, and colors.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLast but not least, credit where credit’s due:\u003c/strong\u003e Make sure you only ever use photos and graphics that you are allowed to use, and that you credit as originally agreed with the image author. And since working on a team can be chaotic and messy — make sure credit guidelines are saved in the same place where you save your images, as this will definitely avoid some headaches later.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"generative-ai\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"to-ai-or-not-to-ai\"\u003eTo AI, or not to AI?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;ve gotten this far, chances are you\u0026rsquo;ve tried generating images in your target image style using a generative AI tool (e.g. Midjourney, DALL-E). You may have been shocked by how good the results look, at a cost (to you) of pennies per image. Even so, \u003cstrong\u003ewe strongly recommend against using generative AI for your brand.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe images won\u0026rsquo;t actually match each other:\u003c/strong\u003e The line weight won\u0026rsquo;t be the same. The color palette will be slightly off. The characters\u0026rsquo; faces won\u0026rsquo;t match from image to image. Even if you use the exact same style keywords and parameters, the generative AI will give results that just don\u0026rsquo;t look quite right with each other.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYes, people can tell, part 1:\u003c/strong\u003e Generative AI images have a subtle whiff of just not quite making logical sense. Elements are the wrong size, lit wrong, oriented wrong. Brushstrokes don\u0026rsquo;t have a start and an end, phones have three headphone ports, geometric shapes don\u0026rsquo;t have matching angles, every woman looks 23 years old with perfectly clear skin.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYes, people can tell, part 2:\u003c/strong\u003e Even if the image itself looks fine (no six-finger hands, mismatched glasses lenses, or garbled background text), your use of imagery needs to make sense with your likely budget and staffing. If a 12-person nonprofit posts studio-quality photography on Instagram every day, this smells fishy to your audience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAre you really ok with this?\u003c/strong\u003e We won\u0026rsquo;t belabor the point here, but the environmental and cultural cost of using generative AI to create \u0026ldquo;art\u0026rdquo; that represents your organization may not be something you want to support. (If you\u0026rsquo;d like to get in touch with great illustrators, we at Superbloom are happy to help!)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"inspiration\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"where-to-find-inspiration\"\u003eWhere to find inspiration\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"logo-and-brand-inspiration\"\u003eLogo and brand inspiration\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://bpando.org/\"\u003eBP\u0026amp;O\u003c/a\u003e is a regularly updated creative blog with handpicked, high-quality brand designs. It’s not just a collection of cool design, it also offers more context, insights and opinion on each work. You can get site updates sent through a weekly newsletter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.typewolf.com/\"\u003eTypewolf\u003c/a\u003e is a typography resource by designer \u0026amp; art director Jeremiah Shoaf. The site has several interesting sections, including a typography blog, a “site of the day” section (one inspiring site screenshot every day with a description of the typefaces used), and a collection of their favorite portfolio and design studio sites.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://theinspirationgrid.com\"\u003eInspiration Grid\u003c/a\u003e is a huge collection of images from around the web, encompassing design, photography, art and industrial design. If you\u0026rsquo;re looking for \u003ca href=\"https://theinspirationgrid.com/category/identity/\"\u003ebranding\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://theinspirationgrid.com/category/illustration/\"\u003eillustration\u003c/a\u003e ideas, this is a great place to start building your moodboard. The sheer size of the site can get overwhelming, and the articles for each piece are usually image-heavy and have minimal amounts of text (i.e. little context about the work) but it’s a great place to see a variety of images.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"brand-guidelines-and-design-system-inspiration\"\u003eBrand guidelines and design system inspiration\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve collected a few interesting design systems and brand guidelines from around the web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://brandland.zendesk.com/\"\u003eZendesk brand guidelines\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://mozilla.design/\"\u003eMozilla / Firefox brand guidelines\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.redhat.com/en/about/brand/standards\"\u003eRed Hat brand standards\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://wwf-brand.azurewebsites.net/\"\u003eWWF brand strategy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://design.duolingo.com/\"\u003eDuolingo brand guidelines\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ux.mailchimp.com/patterns/color\"\u003eMailchimp pattern library\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WKkeBOwkE9MdIbqN-Wm4D659bI_y2HWO/view\"\u003eGlific style guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/file/08usGYMEQR1lyS0s3U6bbI/superbloom_styleguide?t=Hg1G7bn0piEknaEe-0\"\u003eProposed Superbloom style guide (Figma file)\u003c/a\u003e - we used some of this, but not all of it, in our final brand\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech: The Brand Development Process",
            "date_published": "2024-09-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-09T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/brand-development-process/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/brand-development-process/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis resource is part of our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eCommunications Toolkit for Civic \u0026amp; Nonprofit Tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you hear the word “brand,” you might think of commercial products, not civic and nonprofit tech.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou might be surprised to hear us say that your organization needs a brand, too – otherwise you\u0026rsquo;ll end up with a patchwork \u0026ldquo;brand\u0026rdquo; made up of mismatched elements you didn\u0026rsquo;t plan, and it might not send the right message.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA brand is a structured, consistent way to use words and media.\u003c/strong\u003e When it\u0026rsquo;s working well, it uses these elements to express the values, purpose, and mission of a product or organization. Using an appropriate brand dramatically increases the trust that others will put in you – whether that be your community, your funders, or potential collaborators. (\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/branding-tails/\"\u003eHere\u0026rsquo;s a case study on our work with the Linux distribution Tails to develop their brand.\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are not starting your brand from scratch, you may not need all the steps outlined below. You may have done some of the work already. However, if you haven’t yet done work to define your organization or tool’s mission and vision, please do not skip it! You may end up with a brand that looks pretty, but doesn’t actually communicate your values and purpose effectively. You can find more about branding in our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creating-brand-guidelines\"\u003eguide to creating brand guidelines\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe strongly recommend \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003einvolving your community in the branding process\u003c/a\u003e. They know things about your image, your reputation, and your communication style that you can\u0026rsquo;t possibly see from the inside. There are lightweight ways to involve community, and also more intensive models - what\u0026rsquo;s right for you depends on the scope of the project and also the availability and interest of community members.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"where-to-start\"\u003eWhere to start?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat do you need? How much money do you have? How much budget do you have?\u003c/em\u003e These three questions will guide the nuts and bolts of your brand design process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn general, design professionals use the following steps to develop a brand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#scoping\"\u003eScoping\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#positioning\"\u003ePositioning\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#brand-audit\"\u003eBrand audit\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#market-research\"\u003eMarket research\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#stakeholder-research\"\u003eStakeholder research\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#moodboard\"\u003eMoodboard\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#brand-design\"\u003eBrand design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#review-feedback\"\u003eReview and feedback\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#brand-design-system\"\u003eBrand design system\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/brand-identity-project-process-1-_hu_8f8cfe9886fecd07.png\" alt=\"Flowchart. Begins with Discuss project needs and requirements, arrow points to Create a project scope, budget and timeline, next arrow points to Discovery workshop. An arrow to the side points to Share synthesis. Arrow points from Discovery workshop to Collect brand identity collateral, next arrow points to Brand identity audit, an arrow to the right points to Share Findings. The next arrow points from Brand identity audit to Market and Stakeholder Research. The next arrow points from that to Mood board. An arrow to the side points from Mood board to Discuss and collect feedback, and there is also an arrow pointing from this back to Mood board, putting the two labels in a cycle. An arrow points from Mood Board to Brand Identity Design, and an arrow points to the side to Review and Collect Feedback. These two labels are also linked in a cycle. The next arrow leads from Brand Identity Design to Design System, and the last arrow from Design System to Handoff and Coaching. \" width=\"740\" height=\"825\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"scoping\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"scoping\"\u003eScoping\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore you get started, you\u0026rsquo;ll need to understand the size and scope of the project you\u0026rsquo;re taking on. This questionnaire will help you understand high level requirements of the project so you can set up the right activities, processes, and timelines.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fy_aiSmtfdU-43l8zsfA452UOoDGdAmdumMbLm_Tot8/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eQuestionnaire: High level scoping tool for brand development\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"positioning\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"positioning\"\u003ePositioning\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePositioning refers to how people think about you in relation to other, similar organizations. Compared to others in your space, are you the big one, the small and nimble one, the quiet and serious one, the raucous one? To understand and create your position, you need to understand both who you already are, and who you\u0026rsquo;d like to become.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA positioning workshop should include people who understand the organization really well, such as the founding team and the current leadership.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBudgets and timelines may also affect the workshop. Hence, add or remove workshop activities as per your needs and the answers you are seeking. For example, if you know your audience well and have already documented it, then feel free to remove that from the workshop. Pick activities from the templates to reflect what you hope to learn about the project during the needs assessment workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIf you’re creating a new activity for your workshop which may benefit others, please share it with us! Write us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMdUeHFs=/\"\u003eBrand positioning workshop template (Miro link)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"brand audit\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"brand-audit\"\u003eBrand audit\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCollect all your brand collateral in one place: logos, letterheads, website screenshots, whatever you have. Look at it all together, and identify opportunities for improvement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse insights from the brand positioning workshop as a part of this exercise to set criteria for analysis. For example, if you figured out that your organization wants a playful visual style, then analyze the brand for playfulness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"market research\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"market-research\"\u003eMarket research\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstand the landscape that your brand exists in by studying the organizations that work in the same domain and the organizations that the target audience is influenced by. Do a brief landscape map during needs assessment workshop, then follow it up with a more in-depth examination if you feel that would help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/dashboard/?share_link_id=212384798363\"\u003eBehavioral persona for describing your audience, by Miro (Miro link)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/file/wODaaKxGdvL0ggXbKlT2e2/User-Persona-Template?node-id=0-1\u0026amp;t=tWnT70iogZET0T8k-0\"\u003eUser persona for describing audience members, by Figma (Figjam link)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/dashboard/?tpTemplate=41794e58-ab14-4f62-be3e-5c23194e3fb1\u0026amp;isCustom=false\u0026amp;share_link_id=965730463424\"\u003eCompetitive analysis, by Miro (Miro link)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://mailchimp.com/resources/what-is-competitor-analysis/\"\u003eWhat is competitive analysis? Article by Mailchimp\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"stakeholder research\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"stakeholder-research\"\u003eStakeholder research\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLearn what others think of your organization – we can tell you that you will be surprised, and it\u0026rsquo;s often a nice surprise, since we are our own worst critics!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImportant stakeholders include the people you hope to impact, people who support you, funders, and employees/team members. Get feedback from them on any previous existing brand assets, and ask questions to understand how they perceive the brand and organization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuggested activities include interviews, either short or longer, and questionnaires. You may also find these Miro boards useful to make sense of the information you gather:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMSqd5-c=/\"\u003eAudience map (Miro link)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPxc6ETo=/\"\u003eSynthesis board (Miro link)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"moodboard\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"moodboard\"\u003eMoodboard\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn essential step for most branding projects, a moodboard will help to explore a visual direction for the brand. You will collect images that you like in order to create an inspiration guide for your visual style. Gather examples from food, fashion, art, and your daily life – not just from other tech tools and organizations!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreating a moodboard can be a great exercise to do \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003etogether with your community\u003c/a\u003e. Just make sure you also take time to focus, or make decisions, after you\u0026rsquo;ve done your creative brainstorming together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/board/1dZdm1JlMFrmyiC787G9Sp/Moodboard-template?node-id=0-1\u0026amp;t=VWiMpcqJXy9hmGAb-1\"\u003eMoodboard template by Figma (FigJam link)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"brand design\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"brand-design\"\u003eBrand design\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter all this research and planning, it is finally time for creative development! This is where you put pencil to paper: define the brand direction, sketch logo ideas, build a brand narrative, apply the moodboard to sketches, and create a brand design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have been working with an external designer, they will provide a lot of support and ideas here. It\u0026rsquo;s reasonable to ask for several directions, so that you can discuss them together and decide what works best.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"review-feedback\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"review-and-feedback\"\u003eReview and feedback\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArrange review sessions where the people working on the project can present the brand design and synthesis and get reactions. Always present the background work and the rationale, not just the visuals! You want people to react based on whether the brand communicates the desired message, not just on whether they \u0026ldquo;like it\u0026rdquo; or not.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou don\u0026rsquo;t need to wait until everything is done. Feedback is useful even if the work is only 80% or so complete.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are huge fans of \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003einvolving your community in this process\u003c/a\u003e. However, we really do \u003cem\u003enot\u003c/em\u003e recommend getting opinions on a brand in progress on social media or via a public poll, even if you usually work in the open. People will react to your work in isolation without knowing the \u0026ldquo;why\u0026rdquo; behind it, and the result won\u0026rsquo;t tell you anything about which logo or color scheme is actually better for what you need. Much better to convene a session of community members, lead them through the background and goal of your project, and then ask them if your design ideas are actually doing the job.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"brand-design-system\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"brand-design-system\"\u003eBrand design system\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the final output and deliverable. It describes the story and rationale behind the logo, colors, typeface, illustrations, and visuals, linking them to the organization’s brand values. It also gives instructions on how and why to use all components.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/design/lDtyBAC6vAuhtldg3WeHFB/%5BOrgname%5D_styleguide-Template?node-id=0-1\u0026amp;t=4clNj0eTb4NMe8Wc-1\"\u003eStyle guide template (Figma file)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor example style guides, see \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creating-brand-guidelines/\"\u003ethe guide to creating brand guidelines\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrands need to be designed, and then they need to be put into practice. Now that you\u0026rsquo;ve designed your brand, you can get started on implementing it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"customTable\"\u003eOne of the quickest ways to see results is by creating some templates. Here are some templates for commonly used communications collateral.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eResource\u003c/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eTo help you with\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/social-media-graphics\"\u003eGuide: Social media graphics\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eCreating, researching, planning and publishing content on social media.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/15SlUvGNfdL02pQoQxCxVpYaKnDF3WTRf_3ox-9BBz1U/edit#heading=h.755hrdox3z68\"\u003eTemplate: Social media text (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003ePlanning your text for social media.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMLagH4k=/?share_link_id=558690864957\"\u003eTemplate: Social media visuals (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003ePreparing images in the recommended sizes before you post.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vUq-4xaPw5ZZHtQcwDyOPXHMNLUyghVYKES0kDIOOVg/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eQuestionnaire: Tone \u0026amp; voice (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eEstablishing a consistent and impactful tone and voice in your communications efforts.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1g-uKI2UGdCx9S7sE26r6hyV0P0rHxDwGd87BiMS44zI/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Lightning talk (Google Slides)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LrcWgD4Aagbo-JOBjlSkJlOvrRHn-heYEM8z16BWdYw/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Organizational overview (Google Slides)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Vb76PyIqQ3CzUWU-pbUjRt5efoXG07eJFWu3OAGp_6Y/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Research shareout (Google Slides)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yftME-d9EZxAxoxQfQ51mbhmtRu-6AXO1f5emnTILkI/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Report (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eCreating a report with ready-to-use formatting. Insert your own fonts and colors.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KNHTTzDREANkMbqb61osQHRQI-etGpRcv26xiKIAocs/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Press release (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eCreating a press release with ready-to-use formatting. Insert your own fonts and colors.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Contributions to OSS at COSCUP 2024",
            "date_published": "2024-09-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-contributions-to-oss-at-coscup-2024/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-contributions-to-oss-at-coscup-2024/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_1_hu_d1dc6306c478d2f3.png\" alt=\"A group of 7 Taiwanese designers are gathered around a table with laptops, papers and sticky notes on the table. One person holds a microphone and speaks about the project that the group decided to work on making contributions to. In the background, two other tables of designers are visible\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"introduction\"\u003eIntroduction\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt COSCUP 2023, we held a workshop “The Design We Open - Network Disruption Hackathon” (The Design We Open Workshop - 網路中斷黑客松), a workshop focused on how we - as designers and configurers of technology for human rights needs - can better understand Taiwanese citizens. \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/open-design-workshop-at-coscup-2023-understanding-internet-shutdowns-and-how-design-can-improve-tools/\"\u003eRead the 2023 blog here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://coscup.org/2024/en/\"\u003eCOSCUP\u003c/a\u003e is a large, international conference for open source coders, users and promoters. COSCUP has a large Taiwanese, East-Asian and South-East Asian attendance base and is growing, which demonstrates how critical the event is to the wider OSS ecosystem and the OSS decentering of conversations from western Europe and the United States.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2024 we returned to COSCUP to hold another workshop focussed on designers making a contribution to an OSS project: “Designers in Tech-Open Source Design Workshop”, and you can find the open whiteboard canvas hosted on the Superbloom Miro account \u003ca href=\"https://bit.ly/COSCUP-2024\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"workshop-aims\"\u003eWorkshop aims\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop brought together participants from diverse backgrounds to collaboratively address issues in civic tech, privacy, security, and human rights-focused OSS tools. Attendees were primarily designers, but also developers, product managers and document writers. Superbloom selected OSS projects from previous projects, and those with Taiwan-specific civic challenges. The Superbloom team ensured that the OSS projects it reached out to were able to actively participate before, during and after the workshop. The team supported the projects in detecting potential tasks in the projects’ public code repositories (where tasks and progress is tracked by most OSS projects) and initiated discussion using these suggestions. The OSS projects were then able to add additional information, resources and additional or alternative challenges for the designers to work on during the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop was structured to ensure that participants - especially those new to OSS contributions - could effectively engage and make design contributions. It featured a series of guided activities and exercises, focusing on understanding the OSS tasks, and digesting user research and usability needs identified in existing OSS projects. The Superbloom staff and volunteers provided experience in design, UI/UX and product management in OSS, and supported participants and guided them when requested.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"key-objectives-of-the-workshop\"\u003eKey objectives of the workshop\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop’s key objectives included:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDemystifying non-code contributions\u003c/strong\u003e: Educating participants about how to translate developer issues into design briefs and make meaningful design contributions to OSS projects.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFacilitating hands-on contributions\u003c/strong\u003e: Ensuring each participant, as part of a larger group, makes a tangible design contribution to an OSS project by the end of the workshop.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePromoting ongoing engagement\u003c/strong\u003e: Providing resources and documentation to encourage continued contributions from designers to OSS projects post-workshop.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdding value\u003c/strong\u003e: Ensuring the design has a valued and prominent place in the configuring, discussion and building of open source technology globally and is not overlooked as an essential part of the process of meaningful and citizen relevant technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"preparing-for-a-design-contribution-workshop\"\u003ePreparing for a design contribution workshop\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe wanted to offer a different kind of workshop to that we offered back in 2023. The 2023 “Network Disruption Hackathon” for designers was well received and enjoyed by participants and had a focus on vital OSS technologies that help people in internet shutdown and internet censorship situations. However, this workshop had a lower impact on the OSS projects and a higher impact on the designers and citizens in terms of access to new knowledge and OSS tools. In 2024, we wanted to ensure tangible design contributions to selected OSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith this focus, we built the workshop activities around four key pillars:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstanding the roles and responsibilities in OSS and the skills and expertise designers can offer OSS.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeep user research examples to inform and speed up the knowledge gap that the designers may have of users of censorship circumvention, privacy and security OSS tools.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstanding and translating issues (tasks or needs) typically written by coders and OSS maintainers in “OSS coder language” and extrapolating the design to understand the need from these.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProviding optional templates for design contributions to these issues. From high threat anti-persona exploration and empathy maps to heuristic evaluation breakdowns and user testing script templates.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese four pillars all focussed on the ultimate (and challenging) goal of making a design contribution during the course of a single day hackathon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn preparation for the event we explored many of the OSS projects that Superbloom has previously been involved with as well as OSS projects that are Taiwan-native and grown. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe wanted to ensure these OSS projects had a clear set of criteria including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen and welcoming of design and design contributions during and after the ‘Designers in Tech-Open Source Design Workshop’. (Two developers from two different OSS projects even attended to give on-site support!)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReasonably easy to understand issues/tasks accessible from a public location that designers with limited knowledge of the OSS could make first contributions to.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReasonably easy to understand and present a system of documentation and/or clear explanation of the OSS intended purpose and user base.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA bonus criteria was that each of these tools were familiar to Superbloom workshop team members, either via previous work completed by Superbloom on the tools or through previous voluntary contributions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"workshop-activities-and-differences-from-2023\"\u003eWorkshop activities and differences from 2023\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_2_hu_159e2098a2b98a60.png\" alt=\"An image of various papers, sharpie pens, stickers and blank sticky notes piled on a table. These papers have both English and Mandarin translations of the exercises and content of the workshop.\" width=\"740\" height=\"554\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"introductions-and-ice-breaker\"\u003eIntroductions and ice breaker\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis workshop began with brief introductions and agenda setting and we launched into our first active session which also served as an icebreaker exercise.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_3_hu_b16659a438b43252.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"415\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_4_hu_5e080feecff05975.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe goal of this exercise was to share skills with others in the room with a focus on what skill you want to teach others, what skill you feel confident offering as a contribution to OSS, and what skill you want to learn more about. Attendees could learn about the skills of those in the room, and as we requested people gather in groups of 5-7, they could also self-assign skill sets per group if they wished.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"forming-groups-and-learning-about-each-others-skills\"\u003eForming groups and learning about each other’s skills\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter groups were formed, the additional meaning of this exercise was revealed. In OSS nobody in the OSS project would know what it was possible a team member could do, wanted to do and wanted to learn more about unless those skills are clearly communicated. Design is generally an under-served skill in OSS and it’s even more important for designers to be familiar and be comfortable with describing their skills and what they want to contribute and why. This benefits the OSS ecosystem’s knowledge base of design, designers, and the skills that designers bring.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce everyone had settled into groups we moved onto core preparation exercises, the first being a deep review of user research prepared by Superbloom, and based on our expertise and previous user research insight into the world of OSS, privacy, security and mis/disinformation. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"talking-about-the-tools\"\u003eTalking about the tools\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth Superbloom and the OSS maintainers prepared User Personas, User Journeys and User Scenarios, and offered spoken insight into the use and purpose of the OSS tools. Ceno and Co-facts team members who were present on-site talked about their tech solutions and provided detailed information about their work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_5_hu_386d32d5aae46ea0.png\" alt=\"An example user person showing the ‘OSS Activist’ detailing their needs, actions, wants and what could harm them in both implicit and explicit ways.\" width=\"740\" height=\"534\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter spending time digesting this information and discussions in groups, we moved onto the next core preparation exercise, looking at the available issues and using a guiding template to translate the issues from a “developer/coder” focused issue to a “designer/user” focused issue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe template takes the groups through a few key questions such as “Please describe the problem from at least one “user’s” point of view” and “What is success for our user/s?”. Issues in OSS that are written from “coder” or “engineering” perspectives are often technical solutions focused on how they are written, and rarely explore or mention what broad and researched user expectations, needs and success mean. This is where designers, using their background, user insight and deduction skills can begin to contribute immense value to OSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_6_hu_5e4b0314045a24c5.png\" alt=\"An example of the issues selected for the Cofacts project which is a LINE app bot and api service that helps citizens in Taiwan report and crowdsource information on content to find out if it could be misinformation, disinformation or online scams.\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"participants-picked-the-issues-they-wanted-to-work-on\"\u003eParticipants picked the issues they wanted to work on\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe groups spent time with six different issues across three different OSS projects and came to a group decision about which one they wanted to tackle in the remaining time. We ended up with at least one team focussing on each OSS project across different “scales” of problem. These ranged from helping make user interface elements clearer and informative to making sure users can make well-informed settings choices for their privacy and security needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"hands-on-time-making-design-contributions\"\u003eHands-on time, making design contributions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter making their choices, the groups moved onto the main section of the workshop about their design contributions to these issues. Superbloom prepared a number of different templates for contributions should workshop attendees struggle to find a format they wished to contribute to, or if they wished to divide up a number of connected contributions to the same issue. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese templates were:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA persona non-grata (or adversarial personas) template\u003c/strong\u003e. An exercise that helps OSS tools understand how a tool, feature or situation can be used maliciously by a particular kind of user with bad intentions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTwo heuristic analysis / UX review of OSS tool statements\u003c/strong\u003e. This is a way for tool teams and designers to locate usability and design issues within an interface. Heuristics act as guidelines or ideals toward which we hope all interfaces can strive that make systems safe and easy to use.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUser Empathy maps\u003c/strong\u003e. These maps help an OSS project better understand the motivations and drives of users generally or in specific scenarios.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUser Testing/User Research script primer\u003c/strong\u003e. This helps the designer and OSS project begin to lay out how they can user test a particular feature or aspect of the functionality of their OSS.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open/tree/main/design-contribution-templates\"\u003eYou can find the templates in our open repository here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_7_hu_d9e724d64bb61a83.png\" alt=\"Mandarin version of the first page of our user testing template for OSS design contributions.\" width=\"740\" height=\"1030\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_design_contributions_oss_coscup_2024_8_hu_5fbb685ef5d9b704.png\" alt=\"English version of the persona non-grata template for OSS design contributions.\" width=\"740\" height=\"1030\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe teams then had two and half hours to make their contribution and submit them to the OSS projects to issue before the end of the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll teams made their contributions before the end of the workshop, and you can see the results here:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/cofacts/open165/issues/7\"\u003eFor Cofacts 165 reporting spam in Taiwan issue\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://gitlab.com/censorship-no/ceno-browser/-/work_items/74\"\u003eFor Ceno to ensure users understand know about privacy and consent \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/oxen-io/session-android/issues/1595\"\u003eFor Session to ensure users understand when messages and media have been shared from a private message thread\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"translations-to-mandarin-and-open-resources\"\u003eTranslations to Mandarin and open resources\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the resource templates, slides and content was translated into Mandarin by our dedicated and valued volunteer Tofus (\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/Tofuswang\"\u003eGitHub\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/tofuswang\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e). He joined us as a valued and trusted volunteer at the workshop, and helped attendees to make these first contributions to OSS. He has spent a number of years as a member of \u003ca href=\"https://g0v.tw/\"\u003eg0v Taiwan\u003c/a\u003e making sure that design has a clear and consistent presence in the OSS projects there. Thank you Tofus 💐. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’d also like to thank Julia Liu for her incredible contribution of translating English to Mandarin live for the participants during the workshop. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’d also like to thank and mention \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/ossianlin19739513/\"\u003eYu-Jung Lin\u003c/a\u003e’s \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/sekkei-tori-seikatsu/collaborative-design-into-open-source-communities-5b389c6f2c70\"\u003eMedium article\u003c/a\u003e from the perspective of a workshop attendee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designers-in-oss-challenges-and-next-steps\"\u003eDesigners in OSS: challenges and next steps\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigners face both familiar and unique challenges when contributing to OSS. Ensuring that there is sufficient clarity and time to spend on an issue in order to make a contribution is critical. The intended benefit of these workshops is that it pools peer support of fellow designers and OSS technologists to quickly answer or address the lack of clarity that most OSS projects can have around user needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother aspect of these workshops that is very difficult or impossible to find in the more common, online, distributed ways of contributing to OSS is that designers lack the opportunity to discuss user insight when online and isolated, and to share broader knowledge/experience and iterate on their ideas with one another. OSS repository hosts sites do not offer a way for design “outputs” (UI, UX, written research, graphics etc.) to be “commented on and \u003ca href=\"https://www.perforce.com/blog/vcs/branching-definition-what-branch\"\u003ebranched\u003c/a\u003e” similar to and common to code in OSS. By gathering designers in person it is possible to facilitate that process without the need for software “hacks” online. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn person events make design and designers more visible in the OSS space. It makes it possible to build camaraderie, friendships and community within OSS and with other design practitioners. We hope this leads to a healthier flow of people and skills coming into the OSS community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese insights and many more like them can also be found in our project blog post: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-secret-life-of-open-source-designers/\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;The Secret Life of Open Source Designers\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e. This study looked at designers\u0026rsquo; experiences contributing to OSS over a period of 16 weeks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you’d like to run a similar workshop at an OSS event and would like to use our resources, you can find them in our open and free repository here: \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open\"\u003ehttps://github.com/sprblm/The-Design-We-Open\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://coscup.org/\"\u003eCOSCUP\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ntust.edu.tw/home.php?Lang=en\"\u003eNational Taiwan University of Science and Technology\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://getsession.org/\"\u003eSession\u003c/a\u003e app, \u003ca href=\"https://censorship.no/en/index.html\"\u003eCeno Browser\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https://equalit.ie/\"\u003eeQualitie\u003c/a\u003e) and \u003ca href=\"https://cofacts.tw/\"\u003eCofacts\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith grateful support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communications Toolkit for Civic \u0026 Nonprofit Tech",
            "date_published": "2024-09-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis is a toolkit for civic, open-source, and/or nonprofit technology teams undertaking communications projects. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMessaging who you are and what you do is a crucial opportunity to unlock your impact. However, many teams aren’t experienced with scoping, managing, or implementing projects in this area. Communications work is often left out of funding proposals and seen as something that will naturally happen on its own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u0026rsquo;s Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e, we at Superbloom set out to make a set of resources to help organizations scope and undertake identity and communications projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese resources are for you if:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour organization’s public face doesn’t reflect your work as well as it could, and you’d like to fix that\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design\"\u003eYou believe that the communities you work with should be involved in your communications process\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou would like to do a project around identity (branding) or another element of communications, but you don’t know how to scope or plan it\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou need some perspective and guidance in the middle of a communications project in progress\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese resources are geared towards smaller organizations who don’t have a dedicated communications staff.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur approach to communications is somewhat different from the \u0026ldquo;standard\u0026rdquo; approach: we believe you can have the most impact when you not only get input from your community, but involve them as deeply as you can in the process. Read more in our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design\"\u003eGuide to Participatory Approaches in Communications\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e(We’ll use the word “organization” from here on out, but please substitute “team,” “project,” “group,” “community,” or whatever description best suits what you are working on.)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"why-its-all-about-the-roadmap\"\u003eWhy it\u0026rsquo;s all about the roadmap\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis toolkit is not just about how to \u003cem\u003edo\u003c/em\u003e communications work, but about how to \u003cem\u003escope and plan\u003c/em\u003e it. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanning and scoping your communications project is a crucial, and challenging, part of the work, whether you are working internally, working with a partner organization, or bringing on individual freelancers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have seen that the planning process – assessing needs, estimating timelines and work hours, and mapping out projected deliverables – can be a barrier to doing (and funding) communications work. Just like any other project, communications projects can be planned and scoped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur aim is to demystify how communications projects work, so that you can confidently get started. If you’re working internally, you’ll be able to resource the project and plan your team’s time. If you’re working with external partners, you’ll be able to clearly articulate what you need from them and why, leading to a more pleasant and productive collaboration. And \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design\"\u003ewhen you involve your community in the process\u003c/a\u003e, you\u0026rsquo;ll be able to be clear with them about what you need, when you need it, and how you use it, so that you\u0026rsquo;re respecting their time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"investing-in-communications-why-its-worth-it\"\u003eInvesting in communications: why it\u0026rsquo;s worth it\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReading the time estimates in our \u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/scoping-communications-projects\"\u003eguide to scoping projects\u003c/a\u003e may discourage you from undertaking communications work. After all, those hours could be spent on pursuing your primary mission, right? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’d like to frame the question differently: \u003cem\u003eyour primary mission deserves an investment in communications.\u003c/em\u003e \u003ca href=\"#identity\"\u003eCreating an identity\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"#communications-strategy\"\u003ecrafting a communications strategy\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"#communications-design\"\u003edesigning communications collateral\u003c/a\u003e are directly related to both the impact you’ll have, and the support and sustainability you’ll be able to achieve. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis sounds logical, so why is it relatively rare to see an investment in communications?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our experience, it often feels like communication will happen more or less organically: that messaging what we care about will come easily, and that quality work will naturally draw attention and create buzz. It would be nice if this were true! We can tell you from our own experience that \u003cem\u003eyou need to plan external communications, or it won’t happen.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img-mic_hu_d3ddc5a73fd2ed3c.png\" alt=\"Line drawing of hand holding microphone\" width=\"740\" height=\"284\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"youll-create-a-memorable-impression-in-a-crowded-space\"\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll create a memorable impression in a crowded space\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s safe to say that anyone working in nonprofit technology is deluged with new information. We work at the crossroads of many different fields, and we are all trying to stay up-to-date on conferences, reports, release announcements, press releases… we’re tired just thinking about it. Additionally, social media is in a complicated transition: neither federation nor intransparent behemoths have fully won out, and people stay up to date using many different channels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo stand out in this chaos, a distinctive, and consistent look and feel is an absolute must-have. A memorable identity – name, visuals, tagline, voice, and overall personality – gives you the shot at impact and sustainability that your work deserves. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"you-can-say-who-you-are-not-just-what-you-do\"\u003eYou can say who you are, not just what you do\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot only do you want to be memorable – you want to be memorable for the right reasons. You want to share what your mission is. You also want to give people the right impression about how you go about this work. Are you serious or casual? Technical or humanistic? Ironic or earnest? Are you reliable and established, or hip and socially engaged? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommunications work gives you the opportunity to tell people these things in a subtle way, using tools like color, type, images, and associations. It lets you pick how you make people feel. The phrase “a picture speaks a thousand words” has plenty of truth to it. Take the opportunity to craft an accurate visual and emotional impression for your community, and you’ll have spared yourself a great deal of explanation effort.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"youll-save-time\"\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll save time\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding out a communications and identity infrastructure is absolutely a time-saver. You’ll see the benefits the first time you are able to find a logo file instantly, create a presentation from a template, or put together a social media post in 15 minutes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have a library of elements to draw from, you’ll be able to focus on your content, without fiddling with templates and searching for graphics every time you need to create a piece of public-facing collateral.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img-picture-frame_hu_7efa3812c5fb15bc.png\" alt=\"Minimalist line drawing of hands straightening picture frame\" width=\"740\" height=\"284\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"three-building-blocks-of-communications\"\u003eThree building blocks of communications\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;ll help you through \u003cstrong\u003ethree building blocks\u003c/strong\u003e of your organizational communications:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#identity\"\u003eIdentity\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#communications-strategy\"\u003eCommunications strategy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#communications-design\"\u003eCommunications design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eResource\u003c/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eTo help you with\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/scoping-communications-projects\"\u003eGuide: Scoping projects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eEstimating project length. Gives example scopes for small, medium, and large scopes for these three areas.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003eGuide: Participatory approaches\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eHow and why to involve your community in your communications project.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- However, they all influence each other, and your **[identity](#identity)** is usually the piece that you change the least often. So, we’ve put identity first – not because everyone needs to work on their identity, but because anyone planning identity work should resolve their new name, logo, colors, and other elements before they move on to communications strategy and design. --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/communications-venn-diagram_hu_62a695ab2f998541.png\" alt=\"Venn diagram with 3 circles. First circle says: Identity: define and message what you are and what you stand for. Second circle says: Communications strategy: Hone your communications processes. Third circle says: Communications design: make your communications consistent and efficient. The intersection of Identity and Communication Design says, identify your community, your context, and your goals. The intersection of communications strategy and communications design says, create the right assets for your needs. The intersection of identity and communications design says, get a professional, consistent look and feel throughout your organization. The intersection of all three circles says, tell the world who you are!\" width=\"740\" height=\"541\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"identity\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"identity\"\u003eIdentity\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn identity is a structured system of elements that work together to communicate your project or organization’s mission, values, and character. It’s unique and recognizable, working on a mostly subconscious level to build a sense of belonging and pride.  It helps people remember you, associate your work with you, and notice where you’re present. Your identity is an incredible opportunity to shape and reflect the emotional relationship of communities and funders towards you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour identity consists of many different elements. Some of these elements are easy to isolate and identify: name, tagline, colors, logo, and typefaces. Some of them are more subtle: the way you use images, the way you write, the way you use space and alignment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the building blocks of your identity harmonize well together and send the message you want to send: congratulations! Your identity is working well for you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut in many cases, these building blocks aren’t working effectively together. If this is the case, you probably already know it. You will have a gut feeling that something isn’t quite right. But it can be hard to put your finger on what the problem is (it’s almost never just your logo!), and also hard to justify putting in the effort to diagnose and fix the issue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve seen a few common patterns in organizations whose identity needs some revision. In our experience, here are some signs that it’s time to allocate resources to identity work:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou feel you are spending too much time explaining your organization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour community gives you feedback on your identity (this is a great opportunity for learning – ask them for more details!)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou avoid using your identity elements because you think they will hold you back in certain contexts, or with certain communities\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour identity reflects an outdated understanding of a field or of a community\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour organization or group has changed structure or ownership (e.g. is now under a new umbrella organization, has become a workers’ cooperative, has merged with another group)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone has asked you to change parts of your identity, whether as a favor or via legal avenues\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople seem to confuse you often with another organization, or have a hard time remembering your organization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour identity is all over the place (e.g. the font looks playful, but the illustrations look serious)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsider convening a session where you \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003eask the communities you serve\u003c/a\u003e to react to your name, branding, and communications. This may be hard to hear! It may help to ask someone to facilitate the session who didn\u0026rsquo;t create the work themselves. You\u0026rsquo;ll get incredibly useful insights about how you are coming across to the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdentity work is much, much more than logo design. It is challenging and time-consuming. It requires a high degree of internal participation, commitment, and humility. It also needs input and buy-in from your community. It should not be undertaken lightly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut an identity that isn’t working is holding you back and needs your attention. In the end, identity work serves your community and deepens your impact, and the payoff will last a long time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s not just decoration for your work: it shows who has done the work. It saves you time; it helps people connect with you; and it tells your story for you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"customTable\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eResource\u003c/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eTo help you with\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fy_aiSmtfdU-43l8zsfA452UOoDGdAmdumMbLm_Tot8/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eQuestionnaire: High level scoping questions for brand development (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eIdentifying specifically what aspects of your brand need to be worked on.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-rYUb7W1ZuRVyywCnllGsuVjcRkxsocsZUd6gcN3Yts/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eQuestionnaire: High level scoping questions for naming (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eIdentifying specifically what aspects of your name need to be worked on.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/brand-development-process/\"\u003eGuide: Brand development process\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eThe steps to creating a brand, from research to feedback.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creating-brand-guidelines\"\u003eGuide: Brand guideline toolkit\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eUnderstanding and documenting the various aspects of a brand.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMo53Gi8=/\"\u003eTemplate: Naming workshop template (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eNaming or renaming a product, project, or team.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"communications-strategy\" \u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"communications-strategy\"\u003eCommunications strategy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour organization has an \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#identity\"\u003eidentity\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e. Maybe you’ve worked on the templates and collateral to use that identity in your \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#communications-design\"\u003ecommunications\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e. Now, how do you actually put these elements into practice?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA successful communications practice means something different for every organization. You need to understand your goals before you create a communications strategy. Are you aiming to build a closer connection with the community you serve? Do you want to network with partner organizations? Are you hoping to build your profile among funders? Is there a particular way you’d like to position yourself in the landscape?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour internal needs, resources, and interests are as important as your external goals. Are you a tiny software team with nobody who particularly enjoys writing? Blog about your conference presentations, but don’t bother with an email newsletter. Is your staff impressively multilingual? Think about how you can use this to your advantage on social media.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe current social media landscape is full of contradictions, and reading about current trends can feel overwhelming. (Is federated social media on the rise, or do Meta and TikTok rule the market? Does everyone need to make short vertical videos, or are email newsletters where it’s at?) You don’t have to be everything to everyone. Focusing on a particular audience, and the channels and content they’re likely to appreciate, will help you conserve your energy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participatory-comms-design/\"\u003eAsk the communities you work with\u003c/a\u003e what platforms they use, and what they use them for. Try mocking up posts that would appear on different platforms, and see what people think: are you giving the right information and striking the right tone for the platform?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eResource\u003c/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eTo help you with\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/organizational-comms-strategy\"\u003eResource list: Communications strategy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eA list of resources to guide you in developing your organization\u0026rsquo;s communication strategy.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H1vgPoC8JQX7zCi18k3RZ-sguaiBASZWQiMX_NkHv_4/edit#heading=h.9937v0e1djhj\"\u003eQuestionnaire: High level scoping questions for writing projects (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eIdentifying the scope and specifications of writing projects such as blogs, articles, reports, press releases, etc.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/scoping-communications-projects\"\u003eGuide: Scoping communications projects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003ePlanning and resourcing your communications projects, with examples of small, medium, and large scopes.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVN4pTNjQ=/?share_link_id=24140407328\"\u003eTemplate: Social media strategy workshop (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eMatching your social media strategy with your organization\u0026rsquo;s needs.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca name=\"communications-design\" \u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"communications-design\"\u003eCommunications design\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you copy and paste a recent presentation, report, or document every time you need to create a new one? You’re not alone. When an organization is getting started, templates for communications design usually aren’t the first priority. However, once more people are involved and the trail of documents and presentations gets longer, the benefits of a communications design system begins to become clear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout a communications design system:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can’t make any synchronized changes to your \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#identity\"\u003eidentity\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e. Different people may have different “templates” they are privately using, so there’s no way for everyone to change elements like color scheme or image treatment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnboarding new people who don’t have ambient knowledge of past communications is challenging. They are missing the tools to create effective communications without help from somebody who has been around for longer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour outward face is inconsistent and confusing. It may not be clear whether certain communications are actually from you or not.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou are wasting time reinventing the wheel – time you could be spending doing other work! Create a template once, store it in a place that’s easy to find, and you never need to make the same document again.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA communications design system uses elements from your \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#identity\"\u003eidentity\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e, taking into account your \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"#communications-strategy\"\u003estrategy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e. Most communications design systems include overall guidance about visuals and tone, as well as a variety of specific templates. Sample presentations, social media posts, reports, documents, letterheads, and press releases are all common templates that can save you and your team time and effort.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"customTable\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eResource\u003c/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eTo help you with\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e1ynFtmvriVR0S70nVAvysbLEfIS_bNuob4sxwyVAM0/edit#heading=h.9t95l84hcr9w\"\u003eQuestionnaire: High level scoping questions for social media graphics (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eIdentifying the specific aspects of the social media communications that need to be worked on.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/social-media-graphics\"\u003eResource list: Social media posts\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eA list of resources to help you plan and execute social media posts.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/15SlUvGNfdL02pQoQxCxVpYaKnDF3WTRf_3ox-9BBz1U/edit#heading=h.755hrdox3z68\"\u003eTemplate: Social media text (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003ePlanning your text for social media.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMLagH4k=/?share_link_id=558690864957\"\u003eTemplate: Social media visuals (Miro)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003ePreparing images in the recommended sizes before you post.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vUq-4xaPw5ZZHtQcwDyOPXHMNLUyghVYKES0kDIOOVg/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eQuestionnaire: Tone \u0026amp; voice (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eEstablishing a consistent and impactful tone and voice in your communications efforts.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources-crafting-press-release\"\u003eGuide: Crafting a press release\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eCrafting a press release.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BWJY-dsdNrhsh1_frT7L6C-omzle6HvD/edit?usp=drive_link\u0026amp;ouid=106639959202589259575\u0026amp;rtpof=true\u0026amp;sd=true\"\u003eTemplate: Social media content calendar (Google Sheet)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eCreating a schedule for posting content.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1g-uKI2UGdCx9S7sE26r6hyV0P0rHxDwGd87BiMS44zI/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Lightning talk (Google Slides)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LrcWgD4Aagbo-JOBjlSkJlOvrRHn-heYEM8z16BWdYw/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Organizational overview (Google Slides)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Vb76PyIqQ3CzUWU-pbUjRt5efoXG07eJFWu3OAGp_6Y/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Research shareout (Google Slides)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yftME-d9EZxAxoxQfQ51mbhmtRu-6AXO1f5emnTILkI/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Report (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eCreating a report with ready-to-use formatting. Insert your own fonts and colors.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KNHTTzDREANkMbqb61osQHRQI-etGpRcv26xiKIAocs/edit?usp=drive_link\"\u003eTemplate: Press release (Google Docs)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eCreating a press release with ready-to-use formatting. Insert your own fonts and colors.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design/learning/resources/comms-toolkit\"\u003eThis toolkit\u003c/a\u003e was developed with the support of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/learning-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Learning Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Got feedback? Want to work together? Please write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Adobe | Video Series II",
            "date_published": "2024-08-24T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-08-24T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/adobe_video_series_ii/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/adobe_video_series_ii/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Co-designing Platform Policy For \"High Risk\" Content Creators: The Tech Policy Design Lab Approach",
            "date_published": "2024-07-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-07-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/co-designing-platform-policy-for-high-risk-content-creators-the-tech-policy-design-lab-approach/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/co-designing-platform-policy-for-high-risk-content-creators-the-tech-policy-design-lab-approach/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_co-designing_platform_policy_image_2_hu_2e03ff1cd27482cc.png\" alt=\"A photo of half of a peeled grapefruit. A dark skinned hand with pale pink painted nails has put their fingers in between the segment of the grapefruit giving a ‘suggestive’ quality to the image.\" width=\"740\" height=\"675\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/playbook\"\u003eTech Policy Design Playbook\u003c/a\u003e was developed and published as the culmination of our work with the World Wide Web Foundation and 3x3 on \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/together-against-deceptive-design/\"\u003eDeceptive Design\u003c/a\u003e, and includes guidance on how to run community co-design engagements around tech policy design. Superbloom, in partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/a/carolina-are/\"\u003eDr Carolina Are\u003c/a\u003e, facilitated three community sessions around the risks to “high risk” content creators and being de-platformed from essential social and content platforms.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/a/carolina-are/\"\u003eDr Carolina Are\u003c/a\u003e, reached out to Superbloom to leverage and test the \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/playbook/how-to-run-a-tpdl\"\u003eTech Policy Design Lab Playbook: \u0026ldquo;How To Run A TPDL\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e in a series of three workshops aimed to improve the design and policies of social media platforms through centering the needs of marginalized communities, journalists/activists, sex educators and adult content creators. These content creators are regularly at risk of de-platforming and shadow banning which is when they lose access to their social media account(s) e.g. TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, via malicious \u0026ldquo;crowd-sourcing\u0026rdquo;; an example of which is when those in online communities rally others within the community to have someone’s account deleted by reporting the profile and/or account.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"making-space-for-high-risk-identities-when-building-policy\"\u003eMaking space for high-risk identities when building policy \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants in the first of three workshop groups were individuals who identified across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and had experiences of their content being censored, mass-reported or taken down due to the LGBTQIA+ related-content. The second was a group of varied adult content creators ranging from lingerie makers, painters, photographers, pole dancers and sex-workers. These individuals are very aware of the rules for banned content on social media platforms and often find their content is removed even when it complies with a platform\u0026rsquo;s rules. The most devastating effect on adult content creators is that they often rely on these platforms for promotion as they are a vital source of income generation. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third and final group were people involved in activism and journalistic work that use social media platforms to spread and gather information about human rights cases globally. This work is often difficult due to platform censorship of different “violent” and/or “sensitive” information and they are frequently “mobbed” by those who want to suppress certain voices and perspectives. This is usually exercised through the malicious mass reporting of posts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop groups were provided with information and scenarios in advance of the workshops, and invited to take part in breakout group activities to propose solutions to some of the main challenges in social media’s governance of their content types. These workshops use a sex positive framework to re-design platform governance. Participants didn’t require previous knowledge of design or specific technologies to participate in the workshops, however; as we often find when facilitating workshops, those who attend these workshops have vast and varied levels of comfort with tech, design and policy topics. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_co-designing_platform_policy_image_1_hu_fe32e8657a56887.png\" alt=\"Tarot card style illustrations that were used for the workshops to communicate different kinds of people creating high-risk and/or adult content for platforms. There is a gender-non-conforming person with high platform shoes with a miniskirt, jacket and shaved head, a masc person with visible top-surgery scars and two femme presenting people one slim with dark hair and one larger with short locks in lingerie.\" width=\"740\" height=\"419\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-main-concerns-for-high-risk-content-creators\"\u003eThe main concerns for high-risk content creators\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“\u0026hellip;Content moderation often fails to take the human experience into account to prioritize speed and platform interests, lacking in the necessary empathy for users who are experiencing abuse, censorship, loss of livelihood and network as well as emotional distress. Indeed, being de-platformed from social media often leaves users unable to access work opportunities, information, education as well as their communities and networks – and research has found this has adverse mental health and wellbeing impacts”.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDr Carolina Are’s report \u003ca href=\"https://www.themoderationarcana.com/_files/ugd/dfdcfd_f42d3469947d43b394193d5a1d5e53c7.pdf\"\u003e“Co-Designing Platform Governance Policies\u003c/a\u003e” courtesy of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.themoderationarcana.com/\"\u003eModeration Arcana\u003c/a\u003e project website.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overwhelming frustrations expressed by all workshop attendees were that those woh configure, manage and govern current social media platforms are not always representative of identities such as theirs (LGBTQIA+, adult content creators and human rights activists/journalists). This is apparent through the very design of the platforms and policies which govern them (e.g. reporting processes that overwhelmingly punish certain identities). Although the three workshop groups were separated by content specifics and context, all had a shared purpose. Each has a perspective and voice to share, and they are providing essential information e.g. journalists and desired services e.g. adult content, creative expression arts, and are punished by the platform’s design for speaking out or for simply sharing their profession or identity. Often they are punished by the very systems put in place to protect them. Here sits the complex contradiction of platforms made to facilitate the ability of ordinary citizens to share and voice opinions (social media), where the politicization of certain “risky” content can arise from those who seek to censor, whether it be a platform or the citizens themselves who decide that certain content should not be allowed to be shared on platforms because of their own moral standpoint.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese marginalized identities and content creators went on to further state that they yearn for platforms created by and for people like them, LGBTQIA+ folks, Sex Workers and Activists but lamented the fact that creating these platforms has been attempted in the past to only marginal success. This marginal success then pushes people back to the mainstream platforms in order to reach others; like-minded communities, newly exploring LGBTQIA+ folks, people who pay for adult services and those who can benefit from hearing activist/citizen journalist news over the mainstream media. These mainstream platforms have a hold over these marginalized communities due to their popularity and prevalence. The existence of marginalized identities on these platforms is a constant high-risk dance between the lines of censorship and being banned from the platform.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“It’s a constant anxious battle. Instagram is always terrifying, and anxious and nerve-wracking and there\u0026rsquo;s never any positive feelings around Instagram. It is always inadequacy, “Oh my goodness, I\u0026rsquo;m not posting enough”, or “Oh my God, if I don\u0026rsquo;t post everyday then my followers are going to drop”, and of course, “If I post every day, I\u0026rsquo;m more likely to get shadow banned or blacklisted or deleted, and have posts removed.”\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWorkshop participant\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany participants spoke to the business and revenue increasing-focus of many platforms, stating that they felt that while from a content perspective they were not wanted on these platforms, the platforms couldn’t deny the business revenue that they bring. They expressed the sense of deliberate tenuous co-existence with high-risk content from the platform’s perspective; that they were wanted there for the viewer traffic, but were not invited to make the platforms safer and more stable places for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe greatest sense of stability for these content creators came from three places:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeing in community and connecting with similar types of content creators.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscussing and equipping themselves with knowledge of platform policies and national and international content laws.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeing able to have an “inside person” working at these platforms.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll participants felt a sense of injustice about working with these methods; that being in community often means being at risk of competition or being more easily identified by citizen “online mobs” or platform moderators. Equipping yourself with knowledge requires the time to find and understand frequently complex policy language, and having an inside person or employee connection is down to luck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_co-designing_platform_policy_image_3_hu_8a5d0bb2a9bd1c1c.png\" alt=\"Tarot card style illustrations that were used for the high-risk workshops to communicate different kinds of people creating high-risk and/or adult content for platforms. There is a long haired person in a loose suit jacket and pants. A skeletal hand holding a phone with the Instagram logo and an error message that an account cannot be found and a femme presenting person, in a crouched position in dancing club clothing with a fist raised in power. There are two figures with protest signs below her that have messages that sex worker rights are human rights.\" width=\"740\" height=\"419\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ways-we-want-to-see-platforms-change-policies-to-ensure-content-creator-safety\"\u003eWays we want to see platforms change policies to ensure content creator safety\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was unanimously agreed that content creators at risk of shadowbanning and de-platforming want explicit and clear inclusion in the decision making processes that platforms use when making content reporting and account take-down policies. This includes better internal knowledge and training for social media platform staff, but also platform endorsed training for these kinds of content creators. This comes with the need for specific and dedicated communication lines with platform staff and content creators. Without content, these platforms do not have an audience. The symbiotic nature of all kinds of content, and that the platforms rely on humans creating and posting content was made clear in our discussions, and that platforms currently lean towards an authoritative approach to their platform.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Superbloom workshop facilitation team also saw the benefit of equipping individuals with background knowledge ahead of policy workshops such as these. All come into these spaces with different levels of understanding and access. Efforts to equalize these levels are tricky and usually done by sending reading materials and resources ahead of time. In itself this is a polarizing action, given that many may not have the time or background to parse that information ahead of a workshop. This is why human-understandable policy information must be created to empower individuals to speak about their needs with regard to the platforms they frequent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn discussing the users who seek to harm others using the systems that platforms have put in place for safety e.g. mass-reporting, we advocate for a method that Superbloom utilizes when working with the risk of “bad actors” or people and/or structures that seek to censor. We call these \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-non-grata/\"\u003ePersonas Non Grata\u003c/a\u003e. These archetypes are ways of modeling behavior that harms others, whether deliberately or not.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn summary, in facilitating the three workshops, we learned there must be more consultation with those who create “high-risk” content in order for all public platforms and tools to better include all users of the internet in a way that’s safe for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can read more academic papers from Carolina Are in her \u003ca href=\"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1110-3155\"\u003eresearch portfolio\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/a/carolina-are\"\u003eDr Carolina Are\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/eriol/\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/ann-marie/\"\u003eAnn Marie Carrothers\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Tech Policy Design Lab: Deceptive Design",
            "date_published": "2024-07-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-07-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/tpdl/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/tpdl/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Join the Superbloom Board",
            "date_published": "2024-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/2024-call-for-directors/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/2024-call-for-directors/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch4 id=\"the-role\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe role\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are recruiting 1-2 new members to our Board of Directors in 2024. These individuals will serve as stewards of our mission, and support our organization’s senior leadership as we continue our growth and evolution. Note: This is an unpaid position, members of our Board of Directors serve in a volunteer capacity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Superbloom Board of Directors is made up of experts in the public interest technology space who apply a critical lens to technology, and believe that design is a lever for changing who technology serves. We are recruiting new members as part of a Board expansion effort, and in anticipation of Sara “Scout” Sinclair Brody’s departure at the end of her third and final term. New members will serve a two-year term, with the opportunity to be re-elected for two more terms to a maximum of six consecutive years\u0026rsquo; service.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Superbloom Board works in a voluntary, active advisory capacity. It advises our organization to drive impact against our strategic goals, and have the fiduciary responsibility to ensure our finances can support the work that we do and that we are in compliance with our legal obligations. Read more about the \u003ca href=\"/about/board/\"\u003eSuperbloom Board and governance\u003c/a\u003e, as well as our Board Development Criteria for more information on the qualities we’re looking for in potential candidates as well as expectations and responsibilities. We welcome expressions of interest via the form for full consideration. Please submit as soon as possible, as we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"about-us\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout us\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, previously known as \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/\"\u003eSimply Secure\u003c/a\u003e, leverages design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem. We apply a holistic approach and view design as an intervention opportunity to center people and their needs. Our vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their lives. Launched in 2014, Superbloom is a US 501(c)3 nonprofit design and research organization, leveraging practices from human rights, systems thinking, service design and threat modeling to help teams design technology and services that center and protect communities’ most vulnerable needs. Since 2020, we have been piloting fiscal sponsorship as a leadership development and support program, incubating emerging efforts that align with our mission. Read more about our Board Development Criteria, our programs, and our \u003ca href=\"/work/\"\u003ework\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"this-opportunity-closed-on-august-29th-2024-please-contact\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis opportunity closed on August 29th, 2024. Please contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:opportunities@superbloom.design\"\u003eopportunities@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e should you wish to be informed of future opportunities.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/about/board\"\u003eSuperbloom Board and Governance Overview\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "On Being a Coach: Support for Designers in Privacy and Security Open Source Software",
            "date_published": "2024-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-being-a-coach-support-for-designers-in-privacy-and-security-open-source-software/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-being-a-coach-support-for-designers-in-privacy-and-security-open-source-software/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_adoptable_blog_climbers_hu_ca3bd1899b7439c6.png\" alt=\"A femme person in exercise gear is shown halfway up an indoor climbing wall with a safety rope attached and a masc presenting person is holding the safety rope from the ground. Image chosen for this blog subject due to the metaphor of how coaching is like supporting people climbing a project related ‘wall’.\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn December 2022, Superbloom partnered with \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://okthanks.com\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e to create resources that help open source software (OSS) teams better understand how design processes and user-centered activities improve usability, and therefore the security of open source tools. After publishing these resources and speaking about them to the wider OSS community, we found that designers and developers working in privacy and security OSS tool teams wanted to explore specific challenges through conversations with us. This led to the final component of the Adoptable project in the form of coaching.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoaching draws on the wide, collective knowledge that Superbloom team members have gathered over 10+ years of working in the internet freedom, Human Rights technology and Privacy and Security tool spaces. We called this work Adoptable:Coaching. Below, we outline some insights and needs we discovered while coaching privacy and security OSS tool teams. We utilized our general coaching approach to this project, and you can find out more on the \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/#coaching\"\u003eCoaching\u003c/a\u003e page of our website..\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work was highly sensitive, and publishing it could cause risk and harm to participating individuals, which is why we have abstracted and generalized our coaching learnings and have not mentioned any identifiers ie specific tools, teams, individuals or information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can find all of the resources we created as part of the Adoptable project in an \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/devs-guide-to\"\u003eopen repository\u003c/a\u003e where you can access files directly and engage with the project. These are also available on the Adoptable project \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003ewebsite\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-common-needs-came-up-in-our-coaching-sessions\"\u003eWhat common needs came up in our coaching sessions?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"designers-and-we-suspect-those-in-other-less-prominent-and-valued-roles-in-oss-production-often-operate-in-a-reactive-state\"\u003eDesigners (and we suspect those in other less prominent and valued roles in OSS production) often operate in a reactive state.\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of our early coaching conversations were around responses, strategies and methods that designers (though these can be broadly applied across job role function) can implement in order to gain an active or proactive role in their OSS projects/tool teams. There was deep discussion about how design can act as the user-voice. And about how design can then advocate for user-voice’s prominence in software development cycles. This then led to a concern around how to avoid design/designers being characterized as “strong personalities” or as a “gatekeeper” who stops technical improvements. This is often a tension with an OSS project’s ideas about how the OSS \u0026ldquo;should\u0026rdquo; be built and from whose perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePractically, many of the strategies employed include ways of managing a plethora of complex conversations about product direction at the same time as maintaining the time, space and resources to adequately research and express user insight to the wider OSS team. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor suggested exercises, you can take a look at our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/\"\u003eUser Experience Toolbox For Risk Mitigation And Accessibility\u003c/a\u003e (see Part 2: Assessing Risks \u0026amp; Threats) about how to think ahead and communicate user needs through your role in a Privacy and Security focussed OSS tool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"communicating-when-why-how-and-what-kind-of-projects-and-tasks-to-introduce-and-implement-for-user-centered-design-processes\"\u003eCommunicating when, why, how and what kind of projects and tasks to introduce and implement for user centered design processes.\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe coached on how to best communicate user centered processes in small software team development cycles. This included when to introduce these processes, for what scale of project and/or task and pacing of that process. Designers, specifically those unaccustomed to small development teams and OSS processes, tend to lean towards taught design methodologies which stress grave importance on the order in which to perform design processes. While holding oneself and a small and open source development team to a strict order, and a model that nets user centered benefits; more often than not it decouples design from development. In most cases, we advise a collaborative stakeholder approach to user research and user centered design as well as an approach to \u0026ldquo;make your own opportunities\u0026rdquo; as a designer in OSS. OSS can be described as a \u0026ldquo;show us the benefits first\u0026rdquo; operating structure, and it helps to have evidence for processes that benefit the tools and software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a tricky balance as it toes a line between complete transparency - by stating your intentions with design in the OSS development process - and an \u0026ldquo;ask forgiveness not permission\u0026rdquo; approach. Often the best assessment of which approach to use is already known to the coachee, yet reasonable and rational worries remain about their credibility and the function of their role.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne method we coached on, to help folks develop a transparent and clear understanding of design needs for users, was a process of translating \u0026ldquo;issues\u0026rdquo; (typically written in a development centered way) to \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/Erioldoesdesign/opendesign/blob/master/translating-issues-to-design-challenges.md\"\u003edesign challenges that focus on users\u003c/a\u003e. Other communication methods include \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-e7XUAmFeGNbGBU5vJajqnsMgiPGv3v8/view?usp=sharing\"\u003econsent-based decision making\u003c/a\u003e from Sociocracy 101. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen does user research and design lean into \u0026ldquo;too much\u0026rdquo; discussion and not enough action? Otherwise known as the variableness of user insight that different designers and/or OSS projects need or want to design well for UI/UX.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a tricky topic, as are most topics that edge into design and user experience in OSS. We discussed deeply some of the inclinations that different roles in OSS have when it comes to doing enough or \u0026ldquo;too much\u0026rdquo; user research and the risks involved when assumptions are the basis of design and software choices. The most difficult part isn’t about knowing or not knowing that line, again it’s to do with the communication of that line and the consistent negotiation of that line with the wider OSS tool team and how it ultimately impacts the users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s not always bad to design based on assumptions, but testing and confirming where and when assumptions are accurate, or not, are where lengthy and complex conversations can ensue. Deciding as a team where are the critical and impactful parts of a tools process, and where are the most risk and harms can focus resources on the most critical moments of a user\u0026rsquo;s use of a tool. And demonstrating the differences between assumption based design and evidence based design surfaced as a key continual resource for designs and OSS tool teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA great resource for how to measure, understand and carry out \u0026ldquo;just enough\u0026rdquo; research is Erika Hall’s book \u003ca href=\"https://abookapart.com/products/just-enough-research\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Just Enough Research, A Book Apart\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e. Other advice we have given is to find time to do user testing that isn’t time restricted. \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/user-testing/\"\u003eUser Testing that can be given by users incrementally\u003c/a\u003e and in their own time will give the team insight on what they need without that feeling of losing time to a moderated \u0026ldquo;interviewer-interviewee\u0026rdquo; user testing process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"understanding-and-communicating-the-value-of-deep-foundational-user-research-and-the-tension-when-theres-still-a-backlog-of-tech-issues\"\u003eUnderstanding and communicating the value of deep, foundational user research and the tension when there’s still a \u0026ldquo;backlog\u0026rdquo; of tech issues.\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilar to the above challenge around \u0026ldquo;just enough\u0026rdquo; user research is the challenge of when and how to do foundational research, especially when there’s likely to be an existing backlog of tech debt tasks as well as UI/UX debt tasks. Foundational research, whether focused on users or focused on a specific sector, domain or technology, allows designers, tool teams and, if published openly, the wider OSS community to learn from that foundational understanding. Technology and how it’s accessed and used changes over time and with social, political and economical change. This makes regular foundational research critical especially post situation changing events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs discussed with our coachees, foundational research is often viewed as costly in time and funds. While this can be true it is also possible to do slower, incremental foundational research strategies with a user community. Though this does often require an existing and amenable user base to initiate. As in most user research work, we came to a similar conclusion in that communicating the benefits of that work and the risks of not undertaking that work is an essential \u0026ldquo;tool\u0026rdquo; in the designers toolkit to advocate for what they need. Therefore, it’s key to operationalise these communications and include as many stakeholders in that process of learning as early as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can take a look at other foundational research undertaken by similar tools and organizations as your own in order to get a head start on foundational research. We recommend looking at \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/personas/\"\u003ePersonas - USABLE Tools\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/blog/2021/5/14/clean-consent-ux\"\u003eOkthanks \u0026ldquo;A Guide to Clean Consent UX\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"design-teams-of-one-or-few-have-a-lot-to-accomplish-we-discussed-how-common-patterns-can-help-us-but-allow-us-to-not-fall-prey-to-privacy-and-security-pitfalls\"\u003eDesign teams of one or few have a lot to accomplish. We discussed how common patterns can help us but allow us to not fall prey to privacy and security pitfalls.\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigners working within teams where OSS tools are built are rarely teams of more than one or two. If there are more than one or two designers in a team, it’s likely we’re looking at an organization that has multiple OSS tools or projects and yet, there’s likely to be only one or two designers per project. This often means that designers in these teams play a \u0026ldquo;full stack\u0026rdquo; role, doing design and user research, interface design, product design, graphics, marketing, community outreach and product management. To-do lists are long, even if the task is contained and simple. Having others with an understanding of user centered software design with whom to discuss aspects of an as yet to be implemented design was a huge part of our coaching. This raised a further question of how designers can use or build their own \u0026ldquo;cheat sheets\u0026rdquo; about how to design within a potentially complex OSS system and ensure that all the elements of the design works appropriately with the OSS. A subsequent need arose about how it could be done quickly, and in a privacy and security focused way. When UI/UX tasks are deemed too small for user research or usability testing, and are designed based on a team\u0026rsquo;s best assumptions, then this is where critical security and privacy aspects of the design and implementation may falter. Ensuring there are acceptance criteria as part of a quality assurance process for the UI and design aspects goes some way to helping mitigate these pitfalls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother tool we have used in the past is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.humanrightscentered.design/s/Secure-UX-Checklist.pdf\"\u003eDigital Security and Privacy Protection UX Checklist\u003c/a\u003e. We also encourage teams to build and iterate their own security and privacy UX/UI checklists and operationalise this as part of the design to development to implementation pipeline.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"designers-are-continually-fulfilling-product-management-functions-in-small-teams-when-their-plates-are-already-full-prioritizing-pm-processes-that-help-design-is-critical\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesigners are continually fulfilling product management functions in small teams when their plates are already full. Prioritizing PM processes that help design is critical.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast, but by no means least, the least discussed topic in coaching was the challenge of product management absences in OSS tool teams. Many OSS teams have an absence of product management (PM) within a team member’s core role. If this role is present, those in these roles are often more knowledgeable about software development processes than design processes. This is steadily changing and PM is becoming a valued skill and role in OSS as well as the balance tipping into PM being present in the design phases of software development. The very real challenge for designers in OSS is that when absent, the role of product manager often falls to the designer during the phases of design, and often carries through to development/implementation in order to ensure that users\u0026rsquo; needs are well respected in implementation. Through our coaching we found that this split role comes naturally to designers who tend to have an inclination towards seeing software holistically across all its aspects. However, while knowing everything from how an API functions, to how back-end is organized, through to front-end frameworks, is often critical to designing integrated experiences for users, it means that less time is spent on design and more time is spent on product management. This can raise a role definition tension as well as a processes stewardship tension in the teams as product management and guiding the goals of software can be a contentious issue even if governance processes exist within the OSS and the team.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recently formalized many of our own product management processes, and have coached people on using them as templates in Miro. \u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVNIKYM6U=/?share_link_id=752867797584\"\u003eYou can view these here.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_adoptable_blog_rower_hu_6e080e3fea1f5c5a.png\" alt=\"A masc presenting exercise coach and a femme presenting person using a rowing machine in exercise clothing. The coach is watching how they position the rowing bar and supporting them. Image chosen for this blog subject due to the metaphor of how coaching is like supporting people in their own training and own ability to strengthen and overcome their project challenges.\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"looking-ahead\"\u003eLooking ahead\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have noticed that coaching - whether it’s part of a formal organizational relationship or on a casual peer-to-peer basis - is critical work that is difficult to maintain. The main challenge here is that \u0026ldquo;formal\u0026rdquo; coaching is relatively accessible to fund, either for teams or via a funder that supports coaching organizations in reaching out to projects and individuals who would like coaching. The less formal peer-to-peer coaching that happens largely in community spaces is harder to fund and sustain and therefore, it\u0026rsquo;s hard to document the benefits, growth and positive effects on individuals and OSS tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoaching often allows for concentrated time to really dig into a handful of topics in detail but sometimes, coaching is also about solidarity and support for a function that is under pressure and resource constrained. In our experience this mostly applies to designers, but we have also paid attention to other under-represented functions in OSS such as product management, community engagement and building, marketing and documentation/content. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigners can crave a community of peers to help problem-solve without needing to \u0026ldquo;upskill\u0026rdquo; or have to explain “how design works” to people unfamiliar with design terms and processes eg often the time and resources required to plan and run user testing sessions is deemed as “superfluous” or “trivial”. Designers are often then tasked with explaining, often repeatedly to each OSS project, the benefits of user testing and how it saves time and money in the long run. You can read more about the benefits of user testing \u003ca href=\"https://www.uxdesigninstitute.com/blog/guide-to-usability-testing-for-ux/#Why_is_usability_testing_important_in_UX\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e. This design knowledge gap is another challenge we meet when coaching OSS projects with no previous design experience because we want to make design accessible and doable by all. We aim to help cultivate space in OSS projects where cross-pollination of functions and roles allows for greater respect and active support in each other\u0026rsquo;s function and the pressures that begin to stack upon roles or individuals can be better spread among the teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoaching is an evolving practice at Superbloom and you can find out more about \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/#coaches\"\u003eour coaches here\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Adoptable:Coaching",
            "date_published": "2024-06-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-06-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/adoptable/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/adoptable/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "How To Test Software For Usability And Usefulness When You Haven’t Finished Writing The Code",
            "date_published": "2024-06-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-06-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/how-to-test-software-for-usability-and-usefulness-when-you-havent-finished-writing-the-code/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/how-to-test-software-for-usability-and-usefulness-when-you-havent-finished-writing-the-code/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superblooom.design_how_to_test_software_blog_bandwboxes_hu_c87d3d77d853213c.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"528\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow do you find out if the software you are building is usable and useful for others? We’ve written this blog post about how to address this challenge! It is often easiest to try out the software when it’s been fully built, but this is also when any mistakes are most difficult to fix because so much has already been coded. This is a concern and a challenge for product managers, developers and UX designers alike. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers don’t care about your database access layer or your programming language. But they do care about how the software looks and behaves. In this post I demonstrate four methods to get feedback from users without having to first write all the code. These are: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSketching\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePaper prototyping\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreating a part of the frontend only \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e“Developing outside-in”, that is, quickly creating a running version of the software\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe above list is in order of complexity and closeness to the finished product: Both sketching and paper prototyping do not require any code, and creating part of the frontend only requires some coding. “Developing outside-in” does not only need code, it actually builds upon code that you can (potentially) use to build the actual product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith this said, let\u0026rsquo;s look at the first of the methods, Sketching and talking. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"sketches-and-talking\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSketches and talking\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"problem\"\u003eProblem\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalking about your idea and concept is simple. You do not need any tools and can do it wherever you may be. However, when talking about how easy the software will be to use, it is very easy to talk about imagined results and intended impressions rather than how something appears to the user. You might say that users can “simply select an item” but this is literally easier said than done. It is also very easy to state things that turn out to be impossible: e.g. “the dialogue provides the information”, but the dialogue only fits one of the five sentences needed. Or “select one of the five buttons” when there would be only space for two. You need something more concrete, with easily usable constraints. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"solution\"\u003eSolution\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe simplest way to obtain useful feedback is to combine your explanations with simple sketches.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDraw rough sketches of how the interface would look and work. For me, a black marker and A5 paper works well. Sketches do not need to stand on their own, but should work with your explanations. The result will be similar to a storyboard that runs in parallel with your words.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superblooom.design_how_to_test_software_blog_bandwboxes_hu_c87d3d77d853213c.png\" alt=\"Image of black writing on a white page showing Logo Search and a box and login written next to it. Underneath that, Available Tools is written and there are eight boxes under that three of them contain images, one of a gun, one of a hat, and one of a ladder\" width=\"740\" height=\"528\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen creating sketches, you will probably notice problems as well as opportunities that were not as obvious when they were simply an idea. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is best to focus on a single feature or idea first; there is no need to sketch and explain everything. It’s better to start in a focussed way and iterate on it rather than do it all at once. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you have finished the sketches that illustrate the step-by-step use of a feature, it’s a good idea to show them to team members or potential users and walk them through the processes to show how the interaction with the software would work. Ask for feedback to find out if the feature makes sense and to find out if the interactions are intuitive and familiar. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote\u003c/strong\u003e: If you first want to develop ideas within your team, try the \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpattonassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/design_studio_quickref.pdf\"\u003eDesign Studio method\u003c/a\u003e, a way to collaboratively create and give feedback on designs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c/strong\u003e It is tempting to try out totally new ways to build interfaces, but often the most obvious solutions are the most intuitive for the users. This is because new interfaces are understood by using past experiences. Read more in Jef Raskin’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.asktog.com/papers/raskinintuit.html\"\u003eIntuitive Equals Familiar\u003c/a\u003e”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"simple-prototypes-no-code-involved\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimple prototypes, no code involved\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"problem-1\"\u003eProblem\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou have ideas about how users can interact with your product. But, before you start coding, you want to test your designs and find out the strengths and problems of different approaches.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"solution-1\"\u003eSolution\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBuild an interactive prototype from sketches, simulate interactions by acting as the computer and swap out parts of the interface.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing sketches, you can try out interfaces and you can communicate them in a more concrete way. With some additional effort, you can use sketches to test the interface with users by building a paper prototype. A paper prototype shows your interface on paper, but it is interactive in a limited way. You simulate the computer and swap out parts of the interface. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProviding explanations about how things work defeats the purpose of seeing how people would interact with an interface when on their own. This means that you can still opt for a simple look, but elements should be clearly recognizable i.e. labels should be readable, buttons should look like buttons etc. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superblooom.design_how_to_test_software_blog_hand_hu_8a59e46e34622e31.png\" alt=\"Image of two boxes drawn, one on top of the other on a piece of paper stuck on a page with a hand holding a pen writing in the top box and another hand is shown underneath holding the piece of paper in place\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe user testing the interface interacts with it by pointing to elements and saying something like “I click here” and may also fill out forms. You can get creative: Build parts that you can unfold, simulate forms using tape you can write on with a non-permanent marker, have separate pop-ups or transparent overlays. Have some blank paper ready as sometimes you’ll need to improvise and add elements. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill too abstract? \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yafaGNFu8Eg\"\u003eWatch this example\u003c/a\u003e for how this works!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaper prototypes are fun to create and clearly communicate that software is not yet finished; this directs feedback towards conceptual questions (do people understand how to check for the availability of an item?) and not questions of visual design (do users like this shade of green?). In our scenario, you could take the prototype to a meeting or event at the neighborhood center and ask people if they want to try it out. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are several other ways to create testable prototypes. UI design tools such as Figma or Penpot, allow you to link different views so that users can navigate between them. This is great for link-based navigation, but if there are forms to complete, it is more difficult to prototype well. The biggest caveat is that these tools are usually made to specify UIs (color, fonts, positions…), rather than to quickly try them out. Therefore, it is easy to be distracted by exact colors, the width of borders, font selection and other options. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilar link-based interactions can be prototyped with Powerpoint or LibreOffice Impress. If you have skills using spreadsheets and your application relies a lot on form-filling or visualizations, you can also prototype with Excel or LibreOffice Calc!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRead more about paper prototyping: \u003ca href=\"https://alistapart.com/article/paperprototyping/\"\u003ehttps://alistapart.com/article/paperprototyping/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"write-a-part-of-the-frontend-only\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWrite a part of the frontend only\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"problem-2\"\u003eProblem\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot all interactions can be easily prototyped on paper (e.g. filtering a list) and while sketches provide useful constraints about what you can and can’t do, they are still somewhat removed from how the actual UI will behave. But, how can you run your interface when you have barely written any code?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"solution-2\"\u003eSolution\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWrite just parts of the interface you want to test in code and mock the rest.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo create your first prototype of the frontend, use tools that you are familiar with, so you can get a running version of the prototype quickly, without getting bogged down by discussions about the right technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the end, your product will likely communicate with a server or read from a local file system. Usually, this is something you should ignore at this time: you only want to test a part of the interface. This means you mock the rest. Usually, this means you hardcode stuff into a variable that stands in for the server.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is helpful not to concern yourself with code-reuse; be OK with throwing away the code. It is a prototype, after all, and if you worry about throwing it away you have probably over-engineered it beyond its original exploratory purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo make sure the feedback you receive is useful, it’s important to make your prototype easy to try out and easy to distribute. Creating your prototype in a website that may be opened on a laptop or phone with a link to click on makes it easy to try out. Requiring knowledge of linux, git and docker will severely limit the range of people who can trial the prototype.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"developing-your-code-outside-in\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeveloping your code outside-in\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"problem-3\"\u003eProblem\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow you are ready to start writing code for the real thing, i.e. not a prototype. Usually the code consists of several parts that need to work together (frontend/backend, Model/View/Controller etc.) Now, there is a danger of not planning enough and ending up with parts that don’t work together, or planning too much and getting stuck in analysis. In both cases, you may end up with a system that you can never try because a part does not work or refuses to play with others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"solution-3\"\u003eSolution\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWith your team members define the required parts of code. First, write the interfaces/contracts: The data they need and the data they provide. For now, enable the parts to simply exchange mock data. Afterwards, develop these components outward-in, always to keep the data exchange working. That way, you will always have a running system that you can demo!\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe solution is to first focus on the communication between the parts and then build the system from the interfaces between the parts, outside-in. This might be counterintuitive, as it seems plausible for many to build inside-out, starting with an abstract core in each part of the system and then, at the very end, connect all of them together. But this means that you need to gamble on being able to connect the parts in the end, and that you always know what you are working towards, which is a great risk. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superblooom.design_how_to_test_software_blog_blue_boxes_hu_3b78e42333883b89.png\" alt=\"Image of four boxes giving an overview of outside-in development and inside-out development\" width=\"740\" height=\"609\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you first decide upon the way that parts of the software will talk to each other, you will immediately get a running version of the software: The parts won’t yet do anything, but they will exchange mock data. That is enough to test if they work together. Then you can work on the components separately and reduce the mock data step by step. The backend- and frontend programmer might define what the HTTP-API should do to enable the core functionality: What should the frontend request, what should the server return? This is what forms the contract for how the parts communicate with one another. Now, the frontend programmer writes a function requesting data from the API and the backend-programmer writes a request handler that returns mock data. Then try it out. If it works, you can start to both build the interface and the backend. It is relatively easy to recognize the situations where you need the parts to talk to each other:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen the contract needs to be extended e.g. when more data is needed from the server\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen the contract needs to be changed, e.g. the API is restructured\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superblooom.design_how_to_test_software_blog_people_hu_d56a21743ff7a415.png\" alt=\"Black and white image of two people with a speech bubble above. One says \u0026ldquo;So, you need\u0026hellip; and I need\u0026hellip;\u0026rdquo; and the other says \u0026ldquo;Yes!\u0026rdquo;\" width=\"740\" height=\"767\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn all circumstances you should keep the system running, so if you e.g. extend the API, talk to your collaborators, define the data to be exchanged, mock it and then integrate the change with the self-contained part. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis method is also called tracer bullet development and is described in more detail in the books \u003ca href=\"https://pragprog.com/titles/prj/ship-it/\"\u003eShip It!\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://pragprog.com/titles/tpp20/the-pragmatic-programmer-20th-anniversary-edition/\"\u003eThe Pragmatic Programmer\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"conclusion\"\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen working on a project, you can use the methods in the order they appear in this blogpost: Early on you can start with sketching and talking, and then try crucial parts of the interface using paper prototyping. Then, when you have a good idea of what to build, see how it works on a screen by creating a part of the frontend only. When it comes to writing larger parts of the code, developing your code outside-in can ensure that you always have a running version that integrates all of the crucial parts, and allows you, your team and potential users to actually run your software while you write it. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI wrote this guide in the hope that it assists anyone writing user-facing software in general, and in particular for \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e coaching projects. If you’ve tried the methods outlined, I would be happy to hear about your experiences – drop me a mail at \u003ca href=\"mailto:d_jan@ymail.com\"\u003ed_jan@ymail.com\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks to Saptak S for reviewing.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Prototype Fund",
            "date_published": "2024-06-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-06-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/prototype-fund/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/prototype-fund/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Centering People Who Change Who Technology Serves: Fiscal Sponsorship at Superbloom",
            "date_published": "2024-03-01T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2024-03-01T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/fiscal-sponsorship-update-mar2024/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/fiscal-sponsorship-update-mar2024/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom\u0026rsquo;s mission is to change who technology serves. We leverage fiscal sponsorship as a tool to support the growth and maturity of the digital rights and Internet Freedom communities, with a focus on human-centered research and design. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nLooking for potential fiscal sponsorship options? Please fill out the inquiry form and we\u0026rsquo;ll follow up with you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/fiscal-sponsorship-interest/\" class=\"button button--primary read-more\"\u003eFiscal Sponsorship Inquiry\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom piloted its \u003ca href=\"/community/our-support/#fiscal-sponsorship\"\u003efiscal sponsorship program\u003c/a\u003e in early 2020, and now hosts five fiscally sponsored projects. We\u0026rsquo;ve also been early adopters of efforts like \u003ca href=\"https://opencollective.com\"\u003eOpen Collective\u003c/a\u003e, focusing on the power of transparency and usable donation tools as critical digital infrastructure in the ecosystem.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe were saddened to learn about the \u003ca href=\"https://blog.opencollective.com/open-collective-official-statement-ocf-dissolution/\"\u003echanges at Open Collective Foundation\u003c/a\u003e, but want to help out. If you are helping hosts find fiscal sponsors or if you are a fiscally sponsored project whose mission aligns with our mission — please reach out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLearn more about \u003ca href=\"/community/our-support/#fiscal-sponsorship\"\u003efiscal sponsorship\u003c/a\u003e at Superbloom.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Untangling Digital Spaghetti: Gina Giampaolo on CS\u0026S Website Refresh",
            "date_published": "2023-12-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-21T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/untangling-digital-spaghetti-gina-giampaolo-on-cs-s-website-refresh/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/untangling-digital-spaghetti-gina-giampaolo-on-cs-s-website-refresh/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_untangling_digital_spaghetti_image_1_hu_ddf1542d3cc3fd98.png\" alt=\"An illustration of a fork hovering over a plate of spaghetti and web page boxes with the words information architecture! multiple sites! and branding! Oh my!\" width=\"740\" height=\"491\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe worked with developer and designer \u003ca href=\"mailto:hello@whoisgina.com\"\u003eGina Giampaolo\u003c/a\u003e to refresh the Code for Science \u0026amp; Society website in 2022. We caught up with Gina to reflect on the project and talk about design in civic tech.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2022, we were lucky enough to work with Code for Science \u0026amp; Society to revamp its \u003ca href=\"http://codeforsociety.org\"\u003ewebsite\u003c/a\u003e. We partnered with designer and developer \u003ca href=\"mailto:hello@whoisgina.com\"\u003eGina Giampaolo\u003c/a\u003e to: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRefresh the look, feel, information architecture, and navigation of the website so that it clearly communicates the organization\u0026rsquo;s mission, vision, and programs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImprove and simplify the experience of editing the website by implementing a well-documented, easy to use CMS.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor non-profit organizations, websites play many roles. A website not only showcases the organization’s mission and vision through its declaration of values and brand identity, it often acts as a repository of the org’s work. Sites act as a catalog of past and current projects and their impact, a resource library of useful and replicable content for the community, a source of event and gathering information, and a key place to talk about what they do on a day-to-day basis. We recognized through this and other similar projects that an organization’s website is actually critical digital infrastructure for serving its mission. So taking it seriously and deeply understanding the needs for CS\u0026amp;S’s unique case was critical. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"from-concept-to-reality\"\u003eFrom concept to reality \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstanding the website as a critical hub and resource for CS\u0026amp;S, we dug into the goals, needs, and desires that CS\u0026amp;S staff had for their site through user research. After 12 interviews with staff and stakeholders and one focus group, we landed on some key findings about its old website: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe site’s content was buried, out of date, and not easily navigable.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCS\u0026amp;Ss program strategy and the impact of their programs and fiscally sponsored projects were not effectively showcased.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe team wanted to have more agency in editing and maintaining the website, but the infrastructure wasn’t usable or well documented enough to support them. As the org had grown, multiple websites were created to fulfill different needs, and each used different website hosting technologies and had different editing processes, which made it very difficult for the org to maintain. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also landed on common values for the future of the site: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_untangling_digital_spaghetti_image_2_hu_56d3c75a19b71659.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"436\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom there, we worked on the Information Architecture needed to unify the disparate sites into one main hub, expanded the existing CS\u0026amp;S brand to work for the web, and designed the UX and UI of the website,  and set up a holistic CMS with the fearless direction of \u003ca href=\"mailto:hello@whoisgina.com\"\u003eGina Giampaolo\u003c/a\u003e.  We decided to interview Gina about her experience working on the project since she played such a critical role. We’re happy to say the \u003ca href=\"http://codeforsociety.org\"\u003eCS\u0026amp;S website\u003c/a\u003e has been up-and-running successfully for about a year now! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"interview-with-gina-giampaolo\"\u003eInterview with \u003ca href=\"mailto:hello@whoisgina.com\"\u003eGina Giampaolo\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduce yourself!\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’m Gina Giampaolo. I’m a developer and designer living and working in Portland, Oregon. I went independent back in 2021 and since then have been building websites that help organizations and individuals wrangle lots of data in useful ways. I’m a competitive powerlifter and love big trees, video games, sewing garments, and all things fiddly and complicated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow did you become familiar with CS\u0026amp;S and its work?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI used to work at Rumors (RIP) with Andy Pressman, who is Danielle Robinson, the Executive Director of CS\u0026amp;S’s partner. So I’ve basically just been in the neighborhood for a long time, ha! CS\u0026amp;S supported a short-lived meetup called Dat Night (also RIP) that was all about introducing Dat (and another RIP) to non-developers, specifically artists and makers. I worked with them a bit back in 2019, and again in 2021 providing website support and some design work, before we started on the CS\u0026amp;S site rebuild in earnest in 2022.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTell us a bit about your approach to design and development\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy favorite things to build are applications that unite a lot of disparate data and processes in one place in a way that both supports the people using the tool and presents information clearly. I want the editor experience to be just as good as the front end user experience. This is an interesting challenge that has come along with the explosion of website building tools and frameworks — you have to actually design and build, not just the end user experience of the website, but the editor experience. A good, usable editor experience is critical for small organizations as they don’t often have a dedicated web team or communications team, and the website is the platform for their organization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat, to you, is the importance of design in the world of public interest tech and science? What motivates you as a designer and developer in the space?\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think that design can facilitate the communication of the really complex and exciting ideas that are often kicking around in public interest tech, and demystify that complexity – understanding a process is the first step to supporting it. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat about this process was most exciting to you when we got started?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOkay so CS\u0026amp;S had a lot of websites, which I think is normal for an org like this that’s running events, starting initiatives, taking on new projects, etc. There was a lot of digital spaghetti to untangle, and the idea of getting it sorted into a new supportive system was very satisfying.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat part of the website or system you created are you most proud of?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResources! Originally, we hadn’t planned to focus on the resources at all, but once we got talking about it it was impossible to not build it because everyone was so excited about it. Resources and knowledge development are core to CS\u0026amp;S’s DNA and mission as an organization, so not developing this key functionality would’ve been leaving them with a website that didn’t meet their needs nor their mission and vision.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat part of this process was the most challenging?\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s always hard to communicate just how “loaded” a design is. The schema is represented in the content shown, but the structure of a page or section mirrors content hierarchies that are set up in the back end in often much more complex ways. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some challenges you\u0026rsquo;ve encountered working as a designer and developer in the open-source, public interest, and/or nonprofit space?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn terms of design practices, there are too many cooks in the kitchen sometimes, flatter organizational hierarchies sometimes mean random people show up with a whole lotta feedback and you’ve gotta manage expectations around that, but politely!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn development, open source at all cost is sometimes restrictive … but I get it. Lots of excitement about new tools that get quickly abandoned and become unusable, so you can end up with a graveyard of statically generated sites pretty quickly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLastly, lots of extremely knowledgeable people and institutional knowledge that never makes it outside because there’s not a concerted effort made to communicate those ideas effectively to outside audiences. Good stuff gets trapped in brilliant brains!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat’s next for you?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’m building a subscription platform for a friend using Craft CMS, yet another case of pulling a whole lot of disparate stuff into one place in a way that is easy to use and functional for her needs. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Susan Kennedy (now at Open Technology Fund), Katie Wilson, \u003ca href=\"mailto:hello@whoisgina.com\"\u003eGina Giampaolo\u003c/a\u003e, CS\u0026amp;S staff including: \u003ca href=\"mailto:danielle@codeforsociety.org\"\u003eDanielle Robinson\u003c/a\u003e, Joe Hand, Page Metcalf, Jessica Hardwicke, Moni Awolesi, Rayya El Zein, and Angela Okune.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "CS\u0026S Web and Content Strategy",
            "date_published": "2023-12-19T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-19T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/css/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/css/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Requiem for Cyberspace and the Next Theory of Change for IoT",
            "date_published": "2023-12-15T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-15T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/requiem-for-cyberspace-and-the-next-theory-of-change-for-iot/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/requiem-for-cyberspace-and-the-next-theory-of-change-for-iot/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_requiem-for_cyberspace_image_2_hu_a0ff1c294bb37dee.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dream of the ‘90s is over. We now have an Internet of Things thriving in physical space where our bodies live instead of a Cyberspace envisioned as a realm solely of the mind. That\u0026rsquo;s cause for optimism as we consider how resilient organizations can collaboratively build a different future in this, our physical reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: This essay was written in December 2022 as a personal reflection on four years of education, design, and tech policy with the \u003ca href=\"https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/813508.\"\u003eOpen Design of Trusted Things\u003c/a\u003e, an EU Horizon 2020 program, as contrasted with experiences in the 1990’s tech community in the San Francisco Bay Area. It originally appeared in \u003ca href=\"https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e5f91e892a\u0026amp;appId=PPGMS\"\u003eReboot IoT: Regain Trust/Refresh Hope\u003c/a\u003e, edited by Jon Rogers and Michelle Thorne.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Perry Barlow’s 1996 manifesto against government regulation, \u003ca href=\"https://www.eff.org/de/cyberspace-independence\"\u003eDeclaration of Independence of Cyberspace\u003c/a\u003e, laid out a naive vision of the internet as a self-organizing place guided only by the Golden Rule. At a time when computer equipment, internet connections, and email addresses were primarily housed at universities with private access restricted to the wealthiest people in the world, Barlow drew artificial battle lines with the government on one side and a disembodied group of denizens of Cyberspace on the other.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis techno-libertarian tract would go on to shape internet culture and was published from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Barlow wrote, “Our identities have no bodies, so, unlike you, we cannot obtain order by physical coercion. We believe that from ethics, enlightened self-interest, and the commonweal, our governance will emerge.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"1990s-cyberspace-is-dead\"\u003e1990s cyberspace is dead\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwenty-seven years later, this way of thinking is as embarrassingly dated as the thinking of the “weary governments of the Industrial World” was to Barlow. Of course Cyberspace is not separate from the material world. Of course people have bodies. Of course those bodies inform online experiences. And of course the sensors of Internet of Things (IoT) devices installed in physical places have made the idea of Cyberspace as a civilization of the mind obsolete.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnsurprising for the World Economic Forum, Barlow\u0026rsquo;s Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace is founded on the idea of marketplaces as the obvious organizing principle for society. This ethos spawned a tech ecosystem where a handful of software companies headquartered in the United States, a physical place with a particular set of cultural values and legal frameworks, shape the internet experience for the global majority.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"maybe-companies-will-save-us-from-government\"\u003eMaybe companies will save us from government\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver time the “us” of Barlow’s Cyberspace, the group opposed to government intervention, has been consolidated into publicly-traded companies acting as custodians of the internet. The commercialization of the internet, and the associated infrastructure for innovation and product development produced an explicitly capitalist theory of how technology changes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsumers buy products that change company behavior as they produce more products to meet demand and stop producing products for which there is no demand. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"no-companies-wont-change-when-it-hurts-profits\"\u003eNo, companies won’t change when it hurts profits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat can people do to change technology? Buy different things. In the advertising-fueled context of surveillance capitalism, that means not only buying alternative products, but directing attention differently: viewing different content, configuring different options, and spending time differently. The ecosystem of innovation and product development running on Human-Centered Design practices relies on a similar model of tracking user behavior to understand how to allocate resources to make product changes. The vocabulary of user engagement, organic traffic, time on task, and conversion rates guides investment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnder this paradigm, individual choice and individual responsibility to select and configure products are presented as central to this model, with individuals suffering the consequences of their mistakes. If their privacy is violated, money wasted, reputation damaged, that’s a consequence of not understanding the application, reading the fine print or being an informed customer. The public interest tech community works for change within this system through policy and advocacy campaigns to raise awareness of issues, educate people to use different products, and train them in how to use available products differently. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result of the 1990s dream of a Cyberspace free from government control is an internet with power firmly consolidated within a small number of quasi-monopolistic companies, a configuration recognizable from the industrial age. No place is this clearer than in the consumer IoT space, which is dominated by Amazon products (i.e. Alexa voice assistant, Echo smart speakers, and Ring connected doorbells), and Google products, (i.e. Google voice assistant, Nest thermostats, cameras, speakers, and doorbells). The fresh companies of the 1990s became the same type of “weary giants” Barlow abhorred.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"maybe-governments-will-save-us-from-companies\"\u003eMaybe governments will save us from companies\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow did we get here? Barlow’s trust in markets was misplaced, and today’s companies are “imposing tyrannies” the way he feared governments would. What if governments are needed to protect people from companies? How would treating people as citizens rather than customers change technology development? Within the European Union, where governments enjoy more positive reputations than tech companies, this has become the dominant view, resulting in a different Theory of Change. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople elect governments to create regulations that change tech company behavior to protect citizens. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s worth pointing out that democracy and elections are not necessary for this Theory of Change. Governments can also make and enforce laws without input from the public. There is nothing inherently democratic about regulation, but in a European context, the actions people take as citizens to change technology rely on democratic processes. The public interest tech community and associated policy and advocacy campaigns still have an awareness-building and educational focus, but the motor of change is not commercial activity. Instead citizens are encouraged to sign petitions, make their views known to politicians, elect different people, and comment on proposed legislation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.eff.org/de/cyberspace-independence\"\u003eThe Declaration\u003c/a\u003e addresses this, “Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. You have neither solicited nor received ours. We did not invite you.” Contemporary Europeans are enthusiastically inviting their government to regulate technology. Enforcement of regulations is essential to this model because companies are motivated by profit to avoid expensive fines, costly legal proceedings, and the potential loss of customers in markets where their products become illegal. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet looking at the state of technology regulation and enforcement, there is cause for alarm. Despite the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU providing broad privacy protection for citizens, day-to-day experience of using technology from Big Tech has changed little, and companies are making record profits without making high-profile changes. The implementation of GDPR has offloaded responsibility to individuals, who again bear responsibility for clicking the right boxes and making the right configuration choices, for example by refusing consent to data collection.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"no-governments-are-not-helping-quickly-enough\"\u003eNo, governments are not helping quickly enough\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoes that mean governments are unsuited to the task of changing technology? No. Governments such as the European Union work in a slow, consensus-building, multilateral way. Compared to product development cycles driven by quarterly earnings, the years-long approach of regulation is glacial by comparison. However, time is of the essence because IoT devices pose an urgent threat by extending a web of surveillance beyond the screens of 1990s Cyberspace and into the homes, schools, stores, streets, hospitals, and transit hubs of today.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe simplistic binary of governments versus companies also ellides the complicated ways they work together, sometimes in ways that compromise the rights of citizens and consumers. For example, public-private partnerships abound for deploying IoT devices in civic infrastructure. Touted benefits such as saving tax-payer money and benefiting from companies’ previous experience developing technology has led to joint projects in areas including regulation of parking, monitoring usage of public transit, and managing crowds. Controlling the spread of disease during pandemic and conserving energy during a war are adding pressure for more public-private collaborations. Yet unclear models for data ownership, transparency, and accountability in these alliances between governments and companies create opportunities for misuse that threaten the public well-being.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"is-anybody-coming-to-save-us\"\u003eIs anybody coming to save us?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite growing threats and the absence of any quick-fixes, there are still causes for optimism. First, the user experience design techniques that developed current IoT products can be applied to undo some of the harms those products cause. Studying how ideas move from policies to pixels can create new processes for change. In this approach, policies are embodied in the user interface and change the user experience in visible ways. Awareness and education move from abstract media campaigns directly into the interface. The work of policy, regulation, and enforcement is disproportionately textual, while the experience of using the internet, particularly with connected devices, is not. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"policies-become-pixels-and-sounds-and-movements\"\u003ePolicies become pixels (and sounds and movements)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExploring interaction design patterns and systems that demonstrate how policies are expressed in interfaces closes the feedback loop of user behavior and tech change. The regulation discussion shifts from the featureless expanse of generic Cyberspace to an embodied experience: where do the eyes suggest to click to navigate a menu, what to say to activate a voice assistant, which alert sounds convey an appropriate amount of urgency, and how does a device feels in the hand as it moves? Expanding the rich vocabulary of sensorial qualities for interacting with IoT devices beyond the corporate product design world can include more people in creating those experiences, including policy makers and the public. User experience design practices such as flow diagrams and system maps make it easier to identify manipulative elements of deceptive designs and to combat them. The internet may still be 0s and 1s, but discussion of it should not be only alphanumeric.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"intentionally-resilient-organizations\"\u003eIntentionally resilient organizations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA second reason for optimism are promising experiments with organizational resilience. The current climate crisis, wars, natural resource shortages, and pandemics all require new approaches that explore systems of power in a time of decaying trust in institutions. Plugging a fraying social safety net with corporate apps will not solve these problems. But encouragingly, these cataclysmic shifts have provided fertile ground for new kinds of organizations that side-step companies, governments, and public-private partnerships.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMutual accountability makes organizations resilient in the face of change and uncertainty. Neighborhood groups, trade associations, investment clubs, coalitions, labor unions, data ownership collectives, and membership organizations of many kinds are thriving. One factor driving this renaissance is a new attention to governance and organizational structures. Being intentional about how these structures work and explicitly naming and identifying power is an exciting alternative to waiting for top-down answers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew collective governance structures can also subvert the emphasis on individual action and individually born harm. Other ways of being beyond being a more informed consumer or engaged citizen emerge. When help isn’t coming from companies or governments, people known to each other working in a decentralized manner have capabilities those centralized power structures lack. We can help each other. Collectively, we are better equipped to fight back against technology that threatens our freedoms leaving us helpless. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRe-examining Cyberspace as described by Barlow as “both everywhere and nowhere, but it is not where bodies live,” through an IoT lens exposes this as a dangerously out-moded way of thinking. The IoT happens where our bodies live, and embodied action is the only possibility for addressing its potential harms. Two starting points to address those harms are putting policies into pixels and designing resilient organizations with innovative governance structures. Building on these suggestions, we can collaboratively build a different future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe can save each other.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/ame/\"\u003eAme Elliott\u003c/a\u003e, industry expert for the Open Design of Trusted Things project. Team of \u003ca href=\"https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e5f91e892a\u0026amp;appId=PPGMS\"\u003eReboot IoT: Regain Trust/Refresh Hope\u003c/a\u003e: Michelle Thorne, Jon Rogers, Georgia Bullen, Babitha George, Davide Gombe, Solana Larsen, Kasia Odrozek, Irini Papadimitriou, Bas Raijmakers, and Geke van Dijk. A special thank you to the Early Stage Researchers, faculty, and staff of the OpenDoTT programme.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eH2020 MSCA-ITN 2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/813508\"\u003eThis project\u003c/a\u003e received funding from the European Union’s \u003ca href=\"https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-2020_en\"\u003eHorizon 2020\u003c/a\u003e research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 813508.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunded by the \u003ca href=\"https://european-union.europa.eu/index_en\"\u003eEuropean Union\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Finance \u0026 Operations Manager",
            "date_published": "2023-12-13T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-13T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/finance-and-operations-manager/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/finance-and-operations-manager/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHiring for this role is currently paused.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Role\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is seeking a full-time remote Finance and Operations Manager (in US Central or Eastern Time Zones, or UK/EU in GMT Zones, with immediate availability) to help develop and manage its finances and operations. This role will report to the Executive Director.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Us\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, previously known as \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/\"\u003eSimply Secure\u003c/a\u003e, leverages design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem. We apply a holistic approach and view design as an intervention opportunity to center people and their needs. Our vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their lives. Launched in 2014, Superbloom is a US 501(c)3 nonprofit design and research organization, leveraging practices from human rights, systems thinking, service design and threat modeling to help teams design technology and services that center and protect communities’ most vulnerable needs. Since 2020, we have been piloting fiscal sponsorship as a leadership development and support program, incubating emerging efforts that align with our mission.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout You\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have proven experience in financial management in a US nonprofit organization.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are adept at using web-based applications to work with a remote team both in the US and in Europe, and can help us manage our finances and processes in a scalable way. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have a strong understanding of nonprofit accounting principles and fund accounting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have excellent analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have three or more years experience with Quickbooks and financial management.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have knowledge of multi-currency accounting and transactions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have advanced knowledge of Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar and Google Meet).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have proficiency in financial software and Microsoft Excel.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have the ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNice to Have\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCPA or other relevant certifications.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience working with fiscally sponsored projects.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResponsibilities\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinancial Planning and Analysis:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop and implement financial strategies that align with the organization’s mission and objectives.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrepare and analyze financial reports, forecasts, and budgets to support decision-making and provide insights to the leadership team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBudget Management:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollaborate with program managers to develop program budgets and ensure adherence to financial goals.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonitor and track budget performance, identifying variances and proposing corrective actions as needed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinancial Reporting:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrepare accurate and timely financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnsure compliance with regulatory requirements and reporting standards for nonprofit organizations.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManage third-party bookkeeping team to ensure invoices, receipts and expense claims are processed in a timely manner and to support accurate financial reporting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrant Management:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOversee the financial aspects of grant proposals and reports, ensuring compliance with grant requirements.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWork closely with program managers to track grant spending and provide financial updates and invoices to grantors.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAudit and Compliance:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoordinate annual financial audits and liaise with external auditors.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnsure compliance with relevant accounting standards, tax regulations, and nonprofit financial reporting requirements.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAssist with quarterly and annual financial review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCash Flow Management:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManage cash flow to ensure the organization’s financial stability and liquidity.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImplement effective strategies for cash management and forecasting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinancial Policies and Procedures:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop and maintain financial policies and procedures to ensure internal controls and accountability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrain and educate staff on financial policies and procedures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTeam Collaboration:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollaborate with other departments to provide financial guidance and support for various projects and initiatives.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAct as a key liaison between the operations team and other departments.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOperations:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdminister and manage our contracting process, including developing, processing, tracking and filing service agreements and vendor contracts ensuring appropriate tax documentation is received and completed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport our fiscally sponsored projects in all things operations and financial.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLead operational and financial processes for our fiscally sponsored projects. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAssist management in planning and preparing board meeting packets including filing meeting minutes, drafting resolutions and other board documentation as needed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport the team on grants writing, management and reporting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWork Hours and Benefits\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis position is for a full-time employee, 40 hours per week with availability during our core work hours (8-5pm ET), at 78,500-98,500 USD per year depending on experience. Benefits include health insurance, unlimited PTO, 401(k), generous parental leave, and a monthly tech stipend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease email us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs@superbloom.design\"\u003ejobs@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e, including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResumé.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCover letter\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1-2 references. References will be taken in the last phase of application review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe times you are available for approx 45 minutes to 1 hour for interviews within our working hours (9am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis position is open until filled, and applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. Reach out to \u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs@superbloom.design\"\u003ejobs@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e with any questions.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are open to candidates located in US Central and Eastern time zones and UK/GMT zones. Final hiring decisions will be contingent upon our ability to contract and pay in the candidate’s country. Superbloom does not provide relocation or visa support. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Feira 2023: Reflecting, Reconnecting, and Revitalizing",
            "date_published": "2023-12-06T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-06T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/feira-2023-reflecting-reconnecting-and-revitalizing/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/feira-2023-reflecting-reconnecting-and-revitalizing/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_feira_2023_reflecting_reconnecting_and_revitalizing_image_1_hu_d6b85501aca92806.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"598\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn September 2023, we were able to \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-feira-the-global-gathering-2023-will-you-join-us-there/\"\u003eparticipate\u003c/a\u003e in Feira, the Global Gathering, a festival for digital rights defenders, convened by Team Community. The Feira was a three day social and networking festival hosted in Estoril, Portugal on September 15 - 17, 2023. The event, designed, modeled and named for the concept of a community market, was created to provide digital rights defenders with a space to connect with others in the digital rights community for informal meetups, discussions, and joy — particularly as this was the first time gathering in-person for most participants since before the start of the COVID19 pandemic. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few folks were able to attend from Superbloom and its \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/community/our-support/\"\u003efiscally sponsored projects\u003c/a\u003e, and so we asked them to reflect on their experience, their learnings, and overall takeaways from the event.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-did-you-expect-from-the-event-and-how-did-it-meet-your-expectations\"\u003eWhat did you expect from the event and how did it meet your expectations?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEriol\u003c/strong\u003e: I’m always pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and welcome perspectives of designers who attend human rights technology spaces. I often expect design and user experience experts to receive cautious inclusion into spaces where technologists and coders have majority representation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJamie\u003c/strong\u003e: After being away from the civil society space for a few years, attending Feira, reconnecting with past peers, and meeting new people passionate about digital security and human rights technology was wonderful. Feira was a welcoming place to share our different experiences and perspectives in different types of non-traditional conference configurations. Having flexibility with the physical space allowed the sessions to be more interactive, more creative, more collaborative, more intimate, and more productive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-were-your-key-takeaways-from-feira\"\u003eWhat were your key takeaways from Feira?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEriol\u003c/strong\u003e: It is always important to have a voice for users present in spaces which will be perceived as highly technical. Bringing a perspective such as \u0026ldquo;What about if a user has no idea what the details for a network data on internet shutdowns really means, how can they understand what their experiences and information could contribute?”. This was one question I brought to a session focused on internet shutdown data and how (and whether) to define what types of shutdowns occur. The focus leaned into the data and numbers and the things that are typically focused on by technical people. We worked with those with a security and privacy trainer perspective in balancing the focus to include the real life use of and participation in tools, and systems that help protect users during shutdowns.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMatt\u003c/strong\u003e: We were grateful to have space to connect with the digital rights and internet freedom community through our product demo booth. At our booth, we shared our open directory of digital security projects, introduced people to the \u003ca href=\"https://civictech.guide\"\u003eCivic Tech Field Guide\u003c/a\u003e, and had lots of productive conversations with community members, catching up with current partners and sparking some new collaborations, and of course — swapping swag like stickers, the critical currency of community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCaroline\u003c/strong\u003e: I had a really wonderful time connecting with folks, especially lots of folks who couldn’t make it to RightsCon. The ability to have longer, more in-depth, and more community focused sessions and conversations over the three days and at the UX Clinic booth was fantastic. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJamie:\u003c/strong\u003e During the \u003cem\u003eIT Service Providers for Nonprofits \u0026amp; Human Rights Organizations\u003c/em\u003e meetup, we had an unexpected and shared realization that as a group we do not interface with each other as much as we should. There is a huge opportunity for us to share our experiences and refer our clients to each other, so we are best meeting the needs of the nonprofits and human rights organizations we serve. When it comes to human rights, we are not in competition with each other; we operate to serve and support the missions and the ecosystem at-large through technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-were-the-topics-on-everyones-mind-what-did-people-want-to-know-about\"\u003eWhat were the topics on everyone’s mind? What did people want to know about?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEriol\u003c/strong\u003e: At Feira, many projects approached us as designers with questions about how to improve not only the visual user interface elements of their tools but how to better include broad user types including those that struggle to use tools that are perceived as complex and “too technical”. The privacy and security OSS space gives the impression of over-complicated, very particular set-ups and often prioritizes the complex set-ups for systems and tools when a majority of users, or soon to be users, will likely not describe themselves as such. In addition to these in depth conversations, the designers and user advocates in attendance at Feira spent time speaking with OSS tools and organizations about their design and usability challenges, how to prioritize, how to better understand a problem through user research and how to do that research in a privacy respecting way were some of the key focuses we discussed with people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"looking-ahead\"\u003eLooking ahead\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year has been an amazing opportunity to connect with the community across in-person and remote events. We’re excited to follow up on all of the conversations we had and relationships built at Feira and other events from 2023. As always, if you want to connect about opportunities or collaborations, please reach out!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Jamie Tomasello, Eriol Fox, Matt Stempeck, Caroline Sinders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Secure Usability \u0026amp; Accessibility Lab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ned.org/\"\u003eNational Endowment for Democracy\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "From Policy to Pixels:  Strategic UX Design and User Support for GDPR Implementation",
            "date_published": "2023-11-20T00:00:23-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-20T00:00:23-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/from-policy-to-pixels-strategic-ux-design-and-user-support-for-gdpr-implementation/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/from-policy-to-pixels-strategic-ux-design-and-user-support-for-gdpr-implementation/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_from_policy_to_pixels_image_1_hu_1aec2e660901b3fe.png\" alt=\" \" width=\"740\" height=\"415\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntroducing our new report “\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.cc/p2p-gdpr-ux\"\u003eFrom Policy to Pixels: Strategic UX Design and User Support for GDPR Implementation\u003c/a\u003e.” Supported by the University of California Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC), we conducted research to better understand how GDPR policy implementation is situated in current UX practices and how multi-disciplinary product teams reach design decisions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have all seen them: the boxes that pop up when we enter a site, obstructing our view and interrupting our reason for being there in the first place. These boxes are cookie banners, and they exist to inform you of your right to opt-in to data collection (or opt-out, based on the laws where you live). By presenting the user with that choice immediately upon pulling up a website, the user is forced to make a decision to continue their original task. This is a good thing, right? Users should be able to decide whether businesses collect their personal data. However; in practice, it’s not that simple. The design of these banners greatly impact the user’s experience, and their experience impacts their ability to make an informed and active choice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCookie banner design is important, and too often overlooked. We explored this issue and are pleased to present the results in our new report “\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.cc/p2p-gdpr-ux\"\u003eFrom Policy to Pixels: Strategic UX Design and User Support for GDPR Implementation\u003c/a\u003e.” Supported by the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) at the University of California Berkeley, we conducted qualitative interviews with five designers and front-end developers with experience in creating cookie banners. Our goal was to situate GDPR policy implementation in current UX practices, and understand how multi-disciplinary product teams reach design decisions as a compliance effort. As part of our work, in July 2022, the CLTC invited us to participate in its symposium “Comparing Effects and Responses to GDPR and CCPA/CPRA,” which brought together multi-disciplinary researchers to discuss current and developing data privacy policies. \u003ca href=\"https://cltc.berkeley.edu/publication/comparing-effects-of-and-responses-to-the-gdpr-and-ccpa-cpra/\"\u003e(Read the symposium summary here!)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-does-design-have-to-do-with-policy\"\u003eWhat does design have to do with policy?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGDPR is the EUs General Data Protection Regulation, which among other things requires that businesses give online users a choice regarding data collection. This is why cookie banners are ubiquitous in the EU. However; it’s been well proven that cookie banners do not work, at least not in common design implementations. With data privacy laws being introduced and updated all around the world, there is an urgent opportunity to examine how the user-facing implementation of these policies work and what can be done to improve them. In our study, we found that business discussions about cookie banner implementation promote a focus on compliance legalese rather than interactive, usable visual elements that enable active choice. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our paper, we outline these core findings, and propose a preliminary framework of personas (archetypal profiles) for capturing a range of attitudes towards GDPR cookie consent compliance and graphical implementation. Using those personas to evaluate existing tools for cookie management, we identified a gap in the tooling and support ecosystem that can meet the needs of people without large budgets or specialized legal or technical knowledge who are eager to cater a cookie banner experience around meaningful, user-centered consent. Equipping people without specialized domain knowledge or personal passion for privacy to participate in discussion about GDPR cookie consent implementation is essential for shifting the status quo and making informed consent a reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWant to learn more? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.cc/p2p-gdpr-ux\"\u003eRead our full report\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.cc/p2p-gdpr-ux\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eAnd see our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/p2p-zine/\"\u003eprintable Zine\u003c/a\u003e that introduces our persona framework, outlining divergent approaches to cookie banner implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Ame Elliott, Susan Kennedy, Georgia Bullen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e* Susan Kennedy undertook this work with Ame Elliott while she was Program Manager at Superbloom. She is now at Open Technology Fund and may be found on \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-mary-kennedy/\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://cltc.berkeley.edu/\"\u003eCenter for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) University of California Berkeley\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Policy to Pixels Zine: Who Implements Cookie Banners?",
            "date_published": "2023-11-17T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-17T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/p2p-zine/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/p2p-zine/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eZine related to our Policy to Pixels research project covering learnings from people who had to implement GDPR regulation. These zines complement the full report “\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.cc/p2p-gdpr-ux\"\u003eFrom Policy to Pixels: Strategic UX Design and User Support for GDPR Implementation\u003c/a\u003e.” See more in the \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/from-policy-to-pixels-strategic-ux-design-and-user-support-for-gdpr-implementation/\"\u003eannouncement blog\u003c/a\u003e post.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/Superbloom-P2P-PersonasZine-Screen-v3.pdf\"\u003eZine: Screen Readable\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/Superbloom-P2P-GDPR-UX-Zine-Print-Cut.pdf\"\u003eZine: Print to Fold\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Usable Security Audit Methodology",
            "date_published": "2023-11-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-05T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/usam/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/usam/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Superbloom's User Experience Toolbox for Risk Mitigation and Accessibility",
            "date_published": "2023-11-03T21:39:05-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-03T21:39:05-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/superblooms-user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/superblooms-user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_user_experience_toolbox_risk-mitigation_accessibility_hu_9b74dfc11ea760ef.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"495\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOver the last six months, we’ve been updating our Usable Security Audit Methodology to better reflect our current practices, the advances in our fields of interest, and accessibility as a core principle. Through an inventory of our tools and practices, surveying the field to find similar work we admire, and workshops with close collaborators and community members, we revamped our approach, which we’re now calling our User Experience Toolbox for Risk Mitigation and Accessibility.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy sharing our auditing approach and inviting collaboration, feedback, and community input, we also aim to provide software teams in the digital rights, human rights, and internet freedom spaces – including researchers, coaches, creators, designers, product managers, and engineers – with a set of resources that can be useful and adaptable to their unique context. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"evolving-our-approach\"\u003eEvolving our approach\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning in 2014, Superbloom (then Simply Secure) worked with the Open Technology Fund \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eSecure Usability and Accessibility (SUA) Lab\u003c/a\u003e to address what we perceived as the shortcomings of so-called “traditional\u0026rsquo;\u0026rsquo; security audits and usability assessments, especially as they relate to open-source software projects. Traditional technical security audits serve a valuable purpose, namely identifying potential vulnerabilities in software code design and implementation. However, these audits do not traditionally focus on the socio-technical aspects of a tool that make systems insecure, e.g. the usability of a tool. We worked to close this gap by \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/techreports/InitialUsableSecurityAuditMethodology.pdf\"\u003ecreating an audit methodology\u003c/a\u003e that evaluated security and privacy through the lens of user experience and usability. Since its creation, we have used this methodology as a framework for working with tools to improve security through usability and design. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut, a lot has changed – both for us at Superbloom and within our practitioner ecosystems – since 2014. With support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF SUA Lab\u003c/a\u003e and advice from \u003ca href=\"https://www.a11ylab.com/?lang=EN\"\u003eAccessibility Lab\u003c/a\u003e, we set out to update the framework to better reflect the needs and values of our team and community. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"putting-trust-first\"\u003ePutting trust first \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn today’s landscape of increasingly riskier digital experiences, successful software development requires more than just functionality and aesthetics. The multifaceted challenges faced by software teams require prioritizing user experiences while carefully addressing potential harms and respecting human rights. We designed this Toolbox to move beyond a set of heuristics that attempt to bridge usability, security, and accessibility towards a more holistic and modular approach to understanding and mitigating risk within human-centered tool design and development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur goal with this Toolbox is to foster trust among all stakeholders involved in the user experience being designed within a given tool or project. By empowering the users of these resources to evaluate the accessibility, risk, and security of the software tools and projects they work on through the lens of user experience and usability, we hope that practitioners learn to better prioritize the needs of the software\u0026rsquo;s intended users while addressing the vulnerabilities associated with its development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"accessibility-as-a-core-principle\"\u003eAccessibility as a core principle\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecial thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.a11ylab.com/?lang=EN\"\u003eAccessibility Lab\u003c/a\u003e for advising on and providing resources for this Toolbox!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccessibility practices and audits often happen in addition to, not in concert with, usable security reviews, and sometimes they don’t happen at all or are treated as afterthoughts or “nice to haves,” excluding huge swathes of people from their right to digital tools and information, not to mention basic dignity and equity. As UX practitioners, we’ve learned that there is interplay, overlap, and synergistic benefits between each of these aspects, and therefore, we sought to center accessibility as a core principle in this framework:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe security and accessibility of your product are critical aspects of usability: If your software is not accessible, it is not truly usable; if your software is not secure, it is not truly usable; if your software is not usable, it is not truly effective.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsability 🤝 Security 🤝 Accessibility: We hope to warn against and work to break down the sometimes false dichotomies that arise when attempting to make software that is usable, secure, and accessible. For example, teams are often warned or worried that accessibility comes at the cost of security or usability. These concepts are mutually beneficial and dependent on one another, and importantly, non-competing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe benefits greatly outweigh the perceived and real costs: Making software that is usable, accessible and secure increases users, trust, and the legitimacy of the product. Considering these aspects as early as possible in a development cycle saves teams countless hours of work refactoring when problems arise later. Accessibility compliance can save a company or organization from discriminating against users and potential noncompliance litigation. All of these three aspects are green flags to funders looking to support sustainable software.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"our-toolbox-will-evolve-with-our-community\"\u003eOur toolbox will evolve with our community \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur approach will shift over time in response to emergent technological considerations and best practices in human-centered design, as well as in response to feedback and contributions from the wider community. We intend for this resource to be updated annually at a minimum, and will continue to add resources via the Superbloom \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/\"\u003elearning hub\u003c/a\u003e and our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/\"\u003eblog\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe enthusiastically encourage our community to contribute ideas, resources, and feedback to this framework. To do so, you may join us on \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/community/join/#online\"\u003eSlack\u003c/a\u003e, contribute to the project on \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm\"\u003eGitHub\u003c/a\u003e, or send us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBe sure to check out the full methodology here:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/\"\u003eUser Experience Toolbox for Risk Mitigation and Accessibility\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/superbloom-accessibility-and-usability-heuristic-review.pdf\"\u003eAccessibility and Usability Heuristic Review\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Ngoc Trieu, Philliph Drummond, Veszna Wessenauer, Katie Wilson, Molly Wilson, Nancy Reyes, Saptak Sengupta, Georgia Bullen. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the Open Technology Fund \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eSecure Usability and Accessibility Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "User Experience Toolbox for Risk Mitigation and Accessibility",
            "date_published": "2023-11-02T12:04:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-02T12:04:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch1 id=\"introduction\"\u003eIntroduction\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e(Download the PDF version of this resource \u003ca href=\"/resources/superbloom-accessibility-and-usability-heuristic-review.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis document represents Superbloom’s approach to scoping risks and improving usability for software projects. It is a collection of tools, resources, practices, and lines of inquiry to help us navigate risks and mitigate potential harms present and emergent in software design and development. By evaluating the accessibility, risk, and security of software tools and projects through the lens of user experience and usability, we aim to help foster a deeper level of trust among all stakeholders involved in the user experience being designed within and around a given tool or project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis toolbox is intended to be an adaptable mechanism that encourages research and design activities to prioritize the needs of the software\u0026rsquo;s intended users while addressing the vulnerabilities associated with its development. By sharing our approach and inviting collaboration, feedback, and community input, we also aim to provide software teams in the Digital Rights, Human Rights, and Internet Freedom spaces – including researchers, coaches, creators, designers, product managers, and engineers – with a set of resources that can be useful and adaptable to their unique contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eUsing this toolbox will help our team members and other software teams to:\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvaluate the potential risks and harms associated with the use and maintenance of software.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWork towards a balance between user convenience and robust security without compromising trust or engagement.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAddress accessibility as a core principle in itself, and in identifying and mitigating potential security vulnerabilities to reinforce the software’s reliability and protection of human rights.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImplement accessibility best practices to create user-friendly experiences for everyone, thus broadening the software’s reach and impact.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"who-we-are\"\u003eWho we are\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFounded in 2014 as Simply Secure, Superbloom leverages design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem. We apply a holistic approach and view design as an intervention opportunity to center people and their needs. Our vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their lives. Together, we\u0026rsquo;re committed to bring about a more just world by exposing the dangers and inequalities of emerging technologies, co-building alternative models, and contributing to the global cultivation of a transformative movement in tech.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe work to overcome the alarming lack of available resources in the public interest technology space by openly sharing our knowledge and partnering with organizations to identify unmet needs, design for access, and extend the impact of newly built tools and interventions. Changing who technology serves requires challenging not just the technology, but the processes that formed it. Our approach is to intervene in the tech strategy, design and development process across multiple contexts and scales. Our focus has been on bridging areas of expertise – such as usability, accessibility, and security – to develop new methods that shed light on the interplay between people and technology, especially among at-risk populations dealing with threats to their privacy, safety, or security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-this-toolbox\"\u003eWhat is this toolbox?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn today’s landscape of increasingly riskier digital experiences, successful software development requires more than just functionality and aesthetics. The multifaceted challenges faced by software teams require prioritizing user experiences while carefully addressing potential harms and respecting human rights.\nWe designed this document to move beyond a set of heuristics that attempt to bridge usability, security, and accessibility toward a more holistic and modular approach to understanding and mitigating risk within human-centered tool design and development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhile the toolbox provides a holistic, structured approach, it has limitations, requires thoughtful application, and is not a cure-all solution.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis framework does not detail a full or typical design-thinking process, \u003cu\u003enor does it offer a full set of research and design activities that ought to take place throughout a product design and development cycle.\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe methods detailed here cannot replace \u003cu\u003ea technical security audit, security design review, or an expert accessibility audit.\u003c/u\u003e It cannot eliminate all risks associated with software development. Instead, it provides a set of human-centered tools and strategies that can be used to mitigate these risks to a manageable level. It is up to the software team and the organization to use these tools effectively, and to continually monitor and adjust their approach as needed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eExpert reviews to consider in parallel to the methods listed here:\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSecurity audit\u003c/strong\u003e: our approach here should not replace a systemic evaluation that happens during a security audit of your software’s code and infrastructure. Our approach does not assess the effectiveness of any security policies or controls, nor does it provide recommendations for improvement on that front. \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/red-team-lab/\"\u003eThe Open Tech Fund’s Red Team Lab\u003c/a\u003e offers security audits for Open Source projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSecurity design review\u003c/strong\u003e: our approach here is not a security design review – this approach is not focused on security architecture to harden a tool against technical vulnerabilities and risks in a software stack. Our approach does not emphasize infosec principles like CIA (confidentiality, integrity, availability). Instead, we’ve focused this document on a holistic review of human factors, mitigating biases that emerge in the process, examining security from a user-centered perspective, providing a balanced set of recommendations to enhance the user experience while meeting your software’s security/compliance requirements. The Open Source Security Foundation offers courses and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/ossf/security-reviews\"\u003emaintains a repository\u003c/a\u003e of security design reviews of open source software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExpert accessibility audit\u003c/strong\u003e: While self-audits can help teams get ahead of common accessibility “fails”, expert accessibility audits provide a complete, rigorous breakdown of all WCAG 2.1\u003csup id=\"fnref:1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e requirements for your tool, including testing your tools on assistive technology and with disabled users. Expert audits obviously help teams comply with accessibility standards and regulations, but further, they can enhance user engagement and improve SEO. We recommend contacting our friends at \u003ca href=\"https://www.a11ylab.com/\"\u003eA11y Lab\u003c/a\u003e if you’re looking for an expert accessibility audit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"heuristics-tools-and-guidelines-can-never-replace-user-input\"\u003eHeuristics, tools, and guidelines can never replace user input\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile we believe that the principles, guidelines, and tools here can help you to design more usable, accessible, and security- and privacy-minded software products and tools, they are not guarantees. A tool or website can be 100% WCAG 2.1 compliant and still have accessibility challenges that went unforeseen. \u003cu\u003eThe only way to get ahead of these surprise issues is to test your tools with real and diverse sets of users early and often.\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTesting with diverse sets of users from multiple perspectives is important to cover the bases of usability, accessibility, and security:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers representing your different personas will improve usability issues\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers that employ different assistive technologies will improve accessibility issues\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers that have a range of threat models will improve security and privacy issues.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"a-living-resource\"\u003eA living resource\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur approach will shift over time, in response to emergent technological considerations and best practices in human-centered design, amongst other factors. We intend for this resource to be updated annually at the minimum, and will continue to add resources via the Superbloom \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/\"\u003elearning hub\u003c/a\u003e and our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/\"\u003eblog\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also enthusiastically encourage our community to contribute ideas, resources, and feedback to this framework. To do so, you may join our community on \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/community/join/#online\"\u003eSlack\u003c/a\u003e or send us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@superbloom.design\"\u003ehi@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"our-responsibilities-as-human-centered-user-experience-practitioners\"\u003eOur responsibilities as human-centered User Experience practitioners\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat is the degree of responsibility for designers/developers to reduce harm in technology and software?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe at Superbloom believe that one of our responsibilities is to acknowledge and mitigate bias in our work, which means acknowledging and mitigating the harm that comes from a variety of \u003ca href=\"#types-of-bias\"\u003epotential biases\u003c/a\u003e.  Amidst a general lack of and struggle for human rights in software development, the effects of personal bias are often amplified at scale, causing harm and perpetuating the marginalization of at-risk communities. For a further explanation of what bias looks like in this work and for methods and resources to address it, see \u003ca href=\"#part-1-knowing-your-users-and-yourself\"\u003ePart 1\u003c/a\u003e of this document.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also hold ourselves responsible for approaching technology not as a static product, but as a \u003cem\u003eprocess\u003c/em\u003e that includes, affects, and is affected by many people. This responsibility to us also intersects with and supports the effectiveness of technology: to have a truly effective software product, as well as a responsible one, it must consider and prioritize Accessibility, Usability, \u003cem\u003eand\u003c/em\u003e Security. Failing in any of these aspects will not only significantly impact the software’s overall success and user satisfaction, but can introduce avoidable risk and harm to its users. Importantly, as software itself is an evolving process, so must our attention be towards these three key aspects; one-off audits and reviews will not be sufficient for attending to the ongoing usability, accessibility, and security of a software product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"key-definitions\"\u003eKey Definitions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorking towards rights-respecting software development requires a shared understanding of the key values and ideas we are upholding. Here we define the most central concepts to this framework; for more definitions, please see the \u003ca href=\"#glossary\"\u003eGlossary\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eAccessibility\u003c/u\u003e: The degree to which a product, service, or digital interface can be used effectively and comfortably by everyone, regardless of their abilities or the assistive technologies they use. It ensures that all users can access and interact with the system without discrimination or barriers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eDigital Security\u003c/u\u003e: the practice of protecting digital information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. We often define security in function of a particular threat model: i.e. “is a program secure against threats A, B, and C?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eRisk Mitigation\u003c/u\u003e: The process of identifying and reducing potential risks or uncertainties associated with a project or product development. In the context of software development, it involves planning and implementing strategies to avoid or minimize potential negative impacts on the project\u0026rsquo;s success.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eThreat Modeling\u003c/u\u003e: A way of thinking about the sorts of protection you want for your data so you can decide which potential threats you are going to take seriously. Coming up with a set of possible threats you plan to protect against is called threat modeling, or risk assessment. While it’s impossible to protect against every kind of trick or adversary, threat modeling enables users to envision possible scenarios on a scale of likely to less likely, and plan accordingly\u003csup id=\"fnref:2\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e2\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eUsability\u003c/u\u003e: The measure of how easy and efficient it is for users to achieve their goals when interacting with a product, system, or interface. Usability focuses on aspects such as learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and user satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"whats-at-stake\"\u003eWhat’s at stake?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the potential threats, risks, and harms related to a particular software product will depend on its own context, \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility/#part-1-knowing-your-users-and-yourself\" title=\"Part 1: Knowing your users and yourself\"\u003eusers\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"#part-2-assessing-risks--threats\"\u003ethreat model\u003c/a\u003e, we advocate for this general approach to work against the larger scale ways that technology fails to be human- and user-centered. Lacking usable security means that in the worst case scenarios, users find ways around usability barriers, which can increase their risk (e.g. by choosing the wrong settings and sharing data unsafely, or revealing more of their identity than intended due to not being able to safely navigate the options). Accessibility practices and audits often happen in addition to, not in concert with, usable security reviews, and sometimes they don’t happen at all or are treated as afterthoughts or “nice to haves,” excluding huge swaths of people from their right to digital tools and information, not to mention basic dignity and equity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs UX practitioners, we’ve learned that there is interplay, overlap, and synergistic benefits between each of these aspects:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eThe security and accessibility of your product are critical aspects of usability\u003c/u\u003e: if your software is not accessible, it is not truly usable; if your software is not secure, it is not truly usable; if your software is not usable, it is not truly effective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eUsability 🤝 Security 🤝 Accessibility\u003c/u\u003e: We want to warn against and work to break down the sometimes false dichotomies that arise when attempting to make software that is usable, secure, and accessible. For example, teams are often warned or worried that accessibility comes at the cost of security or usability. These concepts are mutually beneficial, dependent on one another, and importantly, noncompeting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eBenefits greatly outweigh the perceived and real costs\u003c/u\u003e: Making software that is usable, accessible, and secure increases usership, user trust, and legitimacy for your product. Considering these aspects from as early as possible in a development cycle saves teams countless hours of work refactoring when problems arise later. Accessibility compliance can save a company or organization from both discriminating against users and potential noncompliance litigation. All three aspects are green flags to funders looking to support sustainable software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"using-this-toolbox\"\u003eUsing this toolbox\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen and how to use the methods and practices outlined in this document will depend on many factors in a given tool team or project. Sometimes Superbloom staff are brought into a project at its inception, and other times we enter years into its existence. For external dev teams and partners, the question often arises: how do I balance the need for timely releases with thorough reviews (of any type)? Instead of prescribing a set of steps or an order of operations, we instead encourage teams and practitioners to consider the following principles when using this set of resources:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eEarly and meaningful community input\u003c/u\u003e: practicing human-centered work means putting the people using and being affected by your software at the center of your design and development process. Engaging community members not only builds trust, but it can provide invaluable insight for any question you may have.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eOpen communication\u003c/u\u003e: transparency benefits users and products; making the design process and discussions visible increases trust amongst team members and between teams and their users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eExperimentation\u003c/u\u003e: as mentioned, this framework is not a one-size-fits all prescription of activities. Experiment with what methods and inquiries suit the project at hand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eOpenness to pivoting and adjustment\u003c/u\u003e: user-centric work means challenging our own assumptions and beliefs, and taking seriously when those assumptions are proven wrong.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eSensitivity to local contexts\u003c/u\u003e: not all users and users groups operate within the same contexts personally – which \u003ca href=\"#part-1-knowing-your-users-and-yourself\"\u003epersonas, bias mitigation, etc\u003c/a\u003e, can help us think through – but users also reside within and among vastly different geopolitical contexts that affect: 1) their access to information and their susceptibility to censorship and information oppression and 2) their risk tolerance and threat models. Depending on the local context, concepts like security, risk, usability, and accessibility may shift and take on different stakes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eHolistic mindset required\u003c/u\u003e: rather than thinking of accessibility, usability, and security attributes separately, they must be considered holistically in order to identify synergies and reconcile conflicts. The optimum balance is not static, and as contexts evolve, designs should be re-evaluated to ensure the right “tradeoffs” are being made. Improving one attribute may inadvertently worsen another. For example, adding more security controls can harm usability. Enhancing accessibility can introduce vulnerabilities if the adjustments aren’t accounted for in the security design. Overlaps, when accounted for together, are typically synergistic – i.e. improving one attribute enhances the others – but the overlap is not symmetrical at all times between any aspect, so remain diligent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"understanding-risks-in-software-development\"\u003eUnderstanding risks in software development\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe see UX design playing a critical role within risk mitigation. UX methods not only help to clarify, understand, and empathize with the potential pains, challenges, and frustrations in a user’s experience, but can play a key role in anticipating, planning for, and alleviating potential risk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe understand risk as a broad concept that encompasses the potential vulnerabilities inherent to a software product’s users and stakeholders, especially those that impact the key aspects of security, accessibility, and usability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo capture the breadth of what risk can entail, we also acknowledge and ground this framework in key \u003cu\u003eContributing Factors\u003c/u\u003e, which all increase risk in a project for several reasons that can be mitigated:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eSensitive User Data\u003c/u\u003e: Handling sensitive user data requires careful design to ensure privacy and security. Typically, the most sensitive user data is called \u003ca href=\"#pii\"\u003ePersonal Identifiable Information (PII)\u003c/a\u003e. Mismanagement and poor security design can lead to data breaches or unintentional user error, which can leave users vulnerable to malicious activity with their PII. This can lead to not only identity theft and financial fraud, but also to significant physiological and emotional distress which erodes users’ trust in a company or a software team, resulting in reputational damage or financial loss.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eSecurity Risks\u003c/u\u003e: Security risks can compromise the integrity of a product and the privacy of its users. UX design can help mitigate these risks by designing for security from the ground up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eVulnerable Populations\u003c/u\u003e: Products designed without considering the needs of vulnerable populations can lead to exclusion and discrimination. UX design can help ensure inclusivity and accessibility.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eLegal Considerations\u003c/u\u003e: Non-compliance with laws and regulations can result in legal penalties. UX design can help ensure compliance by incorporating legal requirements, including accessibility requirements, into the design process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003ePotentially Harmful Stimuli\u003c/u\u003e: UX design can help prevent harmful stimuli by considering the potential impact of design decisions on users\u0026rsquo; mental and physical health. \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/pub/traumaanddesign-082020communitycall/release/1\"\u003eTrauma-informed UX design\u003c/a\u003e can help mitigate this kind of harm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eExperimental Interventions\u003c/u\u003e: Experimental interventions can introduce unexpected risks. UX design can help manage these risks by testing interventions in a controlled environment before implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eIntrusive Research Methods\u003c/u\u003e: Intrusive research methods can replicate aspects of surveillance capitalism, invade users\u0026rsquo; privacy, and cause harm. UX design can help mitigate this risk by using non-intrusive research methods.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eHuman Rights Considerations\u003c/u\u003e: Rights-respecting considerations are essential in UX design to avoid harm. Human rights provide specific principles enshrined in international declarations that should frame any design practice. Observing these principles ensures regulatory compliance and prevents alienating users, which can lead to negative repercussions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eLocal contexts and the limits of Open Source tooling\u003c/u\u003e: As mentioned above, what is considered high-risk is dependent on local context — geopolitical, cultural, linguistic, infrastructural, etc differences affect what high risk means for different users around the world. Predominant Open Source tools and security infrastructure are often premised on the local contexts that those teams know well, meaning they are biased toward more Western and/or better understood risk contexts, and thus can be inadequate for high-risk scenarios in other global contexts that are less well understood (particularly those that are highly censored and thus harder to get visibility into).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#part-2-assessing-risks--threats\"\u003ePart 2\u003c/a\u003e goes into the practices and methods you can employ when scoping threats.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"foregrounding-accessibility\"\u003eForegrounding accessibility\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003c!-- borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"bordered-box\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.a11ylab.com/?lang=EN\"\u003eAccessibility Lab\u003c/a\u003e for advising on and providing resources for this document.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA11y Lab is a company that seeks to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities through accessibility in the digital world. They work with public, private, and civil society organizations to promote and defend digital rights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA11y Lab provides many indispensable services to teams, companies, and organizations looking to take accessibility seriously. See their offerings \u003ca href=\"https://www.a11ylab.com/services\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- /borderedbox --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis section acts as a quick primer on accessibility in software design. We go more into detail about accessibility audits in \u003ca href=\"#part-3-usability--accessibility-audit\"\u003ePart 3\u003c/a\u003e of this document and the accompanying \u003ca href=\"/resources/superbloom-accessibility-and-usability-heuristic-review.pdf\"\u003eheuristic review\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it’s easy to understand why creating accessible software is important from an equity perspective, the most common factor limiting the accessibility of software is its treatment as an afterthought. The benefits of creating accessible user experiences are far reaching:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eSocial responsibility\u003c/u\u003e: we are responsible as creators of tools and products not to discriminate against potential users due to their physical or mental abilities.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eCompetitive advantage\u003c/u\u003e: the more people who can use your software, the more users you can have, and the more likely people are to choose your software over a competitor with fewer accessibility features.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eImproves SEO positioning and compatibility\u003c/u\u003e: the way that accessibility requirements are often coded into software inadvertently (but helpfully) improves the discoverability of your software on search engines.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eComplies with legislation\u003c/u\u003e: most countries in which we work have legislation requiring compliance with accessibility standards.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eSecurity\u003c/u\u003e: accessible online services offer efficient and secure options for everyday tasks.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eAutonomy\u003c/u\u003e: web accessibility improves everyone\u0026rsquo;s quality of life.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eEfficiency\u003c/u\u003e: good, accessible design factored into a development process early saves developers time and businesses money.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContrary to some belief, accessibility does not negatively affect design or security. Most requirements are not displayed to users who are not utilizing assistive technology, i.e. alternative text, tags on data entries, header tags, or language options.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/#abstract\"\u003eThe Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1)\u003c/a\u003e are the standard of compliance for accessibility online. They cover a wide range of recommendations for making Web content more accessible, and when implemented to their full extent, software creators can benefit from having the following acknowledgments:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.w3.org/WAI/planning/statements/\"\u003eAccessibility Statement\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/u\u003e: A powerful declaration of commitment which is normally available in the footer via a link and includes information about the platform’s accessibility.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eThe W3C Conformance logo\u003c/u\u003e: The platform indicates a claim of conformance to a specified conformance level of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 W3C, could be level A, AA or AAA.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"consciousness-raising\"\u003eConsciousness raising\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForegrounding accessibility in software practices may necessitate some consciousness raising amongst teams, which can help people to empathize with and understand better the severity of need for accessibility practice. \u003cu\u003eUnderstanding accessibility is often understanding new user personas.\u003c/u\u003e Of course, collaborating and testing with users with disabilities is the most ideal way to work on the accessibility of your project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eKey concepts and tools:\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eLearn from leaders in the field:\u003c/u\u003e Some large and popular companies are great examples of foregrounding accessibility (i.e. Apple). Learn from their approach.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eUse disability simulators, to help understand and empathize with different users’ needs.\u003c/u\u003e Some useful tools include:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.whocanuse.com/\"\u003eWhocanuse.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eLearning and using person-first language:\u003c/u\u003e i.e. “person with disabilities” rather than “disabled person.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003ePractice using digital tools that simulate accessibility needs:\u003c/u\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://accessibility.digital.gov/front-end/screen-reader/\"\u003eLearn how to navigate a webpage using only your keyboard\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearn how to use a screen reader, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R-6WvAihms\"\u003eVoiceOver on a Mac\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTry using a tool you’ve worked on while closing your eyes or covering the keyboard to test usability. You can use resources like \u003ca href=\"https://universaldesignguide.com/ability-prompt-cards/\"\u003eAbility Prompt Cards\u003c/a\u003e to help structure the activity.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnother way to raise your literacy around accessibility and disability justice is to familiarize yourself with the various \u003ca href=\"https://mn.gov/admin/at/getting-started/understanding-at/types/\"\u003etypes of Assistive Technology\u003c/a\u003e in use by millions of people around the world. Some common examples include:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.inclusive.com/uk/hardware/alternative-keyboards/high-visibility-keyboards.html\"\u003eHigh contrast keyboards\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.perkins.org/resource/introduction-7-common-adaptive-switches/\"\u003eAdaptive switches\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://abilitynet.org.uk/factsheets/keyboard-and-mouse-alternatives-and-adaptations\"\u003eAdaptations to mouse track pads\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.boia.org/blog/how-braille-displays-help-users-with-visual-impairments-access-the-web\"\u003eBraille displays\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.w3schools.com/accessibility/accessibility_screen_readers.php\"\u003eScreen readers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.accessibility.com/blog/a-guide-to-motion-and-eye-tracking-technology\"\u003eEye trackers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eZoom options\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://accessibleweb.com/assistive-technologies/assistive-technology-focus-sip-and-puff-devices/\"\u003eSip and puff\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apple-voice-control-adds-voice-accessibility-to-iphones-apple-computers-ios-macos/\"\u003eVoice control\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd more!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"part-1-knowing-your-users-and-yourself\"\u003ePart 1: Knowing your users and yourself\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"positionality-bias-and-cultural-context\"\u003ePositionality, bias, and cultural context\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDriving question: “How can we proactively identify our own biases and gaps in understanding stemming from team culture and positionality?”\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe acknowledge that our team and other teams employing the concepts in this framework may need additional support to highlight their gaps stemming from their own cultural viewpoint. Understanding that viewpoint means practicing self-awareness and reflecting on and understanding one’s own positionality related to the contexts, tools, and topics involved in the software at hand, and to the user groups it represents. Taking a meaningful step towards interrogating our own positionality, potential biases, and potential gaps helps to prevent harms that may arise from ignorance and/or unconscious discrimination.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow are some concrete exercises to start identifying bias and articulating positionality. These are focused on the questions “who am I?” and “who are we?” and how those answers reflect or don’t reflect the communities and users we’re intending to serve. Once articulated, how can we open ourselves to the perspectives and people we may be missing?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s important to note that bias itself isn’t the enemy. We will never be free from bias. But, we believe the purpose of identifying bias is to move towards underlying “design justice [that] seeks more than ‘freedom from bias.’” Because bias leads to real-world harm, interrupting bias helps us to “unpack the ways that intersecting forms of oppression, including patriarchy, white supremacy, ableism, and capitalism, are constantly hard-coded into designed objects, platforms, and systems\u003csup id=\"fnref:3\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e3\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce identified, one way to navigate identified gaps within ourselves is through cultural brokers. Cultural brokers can provide insider perspectives to enhance cultural relevance and prevent ethical pitfalls. Their mediation and interpretation is invaluable for creating an user experience that is responsible, inclusive, and respectful of the user\u0026rsquo;s rights and dignity. They can also help to employ a design process that seeks to care for a software team themselves. So, as this framework notes risk factors and mitigations associated in the use of a particular method, it identifies how a cultural broker might intervene/aid in a particular mitigation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/superbloom-positionality-worksheet.pdf\"\u003ePositionality worksheet\u003c/a\u003e: This worksheet helps to explain what positionality is, why it’s important for participatory research and design projects, and how it informs potential bias. It guides the reader to write their own positionality statement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@ProjectInkblot/how-to-begin-designing-for-diversity-41b6f9a7f8e4\"\u003eHow to begin designing for diversity\u003c/a\u003e: A guide from Jahan + Boyuan of Project Inkblot with helpful resources for positionality and diversity in design ideation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sdfsguide.medium.com/using-assumption-dumps-to-explore-design-diversity-564315dbc73e\"\u003eAssumption Dump\u003c/a\u003e: As a team, an assumption dump can help surface biases that may be unspoken within yourself or your project peers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://universaldesignguide.com/ability-prompt-cards/\"\u003eAbility Prompt Cards\u003c/a\u003e: These can be used for more than just accessibility awareness, but also to understand where our assumptions and ideas may be leaving people behind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/superbloom-cultural-brokering-guidelines.pdf\"\u003eGuidelines for Being a Cultural Broker\u003c/a\u003e: Cultural brokering is the act of bridging, linking, or mediating between groups or persons of different cultural backgrounds for the purpose of reducing conflict or producing change. This document outlines Superbloom’s approach to the practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net\"\u003eFreedom of the Net reports by Freedom House\u003c/a\u003e: Freedom of the Net reports are annual assessments of internet freedom around the world. They examine the state of digital rights, censorship, surveillance, and restrictions on online activities. These reports provide insights into the extent to which governments and other entities are limiting internet access and expression in various countries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.giswatch.org/\"\u003eGlobal Information Society Watch (GISWatch)\u003c/a\u003e: it is a collaborative platform that provides critical analysis and monitoring of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their impact on society. It focuses on issues related to internet governance, digital rights, and access to information, offering insights and reports from various contributors around the world. GISWatch aims to foster an inclusive, equitable, and open global information society by addressing key challenges in the digital age.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.accessnow.org/keepiton/\"\u003e#KeepItOn reports by Access Now\u003c/a\u003e: these reports are about documenting and raising awareness of internet shutdowns and disruptions around the world. These reports provide information on the extent and impact of government-imposed internet restrictions, with a focus on human rights violations, censorship, and the suppression of free expression.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"identifying-and-familiarizing-yourself-with-users\"\u003eIdentifying and familiarizing yourself with users\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDriving question: How can we rigorously understand the perspective of all potential segments of our users, not just the “intended” users?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is essential that software and evaluation teams develop a clear picture of who the target users are for the tool. Otherwise, there’s no standpoint from which to evaluate risk. Users include both those the team would like to encourage to use their tool, but also users who are likely to use the tool (or who are currently using it), even if they are outside of the group that the team would like to focus on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the desired user population should be the highest priority in evaluating usability, entirely ignoring probable or actual user populations will result in frustration for the development team when they receive a high volume of complaints from this “extra” population. Ignoring likely but unexpected users of tools with a security or privacy focus can also cause these users to be endangered when the threats they face are not the threats the tool protects against, if the tool does not help them understand this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources-to-identify-users\"\u003eResources to identify users\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003ePersona exercises\u003c/u\u003e enable tool teams to think through their potential user groups and create sample identities (called a “persona”) that can stand-in for the needs of larger groups of users. Some useful templates include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.servicedesigntoolkit.org/downloads.html\"\u003eService Design Toolkit Templates\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/persona-builder\"\u003eOk Thanks Persona Builder\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/persona-template-tech.pdf\"\u003eSuperbloom Persona Template\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/resources/ecosystem-mapping-exercise.pdf\"\u003eEcosystem or stakeholder map\u003c/a\u003e: helps you to understand the broader context within which your tool is being created, which includes users but also other stakeholders and people/ecosystems affected by your work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eEngaging with community boards and channels:\u003c/u\u003e Users tend to congregate online, especially when they face usability challenges (Twitter, StackOverflow, Reddit, Slack and Discord groups, etc can all be places where users communicate). Open Source projects often have the great advantage of engaged contributors and users who congregate on Github and other OSS channels. Use these channels to your advantage by treating them as ad-hoc user research repositories and direct lines of communication to user groups.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eSimulation Exercises:\u003c/u\u003e In the absence of direct access to users\u0026rsquo; lives, simulation exercises can offer insight into the realities of certain situations that we play out in theory in our minds. Physically playing out a scenario helps us understand users in relation to time, space and environment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eShadowing, Touchstone tours:\u003c/u\u003e If a user invites you into their experiences and environment you can shadow their behavior or take the opportunity to take a touch stone tour - where you ask the users to talk and walk you through their interactions with both software tools and their lived environment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"part-2-assessing-risks--threats\"\u003ePart 2: Assessing risks \u0026amp; threats\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDriving question: What vulnerabilities are there that may increase risks for either users or stakeholders?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce grounded in our own and our users’ perspectives and positionality, we can take our comprehension of risks and threats conceptually and move toward assessment and action. This section focuses on lines of inquiry and resources for doing threat modeling and risk assessment in projects and with project teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources-to-utilize-in-this-phase-include\"\u003eResources to utilize in this phase include:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/resources/superbloom-user-journey-mapping-template.pdf\"\u003eUser Journey mapping\u003c/a\u003e: A structured activity for charting users’ possible journeys to and through a tool, as a way to identify potential pain points and vulnerabilities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://tarotcardsoftech.artefactgroup.com/\"\u003eTarot Cards of Tech\u003c/a\u003e: A set of provocations to help think through different scenarios and your tool’s effect on society and users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/#resources\"\u003eDesign Under Pressure\u003c/a\u003e: a practical resource to help you and your team proactively create products and services that hold up under stress cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/superbloom-threat-modeling-template.pdf\"\u003eThreat modeling\u003c/a\u003e: a \u003ca href=\"https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Threat_Modeling_Cheat_Sheet.html\"\u003estructured approach\u003c/a\u003e of identifying and prioritizing potential threats to a system, and determining the value that potential mitigations would have in reducing or neutralizing those threats.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/persona-non-grata/\"\u003ePersonas non grata\u003c/a\u003e: ten people you probably don\u0026rsquo;t want in your product or service, but who are likely to find their way in anyway. A way to plan for potential malicious actors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/anxiety-games-template.pdf\"\u003eAnxiety games\u003c/a\u003e: a workshop created by Andrew Lovett-Barron for playing out different threat scenarios to help build resilience and proactive risk mitigation into your tool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://andrewlb.com/writing/2021-05-16-covid-anxiety/\"\u003eBlog post\u003c/a\u003e about the method.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://arcticwolf.com/resources/glossary/red-team-blue-team/#:~:text=Blue%20Team%20Exercise%3F-,A%20red%20team%20vs.,variety%20of%20pre%2Ddetermined%20scenarios.\"\u003eRed Team, Blue Team\u003c/a\u003e: exercise that helps scope security vulnerabilities and possible actions and interventions to prevent them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDocument reviews: can help teams know if their licenses, contracts, agreements, policies, and procedures are compliant, effective, and up-to-date.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOnce again, what we offer here is not a comprehensive introduction to security, privacy, and data handling best practices that ought to be in use in software projects. As a jumping off point, digital security training guidelines about day to day digital hygiene can be applied to developing and designing software. We like the guides from \u003ca href=\"https://freedom.press/training/\"\u003eFreedom of the Press Foundation\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/\"\u003eElectronic Frontier Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eUse the table below to walk through possible lines of inquiry and methods that may be useful to your exploration in this phase.\u003c/u\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Table: Assessing Risks and Threats --\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"customTable\"\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eAssessing Risks and Threats\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContext\u003c/strong\u003e: Your team is cautious. Your team needs to identify risks and vulnerabilities. You want to prevent harm to users and stakeholders early in development when mitigations are cheaper and easier to implement.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDriving question\u003c/strong\u003e: What vulnerabilities are there that may increase risks for either users or stakeholders?\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"toolbox-bottom-table\"\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eLines of inquiry\u003c/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eMethods\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eWhat motivated attackers or abuses should we plan for? Where are we vulnerable? What assets do we need to protect?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eThreat modeling\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eWhat potential risks or threats could impact the target user? Where are we most susceptible to ethical pitfalls or unintended societal consequences?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eAnxiety games\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eWhat risks could lead to failure down the line? How might our solution be misused?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eThreat modeling, anxiety games, Design Under Pressure\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eWhat are the key touchpoints and interactions that users have with the product? How can we visualize and analyze moments to intervene with mitigations in the user\u0026rsquo;s overall experience?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eJourney mapping\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eHow does data move through the software itself? Where might user data be exposed or vulnerable to malicious actors? How can we use mitigations to better enable data and enhance our users\u0026rsquo; goals?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eData flow mapping\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eHow can we create realistic representations that represent different potential threat actors or adversaries to understand their motivations, capabilities, and potential actions?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003ePersona non-grata\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eWhat are the needs, concerns, interests and expectations of stakeholders related to the software\u0026rsquo;s development? How do stakeholders want to be involved in the software\u0026rsquo;s development?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eStakeholder interviews\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eAre all of our licenses, contracts, agreements, policies, and procedures compliant? How effective are our internal controls?\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"text-align: left\"\u003eDocument review\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- Table: Assessing Risks and Threats --\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"part-3-usability--accessibility-audit\"\u003ePart 3: Usability \u0026amp; accessibility audit\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn accessibility audit on its own is beneficial because it can help organizations comply with accessibility standards and regulations, enhance user engagement, and improve SEO. We’ve found that an accessibility audit is a complementary process to an UX audit; they share a goal to improve user experience and each focuses on overlapping aspects of the software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere we have combined the best practices of a usability heuristic evaluation with an accessibility self-audit, while keeping privacy and security top-of-mind.  We believe that using this method, software teams can develop complementary findings, identifying a wider range of issues and opportunities for improvement which can help ensure their product or service is both usable and accessible to a broader range of users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease see this document: \u003ca href=\"/resources/superbloom-accessibility-and-usability-heuristic-review.pdf\"\u003eAccessibility and Usability Heuristic Review\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"outputs\"\u003eOutputs\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe output of a heuristic evaluation is a list of pain points. Each pain point should include information on the relative priority of the problem (e.g., “must fix before launch”, “fix soon”, “fix someday”), details on why it is painful (“users will expect X and be frustrated when they get Y”), and suggestions for improvement. In some cases it will not be possible for evaluators to directly suggest solutions, in which case they should aim to characterize what an improvement would look like (e.g., “this dialogue box should help the user understand A in addition to B”).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"glossary\"\u003eGlossary\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eAccessibility\u003c/u\u003e: The degree to which a product, service, or digital interface can be used effectively and comfortably by everyone, regardless of their abilities or the assistive technologies used. It ensures that all users can access and interact with the system without discrimination or barriers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eDigital Security\u003c/u\u003e: the practice of protecting digital information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. We often define security in function of a particular threat model: i.e. “is a program secure against threats A, B, and C?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design\u003c/u\u003e: insists on the same sovereignty and protection for the user of a product. In essence, this means respecting a user’s privacy and data, thinking about the digital rights of people across the world (instead of just in our own backyards), and designing for all\u003csup id=\"fnref:4\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:4\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e4\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu id=pii\u003ePersonal Identifiable Information (PII)\u003c/u\u003e: any data that could potentially identify a specific individual, either directly or indirectly. Examples include legal name, address, phone number, credit card and bank account numbers, passport and driver’s license numbers, social security numbers, etc.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eRisk Mitigation\u003c/u\u003e: The process of identifying and reducing potential risks or uncertainties associated with a project or product development. In the context of software development, it involves planning and implementing strategies to avoid or minimize potential negative impacts on the project\u0026rsquo;s success.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eThreat Modeling\u003c/u\u003e: A way of thinking about the sorts of protection you want for your data so you can decide which potential threats you are going to take seriously. Coming up with a set of possible threats you plan to protect against is called threat modeling, or assessing your risks. While it’s impossible to protect against every kind of trick or adversary, threat modeling enables users to envision possible scenarios on a scale of likely to less likely, and plan accordingly\u003csup id=\"fnref:5\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:5\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e5\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eTrauma\u003c/u\u003e: A complex, disruptive, and painful phenomena that people experience individually and collectively from abuse, deprivation, neglect, violence, or other violation of their basic needs and human rights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eTrigger experience\u003c/u\u003e: Not all people who experience trauma experience triggers. It results in greatly reduced capacity for the duration of the person’s response. This experience is frequently, but not always, terrifying for the person involved. It can be extremely difficult for people around the person who is triggered, too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eTriggered/trigger response\u003c/u\u003e: A person’s extreme, involuntary, rapid, physiological and mental response to an experience that the amygdala, or ‘reptilian’ part of their brain, has associated with an earlier trauma. Being triggered renders important parts of a person’s physiological and mental capacity temporarily non-functional.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eUsability\u003c/u\u003e: The measure of how easy and efficient it is for users to achieve their goals when interacting with a product, system, or interface. Usability focuses on aspects such as learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and user satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"types-of-bias\"\u003eTypes of Bias\u003csup id=\"fnref:6\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:6\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e6\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eConfirmation Bias\u003c/u\u003e: The tendency to favor information that confirms one\u0026rsquo;s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses while ignoring or downplaying contradictory evidence. It can lead to skewed research results and erroneous conclusions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eCultural Bias\u003c/u\u003e: The tendency to interpret information and experiences based on one\u0026rsquo;s own cultural background, leading to potential misinterpretations or misunderstandings when designing products for users from different cultural backgrounds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eNegativity Bias\u003c/u\u003e: The psychological tendency for people to pay more attention to and be influenced by negative information or experiences than positive ones. In UX research, this bias can impact how users perceive and evaluate a product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eObservational Bias\u003c/u\u003e: A bias that occurs when a researcher\u0026rsquo;s preconceived notions or expectations influence their observations and interpretations during a study. It can unintentionally affect the objectivity and validity of the research findings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eRecency Bias\u003c/u\u003e: The cognitive bias that gives more weight to recent events or experiences when making decisions or judgments, often overshadowing older or more distant information. In UX research, it can affect how users recall and evaluate their experiences with a product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003eSegmentation Bias\u003c/u\u003e: A bias that arises when researchers make generalizations about a diverse group of users based on the behaviors or preferences of a specific subgroup within that larger group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"appendix-a---how-to-prioritize-expert-audit-outputs\"\u003eAppendix A - How to Prioritize Expert Audit Outputs\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"upon-receiving-the-report\"\u003eUpon receiving the report\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview the audit report then try to identify the specific accessibility violations that need to be addressed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrioritize the violations based on their severity and impact on users. For example, violations that affect the most critical functions of the product or service should be addressed first.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor each violation, create or edit the user story that describes the problem and its impact on users.\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdentify or create a (proto)persona to be the subject of the user story\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"implementation-of-solutions\"\u003eImplementation of solutions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWork with the development team to ensure that the design solutions are implemented and tested to ensure they meet accessibility standards.\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop design solutions that address the violations and improve the accessibility of the product or service. This may involve working with developers to implement changes to the user interface, such as adding alt text to images or providing alternative text for non-text content.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"testing-of-solutions\"\u003eTesting of solutions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConduct user testing with people with disabilities to ensure that the design solutions are effective and meet their needs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContinuously monitor and evaluate the accessibility of the product or service and make adjustments as needed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"footnotes\"\u003eFootnotes\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\"\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:1\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/#abstract\"\u003eThe Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1)\u003c/a\u003e are the standard of compliance for accessibility online. They cover a wide range of recommendations for making Web content more accessible. For more information about incorporating accessibility standards, see \u003ca href=\"https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/#abstract\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:2\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdapted from EFF definition of \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/glossary/threat-model\"\u003ethreat model\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:3\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://designjustice.mitpress.mit.edu/pub/3h2zq86d/release/1?from=40310\u0026amp;to=40670\"\u003ehttps://designjustice.mitpress.mit.edu/pub/3h2zq86d/release/1?from=40310\u0026amp;to=40670\u003c/a\u003e\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:4\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDefinition from \u003ca href=\"https://www.humanrightscentered.design/glossary\"\u003ehttps://www.humanrightscentered.design/glossary\u003c/a\u003e\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:4\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:5\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdapted from EFF: \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/glossary/threat-model\"\u003ehttps://ssd.eff.org/glossary/threat-model\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:5\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:6\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more on cognitive bias in design, we recommend David Dylan Thomas’s \u003ca href=\"https://abookapart.com/products/design-for-cognitive-bias\"\u003eDesign for Cognitive Bias\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:6\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Open Design Workshop at COSCUP 2023: Understanding Internet Shutdowns and How Design Can Improve Tools",
            "date_published": "2023-10-27T00:00:59-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-27T00:00:59-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/open-design-workshop-at-coscup-2023-understanding-internet-shutdowns-and-how-design-can-improve-tools/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/open-design-workshop-at-coscup-2023-understanding-internet-shutdowns-and-how-design-can-improve-tools/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_9_hu_7f0350912817f28.png\" alt=\"A photo of \u0026ldquo;The Design We Open\u0026rdquo; workshop in Taiwan at COSCUP 2023. There are 20 plus people gathered around a table with laptops, sticky notes and writing on the tables from the workshop. Everyone is looking towards the camera and some people are smiling.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt COSCUP 2023, we held a workshop \u003ca href=\"https://coscup.org/2023/en/session/FYPKL9\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;The Design We Open - Network Disruption Hackathon\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e (The Design We Open Workshop - 網路中斷黑客松), a workshop focused on how we, as designers and configurers of technology for human rights needs can better understand Taiwanese citizens\u0026rsquo; understanding and experiences of internet shutdowns, and what is important in a partial or full internet shutdown.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAll of the openly available resources created at our workshop in Miro (an online white-board tool) are \u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVM3Baplg=/?share_link_id=900816932790\"\u003eavailable to view\u003c/a\u003e; a backup version was downloaded in September 2023. You can explore the \u003ca href=\"https://hackmd.io/5W_UE4J3Q_O7IRNx9xfPEQ\"\u003eHackMD notes from the workshop\u003c/a\u003e and read the details of the session on the \u003ca href=\"https://coscup.org/2023/en/session/FYPKL9\"\u003e2023 COSCUP schedule\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"planning-and-preparing-a-oss-and-design-workshop-for-internet-shutdowns\"\u003ePlanning and preparing a OSS and design workshop for internet shutdowns\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://coscup.org/\"\u003eCOSCUP\u003c/a\u003e is a large, international, open source conference that has been running for as long as, or almost as long as \u003ca href=\"https://fosdem.org/\"\u003eFOSDEM\u003c/a\u003e. It predominantly serves and is rooted in the Taiwanese and broader east Asian open source community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year Superbloom put forward a proposal that combines design, OSS and human rights in a workshop at COSCUP which was hosted at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ntust.edu.tw/\"\u003eNational Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) in Taipei\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe COSCUP event is divided into a number of different areas or tracks, run by a community that chooses different track focuses. We hosted our workshop in the Open Design track and it was the second year an Open Design track was held at COSCUP. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe called the workshop \u003ca href=\"https://coscup.org/2023/en/session/FYPKL9\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;The Design We Open - Network Disruption Hackathon\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e (The Design We Open Workshop - 網路中斷黑客松). Our workshop focused on how we, as designers and configurers of technology for human rights needs can better understand Taiwanese citizens\u0026rsquo; understanding and experiences of internet shutdowns, and what is important in a partial or full internet shutdown. The extended aim of the workshop was to bring together designers, OSS contributors, human rights advocates and concerned citizens to explore and communicate the opportunities and innovations that could be built to support continued, uncensored access to the open internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Superbloom, we know that internet shutdowns have been increasing around the world, affecting more and more people. Building on our \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/learnings-from-the-otf-shutdowns-getdown-gathering-2022/\"\u003etakeaways from a convening on internet shutdowns in 2022\u003c/a\u003e we have been exploring ways to better understand the global impact of internet shutdowns, how they affect people, and the open source tools that people and human rights activists need to access in order to develop resilience around and combat in response to a shutdown. For the COSCUP workshop, our goal was to attract not just technologists who build open source software for internet shutdown scenarios, but also other stakeholders who can contribute, e.g. designers, community organizers, and other kinds of practitioners who haven’t been as involved previously. We created a space where this diverse group of practitioners could share their experiences, co-create, and contribute input for how these tools and scenarios can be better designed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a wealth of knowledge within the open source and human rights technology design community which can be leveraged to make human rights tools more user centered, usable and accessible by everyone. At Superbloom, we believe that creating bridges between stakeholder groups within shared cultural contexts provides insights that can lead to critical improvements as well as contribute to improvements that are globally relevant.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are dedicated to ensuring that the work needed to connect these different communities is well-facilitated and supported. One of our main aims in the workshop was to make sure that designers from a community that may not have as much experience with open source software or with human rights technology were able to offer their design expertise alongside their experience of residing in Taiwan/east Asia. This facilitation and community gathering work often goes unnoticed and unsupported. Critical human rights topics can be better tackled as a coordinated effort by bringing together different communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen designing workshops for open source conferences we don’t know who will attend which sometimes makes it difficult to plan. Furthermore, we wanted the COSCUP workshop to be friendly and accessible to beginners. As such, we had many conversations with the organizers of the Open Design track and the volunteers helping us, to better understand their aims and how the workshop sits within the event.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite having a sign-up process, we didn’t plan to “gate keep” participants. If attendees didn\u0026rsquo;t have a certain level of skill, we would not exclude them. We wanted to make sure this was open and available for all kinds of people; people with a lot of design expertise, people with not a lot of design knowledge, people versed in open source, and people with not a lot of open source knowledge. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the ways we were successful in bringing many more designers into the space was in partnering with IxDA Taiwan. IxDA Taiwan brought an understanding of the design processes that made sense within Taiwan and supported attendees\u0026rsquo; understanding of designing for tools which they may not have a lot of experience with. While incredibly knowledgeable in design practices, designers and IxDA team members are not as knowledgeable in the design practices that work for human rights tools and internet shutdown scenarios.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is where Superbloom brought its unique expertise to the workshop. We design and build technology for human rights uses, for human rights activists and for internet shutdown scenarios on a daily basis. We are immersed in this knowledge and practice. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile a lot of designers\u0026rsquo; knowledge and expertise is transferable into the human rights technology space, there needs to be more effort and support given to people who can be the facilitators and custodians of the bridges between skills and domains, and who can advise where those skills can be applied. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the design workshop activities were not necessarily new or ground breaking in technique, but as mentioned above, bringing together designers within the internet shutdown scenario space in an open source environment was the most groundbreaking part of the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"introductions-and-icebreaker\"\u003eIntroductions and icebreaker\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe began by introducing Superbloom and ourselves as facilitators, and the IxDA Taiwan team did the same. We started with an icebreaker activity to make sure that people didn’t necessarily gravitate towards the group in which they felt most comfortable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"human-rights-tools-demo\"\u003eHuman rights tools demo\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter groups were formed, we demoed key human rights technologies and open source software tools, explaining how and why they are used. We focussed on tools that can be used offline, and also tools that have limited capabilities when there is a patchy internet connection. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo gain insight, we brainstormed tools the participants knew about that could be used in internet shutdown scenarios. Participants suggested technology tools and also \u0026ldquo;low tech tools\u0026rdquo; such as ham radio or pen and paper to deliver messages to different people. Other suggested tools were: BB calls, drones, block chain, physical letters, radio messages, Starlink, satellite phones, Bridgefy, Lalamove and Telegram.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_2_hu_a65aeff40533c30b.png\" alt=\"An image that shows many virtual sticky notes on a canvas. The writing is in Mandarin and English and lists various technologies and processes that people thought could be useful during internet shutdowns.\" width=\"740\" height=\"595\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"personas-discussion\"\u003ePersonas discussion\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe then moved into a segment around a series of personas we had prepared. These personas were intended to \u0026ldquo;spark ideas\u0026rdquo; and were there to be remixed and edited by workshop participants. This was the first activity the attendees worked on together in their groups. We asked them to read the personas as well as the various internet shutdown scenarios we had prepared and to choose which ones they wanted to focus on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the tool knowledge from the demos, sample personas and scenarios workshop segments, we asked participants to adapt and amend the personas and scenarios we presented, or to come up with completely new scenarios. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of the scenarios given were:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA user persona is covering a student-led protest about surveillance technology for her journalism job.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA user persona is trying to access information about relocation in case content might be blocked via an internet shutdown. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA user persona is being harassed and bullied online and needs to document what has happened and what is happening in order to send out the information to contacts before social media is blocked and her VPN stops working.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_3_hu_f8dc5e9bdcbb4376.png\" alt=\"An image of virtual sticky notes detailing persona scenarios.\" width=\"740\" height=\"455\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur personas followed a few different conventions, and participants were able to bring unique Taiwanese and East Asian perspectives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the personas we put forward:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA journalist and activist who identifies as a woman. She is a well-informed activist who stays up-to-date on current events and the latest news, and she has been targeted by the government and other entities. She uses a lot of chat applications to talk with contacts, and she writes a lot of articles that are not only critical of the government, but also talk about sensitive topics that governments and other entities would prefer citizens don’t talk about openly.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn older computer science literate blogger and activist who has previously been surveilled and visited by Government authorities, detained and received many phishing articles after posting articles critical of government authorities around technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA women\u0026rsquo;s and LGBTQ+ rights activist who works with students and other local women, advising them and funding them, as well as finding funding opportunities for them. In this role she supports a lot of different community members, and her needs were mostly around moving from a more typical role within society to a sensitive, high risk role via the nature of the work she\u0026rsquo;s doing in the personas. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_4_hu_e00ad7b8150156b8.png\" alt=\"An image of two different personas. One a computer scientist in academia that has been critical of the government, and the other a journalist who covers protests and social movements.\" width=\"740\" height=\"636\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSections detailed who they were and what they needed, what could hurt them, and their goals and struggles. The difference between what they need, what could hurt them and their struggles are often fuzzy. Trying to better understand what the person is going through is critical in order to better design tools for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also provided past user feedback from different human rights and internet shutdown related tools. We talked about the existing UI standards for human rights technology and current different circumvention tools. These are often not user-informed and have complex UIs and complex functions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first half of the workshop mostly included understanding information, information gathering, and coming together as teams to better understand the problems. Before we simulated an internet shutdown, we asked workshop attendees to report to the group on their personas and their scenario. During the simulation, we asked participants to switch off the internet on their phone and various devices. This was to help those who have never experienced a situation without internet connectivity to better understand what it\u0026rsquo;s like, and how they might perform typical communications and technology tasks when they cannot rely on the internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"user-journey-mapping-exercises\"\u003eUser journey mapping exercises\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the remainder of the workshop we took the persona, scenarios and understanding of OSS technologies, and used these to do user journey mapping exercises. We did this because we find these exercises to be profound within the internet shutdowns and circumvention tool scenarios, because it is where we find critical intervention points in tool usage. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_5_hu_8586c481061121a9.png\" alt=\"This image shows a persona written and edited by a team at the workshop and their user journey map taking shape on large sheets of paper stuck on the wall with sticky notes in different sections of a user journey map.\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe user journey mapping exercise mostly included conversations about the different kinds of actions and choices that can be made during a large protest, or when being tracked and monitored by malicious entities, as a lot of people don’t have experience in what it\u0026rsquo;s like to experience these scenarios.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the workshop, we encouraged participants to think about the different possibilities, and to pick the route their chosen persona would most likely and logically take when faced with a user choice. There are not necessarily any incorrect routes. All routes of a user journey map are worth mapping, so that we can discover as many uses of tools as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants at workshops such as these will always greatly benefit from people with first hand experience of the high-risk human rights cases the personas were mapping. Lack of first-hand experience is a consistent challenge in delivering design and technology workshops of this kind. This is typically because we must ensure the safety of people who have experienced human rights abuses and internet shutdowns while still inviting them to workshops in order for them to offer their experiences and expertise. This can be a big ask of their time and resources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSensitive to these dynamics, we step in and offer our own knowledge as a substitute for some of these first-hand experiences. This way, participants can ask us questions about the work we\u0026rsquo;ve done around these high-risk user situations and the choices they may make. We also encouraged the workshop participants to do research in whichever way they are able in order to map and model the different routes that could be open to the users for the user journey.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_6_hu_223712ab3921cf10.png\" alt=\"An image of one team\u0026rsquo;s journey map which maps a protest scenario when the internet is shutdown.\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen teams were satisfied with their user journey maps, we invited them to find a critical point of intervention in order to explore what they could do to improve a tool or the experience of a user within the scenario.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"finding-critical-moments-in-user-journey\"\u003eFinding critical moments in user journey\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the workshop we used an example of a critical point of intervention we found within a protest internet shutdown scenario. We discovered a go-to behavior when the internet is shut off and the user still has access to a messaging application. This is where, despite the internet being \u0026ldquo;off\u0026rdquo;, users will still scroll their applications and message history while waiting to see if the messages go through. Here we found an important point of intervention. As users are unable to send critical files of information, they can scroll their chat history and \u0026ldquo;rediscover\u0026rdquo; files and information which may be useful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere, the intervention was the act of sending essential information when the internet is \u0026ldquo;on\u0026rdquo; in case they need this information when the internet is \u0026ldquo;off\u0026rdquo;. This is what we learned through user journey mapping.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_7_hu_a4147f8f188d4410.png\" alt=\"An image of the room during the workshop. People are sitting in seats as they listen while others present their journey maps.\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ideation-and-design\"\u003eIdeation and design\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorkshop participants found a number of critical points of intervention throughout the workshop and mapped a series of different interventions, from localized mesh networks to using taxi drivers to understand the layout of a city and deliver messages. Participants designed a variety of solutions that included software, hardware tools, utilizing existing tools and creating new technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUser experience interventions were developed such as pinning information at the top of messaging tools, and messaging applications automatically pinning when \u0026ldquo;offline\u0026rdquo; on that device.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_understanding_internet_shutdowns_image_8_hu_c7e6c7498fe0a4e.png\" alt=\"An image of one team\u0026rsquo;s prototype intervention with sketches. This idea utilized taxi drivers to find and distribute safe locations to civilians.\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"looking-ahead\"\u003eLooking ahead\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn future internet shutdowns focused workshops, we would like to directly apply our learnings to the technology at hand. However, it would be much more useful if people who have experienced these scenarios and/or the tools creation teams are present. In order to close this gap, we will invite technology tool teams to workshops where direct tool interventions can be made live in an open source way. This is how we can develop and build on the success of this workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo sum up, we really enjoyed attending COSCUP 2023 and meeting all of the participants. We appreciate their dedication and full participation in the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ixda.org.tw/\"\u003eIxDA Taiwan\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://coscup.org/\"\u003eCOSCUP\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ntust.edu.tw/home.php?Lang=en\"\u003eNational Taiwan University of Science and Technology\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Policy to Pixels",
            "date_published": "2023-10-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/policy-to-pixels/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/policy-to-pixels/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Six Key Tenets for Open Source Designers",
            "date_published": "2023-10-06T19:49:06-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-06T19:49:06-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/six-key-tenets-for-open-source-designers/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/six-key-tenets-for-open-source-designers/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_six_key_tenets_for_open_source_designers_hu_3c6562463a2b468c.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing a designer in Open Source (OS) isn’t always easy or straightforward, neither is it the same for all designers. Different open source projects are set up differently, hence demand different outputs and engagements from designers. In this blog, we list the six main tenets for a successful design contribution to OS projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigners in Open Source may have their own reasons to be a part of OS, but if you’re new or still figuring out why you want to be in OS and how to make your way in, there are many helpful resources such as:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://designerup.co/blog/contributing-to-open-source-for-designers/\"\u003eThis blog post\u003c/a\u003e written by DesignerUP which introduces the reader to Open Source, areas of contribution for designers in Open Source, how to find a project, mistakes to avoid and lots more.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://opensource.guide/how-to-contribute/\"\u003eThis guide\u003c/a\u003e which details the context required to contribute, and walks you through how to contribute to Open Source.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.rocket.chat/blog/open-source-projects\"\u003eThis article\u003c/a\u003e, which lists a number of Open Source projects, each with a brief description, and goes on to talk about why you should contribute to Open Source.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://learnwithnie.hashnode.dev/beginners-guide-to-open-source-design\"\u003eThis article\u003c/a\u003e written by Victory Brown details some of the cultural and community aspects of joining an Open Source project for the first time as a designer.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5QTs8oRFZE\"\u003ethis talk\u003c/a\u003e by Abigail Makolo speaks about her experiences of contributing to Open Source as a designer and the “hacks” she learned.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s a reason why we’re still talking about why and how to contribute to Open Source which is about a lot more than becoming a better contributor or designer within the Open Source ecosystem. This is because the Open Source design community isn’t at a scale that can sustainably respond to Open Source design needs. There are still very few designers who have reached a stage where they feel comfortable cold-approaching an Open Source project to offer their contribution. These designers continue to self-learn and borrow design practices from the for-profit world and adapt it for Open Source and human rights centered design. Design in Open Source and Human Rights is an evolving practice that is slowed by the limited resources offered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough this is a difficult space in which to practice design, we have compiled six tenets for designers to keep in mind when contributing to or working in Open Source. Although these can benefit any designer, they have been structured and written from an Open Source design perspective:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"1-center-the-users-in-your-thinking\"\u003e1. Center the users in your thinking\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers are the reason we produce design. Everything we produce is centered around solving the user’s problems. There may be users we don’t have an opportunity to interact with, especially for those of us who aren’t full-time designers on an Open Source project. To overcome this, we can try to learn user perspectives from “support issues”, user forums, project communication channels, such as Slack, Discord, Discourse etc, and even from developers and other team members who may previously have interacted with the users. Learning about users means making design decisions about our Open Source Software that makes sense to the users. The continued return on design effort investment is expressed in the form of features and commands being more regularly used and contributed to. The more detail we have about our users, the better decisions we can make about our designs. User needs aren’t only about designing a working solution within the technical or usability bounds of the software but also about considering their security, privacy, inclusion, accessibility, and diversity needs. Those users who belong to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH1Na9OW-Bg\u0026amp;t=7s\"\u003eedge cases (or stress cases) for a product\u003c/a\u003e, or even those not to design it for. The only way for a designer to make these considerations a regular part of their work is to learn and practice them continuously. When we don’t, it is not easy to make it a part of the design process as it’s not included in our project planning, estimates or conversations with stakeholders. Ergo, it will be difficult to uphold why these considerations need attention and how they support product/business goals. All users are important users of Open Source Software, whether it is the people that use the tools, coders, designers or contributors, therefore we must keep in mind everyone that is affected by our work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eExample:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA GitHub issue for an Open Source project did not list any details or provide clarity about user behavior required for the design. As designers, we elaborated on the issue and added more context by bringing in users’ points of view via user stories and their journey using the product. Detailing a GitHub issue in such a manner is a valid contribution to the project and it shows that we’re thinking about the users. In another case, we ran a user journey mapping exercise to discover specific pain points and moments when the product could intervene in a users’ life to solve their problem. Designing around such moments is a great way to make our design contributions to Open Source Software user centric. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn another example, \u003ca href=\"https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/12\"\u003ehere’s a talk\u003c/a\u003e by Abhishek Sharma about working with users while designing an Open Source product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"2-learn-the-ways-of-a-developer\"\u003e2. Learn the ways of a developer\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWait, why are developers in second position? The collaboration and respect between designers and developers is critical to building widely useful Open Source Software. Developers perform an essential role because they implement design solutions, add technical constraints or opportunities and bring design concepts to life for the users. Learning about how they work and what is important to them makes us better design contributors, and we can learn a lot from them, especially if they’ve worked with other designers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are some things we can only learn by working with developers, such as understanding the feasibility of our designs with the tech stack the product is built on. There’s little point getting into a debate or argument with a developer about why our ideas are the best solution for the users when the complexity and effort needed to build within the current tech stack hasn’t been considered. Developers will always have multiple priorities, therefore we must create design alternatives that work well for users and that are feasible to develop. We need perseverance for some ideas more than others to help the developers understand and agree to build them. And sometimes we have to totally revise an idea. All of this is a part of product development (regardless of whether it is Open Source!). The best solution always wins and it’s not about us versus the developer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our product experience we try to keep a healthy mix of finding alternatives and pressing for an idea. Shipping a feature or solution is the most essential part of the job so that the product is useful. We frequently need to work with developers to iterate on an idea — this means that the most usable or ideal version of an idea won’t be shipped in one go; rather it is shipped in multiple release cycles. It’s normal to wait up to two years for a feature to go live in Open Source Software! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorking with developers isn’t just about handing off our designs, it’s about building a partnership with them. In many cases we may not be able to interact directly with developers, and we need to make sure our ideas are explained clearly in writing (or via a recorded video of our screen while explaining the design) to facilitate hand-off of our designs. This should include a detailed description of the solution with comments, annotations and prototype, along with our assumptions and user considerations. This should be done in such a way that developers can understand the journey we’ve taken to arrive at a solution, and shouldn’t require a live presentation of our work. Developers who have worked with other designers are able to understand where we’re coming from even before we have explained ourselves. They will appreciate our work, be able to provide constructive criticism and understand our point of view. If they haven’t worked a lot with other designers, they may only be able to share their own perspectives which can still be useful if we learn or ask questions about why a design feature is not possible. Most of the time we will find a solution that the developer and we are both happy with. At the same time, it is sometimes frustrating when we’re unable to implement ideas in the way we want. In these moments work collaboratively to find a solution both parties agree with.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eExamples of Superbloom’s work with developers in previous projects:\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsing the “Five Whys” method, we used this Superbloom resource “\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/synthesis-for-open-source/\"\u003eSynthesis for Open-Source\u003c/a\u003e” to help developers undertake various user centric tasks such as user testing, recruiting users, planning, and operations, to synthesize findings from users. This resource is not about getting developers to do design work, rather, it’s part of a collaborative effort to sensitize each to one another’s processes. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDuring the research phase of our \u003ca href=\"https://user-project.superbloom.design/\"\u003eUSER project\u003c/a\u003e, we discovered various points of view and patterns around how scientific Open Source projects and the developers working on them view usability and design. The project investigates the conditions that enable scientific open source teams to prioritize and focus successfully on usability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"3-think-about-assets-and-design-documentation\"\u003e3. Think about assets and design documentation\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is how we can get our ideas and solutions across to developers, users, product managers or any other stakeholders we’re working with. It includes our:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePenpot or Figma file\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocumentation of user stories\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunicating on GitHub or other channels\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeasurement metrics\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAssumptions and considerations\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocumentation for another designer to collaborate\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of these help to explain our design specifications, why the design works and how someone can contribute. Assets also include our design systems, grids, components, and everything else we create for a handoff to developers or other designers. In our experience it has been a valuable investment to set up component libraries and design systems at the start of a project even if it’s just one component. It doesn’t have to be a complete, extensive, all encompassing design system at the outset. It’s about laying down the foundation with our atoms and molecules (\u003ca href=\"https://atomicdesign.bradfrost.com/\"\u003eBrad Frost’s atomic design\u003c/a\u003e) in place. We can always go back and edit as and when the designs change, however, it is useful to set them in place so that we don’t have to spend a lot of time managing changes across our design file even for minor changes. If we aren’t building a custom design system for a project, we can also benefit from Open Source design systems such as Material UI Design or paid libraries. Today, really advanced tools such as \u003ca href=\"https://penpot.app/\"\u003ePenpot\u003c/a\u003e (an Open Source prototyping tool we can use in a browser), or \u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/\"\u003eFigma\u003c/a\u003e, enable this type of work and these tools are always being improved. Therefore, make all design assets easy to read, understand and access by anyone — there’s usability to our assets too! We may even user test it if we’re really driven to produce high quality work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/file/GLg0zPNnwMEGIb9TytCrxQ/Resilience-App?type=design\u0026amp;node-id=1257-553\u0026amp;mode=design\u0026amp;t=ffcf1oKyqCaZZUIf-0\"\u003ean example\u003c/a\u003e of documentation that enables designers and other stakeholders to navigate and use a design file. This documents the team structure, areas for contribution, and even some instructions for collaborating in Figma!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn another instance, we helped discover insights about the requirements from a user perspective by talking to users and updating GitHub issues. This asset helped everyone involved in the project to make the right product decisions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"4-think-about-other-designers\"\u003e4. Think about other designers\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEarly in my career, I designed with the sole intention of communicating an idea to a team and developers by putting together screen grabs and annotations, or only designing a part of the screen, as if there was no need for the UI once it was built and added to the product. I soon realized this was a very short-sighted view of my design contributions. This method made it hard for other designers to use my designs, and made it challenging to reuse them or build on top of them. I took this approach because:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI didn’t have the required time or budget to do the design properly\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI wanted to optimize the design process and work for myself\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI didn’t know the bigger picture of the product and the extent of contributions required from me\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI didn’t have opportunities to collaborate with other designers\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s good to design on the basis that we may not contribute to a project forever and therefore set up the designs in a way that we can easily pass the baton onto other designers. This connects to the previous point about how we set up our assets and documents. When we step outside the established “norm” of designers being solo creative geniuses, and look at a bigger, collaborative, co-designed picture, our actions and approach towards the project changes. We start paying more attention to documentation, asset creation and keeping our work clean and proper at all times. Thinking about our designer community also makes the project more sustainable from a design perspective. This means that we may have to size up the project and estimate the number of tasks, and how long they will take. With a little practice, this becomes second nature.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThinking about other designers enables us to be welcoming to them and may also help onboard and mentor them or learn from them ourselves.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nExample: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW62cVDckO4\u0026amp;list=PLwz4EueITgvmJzrNWbGkAMeDVLlOWQuch\"\u003eHere’s a talk by Eriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e about how they enabled onboarding of designers into OSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"5-think-about-the-product-business-and-domain\"\u003e5. Think about the product, business and domain\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a Superbloom research project, we found that one of the foremost roadblocks or challenges to valuable design contributions is a lack of understanding of the domain, business and users. For example, a designer contributing to a scientific research OSS in biochemistry must also understand a few things about biochemistry and how its users, the scientists, work. Each domain has its nuances and may require different design principles and approaches. It’s not something that can’t be learnt but it can be demanding. A designer’s work is not just about the screens and User Interface, we help people achieve their goals. Therefore, from a goals perspective, it’s crucial that OSS designers understand what is feasible to build and how to build it. It may not be easy to find designers who are familiar with the subject matter and so it becomes a product team’s responsibility to nurture a designer in their domain. A designer must also decide which domain, product or business they wish to contribute to. It’s worth considering which domain we want to work in long term, for example, messaging, productivity, social tech, healthcare, scientific research etc… so that we remain interested even when we change projects. But for those getting started, start anywhere! There are many opportunities and we can always change our trajectory later!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"6-think-about-the-community\"\u003e6. Think about the community\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA community approach and building together is at the heart of Open Source Software (not just for coders!). This may seem like an extension of thinking about the users or other designers, but there’s more to it. It manifests by creating resources for the community, sometimes beyond our OSS design team and domain. We can create learning materials, design systems, a components library, illustrations etc. For designers who may be starting out — it’s never too early to think about the extended Open Source community. To those more focused on their career and growth, — it’s never too late! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many other ways to contribute to the community e.g. participating in community events, networking with others, sharing job/work opportunities, adopting, translating and localizing resources for your region, exchanging ideas and learning with community members.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eExample:\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth \u003ca href=\"https://opensourcedesign.net/\"\u003eOpen Source Design\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/#community-building\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e have channels where many folks from the Open Source community hang out, interact and participate, and the \u003ca href=\"https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/\"\u003eSustain Open Source Design\u003c/a\u003e podcast is a space to talk about OSS experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo sum up, it may not always be possible to balance these six tenets at all times during our work, but to make our contributions long lasting and sustainable, we have to keep trying!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCredits: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/abhishek/\"\u003eAbhishek Sharma\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/eriol/\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "The Secret Life of Open Source Designers",
            "date_published": "2023-10-04T21:18:52-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T21:18:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-secret-life-of-open-source-designers/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-secret-life-of-open-source-designers/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_designers_in_oss_image_1_hu_b99cf18cc4d095e0.png\" alt=\"n illustration of a person with shoulder length hair facing away from the camera sitting on a chair at a laptop with an open book next to them. The text reads “A summary of diary studies from designers who contribute to Open Source Software”\" width=\"740\" height=\"488\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"a-summary-of-diary-studies-from-designers-who-contribute-to-open-source-software\"\u003eA summary of diary studies from designers who contribute to Open Source Software\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe aim of this short research project was to investigate some of the key questions relating to design in OSS and fill some of the larger systemic \u0026ldquo;gaps\u0026rdquo; of information from non-code contributors\u0026rsquo; experiences in OSS. There is existing research about designers in open source, but it has focused on analysis of data on issue trackers or interviews with designers. Thus, longitudinal, qualitative analysis of everyday activities are missing. We planned this research as a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/articles/diary-studies/\"\u003ediary study\u003c/a\u003e. This also enabled participants to describe their experiences in a safe environment and through anonymous, privacy respecting means. We were able to award a stipend to a sample of designers who recorded in their diaries. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur research was enabled by an OCEAN grant (\u003ca href=\"https://vermontcomplexsystems.org/partner/OCEAN/awards/\"\u003eOpen-Source Ecosystems and Networks Research Awards program\u003c/a\u003e) awarded to superbloom in 2022 by the Vermont Complex Systems Center at The University of Vermont.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis blog post is an overview of our OSS designer diary study findings  and you can find the full \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/blob/main/findings-report.md\"\u003efindings report in our repository on GitHub\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"study-structure\"\u003eStudy structure\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to obtain an understanding of our participants, we started the study with a series of semi-structured interviews lasting approximately forty five minutes. Moving into the study we asked the designers a series of weekly questions and they used Google Forms to record their weekly OSS diary submissions. They could also use free form documents, audio recordings or video recordings to do this. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"an-idea-of-who-we-studied-and-the-oss-that-was-contributed-to\"\u003eAn idea of who we studied and the OSS that was contributed to\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe published an open call for designers to participate in a diary study and selected as many globally distributed people as possible. Our participants were from and reside in: Canada, USA, Nigeria, Brazil and the Netherlands. Our participants were sixty percent women identifying and forty percent men identifying. Sixty per cent of participants were early in their design (and OSS) careers and forty percent were postgraduate students. All of our study participants had been contributing to OSS for at least one year. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_designers_in_oss_image_2_hu_e39d1b3c50ecef97.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"353\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApproximately 10 OSS projects were contributed to in some way across the study. These projects ranged from educational tools, spoken language apps, websites, events, browser extensions, open data, scientific tools, academic tools and visualization tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-do-designers-decide-whether-theyd-like-to-contribute-to-or-work-on-an-oss-project\"\u003eHow do designers decide whether they’d like to contribute to or work on an OSS project?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost designers were aligned in how they first came to the decision to contribute to an OSS. The following being the most common ways of deciding an OSS project is ready for design contributions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs it reasonably clear what the OSS project wants from the design/designer? Is the project clear what problems they want solved by the designer?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAm I able to do that skill/task or am I able to learn how to do it for this contribution?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow \u0026ldquo;in need\u0026rdquo; is the project? Are there others that can do this or does the project have good enough support to get this done elsewhere?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs this OSS a one-person project and is it still active?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow close is this OSS to my culture/geo-location? Will I be able to contribute in my native language comfortably and be welcomed with my context?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes the documentation make sense to me and can I learn enough about the OSS in order to participate?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlong with these bullet points you can find a more detailed account of \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/blob/main/findings-report.md#how-do-designers-decide-whether-theyd-like-to-contribute-to-or-work-on-an-oss-project\"\u003ehow designers decide whether they’d like to contribute to or work on an OSS project in our findings document\u003c/a\u003e. Knowing how, when and why a designer chooses to engage with an OSS project is critical information for OSS projects aiming to become more inclusive to non-coding relating contributions and OSS that intends to center users that are not part of the “contribution” communication cycles e.g. users that do not participate in issues, pull requests and discussions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-work-did-designers-share\"\u003eWhat work did designers share?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost participants shared either UX research written documents, repositories (GitHub/GitLab) or websites of information as “artifacts\u0026quot;. They rarely shared User Interface (UI) progress design with us, but they did describe the processes involved in designing the UI elements such as technical requirements, conversations with users and developers/owners of the OSS projects. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour collections of contributions focused around OSS events for particular technologies and the design work required to operate those events (e.g. illustration/graphics, merchandise design, event website design, form design etc). The remaining design contributions were a combination of User Research documents (user testing plans/scripts and Heuristic Analysis) and results, UI/UX design visuals in shareable design file formats, design/visual systems for projects to follow, accessibility research/design and design insight/guidance in issues/PRs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstanding what is produced  within a timescale by designers across their level of contribution commitment helps us to better understand design as part of a process that can be better included in the OSS space. The first step to inclusion of more user centered design in OSS projects is to first understand the  processes designers are using in OSS right now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"an-overview-of-our-findings\"\u003eAn overview of our findings\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA number of different challenges and focuses surfaced during the 16 week study. There are \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/blob/main/findings-report.md\"\u003esections in the findings\u003c/a\u003e about how designers and developers collaborate and the meaning that collaboration holds for designers in OSS, how designers are currently practicing openness in their design for OSS and the attempts they make to be more “open” when design is a type of contribution where openness is difficult and time consuming. As one designer in the diary study states “I’m on the way (to more openness)! Using Penpot and not Figma…”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe then moved into sections where we collected accounts on what success means for designers and how that is defined in their relationships with other OSS contributors and the OSS project itself. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese success sections are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccess via feedback — when and what feedback designers contributing design to OSS find valuable and in what time frames. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis section is full of rich information and includes comments about when feedback is “not usable” by designers, which is when feedback is missing constructive and relevant critique and only non-specific affirmations of “good” or opinions of “bad”. Some of this section speaks to who and how many people involved in the OSS give feedback and when that becomes unwieldy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccess via completion of design and/or \u0026ldquo;live release\u0026rdquo; — The importance that designers place on design contributions produced for OSS “going live” and an overall lack of clarity about when they might “go live” is \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/blob/main/findings-report.md#success-via-completion-of-design-andor-live-release\"\u003edetailed in this section on success\u003c/a\u003e. In our own personal experience contributing design to OSS, design can often be “completed” many months or years before the contributors or teams responsible for implementation make moves to implement it. This isn’t necessarily a bad experience for designers, but an unusual one given that most commercial design for software has shorter implementation cycles and more consistent communication. Helping designers learn and understand the timelines for OSS is critical to their understanding and inclusion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccess via knowing what is a priority for the OSS — In the section about prioritizing, we hear how some designers are unsure who/what group of people have authority in the OSS to make decisions and how they struggle to assert design processes that bring in the voice of users to help OSS better prioritize based on user insight. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccess via attracting more designers to the OSS — Attracting and supporting more designers into OSS is a success metric for some designers. These designers are typically those who contribute to multiple OSS projects, and a strong sense of how mentoring and supporting designers is healthy for both design and OSS cultures and industries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccess via acknowledgement, inclusion and collaboration — Designers, like many OSS contributors, thrive on positive acknowledgment, gratitude and being purposefully included in the OSS, both in terms of their contribution, but also the wider OSS contribution culture and onboarding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccess via accessibility and usability — Our last section focuses on how some designers find success in ensuring users with disabilities and impairments are included, and users who are not at the same knowledge or skill level as developers and maintainers are included. This is a difficult success measurement to achieve for most designers given what tasks take priority in OSS (code contributions typically).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final section of the findings focuses on length of communication cycles, decision making processes, being paid for contributions, dealing with overwhelming amounts of work and how designers might want to exit an OSS project. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs described by the designers in the study, these sections start off by detailing the long cycles of communication involved in creating and approving design work and the ensuing confusion around decision making authority, and the lack of agency designers feel they can create for themselves without being \u0026ldquo;granted\u0026rdquo; decision making \u0026ldquo;power\u0026rdquo; about what design of the OSS could look like. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next sections talk about designers\u0026rsquo; feelings around being paid for contributions. These were generally positive, yet some expressed payment being against OSS contribution purposes. Designers then detailed the amount of work they feel needs to be done on their OSS projects as overwhelming, and explained how they give comments and advice to OSS projects about what OSS could look like as designers transition out of active contribution to more advisory, mentoring roles, and eventually leave OSS projects and communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur findings are full of rich information supported by quotes from our designer participants along with some of our own researchers\u0026rsquo; interpretations and hypotheses on the meaning behind certain findings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"implications-of-this-study-and-emergent-recommendations\"\u003eImplications of this study and emergent recommendations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe produced a series of recommendations from the findings and these were supported by sections of the research. These recommendations include advice such as:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an OSS project interested in receiving design contributions, review and take note of the ways in which designers decide whether to offer design services to an OSS project. Some of these indicators include “Is the project clear what problems they want solved by the designer?” and “Is this OSS a one-person project and is it still active?” See \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/discussions/19\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;How do designers decide whether they’d like to contribute to or work on an OSS project?”\u003c/a\u003e section.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA way to improve user centered design in OSS by helping designers to define rough definitions of user types of the OSS collaboratively with OSS project team members. See \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/discussions/34\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Who are the \u0026ldquo;users”?”\u003c/a\u003e section.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can find these emergent recommendations here in our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/discussions/categories/potential-future-research-recommendations\"\u003eGitHub projects discussion\u003c/a\u003e section. We invite community members to comment and discuss these recommendations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wider implications of the diary studies are as wide reaching as the data collected in the study. Our first critical implication is that it is possible to collect information about how design is being done in real time by designers in the OSS space. What we learned about behaviors, processes, communication and success is vital for building understanding of design in OSS as an ongoing commitment into the future, yet the simple knowledge that these studies can and should be funded and produced is encouraging for the future of better designed OSS to come.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"continuing-to-learn-about-design-and-designers-in-oss\"\u003eContinuing to learn about design and designers in OSS\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was one of the first to capture OSS designers\u0026rsquo; experiences across multiple weeks and see what recurring trends and insights we can learn about designers\u0026rsquo; participation in OSS. There are, however, many missing components to this study which  would benefit the OSS community widely. This includes inviting more OSS projects and community members into interviews and better understanding the ways in which different roles view design and designers alongside the purpose of the OSS. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake a look at \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/\"\u003eour GitHub repository\u003c/a\u003e where we captured the ongoing data from designers across the diary study weeks. There, you can add new issues for data you’d like to see in the next set of diary studies and discuss these findings in the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/Diary-Studies-Designers-in-OSS/discussions\"\u003ediscussion section of GitHub\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’d like to participate in the next round of OSS designer diary studies, email \u003ca href=\"http://OSSdesignerdiaries@superbloom.design\"\u003eOSSdesignerdiaries@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e or if you’d like to contribute to funding these diary studies, email \u003ca href=\"http://OSSdesignerdiaries@superbloom.design\"\u003eOSSdesignerdiaries@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://vermontcomplexsystems.org/partner/OCEAN/awards/\"\u003eOpen-Source Complex Ecosystems \u0026amp; Networks (OCEAN)\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://vermontcomplexsystems.org/\"\u003eVermont Complex Systems Center at the University of Vermont\u003c/a\u003e along with the anonymous designers who participated in our research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://opensourcedesign.net/\"\u003eOpen Source Design\u003c/a\u003e volunteers \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/nimishavijay\"\u003eNimisha Vijay\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fordes.de/\"\u003eJan Dittrich\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "OCEAN",
            "date_published": "2023-10-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/ocean/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/ocean/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Bringing Human Centered Design to the Decentralized Web",
            "date_published": "2023-09-26T10:40:05-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-26T10:40:05-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/bringing-human-centered-design-to-the-decentralized-web/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/bringing-human-centered-design-to-the-decentralized-web/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom recently attended DWeb Camp 2023, an “unconference” focused on building a more resilient, private, and accessible decentralized web. We stewarded the event’s first ever Design Track; Ngọc Triệu led organization of the Design Track with support from Philliph Drummond. It was a real treat to camp among California redwoods and explore the intersections of human-centered design and decentralized technologies. Indeed, our curiosity and passion for both motivated us in what proved to be an immense organizational effort both before and during the event.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the course of the four days, the Design Track served as a hub for all things related to human-centered design. The track itself became a space where designers, developers, researchers, end-users and policymakers came together to understand how we as a community could create a more humane decentralized web—i.e. one that concerns itself with being as decentralized, distributed, and resilient as it is usable, inclusive, and sustainable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"before-camp-planning-and-organizing\"\u003eBefore camp: planning and organizing\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54064905e4b072d122d5b8d2/1423349847615-W16P7TAED78GEMMAMEKY/DSC_0137.jpg?format=750w\" alt=\"View of Hacker\u0026rsquo;s Hall at Camp Navarro\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo create the clearing that then became the Design Track at Camp Navarro, we co-organized an inclusive space that was open to a variety of thematic topics within the domain of user experience design. We wanted to broaden our focus, moving away from curated design and usability-related sessions. When we first met our collaborators, it was clear we all had a desire to deepen the camp experience for \u003ca href=\"https://dwebcamp.org/fellowships/\"\u003eDWeb Fellows\u003c/a\u003e via the track’s content. We held planning meetings with other DWeb community co-organizers, which resulted in launching \u003ca href=\"https://dwebcamp.org/designers/\"\u003ea dedicated webpage\u003c/a\u003e on the DWeb site, and a Designer Facilitator Discord to help inform and organize the design track facilitators and design practitioners attending camp. We settled on a total of 14 sessions: co-design workshops, clinics, meetups along with open discussions on topics like privacy and security, aesthetics, user onboarding and advocacy, and envisioning alternative futures.d\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"during-camp-stewardship-and-networking\"\u003eDuring camp: stewardship and networking\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://ia802709.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/15/items/2023-06-21-dweb-ver-2-images/2023-06-21-Dweb-ver2_jp2.zip\u0026amp;file=2023-06-21-Dweb-ver2_jp2/2023-06-21-Dweb-ver2_0473.jp2\u0026amp;id=2023-06-21-dweb-ver-2-images\u0026amp;scale=2\u0026amp;rotate=0\" alt=\"DWeb Camp Circle\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt camp we oversaw the Design Track from Cozy Hollow, a delightful nook tucked away just below Hacker’s Hall. From here, we focused on supporting facilitators with their sessions and helped attendees to make meaningful connections with one another. A big part of that work was helping with user testing and feedback for DWeb Camp’s Emergence App, creating a \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XwMjoiSNpHmqMep4PMDOPnhOxDp29cl/view?usp=sharing\"\u003ezine\u003c/a\u003e for the Local Network team, and leading two sessions: \u0026ldquo;Human-Centered Design for Responsible AI \u0026amp; Tech\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;Design \u0026amp; Usability Clinic.” These two hands-on sessions served as a \u0026ldquo;mushroom patch\u0026rdquo; from where we spread design knowledge, resources, and tools across the many conversations at camp. We did this by promoting meaningful conversations about the risk, usability, and design with community leaders, founders, creators, funders, and end-users during each of the sessions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/LAN-zine-cover_hu_d0baed96d9901332.png\" alt=\"Cover for Local Area Network Zine\" width=\"740\" height=\"1131\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn bringing together the design community at DWeb Camp, as co-organizers we wanted to learn more about the real human challenges facing DWeb projects. We spoke with teams behind apps such as Manyverse, Mapeo, and CENO Browser to understand each of teams’ goals and pain points. These conversations revealed that while encryption and resilience (security) are priorities, usability and accessibility continues to remain an afterthought. We learned that the dev teams lacked the resources, or struggled to develop deep insight into how people actually use, or intend to use, their products. We found that many decentralized web applications tend to be challenging and cumbersome to use, creating obstacles to broader adoption. We heard that the marginalized groups that could most benefit from these tools are often not included in the design process. A common feeling is that the needs of end-users are not prioritized on a systemic level.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"after-the-camp-reflections-and-learning\"\u003eAfter the camp: reflections and learning\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://dwebcamp.org/media/DWebTomorrow-cover01.banner.jpg\" alt=\"Dweb Tomorrow Banner\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the event, we spent some time reflecting on our experiences to understand what we had learned. We reviewed some of the consistent questions and topics collected from Design Track sessions including: how to onboard designers, the challenge to secure funding and resources for user research or design work, and the nuances of onboarding new users to different styles or modes of social networking. The internet shutdown experiment called \u003ca href=\"https://dwebcamp.org/tomorrow/\"\u003e“Tomorrow”\u003c/a\u003e is a great example of both the latter and the other issues related to the Design Track. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the Saturday and Sunday of DWeb Camp, the camp’s entire local area network – and, unexpectedly, the camp’s electrical power - was shutdown meaning attendees were unable to connect to the internet. This experience was simultaneously enlightening and fruitful. It rooted in us the importance of focusing on not only the technology needed during an internet shutdown, but also on the broader societal conditions that enable or create friction in the use of peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies. I.e. it revealed that some could not “see the forest for the trees”. This provided a concrete, tangible understanding of the importance of advocating for those who experience heavy censorship or internet shutdowns, as well as those who have no access, or degrees of limited access, to the web or electrical infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReflecting on the “Tomorrow” experiment made us respect it for the experiment that it was and led us to ponder what might need to change to make the DWeb Camp more human-centered. Here are a few ideas:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRally around real people\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe must advocate for end users: the humans experiencing the decentralized platforms and tools being created, especially those facing censorship and shutdowns. Understanding how they live and their needs is critical to building technology interventions that resonate with and fit into people’s lives. To do this well, software teams require a collaborative relationship with consistent input from end users to improve tools and better serve users’ needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign and designers are critical infrastructure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunders and builders in the DWeb ecosystem must prioritize people\u0026rsquo;s needs from the start, not as an afterthought. And adding experienced designers to their teams who grasp the human side of decentralized tech can accelerate efforts. Our experiences and observations at DWeb Camp further validated the importance of integrating usability and accessibility into the infrastructure of the decentralized web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign intuitive onboarding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s a huge knowledge gap between centralized tech and new, decentralized protocols for most end users. Again, intuitive onboarding is a critical touchpoint to help bridge this divide, especially for the average, non-technical user. And generally, this knowledge gap can be addressed by informing users about key differences which might affect their experience of a decentralized application. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLook beyond the technology\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the experiment, the focus of some focused was very narrow i.e. on testing apps whereas we felt they should have focused on the human experience enabled by those tools, and the broader context of the overall experience instead, e.g. preparation, communication, and community infrastructure. However, this narrow focus did highlight that compounding technical issues can create some wicked challenges. Challenges that should be considered as part of developing design intervention e.g. developing low-power mode for applications for use in shutdown scenarios, or having multiple methods applications may use to communicate so that they are not dependent on mechanisms that might have additional dependencies, e.g. power and cell phone towers, or WiFi and power to routers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpen up the design process\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDWeb values collaboration, so we should extend that to valuing open design as well through practices such as participatory workshops, and sharing research learnings. An open collaborative process is desirable for many reasons. It creates a sense of shared ownership, fosters empathy and understanding among team members, encourages transparency and accountability, and can lead to better design outcomes that reflect diverse perspectives and needs. By opening up the design process, one can create a more collaborative and inclusive environment that empowers designers, developers, and end-users alike to together build a more humane decentralized web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuild more humane tech together\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEstablished designers should mentor new voices to grow the ranks of human-centered DWeb designers. DWeb Camp provides a perfect knowledge sharing forum for this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking ahead: follow-ups and future engagements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe had many aspirations for DWeb Camp 2023 which certainly brought its own challenges. From logistical hiccups to managing different tasks simultaneously, the journey found us in some arduous and rocky outcrops, but it was ultimately very rewarding. The distributed physical and social structures of the Camp made group convening difficult, and last-minute changes posed additional problems we had to adapt to. However, the positive feedback we received underlined the significance and impact of having a designated Design Track, and why such a space was necessary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe end of DWeb Camp 2023 marked the beginning of numerous follow-ups and potential collaborations. Through these collaborations, we aim to further the conversation around design and usability, fostering a more inclusive and user-friendly decentralized web space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDWeb Camp 2023 offered a unique platform for designers, technologists, and other stakeholders to engage, collaborate, and discuss how to make the decentralized web more user-friendly, inclusive, and environmentally conscious. As we move forward, the lessons learned and the connections made at the camp will play a significant role in driving the design and usability agenda in the DWeb space. Our next steps are to continue spreading the word and taking an intersectional approach that distributes power equitably. After diving deep into the decentralized future, we’re hopeful we can build a more humane web, for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCredits\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign Track: \u003ca href=\"https://dwebcamp.org/designers/\"\u003ehttps://dwebcamp.org/designers/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbout DWeb Camp: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx7Dduv0Hd4\"\u003ehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx7Dduv0Hd4\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "The Feira @ The Global Gathering 2023: Will You Join Us There?",
            "date_published": "2023-09-13T22:33:13-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-13T22:33:13-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-feira-the-global-gathering-2023-will-you-join-us-there/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-feira-the-global-gathering-2023-will-you-join-us-there/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_feira_2023_estoril_hu_290ce66af95f1237.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"the-feira--the-global-gathering\"\u003eThe Feira @ the Global Gathering\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003efeira. [ˈfejra ] feminine noun. 1. fair. 2. (mercado) market. fazer a feira to go to market. feira livre market.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Feira @ the Global Gathering is a three day social and networking festival for digital rights defenders, hosted in an outdoor space in Estoril, Portugal on September 15th, 16th and 17th, 2023. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Feira is designed to provide digital rights defenders with a space to connect with others in the digital rights community for informal meetups and discussions with food, music, local vendors, project booths, glitter and more.  The event is 100% outdoor; plenty of sun for all!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom team members: \u003cstrong\u003eJamie Tomasello\u003c/strong\u003e (Managing Director), and \u003cstrong\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/strong\u003e, (Senior Designer \u0026amp; Researcher), and Superbloom FSPs \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Stempeck\u003c/strong\u003e (Civic Tech Field Guide), and \u003cstrong\u003eCaroline Sinders\u003c/strong\u003e (Convocation) will be attending the event and look forward to seeing you there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"who-is-participating\"\u003eWho is participating?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJamie Tomasello\u003c/strong\u003e will be attending as a digital security practitioner and organizational resilience and health advocate. Jamie has built global multidisciplinary operations, security, compliance, customer success, and trust and safety teams at internet service providers, security companies, law firms, and nonprofits for over 20 years. She/he finds joy in empowering teams and contributing to a culture where psychological safety is prioritized.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe/he will be co-hosting the Cyber FUD meetup on September 16th from 1400 - 1500, and she/he will be at the UX Clinic on the 16th and 17th of September. She/he will be attending sessions such as \u0026lsquo;From Rapid Response to Sustainable Protection: Responding to Digital Threats Through Funding\u0026rsquo; and \u0026lsquo;Advancing SAFETAG as a framework for the next generation of organizational security practitioners\u0026rsquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/strong\u003e will be attending as a Human Rights Centered Design (HRCD) practitioner and advocate. Eriol has been a long standing member of the \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHRCD community\u003c/a\u003e and helped organize remote and in person events centered around how designers and user experience specialists are involved in the design and build of technology used for human rights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey will be at the UX Clinic on the 16th and 17th of September and Eriol will be available to support projects and people on human rights centered design topics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey will be attending sessions such as ‘Experience of censored users’ ‘Mapping out collaboration and info sharing for anti-censorship work’ and ‘Sharing lesson on usability research / user needs’.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMatt Stempeck\u003c/strong\u003e will be demoing \u003ca href=\"https://civictech.guide/\"\u003eCivic Tech Field Guide\u003c/a\u003e at The Feira @ The Global Gathering product showcase on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th. Members of the digital rights community are invited to browse its extensive collection of \u003ca href=\"https://directory.civictech.guide/listing-category/digital-rights\"\u003edigital rights\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://directory.civictech.guide/adjacent#:~:text=security%20and%20privacy-,Cybersecurity,-Digital%20rights\"\u003ecybersecurity\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://directory.civictech.guide/listing-category/ethical-tech-and-responsible-tech\"\u003eresponsible tech\u003c/a\u003e resources, and add their own projects so that others can find them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCaroline Sinders\u003c/strong\u003e is the co-founder of Convocation Research + Design and they will be attending as a human rights centered design, security, privacy, policy and OGBV expert. Caroline is an artist and researcher who has spent over a decade researching how technology harms marginalized groups. They are excited to see friends and attend IFF (now The Global Gathering) for the very first time! They aren\u0026rsquo;t sure what they will be seeing but are excited to float along and experience The Feira @ TGG. Catch Caroline at the UX Clinic on the 16th and 17th of September. Don\u0026rsquo;t be surprised if you see Caroline making zines, designing posters, or drinking copious amounts of coffee!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"where-can-you-find-us\"\u003eWhere can you find us?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"friday-15th\"\u003eFriday 15th\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDigital Security Meetup 1400-1500 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResearchers Meetup 1400-1500 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechnologist Meetup 1400-1500 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProject Showcase rounds 1500-1800 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNorth America Digital Rights Meetup 1530-1630 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProject Showcase: Civic Tech Field Guide - Booth 3 1600-1800 (Matt)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"saturday-16th\"\u003eSaturday 16th\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCyber FUD 1400-1500 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapping Out Collaboration and Info Sharing for Anti-censorship Work 1400-1500 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIT Service Providers for Nonprofits \u0026amp; Human Rights Organizations 1530-1630 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigners United + Accessibility Lab - UX and Comms Clinic + Digital Accessibility Awareness 1500-1600 (Eriol), 1600-1700 (Eriol, Caroline)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuiet — Table 1600-1800 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProject Showcase: Civic Tech Field Guide - Booth 3 1600-1800 (Matt)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience of Censored Users 1700-1800 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeb Accessibility 1700-1800 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHarassment Reporting 1700-1800 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"sunday-17th\"\u003eSunday 17th\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigners United + Accessibility Lab - UX and Comms Clinic + Digital Accessibility Awareness 1400-1500 (Caroline), 1400-1530 (Jamie), 1500-1800 (Eriol)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSharing Lesson on Usability Research / User Needs 1400-1500 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrom Rapid Response to Sustainable Protection: Responding to Digital Threats Through Funding 1530-1630 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdvancing SAFETAG as a Framework for the Next Generation of Organizational Security Practitioners 1700-1800 (Jamie)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContributors: Jamie Tomasello, Eriol Fox, Matt Stempeck, Caroline Sinders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/TeamCommunity\"\u003e@teamcommunity\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Personas Non Grata",
            "date_published": "2023-07-19T12:02:56-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-07-19T12:02:56-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-non-grata/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-non-grata/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThese ten \u0026ldquo;personas non grata\u0026rdquo; are people you probably don\u0026rsquo;t want in your product or service, but who are likely to find their way in anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re on mobile, \u003ca href=\"http://designunderpressure.glideapp.io/\"\u003ethe Personas Non Grata mobile app\u003c/a\u003e includes news stories that show what these characters have been up to lately.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy no \u0026ldquo;hacker\u0026rdquo;?\u003c/strong\u003e Because any of these personas non grata can use a digital attack.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy no \u0026ldquo;troll\u0026rdquo;?\u003c/strong\u003e Because we don\u0026rsquo;t care whether they are being \u0026ldquo;funny\u0026rdquo; or not, and that\u0026rsquo;s not the conversation we want to have.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy no \u0026ldquo;racist\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;homophobe\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;misogynist\u0026rdquo;?\u003c/strong\u003e The personas below cover actions, not motivations. Any of these may be motivated by racism, misogyny, homophobia, etc. That\u0026rsquo;s an important discussion, but a different one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/personas-non-grata-4-_hu_8903f7e9c1ebbef3.png\" alt=\"Personas non grata images: cartoons of each of the 10 personas: Stalker, Abuser, Prankser, Naif, Truther, Surveillance, Opportunist, Fraudster, Swarm, and Terrorist\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eStalker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGathers information about another person\u0026rsquo;s activities and identity in order to blackmail or intimidate\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eAbuser\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUses psychological, physical, or financial power to prevent another person from exercising basic freedoms\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003ePrankster\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisrupts or causes chaos for the sake of pleasure, power, or notoriety\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eNaïf\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoesn\u0026rsquo;t know how to properly behave in a certain context, and as a result ends up annoying or harming themselves or others\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eTruther\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDenies scientific, legal, or social consensus, and plays on emotions and on the multiplying power of technology to tell the \u0026ldquo;real story\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eSurveillance\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracks and traces people in a way that is against their interests, with the weight of government and law behind them\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eOpportunist\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinds loopholes and workarounds that allow them to use your product or service to make money\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eFraudster\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUses misrepresentation – of themselves or of a product or service – to fool others\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eSwarm\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGathers a mass of individuals in order to coordinate an attack, multiply its effects, and decentralize its sources\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/\"\u003eTerrorist\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEncourages, recruits for, and/or plans to carry out a violent, ideologically motivated attack\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Human Rights Centered Design: Respecting the Privacy and Security of Users While Still Sharing User Insights Among Practitioners",
            "date_published": "2023-07-10T20:40:43-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-07-10T20:40:43-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/human-rights-centered-design-respecting-the-privacy-and-security-of-users-while-still-sharing-user-insights-among-practitioners/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/human-rights-centered-design-respecting-the-privacy-and-security-of-users-while-still-sharing-user-insights-among-practitioners/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_hrcd_rightscon_2023_telephones_purple_hu_63f4ac9b63170157.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"554\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe organizations doing vital design and user research work in the Human Rights Technology space are good at sharing when they convene but not so much in asynchronous ways due to security and privacy concerns. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith support from the Open Technology Fund Secure Usability and Accessibility Lab, we were able to gather UX Designers, User Researchers, Digital Security Trainers and OSS tool builders at the Human Rights Centered Design gathering at RightsCon 2023 to have critical discussions about the challenges and opportunities that sharing user insights could bring to how OSS tools for human rights needs are built in a ways that are more context sensitive and specific.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStarting this discussion was a critical step in acknowledging that our informal, in-person ways of sharing are valuable, yet fall short when we are unable to meet. As we discussed we discovered the limitations and considerations needed when sharing information as well as prototyping ideas, such as sharing through trusted funder networks, to facilitate an information sharing process digitally.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany designers, researchers and trainers have returned to attending events and conferences post pandemic. Events provide a critical space for connecting with the community, sharing insights, and having organic conversations that are often challenging to do online. Though in-person events also introduce many challenges, such as visa access, funding and the general safety and accessibility of attendees, it is often easier to navigate security challenges - such as recognising who is from which organization and in what capacity, which is more secure at events like RightsCon which has processes to verify and validate attendees - in order to support and enable the sharing of critical user insights, stories, and needs with one other. At the RightsCon 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design community\u003c/a\u003e event on Day 0, we discussed what we could do to better augment in-person information sharing that is safe, private, and which empowers human rights activist users and tool teams without compromising risky personal information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Superbloom, some of our team have been focusing on this from the vantage point of improving practices for participant and researcher safety, with a particular focus on high-risk contexts. This conversation became front of mind for Eriol Fox, Senior Designer, after attending the \u003ca href=\"https://aspirationtech.org/events/devsummit\"\u003eNonprofit Software Development Summit in November 2022\u003c/a\u003e where folks that work directly as front line support for human rights activists expressed a need to have their experiences and frustrations with human rights tools heard by the technical teams. They told stories not only of the ways in which tools did not meet user needs but the work-arounds they had developed in certain contexts as well as their frustrations with the methods that many tools have to provide feedback about their tools. One attendee expressed exhaustion at raising an issue in GitHub or filling out a Google form, given they have “no idea how long or where that goes”, not to mention needing to provide the same or similar information in multiple tools, and they wondered what could be done to limit the time spent communicating the same cases in many tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoincidentally, José Gutiérrez - as a newcomer to the Internet Freedom space and having done consultancy work for \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e - has seen the kinds of problems that researchers/designers, end-users, and tool makers have in the space. One of those being the apparent togetherness that communities have, but the lack of actual information sharing. Of the great opportunity our community has of materializing values such as openness, transparency, and collaboration on a new level.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design\u003c/a\u003e community, co-facilitated by \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, held space on Day 0 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.rightscon.org/\"\u003eRightsCon 2023\u003c/a\u003e for those practicing design functions in the Human Rights Technology space, as well as those interested in design practices in Human Rights work. The day was informal and centered around collaboration, conversation and problem solving discovery sessions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEriol facilitated a session that explored questions around how and why we might share information about user needs, behaviors and contexts. Discussion groups were formed around the stakeholders involved: the tool teams, the designers/researchers and the end user human rights activists/defenders. The attendant collaborators of the session broke into discussion groups choosing the group they felt most affiliated with: Tools Teams, Designers or End Users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe groups were encouraged to discuss the topic of sharing user insights/research safely and securely but also offered a series of questions including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow might tool teams \u0026lsquo;receive’ user insights/research directly from users, digital security trainers, designers and intermediaries that are not based in technologies and processes which are comfortable for the information-givers rather than the tools?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow can designers/researchers share user insights/research safely, securely and ethically with other designers/researchers and relevant tool teams these designers/researchers aren’t directly connected with? What might that sharing enable for the tool teams or designers/researchers?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow might end users directly participate in the sharing of their own experiences and contexts with a clear understanding of what that information might be useful or used for? What guidance would end users need? What safety measures do they need across various contexts?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe session collaborators were encouraged to discuss ideas around the above prompts but also generate their own questions, boundaries, needs and challenges. The hypothesis being that if we are able to find ways users can remain safe while sharing their insights and context, this information might directly improve tools for human rights needs; by building new features that prioritize human rights’ user needs and broaden the potential tools able to be used in human rights circumstances.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_hrcd_rightscon_2023_telephones_hu_2a542f31f3e15eab.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-we-learned-from-the-discussions\"\u003eWhat we learned from the discussions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs stated above, the purpose of the discussions was not to come up with definitive answers, but spend the remainder of the time discussing the challenges, opportunities, concerns and details of how user insights/research can be shared amongst OSS tool teams. Here’s what each team (Tools, Design, End Users) discovered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"design\"\u003eDesign\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe default would need heavy anonymising of information in case specific information is identifiable. We decided that the existence of a completely anonymised, redacted document was better than the information not appearing to exist at all. In this way. trusted networks of researchers and tools teams could still seek out more detailed information or less anonymised documents. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThreat modeling for user insight could help designers/researchers better understand what needs heavy anonymisation and what doesn\u0026rsquo;t, and could be shared more openly.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigners/researchers and their organizations could still write reflections from more of a researcher point of view to protect the users’ contexts.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigners ultimately want to gain a better understanding of needs and context by sharing information across organizations and teams. We surmised that rarely would this information be used to make ‘final product decisions’ but this information could help the designers/researchers better form their own research into specific subjects and contexts.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe briefly discussed what role funders play in the encouragement of cross-organisation information sharing, and whether those funders could act as the host of a trusted network of tool teams and researchers that could securely share via an online platform which is maintained and secured by that funder.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"tools\"\u003eTools\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf the user’s insight is specific to a tool or function, the tools and platforms need a secure way to capture this information in a way which doesn’t create a risk to that tool or platform\u0026rsquo;s own security.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWays of collecting feedback by using specific surveys or collection tools that are ‘destroyed’ could be an option for destructible feedback over a specific period of time or for a specific need.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome concerns were expressed about bad actors sending in information that actively stops or derails a tool\u0026rsquo;s progress, or compromises the integrity of the tool.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"end-users\"\u003eEnd users\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers should remain the ultimate owners of their own data and understand how that has been used, by whom, and for what. This introduces a level of complexity on any ‘platforms’ that might facilitate the sharing of user insight, but allows for critical safety measures to be integrated and also awareness of what happens to user insight.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe ability to join together with other similar end users would allow for a generalization of user insight that could better protect specific individuals.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelationships between end users, the designer/researcher and a particular tool were expressed as important contexts for user insight. How could this be shared (if at all?).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"moving-forward-with-secure-safe-user-insights-sharing\"\u003eMoving forward with secure, safe user insights sharing \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Superbloom we’re investigating how we can better facilitate feedback and research, with a focus on participant and research safety including what a platform that facilitates the sharing of user research and insights could look like. This platform might not only contain the research reports and insights, but also the secure methodologies and processes we use internally to keep at-risk individuals and communities from harm. To maintain safety, these processes and methods are often shared in private confidence with fellow designers and user researchers, but what would a privacy, security and human rights OSS tool space look like if we could all benefit from the insights and knowledge we learn across tools? As open source and openness advocates, we believe that sharing as much as we can, when we can, helps to maintain a healthy OSS ecosystem with safer tools to use for all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-to-get-involved\"\u003eHow to get involved? \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe would recommend getting involved in the \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHRCD community\u003c/a\u003e. Reach out to let us know how you would like to collaborate and progress this conversation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can also check out the resources we co-created with \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e as part of the \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/\"\u003eUSABLE\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003eA Dev’s Guide to\u0026hellip; Adoptable Projects\u003c/a\u003e which focuses on design resources for security and privacy OSS tools teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EriolDoesDesign\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://josernitos.com/\"\u003eJosé Gutiérrez\u003c/a\u003e, The \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design\u003c/a\u003e community group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.rightscon.org/\"\u003eRightsCon\u003c/a\u003e 2023, \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Designing for Security",
            "date_published": "2023-07-10T14:52:14-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-07-10T14:52:14-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-for-security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-for-security/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/321474122?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/talking-across-divide\"\u003eDesigning For More Than “It’s Secure”\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"learn-about-contexts\"\u003eLearn about contexts\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure’s \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/personas\"\u003epersona template\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews/user-personas-for-privacy-and-security-a8b35ae5a63b\"\u003eUser Personas for Privacy and Security\u003c/a\u003e (Gus Andrews)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"mental-models\"\u003eMental models\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Mental-Models-Aligning-Strategy-Behavior-ebook/dp/B004VFUOQ0/\"\u003eMental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior\u003c/a\u003e (Indi Young, 2008)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/whatsapp-update\"\u003eTradeoffs In Seamlessness\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Casey Callendrello\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Ben Mergelsberg, Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistent:\u003c/strong\u003e Luciana Damiao\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMusic:\u003c/strong\u003e “Downtown” by bensound.com\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net/\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com/\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Scout Brody, Maya Wagoner, Brett Gaylor\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Launching USER: Findings and Recommendations for Scientific and Research Open Source",
            "date_published": "2023-07-10T08:43:45-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-07-10T08:43:45-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/launching-user-findings-and-recommendations-for-scientific-and-research-open-source/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/launching-user-findings-and-recommendations-for-scientific-and-research-open-source/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_sloan_user3_hu_e30f5903aa027b2d.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsable Software Ecosystem Research (USER) is a Sloan Foundation-supported research initiative that explores how open source scientific and research software (SROSS) teams understand, consider, and undertake usability and design opportunities in their projects. To read more about this project please check out \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/introducing-user-usable-software-ecosystem-research/\"\u003eBlog #1\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/user-a-work-in-progress/\"\u003eBlog #2\u003c/a\u003e, our \u003ca href=\"https://user-project.superbloom.design/\"\u003eproject website\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project\"\u003eopen repo\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"wrapping-up-a-world-of-insights\"\u003eWrapping up a world of insights\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the last 6+ months, our team completed 27 interviews, two community surveys and attended nearly 10 conferences and convenings related to the USER project and its line of inquiry. Since February, our six-person research team has collaborated virtually and in-person to analyze the huge amount of qualitative and quantitative data we’ve collected over the course of this project. USER illuminated countless insights, from a close look into how a diverse set of Science and Research Open Source Software (SROSS) projects and their contributors consider their users to how they approach the usability and broader design aspects of their projects, to the complex and often contradictory ways in which they understand and build SROSS tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur complete findings can be found on our newly published \u003ca href=\"https://user-project.superbloom.design/\"\u003eproject website\u003c/a\u003e and in our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project\"\u003epublic repository\u003c/a\u003e on GitHub. We’ve selected excerpts from a few key findings and recommendations to give a taste of what this research surfaced:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"finding-sross-projects-and-the-designers-working-on-them-are-engaging-in-deeply-cross-disciplinary-work-that-requires-the-cultivation-of-language-and-mutual-respect-amongst-collaborators\"\u003eFinding: SROSS projects and the designers working on them are engaging in deeply cross-disciplinary work that requires the cultivation of language and mutual respect amongst collaborators\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re curious to learn more, read our Executive Summary and complete in-depth findings on our \u003ca href=\"https://user-project.superbloom.design/\"\u003eproject website\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSROSS development often needs cross-disciplinary work. This can be challenging as norms and common language need to be negotiated between different work cultures. In SROSS projects, there is often a disciplinary exchange between programmers and scientists. Add designers, and there is a third ‘language’ and working style. Effective cross-disciplinary collaboration ranges in strategy and process. Some projects prioritize mutual understanding and a state of continuous knowledge transfer between disciplines, while others take a more synergistic approach where each expert is able to excel in their domain without the burden of needing to know the ‘other’ discipline well. Regardless of the approach, mutual respect, communication and knowing the value of each role\u0026rsquo;s contribution is vital to the success of design and usability in SROSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"finding-implementation-of-design-practices-is-aspirational-but-inconsistent-across-projects\"\u003eFinding: Implementation of design practices is aspirational but inconsistent across projects\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether projects establish design and usability practices depends on the perceived utility of design work; what non-designers define as design, usability, and accessibility; and the ease of implementing design changes. If design work is seen as time intensive, disruptive, requiring code overhaul, and/or frivolous, the implementation of design practices is unlikely. Even when design and usability are valued, many see it as optional, incidental, or aspirational. In this case, design implementation is only ‘worth it’ when it is clearly linked to the expansion of a user base. We observed this most potently in projects with diverse users. SROSS projects express that they want to improve tools and services. Dedicated design and usability work could help doing this, but SROSS projects do not often realize this. Good design and usability practices empower users, make tools easier to use, and require less immediate support from maintainers, which ultimately helps fulfil the purpose of research and scientific discovery.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"based-on-our-findings-we-developed-recommendations-for-sross-projects\"\u003eBased on our findings, we developed recommendations for SROSS projects\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are three of our recommendations. To read all of our recommendations, see our \u003ca href=\"https://user-project.superbloom.design/\"\u003eproject website\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePromote design and usability as a practice that cuts labor and time for maintainers.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsability improvements can reduce the time that maintainers, developers and community contributors spend writing step-by-step user guides and answering customer support requests when users are having difficulties with the tool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake the entry points to contribution beyond code clear and inclusive.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClear contribution paths and entry points allow potential contributors to understand where they are needed and how they can be most useful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInclusivity increases contributions, because designers and other non-code contributors will see their work as valued and prioritized.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDevelop resources, community spaces, shared channels, and information repositories for SROSS design.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf OSS/SROSS designers share experiences and learn from each other, they can help shape best practices and reduce barriers for designers new to the ecosystem. Also, including designers in OSS/SROSS maintainer channels, and vice-versa, will help increase designer/developer collaboration and provide guidance to projects without a designer on the team. Institutions can support this by promoting reuse of science and research and usability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn closing, we invite you to read our Executive Summary and complete in-depth findings on our \u003ca href=\"https://user-project.superbloom.design/\"\u003eproject website\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EriolDoesDesign\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simulo\"\u003eJan Dittrich\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kirakirawes\"\u003eNgọc Triệu\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/abhi1203\"\u003eAbhishek Sharma\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://t.co/OUjwQhySyQ\"\u003eKatie Wilson\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/smklibrarian\"\u003eSusan Kennedy\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/georgiamoon\"\u003eGeorgia Bullen\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/\"\u003eAlfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "DWeb Camp",
            "date_published": "2023-06-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-06-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/dweb-camp/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/dweb-camp/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Meet Jasmine McNealy, Superbloom Board Member",
            "date_published": "2023-06-14T21:53:59-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-06-14T21:53:59-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/meet-jasmine-mcnealy-superbloom-board-member/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/meet-jasmine-mcnealy-superbloom-board-member/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_jasmine_mcnealy_hu_3a6692b244952949.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"414\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"tell-us-a-little-bit-about-yourself-and-what-you-do-professionally\"\u003eTell us a little bit about yourself and what you do professionally.\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHello! I am an associate professor at a university in the southeastern US and the founder and principal of a research and strategy consultancy called The Alveary LLC. I am also an attorney and, I suppose, an overall nerd.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-did-you-end-up-on-this-path\"\u003eHow did you end up on this path?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo tell the truth, I wandered into this path. It is not anything I could have imagined.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-keeps-you-motivated-to-do-this-important-work\"\u003eWhat keeps you motivated to do this important work?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think there are opportunities to change how people are forced to live, how organizations do business, and to reduce harm. These are the things that are purposeful and important to me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"when-did-you-first-hear-of-superbloom\"\u003eWhen did you first hear of Superbloom? \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2018/2019 I was doing a fellowship based in NYC and in Boston. I was introduced to Superbloom folks and affiliates through connections with Data \u0026amp; Society, Civic Hall, and the Kennedy School. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"why-did-you-decide-to-join-our-board\"\u003eWhy did you decide to join our Board?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think Superbloom has an important mission and set of values. I think the work that the organization does is important and being a Board member allows me to take part in this very important work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-do-you-see-your-experience-and-expertise-supporting-superbloom-as-a-member-of-the-board\"\u003eHow do you see your experience and expertise supporting Superbloom as a member of the Board? \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think that my experience and expertise will support the Board in a broad range of issues and considerations. I’m happy to serve in any of the areas necessary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"why-is-it-important-to-change-who-technology-serves-how-do-you-think-superbloom-is-positioned-to-support-that-vision\"\u003eWhy is it important to change who technology serves? How do you think Superbloom is positioned to support that vision?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is important to change who technology serves because the use and implementation of technology can cause both short- and long-term impacts. It has implications for how people live their lives. Superbloom is positioned to assist organizations in critically considering how they are deploying and creating technology that impacts people, and hopefully, persuading organizations to make the important changes to their values and systems to mitigate harm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-is-something-thats-exciting-you-at-the-moment\"\u003eWhat is something that’s exciting you at the moment?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’m getting into some research that I think is important and can snowball into other things.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Together Against Deceptive Design",
            "date_published": "2023-06-06T16:26:45-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-06-06T16:26:45-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/together-against-deceptive-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/together-against-deceptive-design/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_deceptive_design_header_hu_a230aadc5c111fca.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"415\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeceptive design, sometimes referred to as \u003ca href=\"https://www.deceptive.design/about-us\"\u003eDark Patterns\u003c/a\u003e, is not just an inconvenience, and is far more than a consumer protection problem. Deceptive design is a human rights issue that disproportionately harms marginalized people with fewer resources.  Beyond financial loss, deceptive design limits consent and autonomy online, invades privacy, and causes negative impacts on mental health. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/\"\u003eWorld Wide Web Foundation\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://3x3.co/\"\u003e3x3\u003c/a\u003e, we facilitated a series of workshops with global participants to explore ways of combating deceptive design and promoting trustworthy products and services instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are pleased to announce the result of this work: \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/deceptive-design/overview\"\u003eDeceptive Design: Moving Towards Trusted Design Patterns\u003c/a\u003e which outlines the challenges - including the global harms - and opportunities to combat deceptive design for technical and design teams, policy makers, regulators, academics, activists, and journalists.  The recommendations are organized into \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/deceptive-design/strategies-for-change\"\u003efive key opportunity\u003c/a\u003e areas to leverage as we move from the unacceptable status quo of exploitation and manipulation towards a better future of trusted design patterns.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"a-global-problem-with-patchwork-solutions\"\u003eA Global Problem With Patchwork Solutions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this work, listening to both harms from, and successes in, combatting deceptive design from experts around the world, we heard how different cultural expectations and regulatory contexts make a one-size-fits all approach unrealistic. Adedolapo Evelyn Adegoroye and Victoria Adaramola from \u003ca href=\"https://techhiveadvisory.africa/\"\u003eTechHive Advisory\u003c/a\u003e highlighted regulatory fragmentations:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Many digital platforms either operate or aspire to operate across countries and continents. Thus, fragmented [regulatory] frameworks make it more difficult and less enticing for tech companies who operate cross-country to comply. The regulator should develop operational guidelines, codes of ethics, and best practices for UI/UX designers, tech associations, software engineers, digital marketers, and tech companies.” – in \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/2022/10/tackling-deceptive-design-on-the-african-continent/\"\u003eTackling Deceptive Design Across the African Continent\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe did learn about opportunities to translate positive changes in one region and apply them to other regions. For example, the European Union is hard at work on policies to combat deceptive design: the \u003ca href=\"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32022R2065\u0026amp;from=EN\"\u003eDigital Services Act (DSA)\u003c/a\u003e and the Digital Markets Act, both approved by the European Parliament in July 2022, have the aim of ensuring consumer rights online. As Dr. Jen King \u003ca href=\"https://techpolicy.press/do-the-dsa-and-dma-have-what-it-takes-to-take-on-dark-patterns/\"\u003ewrites in Tech Policy Press\u003c/a\u003e: “In terms of fighting manipulative algorithms, the DSA goes where so far, U.S. regulators have yet to tread.” \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom acted as a conduit and amplifier of these emerging opportunities to adapt practices that work well in one region to apply to other regions in order to protect more people from the harms of deceptive design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-do-we-combat-deceptive-design\"\u003eHow Do We Combat Deceptive Design?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn collaboration with our workshop participants, our partners at 3x3 and at the World Wide Web Foundation, we developed \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/deceptive-design/strategies-for-change\"\u003estrategies for change\u003c/a\u003e to shift the tech ecosystem away from deceptive design and towards trusted design. These opportunities were developed collaboratively, as a result of hours of discussion with 117 stakeholders from 31 countries. Workshop participants included regulators, researchers, governmental officials, activists and advocates, professional association leaders, employees at tech companies, and academics. We are pleased to share this synthesis with participants and the greater community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_deceptive_design_outputs_hu_96621641bb408c6f.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"266\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"1-build-a-coalition-to-mobilize-change\"\u003e1. Build A Coalition To Mobilize Change\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur first opportunity area for combatting deceptive design is \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/strategies-for-change/coalition\"\u003ecoalition building\u003c/a\u003e. During the course of our workshops, it became clear that the space we were holding and facilitating was in itself a valuable asset in the fight against manipulative design patterns. During our workshops, we heard from participants that sharing challenges and best practices across regions is beneficial, and there is an appetite for doing even more. We propose formalizing this format into a coalition of stakeholders with diverse backgrounds to: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop best practices and policy guidance to pave the way for implementation at the national level\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdvocate for the application of \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/strategies-for-change/trusted-design-norms\"\u003eTrusted Design Norms\u003c/a\u003e into a range of regulatory and design frameworks\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop an open process for validating and evolving the Trusted Design Norms\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor additional details, including a coalition-building road map, please refer to the \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/strategies-for-change/coalition\"\u003eTPDL website\u003c/a\u003e. We welcome your participation, as an individual or as an organization; message us to \u003ca href=\"mailto:trusted-design@superbloom.design\"\u003ejoin the coalition\u003c/a\u003e and receive updates on our process and convenings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"2-create-a-crowdsourced-reporting-tool\"\u003e2. Create A Crowdsourced Reporting Tool\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding on \u003ca href=\"https://darkpatternstipline.org/\"\u003eThe Dark Patterns Tipline\u003c/a\u003e, we see an opportunity to gather information about deceptive design for several purposes. Documenting deceptive design patterns is a necessary step towards building awareness, giving activists, journalists, and researchers the real-world examples they need to illuminate the issue and its scope. A reporting tool can communicate a common, understandable understanding of the impact of deceptive design. The collected reports can help regulators understand the problem and potentially become evidence for strategic litigation. Toward that end, the TPDL Deceptive Design website explains opportunities for \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/strategies-for-change/crowdsourced-reporting-tool\"\u003eregulator and researcher workflows\u003c/a\u003e to complement the experience of reporting harms by web users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"3-launch-a-storytelling-campaign\"\u003e3. Launch A Storytelling Campaign\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe harms of deceptive design are global, and impact young people in resource-constrained contexts far from offices where policies are crafted. An advocacy campaign fueled by youth activism tools, such as video shorts can inspire culture change. The Pravana Institute’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.design.pranavainstitute.com/\"\u003eDesign Beyond Deception\u003c/a\u003e work is one exciting example. Our workshop participants were particularly interested in centering neurodiversity and building a culture of care. We heard opportunities for global voices with regional representation to curate and surface content. Ideas for \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/strategies-for-change/storytelling-campaign\"\u003estructuring a collection of global stories\u003c/a\u003e is available on the website.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"4-develop--adopt-trusted-design-norms\"\u003e4. Develop \u0026amp; Adopt Trusted Design Norms\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSynthesizing the discussions in the workshops, we produced a prototype set of resources documenting trusted design norms and best practices. A crowd-sourced reporting tool building on the Dark Patterns Tip Line describes what not to do, but what does trusted design look like? These resources bridge that gap by giving concrete information about what to do instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/strategies-for-change/trusted-design-norms\"\u003eTrusted Design Norms\u003c/a\u003e section of the website there is an embedded slide presentation covering\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinciples for Trusted Design\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild for at-risk communities first, such as youth, seniors, economically disadvantaged people, those outside the Global North\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeliver user agency and control\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree people from cognitive burdens\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples found in practice to emulate\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiscussion guides and organizational assessment questions\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_deceptive_design_ma_quilts_hu_25630aef8a62ca18.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"421\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage: the principle of equitability found in practice on the website for \u003ca href=\"https://www.maquilts.com/\"\u003eMA Quilts\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to these guidelines, we synthesized recommendations from workshop contributors and a task force led by Sage Cheng of Access Now into a database of recommendations sortable by teams/discipline (e.g. user research, visual design), product areas (e.g. onboarding, errors), and guidelines (e.g. equitable, transparent).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_deceptive_design_airtable_57_recommendations_hu_f800d8096ed40406.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"512\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage: Please explore the collection of \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/app185ywjVuL0fFpr/pagja2Q0EUvWxAciU\"\u003e57 recommendations\u003c/a\u003e for trusted design in Airtable.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"5-develop-tools-for-evaluation--accreditation\"\u003e5. Develop Tools For Evaluation \u0026amp; Accreditation\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBringing together a global group of stakeholders in our workshops underscored the need for an independent body to coordinate standards for trusted design. We also see opportunities to build accreditation programs to support the move towards trustworthy design patterns.. It is imperative that this framework and accreditation program be created with meaningful inclusion of global majority stakeholders. For more details about how this might work, including self-assessment questions for developers, regulators, and researchers, please refer to the \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/strategies-for-change/evaluation-accreditation\"\u003eTPDL Deceptive Design website\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"get-involved\"\u003eGet Involved\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe need your help to build a trusted, rights-respecting online world as we pilot a multi-stakeholder working group to combat deceptive design and invite individuals and organizations to join the growing network of activists, policymakers, and technologists advancing trustworthy design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:trusted-design@superbloom.design\"\u003eContact the team to get involved.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur thanks to the World Wide Web Foundation, particularly to Kaushalya Gupta and Katherine Townsend for their leadership; to Sage Cheng from Access Now; to Megan Marini and Janice Dean from 3x3; and to all our \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/deceptive-design/acknowledgements\"\u003eparticipants and collaborators\u003c/a\u003e. Without them, this work would not be possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeader image screenshots created with Midjourney.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Where Can You Find Us At RightsCon 2023?",
            "date_published": "2023-06-05T13:45:10-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-06-05T13:45:10-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/where-can-you-find-us-at-rightscon-2023/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/where-can-you-find-us-at-rightscon-2023/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e​​The world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age is back. After three years online, the 12th edition of RightsCon is both live in San José, Costa Rica, and online via the RightsCon platform from Monday, June 5 to Thursday, June 8 2023.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRightsCon offers a platform for thousands of participants around the world to convene, connect, and contribute to a shared agenda for the future of human rights and technology. Join leaders, activists, technologists, policymakers, journalists, philanthropists, researchers, and artists to explore opportunities to advance human rights in the digital age.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose excited to be traveling to San José include: Georgia Bullen (Executive Director), Eriol Fox (Senior Product Manager and Designer), and Caroline Sinders (Convocation) and we hope to see and/or meet you at one of our events or please say hello.  If you’d like to meet us there please reach out via email to \u003ca href=\"mailto:rightscon2023@superbloom.design\"\u003erightscon2023@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e, and we’ve provided our session booking links below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"human-rights-centered-design-gathering-satellite-event\"\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design Gathering Satellite Event\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"june-5-2023--9-3pm-cst-gmt-6\"\u003eJune 5, 2023 | 9-3pm CST (GMT-6)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"hybrid\"\u003eHybrid\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the last in-person convening of the Human Rights-Centered Design Community at RightsCon 2019, this event aims at bringing together designers, user researchers, technologist, digital security trainers and policy experts to reflect on the progress in the areas at the intersection between human rights and tech product design. We are inviting community members and first-timers to join in-depth working groups to discuss new trends and developments in accessibility, privacy, security and other critical factors that can decide whether a digital product can protect, rather than undermine human rights. This event requires additional registration: \u003ca href=\"https://pretix.eu/hrcd/rightscon2023/\"\u003ehttps://pretix.eu/hrcd/rightscon2023/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_rightscon_2023_succulent_hu_c4e3c1d8a30ad77f.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"492\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"dismantling-deceptive-design-practices-a-human-rights-centered-approach\"\u003eDismantling deceptive design practices: a human rights-centered approach\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"june-6-2023--430-530pm-cst-gmt-6\"\u003eJune 6, 2023 | 4.30-5.30pm CST (GMT-6)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"hybrid-1\"\u003eHybrid\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"georgia-bullen-superbloom-dr-jen-king-stanford-university-becca-ricks-mozilla-willmary-escoto-access-now-hayley-tsukayama-electronic-frontier-foundation-sage-cheng-access-now\"\u003eGeorgia Bullen (Superbloom), Dr Jen King (Stanford University), Becca Ricks (Mozilla), Willmary Escoto (Access Now), Hayley Tsukayama (Electronic Frontier Foundation), Sage Cheng (Access Now)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeceptive designs, also known as dark patterns, manipulate people on the web into making choices against their own self-interest. Deceptive design is a human rights issue because these designs limit consent and autonomy online, particularly for vulnerable populations. Harms include financial loss, invasions of privacy, and negative impacts on mental health. Our human rights-centered design approach centers on lived experiences, and our presenters will share case studies and narratives for dismantling deceptive design. This multi-stakeholder conversation explores successes to replicate and pitfalls to avoid, looking not only at tech platforms and products but also at organizational design challenges and how companies can transform themselves to dismantle deceptive design and build trust. Using our best practices and facilitation tooling for equitable participation, our reliance on multiple input methods includes real-time notes to support neurodivergent people.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-costa-rica-2023/events/dismantling-deceptive-design-practices-a-human-rights-centered-approach-cdtYB1aVoUXSojLLimPbgj\"\u003eAdd to your sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"transparency-beyond-social-media-a-practical-exploration-of-recommendation-algorithms\"\u003eTransparency beyond social media: a practical exploration of recommendation algorithms\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"june-7-2023--1015-1115am-cst-gmt-6\"\u003eJune 7, 2023 | 10.15-11.15am CST (GMT-6)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"online\"\u003eOnline\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"caroline-sinders-convocation-michal-luria-center-for-democracy--technology-becca-ricks-mozilla\"\u003eCaroline Sinders (Convocation), Michal Luria (Center for Democracy \u0026amp; Technology), Becca Ricks (Mozilla)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSocial media platforms have been under the spotlight with demands for more transparency about how their recommendation algorithms work. Yet many other, non-social media platforms also use recommendation algorithms, and have just as significant of an impact on people’s lives in domains such as shopping, media, travel, transportation and more. In this workshop, we propose to include participants in considering what companies should share with users about how their recommendation algorithms work. In a hands-on exploration, participants will delve into what key non-social media platforms are currently sharing, while highlighting significant gaps in knowledge that companies need to address.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-costa-rica-2023/events/transparency-beyond-social-media-a-practical-exploration-of-recommendation-algorithms-8KSQ5RVfL58PEdTHP9FcPX\"\u003eAdd to your sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_rightscon_2023_toucan-costa-rica_hu_5bb32c4eb886df28.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"tools-for-enhancing-personal-protection-on-encrypted-messaging-platforms-with-secure-and-trusted-design\"\u003eTools for enhancing personal protection on encrypted messaging platforms with secure and trusted design\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"june-7-2023--2-3pm-cst-gmt-6\"\u003eJune 7, 2023 | 2-3pm CST (GMT-6)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"in-person\"\u003eIn person\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"caroline-sinders-convocation-justin-hendrix-tech-policy-press-nathalie-maréchal-center-for-democracy--technology\"\u003eCaroline Sinders (Convocation), Justin Hendrix (Tech Policy Press), Nathalie Maréchal (Center for Democracy \u0026amp; Technology)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tension between protecting communities, at risk groups and general personal communication through encrypted services, and concerns about harmful content that can only be moderated to a limited degree is an ongoing debate. Several recent research efforts have recommended addressing this tension by providing communities with more agency, including providing tools to improve user control, filtering abilities, and reporting experiences. In this hands-on design workshop we will map solutions and tools that either currently exist, or that platforms can create for users in the near future, while highlighting some of their possible advantages and disadvantages of each tool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn forming this mapping of possibilities, we will draw on recent findings from two research projects: a Tech Policy Press and Convocation Research + Design report on barriers to secure and trusted messaging, and a CDT research study conducted with teenagers and young adults in the US to capture their perspectives on digital message interactions they find concerning. We will discuss ways of addressing a range of “unwanted” content categories we have identified in our research, brainstorm practical tools/tooling that messaging platforms could provide to young audiences, and community/individual best practices around ‘safer’ messaging. We will also consider how these might or might not break encryption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-costa-rica-2023/events/tools-for-enhancing-personal-protection-on-encrypted-messaging-platforms-with-secure-and-trusted-design-uM6RPmAM7kGsQ2agX3KmVN\"\u003eAdd to your sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"a-clear-and-present-use-case-for-peer-2-peer\"\u003eA clear and present use case for peer-2-peer\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"june-7-2023--2-3pm-cst-gmt-6-1\"\u003eJune 7, 2023 | 2-3pm CST (GMT-6)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"in-person-1\"\u003eIn person\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"eriol-fox-superbloom-marcel-oomens-zamaneh-media-alex-meduza-sudeshna-chanda-nemo-network-of-exiled-media-outlets-nemo-jenny-ryan-equalitie\"\u003eEriol Fox (Superbloom), Marcel Oomens (Zamaneh Media), Alex (Meduza), Sudeshna Chanda (NEMO Network of Exiled Media Outlets (NEMO), Jenny Ryan (eQualitie)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe #KeepItOn Coalition reported 931 internet shutdowns across 74 countries between 2016 and 2021. Authorities have learnt that shutdowns are an effective tool at shutting down dissent. The activist community looks at peer-2-peer technology to keep dissenting voices heard during a shutdown. But peer-2-peer communication, not reliant on internet connectivity, is a technology without a clear and present use case. Existing peer-2-peer tools are often interesting technology showcases with very small user bases. Adding peer-2-peer features to commercial apps and platforms adds little business value, so we need to look to the donor and (online and digital rights) activist communities to take a user-centered approach to designing and developing peer-2-peer tools. For example, Zamaneh Media, and online, Persian news medium, is investigating how peer-2-peer can help its newsroom maintain access to sources and reach audiences during a shutdown.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe need a clear and present use case for peer-2-peer. In this workshop, we wish to crowdsource the \u0026ldquo;Peer-2-Peer Design Manifesto\u0026rdquo;: 1. Which (internet) functions benefit the most from peer-2-peer connectivity during a shutdown? 2. Which websites and applications are easily extensible with peer-2-peer connectivity? 3. How do peer-2-peer features best support the users\u0026rsquo; needs from these applications? 4. How to design features that provide a seamless, user-friendly peer-2-peer experience? Join this workshop. Bring your needs, your ideas and your experiences with peer-2-peer and distributed applications. What has worked for you previously and what do you need from your tools going forward? Come and leave your mark on your future peer-2-peer tools!  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-costa-rica-2023/events/a-clear-and-present-use-case-for-peer-2-peer-tyRzevmyPmMbg7NsC68Esd\"\u003eAdd to your sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_rightscon_2023_iguana_hu_cd178c41e1d691e.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-devils-in-the-details-adversarial-design-in-action\"\u003eThe devil\u0026rsquo;s in the details: adversarial design in action\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"june-7-2023--430-530pm-cst-gmt-6\"\u003eJune 7, 2023 | 4.30-5.30pm CST (GMT-6)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"in-person-2\"\u003eIn person\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"eriol-fox-superbloom-ashley-fowler-internews-nick-merrill-uc-berkeley-center-for-long-term-cybersecurity-cltc-helen-nyinakiiza-digital-security-trainer-jon-camfield-meta\"\u003eEriol Fox (Superbloom), Ashley Fowler (Internews), Nick Merrill (UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC), Helen Nyinakiiza (Digital Security Trainer), Jon Camfield (Meta)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNuanced discussions on these threat actors, their goals and tactics are critical, but with the potential to re-traumatize victims or send defense, product, and policy teams into rabbit holes, the specific details can be counterproductive and derail holistic, risk-leveled approaches. This workshop explores the use of adversarial personas as a way that different stakeholders (the civil society, human rights defenders, the research community, and social media platforms) can work together to prevent, detect, and respond to advanced threat actors. Workshop leaders from academia, trust and safety efforts, design firms, and community digital safety trainers will present, share, and discuss their use of adversarial personas to address product design challenges as well as engage on traumatic experiences caused by powerful and persistent threat actors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis workshop will also open up a discussion on complex, non-adversarial personas. This is to ensure we consider journalists, human rights defenders, and other important users who use overlapping or similar tactics as some adversaries, but for vastly different reasons. These users are working to maximize their own security and the security of their communities, but may be using anonymizing tools, accounts which appear fake, constantly logging in from “new” devices, using burner mobile numbers, and so on. While often signals of adversaries, these are legitimate tools which we need to take into account these positive, rights-protecting use cases in the use of adversarial personas\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-costa-rica-2023/events/the-devils-in-the-details-adversarial-design-in-action-vfqp8MGheDqvFcB8r3ed9v\"\u003eAdd to your sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"fck-it-well-do-it-ourselves-building-products-to-prevent-and-counter-gender-based-violence-online\"\u003eF*ck it, we\u0026rsquo;ll do it ourselves: building products to prevent and counter gender-based violence online\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"june-8-2023--315-415pm-cst-gmt-6\"\u003eJune 8, 2023 | 3.15-4.15pm CST (GMT-6)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"in-person-3\"\u003eIn person\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"georgia-bullen-superbloom-eduardo-carillo-tedic-luisa-braig-social-finance-uk-fernanda-martins-internetlab\"\u003eGeorgia Bullen (Superbloom), Eduardo Carillo (TEDIC), Luisa Braig (Social Finance UK), Fernanda Martins (InternetLab)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether the cause of gender violence online is the misuse by bad actors of a platform as intended, or a platform prioritizing engagement over safety, harassment is rife online and among the needed changes are the very products that we use every day. Many in the human rights and gender justice community have proposed direct changes to products, often without knowledge and collaboration of how product changes are made within companies. This session will provide an overview of the extent of the problem of gender harassment online, common pitfalls in working with platforms to change their services, and a workshop on the best ways to approach product development to prevent and respond to online gender-based violence.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-costa-rica-2023/events/fck-it-well-do-it-ourselves-building-products-to-prevent-and-counter-gender-based-violence-online-vnbQzLcXuXvcpAxC5MjGPz\"\u003eAdd to your sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_rightscon_2023_colibri_humming-bird_hu_7af9303f6481848a.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"481\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe hope to see you in San José and online!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "A Dev’s Guide To Design In Open Source Software",
            "date_published": "2023-05-24T13:25:36-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-05-24T13:25:36-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/a-devs-guide-to-design-in-open-source-software/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/a-devs-guide-to-design-in-open-source-software/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_user_testing_can_be_fun_hu_645a8f9cdb75aee1.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"507\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"a-devs-guide-to-design-in-open-source-software\"\u003eA Dev’s Guide To Design In Open Source Software\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can find all of the Adoptable resources we created on the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/devs-guide-to\"\u003eopen repository\u003c/a\u003e or on the \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003emicrosite\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2022, Superbloom partnered with \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://okthanks.com\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e to create resources that help open OSS teams understand how design processes and activities improve the usability of open source tools. We called this work ‘Adoptable’, and throughout the process, we shared and tracked our work progress on an \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm/devs-guide-to\"\u003eopen and contributable repository\u003c/a\u003e, and published the resources to an \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003eOS microsite\u003c/a\u003e. Below, we outline some core thematic insights and needs that came out of the research and briefly introduce the five resources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"understanding-the-challenge\"\u003eUnderstanding The Challenge\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross various types of open source software, design is regularly misunderstood and under utilized. The challenges in doing design in open source software (OSS) typically center around OSS’s systemic production and cultural issues which all impact how design is perceived and respected. OSS teams are often stuck in the ‘design is visuals’ paradigm where those in software development view design as the pixels, the graphics, and user interfaces and less the ways in which tools function according to or failing a user\u0026rsquo;s expectations and needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a misunderstanding of what design is and what it can do, of how and when design is done as part of a life cycle of a product, and of what tools designers may use. These complex problems cannot simply be solved by forcing design to be part of open source software tool development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response to this challenge, we decided to make the process of design more accessible and visible by documenting tangible, actionable ways of interacting with users with the goal of unlocking the value of design. But first, in order to make open source software better across broad types of users, the Adoptable team sought to understand how design can be made accessible to open source software developers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"unpacking-devs-design-perceptions-and-practices\"\u003eUnpacking Devs’ Design Perceptions And Practices\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_unpacking_devs_design_perceptions_and_practices_hu_5641c21c74f67550.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"237\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo create relevant resources, we needed to understand the most salient issues within OSS developer communities regarding design perceptions and practice. We interviewed seven people who were part of security and privacy-focused OSS tool teams to understand:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are the biggest gaps of design knowledge?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are the biggest opportunities for introducing design methods?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat would be most useful to projects right now? \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research generated many key insights to inform resource development. These insights were grounded in some core themes we identified:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"perceived-practical-barriers\"\u003ePerceived Practical Barriers\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign is perceived as ’expensive’ – design and designers cost a lot. When unpacking this idea, we found that design is a less ‘understandable and visible’ aspect of software creation and development. Especially the ‘invisible’ design work, such as user research, UX insights, facilitation, and capacity building, is not often viewed as an ‘output’ and therefore a ‘waste of money’. Visual design is much easier to see and therefore more valued. Without user research, it is harder to create the visual design and the result is less user/human-centered.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign tooling is perceived as not easily fitting in the OSS developer’s toolbox. OSS developers shared that they couldn’t imagine easily integrating design processes and tools into their projects’ workflow.  Most often this came down to a mention of designers ’not being on GitHub/GitLab’ (or similar code based repository locations). The key insight here was the need to invest time in building designers\u0026rsquo; understanding of common OSS practices as well as building OSS tool teams’ understanding of design practices. Plan for onboarding and welcoming beyond expecting designers to \u0026lsquo;read the OSS manual’.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOSS tool teams don’t know how to find designers aligned with their project needs.  Though designers interested in OSS exist and there are communities for them to communicate, collaborate, and meet OSS teams, usually OSS tool teams feel they have to ‘go outside of their sphere of comfort\u0026rsquo; to find and connect with designers. This is true for a wide variety of diversity and inclusion needs within OSS and best described with the phrase: ‘You won\u0026rsquo;t meet new kinds of people in your own house!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"working-across-disciplines\"\u003eWorking Across Disciplines \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorking collaboratively with developers as early as possible is a way to encourage successful design in OSS. For this collaboration to work, both designers and developers must invest time and effort in each others’ day-to-day processes to build trust. It’s important to remove as much constraint and tension within the collaborative relationship as possible. That means going beyond designing for ‘short time frames of development’ to ‘building trust and understanding widely within the OSS in order to design effectively for real users’.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are common differences in developers’ understanding of design. Therefore, not all designers will know what and how to deliver design to accommodate developers’ understanding. For example, some developers want high-fidelity prototypes based on a grid, while others are used to implementing with wireframes and a style guide. Best approaches are to grow common understandings of design terminology/practices, learn what to ask for, and ensure designers are set up for success.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"value-and-urgency\"\u003eValue And Urgency\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVolunteer designers in OSS are perceived as ’too slow’. Generally designers do their work outside of GitHub/GitLab and this can contribute to OSS tool teams not fully understanding how long ‘good’ design takes. Ensuring there is a plan for onboarding, mentoring and integration into the OSS tool helps with this.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOSS tool teams have trouble seeing the value of design research compared to issues that feel ‘more pressing.’ In the early design research phases such as user testing, usability research and synthesis, there is an upfront investment in helping designers ‘upskill’ and make the most of the community of users. This is important because user/human insights allow an OSS tool to achieve a new level of maturity beyond the ‘itch to scratch’ implementation process. Yet, this upfront work can be frustrating when there is already a backlog of identified issues in need of developer attention. Placing focus on user research helps the team identify the high-impact problems and this goes a long way to helping design and development in OSS tools work together.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecial considerations:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh risk users and human rights centered design for sensitive/safety OSS tools is a complex topic with detailed and careful considerations and needs. Open practices and design methods don’t always work well with high risk users OSS tools. This needs to be addressed by designers and the wider team to establish guidelines before jumping into the work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-friendly-yet-boundary-pushing-resources\"\u003eDesigning Friendly Yet Boundary-pushing Resources\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter metabolizing what we heard from OSS developers, the urgency for action came together around four key needs:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAddressing design misconceptions by considering frequently asked questions and tensions in user testing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePromoting collaboration by guiding OSS tool teams to better understand user testing and practice these skills alongside designers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFocusing on the user via working together in a synthesis process with real user testing insights to converge on core user problems/needs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHearing a variety of voices by asking the OSS community how they collaborate on complex OSS tools.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom these needs, we explored many directions for resources that addressed these thematic gaps. We thought about ways to integrate this work within the OSS community more broadly, to contextualize and occupy the space that design needs in order to become more culturally accepted. In that spirit, we created actionable resources for use, and we embedded ourselves into community spaces to socialize them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_designing_friendly_yet_boundary_pushing_resources_hu_6dd25ad7d03e56c1.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"509\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resource-1-user-testing-can-be-fun-an-faq---interactive-guide\"\u003eResource #1: User Testing Can Be Fun: An FAQ - Interactive Guide \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://usable.itch.io/user-testing-can-be-fun-a-guide-for-oss-developers-and-tool-teams-on-how-to-user\"\u003ePlay the guide here\u003c/a\u003e - \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/usable-user-testing-can-be-fun\"\u003eSee the repository here\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis resource, built in Twine using Sugarcube (OSS tools) is a click/tappable guide with conversational, interactive elements. To avoid another ‘pdf document’ or ‘step based list guide’ that are text based and labor  intensive to read/consume we wanted to make our introduction guide to user testing for devs more fun and engaging. \u003ca href=\"https://usable.itch.io/user-testing-can-be-fun-a-guide-for-oss-developers-and-tool-teams-on-how-to-user\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_resource_1_hu_91f2e3d9a4dab154.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"370\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resource-2-user-testing-can-be-fun-an-faq---poster\"\u003eResource #2: User Testing Can Be Fun: An FAQ - Poster\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/usable-user-testing-can-be-fun-poster\"\u003ePrintable Poster\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA poster that can be printed and stuck on the walls of an office or home. The poster has condensed information and advice for those new to user testing in software. The poster has three different visual versions from ink intensive to ink light for those printing at home and wanting to save printer ink.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resource-3-a-devs-guide-to-user-testing\"\u003eResource #3: A Dev’s Guide To User Testing\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen speaking with developers we heard that user testing and usability testing is largely a mystery to the average developer. Many will have heard of the terms and often are enthusiastic about the opportunities and improvements that user testing and usability testing can give their OSS tools, but when it comes to trying to kick off the process by themselves they’re unsure where to start and what’s sustainable for a team without a designer on staff or a volunteer contributor. We created a series of written documents with copy-paste example templates for recruiting users, scripting testing sessions and gathering data, all kept on our micro site here: \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/a-dev-guide-to-usertesting/\"\u003ehttps://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/a-dev-guide-to-usertesting/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_resource_3_hu_cfb4f1a8337c9866.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"370\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resource-4-synthesis-for-open-source\"\u003eResource #4: Synthesis For Open-source\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we spoke with the OSS tool teams about how to perform user tests and usability tests, they asked us ‘what’s next?’ with the wealth of data it had collected. We began to realise that the process of understanding and synthesizing user information was a skill and process OSS devs had not previously experienced. There are many techniques and methods that can be utilized for synthesis of data but we focussed on a method that is collaborative and builds consensus between team members. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/synthesis-for-open-source/\"\u003ehttps://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/synthesis-for-open-source/\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_resource_4_hu_c8576d573281cd91.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"366\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resource-5-developer-and-designer-collaboration-in-open-source\"\u003eResource #5: Developer And Designer Collaboration In Open Source\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContinuing the logical progression of skills and processes from user/usability testing to synthesis we continued by fielding questions from the OSS tools teams about how to consistently collaborate between developers and designers in the OSS space. We have processes and preferences at Superbloom but all OSS tools are different and therefore collaboration can look different and need to be different for teams dependant on their circumstances. So instead of providing a single explanation of collaboration we invited other designers, developers and product managers working on security and privacy OSS to discuss collaboration with us.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can find the episode recording here: \u003ca href=\"https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/18\"\u003ehttps://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/18\u003c/a\u003e and the transcript of the episode here: \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/designer-developer-collaboration-in-OSS/blob/main/In-conversation-with-designers-and-developers-in-OSS-for-SOS-podcast.md\"\u003ehttps://github.com/simplysecure/designer-developer-collaboration-in-OSS/blob/main/In-conversation-with-designers-and-developers-in-OSS-for-SOS-podcast.md\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"community-activities-and-events\"\u003eCommunity Activities And Events\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs well as crafting and providing resources, the Adoptable team wanted to make sure that we didn’t assume that such resources would be discoverable by default by OSS tool teams. With the overwhelming amount of advice and support across the internet on how to ‘do design’ without the context being OSS, security or privacy focussed, we made sure that our approach to communicating and socializing or resources was rooted in an understanding, appreciation and respect for the OSS and security tool space. We went to the spaces that our community were already in, intentionally invited people into practical sessions as well as instructive sessions and made sure our resources exist in developer and OSS tool team friendly formats, and used OSS technology wherever possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_communities_activities_and_events_hu_36edf2d4457a6629.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"383\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIMakeFOSS Twitter takeover\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor our first community activity we spoke with the folks that run the \u003ca href=\"https://imakefoss.org/\"\u003eIMakeFOSS\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/imakefoss\"\u003eTwitter account\u003c/a\u003e. We spent five days tweeting from the account as the Adoptable project focused on the content created for ‘user testing can be fun’.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can see the tweets archived here: \u003ca href=\"https://imakefoss.org/tweets/eriolandkelsey/\"\u003ehttps://imakefoss.org/tweets/eriolandkelsey/\u003c/a\u003e and an interview with the Adoptable team here: \u003ca href=\"https://imakefoss.org/curators/eriolfoxandkelseysmith/\"\u003ehttps://imakefoss.org/curators/eriolfoxandkelseysmith/\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeveloper and designer collaboration in open source podcast episode\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe did a podcast to discuss collaboration between developers and designers, which was created with OSS security and privacy tools community members with the aim to provoke discussion and dialogue about methods of collaboration across the OSS tool space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can find the episode recording here: \u003ca href=\"https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/18\"\u003ehttps://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/18\u003c/a\u003e and the transcript of the episode here: \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/designer-developer-collaboration-in-OSS/blob/main/In-conversation-with-designers-and-developers-in-OSS-for-SOS-podcast.md\"\u003ehttps://github.com/simplysecure/designer-developer-collaboration-in-OSS/blob/main/In-conversation-with-designers-and-developers-in-OSS-for-SOS-podcast.md\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA dev’s guide to synthesis; a Simply Secure hosted workshop\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe invited specific developers from two OSS tool teams who we interviewed initially to participate in a mock synthesis session with sample data that we’d gathered from a previous project. We often find that if we use live data from OSS tool teams projects then often the data can become the focus, as opposed to the synthesis methods. We spent three hours with these two tool teams taking them through a synthesis process and practicing how to manage data across user testing and user research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out the explainer for the private workshop: \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/synthesis-for-open-source-workshop/\"\u003ehttps://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/synthesis-for-open-source-workshop/\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA dev’s guide to synthesis at FOSDEM 2022 for the Open Source Design devroom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the private workshop we wanted to speak more widely about what we’d done, learned and shared with the OSS tool team members but retain their anonymity. We had a 20 minute talk to cover the key elements of our synthesis resource and the private workshop at FOSDEM.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out the talk at FOSDEM that we did about this resource and process: \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/synthesis-for-open-source-at-fosdem22/\"\u003ehttps://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/synthesis-for-open-source-at-fosdem22/\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA dev’s guide… at MozFest 2022\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur two penultimate community activities were talk slots at two different conferences that serve the OSS, internet freedom and privacy and security OSS community. At both these events we spoke generally about the resources we created for the Adoptable project and spoke with developers and other OSS community members about doing design in OSS privacy and security tools. We found plenty of excitement and enthusiasm for these resources and requests for active workshops in following years\u0026rsquo; conferences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out the talk at MozFest here: \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/usable-resources-at-mozfest22/\"\u003ehttps://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/usable-resources-at-mozfest22/\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out the FOSSASIA talk here: \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/75dAcDSRrC8?list=PLzZVLecTsGpIV6Rb7C9Y3ALatqxIg2wAM\u0026amp;t=28666\"\u003ehttps://youtu.be/75dAcDSRrC8?list=PLzZVLecTsGpIV6Rb7C9Y3ALatqxIg2wAM\u0026amp;t=28666\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGetting comfortable with user testing through role play at the UXForum 2022\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last community activity we did was an active session where we invited people to role play a user testing session. One person performed the role of interviewer/researcher and one played the role of the user with a briefing sheet for their character background and details.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out the information here: \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/getting-used-to-user-testing-at-the-uxforum/\"\u003ehttps://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/posts/getting-used-to-user-testing-at-the-uxforum/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the role play worksheets here: \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1wbSHjEhZVqzWMVkxZT_qTSP3RSuJkgxD\"\u003ehttps://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1wbSHjEhZVqzWMVkxZT_qTSP3RSuJkgxD\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"looking-ahead\"\u003eLooking Ahead\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we closed out the first phase of Adoptable, we continued as active participants in the OSS design community by making many of our resources, workshops and talks open repositories available on GitHub. We hope that people will contribute, fork and request additions or changes by opening an issue or commenting on our work. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy building these resources and continuing our engagements with OSS tool teams, we are ultimately helping to grow the ecosystem’s understanding of how design can help serve users. We plan to continue this work, encouraging the OSS community to shift towards a culture that is more welcoming to contributors – including designers – who bring different perspectives, backgrounds and methods to the table. You can see further exploration in our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/introducing-user-usable-software-ecosystem-research/\"\u003eUsable Software Ecosystem Research (USER)\u003c/a\u003e project, investigating how design and usability are perceived and practiced within scientific and research OSS projects \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project\"\u003e(see repo here)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStay tuned, and be sure to check out \u003ca href=\"https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/\"\u003eSustain OSS Design\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://opensourcedesign.net/\"\u003eOpen Source Design\u003c/a\u003e for information, resources, gatherings, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/\"\u003eSuperbloom\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e, along with the projects we did research with: \u003ca href=\"https://docs.digiresilience.org/link/about/\"\u003eCDR Link\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://encirculo.org/en/\"\u003eCirculo\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://securedrop.org/\"\u003eSecureDrop\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://tails.boum.org/\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://keepassxc.org/\"\u003eKeePassXC\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tella.tv/\"\u003eTella\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://mailvelope.com/en/\"\u003eMailvelope\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e, UXForum, \u003ca href=\"https://fossasia.org/\"\u003eFOSSASIA\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://fosdem.org/2023/\"\u003eFOSDEM’s Open Source Design Devroom\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/\"\u003eMozFest\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/\"\u003eSustaining Open Source Design Design podcast (SOSD)\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.imakefoss.org/\"\u003eIMakeFOSS\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLead image: under creative commons license.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "USER: A Work In Process",
            "date_published": "2023-05-15T11:04:13-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-05-15T11:04:13-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/user-a-work-in-progress/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/user-a-work-in-progress/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_sloan_user_woman_lab_coat_hu_eed29f98d3bee5f.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"user-a-work-in-process\"\u003eUSER: A Work In Process\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsable Software Ecosystem Research (USER) is a Sloan Foundation-supported research initiative that explores how open source scientific and research software (S\u0026amp;R OSS) teams understand, consider, and undertake usability and design opportunities in their projects. To read more about this project please check out \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/introducing-user-usable-software-ecosystem-research/\"\u003eBlog #1\u003c/a\u003e and check out our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project\"\u003eopen repo\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we last posted an update about our Usable Software Ecosystem Research (USER) project, we were just wrapping up our 27 interviews and closing our two community surveys. Since February, our six-person research team has collaborated virtually and in-person to analyze the huge amount of qualitative and quantitative data we’ve collected over the course of this project. The process has been daunting at times, but has also been energizing and illuminating. Here we outline some key components of our research process and share a draft excerpt from our findings. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"in-the-thick-of-it\"\u003eIn The Thick Of It\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUSER has presented our team with a challenge: how do we best do deep, human-centered research with a distributed team while working remotely and collaborating equitably? In previous projects, we’ve tried to stay ahead of the synthesis process by using what we call a “Debrief Synthesis Board\u0026rsquo;\u0026rsquo; in Miro, where we have a grid-like structure that we can use after completing each interview to capture the most important ideas and findings. This method proved to be difficult in the face of such a wide-ranging and complex research topic. In the end, we organized over 1500 sticky notes over many rounds, into more than 25 categories! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_sloan_user_stickies_1_hu_592727b98efc1a63.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"275\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Miro board went from the above debrief grid to the below organization of themes and topics, and then through another two iterations of organization - identifying common themes and then consolidating.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_sloan_user_stickies_2_hu_4e9c2e932b6a2464.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"275\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be sure we captured interviewees’ thoughts and words precisely and in context, we also recorded each interview. We created a codebook that allowed us to filter the quotes by theme and subtheme during our outlining and writing process. Together, the Miro board and the codebook left us with a wealth of evidence. We were both overwhelmed by the data and excited that we had learned so much on so many topics from our interviews. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"returning-to-our-research-questions\"\u003eReturning To Our Research Questions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur synthesis process made it clear that both we and the participants in our project had many thoughts about in response to our research questions. We left data collection with a range of findings, beyond what we initially anticipated. So much can influence the level of attention given to design in these projects, from how visual designers collaborate with them, to the values that scientists bring to technology projects, to how academia, hierarchy, and governance affect prioritization and user-awareness. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe writing phase required us to re-ground ourselves in our research questions. While we also plan to release our more general findings for the ecosystem, we aim to shed the most light on the particular nuances we uncovered around S\u0026amp;R OSS projects, usability, and design. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"an-excerpt-in-progress\"\u003eAn Excerpt-in-Progress \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur final outputs will be published at the end of May, but we’re eager to share a sample of what we’re working on. The following is a piece of the draft chapter on designers’ experiences in S\u0026amp;R OSS projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"designers-in-projects-often-need-to-justify-design-and-educate-others-about-the-need-for-it-to-get-buy-in\"\u003eDesigners In Projects Often Need To Justify Design And Educate Others About The Need For It To Get Buy-in\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf there are designers in teams working on Open Source Research Software, they are often tasked not only with their work, but with educating the team on how design is done and why it\u0026rsquo;s relevant. This is needed, since design is usually a late addition to projects, after other practices, like collaboration on code, have been established. Without educational work, design would remain an activity that is not seen to be relevant in practice. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this, they need to balance both making design its own recognized activity while not being perceived as threatening or opposing existing practices. Designers employed different methods to do this: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresenting design as a “blank slate” without preconceived opinions\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuggest design activities that do not need a lot of resources, like lightweight usability testing of existing ideas\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDemonstrating the usefulness of design in the context of an ongoing project\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGetting involved in existing discussions rather than opening up new ones\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll these methods involve being not threatening and working in existing structures to, ideally, build small wins that demonstrate that design can be a helpful contribution. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigners also tried to manage their identity and distanced themselves from values and activities which are seen as “bad ‘in open source projects: “Polishing” (iterating in small steps with strong care for details), “superficiality” (strong care for immediate visual aesthetics), “maximizing clicks” (tracking user actions and compare them to goals) are seen as bad. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill, many struggled with achieving a mutual understanding. Designers wished for a “common language” which they tried to work towards by explaining terminology and educating team members. However, even if the terms were there, it did not necessarily translate into their practice when working on the software. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-comes-next\"\u003eWhat Comes Next\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re currently editing our outputs for publication at the end of May. Please be sure to keep an eye out for the final drafts, and keep an eye on \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/\"\u003eour blog\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/sprblm_\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project\"\u003eGitHub repo\u003c/a\u003e for updates.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EriolDoesDesign\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/katie/\"\u003eKatie Wilson\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/abhi1203\"\u003eAbhishek Sharma\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/smklibrarian\"\u003eSusan Kennedy\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kirakirawes\"\u003eNgọc Triệu\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simulo\"\u003eJan Dittrich\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EmDohh\"\u003eMeag Doherty\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImage credit: Bill Branson (Photographer) - This image was released by the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cancer_Institute\"\u003eNational Cancer Institute\u003c/a\u003e, an agency part of the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Institutes_of_Health\"\u003eNational Institutes of Health\u003c/a\u003e, with the ID \u003ca href=\"https://visualsonline.cancer.gov/details.cfm?imageid=1844\"\u003e1844\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https://visualsonline.cancer.gov/retrieve.cfm?imageid=1844\u0026amp;dpi=300\u0026amp;fileformat=jpg\"\u003eimage\u003c/a\u003e) via \u003ca href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Film_Optical_Sensing_Device_for_Input_to_Computers_(FOSDIC).jpg\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/\"\u003eSloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Making Design More Open: Superbloom At FOSS Backstage 2023",
            "date_published": "2023-05-04T17:59:03-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-05-04T17:59:03-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-design-more-open-superbloom-at-foss-backstage-2023/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-design-more-open-superbloom-at-foss-backstage-2023/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_foss_2023_04_image_cakes_hu_653438ebf291f7ca.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch6 id=\"photo-credit\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhoto credit: \u003ca href=\"https://plainschwarz.com/\"\u003ePlain Schwarz\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn March 13 and 14, 2023, two of our team members, Eriol Fox and ngọc triệu, and one of our collaborators, Django Skorupa, attended \u003ca href=\"https://23.foss-backstage.de/\"\u003eFOSS Backstage\u003c/a\u003e, a two-day conference focused on all aspects of free, libre, and open source software (FOSS). The conference covered topics ranging from Sustainability and Funding, Diversity and Inclusion, Legal and Compliance, to Governance and Community. Attendees had the chance to discuss the latest advancements and challenges in the FOSS ecosystem with funders such as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://sovereigntechfund.de/en/\"\u003eSovereign Tech Fund\u003c/a\u003e, Prototype Fund, developers, and community leaders in the FOSS ecosystem.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"design-with-a-capital-d-design-in-foss\"\u003eDesign With A Capital D: Design In FOSS\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur workshop at FOSS Backstage focused on \u0026ldquo;Design with a capital D\u0026rdquo; because it\u0026rsquo;s what FOSS has trouble receiving, and for valid reasons. However, it\u0026rsquo;s an essential, critical, yet invisible part of getting to the tangible design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesign in FOSS is not a new concept. Designers and those who work on FOSS tool design have been around since the beginning, and may have previously been referred to as usability or human-computer interaction (HCI) experts. Regardless of when designers in FOSS initially started, it is becoming increasingly clear that there has been a growing trend and interest in design within OSS over the past five years or more. Design has become an integral part of technology tools in both proprietary and commercial settings. More and more organizations and companies are adopting design processes and including designers as part of their technology projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe definition and description of UX Design often varies, depending on factors such as the organization, geographical location, and design team. While those collaborating with designers tend to think of design as limited to visuals, graphics, logos, UI, and tangible aspects of design, designers often provide a greater function than their deliverables may suggest. However, for many FOSS projects, those deliverables tend to align with what is valued, such as code that successfully functions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut what are those other functions? Often referred to as “Capital D Design” it involves research, thinking, conversations, collaborations, facilitation, interpretation, intuition (from hypotheses), and applying a broad range of design knowledge. This type of work is very difficult to contribute to in a traditional FOSS \u0026ldquo;pushing code\u0026rdquo; sense, so it is largely absent from design in FOSS. Designers have only recently become comfortable with opening up their design processes to the public, and tools like Figma and Penpot\u0026rsquo;s shared teams/files are focused solely on tangible design work. Most of the time, any design work will have a lot of \u0026ldquo;Design with a capital D\u0026rdquo; beforehand, but it\u0026rsquo;s mostly invisible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"making-design-more-open-a-design-workshop-for-non-designers-in-foss\"\u003eMaking Design More Open: A Design Workshop For Non-Designers in FOSS\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur workshop was designed to assist non-designers in FOSS in understanding and implementing design principles and tasks that enable them to appreciate the value that design brings. Its aim was to equip them with the necessary knowledge to request appropriate design services for their projects and to feel confident participating in design for FOSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_foss_2023_04_image_eriol_hu_f5c7692e90d0fa6f.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch6 id=\"photo-credit-1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhoto credit: \u003ca href=\"https://plainschwarz.com/\"\u003ePlain Schwarz\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h6\u003e\n\u003ch6 id=\"photo-eriol-fox-speaking-at-fossbackstage-2023\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhoto: Eriol Fox speaking at FOSS.Backstage 2023.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe embraced a human-centered design (HCD) approach for our workshop, aiming to make it relevant and easy to relate to by leading with our personal stories and experiences of doing design in the open source world. As most of the participants were developers, we selected and arranged the design activities with respect to the design process, time allocation (60 minutes), and the audience\u0026rsquo;s level of design proficiency.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe started by presenting pre-prepared profiles of established FOSS projects that the participants may have already been familiar with. These included \u003ca href=\"https://scratch.mit.edu/\"\u003eScratch\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.python.org/\"\u003ePython\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.signal.org/\"\u003eSignal\u003c/a\u003e. Each was accompanied by a brief overview of the software, target audience, and objectives. Participants were divided into groups of 4-5 people before going into our chosen exercises. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe exercises that we chose to introduced in this workshop include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-value-proposition\"\u003e1. Value Proposition\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this activity, each group was tasked with creating a value proposition using the profile of their assigned FOSS Project. A value proposition is a simple and clear statement that communicates the unique benefits of a product or service and sets it apart from other similar products or services.The typical components of a value proposition include: Name, Description Target Users, and Purpose. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_foss_2023_04_image_1._valueprop_example_hu_d1ca9206547e9c74.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch6 id=\"an-example-of-a-value-proposition-statement\"\u003eAn example of a value proposition statement. \u003c/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/design_tools/ValueProp-Generator/ValueProp-template.png\"\u003eDownload The Value Proposition Generator Template\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"participant-feedback\"\u003eParticipant Feedback\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis exercise helps teams of people who may not have met or worked closely together before, come to a quick understanding and consensus about a project or tool\u0026rsquo;s intentions. However, one point of confusion for our workshop participants was whether to write the value proposition from the perspective of a) a user of the FOSS tool b) a contributor to the FOSS tool c) both combined.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-personas\"\u003e2. Personas\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this activity, each group of participants received a persona for their FLOSS project profile. A persona is a fictional amalgamation of demographic information created as a design tool to ensure a project stays on track for the needs of the stakeholders. Personas are always rooted in the experiences and wants of real people. For optimal results, the stakeholders should consist of real people randomly selected from a diverse range of demographics that are directly affected by changes to your product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/superbloom.design_foss_2023_04_image_2_persona_hu_1c9feeccd0f113df.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"354\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch6 id=\"an-example-of-three-personas-used-in-the-workshop\"\u003eAn example of three personas used in the workshop.\u003c/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants were asked to consider one of the personas assigned to them, with the specific instruction that despite their own personal interpretation, this person both values and wants to contribute to the project in question. Based on the participants\u0026rsquo; understanding of the project, and the persona on the table, participants were asked to anticipate struggles that those personas would face when attempting to contribute to or use the project. Specifically, they were asked to consider whether or not anything needed to change about the project. Our hope was to prompt them to see their project through the eyes of another person, and understand that sometimes, the most successful research that you can conduct is research that entirely disproves your initial hypothesis. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research_tools/simsec_basic_persona.pdf\"\u003eDownload The Persona Template\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/personas/\"\u003eLearn More About Using Personas In FOSS\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-user-research-conducting-an-interview\"\u003e3. User Research: Conducting An Interview\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPstnpEM=/\"\u003eRoleplay Scripts: Getting Used To User Testing\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this activity, participants had the opportunity to learn and practice user testing. One person was assigned as the interviewer and another as the user, with the former receiving a guide and a script and the latter being given a persona who they had to pretend to be. We emphasized that there was no wrong way to do the exercise and encouraged participants to have fun, break character, discuss, make changes, and explore what the practice could do for the OSS projects they maintain or contribute to. In addition, we noted that having their hypothesis destroyed during the exercise was extremely beneficial as it saved time that would have been wasted on competitor analysis, design, development, and launching a product that the existing community had no use for.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"participant-feedback-1\"\u003eParticipant Feedback\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a designer and facilitator, you know an exercise is engaging when your audience doesn\u0026rsquo;t want to stop! Even though role play can be tough for many reasons beyond the initial embarrassment (e.g. language barriers, interview technique and improvement), finding out new information about your FOSS tools and software can quickly help participants overcome these difficult moments. After the workshop, participants left with the scripts in hand as well as a host of other examples from our \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003e‘A Dev’s Guide to User Testing’.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"key-learnings-and-takeaways\"\u003eKey Learnings And Takeaways\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the name of our workshop suggests, we hope we made design more open to non-designers of the FOSS ecosystem by opening our design process and offering an opportunity for hands-on experience with different design tools and methods. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur key learnings and takeaways are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe should keep working on improving and adapting conventional/industrial/standard design tools, methods, and practices to accommodate the specific needs of the FOSS communities.\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe FOSS community is wary of industry and the ‘standards’ that are popularized by it. Understanding how and when to introduce an industry-created method is key to its usefulness in a FOSS project. It is also important to know when to adapt and change a method to better suit the principles and goals of FOSS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBe more strategic about the resources and tools introduced and used in workshops.\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, we could use the introduction of Value Proposition as a case study to think strategically about ways to improve the method itself by asking: “How is Value Proposition as a design method perceived and leveraged differently in OS design compared to industrial design, and how can it better serve the needs of the OS teams?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnsure that design has a presence at FOSS events on a large conference scale, as well as a smaller project-to-project scale. It\u0026rsquo;s challenging but always worthwhile.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen running workshops around design in FOSS conferences and spaces, we often find ourselves with a full room ready to learn. This has generally improved over the last five years as the FOSS community values non-code contributions to FOSS and understands that building sustainable, usable open source software includes design and designers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"further-information\"\u003eFurther Information\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeak to us about bringing design to your conference or FOSS project by emailing us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSession slides \u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPstnpEM=/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatch recordings of all the sessions \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq-odUc2x7i9Zrs4oyM1I3V5xlYICEL2g\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContributors: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EriolDoesDesign\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/DjangoSkorupa\"\u003eDjango Skorupa\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kirakirawes\"\u003engọc triệu\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Human-centered Design",
            "date_published": "2023-04-27T13:39:52-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-04-27T13:39:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/human-centered-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/human-centered-design/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Join Us At MozFest 2023!",
            "date_published": "2023-03-17T18:29:18-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-03-17T18:29:18-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/join-us-at-mozfest-2023/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/join-us-at-mozfest-2023/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/44941976284_b61924a0f0_o_hu_650c50bf671327d3.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"join-us-at-mozfest-2023\"\u003eJoin us at MozFest 2023!\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom will be hosting five sessions at the Mozilla Festival (Monday, March 20 - Friday, March 24 2023). If you’ll be there, we’d love to see you, meet you and get to know you. Come join us! Want to learn how to design a Tech Policy playbook? Are you interested in global tech transparency? Would you like to find out how shadow data affects you? Do you want to understand design’s impact on encrypted messaging? Are you looking for how to center human rights in usability? Join us and 1000s of others at MozFest 2023! This year’s event will be held in person in Amsterdam and online and the Superbloom team will be participating in five of the 360+ sessions. Intrigued? Read more in this post.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can register for MozFest \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e, and links to each of the sessions may found below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-unfreedom-monitor-a-discussion-on-transparency-in-technology\"\u003eThe unfreedom monitor: a discussion on transparency in technology\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarch 21, 2023 | 10-11am EDT | 2-3pm GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeszna Wessenauer and Sindhuri Nandhakumar\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor info and to book: \u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/N8ZFDM-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/N8ZFDM-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe session’s goal is to provide space to have an interactive discussion on how greater transparency around the use and development of technologies, such as commercial spyware or algorithmic content moderation/ranking/curation, could help communities respond to the threats imposed by digital authoritarianism. The session will illustrate the utility of transparency through real-life events in environments where digital authoritarianism is growing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe session will build on the research gathered through The Unfreedom Monitor. It is a project to analyze, document, and report on the growing use of digital communications technology to advance authoritarian governance worldwide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe will introduce panelists from our research project, including from Brazil, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong, who will share country-specific insights based on the Unfreedom Monitor research project and their own experiences and showcase how their findings fit into the global context. But before they begin, we will ask participants to think on their own about what ‘transparency in technology’ means to them. The range of interpretations could be broad, which we welcome. Participants will also be encouraged to suggest anecdotal evidence, data and case studies that they think are relevant information for the panelists. They share their questions for the panelists based on this information, and our researchers will share their insights and respond to these questions. This allows for the discussion to be driven as much by participants as panelists.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the session, participants will be asked to reflect and share how they might apply what the researchers have said and the panelists will be asked to talk about whether they learned anything new and revealing about what transparency means to both individuals and communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"bringing-light-to-shadow-data\"\u003eBringing light to shadow data\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarch 21, 2023 | 3-4pm EDT | 7-8pm GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorgia Bullen, Susan Kennedy, Cameron Hickey and Shayne Longpre\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor info and to book: \u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/3WUYRK-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/3WUYRK-1\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShadow data is information about individuals that is collected and maintained by social media platforms, but is not necessarily visible or accessible to the individuals themselves. This can include data about online activity, personal preferences, and demographics, as well as data that is inferred or calculated. While some of this data is assembled with the explicit consent of the individual, much of it is obtained through other means, such as third-party data aggregation or machine learning model predictions and scoring. The production, collection, and maintenance of shadow data has significant implications for efforts to establish transparency about social media and for society broadly. Shadow data is a known unknown. We know it exists but we don’t know the scale and shape of it. We don’t know where it is used or why. Bringing greater transparency to the platforms that house our digital public square requires establishing a framework for bringing transparency to shadow data as well. During this conference session, participants will work together to identify and classify the different types of shadow data that can be inferred and maintained by social media platforms, and will discuss the potential implications of this data. They will also propose mechanisms for providing greater transparency about shadow data, including ways in which individuals can access and control their own data, as well as ways in which aggregate data can be made available to researchers and policymakers. Overall, the goal of this session is to bring greater awareness to the issue of shadow data and to encourage the development of approaches that prioritize individual privacy and control. By bringing light to shadow data, we can work towards a more transparent and equitable digital landscape.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"sender-unknown-designs-impacts-on-deception-and-trust-in-messaging\"\u003eSender unknown: design\u0026rsquo;s impacts on deception and trust in messaging\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarch 21, 2023 | 3-4pm EDT | 7-8pm GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaroline Sinders and Justin Hendrix\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor info and to book:  \u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/7HAFGJ-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/7HAFGJ-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsumers are increasingly using encrypted messaging apps to share information, engage with one another, and conduct commerce. But while the promise of encrypted messaging is private communications and user control over the spread of personal information, the reality is more complicated. An overlapping and interconnected set of engineering, design, and system factors, coupled with varied user behaviors, create the conditions for individuals to subvert their own interests or the interests of their communities on encrypted apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this workshop, participants will collaboratively identify how design failures, dark patterns and adversarial behaviors by various parties may combine to produce malicious effects in encrypted messaging. Such malicious effects may be patterns that nudge users to share personal information or forward messages to insecure channels, suggestive user interfaces or flawed security mechanisms that can compromise security. What are the design choices app makers have made that lead to or confuse the user into making poor security decisions? Are there insecure apps that use security UI to look more secure than they are? How does this relate to content moderation capabilities on messaging apps? How do people end up compromising their own safety? What is the prevalence of these phenomena, and what are the policy solutions?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis workshop is split into Two parts: Part 1 is a presentation on our preliminary research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Part 2, the facilitators will break the participants into 2-3 groups. Each group is given a specific prompt or question to work on, and then everyone comes back together to share findings, questions, and suggestions. For example, one group may focus on messaging forwarding within Telegram or Signal, another group may focus on Facebook messaging when messages have tens and 100s of participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-a-tech-policy-playbook-101-tools-and-resources-to-tackle-ogbv\"\u003eDesigning a tech policy playbook 101: tools and resources to tackle OGBV\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarch 22, 2023 | 7am-8.30am EDT | 11am-12.30pm GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorgia Bullen, Ngọc Triệu, Ame Elliott, Katherine Townsend, Raashi Saxena, Candy Rodríguez, Bulanda Nkhowani and Victory Brown.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor info and to book: \u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/K9RTVZ-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/K9RTVZ-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBringing design to tech policy can have material benefits for the safety and well-being of people on the web and beyond. Building on work from the last two years with the \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/\"\u003eWeb Foundation\u003c/a\u003e and many global partners, we will share the \u003ca href=\"http://techlab.webfoundation.org/playbook/\"\u003eTech Policy Design Lab (TPDL) Playbook\u003c/a\u003e: a framework that employs a multi-stakeholder collaboration and interactive design approach to gain consensus from a diverse perspective and tackle key tech policy problems with measurable results. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tech Policy Design Lab (TPDL) playbook brings learnings from the first two TPDLs, led by the Web Foundation on \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/ogbv/overview\"\u003eOnline Gender Based Violence (OGBV)\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://techlab.webfoundation.org/deceptive-design/overview\"\u003eDeceptive Design\u003c/a\u003e, to focus on addressing the urgent challenges of Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Mozilla Festival this year, we are opening our process and invite everyone to join our co-design session who identifies as belonging to the global majority, is interested and/or is working on OGBV and abuses, deceptive design or similar issues, as well as anyone who wants to address tech policy issues in a multi-stakeholder way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeeping the www open, safe and trusted, in a way that empowers everyone requires new ways of working to combat the polarization, normalization of threats, erosion of trust, and manipulative interactions threatening the internet. We believe there is power at the intersection of technology, policy, and design, and that bringing a design approach to policy problems can create positive change to make the web safe for everyone. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop will be hosted via Zoom and use digital collaboration tools (Google Docs and Miro).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"centering-human-rights-prioritizing-accessibility--privacy--usability\"\u003eCentering human rights: prioritizing accessibility + privacy + usability\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarch 24, 2023 | 3-4pm EDT | 7-8pm GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaroline Sinders and \u003ca href=\"mailto:natalie@open-archive.org\"\u003eNatalie Cadranel\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor info and to book: \u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/MADFVK-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/MADFVK-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile best practices and standards for human-rights centered concepts are emerging in the computer science and tool-building spaces, very few have been created for the research and design fields. This session will help fill this gap by presenting a research and design methodology to those developing technologies to help marginalized communities. This work is designed to streamline the process of user research, promote human-rights centered design, and aid technologists who build tools, platforms, and services.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is challenging to ensure products or services are adaptive to the needs of a specific community’s privacy and safety, especially in cases where you are building a platform to help vulnerable communities or providing people with direct resources. In light of this, we developed the Human Rights Centered Design (HRCD) curriculum (humanrightscentered.design), which provides best practices, use cases, and knowledge from human rights activists, community organizers, and technologists from across the globe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this session, we aim to share our curriculum, gather feedback from session participants, and learn from others seeking to adopt and standardize usability best practices when working on privacy-enhancing tools. To make the curriculum widely applicable, we will encourage participants to draw upon their previous practices and projects and share their experiences and suggestions. MozFest provides a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded groups, and we will use the session to find areas for collaboration and to discuss related projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorgia Bullen, Susan Kennedy, Raashi Saxena.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhoto by Connor Ballard-Pateman | @PinotConoir.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Learnings From OTF Shutdowns Getdown Gathering 2022",
            "date_published": "2023-03-02T18:07:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-03-02T18:07:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/learnings-from-the-otf-shutdowns-getdown-gathering-2022/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/learnings-from-the-otf-shutdowns-getdown-gathering-2022/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/8231503306_e34dbafefb_hu_6384d046592a4aaf.jpg\" alt=\"laptop with the words \u0026ldquo;access denied\u0026rdquo; over a globe displaying on the screen\" width=\"740\" height=\"697\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis blog has been cross posted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e, as part of their series on internet shutdowns. You can read our Co-Author\u0026rsquo;s blog about the event \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/blog/2023/3/2/how-tech-teams-can-prepare-for-internet-shutdowns\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/blog/2023/3/2/how-tech-teams-can-prepare-for-internet-shutdowns\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"key-takeaways\"\u003eKey Takeaways\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechnology interventions designed to be useful during shutdowns can learn a lot from crisis planning by focusing on normalizing use day to day of tools, and thinking about how people can get introduced to tools before they need them, rather than as a shutdown is happening\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBetter information sharing and feedback among frontline support, technology and design teams, researchers and other key stakeholders can improve shared understanding of how we’re designing intervention and support tools\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlong with better information sharing, the methods to which tools and software offer users and those that support users, needs to be relevant and appropriate to their circumstances and access. Broadening the ways in which feedback is received can help to mitigate user feedback churn\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn October 2022, Open Technology Fund (OTF) brought together a group of around 50 technologists, researchers, usability experts, and digital security practitioners working on internet shutdowns. Together, the group engaged in many topics, ranging from understanding the lived experience of an internet shutdown to the challenges around technology interventions, and measuring and monitoring networks during a shutdown. An \u003ca href=\"https://www.accessnow.org/keepiton-faq/\"\u003einternet shutdown\u003c/a\u003e is when access to the internet is restricted, such that people are unable to use the internet or internet based services. This is an \u003ca href=\"https://citizenlab.ca/2014/08/2014-citizen-lab-summer-institute-monitoring-internet-openness-rights/\"\u003einformation control\u003c/a\u003e tactic that is increasingly being used around the world to affect the free flow of information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe breakout group focused on better understanding the experience from the perspective of people — mapping out what happens as a shutdown occurs, what individuals do to find support, resilience, and seek to understand what’s happening. We talked through what it might look like to prepare and plan for shutdowns and how shutdowns affect people from marginalized groups within communities. We also approached these conversations from the perspective of how better understanding a person’s experience could impact the tools that are in development and in use to help people when a shutdown occurs. During the workshops, our community reiterated the need to learn from crisis response and emergency preparedness work, where a best practice is around scenario planning and practice, as well as ways to facilitate pre-work so that crisis situations are not a question of how to do something, but more about using the muscle memory developed in the planning process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of the workshop, we leveraged \u003ca href=\"https://servicedesigntools.org/tools/journey-map\"\u003ejourney mapping\u003c/a\u003e, a design tool that allows usto think through the phases of the experience, what happens when, how people respond, what they interact with, and how that overall experience feels for an individual. Using this framework allowed us to identify opportunities and gaps where there could be improvements For example, when people need to be comfortable using potential technological interventions before they need them, so that they aren’t trying to make them work or install them for when a crisis unfolds. This also speaks to opportunities surrounding communications and marketing of tools and the onboarding experience as key for adoption of technology and day-to-day use, rather than purely in the event of a shutdown. For future events, we’re also thinking about using tools like \u003ca href=\"http://www.lucykimbell.com/stuff/Fieldstudio_SocialDesignMethodsMenu.pdf\"\u003eStoryworld\u003c/a\u003e and expanding on our \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/persona-template-security.pdf\"\u003epersona templates\u003c/a\u003e to include important considerations for internet shutdowns, e.g. physical environment or emotional burdens, and generally for more resilient connectivity contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother key theme in our learning is around how we can design tools to be more resilient to intermittent connectivity. This mindset shifts how we’re building tools to be more resilient technologically to the lack of internet connectivity, and how we think about design patterns and interfaces that aren’t dependent on connectivity to be understood. We’ve explored issues like this in our work around \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003epatterns for decentralized applications\u003c/a\u003e, but there’s lots of work to be done to make it more commonplace that our technology doesn’t depend on a high speed internet connection to be usable. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnowing when and how to receive feedback on these tools is critical. Our expectations are that users and digital security trainers will use the methods the tool teams present. However, we anticipate that underserved communities may experience frustration with repetition from users that are shared across multiple services nad tools. These tool teams can better understand safe, secure ways of collecting and sharing user insight to unburden users from repetitive feedback cycles. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are excited to work together with the community to continue to improve the interventions available. Some ideas we are considering include: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeveloping more offline/local-first design patterns\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorking as a community to create testing and simulation environments, which could also facilitate the development of emergency response toolkits and processes\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoing more research and research synthesis to help connect learnings from different communities and regions to each other and to the broader community\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are working on problems like these and want to connect or get involved, we’d love to hear more and get connected to share ideas.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Introducing USER: Usable Software Ecosystem Research",
            "date_published": "2023-02-14T14:02:50-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-14T14:02:50-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/introducing-user-usable-software-ecosystem-research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/introducing-user-usable-software-ecosystem-research/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/fosdic_hu_3e48d7f59a842a01.jpg\" alt=\"A group of Census Bureau researches talking and making notes behind a full room of 50\u0026rsquo;s era computer machinery.\" width=\"740\" height=\"482\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eComputer programs have long been used for research purposes. The header image shows U.S. Census Bureau employees using the Film Optical Sensing Device for Input to Computers (FOSDIC) for census data translation and storage. \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/history/www/innovations/technology/fosdic.html\"\u003eRead more about FOSDIC history here\u003c/a\u003e. Image attribution: U.S. Census Bureau employees, Public domain, via \u003ca href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Film_Optical_Sensing_Device_for_Input_to_Computers_(FOSDIC).jpg\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis post is part one in a series of in-progress research updates from the USER team. Stay tuned for more!\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn November, we began an exciting new project funded by the \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/\"\u003eSloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e. We’ve named it “USER” — short for \u003cstrong\u003eUsable Software Ecosystem Research\u003c/strong\u003e – a research initiative that explores how open source scientific and research software (S\u0026amp;R OSS) teams understand, consider, and undertake usability and design opportunities in their projects. We at Superbloom have dedicated ourselves to understanding and sharing how designers work and how design is practiced within open source teams and communities for years (see \u003ca href=\"https://opensourcedesign.net/\"\u003eOpen Source Design\u003c/a\u003e and our podcasts on \u003ca href=\"https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/\"\u003eSustaining Open Source Design\u003c/a\u003e), but the USER project presents a new opportunity for us to dig into these questions within academic and scientific communities in particular. It’s also an invitation to reflect on our own experiences of doing design and usability work across the open source software (OSS) ecosystem.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScience and research communities have plenty of overlap with other OSS tools and projects we’ve worked with in the past, but they also present unique perspectives and challenges around sustainability and design in open source. To begin, we completed a solid month of desk research and an ecosystem scan. We familiarized ourselves with relevant literature on design, usability, OSS, and scientific software, and started compiling a database of people and projects to map the diversity of the S\u0026amp;R OSS world. We plan to publish an ecosystem map with our other outputs later this year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the USER research team delved into the papers, blogs, repos and written accounts of key terms and subjects, we also made social connections with key S\u0026amp;R OSS funders, projects, institutions and individuals across conferences and community events like CZI Open Science and OpenRIT. We’ve learned from past design research projects in OSS that important context and nuance is revealed through relationship building, so establishing these connections contributed to our exploratory research practice. Developing an understanding of and learning to participate in the culture and community of OSS, not unlike how OSS itself gets built and maintained, comes from connecting with other people who value the work. From these connections, we built relationships that fed the research activities and also allowed our design researchers and the scientists, researchers and designers we met to speak on equitable, social terms and gather initial human-centered insights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur research and outreach at conferences helped to inform preliminary findings and hypotheses, creating the foundation for our published \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project/blob/main/Research%20Phase/user-survey.md\"\u003esurvey\u003c/a\u003e. We invited the project contributors we’d met in person and those we’d identified in our ecosystem research to participate, and shared in communication channels and email lists frequented by communities of interest. While this online survey collected responses from the science and research open source community at large, we were simultaneously creating our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project/blob/main/Research%20Phase/interview-guide-and-script.md\"\u003eInterview Guide\u003c/a\u003e collaboratively between 4 team members. Our interview script ended up at 32 questions total across 5 key themes, intended to be semi-structured and adaptable to a given conversation with a participant. Needless to say, with each participant we could have done many more interviews, as there was so much to talk about across these key themes - If only time permitted and interview fatigue wasn’t something we and our participants battled with!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn December, we started conducting interviews and we’re wrapping them up in February 2023, and are expecting to end up with 25-30 interviews. We have been speaking with a broad range of maintainers, developers, designers, scientists, researchers, funders, OSPOs and stakeholders – anyone who is involved with creating and maintaining open source scientific \u0026amp; research software. The \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project/blob/main/Research%20Phase/interview-guide-and-script.md\"\u003eInterview Guide\u003c/a\u003e sought to gain further insight into:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow norms in academic, science, and/or open source working environments affect the choices teams make around their users and different kinds of design interventions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow team dynamics and trust affects those choices.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat teams would need to be interested in or able to prioritize usability and design in their work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese activities so far – ecosystem research, conference attendance, the survey, and interviews – have exposed us to a diverse network of programmers, community managers, stakeholders, and designers who all contribute to the S\u0026amp;R OSS space. These people are volunteers, full time academics, government employees, students, and more. We’ve learned so much from them, not only about how science and technology meet, merge, and occasionally clash in software projects, but about how communities of users and contributors dedicate themselves to writing documentation to improve usability and accessibility, how the sustainability of OS projects shifts across contexts and institutions, and what scientists and designers need to understand better about each other. We’re so excited to be moving into our synthesis phase this week, and we will share more preliminary themes and findings as we work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep an eye on our blog and on our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/USER_project\"\u003eopen repo\u003c/a\u003e for further updates! Also, feel free to reach out to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:user-project@superbloom.design\"\u003euser-project@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e if you would like to learn more about this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Eriol Fox, Katie Wilson, Susan Kennedy, Ngọc Triệu, Jan Dittrich\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/\"\u003eSloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tags\"\u003eTags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpen source, usability, research\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Tea Time: Trust and Responsibility",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T15:08:59-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T15:08:59-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/tea-time/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/tea-time/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Security, Privacy and Transparency",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T15:04:26-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T15:04:26-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/security-privacy-transparency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/security-privacy-transparency/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Respectful Research",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T14:59:13-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T14:59:13-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/respectful-research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/respectful-research/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Spots",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T14:46:06-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T14:46:06-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/design-spots/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/design-spots/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Under Pressure",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T14:46:06-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T14:46:06-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/design-under-pressure/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/design-under-pressure/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Internet of Things",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T14:46:06-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T14:46:06-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/internet-of-things/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/internet-of-things/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Branding",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T14:34:26-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T14:34:26-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/branding/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/branding/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Artifical Intelligence",
            "date_published": "2023-02-10T14:29:30-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-10T14:29:30-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/artificial-intelligence/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/artificial-intelligence/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Least Authority DRL Project",
            "date_published": "2023-01-31T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2023-01-31T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/least-authority-drl-project/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/least-authority-drl-project/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "2022 Superbloom Highlight Reel",
            "date_published": "2022-12-16T19:22:10-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-12-16T19:22:10-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2022-superbloom-highlight-reel/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2022-superbloom-highlight-reel/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/2022-eoy-header_hu_866943144af2d102.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2022 was a year full of shifts, adaptations and evolutions for so many in our community. For us, we launched a new identity, welcomed four new team members and three new fiscally sponsored projects, and partnered with many new organizations and funders. And, for many on our team, this year presented several opportunities to meet for the first time in person. These markers of growth and evolution could not have happened without the continued support from our community. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat’s why we’re so excited to share with all of you Superbloom’s 2022 highlight reel - just some of the many projects we worked on, resources we developed, and events we participated in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"but-first-icymi-simply-secure---superbloom\"\u003eBut first, ICYMI: Simply Secure -\u0026gt; Superbloom\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of our proudest moments from 2022 was the transition from ‘Simply Secure’ to ‘Superbloom.’ Our new brand was the culmination of a two-year, in-depth collaboration with our community. Read more about the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/introducing-superbloom/\"\u003elaunch\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/whats-next-for-simply-secure-part-3-how-we-built-superbloom/\"\u003ebranding\u003c/a\u003e on our blog, and get some \u003ca href=\"https://www.redbubble.com/people/Superbloom-Dsgn/shop\"\u003eSuperbloom swag\u003c/a\u003e at our newly minted swag store. All proceeds directly support our nonprofit mission to change who technology serves. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/jC3AxrlFZr4Qj5kga9s3JuACxhXkVC6hRxRd8bvR-6GJGzqsxocbiQLEBe0GWpoBvVNe6wdVwldQ-HUHMyWz_nhZ21OCyCAtK2mh2tKsPsGKR1TqIpNGkXRR3BEusvR3zZGR0JVxyHVuJHjALaFmy4vIdv9mRrtUdsaRVO8fUEy_CL_hbVuEiXmnTIbCkQ\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"themes-tools-partners-impacts\"\u003eThemes, Tools, Partners, Impacts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, we’ve tackled some particularly sticky design problems across security, policy, and community. Here’s a handful of themes from our work this past year. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"usability-as-critical-infrastructure\"\u003eUsability as Critical Infrastructure\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo matter how secure the code may be, a tool is not truly safe unless it is easy to use - and security is most important for those highest at risk. This is why we believe usability should be seen as critical infrastructure. Through partnerships such as the Open Technology Fund \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eSecure Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/blog/2020-10-01-uxfund2020/\"\u003eUXFund\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/en/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e, we help open source software teams better understand their users and improve usability. With \u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/\"\u003eDigital Democracy\u003c/a\u003e, we helped instill user-centered research practices to make essential improvements to their mapping app for indigenous communities, \u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/mapeo/\"\u003eMapeo\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"related-blog-posts\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRelated Blog Posts:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/improving-onboarding-usability-for-different-user-groups/\"\u003eAll Aboard: Getting Mainstream Users Up and Running on Decentralized Systems\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hey-whose-keys-are-these/\"\u003eHey, whose keys are these? Guiding Mailvelope users through the headaches of key management\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/keeping-everyone-safe-quick-user-oriented-problem-solving-with-mapeo/\"\u003eKeeping Everyone Safe: Quick, User-oriented Problem-solving with Mapeo\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/finding-the-balance-adding-support-for-organization-wide-pgp-keys-to-mailvelope/\"\u003eFinding the Balance: Adding support for organization-wide PGP keys to Mailvelope\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"community-energy\"\u003eCommunity Energy\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, you may have seen us around (earlier as Simply Secure, more recently as Superbloom). We’ve attended, presented, and workshopped at many community events, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/\"\u003eMozFest\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.rightscon.org/\"\u003eRightsCon\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://dwebcamp.org/\"\u003eDWeb Camp\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/programs/digital-forensic-research-lab/360os/360os-2022/\"\u003e360 Open/Summit\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://2022.allthingsopen.org/\"\u003eAll Things Open\u003c/a\u003e. We don’t just share our work - we’ve been harnessing community energy in-person and online to collaborate, fill gaps, identify needs and synthesize together. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt MozFest 2022, we convened the community to ‘Reimagine Consent’ by curating examples of dark patterns in the wild with examples of empowered consent experiences, proactively imagining how we can shift power back to end-users. And together with \u003ca href=\"https://www.reset.tech/\"\u003eReset.tech\u003c/a\u003e, we designed gatherings bringing together different stakeholders on topics such as evidence gathering for strategic litigation, and how to best develop an index for platform transparency.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"related-blog-posts-and-resources\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRelated Blog Posts and Resources:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/join-us-at-rightscon-2022/\"\u003eJoin us at RightsCon 2022\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/open-call-submissions-for-reimagining-digital-consent-a-discussion-gallery-exhibition-at-mozfest-2022/\"\u003eSubmissions for “Reimagining Digital Consent: A Discussion \u0026amp; Gallery Exhibition” at MozFest 2022\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/join-us-at-mozfest-2022/\"\u003eJoin Us at MozFest 2022\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shrZSumhBM6DSyILb/tblkHBbRqiAaV22gs\"\u003eReimaging Consent Gallery, MozFest 2022\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sharing-tools--processes\"\u003eSharing Tools \u0026amp; Processes\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreating open resources is at the heart of what we do. Human-centered design approaches allow us to co-design tools and processes alongside the communities that will use and benefit from them. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePartnering with \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.okthanks.studio/\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e, we created a set of visual and interactive resources on \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003euser testing for open source developers\u003c/a\u003e. Continuing to promote developer/designer collaboration, we began a project to study how scientific open source software projects think about their users, work with designers, and prioritize usability thanks to a grant by \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/\"\u003eSloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e. And earlier this year, we launched \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/\"\u003eBuilding Blocks\u003c/a\u003e, a toolkit for funders to better understand and support critical digital infrastructure projects to promote sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"related-blog-posts-and-resources-1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRelated Blog Posts and Resources:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/building-blocks-funding-digital-infrastructure-from-the-ground-up/\"\u003eFunding Digital Infrastructure From the Ground Up\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/\"\u003eBuilding Blocks for Funding Digital Infrastructure\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/about/\"\u003eA Dev’s Guide to User Testing\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"looking-ahead\"\u003eLooking Ahead\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have a lot to look forward to in 2023! Here’s just a handful of things we have coming up:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe will be publishing research on challenges for designers in creating GDPR-compliant websites.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCo-authoring a report synthesizing the outcomes and insights developed at a workshop on defining platform transparency, in partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://www.junkipedia.org/\"\u003eJunkipedia\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://sites.brown.edu/informationfutures/\"\u003eInformation Futures Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSharing out from our work on addressing deceptive design in partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/\"\u003eWorld Wide Web Foundation\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/2021/04/tech-policy-design-lab-pilot-building-solutions-to-tackle-online-abuse-of-women/\"\u003eTech Policy Design Lab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://3x3.co/\"\u003e3X3.co\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd building on that work, we’re excited to be co-designing an open source tool kit based on the \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/\"\u003eWeb Foundation\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/2021/04/tech-policy-design-lab-pilot-building-solutions-to-tackle-online-abuse-of-women/\"\u003eTech Policy Design Lab\u003c/a\u003e and making it accessible and beneficial to global communities.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd as always, we’re looking to partner with internet freedom and open source projects on secure usability, design, and recently - content strategy. If you’re interested, you can get design and usability support from us via the Open Technology Fund Secure Usability and Learning Labs. Or just reach out!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast-but-not-least, stay tuned for our new website. It will include our extensive new brand identity, as well as a shiny new resource library. Check out the transitional site at our future domain, \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/\"\u003esuperbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSusan Kennedy (copy), ngọc triệu (image).\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "What's Next For 'Simply Secure'? Part 3: How We Built Superbloom",
            "date_published": "2022-10-19T18:12:27-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-10-19T18:12:27-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/whats-next-for-simply-secure-part-3-how-we-built-superbloom/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/whats-next-for-simply-secure-part-3-how-we-built-superbloom/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/refresh-blog-3-final_hu_adefb402ff15e58f.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"503\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead our previous posts in the \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s next for \u0026lsquo;Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;?\u0026rdquo; identity series: \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey/\"\u003ePart 1\u003c/a\u003e of our identity story will give you some background about why we chose to rebrand ourselves; \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/\"\u003ePart 2\u003c/a\u003e introduces our community-based approach.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you may have heard, we have big news: \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/introducing-superbloom\"\u003eSimply Secure is now Superbloom\u003c/a\u003e. When we last reported on our progress, we had figured out \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/\"\u003ewhat values we were trying to get across and who we were\u003c/a\u003e. In this post, we tell the story of how we decided to express our organization visually. We worked to connect the feeling to imagery with \u003ca href=\"http://hanna-kim.com/\"\u003evisual designer Hanna Kim\u003c/a\u003e, and we\u0026rsquo;re excited to share with you the shape that she gave to our identity. Building off of Hanna’s work, we have developed a full design system that we’re using to reintroduce ourselves to the world and bring Superbloom’s work to life in the years to come.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"building-our-visual-identity-mixing-matching-and-staying-grounded\"\u003eBuilding our visual identity: mixing, matching, and staying grounded\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"first-explorations-with-our-community\"\u003eFirst explorations with our community\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first began the process of exploring visuals during \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/\"\u003eour community workshops\u003c/a\u003e. We scoured the web for images that matched the qualities we’d identified in the workshop, then we grouped the visuals into three categories: journey, with images of travel and maps; building, with images of layers, patterns, and blocks; and ecology, with nature images such as mycelium and science illustration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"finding-a-theme\"\u003eFinding a theme\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though our work isn’t about nature or the outdoors, we noticed that we were consistently drawn to organic images that invoked \u0026ldquo;down-to-earth\u0026rdquo; – a phrase that came up several times in our foundational collaborative design process. But we also wanted to incorporate technology: images showing architecture, systems, and patterns kept showing up in our mood boards.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHanna dove into those boards and designed three different themes for a visual identity unique to our organization, which ended up being the basis for our visual look and feel: “Down to earth,” “Collage \u0026amp; assemblage,” and “The human experience.” These themes helped us understand that our identity should be organic, energetic, and approachable, with people at the center. We needed this exploratory process to start making decisions – not just about our colors and logo, but about our name, tagline, and our entire identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/down-to-earth_hu_4a5f18562b630c18.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eVisual inspiration for the theme “Down to earth,” drawing  from the artwork of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Haeckel\"\u003eErnst Haeckel\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://fromkeetra.com/\"\u003eKeetra Dean Dixon\u003c/a\u003e, as well as sediment layers and grain texture.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/collage_hu_929483571b03de3c.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eVisual inspiration for the theme “Collage \u0026amp; assemblage,” drawing from the artwork of Richard Hamilton, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/louise-nevelson/\"\u003eLouise Nevelson\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sarahsze.com/\"\u003eSarah Sze\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.anthonygerace.co.uk/\"\u003eAnthony Gerace\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://kanghee.kim/\"\u003eKanghee Kim\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/human-experience_hu_abe879b58ad66112.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eVisual inspiration for the theme “The human experience,” drawing from works by \u003ca href=\"https://coopercolegallery.com/artist/geoff-mcfetridge/\"\u003eGeoff McFetridge\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://taeyoonchoi.com/\"\u003eTaeyoon Choi\u003c/a\u003e, and the \u003ca href=\"https://artbma.org/about/our-brand-story/\"\u003eBaltimore Museum of Art\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"building-our-name-staying-friendly-and-trustworthy-precise-and-expansive\"\u003eBuilding our name: staying friendly and trustworthy, precise and expansive\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlongside our explorations into a visual identity that suited us, we undertook a related journey to rework our name. Simply Secure \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey/\"\u003edidn’t fit us any more\u003c/a\u003e for many reasons. It described our work in a very limited way, which made it hard for us to communicate the breadth of our offerings and expertise to our partners and our community. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo say naming is difficult is an understatement!  But things changed when Hanna found one image in the mood boarding process: a patchwork of riotous color on a mountainside. It was a superbloom - a mass blossoming event in the desert of the west coast of North America. Some of our Californian team members instantly recognized it and added the name “Superbloom” on our list of name ideas, and we just kept coming back to it. “We’re Superbloom,” we tried saying. “We work at Superbloom.” “This report was authored by Superbloom.” It felt optimistic, energetic, and easy to say – and it passed legal review. We had it!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/wildsuperbloom_hu_ce2e51d530c4da8c.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"506\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA superbloom at Carrizo Plain National Monument. Source: \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmcalifornia/33688792841\"\u003ehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/blmcalifornia/33688792841\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA superbloom is a rare desert botanical phenomenon in which an unusually high proportion of wildflowers whose seeds have lain dormant in desert soil germinate and blossom at roughly the same time.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"we-are-superbloom-changing-who-technology-serves\"\u003eWe are Superbloom. Changing who technology serves.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile our new name gets the spotlight, our tagline gave us the confidence to choose it. The name doesn’t actually describe what we do; it evokes a feeling. The tagline, on the other hand, complements our name by giving a literal description of who we are. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaglines have a lot of demands on them! We needed something clear, people-centered, authentic, and friendly, all while conveying our mission and giving us room to grow. We mixed and matched words, like a digital version of magnetic poetry, until we had a combination that scored high on all these criteria: Superbloom – changing who technology serves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"developing-the-superbloom-design-system\"\u003eDeveloping the Superbloom design system\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-logo\"\u003eThe Logo\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondensing complexity into a single recognizable graphic was a challenging and sophisticated graphic design task. We needed Hanna Kim’s expertise and inspiration - when she came up with the asterisk, we were excited from the start. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe asterisk is rich in symbolism:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrivacy and hidden information: when typing a password, characters may be obscured with an asterisk.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDepth and detail: when an asterisk appears at the end of a sentence, it leads to a footnote explaining more. In several programming languages, asterisks denote comments.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlourishing and blossoming: the asterisk resembles a flower, pointing to our name, Superbloom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/logo_hu_2b702e5cf362cbdd.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"914\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs multilayered as the asterisk is, though, it was missing one important aspect: our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/\"\u003ecommunity-oriented, human-centered focus\u003c/a\u003e. Hanna built that into her rendering of the asterisk by making the logo creation into a participatory exercise.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe asked team members, committee members, and board members to contribute and co-design with us by submitting their hand drawn asterisks. The submissions were combined to form the organization\u0026rsquo;s logo, symbolizing the group effort and contribution. In this way, we have a logo born from the community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/communityasterisks_hu_a42ae98d0c9b80de.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"357\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOur collection of hand drawn asterisks submitted by our community.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/asterisk-_hu_26b856245a03264a.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"723\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA collective 10-point asterisk was created by fusing together each member’s strokes like puzzle pieces, creating a composite 10-point asterisk made up of all of our handwriting.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"colors-found-in-nature\"\u003eColors: Found in nature\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the findings from our moodboarding exercises, our colors are found in nature. Though saturated, they are more muted than neon or web-based colors, friendlier for human eyes. They have grainy textures that look like pixels — though they’ll usually appear on a screen, they welcome human touch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/colorpalette_hu_3d3a9a9d8ae7394a.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"615\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Superbloom color palette\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"typeface-jetbrains-mono\"\u003eTypeface: JetBrains Mono\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe chose \u003ca href=\"https://www.jetbrains.com/lp/mono/\"\u003eJetBrains Mono\u003c/a\u003e in our logotype to add a techy-touch, balancing out the hand-drawn asterisk. JetBrains, a monospace font, is made for reading code. We liked that it is taller than some monospace fonts, improving accessibility and readability. To cap it off, JetBrains Mono is free \u0026amp; open source.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/typeface_hu_afbf40d2d8777da4.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"886\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Superbloom typeface is JetBrains Mono.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"graphics-human-hands-doing-things\"\u003eGraphics: Human hands doing things\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve punctuated our name, tagline, logo, and typeface with a human touch: line drawings of hands doing things, penned by our very own team member Molly Wilson. To us, this style combined the best of who we are and what our visual exploration brought forward: we’re doers, focused on the human experience, with a “down to earth” energy. These hands represent the human experiences, ideas, and lives that sustain a safer and healthier digital world – they are personal and full of energy. They keep us grounded in the people that power and inspire Superbloom. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/hands_hu_e17913c372fafcb4.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"536\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"lessons-we-learned\"\u003eLessons we learned \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"make-feedback-central-to-the-process\"\u003eMake feedback central to the process\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost design project planning starts with deliverables: when will the logo be done? What about the color scheme? We took a different project management approach in order to incorporate insights from our team and community at every stage. By starting with the feedback loops we needed, other project pieces fell right into place. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"go-slowly-until-it-feels-right\"\u003eGo slowly until it feels right\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven with a great list of heuristics and an afternoon set aside to discuss name or tagline ideas, we weren’t always able to land on “the one”, and even though this sometimes felt dispiriting, we were careful not to rush the process. If we felt stuck, moving to another area – the name, the tagline, or the visuals – often gave us a much-needed creative jolt. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"explain-your-instincts\"\u003eExplain your instincts\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreating lists of criteria helped us take personal taste out of the equation. We all have a certain aesthetic and our own likes and dislikes, but we needed to set them aside; this identity is meant to be bigger than us and serve the organization well into the future.To facilitate this, we requested that feedback follow the framework: “I think X fits because Y”. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"always-remember-the-foundation\"\u003eAlways remember the foundation\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhenever we felt like we’d lost our way, we went back to the attributes we’d established in our community workshop.After all, our new brand is a communication tool, and those attributes are the story it needs to tell – using pictures and words, with letters, colors, and symbols. We think Superbloom’s new identity tells the story of us, and we hope you do, too. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Team: Georgia Bullen, Melissa Huerta, Molly Wilson, Kelsey Smith, Hanna Kim, Susan Kennedy, Katie Wilson, Philliph Drummond, ngọc triệu \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur new visual identity was developed in collaboration with a host of partners, using a community-based design approach. Thank you for contributing!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSimply Secure team \u0026amp; alumni: Georgia Bullen, Cade Diehm, Ame Elliott, Eriol Fox, Melissa Huerta, Susan Kennedy, Rae McKelvey, Nicola Pratt, Piper Ru, Kelsey Smith, ngọc triệu, Eileen Wagner, Katie Wilson, Molly Wilson, Carissa Yao, Philliph Drummond, Aaron Brunmeier, Kami Joseph\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur rebrand committee: Jochai Ben-Avie, Peter Bihr, Sage Cheng, Antonela Debiasi, Eriol Fox, Allen Gunn, Julia Kloiber, Niels ten Oever, Ttcat, Kirstie Whitaker\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoard of Directors, current and recent alumni: Ben Scott, Sara “Scout” Sinclair Brody, Dorothy Chou, Jackie Lu, Jasmine McNealy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVisual designer: Hanna Kim\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCo-Design Advisor: Una Lee\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWriting consultant: John Stith\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTransformation Coach: Vanessa Rhinesmith\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLegal team\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurvey respondents\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Introducing Superbloom",
            "date_published": "2022-10-19T17:58:11-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-10-19T17:58:11-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/introducing-superbloom/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/introducing-superbloom/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/ss-to-sb_hu_e218748f5e6fd1ba.gif\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo years ago, Simply Secure \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey/\"\u003easked our community\u003c/a\u003e for feedback about how our brand and name communicate our identity. The results of the survey were conclusive: We had outgrown our name, and our branding was too playful for our mission. We needed a new approach to reflect the serious work that we do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo we launched a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/\"\u003eco-design process\u003c/a\u003e—what we called a brand refresh.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe organized a community identity committee to explore, grow, and design our new name and branding. Through interviews, workshops, and creative iterations, we \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/whats-next-for-simply-secure-part-3-how-we-built-superbloom/\"\u003elanded on a direction\u003c/a\u003e that conveys the breadth of our current work, as well as our values, practice, and growth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAllow us to introduce:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nSuperbloom: Changing Who Technology Serves. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom leverages design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem. We view design as an intervention opportunity to center people and their needs. We closely collaborate with others in the space to grow a community focused on shaping our collective online future. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the spirit of championing human-centered design, we’re aiming to make the transition from Simply Secure to Superbloom as seamless as possible. Our new website - to be launched soon - will feature all of our projects, along with an easy-to-use Resource Library. \u003ca href=\"http://superbloom.design\"\u003eCheck out our transition site\u003c/a\u003e in the meantime.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe world is changing. As we increasingly shift our lives online, there are more threats than ever to digital security. But those threats create opportunities for us to collaborate around thoughtful, purposeful, responsible design. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA superbloom is a rare event, when long-dormant wildflower seeds bloom together to transform a harsh landscape with renewed energy and resilience. We believe technology design is at a Superbloom inflection point, and we’re excited to be shaping it into a beautiful future.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Mid/Senior Designer",
            "date_published": "2022-10-13T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-10-13T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/mid-senior-designer/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/mid-senior-designer/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"we-are-looking-for-a-midsenior-designer-with-expertise-in-either-ux-design-research-or-ux-and-ui-craft-and-design\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe are looking for a mid/senior designer with expertise in either UX design research or UX and UI craft and design.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-role\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe role\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSimply Secure is looking to hire a mid/senior designer with expertise in either UX design research or UX and UI craft and design. We are looking for someone who has strength in either or both of these design ‘quadrants’ to work on a variety of projects at Simply Secure. Depending on your strengths, and interest in where you wish to grow as a professional, you would work on one primary project that speaks to your strength, and be able to support on projects in your growth area. e.g. If you are a strong design researcher, a majority of your time would be on design research projects with the option to support and take on the occasional UX/UI project.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDefinitions of “levels” vary across organizations, so here’s what “mid/senior” means to us. You should be able to help scope projects as well as execute on them. You should be capable of taking the lead in communication with partners, and lead meetings. You should feel ready to manage other designers, either providing project guidance and/or serving as a “people manager.” We are open to many different kinds of design experience, but this should not be your first job in this area.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll be a critical part of our team, responsible for collaboratively outlining our research and design projects, conducting community-based research to support real needs, or ensuring our partners and projects get the best UX/UI possible for their technology interventions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe design research and UX/UI process will be iterative, requiring close collaboration with the project team, including: weekly meetings, asynchronous updates, and willingness to be responsive to team direction and ideas.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll work with internal and external project teams, leading and managing a number of projects with different partners and engagement models, making sure that we are on top of timelines, communicating effectively, and delivering on the work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis role will start in October/November 2022, and offer a salary in the $60,000-$85,000 range including benefits. For employees, we have a benefit structure that emphasizes equity between countries, but in all countries where we can hire, we offer health insurance, contributions towards retirement, paid vacation and federal holidays, a device stipend, and a monthly office stipend. We can provide specific information about benefits based on location.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe care about flexibility and balance to support people to work in a way that they need, and so are open to contract, full-time and part-time models for the role. We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to hire in the US, Germany, and anywhere supported by \u003ca href=\"http://remote.com\"\u003eremote.com\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout us\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eChanging who technology serves.\u003c/em\u003e Simply Secure is a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 at the intersection of digital design and human rights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure leverages design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem. We apply a critical lens to technology development, and view design as an intervention opportunity to center people and their needs. We collaborate closely with others in the space to grow the community focused on shaping our collective online future. Our vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We’ve held \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we’ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we’ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout you\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA critical thinker with strengths as a strategist, convener and builder.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience with leading projects and project delivery.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with leading research and design work for technology, e.g. human-centered design, design thinking, service design, UX design, or participatory research (specifically field research) or experience leading on multiple UX/UI projects in a technology/digital space while working closely with a design research resource.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAwareness of and/or interest in one or more of the following areas: tech criticism and activism, open source software, scientific software and/or science generally, human rights advocacy and/or human rights technology, internet freedom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently, and in collaboration with a fully remote team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable with cross-cultural communication, collaboration and resolving conflicts, through work with international teams.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you’re getting what you need from the wider team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are available to work with overlap during prime work hours where we have team members (11-6pm Central Europe / 10-5pm UK / 8-6pm US Eastern / 8-3pm US Pacific).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou use tools that facilitate remote collaboration, primarily: Figma/PenPot, Notion, Miro, Slack and Google docs/suite.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNice to have\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are familiar with design or development in open source, and are comfortable working in the open.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are interested in areas of research, e.g. scientific or research technology, communication and collaboration technology, or particular issue areas, e.g. science/research fields or tech policy and internet freedom issues.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave experience managing and enjoy working with a fully remote, distributed team, across many time zones and cultures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProficiency in a language other than English. Although we operate in English, we work internationally. Currently, we provide \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/ux-guidance/\"\u003ecoaching\u003c/a\u003e in English and German and are interested to be able to connect with more communities in local languages. Currently, members of our team speak one or more of: English, German, Spanish, Vietnamese.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResumé.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2-3 examples of your work and tell us, briefly, about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process\u003c/strong\u003e: How did these projects get created? Who was involved? What did the process look like? How long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1-2 references. References will be taken in the last phase of application review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe times you are available for approx 45 minutes to 1 hour for interviews within our working hours (9am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis position is open until filled and applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. We will stop accepting applications on October 31, 2022.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. We are open to candidates from around the world. Final hiring decisions will be contingent upon our ability to contract and pay in the candidate’s country. Simply Secure does not provide relocation or visa support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo longer accepting applications.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Project Manager Fall 2022",
            "date_published": "2022-10-13T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-10-13T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/project-manager-fall2022/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/project-manager-fall2022/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"we-are-looking-for-a-project-manager-to-help-us-wrangle-our-diverse-portfolio-of-work\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe are looking for a project manager to help us wrangle our diverse portfolio of work.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-role\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe role\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll help us manage a number of different projects with different partners and engagement models, making sure we keep on top of timelines, communicate effectively and deliver on the work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll be a critical part of our team, responsible for crafting and refining our project management approach, tools, and processes.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are a small, multifaceted team, and we all wear many hats. If you also have interests in other areas relevant to our work, such as fundraising, UX design, facilitation, graphic design, writing or communications, you will definitely have the opportunity to build and exercise these skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe care about flexibility and balance to support people to work in a way that they need, and so are open to contract, full-time and part-time models for the role. We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to hire in the US, Germany and anywhere supported by \u003ca href=\"http://remote.com\"\u003eremote.com\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis role will start in October/November, 2022, and offers a salary in the $60,000-$80,000 range including benefits. For employees, we have a benefit structure that emphasizes equity between countries, but in all countries where we can hire, we offer health insurance, contributions towards retirement, paid vacation and federal holidays, a device stipend and a monthly office stipend. We can provide specific information about benefits based on location.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout us\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFounded in 2014, we are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn’t have to be confusing to end users. Since then, we’ve expanded our scope of work: we design for trustworthy technology and work to change who technology serves. We’ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security such as \u003ca href=\"http://www.surveillancemonitor.org\"\u003eMobile Surveillance Monitor\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We’ve also launched a \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/\"\u003etoolkit for funders of digital infrastructure\u003c/a\u003e, a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re also rebranding, moving away from the name “Simply Secure.”  \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eMore info in this blog!\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout you\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience with project management, including project delivery and as a project lead.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are knowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights, research \u0026amp; scientific software.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have excellent project team communication and meeting facilitation skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou enjoy simplifying complex projects, tracking details, and making sure the project teams are working well together.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are experienced in client or partner-centered communication and project management.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are able to manage a balance of strategic planning and tactical execution.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you are getting what you need to be successful.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are familiar with working in the nonprofit space.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently and in collaboration with a fully remote, distributed team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are available to work with overlap during prime work hours where we have team members (11-6pm Central Europe / 10-5pm UK / 8-6pm US Eastern / 8-3pm US Pacific).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNice to have\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience in research and design work, eg human-centered design, design thinking, service design, UX design or participatory research (specifically field research).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with collaborative work tools (we currently use Notion, Slack, Miro and Google Suite).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with exploring and evaluating new tools.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable in cross-cultural communication, e.g. experience with international work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResumé.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamples of your work. With each link or document you send, please tell us about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process:\u003c/strong\u003e How did these outputs get created? Who was involved? What did the process look like? How long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1-2 references. References will be taken in the last phase of application review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe times you are available for approx 45 minutes to 1 hour for interviews within our working hours (9am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis\u003c/strong\u003e p\u003cstrong\u003eosition is open until filled, and applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. We will stop accepting applications on October 31, 2022. Reach out to \u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs@simplysecure.org\"\u003ejobs@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e with any questions.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. We are open to candidates from around the world. Final hiring decisions will be contingent upon our ability to contract and pay in the candidate’s country. Simply Secure does not provide relocation or visa support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo longer accepting applications.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Threats, Tests, and Trust: Designing for Mobile Surveillance Monitor ",
            "date_published": "2022-09-16T16:36:14-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-09-16T16:36:14-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/threats-tests-and-trust-designing-for-mobile-surveillance-monitor/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/threats-tests-and-trust-designing-for-mobile-surveillance-monitor/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/msm-hero_hu_61d15542f15fa5c7.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"442\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith support from the Open Technology Fund, we supported \u003ca href=\"http://www.surveillancemonitor.org\"\u003eMobile Surveillance Monitor\u003c/a\u003e with human-centered research and design.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis new tool fills a critical gap in providing researchers and everyday users access to real data in a digestible form on surveillance threats.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe user research phase was critical in challenging assumptions, building a tool that can be trusted, and understanding which users the tool can best serve. We pursued a phased design process to address questions raised in the research.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurveillance on mobile devices is rampant globally, yet security researchers and everyday users alike struggle to access real data on surveillance threats and where they’re coming from. With support from the Open Technology Fund (OTF), we helped the brand new platform \u003ca href=\"http://www.surveillancemonitor.org\"\u003eMobile Surveillance Monitor\u003c/a\u003e (MSM) fill this gap by providing research and design support. This new tool is both a public resource that tracks mobile threats on a map-based dashboard, and a workbook which provides researchers with detailed charts and investigation tools to uncover new details about multiple types of threats. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough our collaboration with MSM, we were able to dig deep into the UX of surveillance resources, an arena that often does not incorporate human-centered design practices. We learned that the design of these tools is a big responsibility, relying upon deep trust and user empowerment through education.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe began our work with MSM with desk research to develop a foundational understanding of current needs and trends in surveillance threat software. We then completed five anonymous, in-depth user interviews with cybersecurity experts, advocates, researchers, human rights workers, and government contractors, who were asked about their experiences being under the threat of surveillance, surveillance mitigation, and their impressions of MSM as a resource. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the intervening time, we contracted a brand designer who developed an identity for MSM that moved away from the dark, ominous, hacker-style common to cybersecurity tools to a more practical and approachable look and feel. After synthesizing the user research findings, we began applying the brand work and the research findings to a first version of the MSM dashboard in partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://www.esri.com/en-us/home\"\u003eESRi,\u003c/a\u003e a mapping software provider. Finally, after development was complete, we did four user tests to understand some potential users’ perceptions of the site and its usability. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"we-learned-many-things-throughout-this-process-but-a-few-key-learnings-arose\"\u003eWe learned many things throughout this process, but a few key learnings arose:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOSINT tools that are off-the-shelf, free, available for individual use, and not connected to an institution or organization are relatively rare and/or unreliable.\u003c/strong\u003e They are even less often informed by a broad and inclusive user-centered design process that does not ‘center’ a ‘security expert’ type of user.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesigning for surveillance intelligence is delicate, complex, and a lot of responsibility.\u003c/strong\u003e Developing personas and scenarios of use is critical, and only one part of a larger conversation around safety and threat modeling.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe users of surveillance security tools are broad and unexpected in some cases.\u003c/strong\u003e They are not always the ‘tech savvy’ ‘security geeks’ and often are people doing high-risk human rights work with very little time, focus and energy to spend on ensuring safety from surveillance threats. If they are interested, the tools and practices often exclude them through jargon and assumed background knowledge which can feel alienating.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"working-on-msm-challenged-our-assumptions-and-pushed-us-to-get-creative-to-responsibly-serve-more-users-over-time\"\u003eWorking on MSM challenged our assumptions and pushed us to get creative to responsibly serve more users over time.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocusing on the learnings of our research and early design process, we hope that our insights can help others in our ecosystems think through complex challenges around surveillance intelligence and design. Including a thorough research and design process in the development of MSM proved to be critical in a number of ways, most notably because \u003cstrong\u003eit tested and challenged many of our own assumptions about user needs.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFar before we started designing for MSM, our interviewees urged caution. \u003cstrong\u003eThey emphasized that security tools must be aware of their potential impacts on users, including\u003c/strong\u003e: giving users a false sense of security, the possibility of users applying intelligence data to their own circumstances misguidedly, eliciting fear without opportunity for action, and eliciting unnecessary fear and/or confusion. Insights from people who have been deeply engaged with surveillance threats from many angles helped us to understand the gravity of designing a security tool and being precise about the intended audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat insight was also developed by the most consistent finding from our research: \u003cstrong\u003esurveillance data is only as good as the threat model it is paired with\u003c/strong\u003e. Our interviewees shared that a lot of privacy and security guidance assumes too much:  they give a lot of advice that doesn\u0026rsquo;t apply to people\u0026rsquo;s lives or address the concerns they have. One participant shared: \u003cstrong\u003e“When people ask what the secure/safe way is to do things - the answer is always: it depends.”\u003c/strong\u003e These insights ultimately helped us to frame suggestions around MSM’s educational offerings to users, and how critical it is for surveillance data to have appropriate context.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough our user interviews and other research, we moved toward design and recommendations for MSM with a sense of responsibility and excitement.  A critical part of that process was fleshing out user personas to better understand who MSM will serve now, and who else it might be able to serve in the future. We found that the first version of MSM principally serves what we named \u003cstrong\u003eresearcher/academic persona.\u003c/strong\u003e The researcher/academic uses MSM to study mobile surveillance and form questions about trends to more deeply investigate the factors surrounding them. Our research suggested that MSM  also serves what we called the Independent persona – those of mid-tech proficiency, like a journalist or advocate without significant institutional backing – as long as MSM added content and resources to help contextualize the threat intelligence (Which it did!).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs significantly, we found that in order to properly serve the \u003cstrong\u003elow tech/high risk persona\u003c/strong\u003e, the platform would need more intensive investment in the content and educational aspects of MSM, with more research and threat modeling on specific targeted groups that would use it. We have plans to continue our work with \u003ca href=\"https://mobileintelligence.org/about-gary-miller\"\u003eGary Miller\u003c/a\u003e of \u003ca href=\"https://mobileintelligence.org/\"\u003eMobile Intelligence Alliance\u003c/a\u003e this Fall to explore options for more resourcing and education on MSM for precisely this purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"a-phased-design-process-proved-critical-to-addressing-user-needs\"\u003eA phased design process proved critical to addressing user needs\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are very proud of MSM’s launch and believe it is a powerful resource for users to explore mobile security threats. We are also committed to those who shared their expertise with us for this project and to sharing our learnings with our community, because, as we learned, it is difficult to design for security tools considering all of the factors that affect user experience! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nIn the interest of exploring the UX of security tools as a community, we’re sharing an abridged version of our initial phased design proposal that accompanied our user research findings. This is one way that researchers and designers can both advocate for user needs within the parameters of a program or website and offer ideas and solutions to serve more users in the future. MIA and MSM have been wonderful partners, and we’re lucky to already be working toward implementing updated versions of some of these ideas to MSM.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nBelow is a brief description of those the design phases we hypothesized in our user research synthesis:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"phase-1-a-tool-for-researchers\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhase 1: A tool for researchers\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose:\u003c/strong\u003e MSM enables researchers to confirm hypotheses and perform geographic and temporal analyses. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign priorities:\u003c/strong\u003e A streamlined, clean, and easily usable dashboard interface (Figure 1). Begin to build infrastructure into the dashboard that can support additional content and educational tools over time (Figure 2). These modules can be flexible, and could be fed by datasets, or could be set up as iFrames with HTML/CSS.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis design was largely implemented in the \u003ca href=\"https://surveillancemonitor.org/surveillance-dashboard\"\u003elive version of the MSM dashboard.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/msm-blog-figure-1_hu_9f148649a7127c68.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"365\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhase 1 Design\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"phase-2-a-tool-for-those-concerned-about-their-surveillance-risk\"\u003ePhase 2: A tool for those concerned about their surveillance risk \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose:\u003c/strong\u003e Researchers can make increasingly specific searches and associations on the dashboard. Concerned users can filter the dashboard for their location/device type, building a case file for their own protection, and learn about 1) their risk and 2) what they can do about it. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign priorities:\u003c/strong\u003e curate resources for different types of threats, including how people can begin to a develop a threat modeling system for themself or their community. Include definitions / glossary of terms.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/msm-blog_figure-2_hu_acb72c52794410eb.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"552\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhase 2 Design\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"phase-3-enable-trusted-users-to-contribute-resources-and-data\"\u003ePhase 3: Enable trusted users to contribute resources and data. \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose:\u003c/strong\u003e Our research showed that surveillance intel is most useful if it is vouched for by a trusted source. This version of the MSM dashboard allows users to save and share their dashboards, and comment on different pieces of data to share their insights. MSM allows “power users” to contribute to the platform to improve its trustworthiness. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign priorities:\u003c/strong\u003e “Power users” can log-in and contribute safety resources, region-specific suggestions, and comment on / report back on experiences they’ve had to help bolster the threat modeling work that the data doesn’t provide on its own.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/msm_blog_figure_3_hu_9f2961d8874ede5a.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"552\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhase 3 Design\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe learned so much working with Gary on the Mobile Surveillance Monitor site; from responsible data practices doing high-risk user research to better informational design on a mapping application, this project was challenging and fulfilling for our team. We’re excited to see where MSM goes in the future. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nBe sure to follow along by \u003ca href=\"https://surveillancemonitor.org/threat-alerts-1\"\u003esigning up for MSM data alerts and news! \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOTF SUA Lab, Mobile Intelligence Alliance, Aldo Puicon\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": " All Aboard: Getting Mainstream Users Up and Running on Decentralized Systems",
            "date_published": "2022-08-15T10:02:40-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-08-15T10:02:40-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/improving-onboarding-usability-for-different-user-groups/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/improving-onboarding-usability-for-different-user-groups/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog-cover_hu_ca6e69458c0fce3b.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreating a smooth onboarding experience is a common design challenge in free and open-source software (FOSS) projects. Onboarding is a particular challenge for decentralized systems because the mental model is different from mainstream software.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith support from the Open Technology Fund (OTF) Usability Lab, we partnered with Snikket, a decentralized messaging platform to find the sweet spot between a technically correct mental model and usability. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur research exposed a key opportunity: Technical and non-technical users have very different needs from onboarding. We recommended changes to the website content and information architecture to improve the usability of the onboarding experience for both groups.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBe sure to check out our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/on-getting-things-done-a-conversation-with-matthew-wild-from-snikket/\"\u003einterview with Snikket’s creator, Matthew Wild\u003c/a\u003e, as well.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://snikket.org/\"\u003eSnikket\u003c/a\u003e is an XMPP-based messaging platform that aims to provide an open and secure alternative to proprietary messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. What makes Snikket different from other messaging apps is that it allows people to create and host their own servers (including Raspberry Pis) for more control and security.  Personally controlled, decentralized servers are at the heart of Snikket, but this much end-user control means a more complicated onboarding process. Users can’t start using the app by simply downloading it from an app store and creating an account. Snikket’s goal is to distinguish itself in the fragmented and highly technical XMPP ecosystem by providing consistency and usability to a broad group of users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough the \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eOTF Security and Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, our work with Snikket focused on improving the user experience of both iOS and Android devices, and balancing ease of learning and efficiency of use. We conducted a heuristic review of Snikket apps and web interfaces, facilitated a user study, considered several UX design explorations, and delivered design recommendations for an improved onboarding experience that address the barriers for adoption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"onboarding-doesnt-have-to-stop-after-the-welcome-screen\"\u003eOnboarding doesn’t have to stop after the welcome screen \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe onboarding process is essentially a user journey to learn about a new application or software. If designed correctly, it creates a positive first impression and increases the likelihood of adoption. According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/articles/mobile-app-onboarding/\"\u003eNielsen Norman Group\u003c/a\u003e, the key purposes of onboarding include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003efeature promotion — to \u0026ldquo;educate users about the function and benefit of the app;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecustomization — to \u0026ldquo;request user data to customize the user\u0026rsquo;s experience;\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003einstructions — to \u0026ldquo;teach users how to use the interface.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tool team might think of an onboarding process as limited to a few first screens when users open an application or software for the first time. For more complicated designs, onboarding can also take place over time, like when new features are introduced once users have achieved a certain level of fluency. This is often the case of free and open source software (FOSS) designs as they are built upon a variety of different decentralized protocols that are usually less familiar to the average, less-technical users. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor users who aren’t familiar with XMPP, they can request to join a Snikket-hosted server and start using the app from there. Their friends can then join them by getting an invitation to the same server. If a user feels comfortable, they can find instructions on the Snikket’s website to host a XMPP server and then invite their friends. On the surface, this onboarding process may seem straightforward, but the user experience, on the contrary, is not. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe diagram below illustrates what a non-technical user and a technical user need to do in order to start using Snikket to chat:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/what-users-need_hu_84777fbb7d1e0817.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"217\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn contrast, the actual onboarding workflow that both user groups need to go through is much longer and more complicated: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/user-flow_hu_5350c918a0fbd56.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"259\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs technical users can create their own instance on Snikket, they are introduced to an entirely different workspace on Snikket (the web portal). After successfully creating a server, they can start sending invitations for others to join. Meanwhile, the non-technical users’ onboarding flow  only starts after they have received an invitation and downloaded the application. A simple task such as signing in can get confusing here when a new user can’t create an account on the app and isn\u0026rsquo;t introduced to the web portal priorly:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Is this the same address and password [with the one used for the server]?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I don’t know how to sign in, because obviously I don’t know how to sign in.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"mind-the-mental-model-gap\"\u003eMind the mental model gap\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur user study revealed that most technical users can use Snikket efficiently,  even when the overall onboarding experience is not always straightforward. They know how to set up a server, create admin accounts, send invitations to their circle, and more. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, this ease of use does not apply to non-technical users as most of them struggled to navigate through the app. There was a significant gap between their mental model of Snikket and the centralized messaging apps they are used to. For example, many users thought that inviting someone to a server was the same as adding contact on the app. In reality that is not the case. For example, with Whatsapp, one can simply invite someone by sending them an invitation to their phone number via the app, or they can look up their username/or phone number. With Snikket, one needs to be invited to the server and create an account on that server first. The two options to invite to server and  add contacts are not clearly presented —  inviting someone to server is done on the web hosting site whereas adding contact is done within the app. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of the non-technical testers could not figure out how to install the app. Even if they did manage to download the app, they didn’t know how to start using it. The lack of clearly visible next steps makes it difficult for users to establish a workflow. Most users, including tech-savvy users, expected to be able to use the app right after installation. To address these challenges, we relied on our two personas — the non-technical user and the technical user. We mapped out both persona’s needs and pain points and then identified the similarities in their onboarding process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/technical-persona_hu_20c802f9d915db82.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"368\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eTechnical user persona\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/non-technical-persona_hu_30de72ccacfa130d.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"370\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNon technical user persona\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ease-of-learning-versus-efficiency-of-use\"\u003eEase of Learning versus Efficiency of Use \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Snikket onboarding process starts at different places depending on the users’ level of technical knowledge and their familiarity with XMPP. A non-technical user usually has their first interaction on the app, while a technical user might go to the website first and start with the Snikket Hosting platform. Because of this, it is important to deliver the right message, in the right place, at the right time. We had to keep in mind that this doesn’t mean packing in and presenting all the information to users at once - users don’t need to know all the technical information in order to perform a task. In some cases, it might be too technical for non-technical users and XMPP beginners to fully comprehend the differences between the variety of Snikket components such as instance, app, network, and server.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLanguage and tone are other powerful tools to support the comprehension process and improve usability. As such, we wanted to make the language consistent and reduce technical jargon. It’s advisable to generally avoid technical jargon to deliver concise and timely messages rather than informative yet obtrusive and exhausting ones. Whether it is to employ an interactive walkthrough, help text, or a deck-of-cards tutorials, the instructional onboarding process should be built on existing mental models to reduce memory strain. A good practice when introducing new features is to keep customization to a minimum and provide a clear structure that enables users of different technical levels to follow. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn effective onboarding process should prioritize what users need to do and know by highlighting the most important information in a timely manner. For example, the images below display a comparison of Snikket two different versions for the UI/UX design of account deletion. In version 1.1, there was no system confirmation of the deletion but two different options of account removal, none of which presented in a non-technical friendly manner. A small UX change in version 1.2 makes it a lot easier for users to perform their task. By eliminating the technical removal options and providing a confirmation message, users can avoid making an error (log-out versus delete) and focus on the task at hand. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/snikket-workspace-2-_hu_78e33f03131e93ea.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"686\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"usability-starts-with-a-good-onboarding-experience\"\u003eUsability starts with a good onboarding experience\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe benefits of FOSS is that it’s easy and flexible for community members of different disciplines to contribute and there is no paywall for the end-users. Many FOSS and decentralized tools have played a critical role in helping vulnerable communities maintain their security, autonomy and independence. If these technologies are hard to use, they are less likely to get adopted and hence become less critical. When it comes to unfamiliar and highly-technical decentralized tools and protocols such as Snikket’s XMPP,  it is even more important to have a good onboarding design in place. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur design recommendations for Snikket’s onboarding process are based on the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/277a57734c1732f9ac0e77fbeb5f7d96d379d99b/Simply%20Secure%2010%20Heuristics%20for%20Responsible%20Interface%20Design.pdf\"\u003eSimply Secure 10 Heuristics for Responsible Interface Design\u003c/a\u003e. We believe that a learning-by-doing approach would ensure a balance between the ease of learning and efficiency of use in a complicated and unfamiliar system design like Snikket, not only during the onboarding process but also throughout the entire user experience. We hope that our learning has shed some lights on the importance of onboarding design in enabling usability in FOSS. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead our interview with Snikket’s creator, Matthew Wild, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/on-getting-things-done-a-conversation-with-matthew-wild-from-snikket/\"\u003ehere.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLearn more about our previous work on FOSS design: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur recommendation on \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/globaleaks-case-study/\"\u003edefault and customization design\u003c/a\u003e in FOSS\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVisit \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eDecentralisation, Off the Shelf\u003c/a\u003e’s library of design/UX patterns for better user-facing applications design in decentralization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProject Credit\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Ngọc Triệu, Ame Elliott, Rae McKelvey, Snikket (Matthew Wild)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIllustration: Ngọc Triệu \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject funded by Open Technology Fund\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eSecure Usability and Accessibility Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Building Blocks: Funding Digital Infrastructure From the Ground Up ",
            "date_published": "2022-07-15T15:19:19-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-07-15T15:19:19-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/building-blocks-funding-digital-infrastructure-from-the-ground-up/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/building-blocks-funding-digital-infrastructure-from-the-ground-up/",
            "content_html": "\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith the support of the Digital Infrastructure Fund, we partnered with 9 regional partners and Superrr Lab to design a set of tools and resources that enable digital infrastructure funders to explore opportunities and address challenges in funding.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsing human centered design research, we generated tools that are grounded in the principle that funders should listen to the communities they serve.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilding Blocks includes Opportunities, a \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/defining-digital-infra/\"\u003edefinition\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/regional-contexts/\"\u003eregional contexts\u003c/a\u003e, c\u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/funding-mechanisms/\"\u003ease studies on funding mechanisms\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/narratives/\"\u003esix narrative future scenarios\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/exploring-our-building-blocks/\"\u003etools and resources\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-building-blocks-of-open-source-digital-infrastructure-funding\"\u003eThe Building Blocks of Open-Source Digital Infrastructure Funding\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of us take infrastructure for granted almost by definition. If we thought about plumbing and sewers every time we turned on the tap, if we pondered the power grid every time we charged a phone, we’d hardly be able to focus. The tech tools we use are no exception; they are infrastructure, and most of the time, their job is to “just work” and hide from notice. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the same time, though, someone does have to think about infrastructure; someone has to maintain it, and someone has to fund it. The security and maintenance of this code is precarious, and depends on committed time and effort from human volunteers. As the 2016 report “\u003ca href=\"https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/learning/research-reports/roads-and-bridges-the-unseen-labor-behind-our-digital-infrastructure/\"\u003eRoads and Bridges: the Unseen Labor Behind our Digital Infrastructure\u003c/a\u003e” says, “The current state of our digital infrastructure is one of the most poorly understood issues of our time.” (Relatedly, as the venerable webcomic xkcd puts it, all modern digital infrastructure depends on “\u003ca href=\"https://xkcd.com/2347/\"\u003ea project some random person in Nebraska has been thanklessly maintaining since 2003\u003c/a\u003e.”)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur goal: to equip the ethical tech community of developers, maintainers, activists, designers, and funders with tools to support this critical enterprise. The \u003ca href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/03/1-3m-in-grants-go-towards-making-the-webs-open-source-infrastructure-more-equitable/?guccounter=1\u0026amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8\u0026amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL_ADa0sd-pBleFIWF-e34wGWBTdnWu1RfgM-HBkgTHbcGwAlgTCAmUuZoxRlos7Um-EvTdZdbppMOFIs4rnSsw7wIDffQ8frzCVCQoIE_nnKK_YXHb_0lDfkm9WEdBhTqWidSWoXTapRx0ZdLYcHtATo9_Hsl4paYRoFMi9kNgr\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure Grants\u003c/a\u003e have been key investments in the future sustainability of open source code. Thanks to this grant, we and our partners created \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/\"\u003eBuilding Blocks\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding Blocks is a multifaceted collection: it’s a set of actionable tools, contextual resources, practical guides, case studies, regional narratives, and speculative futures. Building Blocks is for funders, either those new to supporting digital infrastructure or those hoping to improve and refine their approach. Building Blocks can also be useful for others - such as researchers, activists, and designers - looking to connect and understand how to support the open source community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCheck out our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/building-a-toolkit-for-funders-to-grow-their-digital-infrastructure-portfolio/\"\u003efirst blog post\u003c/a\u003e on the toolkit, where we explore funder personas and talk about our geographic approach.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"why-a-toolkit\"\u003eWhy a toolkit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure, as a design non-profit working closely with infrastructure funders, has advised a number of funders and projects on improving their funding and program design practices. Our projects in this area include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/on-trust-and-transparency\"\u003eOn Trust and Transparency\u003c/a\u003e (a collaboration with Luminate), a 2018 report uncovering grantees’ experience of the funding process.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA redesign of the Open Technology Fund’s primary funding program.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA funding identity and strategy workshop with the Prototype Fund.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImpact evaluations for Mozilla Open Source Support and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/reflections-on-the-mozilla-fellowships-and-awards-impact-evaluation-lessons-for-the-ecosystem/\"\u003eFellowships and Awards\u003c/a\u003e programs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout these projects, one consistent theme keeps coming up: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunders need to listen to the communities they fund.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a part of the public interest technology, digital rights, open source, and internet freedom communities, we aim to make this practice of listening into the new industry standard. We have listened to funders, listened to grantees, and helped both funders and grantees learn to listen to each other. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve noticed three layers of needs to be addressed: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ethat of the funders;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eof the project teams they fund;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eand of the end users of these funded projects. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough we designed Building Blocks primarily for funders, we always kept in mind how improving the funding practices would also benefit grantees and their users in the long run. Our ultimate goal is to improve the relationships between all these stakeholders in order to nourish the digital infrastructure ecosystem as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"human-centered-program-design\"\u003eHuman-Centered Program Design\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe words “design for funders” might first evoke improving the interface of a funder’s web application platform. A usable, accessible, and friendly application platform is certainly a foundational element. But for us, design is about working at the relationship level, and letting the artifacts and touchpoints – rubrics, metrics, forms, processes – flow from the qualities of that relationship. Funding free and open source software (FOSS) often requires a certain amount of flexibility that is not typically seen in the ways traditional funding programs are designed. Our approach, then, was not to create a playbook for better FOSS funding, but to create a set of modular tools – or “building blocks” – to help funders develop a sustainable, relationship-based approach that emphasizes listening to communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-building-blocks\"\u003eThe Building Blocks\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur design approach to the creation of the Building Blocks is grounded in human-centered design (HCD) and service design. In following these two principles, we committed to engaging funders, applicants, and advisors by conducting expert interviews, facilitating design workshops, and working closely with regional partners. We wanted to create a set of tools and resources that are specific to the varied needs of funders, allowing them to address and explore complex challenges such as power dynamics, identity and strategy, and impact measurement. Building Blocks provide more than just design exercises that focus on conducting needs assessments or crafting a new program in a more flexible way. They serve as a reflection mechanism for reviewing, evaluating, improvising, and strengthening program designs in times of uncertainty. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpportunities:\u003c/strong\u003e Curated starting points of resources and tools, around a unifying subject: \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/funding-approach-process/\"\u003eFunding Approach and Process\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/identity-strategy/\"\u003eIdentity \u0026amp; Strategy\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/funding-process-approach/\"\u003eCommunity Engagement\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/technology/\"\u003eTechnology\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/defining-digital-infra/\"\u003eDefining Digital Infrastructure\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/strong\u003e Get started by exploring a definition and overview, as well as four example profiles of different funders.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/regional-contexts/\"\u003eRegional Contexts\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/strong\u003e Our 9 regional partners’ present research syntheses on digital infrastructure funding in the context of their regions of the world.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/funding-mechanisms/\"\u003eFunding Mechanisms\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/strong\u003e Four case studies that spotlight different digital infrastructure funding mechanisms and funders.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/narratives/\"\u003eNarrative Futures\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/strong\u003e Six future scenarios, created by Superrr Lab, that spark inspiration on how we can shape the digital future in a collaborative, sustainable and equal way.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/exploring-our-building-blocks/\"\u003eExplore our Building Blocks\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/strong\u003e A full list of tools + guides for current and future digital infrastructure funders to reflect, engage with grantees, hold workshops, and build strategy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work could not have been completed without the help of many partners, including \u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/\"\u003eSuperrr Lab\u003c/a\u003e in Berlin, who synthesized research from our joint collaboration Roadwork Ahead, which outlines the needs of open source communities. Superrr also created six \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/narratives/\"\u003eNarrative Futures\u003c/a\u003e which tie digital infrastructure to other funding priorities and global issues by sparking inspiration on how we can shape the digital future in a collaborative, sustainable and equal way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also collaborated with 9 regional partners, representing 9 regions - East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, Oceania, India/SE Asia, Europe, South + Latin America (one partner exploring lower-income countries, the other higher-income countries), and Brazil. The partners presented \u003ca href=\"https://buildingblocks.simplysecure.org/tag/regional-contexts/\"\u003eresearch syntheses\u003c/a\u003e on digital infrastructure funding in their respective regions around the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"going-forward\"\u003eGoing Forward\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is lots to build on in the toolkit to better support funders. Here’s a few things that are top of mind:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFirst, we are developing plans to increase the reach and impact of the toolkit - likely through engagement opportunities such as events and workshops. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe also hope to incorporate open feedback mechanisms to hear about how these tools are implemented in practice.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe will add tools and resources as needs arise. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe regional contexts are a great window into global nuances of digital infrastructure, but we hope to build on the localization by translating parts of the toolkit, and curating sets of resources specific to different regional contexts.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs for funders themselves, the support we received in creating Building Blocks is in itself an encouraging sign for the future of sustainable digital infrastructure. The Digital Infrastructure Grants came to be because a consortium of funders — Ford Foundation, Sloan Foundation, Omidyar Network, Mozilla Foundation, and Open Society Foundations — had a shared goal of understanding how digital infrastructure is maintained. Looking ahead in this ecosystem, a promising new initiative by Schmidt Futures Plaintext Group - the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/PlaintextGroup/oss-virtual-incubator\"\u003eOpen Source Software Virtual Incubator\u003c/a\u003e - is an innovative approach with the goal of “funding systemic improvements in the open source software ecosystem.” In the spirit of open source, the entire submission process is open and hosted on Github. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile FOSS is upheld by both unpaid volunteer efforts and paid company-backed financial and time investment, the volunteer-led FOSS infrastructure are the projects that are the \u0026lsquo;unseen\u0026rsquo; efforts to under-pin the critical digital infrastructure of the web. It can be challenging to coordinate, share resources, and define funding strategies for these volunteer community initiatives until they are listened to and brought into the conversation about how to best support them alongside FOSS with better \u0026lsquo;visibility\u0026rsquo;. A sensitive, localized approach is essential, and funders around the world could benefit from meeting maintainers where they are and working with them to define their needs. Our hope is  that the tools and resources in Building Blocks help launch those conversations, and get funders thinking about how to build a digital infrastructure sustainability portfolio collaboratively with the community of contributors and maintainers making it all possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"project-credit\"\u003eProject Credit\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"simply-secure\"\u003eSimply Secure\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/ngoc/\"\u003eNgọc Triệu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/melechuga\"\u003eMelissa Huerta\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/susan/\"\u003eSusan Kennedy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/georgia/\"\u003eGeorgia Bullen\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/eriol-fox/\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/molly/\"\u003eMolly Clare Wilson\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"superrr-lab\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/\"\u003eSUPERRR Lab\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/about/\"\u003eElisa Lindinger\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/about/\"\u003eJulia Kloiber\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"regional-partners\"\u003eRegional Partners\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\"\u003e2iC Lab\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://linkedin.com/in/celsobessa/\"\u003eCelso Bessa\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/bibiana-alarcon-58840232/\"\u003eBibiana Alarcón\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-prada-ardila-researcher/\"\u003eDaniela Prada\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-carlos-roa-bogota-34aa6319/\"\u003eJuan Roa\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillapulse.org/profile/4179\"\u003eAmarela\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.tedic.org/en/\"\u003eTEDIC\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernanda-carles-galeano-a4031989/\"\u003eFernanda Carlés\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelledbarker/\"\u003eMichelle Barker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mbunzama\"\u003eNarcisse Mbunzama Lokwa\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://theiofoundation.org/\"\u003eThe IO Foundation\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfqueralt/\"\u003eJean F. Queralt\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/raashi-saxena-18a90684\"\u003eRaashi Saxena\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://linkedin.com/in/maryamlee\"\u003eMaryam Lee\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://ke.linkedin.com/in/wainainamungai\"\u003eWainaina Mungai\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/chukwuyere-ebere-izuogu-b5505b4/?originalSubdomain=ng\"\u003eChukwuyere Izuogu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProject funded by:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.fordfoundation.org/campaigns/critical-digital-infrastructure-research/\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure Grants\u003c/a\u003e (Ford Foundation, Sloan Foundation, Mozilla, Omidyar Network and Open Society Foundations)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Join Us At RightsCon 2022",
            "date_published": "2022-05-26T06:46:15-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-05-26T06:46:15-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/join-us-at-rightscon-2022/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/join-us-at-rightscon-2022/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/rightscon-banner_hu_91fecbfabd335145.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"166\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWould you like to hear how the move from deceptive design to trusted patterns is critical to our shared future?  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWould you like to learn more about how to make encrypted apps more inclusive and accessible?  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you need on the spot design and UX aid and advice to improve your tools?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure team members will be joining six sessions during RightsCon 2022: June 6-10. We’d love to see you, learn about your work, and collaborate. Come join us!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can register for RightsCon \u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e and each session we are participating in is linked below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-doing-design-is-colonial-within-humanitarian-and-human-rights-work\"\u003eHow \u0026ldquo;doing design\u0026rsquo; is colonial within humanitarian and human rights work\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/how-doing-design-is-colonial-within-humanitarian-and-human-rights-work-26AAcZYykzdoj1FAhTfWPX\"\u003eAdd to my sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen: June 7 @ 8.15 AM EDT | 2.15 PM CEST\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho: Eriol Fox, Ngọc Triệu\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat: Community Lab\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe ways in which design is practiced in both professional and academic spheres has a history of colonial power and the ways in which designers \u0026lsquo;conduct\u0026rsquo; research, often from western countries visiting other underrepresented majority communities to \u0026lsquo;do co-design\u0026rsquo; \u0026lsquo;participatory design\u0026rsquo; and other methods with people further embeds these colonial power dynamics in the ways in which one assumes the position of \u0026lsquo;researcher\u0026rsquo; or \u0026lsquo;designer\u0026rsquo; and the others assume position of \u0026lsquo;subject of research\u0026rsquo;. Though there are \u003ca href=\"https://www.liberatorydesign.com/\"\u003egrowing methodologies\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://chicagobeyond.org/researchequity/\"\u003eresources\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.creativereactionlab.com/\"\u003eorganizations\u003c/a\u003e aimed at balancing the power in human-centered design and research the scales still feel tipped in favor of colonial powers. How can we come together as a humanitarian, Human Rights, technologists and Design community at RightsCon to better understand how we and our organizations participate in this balance and work together to better understand how future approaches to human-centered design and research can be practiced with equity as the priority? \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"our-social-network-intersectional-feminist-tech-advocacy-for-journalist-safety\"\u003eOur social network: intersectional feminist tech advocacy for journalist safety\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/our-social-network-intersectional-feminist-tech-advocacy-for-journalist-safety-3Po9ptiWgGB7zvf4bZK88M\"\u003eAdd to my sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/our-social-network-intersectional-feminist-tech-advocacy-for-journalist-safety-3Po9ptiWgGB7zvf4bZK88M\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhen: June 7 @ 9.30 AM EDT | 3.30 PM CEST\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho: Ame Elliott\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat: Community Lab\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eViolence experienced by journalists online disproportionately impacts women, POC and LGBTQIA+ journalists. Existing efforts by tech platforms to keep journalists safe do not address this reality. In this community lab, led by \u003ca href=\"https://onlineviolenceresponsehub.org/\"\u003eThe Coalition Against Online Violence\u003c/a\u003e, we want to hear from journalists, digital safety experts, human rights activists, and even the platforms themselves, about how we can co-design an intersectional approach to research and combat online violence against journalists by leveraging our collective experiences. We hope to collect regional case studies and examples on online abuse, finding solidarity in shared challenges and identifying successes in one region that could be ported to other regions. Ultimately our aim is to connect people from different regions around these shared issues to find solutions to combat online violence. We will facilitate breakout rooms in English, Spanish and French, and welcome everyone to participate in whichever language they are most comfortable. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThis community lab will be facilitated by The International Women’s Media Foundation, ARTICLE 19, Simply Secure, and Vita Activa, who are members of the Coalition Against Online Violence. The COAV is a working group of 60+ global organizations working to find better solutions for women journalists facing online abuse, harassment and other forms of digital attack. The Coalition is funded by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and founded by the International Women’s Media Foundation.  \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"a-ux-clinic-how-to-improve-digital-tools-with-human-rights-centered-design-principles\"\u003eA UX clinic: how to improve digital tools with human rights-centered design principles\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/a-ux-clinic-how-to-improve-digital-tools-with-human-rights-centered-design-principles-dxVvBSeGD8VRL7eXwjJo5N\"\u003eAdd to my sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/a-ux-clinic-how-to-improve-digital-tools-with-human-rights-centered-design-principles-dxVvBSeGD8VRL7eXwjJo5N\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhen: June 7 @ 1.15 PM EDT | 7.15 PM CEST\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho: \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design Community\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat: Social Hour\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeeking and internalizing community feedback to improve digital tools can be expensive and challenging. This clinic style workshop invites tool teams to join a dialogue with design and user experience (UX) experts with rich experience working in civil society to explore a community-centered, rights-protected approach to gather feedback.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe workshop takes the format of a speed-dating style focused-group discussion. Participants are encouraged to bring the projects or tools they are working on with questions or challenges they are facing. Experts and Human Rights-Centered Design professionals will provide immediate design and UX aid and advice for the improvement of the tools to further protect the communities they are serving. Further, the workshop welcomes designers and UX professionals to discuss and develop a holistic human rights-driven design approach. We hope the clinic will bring sparks of ideas and ignite opportunities to open up collaborations and long term support.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHuman Rights-Centered Design is an emerging design approach and way of thinking. It could change the way of UX research and development in digital tools. Yet, it is still in an embryo stage where it needs a lot of nutritions (exchanges of ideas, especially from communities who are impacted by digital tools) to grow. We hope the participants can come to this workshop with an interest in Human Rights-Centered Design (HRCD). And through small-group discussions, participants can leave this session connecting HRCD approach and principles with their own experience in using and developing digital products, platforms, and services.  \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-web-we-want-taking-action-to-stop-deceptive-designs-and-promote-trusted-design-patterns\"\u003eThe web we want: taking action to stop deceptive designs and promote trusted design patterns\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/the-web-we-want-taking-action-to-stop-deceptive-designs-and-promote-trusted-design-patterns-eH3HnBR82vDfkfWXnk1AcC\"\u003eAdd to my sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/the-web-we-want-taking-action-to-stop-deceptive-designs-and-promote-trusted-design-patterns-eH3HnBR82vDfkfWXnk1AcC\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhen: June 8 @ 12.30 PM EDT | 6.30 PM CEST\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho: \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/\"\u003eWeb Foundation\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://3x3.co/\"\u003e3x3\u003c/a\u003e and Simply Secure plus panellists: \u003cbr\u003e\nDries Cuijpers (Senior Enforcement Officer, \u003ca href=\"https://www.acm.nl/nl\"\u003eThe Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://cargocollective.com/estellehary\"\u003eEstelle Hary\u003c/a\u003e (Designer, CNIL - Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/about/people/jen-king\"\u003eDr Jennifer King\u003c/a\u003e (Privacy and Data Policy Fellow, Stanford)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/nnenna/\"\u003eNnenna Nwakanma\u003c/a\u003e (Chief Web Advocate, Web Foundation)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.subtraction.com/\"\u003eKhoi Vinh\u003c/a\u003e (Senior Director of Product Design, Adobe)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat: Panel\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSince the formal launch of the Web Foundation’s Tech Policy Design Lab in November 2022, we have gathered evidence of the potential harms of deceptive designs (often referred to as ‘dark patterns\u0026rsquo;) including who these practices impact the most, and how they affect the most marginalized communities in particular. Over the past months, we have brought together experts from companies, governments and civil society to collaborate constructively to develop policy and product solutions and co-create alternatives for more ethical, empathetic, trusted design that puts people and their needs first.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nJoin us as we speak with experts from across the world who will discuss how the move from deceptive design to trusted patterns is critical to our shared future. Learn how to participate in the network of civil society, industry, and government practitioners who will carry the work forward from the Tech Policy Design Lab. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"dismantling-deceptive-design-global-policy-design-workshop-for-developing-trusted-design-patterns\"\u003eDismantling deceptive design: global policy design workshop for developing trusted design patterns\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/dismantling-deceptive-design-global-policy-design-workshop-for-developing-trusted-design-patterns-wjE8A29WkFog5xSiAaPqVn\"\u003eAdd to my sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/dismantling-deceptive-design-global-policy-design-workshop-for-developing-trusted-design-patterns-wjE8A29WkFog5xSiAaPqVn\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhen: June 9 @ 9.30 PM EDT | 3.30 PM CEST\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho: \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/\"\u003eWeb Foundation\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://3x3.co/\"\u003e3x3\u003c/a\u003e and Simply Secure (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat: Community Lab\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEverything we do online is influenced by how the tools we use are built. Deceptive designs (known as ‘dark patterns’) built into user interfaces alter decision-making or trick users into taking actions they might not otherwise take. While some countries have been focusing on this issue, more needs to be done to ensure that everyone is protected. That is why our work explored a more global scope. Through a series of policy design workshops, we are bringing together stakeholders across sectors and learned directly from those affected by technology to collaboratively redesign our digital spaces. Our facilitators for the session are from India, Nigeria and the United States. We will be sharing evidence of the potential harms of deceptive designs including who these practices impact the most, and how they affect the most marginalized communities.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWe believe that people’s experiences must drive policy and product design, and solutions must take into account the full diversity of those who use digital tools. Let’s come together to share diverse experiences from around the world about the dangers of deceptive design - and how communities counter them - and what we can do as individuals and policymakers to combat these practices globally.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nLet’s build a safe, empowering, and secure web. A web we all can trust.  \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"encrypted-apps-that-leave-no-one-behind\"\u003eEncrypted apps that leave no one behind\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/encrypted-apps-that-leave-no-one-behind-Lke798enDiPYHDgS7Ztji\"\u003eAdd to my sessions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/2022/events/encrypted-apps-that-leave-no-one-behind-Lke798enDiPYHDgS7Ztji\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhen: June 9 @ 1.30 PM EDT | 7.30 PM CEST\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho: Georgia Bullen\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat: Panel\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEncrypted apps are a powerful tool to enable secure communication amongst human rights defenders globally. Yet, most of the existing technologies have challenges when it comes to inclusivity and accessibility; be that failure to meet the needs of peoples with disabilities, support different languages, or ability to function within contexts of unstable internet access.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThis RightsCon panel session builds on the Encrypted Apps Action Coalition under Tech for Democracy, which aims at bringing together relevant stakeholders to ensure that accessible encrypted communications technologies exist for all people who might wish to communicate privately. The panel will both discuss the existing needs, the works of the Action Coalition thus far, and allow for questions and inputs from participants.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Hey, Whose Keys Are These? ",
            "date_published": "2022-05-03T15:18:27-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-05-03T15:18:27-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hey-whose-keys-are-these/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hey-whose-keys-are-these/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"guiding-mailvelope-users-through-the-headaches-of-key-management\"\u003eGuiding Mailvelope users through the headaches of key management\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/1-mailvelope2-cover_hu_2d92c862ca601fef.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://mailvelope.com\"\u003eMailvelope\u003c/a\u003e browser extension helps people add an extra layer of security to their email communications by making PGP encryption accessible and usable.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/blog/2020-10-01-uxfund2020/\"\u003eUXFund\u003c/a\u003e, Simply Secure designed and tested new ways that Mailvelope could help users if they received an email from a contact who used a new keypair.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith these UX changes, Mailvelope continues to offer usable security measures to more people who need it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is the second blog post in a series about working with the Mailvelope team. Check out \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/finding-the-balance-adding-support-for-organization-wide-pgp-keys-to-mailvelope/\"\u003epart 1\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’ve ever needed to send an email that nobody except the recipient can read, you’ve probably heard of PGP. And no matter how expert you are, you’ve probably gotten stuck once or twice managing keys.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor over 30 years, the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy\"\u003ePGP\u003c/a\u003e (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption method has allowed people to encrypt their emails so that intercepted messages can’t be read by adversaries, email providers, ISPs, or indeed any third party. To accomplish this, messages are encrypted into a code that only the recipient can unscramble, using a keypair mechanism that both encrypts and unlocks messages. All PGP users have their own keypair: 1) a public key to share with their contacts, and 2) a private key to keep secret. (To learn more about how public-key cryptography works, \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/deep-dive-end-end-encryption-how-do-public-key-encryption-systems-work#:~:text=Public%20key%20cryptography%20allows%20someone,decrypt%20messages%20encrypted%20to%20you.\"\u003echeck out this explainer from the Electronic Frontier Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eManaging a contact list of public keys is like managing the contact list in your phone: people occasionally get new public keys, just like they may get new email or postal addresses. Their public key is probably uploaded to a server called a keyserver, but can expire or be manually revoked. And in order to send a secure email to a person, you need to know a public key that you are certain belongs to them. That’s where \u003ca href=\"http://mailvelope.com\"\u003eMailvelope\u003c/a\u003e comes in. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMailvelope is a browser extension that integrates key management with your webmail interface. This means you can select keys from an address book, or “keyring,” and send an encrypted email in just a few clicks. But what about these tricky cases when people change their keys, or even have multiple keys? How can you be sure you’re messaging the right person? With the support of \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/blog/2020-10-01-uxfund2020/\"\u003eUXFund\u003c/a\u003e, Mailvelope came to Simply Secure to collaborate on a solution.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"key-managements-two-big-headaches\"\u003eKey management’s two big headaches\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow could we make key management less confusing using clearer UX design? We approached the two most confusing key management scenarios by setting up some lightweight user feedback sessions. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"scenario-a-what-if-you-get-an-email-from-maria-but-its-encrypted-with-a-different-key-than-before-is-this-really-maria-or-is-it-an-imposter\"\u003eScenario A: What if you get an email from Maria, but it’s encrypted with a different key than before? Is this really Maria? Or is it an imposter?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is like getting a letter from Maria with a New York postmark when you thought she lived in Los Angeles. It might be legitimate, but you might want to check with her and see if she moved. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes people revoke or abandon an old keypair (public + private keys) and generate a new one. Although generating a new keypair may be necessary if the old one was compromised, a new keypair may also mean that somebody is impersonating your contact and intercepting messages (called a “\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-middle_attack\"\u003eMonster-In-The-Middle\u003c/a\u003e” attack). We wanted to find a way to help Mailvelope’s users if they received an email from a contact who used a new keypair.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe focused on a notification that would alert the Mailvelope user about a sender’s keypair change. Our goal was to support the user as much as possible and not ask them to make any decisions they didn’t understand. To offer guidance in this unfamiliar, and potentially risky, situation, we knew that careful, concise interface guidance was crucial. For comparison, we found examples from other messaging software, like WhatsApp. Its notification message reads, \u0026ldquo;Your security code with [person] changed. Tap to learn more\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/2-mailvelope2-whatsapp_hu_e980acb48d9f5352.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"675\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhen a person gets a new phone, their contacts will see the message: “Your security code with X has changed.” Tap to learn more displays the message: “Your security code with X  changed because there was a registration on a new device of theirs.”\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe decided on a modal design that displayed what happened, the new key details, potential constraints, and advice for what to do next\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/3-mailvelope2-modal_hu_b01f207f0e664a44.png\" alt=\"We decided on a modal design that displayed what happened, the new key details, potential constraints, and advice for what to do next. \" width=\"740\" height=\"440\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe decided on a modal design that displayed what happened, the new key details, potential constraints, and advice for what to do next.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-testing-helped-us-solidify-our-design\"\u003eHow testing helped us solidify our design\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we asked people what they would do when faced with this design, we learned that our pop-up message helped users immediately understand the situation: “Maria probably changed her key.” Yet, participants were cautious (PGP users tend to be security-minded!): “Before accepting the key, I would get an OK from Maria on Signal.” The message we added is clearly necessary: as one user said, “The warning makes me feel more comfortable that I\u0026rsquo;m doing the right thing.” In our testing, some people chose \u003cem\u003eAdd to Keyring\u003c/em\u003e for the new keypair, while others preferred to stay on the safe side with \u003cem\u003eCancel\u003c/em\u003e. Offering both options allowed them to select the choice that best matched their level of risk. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile user testing confirmed some design choices, it also prompted some changes. We realized that the process needed a confirmation message for adding a key. One participant said, “I think I need to go to another page where I save the key.” A participant said, \u0026ldquo;I feel pressured to add it to my keyring, because the alternative is that it disappears forever.\u0026rdquo; So we proposed to change the copy from \u003cem\u003eCancel\u003c/em\u003e to \u003cem\u003eNot now.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/4-mailvelope2-confirmation_hu_1225471e697969db.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"186\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/4-mailvelope2-not-now_hu_50df46ca05b9f59c.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"197\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe proposed some changes to the design such as a confirmation message and changing the secondary button to “not now”.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTesting our prototype proved incredibly useful because we learned which designs achieved our goal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"scenario-b-what-if-you-want-to-send-an-email-to-maria-but-you-have-many-different-keys-for-maria\"\u003eScenario B: What if you want to send an email to Maria, but you have many different keys for Maria?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile changing out keypairs is a useful security tactic, a side effect is that other people still have all those old keys. It’s as though Maria has moved a lot recently and you might not be sure where you can send her a letter. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo help Mailvelope users choose their recipients’ current key quickly and easily, we focused on the compose email window, specifically the autocomplete dropdown for the recipient’s email. We considered various well-known symbols (like a checkmark and flag) or adding a tag (like “default key” “primary key” or “Mailvelope’s pick”) that could identify the key, but a lot of these ideas already had another meaning in the PGP world. Any new icons that we made up created more questions than answers. In short, this was a complicated message to boil down to one symbol. And unfortunately, highlighting and bolding interfered with the search list functionality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/5-mailvelope2-send-original_hu_b4e9b22996bbfb5b.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"307\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn the Mailvelope email compose window, a user starts typing in the email recipient and sees four possible key options for Maria.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe landed on putting the current key first in the list and indenting the old keys. We thought this design would guide users to the right choice but still give them options. The next step was testing it with users - would they understand what the indented list meant?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/6-mailvelope2-send-test_hu_1033a8d72f3c583c.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"304\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe converged on a dropdown list design that places the current key first and indents the other keys.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"good-design-can-be-invisible\"\u003eGood design can be invisible\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen people typed in Maria’s email and saw four keys for Maria, they were puzzled. One participant said, “This seems wrong. Maria has many keys, somehow I imported all of them, and none are revoked.” This indented list was causing confusion, provoking questions but not giving enough answers. Either we needed to add more information or take away irrelevant information. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur “a-ha” moment came when we realized that users don’t actually need to access old keys when they send messages (although old keys are still useful for decrypting old messages). So we scrapped all our “alternate key” designs and made the simplest version - just one public key is shown for Maria, because that’s all the sender needs to see. Our final design intervention is not even visible in the UI.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/7-mailvelope2-send-final_hu_c79944836dfc2f.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"676\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOur final design intervention is not even visible in the UI. Instead of displaying all the keys, we just show the right one for Maria. We show the user only what they need to see.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e👉 Do you want to try this kind of user testing? We believe in the power of user testing so much that we put together a \u003ca href=\"https://sprblm.github.io/devs-guide-to/\"\u003emicrosite\u003c/a\u003e with concise guides and examples to get you started.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"onward\"\u003eOnward\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor over 10 years, Mailvelope has helped people add a protective layer to their email communications. Mailvelope users are people who need a high level of security and can’t always use other secure communication tools, like Signal. They may not have a comprehensive understanding of how keypairs work – but they shouldn’t have to. With these small UX changes, Mailvelope continues its slow and steady journey towards offering usable security measures to more people who need it. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKelsey Smith, UX Designer at Simply Secure\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomas Oberndörfer, developer and founder of Mailvelope\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHero image of keys: by \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/photos/vLuj--T3Fp8\"\u003eAlp Duran, Unsplash\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/blog/2020-10-01-uxfund2020/\"\u003eUXFund\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Accounting Administrator, Part-Time",
            "date_published": "2022-04-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-04-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/accounting-administrator-10hrs-week/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/accounting-administrator-10hrs-week/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn’t have to be confusing to end users. We’ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We’ve held \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we’ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we’ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is seeking a part-time virtual Accounting Administrator (US only) to help process financial needs and reporting. Reporting to the Finance \u0026amp; Operations Manager, the ideal candidate has financial expertise working in an office environment (in person or virtual), preferably in the non-profit sector. They are very adept at using web-based applications to work with a remote team both in the US and in Europe, and can help us manage our finances.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"duties-and-responsibilities\"\u003eDuties and Responsibilities\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcess monthly hours, receipts, and expense claims.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrepare invoices, manage AR flow, and update records in a timely manner.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollaborate with third-party bookkeeping provider to ensure efficient and accurate financial reporting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport financial reporting for grants and other necessary contracts. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport management of company assets and financial expenditures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdhere to best practices in accounting, as outlined by industry experts and espoused by the company.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFiling and documentation of bills, invoices and expense reports.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"required-skills\"\u003eRequired Skills\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with Quickbooks and accounts administration.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with multi-currency transactions and processes.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledge of payment platforms (e.g. Bill.com, Divvy, Wise).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdvanced knowledge of Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar and Google Meet).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFamiliarity with time tracking platforms (e.g. Harvest).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience working with non-profit entities is a plus, but not required.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"work-hours\"\u003eWork Hours \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a part time position. Salary commensurate with experience. While the contractor may set their own hours, we do expect some overlap with members of the Operations team for meetings, etc. Core work hours are between 8-5pm ET.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be considered for this position, we ask that you submit a resumé, along with a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position, to: \u003ca href=\"mailto:hr@simplysecure.org\"\u003ehr@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis until this position is filled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. We are open to candidates from around the world. Final hiring decisions will be contingent upon our ability to contract and pay in the candidate’s country. Simply Secure does not provide relocation or visa support.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Finance \u0026 Operations Manager",
            "date_published": "2022-04-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-04-19T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/finance-operations-manager/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/finance-operations-manager/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn’t have to be confusing to end users. We’ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We’ve held \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we’ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we’ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is seeking a full-time remote Finance and Operations Manager (US only, with immediate availability) to help develop and manage its finances and operations. We’re looking for someone who can own and manage the relationships with a variety of third-party finance and operations vendors. As an active member of the team, this person will stay on top of project timelines in relation to financial milestones, and support the team in grant reporting. On a monthly basis, our organization processes 20+ contracts with funding partners and external contractors— this role will lead this effort and manage our financial flow.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReporting to the Managing Director, the ideal candidate has more than five years’ experience working in an office environment (in person or virtual), preferably in the non-profit sector. They are very adept at using web-based applications to work with a remote team both in the US and in Europe, and can help us manage our finances and processes in a scalable way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"duties-and-responsibilities\"\u003eDuties and Responsibilities\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"finance\"\u003eFinance:\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManage Business/Accounts Administrator and third-party Finance team to ensure invoices, receipts and expense claims are processed in a timely manner and to support accurate financial reporting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAssist with quarterly and annual financial review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLead tax compliance process and liaise with third-party tax accountant.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrack and manage financial reporting requirements for grants.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManage ongoing financial reporting to assist management with budgeting and financial tracking.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUpdate management on any financial discrepancies found during tax filing or invoicing duties.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAssist staff with use of accounts systems and field related questions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"operations\"\u003eOperations:\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOwn and manage relationships with third-party service providers for US and international payroll and benefits. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdminister and manage our contracting process, including developing, processing, tracking and filing service agreements and vendor contracts ensuring appropriate tax documentation is received and completed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport our fiscally sponsored projects in all things operations and financial.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunicate and support organization staff in operational and administrative processes.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLead operational and financial processes for our Fiscally Sponsored Projects. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAssist management in planning and preparing board meeting packets including filing meeting minutes, drafting resolutions and other board documentation as needed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport the team on grants writing, management and reporting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcess improvement: Identify and implement user-centered process improvements that support our team in focusing their time and effort on our mission.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLead new staff onboarding and offboarding from an operational perspective.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"required-skills\"\u003eRequired Skills\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience managing third-party financial and operational vendors and platforms for successful non-profit organizational management.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThree or more years experience with Quickbooks and financial management.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledge of multi-currency accounting and transactions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdvanced knowledge of Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar and Google Meet).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCurious about new platforms and integrations for supporting organizational efficiency.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience in using web-based business software, especially project management, billing and invoicing, and time tracking platforms (e.g. bill.com, Harvest, Notion). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnsures all work is completed on time, professionally, and to a high standard.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience working at a nonprofit preferred.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrevious use of Slack is beneficial.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"work-hours-and-benefits\"\u003eWork Hours and Benefits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis position is for a full-time employee, 40 hours per week with availability during our core work hours (8-5pm ET), at $65,000-80,000 per year depending on experience. Benefits include health insurance, sick leave, generous parental leave, and monthly tech stipend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be considered for this position, we ask that you submit a resumé, along with a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position to: \u003ca href=\"mailto:hr@simplysecure.org\"\u003ehr@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis until this position is filled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. We are open to candidates from around the world. Final hiring decisions will be contingent upon our ability to contract and pay in the candidate’s country. Simply Secure does not provide relocation or visa support.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "On Starting Out In UX: An Interview With Stefanie Mühlbacher, UX Designer",
            "date_published": "2022-03-25T16:29:23-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-03-25T16:29:23-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-starting-out-in-ux-an-interview-with-stefanie-muhlbacher-ux-designer/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-starting-out-in-ux-an-interview-with-stefanie-muhlbacher-ux-designer/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img_0445_hu_7639fe594b7a5cce.jpeg\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStefanie points out that a lot of UX-focused resources out there focus on the HOW instead of the WHY of UX methods. There’s an opportunity for growth here. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor new UX designers, Stefanie encourages them to start working on real-world projects as soon as possible – learning on the job is key to expanding your portfolio.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor technical teams, she advises involving UX designers from the start to make the software more usable.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast year, we partnered with Stefanie Mühlbacher to support the \u003ca href=\"https://arso.xyz/\"\u003earso\u003c/a\u003e development collective  on user experience and testing for \u003ca href=\"https://sonar.arso.xyz/\"\u003eSonar\u003c/a\u003e. Having recently graduated from a UX bootcamp program, we asked Stefanie to share her thoughts on the experience of working on this highly-technical project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"about-sonar\"\u003eAbout Sonar\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSonar is an open source framework to manage, annotate, and full-text search through data, including media files. It uses peer-to-peer technology to replicate and share collections, and can be used to develop decentralized applications. Some use cases the arso team has explored include searchable and replicable media archives, research databases, blogs, archiving and searching chat logs. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe arso team consists of a handful of developers working together as a loose collective. Their work centers around preserving and exploring information and media.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe arso team reached out to Simply Secure for guidance on developing and testing relevant UX patterns. We expected that this might include patterns for key exchange, schema handling, multiwriter conflict resolution, or access management. Our shared goals were to work with actual and potential users on the refinement of UX patterns for P2P search and discovery.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis interview was edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"meet-stefanie\"\u003eMeet Stefanie\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStefanie is a UX designer working - at the moment - for a startup in Munich. She lives on a farm and mostly works from home. Her passions include open-source software, ethical design and cows. Find her portfolio at \u003ca href=\"\"\u003estefaniemue.com\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTell us a little bit about yourself \u0026ndash; what led you to become a UX designer?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have a background in product design, and kind of dabbled in UX during my studies. After graduation I struggled to find a job for almost a year, and joined a UX bootcamp to get some marketable skills. I liked it way more than I expected and really got into UX, how user-focused it is, and the creative methods its practitioners employ to tackle very complex problems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I was about two-thirds through bootcamp, I heard that friends of friends were working on an open source project, so I scraped together all my courage and asked if they needed a UX designer on their team. A couple of weeks later, I started working on the Sonar project. It was not my first collaboration after bootcamp (I had joined a social project as a UXer while still in bootcamp), but it was my first collaboration with developers and on a very tech-heavy project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAs one of your first projects after bootcamp, what do you feel you were well prepared for? And what resources do you wish you had?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring bootcamp, I practiced doing user research and felt quite confident preparing and conducting user interviews and usability tests. Analyzing research data and creating personas and user stories was also something I had learned recently, so I had some tools in my toolbox.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI looked up UX tools and methods from my bootcamp and applied them directly to the project. I also had help from Simply Secure: I got feedback from [former Simply Secure employee] Eileen and \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/klsyjnn\"\u003eKelsey\u003c/a\u003e on my research, analysis and prototyping, which was great. It was fantastic to have more experienced UX designers to talk to! The workshops we did with Simply Secure also helped to create mutual understanding and alignment in the team. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe collaboration with arso was also invaluable. They spent a lot of time explaining to me how Sonar works and what their plans and ideas were. Some also attended user interviews, or helped to write a survey.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat I really could have used were more resources on how developers and designers can work together successfully, especially in very small teams and without a dedicated project manager. Most of the resources I found were by and for people working in larger companies or in startups, and didn’t really fit our team constellation. Something that was also missing was more information on when to employ which UX methods and how to form a strategy. A lot of resources focus on the HOW instead of the WHY of UX methods.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat can you share about the experience of working on a project about decentralization? What sort of technical complexities did you face?\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was quite difficult for me to understand how Sonar works, and especially how things might work differently than I expected based on experiences with other software. Working with privacy-first software that was developed with little resources means that some features I imagined were just not possible, so I had to learn to work with those technical limitations. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother challenge we faced was that it was quite hard to find people for the user interviews — we didn\u0026rsquo;t get a lot of responses to emails we sent out. But the people we did reach, once we built a rapport with them (or if they knew someone on the team), we had 2+ hour conversations with them! They were really enthusiastic about the project and super into helping with user testing. They all asked us to give them updates, joined our mailing list etc. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat would your recommendation be for UX designers working on highly technical projects?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTalk to the developers A LOT and don’t be afraid to ask “stupid” questions. Keep asking “why” and “how” until you are sure you understood everything. Take notes while talking to your devs. Some especially complex things you might only understand when you read through them later. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast but not least, remember that saying about images being worth a thousand words? When in doubt, draw a diagram of your mental model of the software, how you think it works, and get the devs on your team to look at it with you and adjust it until it’s correct. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs there anything else you\u0026rsquo;d like to share with new UX designers, technical teams, and/or the space at large?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdvice for new UX Designers\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you get out of university or bootcamp, start working on real-world projects as quickly as you can. You will learn so much more than you could on your own. There are many projects, also in the open source community that need your skills.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdvice for technical teams\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDare to involve UX designers into your work from the start!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe biggest challenge I faced working on Sonar was that I joined the project at the end, when most of the development work was already done. The team knew that UX could bring value to their project, but had zero experience working with UX designers. My biggest frustration was that I could not really work together with the team, because they were already moving on to another project. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I was wrapping up my work on the project, I asked the arso team for feedback on the UX process and outcomes. I got the same response from everyone: “we should have done this sooner!” They all agreed that involving a UX designer from the start in a project would have made the whole development process easier, helping to create tasks for developers and making the software more usable and easier to understand. I was incredibly happy to hear this. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are already many gifted developers in the open-source space, but we need more UX designers! And developers recognizing the value of UX design is already one step in that direction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Kelsey Smith, Eileen Wagner, and Stefanie Mühlbacher, in partnership with the arso development collective. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://nlnet.nl/\"\u003eNLNet Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Designing Better Data Futures",
            "date_published": "2022-03-16T19:24:43-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-03-16T19:24:43-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/designing-better-data-futures/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/designing-better-data-futures/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/iris_lei_for_popular_science_hu_6ee5c84ac5a01c34.webp\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage: Iris Lei for Popular Science\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s March 2022. We’re 2 decades into the new millennium, 54 years after Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke imagined humanity traveling to Jupiter with HAL as the guide, and 43 years since Octavia Butler imagined time travel as an exploration of history and heritage in her novel Kindred. Science fiction and design have long been key tools in imagining the future — particularly to explore humanity’s relationship with information technology. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat if we could imagine and build a future where we control our data, what is shared, who it’s shared with, and how it’s used? What if we could use our data to drive responsible innovation — like if our home energy usage data were shared with green energy companies? Or could be used to lower the cost of something like a home mortgage?  We know the technology exists, so what policies and incentives do we need to give control to consumers? How can we catalyze social and political conversations that critically question our current data dynamic?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo explore these questions, we teamed up with the \u003ca href=\"https://digital-lab.consumerreports.org/\"\u003eDigital Lab at Consumer Reports\u003c/a\u003e, 3 science fiction writers, and a cohort of 17 experts to build short science fiction stories. Each story is set in the US in 2030, exploring alternative realities around our relationship with data. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublished in partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://www.popsci.com/\"\u003ePopular Science\u003c/a\u003e, these \u003cem\u003eAlternate Data Realities\u003c/em\u003e are a three-story series, exploring near future scenarios in which “we the people” benefit from our own data. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese stories aren’t utopic \u0026ndash; after all, the protagonists still live in an America grappling with worsening climate change, climbing housing prices, and supporting our elderly parents. But these stories explore a different relationship between humanity and data.  Following each story, a response essay from a policy expert offers actionable recommendations on what’s needed for this alternate reality to come to life. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe hope that these stories reach far and wide to spur imagination and help us break out from our norms to co-design alternative data realities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"explore-the-stories\"\u003eExplore the Stories\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"shared-data\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.popsci.com/technology/shared-data-a-short-story-from-an-alternate-future/?taid=6230ac10e9b021000122d0c2\u0026amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem_AI\u0026amp;utm_medium=social\u0026amp;utm_source=twitter\"\u003eShared Data\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eby \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/m_older\"\u003eMalka Older\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of Shared Data is a hypothesis of a future project and cooperative that could have numerous benefits for consumers- a shared data hub and cooperative that provides real time data, insights, and social interaction spaces for communities to provide mutual aid in real time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePolicy Response by:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/dmarti\"\u003eDon Marti\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/carolinesinders\"\u003eCaroline Sinders\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRebecca Weiss\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExpert Advisors:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/dcalacci\"\u003eDan Calacci\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/carolinesinders\"\u003eCaroline Sinders\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRebecca Wei\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/helveticade\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003ess\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/helveticade\"\u003eCade Diehm\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-memory-of-tomatoes\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.popsci.com/technology/the-memory-of-tomatoes-short-story/\"\u003eThe Memory of Tomatoes\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eby \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/BonnieJoStuffle\"\u003eBonnie Jo Stufflebeam\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA world of the near future where an interesting blend of guarded private spaces, and more intrusive connected technologies co-exist. Where a woman persevering through Alzheimer’s has uploaded her previous thoughts and memories to her own AI via a “neuralink,” and has delegated to her daughter her data access rights \u0026ndash; in this instance, to her “smart” pill case.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePolicy Response by:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/richardswhitt\"\u003eRichard Whitt\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExpert Advisors:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EmDohh\"\u003eMeag Doherty\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/nickmvincent\"\u003eNick Vincent\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/richardswhitt\"\u003eRichard Whitt \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/nandoodles\"\u003eNandini Jammi\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/caseorganic\"\u003eAmber Case\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/JusTechne\"\u003eNicolo Zingales\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"homeheart\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://t.co/cPuOsDXatj\"\u003eHome@Heart\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eby \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/s_meems\"\u003eSameem Siddiqui\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA sagacious illustration of how we could be convinced to monetize our data in the absence of strong privacy legislation. It tells the story of a young couple of academics who decide to finance their first house through an interest-free loan from a housing union (“Ubiquity”) open to university staff, faculty and students. In exchange, the union requires collection of data of the entire household for 30 years, or until whenever the loan is paid back.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePolicy Response by:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/JusTechne\"\u003eNicolo Zingales \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExpert Advisors:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/dmarti\"\u003eDon Marti\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/richmondywong\"\u003eRichmond Y. Wong\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRobert Mahari\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ddpforall\"\u003eEnoch H. Liang\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/afua_bruce\"\u003eAfua Bruce \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/sarahdrinkwater\"\u003eSarah Drinkwater\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA big thank you to Consumer Reports, Popular Science, and Mozilla Foundation for their support and partnership in this project. Thank you to Torie Bosch for advice, and sharing learnings from the Slate’s Future Tense. And congratulations to our 3 people Malka Older, Sameem Siddiqui, and Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, and 17 expert advisors who imagined new realities, and then built the map to make them possible!\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "[Open Call] Submissions for “Reimagining Digital Consent: A Discussion \u0026 Gallery Exhibition” at MozFest 2022",
            "date_published": "2022-02-25T12:34:41-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-02-25T12:34:41-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/open-call-submissions-for-reimagining-digital-consent-a-discussion-gallery-exhibition-at-mozfest-2022/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/open-call-submissions-for-reimagining-digital-consent-a-discussion-gallery-exhibition-at-mozfest-2022/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/reimagining_digital_consent_blog_image_1_hu_8c08f303b0aefcfb.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"820\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImage: \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/photos/heEPoapeiVk\"\u003eJason Briscoe\u003c/a\u003e adapted by \u003ca href=\"http://okthanks.com\"\u003eCarrie Winfrey\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery day tech platforms confront us with information about how our data is used, and pop-ups with language like this website uses cookies, accept and continue are an accepted part of the online experience. Consenting to sharing data is so strongly encouraged by the platforms that “opting in” or “opting out” is not the right framework because coerced consent cannot be meaningful. However, new privacy regulations such as the forthcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20211210IPR19209/digital-services-act-safer-online-space-for-users-stricter-rules-for-platforms\"\u003eDigital Service Act\u003c/a\u003e from the European Union and \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa\"\u003eCalifornia’s Consumer Privacy Act\u003c/a\u003e are initial attempts to empower individuals to give meaningful consent to data collection. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese policies are important steps to protecting people from the harms of data collection. As we describe in our ongoing work on the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/the-limits-to-digital-consent-understanding-the-risks-of-ethical-consent-and-data-collection-for-underrepresented-communities/\"\u003erisks of data collection\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"data-accumulation-has-great-power-over-a-persons-agency-their-relationships-and-the-communities-within-which-they-operate--and-the-associated-harms-reach-almost-every-human-being-practitioners-must-therefore-examine-the-systemic-shortcomings-of-digital-consent-and-commit-to-an-ongoing-iteration-of-consent-and-data-governance-within-platforms\"\u003e“Data accumulation has great power over a person’s agency, their relationships, and the communities within which they operate – and the associated harms reach almost every human being. Practitioners must therefore examine the systemic shortcomings of digital consent and commit to an ongoing iteration of consent and data governance within platforms.”\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/The_Limits_to_Digital_Consent_FINAL_Oct2021.pdf\"\u003eThe Limits of Digital Consent Report\u003c/a\u003e by Simply Secure and the New Design Congress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/9RQHNE-1\"\u003eMozFest workshop\u003c/a\u003e provides essential contextual information to improve how policies for providing meaningful consent are implemented. We invite contribution from the community documenting the status quo of how online consent works now and imagining a better future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"open-call-for-participation\"\u003eOpen Call for Participation\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are three ways to participate in the Mozfest Reimagining Consent workshop and gallery:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe invite submissions via \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shr3xzoqGYuVgg42n\"\u003ethis Airtable link\u003c/a\u003e to an online gallery exploring the subject of online consent. We want to hear from you! From the perspectives of design practitioners, researchers, and end-users, help us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ea. \u003cstrong\u003eDocument the status quo\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nCollect screenshots of deceptive design examples, such as:\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat interface mechanisms are used to collect consent data? What\u0026rsquo;s confusing or manipulative? Helpful and empowering? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eb. \u003cstrong\u003eImagine a bolder future\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nCollect screenshots of empowering consent experiences or share your own work. Let’s explore what meaningful consent looks like. How will we know if new design patterns lead to different results? How can we shift power back to end-users?\u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shrZSumhBM6DSyILb/tblkHBbRqiAaV22gs\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shrZSumhBM6DSyILb/tblkHBbRqiAaV22gs\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shrZSumhBM6DSyILb/tblkHBbRqiAaV22gs\"\u003eView the gallery\u003c/a\u003e any time during MozFest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/9RQHNE-1\"\u003eJoin us for a discussion\u003c/a\u003e on reimagining consent on March 8 @ 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST / 6:00 - 7:00 PM GMT.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"guide-to-submissions\"\u003eGuide to Submissions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough we welcome original design proposals, we encourage everyone to submit screenshots of consent to data collection examples they encounter online. From American comedian Jimmy Fallon’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLzfN7NdWpA\"\u003eScreen Grab\u003c/a\u003e video segments using humor to explore online life to Louise Benson’s example-filled essay on \u003ca href=\"https://elephant.art/a-picture-of-a-thousand-words-how-screenshots-changed-visual-culture-02082021/\"\u003ehow screenshots changed visual culture\u003c/a\u003e, taking screenshots helps us see everyday digital interactions from a new perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause we are interested in current online experience, as lived all around the world, we encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of the tools we have to document examples of consent. Any platform, any language, any application - \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shr3xzoqGYuVgg42n\"\u003esubmit your examples\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTips for Submissions to the Reimagining Consent Gallery:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBackground - review \u003ca href=\"https://computing.which.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/208520065-Take-a-screenshot-or-screengrab-in-Windows-Mac-tablets-and-phones\"\u003ehow to take a screenshot\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsider the role of different UI elements and patterns in consent. Here are some examples of things to consider capturing in a screenshot:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePopup dialog box\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNotification\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterstitial\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOS features\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSettings\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe don\u0026rsquo;t need a lengthy explanation. Don’t be shy if you feel like you have nothing to say. Taking the time to submit a screenshot – even without using your name – helps designers, researchers, and policy makers learn about consent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples of \u003ca href=\"https://blog.mozilla.org/en/internet-culture/mozilla-explains/deceptive-design-patterns/\"\u003edeceptive design patterns\u003c/a\u003e intentionally tricking people into sharing their data are welcome. But also consider sharing examples of things you would like to see more of, that you think work well.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDigital consent covers a broad range of themes – not only privacy, but also e-commerce, and competitiveness (antitrust), so consider all kinds of everyday examples: mobile games, shopping carts, region-blocked content, advertising, etc. No need to limit examples to terms and conditions for data handling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are two examples to encourage more contributions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/reimagining_digital_consent_blog_image_2_hu_39417b2b2def1260.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1606\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/reimagining_digital_consent_blog_image_3_hu_99e47c17be877ee0.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1514\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the above example iPhone screenshots:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst - a good example of consenting to having location tracked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecond - a bad example of an app sharing extremely personal information and making it difficult to learn that it’s happening.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSee what else has been submitted to the \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shrZSumhBM6DSyILb/tblkHBbRqiAaV22gs\"\u003eConsent Gallery\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shr3xzoqGYuVgg42n\"\u003esubmit something today\u003c/a\u003e so that we can include it in our discussion on March 8 @ 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST / 6:00 - 7:00 PM GMT.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook to attend the MozFest session \u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/9RQHNE-1\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCredits: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/georgiamoon\"\u003eGeorgia Bullen\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ameellio\"\u003eAme Elliott\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/crwinfrey\"\u003eCarrie Winfrey\u003c/a\u003e // \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/WeAreOkthanks\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Keeping Everyone Safe: Quick, User-oriented Problem-solving with Mapeo ",
            "date_published": "2022-02-22T18:21:54-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-02-22T18:21:54-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/keeping-everyone-safe-quick-user-oriented-problem-solving-with-mapeo/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/keeping-everyone-safe-quick-user-oriented-problem-solving-with-mapeo/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/mapeo_blog_2_header_image_hu_2da3226e69045f28.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"490\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis fall, we had the pleasure of working with \u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/\"\u003eDigital Democracy\u003c/a\u003e on their application, \u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/mapeo/\"\u003eMapeo\u003c/a\u003e. Mapeo is a mobile and desktop app that enables indigenous communities to map their lands, sites, and resources, as well as record and monitor environmental and legal abuses by corporations and the state. The app is used by communities around the world, and due to the sensitive nature of the data being recorded, contributing to Mapeo can be high-risk for users. Our design challenge focused on user safety: how to protect end users in the likely event that a community mapper’s phone is lost, seized, damaged, or stolen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure uses many different Human-Centered Design methods to gather feedback from end-users, but our approach centers participants’ safety. User research with high-risk groups requires special consideration, and sometimes it isn’t always possible or appropriate to work directly with users. Here are some of the considerations we’ve encountered:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs the pandemic continues, we face travel restrictions and closed borders that hinder global work, in addition to the risks to users and designers of meeting in-person to collaborate.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe now lack the events, such as RightsCon or the Internet Freedom Festival, that provided opportunities for user research with people from around the world. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAmerican and European technologists/researchers cannot enter and do work with global communities – indigenous or otherwise – without proper attention to the colonialist dynamics that have the potential to affect the intended collaboration.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParticipating in research can be risky for the end-users because it exposes them to extra attention. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemote user research can be difficult in areas with network connectivity challenges and without access to certain technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Mapeo project was uniquely well-positioned to overcome these challenges because Dd has a long history of local partners leading the design and development, an approach recently recognized by an \u003ca href=\"https://solve.mit.edu/articles/mit-solve-announces-new-class-of-42-social-entrepreneurs-solving-global-challenges-with-over-2-3-million-in-funding\"\u003eM.I.T. Solver Award for Social Entrepreneurship\u003c/a\u003e. As Oswando Nenquimo, the Co-Founder and Director of Monitoring and Territory Defense at Alianza Ceibo explains, the Indigenous experience is central to the history of Mapeo. He says, “Together we built the open source application Mapeo for everyone to use. We were using it then, and we are still using it to defend our lands.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the context of our OTF Usability Lab-supported collaboration on Mapeo, time-sensitivity was front-and-center; implementing features that improve the safety of users was of utmost importance. This encouraged our process to prioritize getting a solution implemented that could be adjusted later on. We wanted to get potentially life-saving solutions integrated into the app as quickly as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis led us to wonder: How do we design for quick, user-oriented solutions without conducting new user research? How do we help a team like Dd, that already practices human-centered design, lean on their own knowledge to produce user-centered solutions? Building on the collaboration with the Mapeo team, this post shares lessons to help others in similarly challenging situations arrive at human-centered solutions (especially as the pandemic continues on), but that might not have years of local information at hand. Working with Dd solidified for us that doing human-centered design is an ongoing commitment and practice, and that deep engagement and communication with your community of users, as Dd models, is the most valuable asset to doing good design work – especially in the face of challenging circumstances. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe learned four valuable lessons doing this work:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e✅  Doing human-centred work is a gift that keeps on giving; start where you are, use what you have\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e✅  Don’t go it alone: ask your peers and community before reinventing the wheel\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e✅  Scenario plan: put informed empathy into action\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e✅  Prepare for feedback as soon as you can get it\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e_______________________________________________________________________________________\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⚠️ \u003cstrong\u003eBeware of a sense of techno-solutionism that can come easily when thinking through technical challenges. Threats posed to “high-risk” users or to users engaged in “high risk” activity are often socially and politically rooted, rather than strictly technical.\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⚠️ \u003cstrong\u003eTalking to users is always preferable to making assumptions. If it is safe and physically possible, do it.\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"1-doing-human-centered-work-is-a-gift-that-keeps-on-giving-you-already-have-more-knowledge-than-you-realize\"\u003e1. Doing human-centered work is a gift that keeps on giving; you already have more knowledge than you realize\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though our design team did not work directly with end-users, we had access to the Dd team, who have a wealth of user-centered information that could be relied upon to begin to answer pressing design challenges. The Dd programs team spends months on the ground with their users, and we designed activities that would help to surface their knowledge and expertise about what their users might need and what threats they face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the tools we used to make the Dd team’s tacit knowledge explicit was a Threat Modeling / “\u003ca href=\"\"\u003eAnxiety Games\u003c/a\u003e” Workshop. (Shout-out to our team member Cade and \u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/en/\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e for introducing us to Anxiety Games). The Threat Modeling workshop helped to get the Dd Programs and Tech teams to talk through common threats to users, based on their knowledge of and interaction with local partners. This format was particularly relevant because, as a global organization, Dd teams operate in different contexts. People with expertise in one country were prompted to articulate some of their implicit knowledge, which created opportunities to discuss similarities and differences with other geographies.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWhile exploring the unique needs and challenges faced by the tech team’s defined user groups, we spent time writing down possible threat scenarios as a group. Those threats fell into four categories: Social/Political, Physical, Digital, and Environmental. We then used a game of chance to pull a selection of scenarios and talk through potential interventions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile we led the Threat Modeling workshop before focusing our work on device seizure specifically, it a) identified device seizure as a high-priority threat to users, and b) taught us that we could rely on the knowledge of the Dd team to do user-centered work in the absence of new user research. It was a great lesson in the fact that when a team is committed to co-designing with communities and having an on-going, human-centered practice, the benefits snowball over time. Knowing your users deeply enables your team to anticipate needs and more responsibly and effectively design for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"2-dont-go-it-alone-ask-your-peers-and-community-before-reinventing-the-wheel\"\u003e2. Don’t go it alone; ask your peers and community before reinventing the wheel\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMapeo and its needs presented unique challenges to a typical research and design process. For instance, front-line human rights defenders have other things to do than explain their lives to us. It was more beneficial for us to respect their time and instead work with proximate people with regional knowledge and expertise. We turned to our \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eSlack community\u003c/a\u003e and other peers in the design for usable security and human rights space to learn about what design interventions have been tested and successful in similar contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough our own desk research and informed by Slack threads and rich conversations with some of our friends (shout-out to Carrie Winfrey from \u003ca href=\"https://okthanks.com/\"\u003eOkthanks\u003c/a\u003e!), We gathered a short-list of viable design options for protecting against device loss and seizure. By relying on the trusted, user-centered work of our peers, we were able to learn about how other human rights defenders have dealt with similar threats.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"3-scenario-plan-put-informed-empathy-into-action\"\u003e3. Scenario plan: put informed empathy into action\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArmed with a shortlist of tested design interventions and the confidence that the Dd Programs and Tech teams had a special depth of knowledge about their users, we designed a workspace that was intended to give the team the tools to make an informed decision quickly in the absence of new data from users on the ground. As Dd is well aware, user research is  critical in making key design decisions, but this strategy was our most viable alternative to arriving at an initial user-centered design decision on a tight timeline. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe created a large workspace in Miro that enabled the Dd team to think through the potential device seizure and loss scenarios their users face or may face and determine which of the identified design interventions made the most sense for Mapeo. The board included a synthesis of the Threat Modeling workshop findings, a section explaining each of the identified design interventions around device loss and seizure (with examples), and a section for in-depth scenario planning and pattern identification. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/mapeo_blog_2_tech_design_strategies_hu_e41ba8e0c67706b6.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"249\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scenario planning worksheet provided templates to play out possible loss and seizure scenarios. The board enabled the team to pull from examples from the Threat Modeling workshop or to think of their own scenarios based on their experience with users. We encouraged them to play out a scenario in multiple ways to see it from different angles. For example, in one scenario, we suggested to presume the police are interested in protecting the corporation whose harms a mapper is documenting. In another, presume the police are interested in sussing out a different issue, and therefore aren\u0026rsquo;t concerned with a mapper\u0026rsquo;s environmental activities. At the end of each scenario, the team was prompted to pick which of the identified design strategies would help the user and Mapeo in that situation. After playing through as many scenarios as possible, the team was encouraged to see which strategies come up the most, and use that as a way to pick their design direction for implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/mapeo_blog_2_scenario_planning_worksheet_hu_c3b9594d84e625a.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"282\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf others are to learn from this work, we want to emphasize that it’s important to be wary of promoting any sense of techno-solutionism to these often very social and political threats. While the Dd team is conscientious of the complexity of the threats their users face, we encourage others engaged in this work to think about scenarios in levels: what does an intervention protect against, what does it not? For example, an intervention might withstand a checkpoint, but not the police running forensics on a user’s phone. In that vein, using Mapeo as an example, it is often more crucial to train users on device and data safety, including what to think about before going into a potentially risky situation, than simply updating the software’s design. How can we empower users to consider: What are the potential harms to me, to the project, to this land, if my device is seized? What can I do to mitigate those harms? Where am I headed? What are the potential threats there? As Dd well understands, Mapeo users should simultaneously be educated on how the software can and cannot protect them, as well as how it could potentially cause them harm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"4-prepare-for-feedback-as-soon-as-you-can-get-it\"\u003e4. Prepare for feedback as soon as you can get it\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile this strategy works in challenging circumstances, we (and Dd) always prefer to do user research over not doing it. Therefore, we recommend proactively preparing for the availability of user input by providing a user interview guide to use once user feedback becomes possible. Ours was intended to help gather user feedback after the design strategies had been chosen and implemented and to help the team understand how the strategies were and were not serving the users\u0026rsquo; needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevice loss and seizure, after all, are complicated issues with significant variations in local threats. Our hypothesis was that different geographies would have different needs. Rather than one set of recommendations for how to handle loss \u0026amp; seizure, the interview guide was designed for use in multiple geographies/languages/contexts to get the information needed to make more informed decisions of which tech features to implement in the future for loss and seizure, and to get a sense of whether implemented features were meeting user needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorking with the Dd team on Mapeo was a powerful example for us of how rigorous of a commitment true human-centered design is – and what wonderful work comes out of that commitment. We were honored to take a small part in their collaborative work that centers the indigenous communities using and designing Mapeo. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso check out \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/making-the-mindset-shift-an-interview-with-digital-democracy-lead-ux-designer-sabella-flagg/\"\u003eour first post on Mapeo\u003c/a\u003e, an interview with Digital Democracy’s Lead UX Designer, Sabella Flagg.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCredits:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/katie/\"\u003eKatie Wilson\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ameellio\"\u003eAme Elliott\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIllustration by:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kirakirawes\"\u003eNgọc Triệu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Join Us at MozFest 2022",
            "date_published": "2022-02-22T07:15:47-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-02-22T07:15:47-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/join-us-at-mozfest-2022/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/join-us-at-mozfest-2022/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/mozfest_2022_overview_image_1_hu_ef0ffa20358e98bf.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre you stuck on how to build or communicate a feature?  Not sure how to get user feedback?  Want to learn more about how the consent user experience has changed?  Are you eager to find out how to navigate design choices while prioritizing human rights?  Is digital infrastructure funding a topic you are keen to hear more about?  Want to dive deep into data colonialism? We have some answers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure will be hosting five sessions at the second virtual \u003cstrong\u003eMozilla Festival (Monday, March 7 - Thursday, March 10 2022)\u003c/strong\u003e. If you’ll be there, we’d love to see you, learn about your work, and collaborate. Come join us!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can register for MozFest \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e, and below are links to each of the sessions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"learning-decolonial-practices-from-the-community\"\u003eLearning Decolonial Practices from the Community\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/UB79HT-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/UB79HT-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen: March 7 @ 7:00 - 8:30 AM EST / 12:00 - 1:30 PM GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDatafication is one major tactic of data colonialism. Is it truly inevitable or is it a myth waiting to be unraveled and reclaimed? This session aims to bring together designers, researchers, technologists, and community members from across the globe to discuss the manifestations and impacts of data colonialism on the way technology is designed, learn from current decolonial practices, and explore different approaches to resistance in everyday life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow is the agenda of the session:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction \u0026amp; Housekeeping\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGroup activity: Defining data colonialism\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGroup activity: Identifying data colonialism\u0026rsquo;s every day’s manifestations and impacts\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndividual/Group activity: Exploring community\u0026rsquo;s decolonial practices\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscussion and Closing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe session will be facilitated using Miro + a video call platform.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore the session: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e We prepare a simple activity for you to explore your relationship with data. The worksheet can be downloaded \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/My%20Data%20Worksheet%20(Hand-drawn).png\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e We suggest that you should use a personal computer or a laptop to ensure better accessibility and connection. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ux--design-speed-dating\"\u003eUX \u0026amp; Design Speed Dating\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/CYFY7Y-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/CYFY7Y-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen: March 8 @ 10:00 - 11:00 AM EST / 3:00 - 4:00 PM GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStuck on how to build or communicate a feature? Not sure how to get user feedback? Want to brainstorm some design alternatives for your tool or process? Thinking about how to engage users in your design process? Then this workshop is for you!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the session, participants will have the opportunity to meet with design and usability practitioners in the community, with a special focus on designing for privacy. We will set up 10-15 minute \u0026ldquo;speed dating\u0026rdquo; time slots and allow participants to rotate through the presenters so that they can get feedback from multiple perspectives on whatever design and UX challenges they bring to share.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants should bring something to share their work with the UX practitioners (an idea, a problem to work on, design sketches, a prototype) and will leave with feedback, designs, tools, strategies, and follow up opportunities to get support in their work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"reimagining-consent-a-discussion--gallery-exhibition\"\u003eReimagining Consent: A Discussion \u0026amp; Gallery Exhibition\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/9RQHNE-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/9RQHNE-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen: March 8 @ 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST / 6:00 - 7:00 PM GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery day tech platforms confront us with options about how our data is used, and pop-ups with language like \u0026ldquo;this website uses cookies\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;accept\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;continue\u0026rdquo; are an accepted part of the online experience. Consenting to sharing data is so strongly encouraged by the platforms that end-user choice is not the right framework. Privacy regulations such as the forthcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20211210IPR19209/digital-services-act-safer-online-space-for-users-stricter-rules-for-platforms\"\u003eDigital Service Act\u003c/a\u003e from the European Union and \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa\"\u003eCalifornia’s Consumer Privacy Act\u003c/a\u003e are initial attempts to empower individuals to give meaningful consent to data collection, but there is much more to be done. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are three ways to participate in this session. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe invite submissions via \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/shr3xzoqGYuVgg42n\"\u003ethis Airtable link\u003c/a\u003e to an online gallery exploring subject of online consent from the perspectives of design practitioners, researchers, and end-users that\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ei. Document the status quo: What interface mechanisms are used to collect consent data? What\u0026rsquo;s confusing or manipulative? Helpful and empowering? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eii. Imagine a bolder future: What does meaningful consent look like? How will we know if new design patterns lead to different results? How can we shift power back to end-users?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView the gallery any time during MozFest. Stay tuned for how to access the collection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin us for a discussion on reimagining consent on March 8 @ 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST / 6:00 - 7:00 PM GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"busting-the-dark-patterns-a-human-rights-centered-design-approach\"\u003eBusting the Dark Patterns: A Human-Rights-Centered Design Approach\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/38ELGY-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/38ELGY-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen: March 9 @ 7:00 - 8:00 AM EST / 12:00 - 1:00 PM GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDark Patterns, also referred to as deceptive design, are interface design tactics in digital products to persuade you into doing things you would otherwise not do. It has been so commonly used in today\u0026rsquo;s online tools, platforms, and services without questioning that such practices have become defaults-by-design. Despite the rising public outcry against the manipulative nature of Dark Patterns and its contribution to undermining people’s agency and human rights online, efforts to restrain Dark Patterns remain monolateral, often through the policy channel. However, shifting the culture of Dark Patterns takes a much more comprehensive approach that involves a key stakeholder: the user research and design community. For decades, the design community has been through many iterations to define “ethical design” and set a standard on what is good design. In this workshop, we offer a redefinition of “ethical design” by providing a human-rights-centered design approach. Built upon a cross-disciplinary working session between designers, policy experts, and researchers to list simple actions to prevent Dark Patterns, in this workshop, we will be introducing a guide for designers to navigate through design choices while prioritizing human rights. We welcome participants who are interested in product design processes to come to the workshop and collectively brew practices and concerns that are key to building a culture against Dark Patterns and protect people’s privacy and other digital rights as technology evolves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"defeating-deceptive-design-getting-control-of-our-online-lives\"\u003eDefeating Deceptive Design: Getting Control of Our Online Lives\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/J7WKEE-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/J7WKEE-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/J7WKEE-1\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhen: March 9 @ 10:00 - 11:00 AM EST / 3:00 - 4:00 PM GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeceptive designs, also known as \u0026ldquo;dark patterns\u0026rdquo;, are design practices built into user interfaces, either intentionally or unintentionally, that obscure or impair consumer autonomy or choice and can alter decision-making or trick users into taking actions they might not otherwise take. Deceptive Designs go to the heart of people\u0026rsquo;s ability to live their lives online with dignity, autonomy, and a sense of trust in the products and services offered to them by businesses and governments alike. We will share findings from our initial research on deceptive design as a baseline. This session invites everyone — policymakers, civic tech practitioners, private sector, civil servants, and the people of the internet — to share your lived experience, discuss opportunities and barriers to change, and brainstorm interventions for addressing deceptive design globally using our human-centered approach. We are using this tested approach to better understand the many challenges around deceptive design and co-create policy solutions that promote trusted design patterns. Join us to help set the priorities of the Web Foundation’s Tech Policy Design Lab on Tackling Deceptive Design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"digital-infrastructure-funders-toolkit\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure Funder\u0026rsquo;s Toolkit\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/mozfest_2022_overview_image_2_hu_4307f3cc6bddf991.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"460\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/JEU8YX-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/JEU8YX-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen: March 10 @ 10:00 - 11:00 AM EST / 3:00 - 4:00 PM GMT\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this cafe-style session, we will share the Digital Infrastructure Funder\u0026rsquo;s Toolkit - a project supported by the Open Collective Foundation\u0026rsquo;s Digital Infrastructure Grant - with the community at MozFest. The toolkit is an implementation framework for funders of digital infrastructure with guides, programming, and models, along with narratives of funding in open source and digital infrastructure, and regional contexts about funding digital infrastructure in different parts of the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, we will give an overview of the toolkit. Next, we will break out into groups with our participating global regional partners who will share out and lead discussions on digital infrastructure funding from their regional contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCredits:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/georgiamoon\"\u003eGeorgia Bullen\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ameellio\"\u003eAme Elliott\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/smklibrarian/\"\u003eSusan Kennedy\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kirakirawes/\"\u003eNgọc Triệu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImages:\u003c/strong\u003e Header Image Credit: MF Local Production Office // Nathan Reinds // \u003ca href=\"http://www.nathanreinds.nl/\"\u003ewww.nathanreinds.nl\u003c/a\u003e // Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) // \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode\"\u003eLicense\u003c/a\u003e // \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/#\"\u003eDisclaimer\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDigital Infrastructure Funder\u0026rsquo;s Toolkit Credit: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kirakirawes/\"\u003eNgọc Triệu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Finding the Balance",
            "date_published": "2022-02-10T12:28:18-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-02-10T12:28:18-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/finding-the-balance-adding-support-for-organization-wide-pgp-keys-to-mailvelope/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/finding-the-balance-adding-support-for-organization-wide-pgp-keys-to-mailvelope/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"adding-support-for-organization-wide-pgp-keys-to-mailvelope\"\u003eAdding Support For Organization-wide PGP Keys To Mailvelope\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-1-hero.png\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://mailvelope.com/en\"\u003eMailvelope\u003c/a\u003e is a browser extension that makes it easy to use \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy\"\u003ePGP encryption\u003c/a\u003e, whether you use Gmail, Outlook, or many other email providers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith the support of \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/tags/uxfund/\"\u003eUXFund\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/\"\u003eSimply Secure\u003c/a\u003e worked with Mailvelope to support users who want to use an organization-wide PGP key to send an encrypted email. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKelsey Smith and Thomas Oberndörfer had a conversation in 2022, reflecting on the technical problem and the design process. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2021, UXFund supported Mailvelope to partner with Simply Secure on a series of design challenges to improve the browser extension’s usability. Mailvelope’s mission is to make PGP encryption easy to use. This challenge revolved around a new feature for sending an email that is encrypted with a key that the recipient shares with other people in their organization. On technically-challenging problems like this one, how do developers and designers collaborate? The designer on the project, Kelsey Smith, spoke with Thomas Oberndörfer, founder and lead developer of Mailvelope, to reflect on their collaborative experience. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis conversation was recorded on January 27, 2022. It has been edited for clarity.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey Smith (Simply Secure):\u003c/strong\u003e Hey there, I\u0026rsquo;m Kelsey Smith, I\u0026rsquo;m a UX designer at Simply Secure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas Oberndörfer (Mailvelope):\u003c/strong\u003e I\u0026rsquo;m Thomas. I\u0026rsquo;m the founder and lead developer of Mailvelope.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e How would you describe our project, Thomas? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e In this project we developed a new feature that allows Mailvelope users to send emails encrypted with organization-wide keys. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNormally, each individual would have their own PGP key. But sometimes organizations don\u0026rsquo;t follow this traditional way of using PGP encryption, and instead, many employees share one organization-wide key. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow could Mailvelope users encrypt an email with a key that doesn’t belong to the recipient? Before, they couldn’t - it wasn’t possible. So, this project was about rethinking part of how Mailvelope works so it could support more people and use cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-2-shared-key.png\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\nThe challenge was letting Mailvelope users encrypt an email with a shared key - one that the recipient shares with other people.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e At the core of this project was giving users more freedom and flexibility to use Mailvelope in more situations. A feature like this is one way to make it easier for people to choose encrypted over unencrypted, so their emails can remain private. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e Mailvelope’s main goal is to make PGP encryption usable by avoiding complexity and providing safe defaults. Instead of dozens of options, the user should be able to send an encrypted email with one click. Yet, this feature is a deviation from that concept because it requires user input.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Mailvelope’s main goal is to make PGP encryption usable by avoiding complexity and providing safe defaults.\u0026rdquo; - Thomas\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e We kept coming back to the theme of user freedom versus user guidance and how we can find that balance. For anyone, having too many options can be overwhelming, leading to confusion and decision-paralysis. So we had to help users by guiding them, and that means making some decisions for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-3-freedom-vs-guidance-1.png\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\nThe challenge was letting Mailvelope users encrypt an email with a shared key - one that the recipient shares with other people.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e ‘Balance’ was a word we used a lot. Finding balance relates not only to the usability of the tool, but also to the software architecture. With every addition, we increase our complexity, the possibility for errors, and the effort of maintenance. So we sought a minimalistic approach whenever possible. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe had to balance making this feature visible while not confusing the 99% use case, let’s say. Because most of our users will not send emails encrypted with organization-wide keys, our interface should not be overloaded with this kind of special functionality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u0026ldquo;‘Balance’ was a word we used a lot. Finding balance relates not only to the usability of the tool, but also to the software architecture. With every addition, we increase our complexity, the possibility for errors, and the effort of maintenance.\u0026rdquo; - Thomas\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-4-balance.png\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\nFinding a balance was a big part of our design work\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e The feature isn\u0026rsquo;t for the broader Mailvelope user base, but it\u0026rsquo;s still important that Mailvelope delivers even in those situations that aren\u0026rsquo;t usual or every day. Treating edge cases like outliers is not a way to make inclusive design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Treating edge cases like outliers is not a way to make inclusive design.\u0026rdquo; - Kelsey \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"our-process\"\u003eOur Process\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e Okay, let’s talk about our process. When we started, we thought it would be straightforward. I even created a project timeline of how I thought it would go: a linear design process. I should have known better! We started by mapping the users’ journeys together and had this big picture of the scenario, including user actions, what the user sees, the pain points, and the opportunities. And we realized some of our assumptions weren’t the safest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-5-expectations-vs-reality.png\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\nWe thought the design process would be straightforward; instead we took a winding path.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e I would call it ‘creative destruction’ of ideas – the ideas that you thought were good, but do not work. It can be tough to let go of a concept that you already invested so much time into. There’s pressure to deliver, but we gave ourselves the space to explore. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur first approach was to add an additional setting to the key to allow the key to be used for multiple recipients. With this setting, we thought we could reduce user frustration because they could set it once and forget it. And then?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e And then we mapped out some scenarios with pain points and realized, “Do we want our users to forget this key mismatch?” No, we didn’t! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo we scrapped that and revisited an old idea that the user can add an alternate key when they compose an email. It wouldn’t be a saved setting; it was something they needed to do each time they write an email. This added some ‘friction’ to the user’s process. In creating an extra step, we were trying to make sure the decision was intentional, not a setting a user just forgot about. Sometimes ‘friction’ is necessary. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;In creating an extra step, we were trying to make sure the decision was intentional, not a setting a user just forgot about. Sometimes ‘friction’ is necessary.\u0026rdquo; - Kelsey\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-6-mapping.png\" width=\"750\" height=\"331\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\nOne of our iterations of mapping Mailvelope organization-wide keys feature. Thinking through the whole process helped us consider the context, harms, and design requirements.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes, ‘friction’ was something we went back and forth on. Letting the user make a decision each and every time they want to carry out the task. It was a challenge to figure out if this friction was justified; if we made the right kind of trade-off. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e And our conversations allowed us to do that. Asking each other questions was a really good way to get to the heart of the problem and find a solution that works. Although it might have looked like we were going backwards sometimes, I felt like we were making progress because we always reached alignment and had realizations together. That was really rewarding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah. In my previous projects the concepts were more defined at the start - I already had an abstract idea of a possible solution. In those cases, I looked for a designer to evaluate the usability and translate the vision into the interface. For our project, we worked together at a much earlier stage and created the approach and solution together. Of course, it was successful in the end, because we achieved something. But not only just that - it was a good experience for me. As a technical person (developer) partnering with someone from a different background (UX), we looked at the problem from two different perspectives. This combination leads to progress. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-7-designer-developer-collaboration.png\"\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e Exactly! I feel like what we did was not just a ‘designer-to-developer handoff’, it was a ‘designer-developer collaboration’. I think this sort of collaboration allowed us to work quickly and come to realizations faster because we were building off of each others’ momentum. Sometimes when I work alone, I think about a problem for hours and hours. When I get the chance to bounce ideas off of someone else, we find a solution in just a 30-minute conversation. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think we had a lot of those conversations back and forth where we didn\u0026rsquo;t let concepts build up to be huge in our heads, we could quickly get that feedback. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e Okay, last question: what lesson do you take away from this project?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e Never work without a UX designer!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKelsey:\u003c/strong\u003e [laughs] That\u0026rsquo;s too good! They’ll think I told you to say that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThomas:\u003c/strong\u003e Honestly, this is really how I would like to work in the future. It’s beneficial to have someone with a UX background participating early in the process, not just a handover when things are already defined.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-result\"\u003eThe Result\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-8-email-modal-highlighted.png\" width=\"750\" height=\"596\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\nWe integrated the option for using a shared, organization wide key into the compose email modal.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"image center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"/images/image-9-email-modal-design-decisions.png\" width=\"750\" height=\"480\"\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\nOur collaborative work allowed us to make design decisions around guidance, friction, simplicity, and more.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Kelsey Smith, Thomas Oberndörfer\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/tags/uxfund/\"\u003eUXFund\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou can learn more about Mailvelope and download the browser extension \u003ca href=\"https://mailvelope.com/en\"\u003eon their website. \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Decentralization, Off the Shelf",
            "date_published": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/dots/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/dots/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"key-outputs\"\u003ekey outputs\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003etitle: DOTS Website\ndescription: Check out the library for yourself here.\nlink: \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003ehttps://decentpatterns.xyz/\u003c/a\u003e\nimg:\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Meet Superbloom!",
            "date_published": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/meet-superbloom/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/meet-superbloom/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Mozilla Fellowships \u0026 Awards Evaluation",
            "date_published": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/mozilla_fellowship_awards/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/mozilla_fellowship_awards/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eKey outputs is added here in free form. We can add some shortcodes to insert more structured content.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow is the \u0026ldquo;All related content\u0026rdquo;. I need to know how you plan to \u0026ldquo;relate\u0026rdquo; that? Manually via frontmatter? Automatically via e.g. the tags?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSame questions for the \u0026ldquo;Relevant projects\u0026rdquo; in the sidebar.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI always recommend doing stuff automatically since it makes the life of the editors easier.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Mozilla Festival",
            "date_published": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/mozilla_festival_2022/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/mozilla_festival_2022/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Refresh: Community-Led Identity Change",
            "date_published": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/refresh/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/refresh/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Snikket",
            "date_published": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-11T20:49:41+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/snikket/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/snikket/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "2021 Reflections",
            "date_published": "2022-01-03T16:54:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-03T16:54:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2021-reflections/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2021-reflections/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAs we enter our third year of a global pandemic, many of us are still in survival mode - reflection doesn’t always seem like a priority. However, as our team looks back upon 2021, we feel gratitude for our health and the impact we are able to have despite all the challenges we’ve faced collectively. We are where we are because of the community of support surrounding us; our partners, our funders, our board, the Human Centered Design Community, our growing community Slack, and more. 2022 is already bringing exciting opportunities and new partnerships, which is possible through the shared resilience of our community. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/2021-in-numbers_hu_4419fd0862a9aaa1.png\" alt=\"Colored text reads: \u0026lsquo;2021 in numbers: 40 workshops, 30 projects wrapped, 200 research \u0026amp; user chats, 135 new slack community members, 65 total projects, 31 community calls\u0026quot;\" width=\"740\" height=\"878\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"2021-in-summary\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2021 in Summary\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2021 was quite a year. In the news, we saw new attacks on cybersecurity; the FacebookPapers revelations, and new developments in privacy. In our orbit, The Open Technology Fund reopened, and we were selected again for their newly named Secure Usability and Accessibility Lab - a partnership we value deeply, which connects us with open source project teams working on internet freedom around the world. Internally, our organization engaged in a deep, reflective refresh of our identity - soon, we will roll out a new name, logo, website and brand identity. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn reflecting on the many projects we completed this year, and the partnerships we fostered - some key themes emerged: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"challenging-the-status-quo\"\u003eChallenging the Status Quo\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the last year, we had the opportunity to work on projects that allowed us to challenge the status quo at the intersection of policy and design - specifically around issues of consent, harassment, and deceptive design. The work we engage in builds interventions that support the most in need, like the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/standing-together-to-stop-online-bullying-harassment-of-women-journalists-is-a-community-problem/\"\u003eOnline Violence Response Hub\u003c/a\u003e - and also allows us to reflect on why problems exist at all, and the role of design in combating them. We also critically analyzed industry norms, such as deceptive design patterns, and how they affect user experience in tools like \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-exploring-youtubes-recommendation-settings/\"\u003eYouTube\u003c/a\u003e. With the launch of \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/the-limits-to-digital-consent-understanding-the-risks-of-ethical-consent-and-data-collection-for-underrepresented-communities/\"\u003eLimits to Digital Consent\u003c/a\u003e - co-produced by \u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e - we exposed how ongoing attempts to incorporate informed consent into data-driven systems fall short of their stated goals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur ongoing work with \u003ca href=\"https://www.reset.tech/\"\u003eReset\u003c/a\u003e has included efforts to counter Big Tech’s influence –– from supporting coalition building and activism with \u003ca href=\"https://peoplevsbig.tech/\"\u003ePeople vs. Big Tech\u003c/a\u003e and their \u003ca href=\"https://www.peoplesdeclaration.net/\"\u003ePeople’s Declaration\u003c/a\u003e, to education and capacity building for law makers through the \u003ca href=\"https://recoding.tech/\"\u003eRecoding.Tech\u003c/a\u003e resource repository.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"diversity-equity--inclusion\"\u003eDiversity, Equity, \u0026amp; Inclusion\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn much of our work, there’s always a question of who is being served, who’s involved in shaping the direction of a project, and the inherent power structures that are upheld or dismantled as part of a project. This year we had the opportunity to bring a DEI lens to our design work with \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/using-design-to-overcome-structural-inequities-in-peer-review/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e by specifically thinking about how the design of the interface could enable the DEI mission of the project — How do we represent individuals \u0026amp; expertise, how do we codify moderation and user/participant protections in ways that align with the code of conduct and the platform goals? Through a partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://chaoss.community/\"\u003eCHAOSS\u003c/a\u003e, we’ve been exploring how the health of open source projects relates to DEI by joining the DEI Audit committee. In addition to the traditional DEI frame and meaning, we’re also thinking about how design and supporting design contributions can be a DEI effort - both by bringing more diverse voices into a project through engaging with end users for feedback and onboarding designers contributors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"strategy--infrastructure\"\u003eStrategy \u0026amp; Infrastructure\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2021 brought opportunities for strategic programmatic, evaluative, and design interventions in infrastructure. How we build interventions — data infrastructure, apps, and programs — easily gets as complex as the problems we are trying to solve. Core to what we do is ensuring practitioners, designers, researchers, activists, and funders are informed, resourced, and empowered. As an ecosystem and community, we all benefit by reflecting and sharing what we’ve learned in working to align a project’s strategy, mission and vision with infrastructural interventions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding on our portfolio of ecosystem analysis leveraging human-centered research, we supported two evaluations with Mozilla to assess, understand, and reflect on how the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/reflections-on-the-mozilla-fellowships-and-awards-impact-evaluation-lessons-for-the-ecosystem/\"\u003eMozilla Fellowships \u0026amp; Awards Program\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/pub/uyydag1t/\"\u003eMozilla Open Source Support Program\u003c/a\u003e serve their grantees, fellows, and the larger ecosystem. Building on our past work with \u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/\"\u003eSuperrr\u003c/a\u003e on the \u003ca href=\"https://recommendations.implicit-development.org/\"\u003eRoadwork Ahead\u003c/a\u003e project and our evaluation work with funders, we launched a project to build a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/building-a-toolkit-for-funders-to-grow-their-digital-infrastructure-portfolio/\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure Funder’s Toolkit\u003c/a\u003e, supported by a grant from the \u003ca href=\"https://opencollective.com/di-grants\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure Fund\u003c/a\u003e, which will be a critical resource to help the funding community with tools to effectively develop sustainable funding models for digital infrastructure projects. We worked to put \u003ca href=\"https://connecthumanity.fund/\"\u003eConnect Humanity\u003c/a\u003e’s vision of digital equity for all into action by designing a usable, strategy-aligned website that will serve as a platform for grantees and funders working on digital equity infrastructure around the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterventional infrastructure introduces technical, communication and design challenges. While working with the \u003ca href=\"https://equalit.ie/\"\u003eeQualit.ie\u003c/a\u003e team on \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/sustaining-values-driven-software-by-attracting-new-users/\"\u003eDeflect\u003c/a\u003e, we explored sustainable infrastructure from a lens of pricing models, transparency and onboarding, modeling ways internet freedom work can be resilient in our economy. Supported by \u003ca href=\"https://www.reset.tech/\"\u003eReset.Tech\u003c/a\u003e, we continued our work with \u003ca href=\"https://rally.mozilla.org/\"\u003eMozilla’s Rally\u003c/a\u003e project, working to develop privacy preserving data infrastructure to enable internet scale social science. Our \u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e team members supported the \u003ca href=\"https://ati.io/\"\u003eAlgorithmic Transparency Institute\u003c/a\u003e to develop a cohesive design system for their flagship disinformation research tool, \u003ca href=\"https://www.junkipedia.org/\"\u003eJunkipedia\u003c/a\u003e, addressing the complexities of data infrastructure interventions in the mis-/disinformation ecosystem.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"design--usability\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Usability\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesign \u0026amp; usability remain a cornerstone of our work at Simply Secure. We continued this portfolio of projects through essential partnerships - with the relaunch of the Open Technology Fund and the Secure Usability and Accessibility Lab; our coaching relationship with the \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e; Internews \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/blog/2020-10-01-uxfund2020/\"\u003eUX Fund\u003c/a\u003e; and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amnesty.org/en/\"\u003eAmnesty International\u003c/a\u003e. We provided usability and design support for security-focused projects - such as \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/phishdetect\"\u003ePhishDetect\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/designing-for-a-global-audience-in-the-age-of-remote-usability-testing/\"\u003eRiseUp\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/on-getting-things-done-a-conversation-with-matthew-wild-from-snikket/\"\u003eSnikket\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://mailvelope.com/en\"\u003eMailvelope\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my-guiding-users-to-set-up-tls-certificates-in-filezilla/\"\u003eFilezilla\u003c/a\u003e; for global projects aimed at protecting and empowering the disconnected and under siege - such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/bringing-the-offline-online-reviewing-the-developer-experience-of-awala/\"\u003eAwala\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/making-the-mindset-shift-an-interview-with-digital-democracy-lead-ux-designer-sabella-flagg/\"\u003eMapeo\u003c/a\u003e; and coached over 20 projects working on civic tech, data literacy, data security and software infrastructure through our partnership with the Prototype Fund in Germany.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"building-resources\"\u003eBuilding Resources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn line with our educational mission, we devoted much of 2021 to resourcing our community of designers, researchers, activists, and technologists with the design and strategy tools they need to help change who technology serves. \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eDecentralization Off the Shelf (DOTS)\u003c/a\u003e - a collective project hosted at Simply Secure - launched their \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/library/\"\u003ePattern Library\u003c/a\u003e which aims to better equip the community with knowledge to build usable decentralized applications. The DOTS team hosted workshops to co-create and train on usable decentralized design, and published a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/files/Barriers%20to%20Adoption%20for%20Web%20Monetization%20(April%202021).pdf\"\u003ereport on the barriers to adoption for web monetization\u003c/a\u003e. We wrapped up our support of the \u003ca href=\"https://is.efeefe.me/opendott\"\u003eOpenDOTT\u003c/a\u003e program with a series of workshops in partnership with Max von Graffenstein on UX and Privacy Policy. In partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/\"\u003eUSABLE\u003c/a\u003e, our team started a set of resources which are aimed to help ensure at-risk users have a voice in the design and development of open source privacy and security tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"participating-in-the-community\"\u003eParticipating in the Community\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2021 was another year without travel, replaced by all virtual conferences and community engagement. Although we missed having face to face time to collaborate among our team and across our community, the pivot to virtual enabled us to be in more places, connect with more of the community, and build new partnerships. At \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/\"\u003eMozFest 2021\u003c/a\u003e, we held a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/from-paper-to-infinity-whiteboard-inspiring-creativity-and-digital-collaboration-in-online-design-workshops/\"\u003eZine Making\u003c/a\u003e workshop, hosted an Human Rights Centered Design (HRCD) UX Design Clinic, and engaged with the community on the Mozilla F\u0026amp;A Evaluation. We presented to and workshopped with global audiences at 2021 State of the Onion, the Internet vs. Democracy Forum, FOSDEM, FOSS Backstage + UX Clinic, Remote Design Week, UX Y’all, and the TU Delft Panel. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the Sloan Foundation, we co-published a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/communities-and-remote-collaboration/\"\u003ereport on remote collaboration\u003c/a\u003e with Caroline Sinders that analyzed the needs of different academic communities in digital spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of the Human Rights Centered Design (HRCD) community, we participated in Monthly Calls and engaged with the community as part of the RightsCon 2021 HRCD track. Important topics we explored as part of HRCD include \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/pub/rtlusability/\"\u003eaccessibility for right-to-left languages\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/pub/uyydag1t/\"\u003edesign \u0026amp; imposter syndrome\u003c/a\u003e. As members of the \u003ca href=\"https://sustainoss.org/\"\u003eSustainOSS\u003c/a\u003e working group, 2021 found our team hosting and participating in the \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sustain-open-source-design/id1551862881\"\u003eSustaining Open Source Design Podcast\u003c/a\u003e, and contributing to the \u003ca href=\"https://sustainoss.org/assets/pdf/Sustain-In-2021-Event-Report.pdf\"\u003e2021 Sustain Report\u003c/a\u003e. In 2022, expect to see us engaging in the community even more under our refreshed name + identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"new-design-congress\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e is Simply Secure’s inaugural fiscally sponsored project, and 2021 was an ambitious and busy year. Starting from a research focus of infrastructure as power, New Design Congress’ work expanded to new areas of research, including digital identity, ownership, comprehension and connectivity. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawn from New Design Congress provocations, \u003ca href=\"https://www.inkandswitch.com/backchannel/\"\u003eBackchannel\u003c/a\u003e is a collaboration with \u003ca href=\"https://www.inkandswitch.com/\"\u003eInk \u0026amp; Switch\u003c/a\u003e to co-design and prototype an alternative and resilient digital identity paradigm based on relationships rather than usernames and accounts, building in resistance to social engineering attacks and phishing campaigns. Published in Components, \u003ca href=\"https://components.one/posts/the-new-pornographers-tech-reviews\"\u003eThe New Pornographers\u003c/a\u003e is a New Design Congress supported data-driven research report that looks into the prioritisation of exploitation of lust and aesthetics over functionality and user agency by consumer tech reviewers and Big Tech. \u003ca href=\"https://interactions.acm.org/archive/view/july-august-2021/aesthetic-flattening\"\u003eAesthetic Flattening\u003c/a\u003e, co-authored by RMIT’s Jaz Choi, introduced a term for describing the limits to consumer computing hardware and the insufficient interaction models of modern platforms and tools, leading to a form of context-collapse experienced by users as a result. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNDC launched \u003ca href=\"https://undersco.re/\"\u003eUnderscore\u003c/a\u003e, an inclusive collection of open platforms, co-operative tools and public spaces, designed for community collaboration, moderation and data ownership. Underscore is responsible for hosting all of New Design Congress’ publications, livestream and internal collaboration processes, and has begun inviting aligned organisations to participate and publish together. \u003ca href=\"https://stream.undersco.re/series/the-para-real\"\u003eThe Para-Real: Finding the future in unexpected places\u003c/a\u003e, an ongoing livestream series, was introduced to widespread attention as part of broader research into economics and ownership, delving into economic solidarity, platforming communities and subcultures.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd finally, New Design Congress has been working on a (yet) to be announced prototyped software tool for navigating and understanding spoken testimony, created in response to broad colonialist criticism of tools and civil society. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"looking-ahead\"\u003eLooking Ahead\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep your eyes peeled for Simply Secure rebrand - soon, we will have a new name, logo, website, and brand identity that better communicates our theory of change, growth and practice. [See our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey/\"\u003eposts\u003c/a\u003e about the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/\"\u003eprocess\u003c/a\u003e!] This has been quite a journey, and we’re thrilled to share our energized look and feel with the community in 2022.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWant to know what else 2022 will bring? \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/slack/\"\u003eJoin our community slack\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/contact/\"\u003ereach out\u003c/a\u003e, and follow us on \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e to find out!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "MDF Tech Exchange Fellow, Tech Design Researcher",
            "date_published": "2021-12-17T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-12-17T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/mdf-tech-exchange-fellow-tech-design-researcher/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/mdf-tech-exchange-fellow-tech-design-researcher/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"were-looking-for-an-experienced-tech-design-researcher-to-catalyze-building-our-new-trust-initiative-a-community-based-data-driven-research-initiative-that-results-in-resources-for-technologists-designers-and-policymakers\"\u003eWe’re looking for an experienced Tech Design Researcher to catalyze building our new TRUST initiative, a community-based data-driven research initiative that results in resources for technologists, designers, and policymakers.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-role\"\u003eThe role\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll be a critical part of our team, responsible for collaboratively outlining our research agenda, conducting community-based research to support real needs, and building the TRUST initiative in an open, secure, and publicly accessible way.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll work with internal and external project teams, bringing your data-based expertise to collaborate with our human-centered design expertise to explore some of today’s thorniest issues at the intersection of technology and society. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll help the team build resources for the community, share them openly, and “translate” key concepts across sectors. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll report directly to the Executive Director, and work in close partnership with our Managing Director, Program Director, and other staff. This role will start in early February, 2022, and will be in the $60,000-$85,000 range, including benefits.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChanging who technology serves. Simply Secure is a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 at the intersection of digital design and human rights. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure leverages design as a transformative practice to shift power in the tech ecosystem. We apply a critical lens to technology development, and view design as an intervention opportunity to center people and their needs. We collaborate closely with others in the space to grow the community focused on shaping our collective online future. Our vision is a world where everyone has the knowledge, network, and digital tools needed to enrich their lives. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur approach to changing who technology serves includes:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResourcing \u0026amp; Practice: building human-centered design capacity through coaching and leadership programs, developing content and information architecture strategy, and facilitating workshops and organizational sprints.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResearch \u0026amp; Innovation: conducting organizational and community-based research, producing best practices and design resources for practitioners and policymakers, and collaborating with funders to leverage research practices and ecosystem experience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunity Convening: cultivating a global community through in-person and online opportunities, increasing communal connectivity and knowledge-sharing, and incubating a values-driven practitioner movement through fiscal sponsorship.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the past seven years, we’ve supported hundreds of projects and practitioners, including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePartnering with \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOTF\u003c/a\u003e to develop the infrastructure-expanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eUsability Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCultivating design leadership through our \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/underexposed/\"\u003eUnderexposed Residency program\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupporting funders like \u003ca href=\"https://luminategroup.com/\"\u003eLuminate\u003c/a\u003e to better understand their grantees’ experiences through program evaluation, shared via our \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003eOn Trust and Transparency report\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImproving user accessibility and trust for \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/phishdetect\"\u003ePhishDetect\u003c/a\u003e, with Amnesty International.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re currently working through an open rebranding process, moving away from the name “Simply Secure” and toward an identity that more accurately reflects the diversity of the work we do. \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eLearn more on our blog\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2022, the organization aims to launch the TRUST initiative \u0026ndash; a “big tent” collaborative focused on exploring and answering critical design research questions to further democracy, human rights, and internet freedom, through safe, equitable participant management. In the inaugural year, TRUST will focus on the interplay between tech policy, UX design, and technology, supporting community-based data-driven research that result in resources for technologists, designers, and policymakers. The goal is to increase understanding in the broader internet freedom space about the role of UX/UI design, and how design is a transformative intervention point for a more democratic online experience for all. The MDF Tech Exchange Fellow would help launch this initiative. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA critical thinker with strengths as a strategist, convener, and builder.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable or interested in usable security, privacy, big data, algorithms, tech policy and internet freedom issues.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperienced with privacy conscious web development, leveraging static site generators (e.g. Hugo), CSS, Javascript (client \u0026amp; server side), etc.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperienced with technical problem solving focused around research, data analysis and visualization, using the appropriate technical tools, e.g. Python, R, ETL pipelines, SQL-based databases, NoSQL document stores, D3js, etc. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre comfortable with cross-cultural communication, collaboration and conflict resolution, through work with international teams.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailability during our prime work hours (11-6pm Central Europe / 10-5pm UK / 8-6pm US Eastern / 8-3pm US Pacific).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience and deep understanding of the civil society space as it intersects with technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with research and design work, e.g. human-centered design, design thinking, service design, ux design, or participatory research (specifically field research).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave experience managing and enjoy working with a fully remote, distributed team, across many time zones and cultures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with collaborative work tools (we currently use Notion, Miro, Slack and Google Suite).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProficiency in a language other than English \u0026ndash; especially German, French or Spanish.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us your resume and 2-5 community-based research topics you’re interested in pursuing as part of this Fellowship to\u003ca href=\"mailto:hr@superbloom.design\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs@superbloom.design\"\u003ejobs@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e with the subject line “MDF Tech Exchange Fellow”.  \u003cstrong\u003eThe deadline for applications is 00:00 on Saturday, January 15.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.  We are open to candidates from around the world. Final hiring decisions will be contingent upon our ability to contract and pay in the candidate’s country. Simply Secure does not provide relocation or visa support.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Communities and Remote Collaboration",
            "date_published": "2021-12-13T15:22:29-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-12-13T15:22:29-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/communities-and-remote-collaboration/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/communities-and-remote-collaboration/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"how-are-hallway-conversations-and-academic-conferences-recreated-in-the-digital-sphere\"\u003eHow are hallway conversations and academic conferences recreated in the digital sphere?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/what-does-a-community-need1_hu_11e9df4cc1042e1e.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"590\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/\"\u003eAlfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e, Convocation Research + Design and Simply Secure conducted ethnographic and human centered design research to surface and analyze the needs of different academic communities in digital spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe report dives into three main categories: the Digital Nature of Events and Communities, the Positives of Digital Events, and the Frictions of Digital Events.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 10 recommendations are grounded in community research, and aim to alleviate the burden and cognitive overload that attendees might be facing right now due to the pandemic.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/What_Does_a_Community_Need_Report_2021.pdf\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eRead the full report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn February 2021, Convocation Research + Design and Simply Secure were supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to conduct ethnographic and human centered design research to surface and analyze the needs of different academic communities in the context of digital events and spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe goal:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eTo understand how hallway conversations and academic conferences are recreated in the digital sphere.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study presented in this report explores the barriers, frictions, opportunities, and advantages of remote events. Seven virtual academic conferences were observed to assess new emerging norms, event organizers’ needs, attendees’ preferences, and the state of remote events and digital convenings during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"acknowledging-harm\"\u003eAcknowledging Harm\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommunity-based research is designed to be responsive, but the spread and management of COVID-19 itself is not a constant or linear event; new variants emerge, cities shut down and reopen, and vaccination rollout is slower in some countries and areas than others. \u003ca href=\"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08912432211001302\"\u003eThe COVID-19 pandemic mirrors the structural inequalities that existed before it, both online and offline\u003c/a\u003e. On top of these existing inequities, COVID-19 is generating new ones, with sexual harassment in the workplace, blurred work and home space boundaries, and emotional and physical labor falling more on people who self-identify as women and people of color.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough burnout, COVID-19, and “Zoom fatigue” are real factors that impact communities and individuals, their effects and impact are difficult to measure. Our research goal was to see what barriers and opportunities are possible with remote convenings, but as researchers, we cannot separate COVID-19’s emotional and physical impacts on communities. More specifically, it’s difficult to understand general remote best practices in a COVID-19 mitigated future, because these best-practices cannot be decoupled or divorced from the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. If someone is experiencing burnout, no design or UX or UI improvement will fix the emotional labor that is living with COVID19.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"contextualizing-the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic\"\u003eContextualizing the Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study presents findings related to digital event design and the current state of community engagement within this space. Throughout the research, two conflicting themes emerged in regard to participation in remote events: remote events are much more accessible to attend, and at the same time, they often compete with external life circumstances.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"report-insights--observations\"\u003eReport Insights \u0026amp; Observations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe report outlines 16 major insights across 3 focus areas, and 10 recommendations. Insights include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt’s Not Just Zoom Fatigue, It’s General Fatigue\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eTacit Community Knowledge Is Not Easily Shared to Newcomers\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlmost All the Events Had This Similar Problem: Time Zones are Difficult to Manage\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eCameras On or Off Don’t Determine Engagement or Interest\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eDesign Matters\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"recommendations\"\u003eRecommendations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDigital events require as much organization and curation as an offline event, but they bring new and specific challenges directly related to software and digital environments. The recommendations might seem a bit obvious at first, but they are all focused on streamlined communication, event support, understanding how tools and facilitation can help engagement and why structure for organizers and for attendees. These kinds of recommendations can help lower the burden and cognitive overload that attendees might be facing right now, especially this deep into the pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eCreate Clear and Concise Information Update for Users Over Email\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eEvent Planning, Programming and Moderation Matters\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Schedule and a Plan Matter for Engagement\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eScheduling Unstructured Time For Participants to Mingle\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eBreaks Matter (and Are Needed!)\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Tools Chosen for Events Matter\u0026hellip;and So Does the Training You Offer\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eNot All Engagement Can Be Equally Measured\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eThere is No Hallway\u0026ndash; But People Need the Ability to Create Their Own Spaces In Events\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eSwitch Up Your Schedule to Accommodate for Time Zones\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eNothing Can Replicate in Person\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"looking-forward\"\u003eLooking Forward \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis report was written in November 2021, as the United States and other countries in North America and Europe are rolling out booster shots while facing new lockdown policies, a new variant has emerged on the global stage, and other countries across Africa and South America are still working toward administering their first vaccine shots, due to lack of access. It’s difficult at this moment to determine or predict what the future could hold. To support the academic community in the face of future unknowns, this research proposes a number of key points for digital and remote events in the coming months and years. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main highlight includes the fact that equity, accessibility, and responsibility need to be centered. What was gained during remote events should not be lost if events decide to go back to in-person or try a hybrid model. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/What_Does_a_Community_Need_Report_2021.pdf\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eRead the full report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResearchers: Caroline Sinders, Kacie Harold, and Melina Garcia with support from Georgia Bullen, Melissa Huerta and Molly Wilson \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/\"\u003eAlfred P. Sloan Foundation \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "SSL, TLS, and FTP... Oh My!",
            "date_published": "2021-12-13T11:41:23-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-12-13T11:41:23-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my-guiding-users-to-set-up-tls-certificates-in-filezilla/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my-guiding-users-to-set-up-tls-certificates-in-filezilla/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"guiding-users-to-set-up-tls-certificates-in-filezilla\"\u003eGuiding users to set up TLS Certificates in FileZilla\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my1_hu_a0852cd314cdd383.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"379\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFileZilla Server has over 20 years experience providing free, open-source file transfer protocol software for client and server. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, Simply Secure worked with FileZilla Server to improve usability of the tool, specifically with high-risk users in mind. We conducted user research and gave design recommendations, which resulted in personas, an expert review, and new UI recommendations for creating a TLS certificate.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe objective was a safer, easier way to set up TLS certificates using the Let’s Encrypt service through a wizard that guides users while providing explanation and reassurance.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUser researchers and designers often work on projects in which the domain is new to them. Do designers need to be domain experts? Is it necessary to do months of domain research before starting a complex and technical project? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://filezilla-project.org/\"\u003eFilezilla\u003c/a\u003e is a well-known free and open source tool for FTP (File Transfer Protocol) users, which has been around for just over 20 years. As their website explains:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standardized network protocol used to transfer files between a client and a server over the internet or any other TCP/IP network. FTP has been designed to promote sharing of files, across all types of computers. A strength of FTP is the reliable and efficient bulk transfer of files. FTP is popular with website owners and web designers to upload files to the servers of their web hosting company. Another common use case is the exchange of files between companies; FTP is in many organizations the de facto method for transferring large volumes of data.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile sharing is an essential component of a networked society, but few designers know the ins-and-outs of FTP tools. So when we enthusiastically agreed to support FileZilla with user research and design recommendations as part of the OTF Usability Lab, there was some learning that we had to do to get up to speed and tackle the unique design challenge of adding a certificate to the FileZilla server.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecifically, our role was to work with the FileZilla team to improve usability of the tool, specifically with high-risk users in mind. We conducted user research and gave design recommendations, which resulted in personas, an expert review, and new UI recommendations for creating a TLS certificate. The objective was a safer, easier way to set up TLS certificates using the Let’s Encrypt service through a wizard that guides users while providing explanation and reassurance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-project\"\u003eThe Project \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe approached this project through the lens of the high-risk use case such as a human rights organization employees that routinely share files with human rights defenders in the field. At Simply Secure, many of our projects focus on this type of use case so we were able to draw from our previous experience. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project was scoped in two phases. Phase 1 included foundational research (needs-finding interviews with users of secure file storage, a survey of FileZilla Server users, and comparison analysis of secure file storage tools), user personas, and an expert design review of the installation FileZilla Server and setting up a server. The high-risk persona’s needs and expert review led us to overarching design recommendations that we remembered through the project and guide future FileZilla Server improvements. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my2_hu_604ce7dbb0fbc504.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"537\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe translated our research into persona needs, then established design recommendations based on those needs.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the foundational work completed, in Phase 2 we prioritized the user experience of the security features and settings of FileZilla, specifically setting up a TLS certificate using the \u003ca href=\"https://letsencrypt.org/how-it-works/\"\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s Encrypt\u003c/a\u003e service. We wanted this process to be accessible to a high-risk user type who might be new to FTP or not have access to dedicated IT advice. For this technical challenge, we used several tactics to fill in the gaps of our knowledge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"strategies-for-complex-problems-and-technical-challenges\"\u003eStrategies for complex problems and technical challenges \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"competitor-research\"\u003eCompetitor research\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a kickoff call, our favorite question to ask was, “Who are your competitors?” To add to this list, we also asked colleagues and listened for alternatives mentioned in the needs-finding interviews. We compared a wide-array of tools, from CrushFTP to Signal to Airdrop, to identify patterns, good explanations, and solutions. In addition to studying the user interfaces, we also watched competitors’ how-to guides, read FAQs, and listened to conference talks. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"map-the-current-flow\"\u003eMap the current flow\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a complex problem like this, we had to understand how setting up a new certificate works currently. Instead of going through the flow ourselves, we wanted to see how it was supposed to work and ask questions at every step of the process. We watched the developer go step by step through the process while we visually mapped each step. Later, we added screenshots, ideas for design, and text for explanations and definitions. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my3_hu_83cae4dcc543113d.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"343\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHow we mapped the current process of adding a certificate using Let’s Encrypt and also UX issues we identified with these steps.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"stretch-the-boundaries-of-inspiration\"\u003eStretch the boundaries of inspiration\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many of the tools that Simply Secure partners with, there aren’t many examples of design patterns already established so finding inspiration can be a challenge. In contrast to complex problems, there are common problems that have plenty of solutions already in existence (for example: editing an online shopping cart). While we may not be able to find a perfect example that would help us solve the complex problems, it’s possible to piece together other patterns and make some leaps. Indirect competitors, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.box.com/home\"\u003eBox.com\u003c/a\u003e, provided us with some inspiration for design recommendations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my4_hu_8b5dd1b2abb26318.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"273\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBox.com showed our design recommendations in context so that we could show the team what implementation could look like.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"learning-from-domain-experts-and-user-interviews\"\u003eLearning from Domain Experts and User Interviews\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs designers that work with and support many tools, we tend to have broad expertise in many topics and areas, rather than deep expertise in a specific area. Given that, the best thing is to connect with domain experts who can point us in the right direction. For this project, collaborating closely with the FileZilla team was essential, as they are leading experts in FTP. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our user research and usability testing, we interviewed people with great knowledge of FTP. At the beginning of the interview, we told the participants that we were not an expert in FTP so we might have questions for them if we don\u0026rsquo;t understand anything. They were all very understanding and as a result we were able to learn from their experiences for our usability research, while also getting some of their knowledge about the technical aspect. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"experiment-with-feedback\"\u003eExperiment! (*with feedback)\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter mapping out the current flow of setting up an SSL certificate, we started experimenting with new flows. We knew we weren’t going to get it right the first time and that we would certainly have misconceptions about the technology, so it was crucial that we got feedback from the FileZilla team (our domain experts). We held collaborative design sessions with the FileZilla team to get us in the right direction, and even did some live design ideation to get instant feedback. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ask-questions--consider-different-methods-of-recording-information\"\u003eAsk questions + consider different methods of recording information\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn any project, we are always fearful of not knowing enough. Asking questions that may at first seem obvious, can help your collaborators in ways you never expected and lead to teams reconsidering why things are the way they are. When trust is formed it becomes easier to be vulnerable, and vulnerability supports collaboration and the design research process. A key challenge in these moments can be taking good enough notes to remember the discussion that was had. Although we normally shy away from recording conversations, we found it especially useful in this project so that we were able to refer back to the sessions, and review the full context of technical constraints and design choices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"conclusion\"\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough a series of tactics to acquire domain expertise quickly by learning from great mentors and domain experts, we were able to learn just enough about FileZilla Server and FTP to conduct thorough user research and provide recommendations that will help improve safe and secure use of FileZilla Server by improving the usability of navigating the security options. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/ssl-tls-and-ftp-oh-my5_hu_30e3b1b014fe22c4.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"311\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOur design recommendations took the form of wireframes in a flow.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Kelsey Smith, Bernard Tyers, and Rae McKelvey\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, in collaboration with the \u003ca href=\"https://filezilla-project.org\"\u003eFileZilla\u003c/a\u003e team.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "On Getting Things Done: A Conversation with Matthew Wild from Snikket",
            "date_published": "2021-12-08T15:22:13-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-12-08T15:22:13-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-getting-things-done-a-conversation-with-matthew-wild-from-snikket/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-getting-things-done-a-conversation-with-matthew-wild-from-snikket/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/on-getting-things-done_hu_2177ba16c1e9d2f9.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"490\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://snikket.org/\"\u003eSnikket\u003c/a\u003e is a safe and secure, free and open source XMPP-based messaging platform that is hosted on an individual server for more control and security for the users.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, we supported Matthew and Snikket by helping to improve the user experience across platforms through a heuristic review, a user study, and several UX design explorations.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe interviewed Matthew Wild, the creator of Snikket. He shares his work process and experience working with Simply Secure to improve Snikket’s usability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://snikket.org/\"\u003eSnikket\u003c/a\u003e is an XMPP-based messaging platform that aims to provide an open and secure alternative to proprietary messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. Unlike most other messaging apps, Snikket can be hosted on an individual server (including Raspberry Pis) for more control and security. While the XMPP ecosystem remains fragmented and highly technical, Snikket’s goal is to fill the gap with consistency and usability. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, our work with Snikket focused on improving the user experience across platforms and balancing out the ease of learning versus the efficiency of use. In particular, we did a heuristic review of Snikket apps and web interfaces, conducted a user study, carried out several UX design explorations and provided design recommendations to address areas where there are barriers for adaptation and improving the onboarding experience. An upcoming blog post will explore in more detail some of the implementations of this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this conversation with Matthew Wild, the creator of \u003ca href=\"https://snikket.org/\"\u003eSnikket\u003c/a\u003e he shares about his work process and experience in working with Simply Secure to improve Snikket’s usability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe transcript of this conversation was edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure (SimSec): Could you tell us more about your motivation for creating Snikket? How long have you been working on it?\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMatthew Wild (MW\u003c/strong\u003e): It\u0026rsquo;s been probably nearly two years now. I\u0026rsquo;ve been working on decentralized and open messaging for over 10 years, mostly on the server side and the technical parts. I\u0026rsquo;ve always been telling people, you should use open communication platforms, and not use these centralized proprietary systems. Over the years I definitely have helped move a lot of people over thanks to stuff that I\u0026rsquo;ve written.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut I really struggled even just to get my own family over, they were still messaging each other using WhatsApp. After some time, I thought, well, why can\u0026rsquo;t I move my family over to this thing that I work on all the time? They never really understood what it was that I worked on anyway because it was all server stuff, and they don\u0026rsquo;t really know what a server is. So, I started really thinking about how to improve things from the user\u0026rsquo;s perspective, how to make things more simple, more accessible. And so I realized that the parts that I\u0026rsquo;d been working on the server side were just a part of what needed to happen. I had been making a lot of improvements there, along with other contributors to \u003ca href=\"https://prosody.im/\"\u003eProsody\u003c/a\u003e, but really just the server-side, for people to adopt it and XMPP and decentralized messaging in general, you need a whole package of something that\u0026rsquo;s easy to use and works well together. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Why can\u0026rsquo;t I move my family over to this thing that I work on all the time?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI realized that what we needed was a friendly name, a friendly logo, a friendly website, an easy-to-use installation server, and easy apps for people to sign up for. From experience, one of the hardest things about getting people to use XMPP was just to get them started, get them to choose a server, an account, set a password, and find an app. And so that was the first thing that I focused on with Snikket was on-boarding and making it easier for people to get on board. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first prototype was an invitation link, and that\u0026rsquo;s still a big part of Snikket. Now, you just send someone a link, and it helps them install the app and get started on your server. So yeah, I sent the link to my family. Now I have 10 people on my family\u0026rsquo;s Snikket server and they no longer use WhatsApp for talking to each other. Obviously, they still use it for talking to their other contacts, but within the family, we\u0026rsquo;re all using Snikket, which I think is a big success (laugh). \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I started really thinking about how to improve things from the users\u0026rsquo; perspective, how to make things more simple, more accessible.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: We know that you\u0026rsquo;re the creator of Snikket, but what exactly is your role in the team?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Like a particular role that I do? Absolutely everything (laugh). So I do a bit of work on developing, obviously I develop the server. That\u0026rsquo;s my primary background. I also do a bit of work on the apps, just trying to make them more polished. But the bulk of the work on the apps is luckily done by open source developers, \u003ca href=\"https://gultsch.de/\"\u003eDaniel Gultsch\u003c/a\u003e for \u003ca href=\"https://conversations.im/\"\u003eConversations\u003c/a\u003e, and the \u003ca href=\"https://tigase.net/\"\u003eTigase\u003c/a\u003e team for \u003ca href=\"http://siskin.im\"\u003eSiskin\u003c/a\u003e. So Snikket builds on top of both of those. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI do development across all the different pieces, but I also do lots of non-development tasks. So I have to also do the fundraising, applying for grants, and now I\u0026rsquo;m working on the hosting platform as well. So that also means that I\u0026rsquo;m managing servers, and things like that, as well as trying to manage and help grow the community. A bit of marketing, writing blog posts, managing the website— there\u0026rsquo;s not really much that I don\u0026rsquo;t do. So I definitely don\u0026rsquo;t have a role. It\u0026rsquo;s just Snikket, Snikket, Snikket. All the way through.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: Did you receive any support from the community?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, I\u0026rsquo;ve had a lot of support, especially from people who are coming from the Prosody community. Obviously I\u0026rsquo;ve been working on Prosody for a long time, so I\u0026rsquo;ve got some good friends there who have been very supportive of Snikket, and they\u0026rsquo;ve helped. For example, one of the community members, Jonas, wrote the whole Snikket web interface, which was remarkable, because I thought the first version of it probably wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have much of a web interface. But it was really important to make it really easy to use, and he just did it. Now it works really well, and people do like it. Also, there is Kim, a longtime Prosody contributor, who continues to help a great deal with things on the server side, the technical parts. As well as everyone who is testing the apps, reporting bugs, and donating. It\u0026rsquo;s been really helpful to have this whole community behind it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Every time a user gets confused about something, however small it is, I have to take that feedback on board.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec:\u003c/strong\u003e What\u0026rsquo;s great in our opinion is that you also make it quite easy for people to send feedback and contribute. You get all the support because you explicitly make the process transparent and everybody can see what the newest updates are and what is currently being worked on if they follow your GitHub! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Exactly. I think that part\u0026rsquo;s important to me because part of the whole point of Snikket is making it easier for the users. So every time a user gets confused about something, however small it is, I have to take that feedback on board and not just think, well, if they knew more technical stuff, they would know why it\u0026rsquo;s like this, or they should learn, they should read the documentation. You really can’t expect that, no one reads documentation to use WhatsApp. They just use it. So I want Snikket to be that easy. If they have any problems, I really want to know about them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What do you think would be the best part of your job?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e  I would still like to just be working on the technical parts (laugh). I really like lower-level coding. I\u0026rsquo;m not a big fan of working on user interfaces, but I definitely got a good appreciation for it now. I think I am developing a bit of an instinct for “this doesn\u0026rsquo;t look very appealing” or “it doesn\u0026rsquo;t look very user-friendly”. From listening to all the feedback, I can now look at something and think well, this is not going to be very easy for people to use, they will complain that they don\u0026rsquo;t understand this or this is in the wrong place. One of the things that continues to surprise me is that even when you have guessed what the users will think they always come back with different feedback that you never even thought of. So I think I do just like it all. I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be doing it if I didn\u0026rsquo;t enjoy any of it. But given the choice, I\u0026rsquo;d probably just still be working on it on the server side.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What about the least favorite part?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Oh, the least favorite part is definitely finding funding and writing grant applications and just dealing with money in general and things like that. I just really, really don\u0026rsquo;t like that part of it. But at the same time, I want the project to be sustainable. So I\u0026rsquo;ve tried working on open source in the past while having a full-time job. It\u0026rsquo;s possible, but it\u0026rsquo;s very, very difficult and the project progresses very slowly and it\u0026rsquo;s always a little bit worse than it could be. So I\u0026rsquo;m hoping that if I can keep getting funding for Snikket then we can help Snikket and related projects grow and help fund more open source development which is, is my dream really: just help making this thing so they can compete with the proprietary messengers and be just as good, or even better.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It\u0026rsquo;s really about just knowing that the people are contributing, understanding how they work best, and helping them achieve that.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What do you think is the most challenging thing about managing Snikket and how do you overcome it?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, so from my own time management perspective, it\u0026rsquo;s obviously very difficult for me to work on so many different projects. Within Snikket, there\u0026rsquo;s the hosting stuff, there are the apps, there\u0026rsquo;s the server side, there\u0026rsquo;s a web interface. I realistically can\u0026rsquo;t work on all of them at the same time. So I try to split it up into chunks. I do a little sprint of work on the apps for maybe two weeks to a month, then I\u0026rsquo;ll work a bit on the server side for a little while, and I\u0026rsquo;ll work a bit on the hosting for a while. That helps my brain get into a particular mode and be a bit more productive. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut one of the problems with open source is managing other people who you have to be respectful of their time, because they are volunteers. And although they often are very happy to contribute, you really can\u0026rsquo;t put many strings on it. And you can\u0026rsquo;t say, you know, you have to deliver it by the end of this week. That makes planning a lot more difficult. It\u0026rsquo;s really about just knowing that the people are contributing, understanding how they work best, and helping them achieve that. And, you know, just being very gentle with them. It\u0026rsquo;s very different to working at a company where you\u0026rsquo;re employing someone and you get to set deadlines and be a bit more strict and so on. But when someone\u0026rsquo;s not working full time for you, that’s very different. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What is the process of working with volunteers and contributors like?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e It really varies. One of the things that is quite interesting to me is that people would file bug reports, but oftentimes the people who file the bug reports also have an idea of how they want the problem to be solved. I think part of my job is looking at the bigger picture and thinking well actually, it would be better if we solved it like this, or maybe we don\u0026rsquo;t want to solve this problem at all. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, some people have asked me how to have Snikket groups with over 1000 people in them. Although it\u0026rsquo;s technically possible, you would have to make some changes in the user interface to make that number of people easy to take in for someone to use. So I really want to keep Snikket very focused on a particular use case: smaller groups of people, family, workplace, clubs, and things like that. So one of the things that I have to do daily is when these bug reports come in, this feedback will be translated into tasks for people to work on, whether it\u0026rsquo;s me or some of the contributors. It\u0026rsquo;s not just a case of pointing the contributors to the bug reports, because they don\u0026rsquo;t see the whole picture. I have to try and spend time going through the bug reports and figuring out what one thing that they actually have to work on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If something doesn\u0026rsquo;t get delivered in a certain release, it just doesn\u0026rsquo;t. And it\u0026rsquo;s not the end of the world.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: How do you guys keep each other accountable?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e (Laugh) Yeah, we don\u0026rsquo;t. At the end of the day, one of the benefits of working for myself is that I don\u0026rsquo;t have anyone telling me about deadlines. If something doesn\u0026rsquo;t get delivered in a certain release, it just doesn\u0026rsquo;t. And it\u0026rsquo;s not the end of the world. And you know, no one\u0026rsquo;s gonna get fired. So as long as we\u0026rsquo;re making overall progress, which generally we are, and I\u0026rsquo;m happy with that. There\u0026rsquo;s no blame if someone doesn\u0026rsquo;t achieve something that they said they were going to do. I understand that sometimes things get in the way. At the same time, there are things like decisions that I make, being in charge of the project I could just make, often I try to run things past other people to see what they think about it. I like getting feedback from other people in the community about the direction that we\u0026rsquo;re going in. Although I don\u0026rsquo;t have to do that, I feel it\u0026rsquo;s my responsibility because I\u0026rsquo;m not the only one deciding where the project goes, but I am responsible for it. So I try to help as many people participate in decisions as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What is your personal approach to project management?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e  Yeah, to prioritise. It\u0026rsquo;s very difficult because it\u0026rsquo;s a balance between so many things. For example, to prioritise getting the project sustainable, I really ought to be working on the hosting platform full time, because that can actually bring in some income and help get more people onto Snikket. I also try and prioritise things that people report a lot because it\u0026rsquo;s things that a lot of people run into. So, anything to do with usability. When someone keeps complaining about the same bugs, I know that for every person that actually gives me that feedback, there are probably 10 more people who don\u0026rsquo;t bother reporting it. So I try to keep my ears open for even small issues. If they keep coming up more than once, more than twice, then I know, it\u0026rsquo;s a high priority issue. I try and prioritise getting a fix for that, but with limited resources, it can be very difficult. So we just try and do our best.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What are the biggest lessons that you\u0026rsquo;ve learned from working on Snikket?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e I think planning to timescale with a small team of volunteers is very, very difficult. So I try to be very flexible with what goes into each release. I\u0026rsquo;m very reactive in what\u0026rsquo;s going on. One week, one person might say they\u0026rsquo;ve got the week off work, and they want to spend time helping hack on Snikket. And then another week, they are completely not available. It\u0026rsquo;s very difficult to plan for things like that so I try to keep the bureaucracy down to a minimum because it helps us be more flexible and agile. We don\u0026rsquo;t have these weekly planning meetings or anything like that. We just chat in the chat room. And I try to keep it very informal like that because I think that that\u0026rsquo;s definitely what attracts some people to work on the project. They like that kind of level of formality. But I imagine some people might prefer more structure. I don\u0026rsquo;t know, I\u0026rsquo;m not one of those people.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: Is it the first time that you\u0026rsquo;ve got a fund from OTF? What has the process been like for you?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, it is. It\u0026rsquo;s my first experience doing something like this. The other funding that Snikket got has always been about development work and more technical stuff. And so actually having the freedom to spend some time looking at UX and usability issues has been much fun and very liberating. It\u0026rsquo;s always good to have some people that actually know what they\u0026rsquo;re doing. Because it\u0026rsquo;s one thing to start a project that\u0026rsquo;s designed to make messaging really easy, I don\u0026rsquo;t have a background in UX or UI design. It\u0026rsquo;s great to be able to have other people who have this knowledge helping out. That\u0026rsquo;s been really, really helpful to the project. The feedback from the usability testing, for example, has been really helpful in helping pin down some design decisions and things like that. So yeah, it\u0026rsquo;s been great.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The goal is not necessarily to become as big as WhatsApp or any of the other massive, proprietary platforms.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: Thank you very much. We\u0026rsquo;re all quite fascinated as well seeing the screenshots of the before and after when all testing feedback is taken into consideration and how quickly things got implemented!\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Yes, it\u0026rsquo;s been really good for me as well. Seeing those screenshots will be interesting sometimes. Because sometimes I\u0026rsquo;m so immersed in it, I can\u0026rsquo;t see the wood for the trees, as we say. So occasionally, I see a screenshot of what the app used to look like. And I can\u0026rsquo;t believe how far we\u0026rsquo;ve come in just a short amount of time. So yes, it\u0026rsquo;s been really good and we have got a lot of positive feedback from users as well!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What does the success of Snikket look like to you?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMW:\u003c/strong\u003e Being decentralised, the goal is not necessarily to become as big as WhatsApp or any of the other massive, proprietary platforms. The goal is just to encourage people to move to open and decentralized networks so that success will be the average person recognising that you don\u0026rsquo;t have to be on the same provider as someone else to chat with them. And just like email, you can just share your chat address. And it doesn\u0026rsquo;t matter which app you\u0026rsquo;re using, you can still message anyone else and that\u0026rsquo;s the overall goal. But I think Snikket is how we get there. I mean, anything that makes it more easy and accessible is the beginning step. And, and I\u0026rsquo;m really looking forward to that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGet in touch with Matthew Wild and learn more about his work \u003ca href=\"https://floss.social/@mattj\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSee Snikket’s most recent updates \u003ca href=\"https://snikket.org/blog/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/snikket-im\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Ngọc Triệu, Ame Elliott, Rae McKelvey, Snikket  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eThe Open Technology Fund Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Making the Mindset Shift: An Interview with Digital Democracy Lead UX Designer, Sabella Flagg",
            "date_published": "2021-12-03T17:47:20-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-12-03T17:47:20-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-the-mindset-shift-an-interview-with-digital-democracy-lead-ux-designer-sabella-flagg/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-the-mindset-shift-an-interview-with-digital-democracy-lead-ux-designer-sabella-flagg/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/making-the-mindset-shift_hu_2e3de61b352f9c86.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/mapeo/\"\u003eMapeo\u003c/a\u003e - an application by \u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/\"\u003eDigital Democracy\u003c/a\u003e - enables indigenous communities across the world to document and map all kinds of useful data – from essential resources on their lands to environmental and human rights violations. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThrough the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, we worked with Digital Democracy to examine how to approach design work in challenging circumstances (such as a global pandemic) and support them with customized tools and resources.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe interviewed Sabella Flagg, Lead of UX Design for Digital Democracy, who we coached and collaborated with on this project. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, we were fortunate enough to work with \u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/\"\u003eDigital Democracy\u003c/a\u003e (Dd) on \u003ca href=\"https://www.digital-democracy.org/mapeo/\"\u003eMapeo\u003c/a\u003e. Mapeo is a mobile app that enables indigenous communities across the world to document and map all kinds of useful data – from essential resources on their lands to environmental and human rights violations. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, we tackled a range of design challenges and learned a lot along the way. We examined how to approach design work when there’s little or no opportunity for user research (due to, say, being in a global pandemic), and developed a tool that enabled the Dd team to walk through scenarios and surface internal knowledge in order to make informed design decisions. We also developed a resource that explored best practices around recovery keys for low-tech users, and strategies to protect people and data against mobile device seizure. Both of those challenges involved connecting with the \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design (HRDC)\u003c/a\u003e community and our \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/contact/\"\u003eSlack network\u003c/a\u003e of human rights defenders that work in security and design. It was an excellent lesson in uplifting the work of others in our ecosystem who have tackled similar challenges, and we were able to present the Dd team with workable, tested solutions and examples that could work well for Mapeo in different contexts (keep an eye on our resource library for these tools!) \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also did one-on-one coaching sessions with Dd’s Lead UX Designer Sabella Flagg, which was a wonderful opportunity to learn from and collaborate with a fellow designer working in the internet freedom space. We interviewed Sabella to learn more about her journey, her work, and her experience collaborating with Simply Secure.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThis interview was edited for length and clarity. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure (SimSec): How has the Usability Lab and your experience working with Simply Secure impacted your work on Mapeo?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSabella Flagg\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(SF)\u003c/strong\u003e: Coming to Dd meant designing for new audiences that I hadn’t had a lot of exposure to in other parts of my career and so naturally there’s a little bit of uncertainty and learning that comes with that. The one on one coaching sessions with Simply Secure were incredibly useful to have a set of experts to review and double check my work to make sure that I wasn’t introducing harm with any of the concepts I generated and to learn from.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso with the world on lockdown it meant I would be unable to lean on our programs team, who would normally be in the field throughout a year, for user feedback and insights. Having Usability Lab and Simply Secure on board felt like having more touch-points for feedback, and from others who worked with similar audiences. When the world opens back up we feel prepared thanks to the interview and workshop guides Simply Secure provided. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What resources, tools, and/or experiences from our coaching do you plan to return to going forward?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am also new to designing for decentralized tech so when SimSec shared \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentpatterns.xyz\u003c/a\u003e it was a resource I immediately saved in my bookmarks. Definitely a super useful asset I know I will return to time and time again. It was great to have a library that I could reference and learn from separately and bring things back to the team that I found compelling and interesting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: Could you tell us a little bit about your journey? What did you do before joining Digital Democracy and what motivated you to join the team?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSF:\u003c/strong\u003e Previous to joining Digital Democracy, I\u0026rsquo;d spent most of my career working at innovation consultancies – the small shops that are idea generators behind big corporations. So I got to work on some pretty cool and fun projects, and I definitely learned a lot. That\u0026rsquo;s where I learned about what a UX researcher is and how to work with one. I kind of rotated through different industries throughout the year, so I got exposed to a lot of different things. The last consultancy that I worked with, and what drew me to them and drew me out here to Seattle, had a goal of increasing their social good and nonprofit work, and I was like, “That is what I want to be doing. I\u0026rsquo;m on board.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey didn\u0026rsquo;t meet that goal, and at some point, I got burned out of a project that was kind of notorious for burning people out of the agency, and I left to take a sabbatical where I used art therapy to heal from burnout. I restarted my art practice, which kind of fell away after I left college, and then moved into doing freelance design work. And specifically, I was trying to find work in the social good space. It’s rare to find an organization that needs design, and has the funds for a designer. Also being in Seattle, it\u0026rsquo;s very easy to fall back into Big Tech. So it\u0026rsquo;s like, every time my contract ends, like a fight, it\u0026rsquo;s like alright, I have this much time to see if I can find another job. Luckily, my time with Dd keeps getting extended. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: A lot of that sounds familiar; social good orgs not having the space or funding for designers. Since you’re working directly on a product that human rights defenders on the ground are using, can you tell us how you think design helps human rights defenders do their work?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSF:\u003c/strong\u003e It definitely feels like important work. I\u0026rsquo;ve definitely been on projects [in the corporate world] where I\u0026rsquo;m just like, this quite literally does not matter. Like, is this organization really paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to make people click this button more? I cannot believe it. And so when you move from a place of excess and commercial needs and wants, to one where it\u0026rsquo;s like, your audience is asking for this because if they don\u0026rsquo;t get it, they will literally die. It definitely adds a different sort of weight to the work that you end up doing. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, I mean, even that work that “doesn\u0026rsquo;t matter,” I still approach it with the same thoughtfulness and care because this is my career that I\u0026rsquo;ve chosen to do and I like doing design and I think this is important and even on those projects. But the sense that the work will actually help someone progress something that is actually important adds a bit more weight to the decisions that get made. I definitely dealt with getting stuck on decisions when I first joined because it\u0026rsquo;s a completely new space for me to be designing in and a different audience. And again, with the pandemic not being able to ask the person who\u0026rsquo;s in the field, “now can you check and see if this color combination we\u0026rsquo;re using is accessible?” It felt scary working through that, and finding ways to organize the decisions that you do make and knowing that you will get partner feedback – it may take a bit longer because of the way the world is right now, but you will get that feedback. Making your way through the gigantic list of requests is a daunting task, but when you finish one feature, it\u0026rsquo;s a good feeling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec:  Coming from a commercial space, I’m wondering what you’ve had to learn and unlearn about how you practice design and design thinking entering the “humanitarian” sphere? Do you have any challenges from the transitions that you would like to share?\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSF:\u003c/strong\u003e Yeah, definitely. Oh, before Dd, I was on a project that dealt with organizing data for the general populace. And on that project, I learned so much about how we as designers can show bias when we design graphs that just have data. So you show two graphs, both of them have the exact same data, one of them is biased, because the design is different. And that blew my mind! \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComing to Dd, I had the exact same experience in looking at some of the patterns that I kind of take for granted, or I think of as very general stock patterns that users are expected to know and to learn. All of that was Western learning and for a Western audience. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo you know, my first couple of meetings with [Gregor on the tech team], we were gonna have a date picker. I was like, “oh yeah, here\u0026rsquo;s all these stock react date pickers, we could use something cool like this\u0026hellip;” And Gregor told me more about the human factor around the ask, and he mentioned a lot of our users don\u0026rsquo;t just do remote mapping for this project. That\u0026rsquo;s not their job. It\u0026rsquo;s something that they volunteered to do because it\u0026rsquo;s something that’s important to them. They\u0026rsquo;re working in the fields. They\u0026rsquo;re farmers. They do manual labor. They will build up calluses on their hands. So I\u0026rsquo;m looking at these date pickers I\u0026rsquo;m like, oh, yeah, these are standard touch targets, like 40 pixels by 40 on mobile, like that\u0026rsquo;s totally fine. And Gregor tells me: “I have seen users struggle to tap things on their phone, because of the calluses that build up on their hands.” And all these little date pickers I have the little tiny numbers and arrows, more than half of these are unusable in their current state. So that was my first example of something like that. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo me coming in with Western solutions and then learning about the specific needs of our audience and then adjusting from there. So now I go through this process of: “okay, they asked for my design solution, the first thing that I thought of is…” and inspecting, “is this a very Western solution that does not translate well, for an audience that is potentially has low tech literacy, which is also an audience that I\u0026rsquo;m very new for designing for, that has low access to consistent Wi Fi, that may be in a super remote area?” Often, [none of the solutions] match, you know, the audience that I run into when I walk outside. There\u0026rsquo;s definitely inspection of every idea to make sure that I am meeting the design principles that I need for our users. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother thing that helps is to think about solutions in terms of generalized human behavior. Sometimes we start new projects and I spent two weeks just doing research. And I think: “Okay, is this the finding of this research because of the audience? Or is it because of human behavior?” And if it\u0026rsquo;s because of human behavior, then that helps make the solution be more generalized, right? So even if you\u0026rsquo;re dealing with someone who has medium literacy with tech, which means like, they have WhatsApp, they have Facebook and Instagram – you can glean from the apps that they use what human interactions they are comfortable with. And those sometimes match how we use them the Western Hemisphere, or they might be using them in unique ways because of their specific situation. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: What\u0026rsquo;s on the horizon for you? Anything that you\u0026rsquo;re looking forward to either in life or in your work?\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSF:\u003c/strong\u003e In life, I just got into my first artist residency, which will be happening next year, in early spring. So I\u0026rsquo;m super, super excited about that. I\u0026rsquo;m going to be in remote Washington on the coast. I told everyone, “Okay, 2022, I\u0026rsquo;m going to try and be less afraid and more proactive.” So I have and that happened – I mean, that feels really good. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd in terms of work, the first program team members are going out in the field, and it\u0026rsquo;s really increased my desire to create a centralized location for Dd for partner feedback. They do an amazing job of recounting their experiences and the things that they\u0026rsquo;ve seen, but I really want to get that into a place where that information lives out of their heads so that they spend less time having to tell it to the next new person that comes. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimSec: To sum up, do you have any advice or suggestions for designers who also want to move from the formal design industry to work in nonprofits, civil society, or design for good?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSF:\u003c/strong\u003e The main difference with working in this industry is that when you go on job boards, there aren\u0026rsquo;t a plethora of them to look at. Versus like any tech industry job role, you know, I go on LinkedIn, and there\u0026rsquo;s 1000 of them. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat helps me is to read job descriptions to get the full expanse of what is available in the industry. So other industries have quantity, and nonprofit space does not. So that means if you\u0026rsquo;re not in the nonprofit space now, but you want to be, you should be looking at design for good job boards, social good designers Facebook groups, and things like that – you should be joining those now. So whenever job postings do come up, you start building that idea of what is actually available, because by the time you are ready to make your move from one job to another, it\u0026rsquo;s likely there\u0026rsquo;s going to be like three design jobs available. But just being aware that there are not always a lot of opportunities in this space, and so building a catalogue of what is usually asked for, and also being prepared to be in a startup mentality, in terms of the number of hats you have to wear, but without the startup stock options, like wrap your head around that before you join. It doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean that you should start doing things that you don\u0026rsquo;t want to do, but make sure that you are clear on the value that your skills bring. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eYou can find Sabella’s art on Instagram ​​@themonarq or at \u003ca href=\"https://themonarq.com\"\u003ehttps://themonarq.com\u003c/a\u003e \u0026amp; learn about her design work at \u003ca href=\"https://www.sabella.is/\"\u003ehttps://www.sabella.is/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Ngọc Triệu, Ame Elliott, Katie Wilson, Digital Democracy\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tags\"\u003eTags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUX, Community\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Sustaining Values-Driven Software by Attracting New Users",
            "date_published": "2021-11-30T19:25:49-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-11-30T19:25:49-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sustaining-values-driven-software-by-attracting-new-users/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sustaining-values-driven-software-by-attracting-new-users/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/sustaining_values_driven_software_image_1_hu_56528cd4d3d05bc6.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe helped website security service \u003ca href=\"https://equalit.ie/portfolio/deflect/\"\u003eDeflect\u003c/a\u003e appeal to a larger user base by identifying ways to attract and maintain both human rights organizations and businesses as customers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Usability\u003c/a\u003e Lab, we used a UX design-driven approach to understand and communicate the benefits of Deflect by deploying an expert review, facilitating a workshop on positioning and value, and testing users. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe UX design research we completed clarified ways Deflect can attract more paying customers to sustain their work, which models the way Internet Freedom work can be resilient in our economy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many organizations, their website is not just an external communication channel, their website is their critical product. This is particularly true for advocacy, human rights, and journalism organizations where their website is their platform on which they organize for their cause and share their work on critical human rights issues. eQualit.ie’s \u003ca href=\"https://deflect.ca/\"\u003eDeflect\u003c/a\u003e is an example of a website security service that protects websites from the dangerous cyber attacks that would silence voices, restrict communication, and limit organizing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe below statement explains how Deflect kept the \u003ca href=\"https://blacklivesmatter.com/\"\u003eBlack Lives Matter\u003c/a\u003e website up during a 2016 cyber attack following the unprovoked killings of Philando Castile in St Paul, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by police:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks like this one use a network of computers to simultaneously attempt massive amounts of connections to a website – too many for the site to handle. As a result, the site becomes unavailable. In this case, the Black Lives Matter website was hit with a spectacular number of connections in one day (over 15 million, with an attack network of over 12,000 bots). Most commercial providers immediately shut down websites under this type of attack choosing to give in to attackers to protect the rest of their customers. That has never been May First/People Link’s policy. The attack has been countered and successfully contained using Deflect, and the BLM website has been functional and accessible for much of the weekend.” – \u003ca href=\"https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/statement-recent-attacks-black-lives-matters-websi\"\u003eAssociation for Progressive Communications Press Release\u003c/a\u003e, July 12, 2016.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinancial sustainability is the key for digital infrastructure like Deflect to continue providing protection to critical human rights websites. How can Deflect continue to meet the challenge of providing their tried-and-tested website protection and support for free to organizations that are unable to pay for it? Thanks to the Open Tech Fund’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eUsability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, we had a chance to work with Deflect on their user experience onboarding – a key moment that connects to a product’s business model.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"no-business-as-usual-the-challenges-of-sustainable-internet-freedom-organizations\"\u003eNo Business As Usual: The Challenges of Sustainable Internet Freedom Organizations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as our previous work for Tails described in \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails/\"\u003eOpen source \u0026amp; branding – a contradiction?\u003c/a\u003e clarifies how concepts from branding can benefit open source projects without succumbing to the manipulative advertising, this project gave the team a chance to explore how to keep more human rights organizations protected by getting paid customers in Deflect. While “business models” typically evoke the extractive profit-driven approach of Silicon Valley’s “Big Businesses,” not all business models are about profit at all costs. Every organization needs to have a framework for sustaining their operations — e.g. paying staff to work, paying for resources such as server space needed to provide the service or product, etc. Relying on uncompensated volunteers for work and profits from t-shirt sales to buy things is one way to run an organization, but the urgent threats to human-rights defenders requires more effort and experimentation in models of sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Internet Freedom ecosystem, just as in other contexts, the key is to consider diverse mechanisms of financial sustainability and resilience. By not relying on one source of income too heavily, organizations can become more resilient. We consider “organizations” in a broad sense – including for-profit, social good, non-profit, cooperatively owned, and volunteer groups all under this umbrella. So yes, volunteer contributions and t-shirt sales have a place in the Internet Freedom community, but they are not enough to power financial sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany Internet Freedom projects are supported by grants, for example from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Tech Fund\u003c/a\u003e who supported this project. However many organizations rely on funding sources other than grants and donations e.g. selling services or software. An organization can offer security audits, consulting services, and software subscriptions to bring in income. Then with that income they can pay for equipment, hosting services, office space, salaries, and other things they need to fulfill their mission – even if part of their mission is providing no-cost or low-cost Internet Freedom software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeflect is an ideal case for exploring financial sustainability in the Internet Freedom community because eQualitie, the organization that created it, has proven that it has staying power while closely adhering to \u003ca href=\"https://equalit.ie/values/\"\u003etheir values\u003c/a\u003e. Deflect is guided by a \u003ca href=\"https://deflect.ca/principles/\"\u003eDeclaration for Distributed Online Services\u003c/a\u003e, proudly proclaiming:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Put your clients before profits or funding. Be clear about commercial intention and services provided under free accounts. Give clients viable alternatives before terminating or changing their service.” – Deflect’s \u003ca href=\"https://deflect.ca/principles/\"\u003ePrinciples\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver its ten-year history Deflect has had opportunities to experiment with different pricing models. Variable pricing models, such as pay-what-you-like, buy-one-get-one, or sliding-scale prices are an area ripe for experimentation in the Internet Freedom community, and our project started by building on Deflect’s practice of offering a fully-functional free version to qualified organizations who asked. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur challenge was to balance Deflect’s product-before-profit mindset with opportunities to attract more paying customers in order to sustain Deflect for the benefit of high-risk targets unable to pay for it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"understanding-the-value-of-deflect-with-user-research\"\u003eUnderstanding the Value of Deflect with User Research\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe used a UX design-driven approach to understand and communicate the benefits of Deflect and deployed multiple methods, including: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExpert reviews by four different designers/developers of existing and proposed interfaces for\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOnboarding\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccount management/dashboard\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFacilitated workshop with the Deflect team on positioning and value\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUser testing with five potential new users of Deflect\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThink aloud protocols of the existing \u003ca href=\"https://deflect.ca/\"\u003eDeflect.ca\u003c/a\u003e website\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReacting to proposed value statements\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstanding IT purchasing decisions in their organization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese multiple methods led us to three findings:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeflect’s services are easily understood and seen as valuable.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere’s a design opportunity for Deflect to be more transparent about the team, funding, and stability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDifferent customer types vary in how important pricing is to their decision-making process.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"deflects-services-are-easily-understood-and-seen-as-valuable\"\u003eDeflect’s services are easily understood and seen as valuable. \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDemonstrated by its staying power, Deflect gets many things right. The \u003ca href=\"https://deflect.ca/\"\u003eDeflect.ca\u003c/a\u003e website is visually appealing and effective at making people want Deflect. During our think-aloud sessions, people understood at a glance what a product named Deflect with a website showing a heroine with arrows bouncing off her shield was supposed to do. Even less-technical people unsure about the exact threats of cyber attacks found Deflect desirable and compelling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/sustaining_values_driven_software_image_2_hu_54f18f8b63abd520.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"348\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParadoxically the perceived value and high quality of Deflect made some non-profit insiders skeptical. They questioned that if the product is this great, how can they give it away for free? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"theres-a-design-opportunity-for-deflect-to-be-more-transparent-about-the-team-funding-and-stability\"\u003eThere’s a design opportunity for Deflect to be more transparent about the team, funding, and stability.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne way to reassure people skeptical that Deflect can be both desirable and affordable is by sharing more behind-the-scenes information on the website. Potential new users want to know more about the team and the stories motivating the software. Feeling connected to the team and mission will give people confidence that Deflect is stable, and able to live up to its promises.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe website already contains many of the most important pieces of information, such as the promise not to discontinue free accounts without viable alternatives, but consolidating and highlighting statements about funding and stability will make more people more-willing to try something new. New users need to overcome skepticism that goes beyond Deflect or eQualitie and to the non-profit ecosystem as a whole. In the words of one of our interviewees, the reality of technology for human rights defenders is that budgets are stretched, and “There’s just never going to be enough money for all of us to do our work.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeflect has a long history and impressive track record, but additional information addressing some of the awkward truths of financial sustainability will give people confidence that Deflect is not going anywhere, important information for their purchasing decision.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"different-customer-types-vary-in-how-important-pricing-is-to-their-decision-making-process\"\u003eDifferent customer types vary in how important pricing is to their decision-making process.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we asked interviewees looking at the Deflect website how much they expected to pay for Deflect, the range was huge: from $5 - $5,000 a month. One of the more provocative comments compared the price of Deflect to email marketing tool MailChimp, which they referred to as a “necessary evil” to keep nonprofit organizations running.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen digging deeper into the perceived value and acceptable price for Deflect, we heard a range of views about how important pricing is. Some people are strongly motivated by price and an aggressive approach to spending as little money as possible. Convincing those people to purchase Deflect will be difficult, and as long as there is a no-cost alternative. But we also identified two other groups who are not driven primarily by price.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"purchase-decision-making-personas-one-size-does-not-fit-all\"\u003ePurchase Decision-making Personas: One-size Does Not Fit All\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe contextualized the range of attitudes we heard about purchasing into three personas, or types of users. Each personas has different motivations for making a purchase, but committed self-hosters and non-profit IT administrators are both promising new customers for Deflect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/sustaining_values_driven_software_image_3_hu_b737b4b4bd48d56d.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"366\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice-Conscious Tinkerers.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe toughest group to attract. Interested in the technology underlying Deflect, they care about the details and are motivated by functionality. Always working to get the most for their money, they take pride in having everything up to date and in order. Strongly technical and planning to roll up their sleeves and work, performance and price are both important, but it is hard to get this group to pay for anything.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommitted Self-Hosters.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nA natural fit for Deflect. Driven by values, this group will vote with their wallets to fund projects they believe in. Although they may not face particular DDoS risks, they take pride in feeling part of a movement. Solo or in an informal group of like-minded people, a self-hoster can decide to use Deflect on an impulse. Patient with technical difficulties and keen to build their own tech skills, they could become brand evangelists, and would be proud of Deflect stickers or swag. Knowing their contributions directly support a team doing important work, $10 - $15/month is uncontroversial, but they can be convinced to upgrade to more expensive options.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNon-Profit IT Administrators.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nTheir values motivate them to stay in the sector despite opportunities to earn more elsewhere, but these IT professionals are business- minded. They have many competing demands and need more time in the day to get everything done. Maintaining a vulnerable website is one of many challenges, and their time is valuable. Low cost is appealing because they answer to others and need to justify their decisions, but this purchase is a business decision, not their own money. Benchmarking a price for the service and then offsetting it with a nonprofit credit will appeal to them, but if in the future the non-profit credit offset ends, they may be too busy to re-apply since their attention may be on a more urgent problem.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese purchasing personas are broadly applicable to the Internet Freedom community and are relevant to projects other than Deflect. Committed self-hosters making an active attempt to support organizations they believe are alternatives to Big Tech are an important part of the Internet Freedom community, and their combined purchasing power offers an exciting glimpse into models of economic solidarity. Exploring collaborative and collective solutions, starting with monthly software purchases but potentially extending into membership or cooperative models are a promising area for future research. Their passion speaks for itself:  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“​​I spend more time, pay more money, and get less service to support the organizations I want to support.“ – a committed self-hoster we interviewed\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn contrast to the individual passion of committed self-hosters, IT professionals at nonprofits are skilled at balancing competing demands on their time, attention, and money. They bring a professional detachment to decisions, but also need to justify their expenditures to others. Under-resourced and stretched-too-thin IT administrators at nonprofits may be too busy to experiment with complicated new tools, but making it easy for them to purchase Internet Freedom tools has a powerful multiplier effect. Their decisions can protect the people and infrastructure of their organizations, and respecting the role that organizations play in the Internet Freedom ecosystem can expand the benefits of a free and open internet to more people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"financially-stable-organizations-protect-more-people\"\u003eFinancially Stable Organizations Protect More People\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinancial sustainability is the key for organizations like Deflect to continue providing protection to critical human rights websites, and including paid customers as part of their business model will enable them to continue to provide support to those who need it and aren’t able to pay. Deflect’s website already showcases their principles and explains their product, but the UX design research we completed  clarified ways they can attract more paying customers to sustain their work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Ame Elliott, Georgia Bullen, Cade Diem, K. Rae McKelvey\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreview image: \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/@stri_khedonia\"\u003eImage by Alice Pasqual via Unsplash\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e Usability Lab.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Dark Patterns in User Controls: Exploring YouTube’s Recommendation Settings",
            "date_published": "2021-11-30T13:37:52-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-11-30T13:37:52-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-exploring-youtubes-recommendation-settings/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-exploring-youtubes-recommendation-settings/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-1_hu_5d1cbd80bb8803a6.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"370\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYouTube \u003ca href=\"https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/richardnieva/youtube-will-hide-dislike-counts-on-videos-to-combat\"\u003ewill now hide\u003c/a\u003e the downvote count on videos to mitigate harassment — but it’s still unclear what choices users have to control the content they are recommended. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn collaboration with \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/research/library/youtube-regrets-findings/\"\u003eMozilla’s YouTube Regrets project\u003c/a\u003e, Simply Secure mapped and analyzed YouTube’s controls from a usability standpoint to understand if the design supported user experience principles of control, freedom, and transparency.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMany opportunities for user control are actually masked dark patterns. We must recognize that a lot of the designs users interact with are coming from business interest, and not from the perspective of user care.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday’s conversation about YouTube is largely centered on engagement. YouTube is one of the original user-generated content platforms that has become everyday infrastructure for web-based video. Platforms that enable users to post and share content present as democratic spaces, enabling users to converse, engage, and see how others react to content, but the design of the platforms themselves impact how these exchanges happen. There’s an assumption that when videos are up-voted, they are shared more widely, and when content is downvoted it’s hidden from public view. In reality, YouTube counts all engagement equally — since their \u003ca href=\"https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2991785?hl=en\"\u003ebusiness mode\u003c/a\u003el is driven by user engagement, the type of engagement doesn’t matter. (To combat the weaponization of the downvote button, YouTube has now \u003ca href=\"https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/richardnieva/youtube-will-hide-dislike-counts-on-videos-to-combat\"\u003ehidden the downvote count\u003c/a\u003e, although the functionality remains.) \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen companies make their money through engagement or time spent on their platforms, they are incentivized to employ deceiving design patterns, usually referred to as \u003ca href=\"https://www.darkpatterns.org/\"\u003eDark Patterns\u003c/a\u003e, or at the very least, not invest in usable controls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s not always clear how recommendation engines on sites like YouTube and Instagram choose the content that gets promoted. It’s even less clear if users can do anything to control which types of content are recommended. As reported in Mozilla’s \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/research/library/youtube-regrets-findings/\"\u003eYouTube Regrets\u003c/a\u003e project, the platform makes it difficult for users to maintain control over content recommendations. In reading over thirty thousand stories from users, Mozilla found that it was unclear if YouTube even acted on their requests to remove undesirable or offensive content. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis begs the question — what control do YouTube users have? What is the user experience of YouTube’s controls for feedback on content? In collaboration with \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/research/library/youtube-regrets-findings/\"\u003eMozilla’s YouTube Regrets\u003c/a\u003e project, we took a deep dive into YouTube’s user controls to analyze how they support user choice — the result was a disappointing but unsurprising maze of loops, deadends, and never-ending paths.  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"a-bridge-to-nowhere-mapping-youtube-controls-2020\"\u003eA Bridge to Nowhere: Mapping YouTube Controls (2020)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo understand the recommendation algorithm controls, we created a new YouTube account and mapped the possible paths and options that a user could take to customize their experience. We found that:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e“Settings” don’t actually mean anything — there’s nothing you can control on the Settings page.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExisting controls are reactive and not proactive, leaving users to catch-up to the recommendation engine rather than designing what they want to see.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are multiple ways to get to some pages. This can be helpful if the user doesn’t follow the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_path\"\u003ehappy path\u003c/a\u003e, but excessive use leads to confusion and frustration. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOptions to “teach” the algorithm are few and limited in scope.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe words describing the outcome of each step are opaque. Various words are used to mean the same thing, and it’s unclear what comes next. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"false-settings\"\u003eFalse Settings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYouTube Settings claims to allow users to choose what they see on YouTube however, there are actually no such controls on any of the settings sections.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-2_hu_25cbaf267fa86829.png\" alt=\"Settings: there aren’t actually controls for “what you see on YouTube”\" width=\"740\" height=\"415\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Settings: there aren’t actually controls for “what you see on YouTube”\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"reactive-controls\"\u003eReactive Controls\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe controls on YouTube Home follow a linear path. Since the controls are next to a video or topic, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/articles/gestalt-proximity/\"\u003elaw of proximity\u003c/a\u003e helps the user understand that they apply to a video, section or channel and find them easily — this shows us the controls are meant to be seen and used. However, a user would already need to get recommended these videos in order to make adjustments, so these controls are reactive, not proactive. This means users cannot discover and design their experience, but rather must shape it depending on what YouTube shows them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-3_hu_6cfbce578103471a.png\" alt=\"Mapping the path of user control on the YouTube ‘Home’.\" width=\"740\" height=\"356\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Mapping the path of user control on the YouTube ‘Home’.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the user wants to teach the algorithm that they are no longer interested in the video, there is the option to click on “not interested.” This is separate from ‘reporting’ harmful or offensive content.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-4_hu_c60dc36bb60f1306.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"705\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, there are few options to explain why they wish to remove that content, which makes it difficult to properly teach the algorithm what further content a user may not want to see.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the user selects that they are ‘not interested’ in a video, Youtube will remove the video and give the user the option to ‘undo’ or ‘tell us why.’ When the user selects ‘tell us why,’ they get this box:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-5_hu_3c74beb25c5960e3.png\" alt=\"Home \u0026gt; Not interested [in a video] \u0026gt; Tell us why\" width=\"740\" height=\"623\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Home \u0026gt; Not interested [in a video] \u0026gt; Tell us why\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce the user makes their choice, the response is that YouTube will “tune” their recommendations. The language is unclear and doesn’t explain the outcome — what does it mean to “tune” recommendations?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-6_hu_b0d4fb426cdb13e2.png\" alt=\"Home \u0026gt; Not interested [in a topic]\" width=\"740\" height=\"161\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Home \u0026gt; Not interested [in a topic]\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther confirmation messages are clear and offer more information, which shows YouTube can provide clarity when they want to. This box appears when the user selects ‘Don’t recommend channel’:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-7_hu_585e1471e0e47e51.png\" alt=\"Home \u0026gt; Don’t recommend channel\" width=\"740\" height=\"435\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Home \u0026gt; Don’t recommend channel\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the few places like these, where a user can express their opinion about a YouTube video, the language is unclear and the expected outcomes are unknown. Do these choices make a difference? What is the algorithm really learning? Can the user trust that they won’t see content similar to what they’ve stated they don’t want to see? It creates a confusing experience, and begs the question, are some of these designs intentionally deceptive?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"a-labyrinth-of-buttons\"\u003eA Labyrinth of Buttons\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn alternative path that a user might try is to review their Watch History or Search History — but when accessing the controls through these views, the paths become more convoluted. There are many pop-ups, each containing several links, and users must traverse multiple pages to find any guidance and documentation. Many of these pages are circular, leading us back to a page we’ve seen before, but not providing additional transparency or clarity to the user. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-8_hu_16718b8655bd6cd8.png\" alt=\"Mapping YouTube Watch History and Search History controls\" width=\"740\" height=\"254\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Mapping YouTube Watch History and Search History controls\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany pages and pop-ups contain the same content with few differences:  \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-9_hu_b4249a6d053d2c52.png\" alt=\"Pop-ups with similar content appear in different places\" width=\"740\" height=\"200\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Pop-ups with similar content appear in different places\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers follow a loop, without actually changing any settings. In this circular path, there are two pages with the name “YouTube History”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-10_hu_c31bf71d6b716d63.png\" alt=\"Going in circles with YouTube History\" width=\"740\" height=\"429\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Going in circles with YouTube History\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe controls for Watch History and Search History both contain links for “My Activity,” yet these links direct users to different pages. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-11_hu_6c9da322da592fc3.png\" alt=\"“My Activity” link goes to different pages\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ “My Activity” link goes to different pages\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the page for YouTube History, there are many paths to arrive at the same pop-up, and some links use different wording. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/dark-patterns-in-user-controls-12_hu_c55140730354866e.png\" alt=\"Many ways to get to “auto-delete option”\" width=\"740\" height=\"362\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e^ Many ways to get to “auto-delete option”\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe more steps and loops that users are asked to go through, the less likely that they will ever actually reach the final page. This labyrinth of buttons makes it clear that YouTube does not prioritize allowing users to control their experience through the Watch History and Search History, and appears to be designing these flows to dissuade users from these controls overall. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-for-user-agency-a-balance-with-policy\"\u003eDesigning for User Agency: A Balance with Policy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s unclear how often these controls are used, but we know that \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/research/library/youtube-regrets-findings/\"\u003eat least 37,380 users tried\u003c/a\u003e. So while YouTube’s mission might be to “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-mission/\"\u003egive everyone a voice,\u003c/a\u003e” they are systematically excluding their users from having a voice in what they want to see. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDark patterns are designs that give people the perception of choice, while actually prioritizing and coercing users into the business goals of the tools they’re using. Because the business model is to drive engagement at any cost, we know that these choices are intentional design choices — a business decision to ignore user agency and transparency, even when it comes to harmful and offensive content. Here we’ve focused on the individual experience, but these controls are even more challenging for parents attempting to protect their children. These tactics show the power imbalance between YouTube and their users — but don’t forget that like all user-generated content platforms, without users, YouTube has nothing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe consequences of a lack of control — and poorly designed controls — are that harmful content goes unchecked and users have bad experiences while feeling a false sense of security and trust. Interventions into the industry’s use of dark patterns is at the heart of \u003ca href=\"https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2021/global-drive-control-big-tech\"\u003emany policy conversations today,\u003c/a\u003e from GDPR in the EU and CCPA in California to the UK’s Online Harms bill and India’s Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code. In addition to regulations and policies that are currently in discussion, companies can improve this situation by prioritizing increasing user agency and transparency in these interfaces. As the people using these platforms, we can demand these changes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiving users control, freedom and transparency of how algorithms work may be in conflict with the business model for many platforms, like YouTube — though it doesn’t have to be. If platforms made it easier for users to find and “tune” recommendations, we would likely watch and engage more. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Kelsey Smith, Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.reset.tech/\"\u003eReset\u003c/a\u003e, in collaboration with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org\"\u003eMozilla Advocacy team\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Bringing the Offline Online: Reviewing the Developer Experience of Awala",
            "date_published": "2021-11-08T16:32:52-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-11-08T16:32:52-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/bringing-the-offline-online-reviewing-the-developer-experience-of-awala/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/bringing-the-offline-online-reviewing-the-developer-experience-of-awala/",
            "content_html": "\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAwala is a new computer network where compatible apps can use the internet when it’s available, and can switch to a secure offline network when it’s not. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, we conducted a UX assessment of Awala apps used by end users and couriers, reviewed the app developer experience and provided UX/UI recommendations to better support developers building apps on Awala.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHere, we dig into our developer experience review of Awala - which centered around trustworthy experiences, documentation, and suitable use cases. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInternet blackouts are disconcertingly common around the world. Whether due to government censorship, poverty, or geographic limitations, \u003ca href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/internet\"\u003ebillions of people\u003c/a\u003e around the globe do not have reliable access to the internet. As the modern economy and global communication channels exist more and more online, there is a growing divide among those with and without access to high-quality, stable internet. And in cases of government censorship, many cannot share their lived experiences with the broader world. But more infrastructure and better politics won’t solve the challenges alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAwala is a new computer network where compatible apps can use the internet when it’s available, and can switch to a secure offline network when it’s not. This network bridges the world wide web with regions where internet access is highly unreliable or unavailable altogether. Through the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, Awala reached out to Simply Secure to review their user interface for developers and find ways to improve support for developers who are looking to build apps for Awala. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurrently, as Awala is a new protocol, there are no public-facing apps that are compatible. Good news though - Awala \u003ca href=\"https://awala.network/blog/lowering-adoption-barrier\"\u003erecently started another contract from OTF\u003c/a\u003e. This new contract will support third-party app developers and users to onboard Awala - as well as to support the development of Letro, a new encrypted messaging app meant to work offline thanks to Awala.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow, we share a bit about our methodology and recommendations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-awala-and-how-does-it-work\"\u003eWhat is Awala and how does it Work?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGus Narea, founder and CEO of \u003ca href=\"https://relaycorp.tech/\"\u003eRelaycorp\u003c/a\u003e, created Awala (formerly Relaynet) to circumvent censorship by repressive governments. The \u003ca href=\"https://awala.network/about\"\u003evision\u003c/a\u003e of Awala is to “complement the Internet by providing all human beings with uncensored and timely communication anywhere in the universe – without impairing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/\"\u003efundamental rights\u003c/a\u003e of other human beings.” \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the internet is available, Awala-compatible apps connect like usual to send and receive information. When the internet isn’t available, these apps can send information to ‘\u003ca href=\"https://awala.network/couriers\"\u003ecouriers\u003c/a\u003e’ to give offline users the ability to communicate with a delay. Couriers are able to receive encrypted information, and transfer (relay) the information once they are connected to the internet. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAwala is designed in such a way that anyone can be a courier — all they need is the courier app and the ability to move from A to B to relay data. The threat model assumes that repressive regimes will manage to compromise or pass off as couriers. The data transported by couriers is end-to-end encrypted, and the routing metadata is obfuscated so that they can\u0026rsquo;t link it to an individual user or service (e.g., Twitter). \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAwala is also capable of detecting when data are lost in transit, and trigger subsequent delivery attempts until the data are eventually acknowledged by the final destination. That means that in the worst case scenario, a malicious courier will only manage to drop the data they collect for/from users. See \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXuLz3q_6bo\"\u003ethis helpful video\u003c/a\u003e for a more in-depth explanation of the courier relay process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/assets/bringing-the-offline-online-2.png\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"methodology\"\u003eMethodology \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe reviewed the developer experience of the Awala app to provide useful DX recommendations for developers looking to build Awala-compatible apps. Reviews of this type are very important when new protocols are looking to lower the barrier to adoption.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFirst, we completed a heuristic review of the Awala Desktop and Mobile applications by utilizing the \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/usable-security-audit/\"\u003e10 Heuristics for Responsible Interface Design\u003c/a\u003e with a focus on courier synchronization and configuration of the relay. The UX assessment made recommendations around error prevention, diagnosis, and recovery; efficiency and just-in-time information; and wayfinding and visibility - all key heuristics for enhancing usability with a focus on user privacy. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Since recruiting third-party app developers is a priority, we also performed an expert review to better understand why and how to build applications using the Awala protocol, and to recommend changes to improve developer usability of the app. Below we dig deeper into the developer experience review. We asked three core questions in our developer experience review, centering trust, documentation, and suitability. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"findings--recommendations\"\u003eFindings \u0026amp; Recommendations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"trust-how-can-awala-help-developers-create-a-trustworthy-experience\"\u003eTrust: How can Awala help developers create a trustworthy experience? \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTrust is about people first, tech second\u003c/strong\u003e: Providing context for the user is important. Users must understand both that they need to download Awala and that it needs to be offline.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCouriers are drivers of adoption\u003c/strong\u003e: Couriers are the main drivers of adoption and growth of Awala. Couriers will help users both onboard to Awala, and trust the Awala brand.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Recommendations\u003c/strong\u003e: Focus on couriers as the growth center \u0026ndash; make it easy for couriers to deploy  Awala-compatible applications. Think about how Awala can incentivize couriers, and how to increase visibility of the number of couriers active on the network, including location and frequency.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"documentation-how-can-awala-enable-and-clarify-customization-options\"\u003eDocumentation: How can Awala enable and clarify customization options? \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDocumentation requires a mental model\u003c/strong\u003e: Developers need to understand how Awala works on a basic level. For example, how can a developer take their existing simple HTTP server and turn it into an Awala app? \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLimiting new concepts\u003c/strong\u003e: Reduce and simplify the number of new terms and concepts that are needed for developers to get started using Awala. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Recommendation\u003c/strong\u003e:  Improve documentation for developers and keep things simple. Provide step-by-step instructions, especially with guidance on how developers can integrate Awala into an existing application.        \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"suitability-what-class-of-applications-are-good-use-cases-for-awala\"\u003eSuitability: What class of applications are good use cases for Awala? \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHybrid Applications\u003c/strong\u003e: Focusing the business model only on communities with access to the censored internet might limit Awala’s potential reach and user base. Consider some applications (such as video-based apps) that are challenging to use with slow internet. What are some hybrid applications, where Awala can be used for parts of the application that don’t work well with a poor internet connection?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/library/village-or-city/\"\u003eVillage or City\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e: Consider the types of interactions e among users of the app. Think of the village or city mode, where in a village people connect via close connections (texting, invite-only chat), and in the city where people are surrounded by strangers (posts are more likely to be public and anonymous by default). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Recommendations\u003c/strong\u003e: Consider growing Awala’s target user base to include those with bad or slow internet, not just those who experience internet blackouts. Provide different use cases to developers so they can imagine apps to be used in different scenarios. Encourage developers to think about the types of interactions their users might have.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"conclusion\"\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAwala is at an exciting stage of growth. At a time when billions of investment dollars are being poured into infrastructure solutions, Gus and the team are thinking about the gaps between the infrastructure, and the people who live in those spaces. Technologies like Awala bridge digital divides and provide opportunities for people to connect safely, even when traditional infrastructure and politics might block their access. And the team is looking to get more people involved in \u003ca href=\"https://awala.network/service-providers/\"\u003ebuilding the protocol\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe look forward to seeing how Awala continues to grow its developer and user communities, and follow the development of Letro. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Gus Narea, Rae McKelvey \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOTF Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "The Limits to Digital Consent",
            "date_published": "2021-10-25T08:18:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-10-25T08:18:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-limits-to-digital-consent-understanding-the-risks-of-ethical-consent-and-data-collection-for-underrepresented-communities/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/the-limits-to-digital-consent-understanding-the-risks-of-ethical-consent-and-data-collection-for-underrepresented-communities/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"understanding-the-risks-of-ethical-consent-and-data-collection-for-underrepresented-communities\"\u003eUnderstanding the Risks of Ethical Consent and Data Collection for Underrepresented Communities\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/limits-to-digital-consent-title-small_hu_5eada596e37bdcd7.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"537\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/The_Limits_to_Digital_Consent_FINAL_Oct2021.pdf\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eRead the full report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlthough considerable work has been completed by designers, activists, and aligned policymakers endeavoring to translate data governance policies into comprehensible means of obtaining consent, the question still remains: How well does this work account for the broader socio-technical power structures inherent in all people-centric data collection? \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/en/\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e, and with support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.reset.tech/\"\u003eReset\u003c/a\u003e, our team conducted a series of interviews with advocates for individuals and communities whose lives are often dramatically affected by data surveillance in effort to assess today’s ethical consent paradigms and determine whether they actually achieve the outcomes they seek.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur joint \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/The_Limits_to_Digital_Consent_FINAL_Oct2021.pdf\"\u003ereport\u003c/a\u003e reveals that ongoing attempts to incorporate informed consent into data-driven systems likely fall short of their stated goals due to a host of issues including an insufficient understanding of the power dynamics inherent to organizational politics, second- and third-order effects, network complexity at scale, and political accountability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObtaining informed consent is an essential goal for designers. But what is “informed consent” in the context of digital power imbalances and dark patterns designed to convince people to hand over their data unconsciously? Many platform designers and policymakers have begun to focus on transparency, ethics, and trust to work towards creating ethical digital consent systems to communicate their intent and obligation to users. Yet this type of communication and initial design framework is only the beginning. Whether seeking to deploy private analytics or develop research partnerships, the reality is data collection and analysis comes with an astonishingly high degree of ever-evolving risk. Given the complexity of the systems and tools involved, and an often undefined timeline of data stewardship, it is extremely difficult to account for and prevent \u003ca href=\"https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/30-on-weaponised-design/\"\u003eweaponised design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnowing this, Simply Secure partnered with the \u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/en/\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e to examine consent paradigms in complex data systems. Through a series of in-depth interviews with advocates for individuals and communities whose lives are often dramatically affected by data surveillance, we set out to determine the extent to which these systems build their desired outcomes. In particular, we wanted to know: Do they truly inform people of the impacts of data collection? And if so, how are changes — in the life of the system as well as the consenting person — accounted for? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"report-findings\"\u003eReport Findings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to critically assess whether digitally-facilitated consent actually represents a person’s informed understanding of the implication of that consent, we combined in-depth qualitative interviews with a review of the historical and current issues related to data collection. Our report, \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/The_Limits_to_Digital_Consent_FINAL_Oct2021.pdf\"\u003eThe Limits to Digital Consent: Understanding the risks of ethical consent and data collection for underrepresented communities\u003c/a\u003e, reveals that today’s attempts to cultivate informed consent into data-driven systems likely fall short of their stated goals due to a host of issues including insufficient understanding of the power dynamics inherent to organizational politics, network complexity at scale, political accountability, and the second- or third-order effects of different designs of local-first data strategies. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix key findings emerged from our analysis:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe consent model for tech is outdated.\u003c/strong\u003e Today’s digital consent frameworks are conceptually derived from institutional or academic ethics frameworks, yet digital platforms pose unique challenges that these frameworks are not equipped nor currently designed to address.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocal-first data storage is not inherently safer for people.\u003c/strong\u003e The common assumption that “local is better” does help mitigate issues related to data abuse or company control \u0026ndash; but fails to consider its implications beyond these immediate relationships and how assigning data ownership to an individual can amplify power discrepancies between the user and other non-associated parties. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData creation, including the potential for data creation, is silencing.\u003c/strong\u003e The accelerating rate and scope of data collection, combined with increasing community awareness and savvy surrounding the dangers posed by such datasets, produces a chilling effect on those who wish to speak up and self-advocate but hesitate to do so due to the associated added risk.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEveryone — not just members of underrepresented communities — is at risk.\u003c/strong\u003e Current data collection can \u0026ndash; and almost assuredly will \u0026ndash; be used to feed future technologies whose risks are impossible at present to understand, predict, or mitigate (and time and again, even well-intentioned or purportedly neutral datasets have produced disastrous impacts). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical platform designers must consider themselves as the potential bad actor.\u003c/strong\u003e While those who demand design justice and ethical platform development are well-intentioned in their pursuit of empowering people, the reality is many recent dangerous technological advances started out just as well-intentioned before resulting in systemic abuse or worse (and it is simply not possible for even the best-intentioned designer to accurately foresee changes in partnerships or leadership through which carelessness or ulterior motives may poison a platform’s original values).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeople are overwhelmed by both the potential for harm and the indifference of decision-makers.\u003c/strong\u003e Across the globe, communities and individuals are paralyzed by the scale and potential of harm, as well as the real or perceived institutional resistance (by both technology companies and legislators) to tackle consent-related problems.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"looking-forward\"\u003eLooking Forward\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData accumulation has great power over a person’s agency, their relationships, and the communities within which they operate \u0026ndash; and the associated harms reach almost every human being. Practitioners must therefore examine the systemic shortcomings of digital consent and commit to an ongoing iteration of consent and data governance within platforms. Platform designers and policymakers can no longer assume that collection is safe \u0026ndash; and they must work together to design data storage systems accordingly (including on-device local storage).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe designers should consider unexpected threat scenarios as part of their design process \u0026ndash; leveraging tools like \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/persona-non-grata\"\u003ePersonas Non Grata\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://andrewlb.com/writing/2021-05-16-covid-anxiety/\"\u003eAnxiety Games\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/user-experience-toolbox-for-risk-mitigation-and-accessibility\"\u003eUsable Security Audits\u003c/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/data-handling\"\u003edata risk analysis\u003c/a\u003e. Doing so allows practitioners to look at the whole socio-technical system and take on a broader understanding of the risks of data accumulation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/resources/The_Limits_to_Digital_Consent_FINAL_Oct2021.pdf\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eRead the full report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Leads: Cade Diehm (\u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/en/\"\u003eThe New Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e), Kelsey Smith, Ame Elliott, Georgia Bullen\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.reset.tech/\"\u003eReset\u003c/a\u003e, an initiative engaged in programmatic work on technology and democracy. Reset seeks to change the way the internet enables the spread of news and information so that it serves the public good over corporate and political interests \u0026ndash; ensuring tech companies once again work for democracy rather than against it.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Using Design to Overcome Structural Inequities in Peer Review",
            "date_published": "2021-10-19T13:14:48-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-10-19T13:14:48-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/using-design-to-overcome-structural-inequities-in-peer-review/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/using-design-to-overcome-structural-inequities-in-peer-review/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/using-design-to-overcome-structural-inequities-in-peer-review-img-3_hu_c34678334ffae035.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"178\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn today’s academic circles, the peer review process is largely conducted behind closed doors by institutional gatekeepers, resulting in an opaque decision-making process that consistently disadvantages researchers from historically marginalized populations and under-resourced institutions. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe’ve been working with \u003ca href=\"https://www.prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e since 2019 to invert this power imbalance by helping to build a new open source platform that supports a more inclusive, community-oriented form of peer review based on equity, openness, and collaboration.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur design work on the ongoing project addressed key systemic problems embedded in the peer review process, including an overreliance on antiquated concepts of prestige, a general inaccessibility for new reviewers, and an unnecessarily high degree of risk for certain scholars who may find themselves the target of harassment in the form of aggressive and harmful feedback. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: This post is adapted from a \u003ca href=\"https://elifesciences.org/labs/3b77d421/prereview-applying-an-equity-lens-to-tool-design-and-implementation\"\u003eblog post\u003c/a\u003e published on eLife Labs by Georgia Bullen (Simply Secure), Daniela Saderi (PREreview), and Katie Wilson (Simply Secure). This is the second post detailing our collaboration with PREreview. For a more general overview on this project, and the power imbalances embedded in academic publishing, click \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/inverting-power-imbalances-in-the-peer-review-process-with-prereview/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChange \u0026ndash; particularly in the digital realm \u0026ndash; must be actioned through design. In working with \u003ca href=\"https://www.prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e to overcome structural inequities in peer review, our team sought to support PREreview’s mission to invert inequitable power imbalances by helping to build a new open source platform that supports a more inclusive, community-oriented form of peer review. Our goal in doing so was to shape a platform that could serve as both a tool on which preprint evaluation work could be performed as well as a space through which community convening could be fostered. Along the way, we identified three primary challenges embedded in the peer review process: (1) an overreliance on antiquated concepts of prestige, (2) a general inaccessibility for new reviewers, and (3) an unnecessarily high degree of risk for certain scholars who may find themselves the target of aggressive and harmful feedback. Below, we detail the design solutions developed with the PREreview team and employed to mitigate these issues and help shape a more equitable way of evaluating scholarly work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"overcoming-prestige-as-a-proxy-for-reviewer-worthiness\"\u003eOvercoming prestige as a proxy for reviewer worthiness\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn academia today, traditional publication gatekeepers are disproportionately male and from the United States or Europe. Their affiliated institutions are also almost always well-connected and well-funded. As a result, reviewer “worthiness” is often deemed to be dependent on antiquated concepts of prestige like name recognition, personal connections, and institutional affiliation. But these proxies do not always correlate with true reviewer contribution, ability, or trustworthiness \u0026ndash; which means that many reviewers are excluded from the peer review process despite the fact that they are in fact qualified to participate (and their participation would greatly enhance diversity and inclusion in academia). It also means that certain reviewers may be viewed as integral to the review and publishing process \u0026ndash; despite the fact that their actual contributions may amount to nothing more than a de facto stamp of prestige approval.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nTo help address this problem, we used design to actively highlight individuals on the PREreview platform based on their contributions to the preprint review process, rather than focusing on their status or stage in career. User profiles emphasize participation elements such as badges a PREreviewer received in recognition of their feedback on a project as well as the communities the PREreviewer belongs to on the platform. [See user profile persona in Figma, below.] Notably, career level and institutional affiliation are not removed, but instead de-emphasized in the profile itself and cannot be used as a way to filter reviews. Though these changes might seem subtle, they enable PREreview to underscore the humanity of each reviewer and ensure that they are recognized and valued for their actual contributions to the advancement of knowledge and community on the platform.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/using-design-to-overcome-structural-inequities-in-peer-review-img-2_hu_9d3ca7b43ff942a.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"639\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"increasing-accessibility-in-the-peer-review-process\"\u003eIncreasing accessibility in the peer review process\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a result of the systemic inequities in academia, the majority of research submitted for peer review never makes it before a diverse pool of reviewers who would be able to better contextualize it and implement a more comprehensive evaluation of the submitted work’s merits. More researchers from underrepresented groups and regions must be included in the peer review and publication process \u0026ndash; yet such change is unlikely to materialize within the existing system which remains inaccessible to many individuals and communities, and particularly early-career researchers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response to these challenges, we designed to help increase accessibility in several different ways: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFirst, login and signup for PREreview was set up to be completed through the \u003ca href=\"https://info.orcid.org/documentation/features/public-api/\"\u003eORCID Public API\u003c/a\u003e, which helps to contribute to a future in which all researchers and scholars are uniquely identified and connected to their contributions and work. Looking forward, a potential goal is to also allow PREreviewers to have their preprint reviews listed on their public ORCID profile as a means to further enhance recognition for their contributions. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSecond, in an effort to mitigate the impacts of the general lack of formal peer review training, text-based template guidelines were created as a way to simplify how to write a review and empower early-career researchers who may just be getting started in preprint review. These templates can also be customized by \u003ca href=\"https://content.prereview.org/introducing-prereview-communities/\"\u003ecommunity managers\u003c/a\u003e to address their own specific needs. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThird, a system for rapid PREreviews was created to enable swift, structured feedback on preprints. The idea developed out of a partnership between PREreview and \u003ca href=\"https://outbreakscience.org\"\u003eOutbreak Science\u003c/a\u003e, focused around community needs during outbreaks, but turned out to be of interest and useful to the broader community. Rapid PREreviews allow easy access to provide standardized feedback and contribute to the review process (while also serving as a helpful barometer of a preprint’s credibility and value within a given community). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFourth, the PREreview platform was structured so that users and people on other sites can request PREreview feedback directly on the platform or through the platform’s \u003ca href=\"https://content.prereview.org/api/\"\u003eAPI\u003c/a\u003e. Together, these and other related design elements serve to lower the barriers to entry in the peer review process which have historically worked to exclude researchers from underrepresented populations and under-resourced institutions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"protecting-reviewers-from-unnecessarily-harmful-feedback\"\u003eProtecting reviewers from unnecessarily harmful feedback\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout our research, we heard that for some researchers \u0026ndash; and particularly those from underrepresented groups \u0026ndash; the peer review process can involve unnecessarily harmful and antagonistic feedback. This type of hostile treatment can be silencing and perpetuate cycles of exclusion and inequality in academia. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response, we sought to ensure we were designing a platform that would protect all of our users while fostering a safe space for feedback and community convening. To achieve this, we worked with the PREreview team on ways to integrate the \u003ca href=\"https://content.prereview.org/coc\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/a\u003e into the user experience to support the values through the UX, rather than be something that users would agree to once and then forget. Additionally, a reporting feature was also built into the platform, enabling users to flag inappropriate PREreviews for follow up by community moderators and PREreview administrators. Finally, understanding that members of the communities we are seeking to serve can also be the targets of unethical retribution in response to a critical review, we worked with the team to design a pseudonymous profile option that supports users to protect themselves while still adhering to all Code of Conduct requirements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Georgia Bullen, Katie Wilson, Carissa Yao, Lorraine Chen, Eileen Wagner\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWith support from PREreview, this work was funded by \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/grant-detail/8729\"\u003eThe Alfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://wellcome.org/\"\u003eThe Wellcome Trust\u003c/a\u003e, and the \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/\"\u003eMozilla Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Inverting Power Imbalances in the Peer Review Process with PREreview",
            "date_published": "2021-10-18T14:35:33-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-10-18T14:35:33-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/inverting-power-imbalances-in-the-peer-review-process-with-prereview/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/inverting-power-imbalances-in-the-peer-review-process-with-prereview/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/prereview-post-one.svg\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn today’s academic circles, the peer review process is largely conducted behind closed doors by institutional gatekeepers, resulting in an opaque decision-making process that consistently disadvantages researchers from historically marginalized populations and under-resourced institutions. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe’ve been working with \u003ca href=\"https://www.prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e since 2019 to invert this power imbalance by helping to build a new open source platform that supports a more inclusive, community-oriented form of peer review based on equity, openness, and collaboration.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur work on the ongoing project and its equity-based goals served as a strong parallel to our own organizational efforts to shift power imbalances by cultivating community convening, building capacity, and using design to change who technology serves.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: a separate post detailing specific design challenges and solutions from our PREreview collaboration is available \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/using-design-to-overcome-structural-inequities-in-peer-review/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSystems of power often work to entrench the status quo in order to maintain the position of those at the top at the expense of everyone else. In the digital world, we see this through Big Tech’s utilization of \u003ca href=\"https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2020/02/slouching-towards-dystopia-rise-surveillance-capitalism-and-death-privacy\"\u003esurveillance capitalism\u003c/a\u003e, creation of \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/popping-the-filter-bubble-design-practices-for-data-donation\"\u003efilter bubbles\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/mydata\"\u003egeneral negation\u003c/a\u003e of informed user consent. Yet such systems of power are commonplace across virtually all sectors and areas of work \u0026ndash; including academia, where the dissemination of knowledge is centered on a publication model that prioritizes profit over openness and knowledge sharing. The peer review process today is largely conducted behind closed doors by institutional gatekeepers, resulting in an opaque decision-making process that consistently disadvantages researchers from historically marginalized groups and under-resourced institutions. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an effort to change that, we\u0026rsquo;ve been working for the past two years with the incredible team at \u003ca href=\"https://www.prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e to help build a new open source platform that supports a more inclusive, community-oriented form of preprint peer review based on equity, openness, and collaboration. PREreview’s efforts focus on bridging \u003ca href=\"https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/\"\u003eworking open\u003c/a\u003e practices with \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preprint\"\u003epreprints\u003c/a\u003e \u0026ndash; complete versions of research manuscripts that are shared openly online prior to journal-organized peer review. By building these open practices with the community, PREreview aims to increase diversity and support all researchers to build skills around constructive peer review and participate in the peer review processes. With the project continuing to gain traction across a growing community of global researchers, we’re excited to share an overview of our collaboration to date.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"prereview-power-imbalances-and-the-essential-role-of-equity-in-tool-design\"\u003ePREreview, power imbalances, and the essential role of equity in tool design\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues abound within academia today, where traditional publication gatekeepers are disproportionately male and from the United States or Europe, and whose affiliated institutions are almost always well-connected and well-funded. As a result of these systemic inequities, research is usually reviewed within networks \u0026ndash; reinforcing biases around which institutions and which researchers get to advance knowledge. To begin addressing this problem, more researchers from underrepresented groups and regions must be included in the peer review and publication process. Yet with the status quo as is, few opportunities exist for this type of change to be implemented within the existing system and technical submission processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response, \u003ca href=\"https://www.prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e was founded in 2017 with the goal of building a new, more open and equitable way of evaluating scholarly work. In the organization’s \u003ca href=\"https://content.prereview.org/mission/\"\u003eown words\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePREreview gives systematically disadvantaged scientists better ways to find a voice, train, and engage in peer review. Our work is a direct response to the flawed way scientific research is evaluated. Behind closed doors, a handful of unpaid reviewers—selected opaquely and mainly through personal connections—use subjective criteria to decide the fate of a research article. This arcane process is slow and disadvantages researchers from historically underrepresented groups. PREreview closes obvious gaps in the process to make research and how it\u0026rsquo;s evaluated more equitable. We train researchers in giving and receiving feedback, we engage communities of underrepresented researchers, and we implement measures to reflect on personal bias.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePREreview identified preprints \u0026ndash; which are complete versions of scientific manuscripts made freely available online prior to journal-organized peer review \u0026ndash; as a way to separate the dissemination and evaluation of knowledge from the current inequitable system of traditional publication. By creating an open community in which preprints are valued as a source of information that can benefit from a community-oriented and transparent forms of peer review, PREreview is helping to make academia more inclusive and equitable \u0026ndash; while also contributing to speeding the rate of scientific progress around the world. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"changing-academia-by-changing-who-technology-serves\"\u003eChanging academia by changing who technology serves\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the past two years, we’ve been collaborating with the PREreview team to help implement their vision of a more equitable and open research and publication process. At the core of this effort was finding a way to build an open source platform that could serve as not only a tool on which the preprint evaluation work could be performed, but also a space through which community could be fostered. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA review of the systems in place revealed that the inequities present across academia were also embedded in the design of the tools and technology used to prop up the processes of peer review and knowledge dissemination. Our emphasis on shifting power and increasing publishing accessibility therefore required any work we performed to be done with an equity lens in place. In designing the open source platform, we needed to ensure we centered the populations who were being systematically excluded from the traditional publishing process. We needed, in short, to listen to them and prioritize their needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur team did so by conducting user interviews and testing platform applications, while also supporting the project with product strategy through thought partnership. What are we building? Why are we building it? Who is it serving? These types of questions were emphasized throughout our workshops, coaching, and technology design to ensure that the UI and UX design never lost sight of the researchers who have, until now, been overlooked and excluded in such processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUltimately, we found our work on the ongoing project and its equity-based goals served as a strong parallel to our own organizational efforts to shift power imbalances in the digital sphere by cultivating community convening, building capacity, and using design to change who technology serves. We’re excited to see what happens next.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePREreview Co-founder and Director Daniela Saderi said:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure has been instrumental not only in centering our values into the design of our preprint review platform, but also in showing us how to best listen to the needs of our communities and work together to shape a more equitable future of scholarly evaluation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead more about our PREreview-specific design support and solutions \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/using-design-to-overcome-structural-inequities-in-peer-review/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Contributors: Georgia Bullen, Katie Wilson, Carissa Yao, Lorraine Chen, Eileen Wagner\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from PREreview, this work was funded by \u003ca href=\"https://sloan.org/grant-detail/8729\"\u003eThe Alfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://wellcome.org/\"\u003eThe Wellcome Trust\u003c/a\u003e, and the \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/\"\u003eMozilla Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Reflections on the Mozilla Fellowships and Awards Impact Evaluation: Lessons for the Ecosystem",
            "date_published": "2021-10-06T12:52:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-10-06T12:52:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/reflections-on-the-mozilla-fellowships-and-awards-impact-evaluation-lessons-for-the-ecosystem/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/reflections-on-the-mozilla-fellowships-and-awards-impact-evaluation-lessons-for-the-ecosystem/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/reflections-on-the-mozilla-fellowships-and-awards-impact-evaluation-image-2_hu_2ed8065d22506b4d.png\" alt=\"Mozilla Fellows and Awards Program Timeline\" width=\"740\" height=\"568\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"why-a-5-year-impact-evaluation\"\u003eWhy a 5-Year Impact Evaluation? \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe public interest technology space has seen an increase in Fellowship programs over the past five years, all focused on helping the public and civil society sectors better understand the impacts of technology on society, and build policies that put people first \u0026ndash; in 2015, \u003ca href=\"https://www.techcongress.io/about-us\"\u003eTechCongress\u003c/a\u003e launched to place technologists in the halls of Congress as advisors to policy makers; in 2016 the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fordfoundation.org/just-matters/just-matters/posts/technologists-for-social-justice-why-ford-is-hiring-more-tech-fellows/\"\u003eFord Foundation\u003c/a\u003e started embedding technologists into their grant-making teams; and in 2017 the \u003ca href=\"https://mediademocracyfund.org/public-interest-technology-fellowships\"\u003eMedia Democracy Fund\u003c/a\u003e paired graduate or PhD students with a tech background and DC-based public interest technology policy organizations. We’ve even piloted a few fellows models ourselves with our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/fellowship/\"\u003eSecure Usable Design Fellows\u003c/a\u003e and our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-2019-recap/\"\u003eUnderexposed Residency\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/\"\u003eMozilla Fellowships and Awards\u003c/a\u003e program has been a leader in the tech and civil society sector since their first fellowships in 2014. We have partnered with Mozilla before, on projects such as \u003ca href=\"https://rally.mozilla.org/\"\u003eMozilla Rally\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/research/library/youtube-regrets-findings/\"\u003eYouTube Regrets\u003c/a\u003e, and our Executive Director, Georgia Bullen, was a mentor to a 2016 Mozilla Fellow during her Open Technology Institute days. We know how important this program is to the space, and jumped at the chance to support them in reflecting on and maturing their funding arm. Partnering with funders to leverage human-centered design research practices to better understand socio-technical ecosystems is critical work to help further the internet health field. Previously, we’ve worked with funders like Luminate on the \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003e‘On Trust and Transparency’\u003c/a\u003e report, published in 2019, and various projects for the Open Technology Fund.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe evaluation provides an opportunity for the Mozilla Foundation to reflect on what works and what doesn’t in their own programs – and, in the spirit of openness and transparency, it poses useful learnings for the wider digital nonprofit funding ecosystem and internet freedom community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"methodology\"\u003eMethodology\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur team, using human-centered design research methodology, conducted three surveys and held 47 interviews with program alumni, current fellows and awardees, funders, Mozilla Foundation and Corporation staff, and other key stakeholders. We hosted and participated in several workshops with staff and community members, designed to engage iteratively with early findings and challenges. Building on the foundation of internal Mozilla documentation and data, we qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed all of the data into the final evaluation – outlining five years of the programs’ impacts, strengths, and challenges. We also partnered with our friends at \u003ca href=\"https://objectively.is/\"\u003eObjectively\u003c/a\u003e to create engaging visualizations of program data. (See the Evaluation \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/research/fellowships-awards-evaluation/executive-summary/\"\u003eExecutive Summary\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/research/fellowships-awards-evaluation/impact-narrative-1/\"\u003eImpact Narrative\u003c/a\u003e sections for their great work.) The evaluation is supported by a program origin story, an impact narrative, and an interview with Mozilla Foundation management, written by Ayana Byrd and Kenrya Rankin. You can find the full evaluation both on Mozilla’s \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/research/fellowships-awards-evaluation/\"\u003esite\u003c/a\u003e and in \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/documents/227/Final_Mozilla_FA_Evaluation.pdf\"\u003ePDF\u003c/a\u003e form.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/reflections-on-the-mozilla-fellowships-and-awards-impact-evaluation-image-1_hu_bd10787992410e2a.png\" alt=\"static image of interative F\u0026amp;A programs sankey\" width=\"740\" height=\"404\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"reflections-for-the-ecosystem\"\u003eReflections for the Ecosystem\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out the full evaluation for Insights and Findings around \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/research/fellowships-awards-evaluation/insights-findings-1/\"\u003e9 key themes\u003c/a\u003e - ranging from External Perceptions to Program Structure to DEI – as well as \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/research/fellowships-awards-evaluation/key-opportunities/\"\u003e12 concluding opportunities\u003c/a\u003e for the Mozilla Foundation, many of which might be useful for the wider digital rights and internet freedom funding landscape. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following ecosystem findings were echoed across the interviews and survey results. We identified these themes across our conversations with F\u0026amp;A program alumni, recipients, and staff, as well additional funders and broader community stakeholders. We collected these here as a summary of some reflections the report offers the public interest technology funding ecosystem at large. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-funding-mechanisms--as-exemplified-by-the-success-and-growth-of-mozillas-fellowships-and-awards--are-essential-within-the-digital-rights-ecosystem\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. Funding mechanisms – as exemplified by the success and growth of Mozilla’s Fellowships and Awards – are essential within the digital rights ecosystem.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn the case of Mozilla, “the impacts of the fellowship program have rippled throughout the internet health movement and ecosystem through narrative shifts and knowledge production.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Mozilla F\u0026amp;A programs are career catalysts for many technologists looking for an entrance into civil society, and for those in civil society looking to expand into digital rights.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFunding like this opens opportunities for individuals and organizations outside of the for-profit “Big Tech” industry which dominates much of the space.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCohorts in fellows and awards create community camaraderie that lasts long beyond the funding period, creating lasting networks in the space. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStill, there are few follow-on funding opportunities to support the experts who come out of these programs. For-profit companies pay and recruit more than civil society. There is a need to grow the nonprofit sector and prioritize funding so that experts continue working for the public interest  – such as advocacy, open source, and digital equity work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-measuring-impact-is-hard\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. Measuring impact is hard.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvery funder struggles to define impact – it’s the nature of the work. It is especially challenging in sectors that are relatively new with significant adversaries – such as the internet freedom community. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat we can measure are individual stories and narrative shifts. This can be achieved through mapping and networking models, but these strategies must be built-in from the onset of the funding process. This means investing in responsible data collection, but also human connections – equitable opportunities to convene, share work, and network with each other.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn the report, we propose that Mozilla “leverage the relationships it has built over the last five+ years of programming to develop a network-based model of impact measurement for the ecosystem.” This would not only benefit Mozilla’s modeling and understanding of its impact, but strengthen the growing field of practice with data and open processes. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMozilla is exemplifying impact-in-action by publishing the evaluation on a new Learning hub found on their site. Working on change in the open – as an iterative process –- allows everyone to learn and build together. This is a process-oriented approach to impact versus a traditional outcomes-approach - which is a powerful opportunity to build on the evaluation itself.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOther impact outputs could include: “an in-depth maintained public-facing project database, public speaking and writing about the program design and outputs, funder advocacy around the program design strategies and what they should learn from them, and a “ripple map” that tracks the programs’ influence on individuals and the network” in a consentful and privacy conscious way.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-community-is-at-the-core\"\u003e3. Community is at the core.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne of the chief findings in the evaluation is the importance of community for personal and professional growth. Fellows and awardees widely felt that the cohort experience, opportunities to attend and present at convenings such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/\"\u003eMozilla Festival (MozFest)\u003c/a\u003e, networking, and supportive relationships with the Mozilla staff were among the most significant benefits of their time as funding recipients.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn the other hand, this is also something that can be better fostered through the conscious stewardship and building of a network. We proposed that Mozilla “invest in developing, maintaining and supporting a network, inclusive of alumni and key partners/stakeholders, to help fuel the movement and support past participants.” Mozilla has already made big strides in this direction – resourcing new staff to build an alumni network as well as other community and movement building measures. (Check out their \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/reflecting-on-the-past-building-for-the-future-mozilla-fellowships-and-awards-impact-evaluation/\"\u003eblog post here\u003c/a\u003e for more info!)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunity networks are spaces for knowledge and resource sharing, which will further strengthen the impact of investments and build this field of practice. “Where previously the idea of an alumni network has had a specific focus on fellows, there is an opportunity for the network to be a broad group of stakeholders who can help inform programs, strategy, and overall priorities and give insights on the space as a whole … Mozilla can leverage all of these partnerships to run a more sustainably engaged, global program. This means the network can be more than just a place to share events and job opportunities, but can be the grounding framework for the movement as a whole.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunders looking to support public interest technology might find useful roadmaps in this in-depth evaluation of Mozilla Fellowships and Awards programs. Funding experts and promoting knowledge sharing community-wide, rather than simply uplifting individual profiles, expands and strengthens the movement at large. Investing in networks means more supported expertise in this sector – toward the goal building more compelling and sustainable avenues beyond Big Tech. The work isn’t just about the outputs we produce, but the communities and ecosystems and resources that we build. Reflections like this evaluation help the broader community design programs and impact measurement tools that support us all.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Building a Toolkit for Funders to Grow their Digital Infrastructure Portfolio",
            "date_published": "2021-09-16T11:58:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-09-16T11:58:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/building-a-toolkit-for-funders-to-grow-their-digital-infrastructure-portfolio/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/building-a-toolkit-for-funders-to-grow-their-digital-infrastructure-portfolio/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog-04_hu_c35073cc82520967.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"461\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDespite a pressing need for committed and sustained support, the foundational digital infrastructure that underpins much of the world’s software is currently maintained by small and underpaid (or volunteer-based) teams.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs part of the \u003ca href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/03/1-3m-in-grants-go-towards-making-the-webs-open-source-infrastructure-more-equitable/?guccounter=1\u0026amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8\u0026amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL_ADa0sd-pBleFIWF-e34wGWBTdnWu1RfgM-HBkgTHbcGwAlgTCAmUuZoxRlos7Um-EvTdZdbppMOFIs4rnSsw7wIDffQ8frzCVCQoIE_nnKK_YXHb_0lDfkm9WEdBhTqWidSWoXTapRx0ZdLYcHtATo9_Hsl4paYRoFMi9kNgr\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure Grant\u003c/a\u003e, our team is partnering with \u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/\"\u003eSuperrr Lab\u003c/a\u003e and nine regional partners to design and create the Digital Infrastructure Funders Toolkit \u0026ndash; a global resource to help funders understand the importance of digital infrastructure support and make more impactful funding decisions in the space. Toolkit will be available in 2022.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe ongoing project builds upon our prior partnership with Superrr Lab, \u003ca href=\"https://recommendations.implicit-development.org/\"\u003eRoadwork Ahead\u003c/a\u003e, which produced key insights and recommendations for funders and potential funders in the digital infrastructure community.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like physical roads and bridges, the digital infrastructure that we all rely on can \u0026ndash; and will \u0026ndash; crumble without committed and sustained support. In 2014 the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartbleed\"\u003eHeartbleed vulnerability\u003c/a\u003e brought this stark reality into focus for millions of people across the globe. Yet still today, the teams that build and maintain the foundational free and open-source software (FOSS) that underpins much of our online world remain small and underpaid (and are often volunteer-based). Fortunately, several civil society funders are now working to change that \u0026ndash; led by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fordfoundation.org/campaigns/critical-digital-infrastructure-research/\"\u003eFord Foundation and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003c/a\u003e who came together in 2018 to “build toward a more diverse and well-funded ecosystem for critical digital infrastructure.” As part of that effort, Simply Secure partnered with \u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/\"\u003eSuperrr Lab\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"https://recommendations.implicit-development.org/\"\u003eRoadwork Ahead\u003c/a\u003e, an investigation into the needs of FOSS communities working on digital infrastructure in the public interest. The resulting June 2020 \u003ca href=\"https://recommendations.implicit-development.org/assets/IDE_REPORT_2020.pdf\"\u003ereport\u003c/a\u003e shared 10 key insights and 30 recommendations for funders operating or seeking to operate in this space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, a coalition of funders is putting $1.3 million toward the \u003ca href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/03/1-3m-in-grants-go-towards-making-the-webs-open-source-infrastructure-more-equitable/?guccounter=1\u0026amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8\u0026amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL_ADa0sd-pBleFIWF-e34wGWBTdnWu1RfgM-HBkgTHbcGwAlgTCAmUuZoxRlos7Um-EvTdZdbppMOFIs4rnSsw7wIDffQ8frzCVCQoIE_nnKK_YXHb_0lDfkm9WEdBhTqWidSWoXTapRx0ZdLYcHtATo9_Hsl4paYRoFMi9kNgr\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure Grant\u003c/a\u003e, and we are once again partnering with Superrr Lab \u0026ndash; this time to make the Roadwork Ahead \u003ca href=\"https://recommendations.implicit-development.org/recommendations/\"\u003erecommendations\u003c/a\u003e actionable via the design and creation of a Digital Infrastructure Funders Toolkit, to be published in Q1 2022.  Below, we share our approach to the ongoing project, including identifying funder personas, creating an inclusive geographic scope, and maximizing meaningful funder engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"identifying-funder-personas\"\u003eIdentifying funder personas\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur primary audience for the Toolkit is funders who are interested in supporting digital infrastructure but who are not currently operating or well-connected in the specific space. The Toolkit’s resources can help provide critical guidance and support to help these funders enter this unique \u0026ndash; and essential \u0026ndash; community of practice. Our secondary audience is funders who are currently supporting digital infrastructure that would like to improve and streamline their model, process, or approach (including, but not limited to, the funders supporting the Toolkit effort).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese two target audiences can be categorized into four different personas to help identify their specific needs:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Tech Enthusiast\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Innovative Philanthropist\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Compassionate Change-maker \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Social Advocate \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-tech-enthusiast\"\u003eTHE TECH ENTHUSIAST\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/picture-2_hu_fc892dab158e89c1.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"223\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eType of funding organization: Funders with a digital profile but limited experience in funding digital infrastructure. They have strong technical expertise and usually tend to see technology as a key catalyst to almost every problem-solving formula.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunding needs: A mechanism and/or framework for funding digital infrastructure that works across the globe. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-innovative-philanthropist\"\u003eTHE INNOVATIVE PHILANTHROPIST\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/picture-3_hu_56c9aee814d5bc95.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"200\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eType of funding organization: Funders from non-tech sectors who are interested in funding technology and digital infrastructure as aligned with their mission. They have little to no prior experience in funding technology, and very little technical expertise. They employ a systemic approach to funding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunding needs: A way to apply their funding knowledge to the digital infrastructure space. They would benefit from a beginner-friendly entrance to the technology funding world, a framework to fund digital infrastructure, and a connection to the FOSS community. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-compassionate-change-maker\"\u003eTHE COMPASSIONATE CHANGE-MAKER \u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/picture-4_hu_12eff2a92b63dc63.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"253\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eType of funding organization: Established funders of technology and digital infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey have strong technical expertise and a funding approach that is often grounded in the community’s needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunding needs: A streamlined mechanism and framework for funding digital infrastructure so that they can support a wider range of projects. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-social-advocate\"\u003eTHE SOCIAL ADVOCATE\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/picture-5_hu_8ebccebc8c0513cd.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"226\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eType of funding organization: Funders who have technology and digital infrastructure as part of their programs but aren’t necessarily well-connected with the FOSS community. They often advocate for positive social changes that can be enabled by technology, but don’t focus on the open source community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunding needs: A way of communicating with the community in order to establish a suitable funding mechanism. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-a-toolkit-for-current-and-potential-funders-of-digital-infrastructure\"\u003eDesigning a Toolkit for current and potential funders of digital infrastructure\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe basic approach of the Digital Infrastructure Funders Toolkit is rooted in a human-centered design (HCD) process that generates actionable insights based on research and active experimentation. Through interviews, focus groups, and testing, the Toolkit will be iteratively designed and implemented. This HCD approach allows us to engage funders, applicants, and advisors, and improve the relationship between these stakeholders that shape the health of the ecosystem as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunders that offer better funding models and center the people that are supporting the infrastructure will make better funding decisions. When implemented, the types of changes proposed in the Toolkit will significantly impact the sustainability of open source and foundational software, keep standards and protocols interoperable and up-to-date, and create a more resilient and secure digital infrastructure. Through our Toolkit, it is our hope that more funders will realize the relevance of digital infrastructure to their cause and express their interest in funding this area. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"creating-an-inclusive-geographic-scope\"\u003eCreating an inclusive geographic scope\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn building out a global resource like the Toolkit, it’s important to acknowledge that regions, languages, and governments articulate and understand “infrastructure” in very different ways. That’s why we’re incorporating a regional team of non-US/non-EU researchers to help ensure we capture and share these nuances, and offer a more global understanding of the needs, wants, and opportunities in service to this work. We’ve partnered with nine individuals and organizations connected with their local funders to help us build localized tools and translate the Toolkits. Our partners are reaching out to funders in cities, countries, and regions with both nascent and developed digital rights and FOSS communities. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"engaging-with-funders-show-not-tell\"\u003eEngaging with Funders: Show not Tell \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo help funders connect digital infrastructure with their mission-critical social issues, we’re creating a set of narratives that show how digital infrastructure is core to issues like environmental sustainability, healthy democracies, and freedom of speech. These story-based narratives will help convey the relevance of digital infrastructure in a way that is easy for non-technical audiences to understand, while also sharing pictures and illustrations for social media and online content.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough our testing and outreach, funding partners will be able to develop a robust understanding of digital infrastructure, and create or iterate on their own framework for funding. The structured guidance and support we will create through the Toolkit will allow funders to work with grantees to develop an effective funding model that works for all parties. This will especially benefit funders that are new to supporting infrastructure projects, which in turn can lower barriers to entry and lead to more funding opportunities for this sector.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegional Partners, including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superrr.net/\"\u003eSuperrr Lab\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://2ic-lab.wowperations.com.br/\"\u003e2iC Lab\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"http://linkedin.com/in/celsobessa/\"\u003eCelso Bessa\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/bibiana-alarcon-58840232/\"\u003eBibiana Alarcón\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-prada-ardila-researcher/\"\u003eDaniela Prada\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-carlos-roa-bogota-34aa6319/\"\u003eJuan Roa\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillapulse.org/profile/4179\"\u003eAmarela\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelledbarker/\"\u003eMichelle Barker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mbunzama\"\u003eNarcisse Mbunzama Lokwa\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://theiofoundation.org/\"\u003eThe IO Foundation\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfqueralt/\"\u003eJean F. Queralt\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/raashi-saxena-18a90684\"\u003eRaashi Saxena\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://linkedin.com/in/maryamlee\"\u003eMaryam Lee\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://ke.linkedin.com/in/wainainamungai\"\u003eWainaina Mungai\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith support from \u003ca href=\"https://blog.opencollective.com/di-grants/\"\u003ethe funders of the Digital Infrastructure Fund\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "From Paper to Infinity Whiteboard",
            "date_published": "2021-09-08T12:40:47-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-09-08T12:40:47-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/from-paper-to-infinity-whiteboard-inspiring-creativity-and-digital-collaboration-in-online-design-workshops/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/from-paper-to-infinity-whiteboard-inspiring-creativity-and-digital-collaboration-in-online-design-workshops/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"inspiring-creativity-and-digital-collaboration-in-online-design-workshops\"\u003eInspiring Creativity and Digital Collaboration in Online Design Workshops\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor this past year’s virtual \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/\"\u003eMozilla Festival\u003c/a\u003e, we designed and ran “\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/mozfest-2021-will-we-see-you-there\"\u003eExplain Decentralization To Me\u003c/a\u003e” — a zine-making workshop structured to meet the needs of a global audience while still preserving the in-person experience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur work in selecting an infinity whiteboard platform and designing the event focused on maximizing user accessibility and maintaining the zine community’s creative, do-it-yourself spirit in an online workshop environment.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen designing your own digital workshop, always anticipate and center the needs of your audience, account for various skill levels, prepare test runs, incorporate feedback in advance, and be flexible during the event itself. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith design workshops moving increasingly online, it’s important for designers to familiarize themselves with new tools, approaches, and ways of thinking. When doing so, a common concern tends to arise: How can an online workshop be designed for a global audience while still preserving the value of an in-person experience? In preparing for this past year’s virtual edition of \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/\"\u003eMozilla Festival\u003c/a\u003e, our team met this challenge head on in designing a zine-making workshop for the festival called “\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/mozfest-2021-will-we-see-you-there\"\u003eExplain Decentralization To Me\u003c/a\u003e” (a zine is a format of self-publication that affords creators the utmost freedom of self-expression). The zine community often embraces a spirit of DIY (do-it-yourself) in ways that differ from traditional techniques throughout the production process. So as we planned the workshop, we asked ourselves: How might we foster this creative, DIY spirit in an online workshop? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"selecting-a-platform\"\u003eSelecting a platform\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA unique and exciting production element of zine-making is the ability to experiment with a wide range of materials, visual styles, and formats. From paper type and texture, to page layout and binding technique, there is virtually no limitation on how one can choose to tell their story. Yet the beauty in the diversity of zine aesthetics is difficult for a single digital tool to achieve. In choosing a platform for the workshop, we sketched out a list of criteria in hopes of maintaining and facilitating these diverse aesthetics. The platform needed to: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe easy to use and fast to learn. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAllow for effortless digital collaboration.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReplicate the zine-making process to a certain degree, including working with papers, designing a page layout, and adding photos, texts, folding, and binding.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAllow for markdown / printable format. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiven these requirements, we selected \u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/\"\u003eMiro\u003c/a\u003e from the sea of emerging online tools and platforms designed to accommodate the new norm of remote working and digital collaboration. Miro stood out for two reasons: Accessibility and Usability. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo choose the right tool, we need to know the audience of our workshop. The first thing to consider is accessibility. Our audience was joining from around the world, so we knew that they would have different levels of internet connectivity. Ideally, the platform we chose would either require a minimal bandwidth to join or allow people to access via different devices. Not only did Miro meet these requirements, but it also had the option of granting participants full access to the workshop materials without signing in or signing up. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next thing to consider is usability. In comparison, Miro is easier to onboard than other options like \u003ca href=\"https://www.figma.com/\"\u003eFigma\u003c/a\u003e because it is generally beginner-friendly and requires less technical expertise. Nonetheless, we knew many participants would likely be inexperienced with Miro, so we prepared a Miro walkthrough as part of the workshop agenda and included a clear indication of what technical knowledge was required in the workshop introduction to reduce technical barriers and confusion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/screenshot-2021-09-07-at-14.34.29_hu_e46951454ea4b1f1.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"348\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA screenshot of our Miro walkthrough\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-the-workshop\"\u003eDesigning the workshop\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoard organization plays an important part in the design of any successful workshop. Not only does it present the workshop’s visual aesthetic, it also dictates the flow of activities and how participants should navigate the workshop space when they first arrive. A typical workshop will likely have the following boards:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWelcome \u0026amp; Introduction \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorkshop Goal \u0026amp; Agenda\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunity Guidelines / Rules of Engagement\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTool Walkthrough\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMain Activities \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClosing \u0026amp; Feedback \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a time-limited workshop, especially those that are under 90 minutes, advance preparation is key. We made sure to eliminate all time-consuming tasks or tasks that add cognitive load, such as external browsing for materials or long lectures. Our goal was to make the workshop as thorough and smooth as possible. To do so, we planned ahead by walking through scenarios where each participant had different needs and designed the board to address them. In advance of the actual workshop, we also performed test runs with our colleagues, whose feedback was then incorporated into the final design of the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo help participants more fully immerse themselves in the creative process, we configured the infinite whiteboard as if it was a physical space. We created a “craft station” that featured two sample zine templates, a blank zine template, and a visual library. Each participant had their own work station with the basic materials, instead of having to create their own empty board or copy and paste the template from one place to another. This maximized the use of time and enabled experienced zine-makers and beginners alike to enter the making process with ease.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/3.-zine-template-1_-explanatory_hu_683723dbac6e5dda.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eZine template 1: Explanatory\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/4.-zine-template-2_-storytelling-_hu_70ff450e7e95b6c7.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eZine template 2: Storytelling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/7.-library-of-stickers-provided-in-the-workshop.-these-stickers-can-be-easily-copied-and-pasted-or-dragged-and-dropped-from-one-board-to-another.-all-images-are-cc-licensed.-_hu_892c33a91516cce7.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLibrary of stickers provided in the workshop. These stickers can be easily copied and pasted or dragged and dropped from one board to another. All images are CC licensed.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/5.-example-of-a-digitally-finished-zine-before-printing-and-folding.-_hu_8b6d40fb5acbf909.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"299\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eExample of a digitally finished zine before printing and folding.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/6.-printed-outcomes_hu_efe7a673b0a62ee5.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePrinted outcomes\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"key-takeaways--tips\"\u003eKey takeaways \u0026amp; tips\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many different ways to measure the success of a workshop, but for us, success reveals itself in the small little things. It is seeing the busy boards with items being added and sticky notes being dragged and moved around. It is feeling the creative energy and the atmosphere of collaboration that everyone exerted despite the barrier of screens between us. It is seeing participants return to the boards and keep working on their zines after the wrap-up. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking to the future, the next time we facilitate a digital-making workshop, we might do a few things differently. While Miro is among one of the most powerful infinity boards available, we would like to test an open-source alternative. In addition, it would be helpful to get more involved with the community of zine-makers, designers, and other interested creatives by establishing a common platform for exchanging ideas and publishing decentralization on-boarding materials. Having a process for sharing, reposting, licensing, and open-sourcing the outcomes of the workshop in place beforehand would be a great way to maximize the workshop’s impact and share knowledge. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow, we summarized our top tips for designing a virtual workshop. After you review them, have fun creating your own decentralization zine with our open-sourced template \u003ca href=\"https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lIHr-jM=/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeneral virtual workshop design tips:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways keep your audience in mind. You’re creating the workshop for them. To help best meet their needs, ask yourself:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is their level of technical knowledge?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is their tool proficiency?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is their internet connection?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhich browsers do they use?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is their language?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf you can, hold a test run with colleagues, friends, or family to receive crucial feedback on your design (this is especially helpful at an early stage). Try to incorporate at least two rounds of feedback for your design.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTime each session in a test run and adjust accordingly. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMake sure to account for extra time for people to join at the beginning of the workshop (not everyone is going to show up to the call on time!). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction activities should be inclusive and make people feel welcome. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemember, when it comes to the digital world, everything is possible. So keep an open mind and maintain a flexible attitude to help create the best overall experience for everyone!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTips for infinity whiteboard workshop design:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf your participant is new to infinity whiteboards, try to stick with the main feature (sticky notes). Instead of naming each frame (‘rename frame’), use a seperate big text box on top of each frame \u0026ndash; this helps participants navigate much quicker.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse a big black rectangle to hide boards that you will address later in the workshop to avoid distraction.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemember to lock your board to avoid people moving everything around.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse arrows to help people navigate the boards.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvide written direction for each activity.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMake use of the timer feature. Miro has some great countdown tunes!  \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf you need to take a break to re-set/set-up the board, just let your participants know (but don’t take more than a minute or two!). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"selected-zines-from-our-mozfest-workshop\"\u003eSelected zines from our MozFest workshop: \u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/anuradha-karissa_hu_7d4b2c9a28945e13.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCredit: Anuradha + Karissa\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/ingrid-_-manish_hu_6f39408a5bc7bfa8.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCredit: Ingrid + Manish\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/nancy-eileen_hu_8ed8a6b2d5590ec2.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCredit: Nancy + Eileen\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/sarah-k-_-ashelsh_hu_4e343115e623b7f0.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"522\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCredit: Sarah K + Ashelsh\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/shu-ngoc_hu_21bdc7eb17759c7d.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCredit: Shu + Ngọc\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e-\u0026ndash;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Standing Together to Stop Online Bullying: Harassment of Women Journalists is a Community Problem",
            "date_published": "2021-07-28T12:41:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-07-28T12:41:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/standing-together-to-stop-online-bullying-harassment-of-women-journalists-is-a-community-problem/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/standing-together-to-stop-online-bullying-harassment-of-women-journalists-is-a-community-problem/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PGbhfoUzxEutc8FdHH-3p16kEw3uILRd1zAQWMVL2XNMChXUjRiUjTD5oPNxbhC2AW54XJagGAIi608R5LPAo0M6kBx933v_ywKCQk6HEnO9ZOq-LDPKB5a2k53D5InUiABTg1Es\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:11.0pt\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eQuote from Lydia Cacho — Español: “Cuando hablamos de acoso en línea, siempre estamos hablando de violencia. Es una forma de violencia psicológica, de persecución, sin duda.” English: “When we speak about online bullying, we are always talking about violence. It’s a form of psychological violence, of persecution, without a doubt.”\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrom the outset of their careers, women journalists are taught that they need to establish and foster an increasingly recognizable online brand under their real name - yet when their reporting is inevitably met with online bullying and harassment, they are told the problem is an individual one for them to handle on their own.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs part of the IWMF-led Coalition Against Online Violence, our team sought to help stem this rising tide of intimidation by providing research and design support for the launch of the \u003ca href=\"https://onlineviolenceresponsehub.org/\"\u003eOnline Violence Response Hub\u003c/a\u003e, a new digital resource designed to assist and inform women journalists facing these types of threats.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur work on the project aligned with our broader organizational efforts to change who technology serves by shifting the conversation around online bullying and identifying how platform design choices today often enable harassment instead of prevent it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree-out-of-four women journalists (73%) \u003ca href=\"https://www.icfj.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/UNESCO%20Online%20Violence%20Against%20Women%20Journalists%20-%20A%20Global%20Snapshot%20Dec9pm.pdf\"\u003ehave experienced\u003c/a\u003e some form of online violence - ranging from sexual and physical threats to the targeting of family and friends. And for 20% of these reporters, online threats end up transitioning into offline attacks and in-person abuse. Alarming statistics like these indicate just how normalized online violence against women journalists has become. Yet such actions are far from normal and cannot be accepted. They represent attacks not only on individuals, but also on society writ large - which suffers in the wake of stifled reporting and an inability of diverse voices to participate freely in news formation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaunching today, the \u003ca href=\"https://onlineviolenceresponsehub.org/\"\u003eOnline Violence Response Hub\u003c/a\u003e - a new digital resource designed to assist and inform women journalists facing threats from online bullying and harassment - represents the efforts of a united community against this repugnant and dangerous behavior. Simply Secure is proud to have participated in the creation of this invaluable website, and we ask all members of our community to share this resource and expand its reach.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"toxic-newsroom-norms\"\u003eToxic Newsroom Norms\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarting in journalism school or at their first job, women journalists are taught they need to establish and foster an increasingly recognizable online brand under their true identity. From an online security standpoint, this practice creates an incredibly large online footprint from which these journalists can be attacked. Yet despite direct encouragement to create such a presence, when a woman reporter is inevitably met with online bullying and harassment, they are routinely told the problem is an individual one for them to handle on their own. “This is just a part of your job,” runs a common industry refrain. “Tough it out, or get out.” \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the reporter and her family and close associates, the psychological and physical toll of these attacks are compounded by the lack of accessible resources available to help. Though several initiatives have been created to address various points of this systemic problem, no universal platform currently exists to which a journalist can turn in a time of need. Left without support from their employer, and unable to locate much-needed resources, women reporters often have little guidance and few allies during these high-stress and dangerous situations. It is beyond time for that to change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"creating-the-online-violence-response-hub\"\u003eCreating the Online Violence Response Hub\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn October 2020, Simply Secure joined the \u003ca href=\"https://www.iwmf.org/\"\u003eInternational Women’s Media Foundation\u003c/a\u003e (IWMF)’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.iwmf.org/coalition-against-online-violence/\"\u003eCoalition Against Online Violence\u003c/a\u003e, a diverse group of stakeholders working together to stop online abuse. Five months later, we were engaged to join the team creating an easily accessible online resource that journalists can go to for answers and help when faced with a bullying problem.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn supporting the design of the \u003ca href=\"https://onlineviolenceresponsehub.org/\"\u003eOnline Violence Response Hub\u003c/a\u003e, we worked with the IWMF team to bolster their needs research by developing an interview and focus group guide, facilitating discussions, synthesizing research findings, co-designing the information architecture, and supporting site development and implementation. Through this human-centered approach, we were able to distill three key findings:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome form of bullying is accepted as a consequence of being a woman and a journalist.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmotional processing is an important first step in getting help.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHarassment is a community problem, but is treated as an individual one.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlongside other needs- and issue-based findings, we were able to understand the most common challenges and how journalists describe them. These essential takeaways informed the organization of the website’s content and increased accessibility by ensuring users would be able to quickly and accurately find answers to and resources for their most pressing questions and needs in times of crisis. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/KjpWj00e4kUHYNZIlsidxP1cnD_ne187fn6SM-k4Mfgjv4z2qewvy9rIGfYxMgBcWQfL79ej7FRQxZmY2d1rarXghk2vKKRbK-hCDDt-DyiVzv9OKzStf_OI8gxy0hyF7i9DmVqz\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-a-safer-tomorrow---together\"\u003eDesigning a Safer Tomorrow - Together\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project also spoke more broadly to issues of design and how platforms often enable harassment. By failing to design clear content moderation strategies or ways for individuals under attack to get help, social media platforms create ample space for bullying and harassment to thrive. Their algorithms, designed to promote engagement and interaction, actively promote the most sensational and inflammatory interactions - drawing more people into the fray. Powered by the inverted economics of \u003ca href=\"https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/03/harvard-professor-says-surveillance-capitalism-is-undermining-democracy/\"\u003esurveillance capitalism\u003c/a\u003e, which prioritizes profits over people, these companies have no incentive to work on the complicated issues at the intersection of content moderation, censorship, and user experience design. Instead, they complacently pass the impact of platform-enabled harms on to vulnerable users like women journalists.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen helpful information exists but is inaccessible or undiscoverable, the most vulnerable among us can be left without a lifeline. As a design and tech community, we need to work together and actually engage with these issues - not just as issues for policy and legal teams, but as problems of product and design. We believe that in order to address problems like online harassment, we need to actively work to shift who technology serves. By leveraging a human-centered approach to design and research, and addressing foreseeable stress cases, we can center the needs of people experiencing harms and increase overall project accessibility. One actionable tactic to do this essential work is for designers to plan for the arrival of bad actors (\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/designunderpressure/#methods\"\u003epersonas non grata\u003c/a\u003e) on their platform, and then design to minimize their harmful effects. When scenarios like these are baked into the design process from the outset, the tech and design community are able to work together to support people like women journalists experiencing harassment. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour of the largest tech companies recently \u003ca href=\"https://webfoundation.org/2021/07/generation-equality-commitments/\"\u003eannounced commitments\u003c/a\u003e to address online abuse and protect women, signaling an acknowledgement that these design flaws are communal, not individual, problems. Though the responsibility for a safer tomorrow starts with platforms designing to address these harms, more is still needed. We all must do our part and stand together. That’s why we ask that you do yours today by sharing the \u003ca href=\"https://onlineviolenceresponsehub.org/\"\u003eOnline Violence Response Hub\u003c/a\u003e with your community members, friends, and family.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "What's next for 'Simply Secure'? Part 2: Refreshing our name and identity",
            "date_published": "2021-07-19T11:11:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-07-19T11:11:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/simply-secure-refreshing-our-name-and-identity-part-2/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eRead part 1 of the \u0026ldquo;What\u0026rsquo;s next for \u0026lsquo;Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;?\u0026rdquo; identity series\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2020, we embarked on a community-oriented design process to help shape what’s next for Simply Secure. Our goal: a new name and tagline; a new brand and visuals; and a clearer articulation of who we are as an organization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout the process we chose to learn from and have an open dialogue with members of our community. We\u0026rsquo;re here to serve a need in the world – so it was essential to find a name and distill our mission in a way that resonates with those we support (and who support us). We also have so many brilliant minds in our network – people who understand visuals, words, and stories, as well as us and our work. A community-oriented design process allowed our team to leverage this expertise and creativity, and ultimately design our brand in a way that aligns with our values. Though the process remains ongoing, we’d like to take a moment to share how far we’ve come.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"assembling-an-identity-committee\"\u003eAssembling an Identity Committee\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUna Lee of \u003ca href=\"https://www.andalsotoo.net/\"\u003eAnd Also Too\u003c/a\u003e is a key partner in this work, and has helped us to frame our process, using elements of co-design to structure our community collaboration. After conducting an initial community survey about our name and branding, we convened a committee of 10 people to help us dig deeper into the survey results as well as the opportunities/challenges of how we present our organization. We chose these individuals based on their diverse expertise and divergent points of view; we knew they would both support and challenge us.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/aspirationtech\"\u003eAllen \u0026ldquo;Gunner\u0026rdquo; Gunn\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/holantonela\"\u003eAntonela Debiasi\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EriolDoesDesign\"\u003eEriol Fox\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jochaibenavie\"\u003eJochai Ben-Avie\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/j_kloiber\"\u003eJulia Kloiber\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kirstie_j\"\u003eKirstie Whitaker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/nielstenoever\"\u003eNiels ten Oever\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/peterbihr\"\u003ePeter Bihr\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSage Cheng\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ttcatz\"\u003eTTcat\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo each of our Identity Committee members, we want to say: Thank you! We wouldn’t be where we are today without your insight and advice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"moving-beyond-what-do-we-do-to-who-are-we\"\u003eMoving beyond “what do we do?” to “who are we?”\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure was founded eight years ago with the goal of making secure communication tools more accessible for everyday people. Since then, these tools have finally begun to receive the attention they deserve and, alongside our community, our organization has grown in size and expertise. Yet we’ve also grown in vision. In working to democratize human-centered design principles, our team has increasingly sought out opportunities to further transformational justice and digital equity. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnsurprisingly, this expanded vision has expanded our scope of work as well. The name Simply Secure no longer feels representative of all that we do – little of our work is simple, and security is about more than just tools. In line with this, one of the more compelling findings from our identity survey was that many respondents feel that they are only seeing the tip of the Simply Secure iceberg – they know that we do a lot, but the entire breadth of our work remains at least partially obscured. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet as we convened to answer the question “What do we do?”, we soon realized we also had to answer an even more complex question: “Who are we?” \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"café-simply-secure-would-you-like-wireframes-with-that\"\u003eCafé Simply Secure: \u0026ldquo;Would you like wireframes with that?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBetween November 2020 and February 2021, we held two series of workshops with our Identity Committee and the Simply Secure core team to help us better articulate who we are. In one exercise, we asked our participants to write a review for Simply Secure by pretending that Simply Secure was a restaurant. Our goal was to have participants disassociate from tech and design to see what lies at the heart of who we are. \n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1d3uUqHIVdcFn5Q91nj8l5rvptpQtBc3hPttMGAlN2M4r-b7tHb_Mu482V396Vvi0FWOzR9nzosdpPs7YG9wvCo6njBZqRHEv8GLdUdH0u2ih126IkM5JaB2cXgOqgq5PTVR8E1G\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA word cloud shows the descriptors that were the output of the “restaurant review” exercise.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe output of the exercise was the above collection of unique descriptors. Given that we work on technology, the prominence of the top phrase \u0026ldquo;down to earth\u0026rdquo; surprised us! Our \u0026ldquo;café\u0026rdquo; isn\u0026rsquo;t a trendy fast tech hub, but rather a welcoming place that puts people at ease, and helps them connect and learn. This essential feedback confirmed that our identity could focus more on people – and not just tech itself. We also explored various other metaphors through a succession of brainstorming exercises in which we identified images, words, and principles that described Simply Secure. These metaphors helped reveal additional fundamental aspects of our identity and role within the community, as part of a complex, emergent ecological system.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"interview-insights\"\u003eInterview insights\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs our process continued to evolve, we sought out even more specificity regarding what we should emphasize (or avoid) in formulating our new identity. Through a series of interviews, our Committee and Board Members shared with us what they think we do well, and where we should use caution in describing ourselves. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpenness is one of our calling cards.\u003c/strong\u003e From early projects focused on security usability to more recent service and organization design work, our openness and transparency is key. We\u0026rsquo;re at our best when we make the results of our engagements as available and usable as possible.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re strategic, pragmatic doers, not a “consultancy.”\u003c/strong\u003e We heard this word a lot, and in some ways, it helps people understand that we offer services that help tools, groups, and organizations improve. But \u0026ldquo;consultancy\u0026rdquo; also has capitalist and extractive associations that don\u0026rsquo;t match our values or way of working. We also do so much more than just consulting \u0026ndash; we snap into action, and we blaze a trail for others.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe excel at centering the human element in technology.\u003c/strong\u003e We heard several times that we are good at listening to, understanding, and supporting the human needs within tech projects. Without devaluing these critical qualities, it’s important to note that they are also frequently gendered traits, and our team has always been majority female-identifying. While we value these qualities, we need to ensure that both our empathy and our overall competence are emphasized as skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe need to be careful when using the term \u0026ldquo;design.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/strong\u003e Many of us are designers, and many of our methodologies are drawn from design disciplines – service, product, UX, transition, and social design. Yet like \u0026ldquo;consultancy,\u0026rdquo; the term \u0026ldquo;design\u0026rdquo; carries different connotations for different people. For some, design means visual art, which isn\u0026rsquo;t one of our core areas of work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese insights, along with many others, proved invaluable as we moved closer to arriving at a new name, tagline, visual identity, and refreshed understanding of our organization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"our-exploration-into-community-led-design\"\u003eOur exploration into community-led design\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor those considering embarking on a community-based design approach to a branding project, we can offer a few observations on what we’ve learned so far.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou will learn an incredible amount about yourselves as an organization.\u003c/strong\u003e The insights we\u0026rsquo;ve gained from our committee, and even from our own tough internal conversations, have helped us grow and develop. We\u0026rsquo;re not just building our new name and visuals; we\u0026rsquo;re learning who we are, and clarifying who we want to be.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe process will take longer than expected.\u003c/strong\u003e One of the contributing factors is the increase in communication. Being transparent and open about your process means consistently framing progress, requesting feedback, sharing debriefs, and providing updates. You should probably factor in at least twice your usual communication overhead (and likely even more).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eComing up with a decision-making process requires self-awareness.\u003c/strong\u003e Every community is different, and existing groups already have power dynamics and decision-making processes in place. Before selecting a new decision-making model, you’ll first want to look at how your group or community currently makes decisions. Even after selecting the best, you’ll also have to remain flexible: any process you settle on at the beginning is almost guaranteed to change (but that’s a good thing!). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s hard to predict what twists and turns the process will take.\u003c/strong\u003e We originally asked our Committee to take part in a series of three workshops before February. Our process evolved into one workshop, one interview, another workshop, and numerous rounds of asynchronous feedback over email on proposals and even videos. And we’re still not quite done! \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve truly enjoyed and grown from this process. And we know the “Simply Secure” that comes out on the other side will be all the better for it. For your next design process, we encourage you to consider a community-based approach of your own! If you have questions, we’re happy to share. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"next-steps\"\u003eNext steps\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom here, we are iterating on our name ideas; asking for feedback from the team, Board, and Committee; and developing a short list to share with a lawyer for trademark and legal review. In the next installment, we look forward to sharing our new name and visual identity with you!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Technical Program Manager",
            "date_published": "2021-06-29T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-06-29T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/technical_pm/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/technical_pm/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/community/opportunities/\"\u003e\u0026lt; Back to open positions\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"this-role-has-been-filled\"\u003eThis role has been filled.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re looking for a  technical program manager to lead design and development teams for our projects, to support our internal infrastructure systems, and to help scope new technical projects for our organization.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-role\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe role\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe TPM will be the product owner for one multi-stakeholder open source project, and will lead on various other projects within the Internet Freedom space.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUp to 50% of the time will be focused on leading and managing the design \u0026amp; development teams for an open source, multi-stakeholder project building an application system to serve the broader internet freedom ecosystem.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUp to 20% you\u0026rsquo;ll help us manage our partnership with the Open Technology Fund Usability Lab, ensuring appropriate projects scoping, bringing the right team together, and advising on more technical projects.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnother 20% of the time will be focused on managing a number of projects with different partners and engagement models, making sure that we are on top of timelines, communicating effectively, and delivering on the work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbout 10% of your time will be dedicated to supporting Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s internal Org Sec infrastructure.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a full-time position at 40 hours per week, from about August 2021 to December 2022, with the opportunity to renew. The salary is approximately USD $80,000 per year. We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to hire in the US and Germany, and contract internationally.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(We\u0026rsquo;re actually doing a rebranding process, moving away from the name \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure.\u0026rdquo; \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eMore info over here on the blog!\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience with product management, and have experience with different software development methodologies such as Agile or Kanban, and most importantly know when and where to use them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have excellent stakeholder management skills, and understand how product development requires balancing the needs — sometimes conflicting needs — of diverse users, and are comfortable with ambiguities.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou enjoy simplifying complex projects, tracking details, and making sure the project teams are working well together\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience with leading projects and project delivery\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are familiar with design or development in open source, and are comfortable working in the open\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently and in collaboration with a fully remote, distributed team\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have excellent project team communication and meeting facilitation skills\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are experienced with client-centered communication\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you\u0026rsquo;re getting what you need to be successful\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are available during our prime work hours (11-6pm Central Europe / 10-5pm UK / 8-6pm US Eastern / 8-3pm US Pacific)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with research and design work, e.g. human-centered design, design thinking, service design, ux design, or participatory research (specifically field research)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with supporting organizational IT, including tool audits and administration\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with client-facing account management\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights, nonprofit funding\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with collaborative work tools (we currently use Notion, Miro, and Google Suite)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with exploring and evaluating new tools\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable in cross-cultural communication, e.g. experience with international work\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResume\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamples of your work. With each link or document you send, please tell us about the timeline and process:*\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow did these outputs get created?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho was involved?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat did the process look like?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow did your work improve the products you worked on?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlease describe: (100 words max each)\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat processes do you find useful in different scenarios, and why?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do you approach difficult situations?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSend these documents to us at \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs@superbloom.design\"\u003ejobs@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e by July 31, 2021.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo help us combat bias while we review applications, please remove your name from the documents you send.\u003c/strong\u003e One person on our team will keep a list assigning a code name to your application while we review it. If we\u0026rsquo;d like to interview you, we\u0026rsquo;ll match your code name to your real name, and get in touch. (If removing your name from your work screws up the formatting, don\u0026rsquo;t worry, this is not a graphic design job! You can also put an obviously fake name in place of your real name to keep the formatting consistent.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.\n31\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Visual/Web Designer (Contract)",
            "date_published": "2021-06-23T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-06-23T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/visual_web_designer/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/visual_web_designer/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"this-role-has-been-filled\"\u003eThis role has been filled.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re looking for a Visual/Web Designer to help us create and deliver an identity and visual/web design.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-project\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe project\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSimply Secure is looking to contract a visual designer who can bring their expertise in web design and crafting brand identities to a new educational website and resource repository launching in August 2021. The website helps lawmakers, advocates, and concerned citizens get the tech policy information they need.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe website is currently in development, with IA and UX design work underway.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeveral identity guidelines are already in place, including mission, vision, values, and audience. We\u0026rsquo;re hoping to strike a balance between a tactile, educational feel and a professional and trustworthy polish.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe design process will be iterative, requiring close collaboration with the project team, including: weekly meetings, asynchronous updates, and willingness to be responsive to team direction and ideas.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou’ll propose, create, and deliver an identity and visual/web design that includes:\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA logo for the website (name is already in place)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTypography\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIllustrations/icons\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColor palette\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuidelines for usage (dos and don’ts)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeb design (Working with UX designers to apply your identity guidelines to the UI)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a time-limited contract, from approximately July 2021 through August 2021. We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to contract internationally.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(We\u0026rsquo;re actually doing a rebranding process, moving away from the name \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure.\u0026rdquo; \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eMore info over here on the blog!\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou love and have demonstrated experience designing identity systems. You are really excited to tell the visual story of a tool that helps people.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou design expressive and accessible screens, logos, and illustrations, meant to be viewed on the web.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience designing websites.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently, in collaboration with a fully remote team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you’re getting what you need from us.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour meeting availability has sufficient overlap with our working hours of 9am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time. The project team is based on the East Coast of the US.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou use tools that facilitate easy, remote collaboration (we use Figma, Notion, and Miro, primarily).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAwareness of and/or interest in one or more of the following areas: tech criticism and activism, tech policy, human rights, international politics, education.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledge of web accessibility standards.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 examples of your work. Please highlight the projects with quick turn-around times (less than 3 months) and tell us, briefly, about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process\u003c/strong\u003e: how did these projects get created? Who was involved, what did the process look like, how long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA (very short!) outline of how you would approach working with us on this project. What phases would this project have, and what would you need from us to make it successful?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1-2 references. References will be contacted in the last phase of application review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe times you are available for meetings within our working hours (9am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSend these documents to \u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs-brand@superbloom.design\"\u003ejobs-brand@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition is open until filled and applications will be evaluated on a rolling review. We will stop accepting applications on July 31, 2021.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Designing for a Global Audience in the Age of Remote Usability Testing",
            "date_published": "2021-06-21T14:40:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-06-21T14:40:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/designing-for-a-global-audience-in-the-age-of-remote-usability-testing/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/designing-for-a-global-audience-in-the-age-of-remote-usability-testing/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/riseupvpn_hu_c02b4b4aba25e555.png\" alt=\"different devices scattered on a world map connecting in/out of a single server \" width=\"740\" height=\"638\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://riseup.net/\"\u003eRiseup\u003c/a\u003e offers VPN service to anyone online, but focuses primarily on human rights activists, journalists, and social justice workers due to the tool’s location anonymization feature and lack of sign-in, payment, or IP address logging requirements. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRiseup asked us to redesign their entire user experience on desktop and manual selection (a feature that allows users to choose the exit point of their VPN) to both mobile and desktop.   \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe ultimate goal of the project was not only to design and test the usability of manual selection, but also to position Riseup\u0026rsquo;s development team to be able to incorporate sustainable, user-centered design into their culture.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough many VPN services charge a user fee or collect at least some sort of potentially identifying information (such as IP address logging or a sign-in), \u003ca href=\"https://riseup.net/\"\u003eRiseup\u003c/a\u003e does not \u0026ndash; making the VPN a favorite amongst activists and journalists. Riseup was selected to participate in the \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/blog/2020-10-01-uxfund2020/\"\u003eUXFund\u003c/a\u003e, a targeted pool of funding dedicated to improving the usability of open source security and privacy tools used by at-risk communities around the globe. The majority of the UXFund supports work addressing the needs of at-risk persons and/or vulnerable populations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile Riseup was interested in receiving assistance to test out the beta version of a new manual selection feature (which allows users to choose their exit point), the ultimate goal in working with Simply Secure was to have us teach their development team how to self-sustain, incorporate user-centered design, and perform their own usability testing in the future. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo begin the project, we first conducted an initial survey of other commercially available VPNs in order to obtain a sense of how others incorporate manual selection. One notable difference between Riseup and typical commercial VPNs is that Riseup has fewer overall resources and therefore needs to monitor their VPN load more closely. From a design standpoint, that means while many commercial VPNs choose to prominently feature manual selection in their user interface, Riseup is interested instead in encouraging their users to more often use the automatic selection feature.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"testing-process\"\u003eTesting Process\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"1-privacy-centered-research-process\"\u003e1. Privacy-centered research process\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause Riseup is centered around a strong value system, we wanted to be sure to design a usability testing process that was aligned with their mission. As a collective, Riseup aims to support freedom of expression and overcome systematic oppression by providing computer resources and communication tools. Accordingly, it was important for us to maintain the privacy of all interviewees while operating in a remote setting. For our video conferencing tool, we chose \u003ca href=\"https://jitsi.org/\"\u003eJitsi\u003c/a\u003e \u0026ndash; an open source, end-to-end encrypted service that doesn’t require users to create an account. In addition, video was optional for testers as all of the testing was conducted through a clickable prototype rather than a screen-sharing service. To facilitate this process, we created a high-fidelity clickable prototype (a highly realistic and detailed version of the design that appears and functions just like the real app). This form of testing allowed the team to gather more meaningful feedback during the tests because participants were more likely to behave naturally. Throughout the testing process, we also used the observation mode feature on Figma which allowed our team to follow user actions and track interactions and movement without requiring them to share their screen. Notably, although Figma is not an open-source tool, it works best for team collaboration and real-time tracking. In the future, however, we would like to look into \u003ca href=\"https://alternativeto.net/software/figma/?license=opensource\"\u003eopen source Figma alternatives\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"2-fully-remote-user-research\"\u003e2. Fully remote user research\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDue to the anonymity-oriented nature of VPN services and travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our testing sessions had to be conducted remotely. This requirement presented a unique technical challenge because we weren’t able to simply ask users to connect to the VPN and share their feedback through a video conferencing tool due to the fact that internet connections shut off temporarily when users connect to a proxy network like Riseup VPN. To design around this obstacle, we created our hi-fidelity clickable prototype to enable network connections to remain stable throughout usability testing. Using this prototype also allowed us to reliably re-create and test various scenarios (like user redirection or slow connection) without writing a single line of code.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"3-internet-access-for-a-global-audience\"\u003e3. Internet access for a global audience\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, because Riseup has a user base all over the world, we also needed to target testing with users calling in from different time zones and with different language preferences. In addition, because VPN services are location-based and users connecting from different countries and regions often have different internet regulations and bandwidths, we worked to adjust our testing prototype to address a wide range of scenarios. The Riseup team wanted to explore how to properly balance the load between many different cities and in different scenarios.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"next-steps\"\u003eNext Steps\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the project is still in its user interview and testing phase, we are looking forward to hearing from different users in order to implement some of the changes to the existing prototype and eventually hand it off to Riseup’s development team.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Leads: Carissa Yao and Rae McKelvey\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Strength In Numbers: Designing to Help At-Risk Users Protect Against Phishing Attacks",
            "date_published": "2021-06-07T19:05:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-06-07T19:05:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/strength-in-numbers/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/strength-in-numbers/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/phishdetect1_hu_f14a6bd8809c9340.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"412\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAmnesty International asked us to help improve user accessibility and trust for \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/phishdetect\"\u003ePhishDetect\u003c/a\u003e, an open-source browser extension that helps at-risk users mitigate phishing attacks through a coordinated human network.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur team used a research-intensive approach to modernize the tool’s design, clarify its language, and leverage consistent graphics to enhance user comprehension and assurance.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe result is a safer online experience for those working to advance equality, safety, and transparency around the world \u0026ndash; and therefore a better product for everyone.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEveryone faces risk from online phishing attacks. Due to the nature of their jobs, human rights defenders and activists face a heightened threat level from authoritarian actors who don\u0026rsquo;t uphold human rights. Aware of the increased danger this problem poses to its community members, \u003ca href=\"https://www.amnesty.org/\"\u003eAmnesty International\u003c/a\u003e recently decided to support \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/phishdetect\"\u003ePhishDetect\u003c/a\u003e - an open-source browser extension that helps at-risk users mitigate phishing attacks by empowering a coordinated human network to identify, report, and avoid potential threats. Through use of the extension, network members are able to pool their information and collectively reduce the likelihood of successful attacks on their communities. Like a school of fish, a PhishDetect network is stronger when its users work together. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nBecause increased community participation makes PhishDetect more effective and keeps more people safe, Amnesty International came to Simply Secure in June 2020 to help improve the tool’s usability and accessibility prior to launch. No strangers to using design to increase user safety and awareness, our team set about modernizing PhishDetect\u0026rsquo;s design, clarifying the tool\u0026rsquo;s language, and leveraging graphics to enhance threat comprehension. Project success would mean not only a better product - but a safer online experience for those working to advance equality, safety, and transparency worldwide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"diving-in\"\u003eDiving in\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur human-centered approach began with a series of initial coaching sessions through which we became familiar with the unique needs of PhishDetect. By analyzing similar tools, studying the user journey, interviewing experts and users, and conducting workshops, we were able to distill four guiding principles for the project, the tool, and its user needs:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhishDetect is a \u003cu\u003epractical\u003c/u\u003e, not educational, tool.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eReassuring\u003c/u\u003e users is just as important as warning them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers have \u003cu\u003eagency\u003c/u\u003e to make their own choices.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhishDetect is a \u003cu\u003ecommunity\u003c/u\u003e effort.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough these key principles were far from obvious at the outset of the project, they proved to be invaluable resources as we iterated, tested, and refined new brand and UX designs. They also helped us solve complex problems like determining how much interference in routine users would accept (PhishDetect is by definition disruptive in preventing people from visiting suspicious websites). We knew we wanted to increase friction in risky situations, but how much friction would be too much? When would too much disruption actually hinder safety by increasing annoyance? Research in hand, we were able to craft a compelling visual identity for PhishDetect (including a mascot, metaphor, and logical ecosystem) and improve overall usability through enhanced UX.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"changing-tides\"\u003eChanging tides\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn making the web extension more intuitive for users, our team addressed a host of PhishDetect features including the onboarding process, menu icon, in-browser pages, tool settings, email integration, and website. The examples below provide three snapshots into this design work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"creating-a-new-visual-identity\"\u003eCreating a new visual identity\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt quickly became clear from our research that PhishDetect needed a new visual identity to help users better recognize the tool, utilize its offerings, and understand their role in the ecosystem. Unlike providing code (which few people have the time or expertise to decipher), a visual metaphor creates stronger lines of communication between the extension and user. Likewise, visual consistency signals trust and can provide assurance in otherwise stressful situations. In partnership with brand designer \u003ca href=\"https://www.guillelasarte.com/\"\u003eGuille Lasarte\u003c/a\u003e, we therefore created a PhishDetect metaphor, in which the bird and whale (Network admins) help the school of fish (users) work together to avoid pollution (phishing). Though these characters come from different species, they happily work alongside one another to keep the ocean (the community) safe for all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/phishdetecttwo_hu_6035e99b54539d3.png\" alt=\"illustrations of a school of fish, whale, and bird\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/phishdetect3_hu_5832cc97183b48c9.png\" alt=\"illustrations of pollution and dead fish\" width=\"740\" height=\"580\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"designing-a-toolbar-pop-up\"\u003eDesigning a toolbar pop-up\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith an emphasis on making user goals easier to achieve, we designed PhishDetect’s toolbar pop-up to reassure, save time, and reduce frustration. To help users make quick decisions, we utilized a hierarchy system in which the primary action (“scan”) is prioritized visually through placement and size. This method maintains user agency as the secondary action (“report”) is accessible, although placed lower and smaller on the screen. A “help” button linked to reassuring information on the PhishDetect website is also provided throughout. At each iteration of design, we focused on PhishDetect’s practicality and worked to simplify language and enable images to convey the desired message.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eToolbar pop-up - Design Iterations:\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/pop-up-iterations_hu_10e60fa3619135db.png\" alt=\"Sketches of pop up iterations\" width=\"740\" height=\"328\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eToolbar pop-up - Final Design:\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/phishdetect5_hu_176790e464158558.png\" alt=\"Phishing pop-up illustration with a bird and a radar circle\" width=\"740\" height=\"777\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"changing-what-users-see-when-a-phishing-webpage-is-blocked\"\u003eChanging what users see when a phishing webpage is blocked\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks to our redesign efforts, when a user clicks to visit a phishing website, PhishDetect automatically redirects them to an interstitial block page that relays the threat without causing panic. Building on the visual identity discussed above, the metaphor image and accompanying text clearly and quickly clarifly what is happening and why. This information enables users to make informed choices by first explaining what happened (“Why is this page blocked?”), and then balancing a warning (“What are the potential risks of phishing?”) with reassurance (“Has anything bad happened?”). Because PhishDetect users ultimately retain discretion to do as they please, the path to “proceed” is located at the bottom of the page (after the warnings), indicating it is not the safest option - but an option nonetheless.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePhishing block page:\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/phishdetect6_hu_638578e5ca27b5b8.png\" alt=\"Phishing block page, with illustrations of pollution and dead fish\" width=\"740\" height=\"999\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"swimming-forward-together\"\u003eSwimming forward together\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo what\u0026rsquo;s next for PhishDetect and its future users? Going forward, the PhishDetect team is working on implementing the new designs and further testing. After the tool’s official launch, community and organization members will hopefully feel a bit safer online - empowering them to take on new and more challenging tasks, secure in the knowledge that they have the protection of PhishDetect on their side.\nBottom line: When a tool\u0026rsquo;s success hinges on human participation, human-centered design is a must. There\u0026rsquo;s never a more important time to meet users where they are, understand their needs, and then design a solution catered to address them. By taking the time to understandPhishDetect’s users and unique context, our team was able to unlock the tool’s incredible potential to protect not just individuals - but entire networks of frontline defenders and at-risk communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Lead, UX, \u0026amp; UI Designer: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/klsyjnn\"\u003eKelsey Smith\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesign Direction: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ameellio\"\u003eAme Elliott\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrand Designer: \u003ca href=\"https://www.guillelasarte.com/\"\u003eGuille Lasarte\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConcept \u0026amp; Implementation: \u003ca href=\"https://nex.sx/\"\u003eClaudio Guarnieri\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "HR Consultant",
            "date_published": "2021-06-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-06-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/hr_consultant/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/hr_consultant/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"apply-to-be-our-hr-consultant\"\u003eApply to be our HR Consultant\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe’re looking for an experienced HR professional to help us design and implement an equitable and competitive compensation strategy that serves our distributed international team, and consult on our key policy requirements.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll advise our Operations team and Managing Director on the administration of human resources policies and procedures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll lead competitive salary analysis on job levels for US and international roles.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll help us design and implement a performance evaluation and promotion process, to build internal cohesion and stability for the long term.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a part-time 3-month contract for USD $10,000.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout us\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of increasing security and usability in technology tools. Our team is spread out across the US and the EU, and we support technologists around the world. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re also working through an open rebranding process, potentially moving away from the name “Simply Secure” and toward an identity that more accurately reflects the diversity of the work we do. \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eLearn more on our blog.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout you\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have extensive experience as an HR professional working in the US 501(c)3 non-profit sector.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou bring expertise and knowledge of compensation surveys and design in different markets to create equity across the organization.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience in designing and implementing a meaningful performance evaluation process that is appropriate for small organizations.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’re a team player with excellent communication and leadership skills\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’re comfortable working with a distributed team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are able to manage a balance of strategic planning and tactical execution.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNice to Have\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with researchers and UX designers working on human-centered design, design thinking, service design, or participatory research (specifically field research).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with collaborative work tools (we currently use Notion, Miro, and Google Suite).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUpdated resume or CV\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour responses to the following 2 questions:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are your first 5 questions to help you develop an equitable compensation package for teams across countries, where some have generous social benefits and others are dependent on their employers? (250 words max)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat do you think are the pros and cons of 360 performance evaluations vs manager-only performance reviews? (250 words max)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSend these documents to \u003ca href=\"mailto:hr@superbloom.design\"\u003ehr@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e by Sept 30th.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Web Monetization: A Report on Barriers to Adoption",
            "date_published": "2021-05-28T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-05-28T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/barriers-to-web-monetization/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/barriers-to-web-monetization/",
            "content_html": "\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://webmonetization.org/\"\u003eWeb Monetization API\u003c/a\u003e has the potential to create a viable alternative to targeted advertising as a means for website content creators to generate revenue.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWidespread adoption of this innovative technology is currently slow, however, due to common questions surrounding onboarding, explanation, and integration.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs part of our \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eDecentralization Off The Shelf\u003c/a\u003e project (and with support from \u003ca href=\"https://www.grantfortheweb.org/\"\u003eGrant for the Web\u003c/a\u003e), our team conducted in-depth design research and prepared a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/projects/web-monetization/\"\u003ereport\u003c/a\u003e highlighting common questions and challenges encountered by end users, and offering recommendations for opportunities to increase web monetization adoption in the future.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAds have been with us since the early beginnings of the internet and are not going away anytime soon. Be it pop-ups or mass targeted advertising, advertising has created a series of societal and safety issues, ranging from coordinated misinformation campaigns to unreadable mobile UIs. Yet as the public discourse shifts toward finding better ways to pay creators, ads remain the dominant monetization model on the web. Despite the introduction of dangerous dark patterns, many users have no choice but to continue to tolerate the internet’s current ad-based structure in an un-bargained-for and unequal exchange to access purportedly “free” information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response, \u003ca href=\"https://www.grantfortheweb.org/\"\u003eGrant for the Web\u003c/a\u003e (GftW) was created to help find a better way to monetize online content while respecting open standards and individual rights. As part of GftW’s efforts, the Simply Secure team behind \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eDecentralization Off The Shelf\u003c/a\u003e (an open design project supporting practitioners in decentralization through interface, content, and service design) received funding in late 2020 to examine the current barriers to adoption for the Web Monetization API and identify opportunities to help increase adoption and mitigate end-user issues. The ultimate goal? Improved UX for an early-stage API seeking to offer creators the ability to get paid for web traffic without employing targeted advertising.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"identifying-obstacles\"\u003eIdentifying Obstacles\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://webmonetization.org/\"\u003eWeb Monetization API\u003c/a\u003e is an innovative proposal for a W3C Standards that has the potential to create a viable alternative to targeted advertising. It offers a piece of technology that has up to this point been absent in web browsers: the ability for users to transfer miniscule amounts of money as an ad-free means to compensate websites and their creators. Yet despite this promising possibility, confusion and significant barriers to adoption remain on behalf of both the sender and receiver of payments. Accordingly, our expert research and design team set out to identify common obstacles and offer solutions to increase and ease adoption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn investigating the API’s UX, we spoke with creators, consumers, and developers to better understand their respective barriers to adoption. After learning more about the design patterns that already exist in the space, and unpacking security risks posed to end-users, we then partnered with designers to rethink ways to represent this web monetization model.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of our efforts to \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edevelop better UX patterns for decentralization\u003c/a\u003e, we identified recurring UX issues in decentralization that also make an appearance in the Web Monetization API’s decentralized protocol. Because decentralized technologies are often new and complex, and early adopters often find them difficult to understand and navigate, the design problems faced by the Web Monetization API are highly generalizable. Common UX questions encountered include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow is the new technology explained? What mental models can be used (or re-used)?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho is doing the explaining (and when)? Are they the right people?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do you integrate a new technology into a familiar ecosystem (e.g. web browser) and make it natural and usable?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"offering-solutions\"\u003eOffering Solutions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter identifying these questions and other common barriers to adoption, our team developed a set of general recommendations to help reduce user confusion, increase transparency, and improve overall retention rates. In doing so, we organized our recommendations by target user group. For example:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStreaming platforms such as Coil should:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnhance subscription transparency.\u003c/strong\u003e Provide real-time feedback in the streaming platform website (for creators) and in the web extension (for audience members).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCreators who want to use Web Monetization should:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvide an ad-free option.\u003c/strong\u003e Offer users a button that provides the option to “Remove advertisements” as either a banner ad or a blocking pop-up.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMaintainers of the Web Monetization API and Interledger Protocol should:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRemember developers are users.\u003c/strong\u003e Mobile and desktop applications that support payee-payer relationships on their platforms could be potential early adoption partners if they are targeted and curated through better communication and transparency.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more about the barriers to adoption for the Web Monetization API, or see the full list of our specific recommendations, head over to our project page and check out our \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/projects/web-monetization/\"\u003ereport and accompanying zine\u003c/a\u003e. It is our hope that the issues identified in our research will be addressed over time through improved documentation, quality control, and increased buy-in from major browsers. Our recommendations are ultimately intended to be a first step in the complex process of achieving a more equitable and less economically invasive internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/projects/web-monetization/\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eRead the full report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProject Leads: Rae McKelvey and Ngọc Triệu\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Call for proposals: Regional partners, funder's toolkit",
            "date_published": "2021-05-07T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-05-07T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/regional_partners/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/regional_partners/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"the-deadline-for-applying-to-this-role-has-passed\"\u003eThe deadline for applying to this role has passed.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re looking for 5-7 regional partners to help us produce localized and contextualized tools for funders looking to support open source digital infrastructure.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll bring familiarity with funders in your region, and work with our team to ensure the toolkit meets the needs of those funders.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a 6-month freelance contract, from approximately mid-June to mid-December 2021. Each contract pays USD $3,000.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are a US 501(c)3 organization. We can contract in many countries, and are limited by the \u003ca href=\"https://ofac.treasury.gov/faqs/10\"\u003eOFAC sanctions list\u003c/a\u003e. We can pay in currencies supported by \u003ca href=\"https://wise.com/gb/multi-currency-account/#coverage\"\u003eTransferwise\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the project:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is working on a grant-supported Digital Infrastructure Funders’ Toolkit project. We\u0026rsquo;re creating a set of resources for funders around the world who are interested in supporting digital infrastructure and open source technologies but may not yet know how to approach the topic. Funders might include private foundations, government programs, corporations, and high net worth individuals. Our goal is to provide tools for better funding processes in this topic area, and ultimately impact the sustainability of open source and foundational software, keep standards and protocols interoperable and up-to-date, and create a more resilient and secure digital infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe it is important to acknowledge that regions, languages, and governments articulate and understand “infrastructure” in very different ways. The creation of a regional team of non-US / non-EU researchers will ensure we capture and share these nuances, and offer a more global understanding of the needs, wants, and opportunities in service to this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo that end, we are looking for 5-7 regional partners who can help us identify, connect, interview, and create region-specific portions of the funding tools. Partners who have expertise and connections in the digital funding ecosystem in the following regions are encouraged to apply:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEastern Asia\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth Eastern Asia\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth Asia\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAustralia and New Zealand\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArabic-speaking Middle East\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEastern Africa\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWestern Africa\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouthern Africa\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCentral America\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth America\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGlobal\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach contract is a short-term contract for USD $3,000 running from June 2021 to December 2021, with specific deliverables and milestones throughout. These include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdentify relevant funders\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConduct interviews with funders (and potentially some of their grantees)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFacilitate 1-2 workshops\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManage localizing information, and\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLead production of locally, contextually relevant resources to include in the toolkit.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur team is happy to support regional partners with interview methodology, workshop planning, scheduling, and general problem-solving as needed. We expect this to take between 60-80hrs max.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout us\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout you\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou understand the power of open source technologies to drive societal change.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ve worked with funders in your region and can work with them to advise them on their portfolios.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently, in collaboration with a fully remote team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;re comfortable conducting interviews and facilitating (virtual) workshops.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can either translate or manage the translation of some resources.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have flexibility in your schedule to meet with a global team at times that work for everyone.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e(for individuals) An updated resume or CV.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e(for organizations) Please tell us why your organization is the right fit, share relevant work with explanations, and list the names and brief bios of the people who will be working on this project.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour responses to the following questions:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do you define \u003cem\u003edigital infrastructure\u003c/em\u003e? Why is it important, and what potential does it have for society? (250 words max)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is the role of philanthropy in supporting the development, maintenance, and usage of digital infrastructure? (250 words max)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do funders in your region or communities address the topic of digital infrastructure? Please describe your impact and/or experience working with them on this topic. (250 words max)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSend these documents to Nicola Pratt at nicola [ at ] superbloom [ dot ] design as soon as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe that systemic bad behaviors disproportionately hurt the most marginalized people in society — including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "MozFest 2021 - Will we see you there?",
            "date_published": "2021-03-05T16:54:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-03-05T16:54:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/mozfest-2021-will-we-see-you-there/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/mozfest-2021-will-we-see-you-there/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eInterested in Decentralization? Want to learn more about the last 5 years of Mozilla’s Fellowships \u0026amp; Awards Programs? Have a project you are stuck on and want to collaborate in a design sprint or get quick UX feedback? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the next 2 weeks, Simply Secure will be hosting five sessions at the first virtual Mozilla Festival. If you’ll be there, we’d love to see you, learn about your work, and collaborate. Come join us!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can register for MozFest \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e, and below are links to each of the sessions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"zine-making-explain-decentralization-to-me\"\u003eZine-making: Explain Decentralization To Me\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/QT9W7X-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/QT9W7X-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen: March 10 @ 12 - 1 PM EST; 6 - 7 PM CET\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecentralization means something different to everyone but what does it mean to you? Join the Decentralization Off The Shelf (DOTS) team in a search for meanings in the decentralized world through creativity and the art of zine-making. This workshop is suitable for designers, developers, learners, and anyone who is curious about how the world functions and wishes to tell their stories. The workshop consists of three parts: 1. DOTS interpretation of decentralization and a short introduction to zine-making 2. Zine-making: A collective interpretation of ‘decentralization’ and individual workspace 3. Online exhibition: Learning and sharing The workshop will be conducted via Figma and Zoom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"pattern-library-when-designer-meets-developer\"\u003ePattern Library: When Designer Meets Developer\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/3PJAZG-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/3PJAZG-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen: March 12 @ 12-1 PM EST; 6 - 7 P CET\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign does not hold the key to all the problems out there, but it might help unblock your \u0026ldquo;stuckness\u0026rdquo; and bring new perspectives. Take part in our speed-dating-like session where your decentralized tech problem might just find its perfect design-pattern match. To participate, please bring at least one problem that you are currently struggling with (it doesn’t have to be a technical one), wear a smile, and keep your mind wide open. The good thing is, unlike Tinder, the possibilities are endless. The session will be conducted via Zoom and Miro. It consists of three parts: 1. Check-in and Introduction 2. Problem-Pattern Matching 3. Sharing and Learning.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"fellowships--awards-evaluation-community-workshop\"\u003eFellowships \u0026amp; Awards Evaluation Community Workshop\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/LBBMAY-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/LBBMAY-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen: March 16 @ 1-2pm EST; 6 - 7 PM CET\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStarting in November 2020, Mozilla Foundation started an evaluation of the Fellowships and Awards programs with the support of Simply Secure. The evaluation seeks to understand the program’s strengths and challenges with the goal of improving their efficacy and impact. Community input and guidance is critical to this process, and so as part of the evaluation, we engaged past participants in the programs, funders, host organizations, community members and other stakeholders. At MozFest, we are excited to share some preliminary findings with the community and get feedback as we finalize outputs to share publicly. Please come and share your thoughts, reactions and ideas.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"design-sprint-reimagining-ux-patterns-to-address-ai--surveillance-capitalism-harms\"\u003eDesign Sprint: Reimagining UX Patterns to address AI \u0026amp; Surveillance Capitalism harms \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/KFSQ9J-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/KFSQ9J-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen: March 17 @ 1-3pm EST; 6 -7 PM CET\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSimply Secure and the broader Human Rights Centered Design (HRCD) Community would like to host a workshop / design sprint where we invite participants to workshop UX and design ideas in response to the everyday harms caused by AI and surveillance capitalism on internet platforms. At the workshop, participants will have the option of working alone or in groups on a variety of issue areas, e.g. consent, transparency, remediation experiences (e.g. in response to content moderation or online harassment issues) and many more! The session will be very generative with the goal being to create a final collaborative output of ideas to challenge the norms around current user experience patterns.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ux--design-speed-dating-clinic\"\u003eUX \u0026amp; Design Speed Dating Clinic\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/RNJLZF-1\"\u003ehttps://schedule.mozillafestival.org/session/RNJLZF-1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen: March 18 @ 2:15 - 3:15 PM EST; 7:15PM - 8:15 PM CET\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStuck on how to build or communicate a feature? Not sure how to get user feedback? Want to brainstorm some design alternatives for your tool or process? Thinking about how to engage users in your design process? Then this workshop is for you! In the session, participants will have the opportunity to meet with design and usability practitioners in the community. We will set up 10-15 minute \u0026ldquo;speed dating\u0026rdquo; time slots and allow participants to rotate through the presenters so that they can get feedback from multiple perspectives on whatever design and UX challenges they bring to share. Participants should bring something to share their work with the UX practitioners (an idea, a problem to work on, design sketches, a prototype, whatever stage you are at! etc), and will leave with feedback, designs, tools, strategies, and follow up opportunities to get support in their work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Call for Proposals — Brand Designer",
            "date_published": "2021-01-11T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2021-01-11T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/identity-designer-cfp/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/identity-designer-cfp/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe’re looking for a designer to create a new visual identity for Simply Secure (name change is on the way!).\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApplication deadline: January 21, 2021\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-project\"\u003eThe project\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe’re looking for a designer to create a new brand identity for Simply Secure. In summer 2020, we decided that we needed a new name and a new identity in order to continue doing, and communicating, our work effectively.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInstead of doing this work internally, or engaging an external partner to create our identity for us, we are leveraging a \u003cstrong\u003eco-design process\u003c/strong\u003e. With support and mentorship from Una Lee of \u003ca href=\"https://www.andalsotoo.net/\"\u003eAnd Also Too\u003c/a\u003e, we’ve engaged an advisory committee composed of a diverse group of people from our community who know our work and are invested in our future to help. We’ve also engaged our broader community for feedback, and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eshared about the process as well as what we\u0026rsquo;ve heard so far on our blog\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe expect you to build off our current identity redesign process by proposing a visual identity based on our new design brief, and then developing a brand book and design system.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll propose, create, and deliver an identity and design system including but not limited to:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrand book\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePersonality\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTone\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrand story\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrand metaphor\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign system\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLogo, Logotype\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTypography\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eType scale\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColor palette\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImagery\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamples of application\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuidelines for usage (dos and don’ts) including guidelines for accessibility\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTemplates\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSocial media graphics\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSlide deck template\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocument templates (letterhead, report template for clients, case study template for public)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBusiness card design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMerchandise, e.g. stickers\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"timeline\"\u003eTimeline\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a time-limited contract, starting in \u003cstrong\u003elate January 2021\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne of our next workshops is scheduled for \u003cstrong\u003eFebruary 4 at 2-4pm ET / 8-10pm CET\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn addition, there will be 1-2 co-design workshops in \u003cstrong\u003elate winter/early spring 2021\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe expect, and hope, the overall process to be finished by \u003cstrong\u003esummer 2021\u003c/strong\u003e. However, since this project has many stakeholders, we can be flexible with timing. Even if this timing doesn’t work exactly for you, if this seems like the right project for you, please get in touch.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou love designing identity systems and understand how to wield their power. You get really excited about using imagery, color, layout, and type to tell a visual story.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou design expressive and accessible screens, logos, and colors, meant to be viewed on the web.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently, in collaboration with a fully remote team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you’re getting what you need from us.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are excited about being part of our community-driven design approach. You think it will be fun and interesting to use these workshops as part of your process. It\u0026rsquo;s okay with you that we are coming up with a new name in parallel with creating a visual identity.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are able to meet with us during our core hours of 2pm to 6pm Central European Time / 8am to 6pm Eastern Time / 7am to 3pm Pacific Time.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAwareness of one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with, and/or interest in learning more about, co-design processes\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpert in communicating with international audiences\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledge of accessibility standards\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with, and/or interest in, naming organizations\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3-5 examples of your work. Please highlight the projects with turn-around times of 3-6 months and tell us about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process\u003c/strong\u003e: how did these projects get created? Who was involved, what did the process look like, how long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA (very short!) outline of how you would approach working with us on this project. What phases would this project have, and what would you need from us to make it successful? (We are not looking for design directions yet, so please don\u0026rsquo;t feel the need to pitch us any suggestions. We\u0026rsquo;ll need some time together to bring you up to speed on our co-design process and our design brief.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1-2 references. References will be contacted in the last phase of application review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe times you are available for meetings within our core hours.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn estimated budget for the project.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSend these documents to \u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs-brand@superbloom.design\"\u003ejobs-brand@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis. We will stop accepting applications on January 21, 2020.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you intend to submit a proposal, but are unable to do so by the deadline, please reach out to us.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021",
            "date_published": "2020-12-31T18:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-12-31T18:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/goodbye-2020-hello-2021/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/goodbye-2020-hello-2021/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e2020 was certainly different and harder than we all anticipated. Despite the challenges that 2020 brought, the team at Simply Secure has done some amazing work, while also taking time to reflect and grow. We couldn’t have done this without support, collaboration, and solidarity from our community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2021, you can expect to see some changes — including new team members and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003enew identity for Simply Secure\u003c/a\u003e, to match how we’ve grown since our inception! We’re hoping to expand on our work supporting consent, diversity and equity, human rights and infrastructure, as well as our growing portfolio of work around program design for supporting and funding trustworthy technology. We plan to continue working with individuals, projects, communities, and funders to  build and inform technology, resources and programs that protect people’s dignity, safety and privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"2020-highlights\"\u003e2020 Highlights\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe supported the launch of our first fiscally sponsored project, led by \u003ca href=\"/about/people/cade\"\u003eCade Diehm\u003c/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https://newdesigncongress.org/\"\u003eNew Design Congress\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlongside Internews, EFF, and Access Now, we hosted monthly convenings, since February 2020, with the \u003ca href=\"http://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003eHuman Rights Centered Design community\u003c/a\u003e, covering topics for practitioners ranging from contract tracing applications to trauma informed design.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn June 2020, we launched a new report \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/decentralization-off-the-shelf-7-maxims\"\u003eDecentralization Off The Shelf: 7 Maxims\u003c/a\u003e (DOTS) covering the key changes needed for decentralized technology to gain adoption through easing the developer ecosystem and improving the user experience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe worked closely with the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/brainwane/status/1202375339332296704\"\u003ePython PIP CLI\u003c/a\u003e team to address usability issues with pip and support the development and rollout of a significant new feature — an improved version of the dependency resolver.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith support from the \u003ca href=\"http://opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e, we have been working to improve the \u003ca href=\"https://metrics.torproject.org/\"\u003eTor Metrics\u003c/a\u003e data platform, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/globaleaks-case-study\"\u003eGlobaLeaks whistleblower platform\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2Ps usability\u003c/a\u003e, and we’ve been working directly with OTF to \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/news/new-otf-application-form/\"\u003eimprove their funding application design and process\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/moss/\"\u003eMozilla’s Open Source Support\u003c/a\u003e (MOSS) program, we developed a plan to improve their website and clarify their program offerings, and are building on that work to support an impact evaluation of the MOSS program since 2015.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilding on work from 2016-2018, we are working with \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e to improve the feedback loops between end users, trainers, and software development teams through capacity building and support during a new phase of the \u003ca href=\"http://usable.tools/\"\u003eUSABLE\u003c/a\u003e program. This included hosting a month long convening in August 2020 — \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/axis2020/\"\u003eAXIS: A Global Feedback Exchange for Trainers, Auditors, Developers, and Designers\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThrough our partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://codeforscience.org/\"\u003eCode for Science \u0026amp; Society\u003c/a\u003e, we have continued to work with \u003ca href=\"https://prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.measurementlab.net/\"\u003eMeasurement Lab\u003c/a\u003e. With \u003ca href=\"https://prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e, we are supporting and helping to lead a significant technical overhaul merging two of their current code bases into one that is more accessible to open source contributions. We are also currently starting a project to explore and co-design improvements to the platform to better support underrepresented communities in science. We completed a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/data-decision-making-design-measuring-internet-performance-for-libraries-and-the-public-sector\"\u003eproject with Measurement Lab\u003c/a\u003e around supporting libraries with open internet measurement data and tools. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupported by \u003ca href=\"http://reset.tech/\"\u003eReset.Tech\u003c/a\u003e and others, we have been working with a number of different projects related to mis- and disinformation data collection, supporting research, policy engagement and active intervention around online harms, including \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/popping-the-filter-bubble-design-practices-for-data-donation\"\u003eAlgorithms Exposed\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://docs.digiresilience.org/waterbear/\"\u003eCDR’s Waterbear Link\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.junkipedia.org/\"\u003eJunkipedia\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://meedan.com/check\"\u003eMeedan’s Check\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eMozilla’s Ion Project\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://themarkup.org/citizen-browser\"\u003eThe Markup’s Citizen Browser\u003c/a\u003e. Additionally we are supporting efforts to work on platform accountability collectively through workshops with the organizations like \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/social-media/social-media-misinformation-policies/\"\u003eConsumer Reports\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://pen.org/the-first-wave-social-media-platforms-responding-to-covid-19/\"\u003ePEN America\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-b5b_AgJhz7rAXaSpekwBwZWHx_A7iSleoOGxK0lZto/edit#\"\u003eMozilla\u003c/a\u003e around platform data needed for transparency and advocacy initiatives.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe supported the Implicit Development research team in their work evaluating the needs of FOSS communities working on digital infrastructure in the public interest. Read more in their final report: \u003ca href=\"https://recommendations.implicit-development.org/\"\u003eRoadwork Ahead\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing out of the Sustain Convening in January 2020, we helped launch a \u003ca href=\"https://sustainoss.org/working-groups/design-and-ux/\"\u003eworking group focused on UX \u0026amp; Design in open source\u003c/a\u003e, which has been meeting monthly to collaborate on resources and coordinate around community needs for sustaining open source through user experience and design.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe supported the rapid response effort to \u003ca href=\"http://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003eSave Internet Freedom Tech\u003c/a\u003e alongside many organizations and individuals in the community fighting to protect internet freedom.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe spoke, supported, and helped organize over 20 workshops and talks at events like \u003ca href=\"https://fosdem.org/\"\u003eFOSDEM\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://interaction20.ixda.org/\"\u003eInteraction20\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://sustainoss.org/\"\u003eSustainOSS\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://moinworld.de/en/\"\u003eMoin World Women Tech Makers\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://global.georgetown.edu/georgetown_units/beeck-center-for-social-impact-and-innovation\"\u003eBeeck Center\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://mydata.org/\"\u003eMyData\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org/\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://datanatives.io/\"\u003eData Natives\u003c/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.hiig.de/en/\"\u003eHIIG\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.rightscon.org/\"\u003eRightsCon\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.breadandnet.org/en/\"\u003eBread \u0026amp; Net\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=ShareTheMicInCyber\u0026amp;src=typed_query\"\u003e#ShareTheMicInCyber\u003c/a\u003e, and joined coalitions such as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.iwmf.org/coalition-on-online-abuse/\"\u003eCoalition on Online Abuse\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking forward to reconnecting with all of you in 2021.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn solidarity — Georgia \u0026amp; the team at Simply Secure\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u0026ndash;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/support-us/\"\u003eDonate to support our work\u003c/a\u003e via \u003ca href=\"https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=SeIKuUPaIZoWy469U2tcPvdsYy4Ptwjkg6omagjfRk9kzg02gV9f3FK5-Itwv_UHTF1PIG\u0026amp;country.x=US\u0026amp;locale.x=US\"\u003ePaypal\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://opencollective.com/underexposed\"\u003eOpenCollective\u003c/a\u003e or check. If your employer uses \u003ca href=\"https://causes.benevity.org/causes/840-472462310?lang=en\"\u003eBenevity\u003c/a\u003e, please consider setting up a match or a recurring donation. Follow us on \u003ca href=\"http://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/simplysecureorg/\"\u003eFacebook\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/simplysecureorg/\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://instagram.com/simplysecure/\"\u003eInstagram\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/simply-secure\"\u003eMedium\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design for Data Journalism: A Case Study",
            "date_published": "2020-12-14T09:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-12-14T09:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-for-data-journalism-a-case-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-for-data-journalism-a-case-study/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"the-project\"\u003eThe Project\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://occrp.org\"\u003eOCCRP\u003c/a\u003e, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, is a nonprofit that enables \u0026ldquo;follow the money\u0026rdquo; journalism all over the world. They\u0026rsquo;re an invaluable resource for training and supporting journalists who do the dangerous, unpopular work of bringing the shadowy side of international finance to light.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne tool that OCCRP maintains is \u003ca href=\"http://alephdata.org\"\u003eAleph\u003c/a\u003e. Aleph is an open-source portal for exploring datasets related to journalistic investigations into businesses, especially corruption, money laundering, and organized crime. It\u0026rsquo;s a key tool for many journalists, both freelance and newsroom, working on these and related issues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe team that maintains Aleph approached us looking for help   with the user experience design of the data portal. They knew it was difficult to use, and they knew that some fundamental aspects of the information architecture and UI needed clarifying, but they weren\u0026rsquo;t yet sure what or how, making this challenge a perfect fit for our human-centered design approach. We rolled up our sleeves and jumped in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-process\"\u003eThe Process\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research phase started with 5 exploratory interviews with journalists to identify pain points and opportunity areas within OCCRP Aleph. We spoke with 4 freelance journalists and 1 newsroom journalist, and the interviews were a mixture of in-person and remote. We identified three problem areas that kept emerging, and pulled out details and quotations in order to clarify these issues and bring them to life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter our interviews were finished, we shared our findings with the OCCRP team and worked together to decide how to prioritize our design time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe decided to focus on the following three themes in our design work:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose\u003c/strong\u003e, e.g. What is this tool for? Who makes it? What kind of data does it contain? How is it different than other tools?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrientation\u003c/strong\u003e, e.g. Where am I in the database? How did I get here? How do I get somewhere else?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSourcing\u003c/strong\u003e, e.g. Where is this data from? How fresh is it? Is it publicly available or private? Who vouches for it? Can I consider it a credible source?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith these focus areas, we iterated on wireframes and high-fidelty prototypes for the Aleph interface, and then ran 4 remote usability tests with OCCRP journalists to get feedback on how the wireframes addressed these themes and see if our designs improved their workflows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur collaboration formally ended in August 2019, when we handed off our research, our mockups, and our usability test results to the Aleph team. Since then, the Aleph team has been hard at work making these research-based design recommendations into reality. The screenshots you see below aren\u0026rsquo;t just pipe-dream design mockups – they\u0026rsquo;re images of the actual website.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can explore these changes for yourself at \u003ca href=\"http://aleph.occrp.org\"\u003ehttp://aleph.occrp.org\u003c/a\u003e. (Not sure if this is a benefit or a hazard, but you\u0026rsquo;ll likely learn a bit about the shadowy world of international corporate finance along the way.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"unpacking-the-design-problems\"\u003eUnpacking The Design Problems\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this case study, we\u0026rsquo;ll walk you through some of the design problems we identified in Aleph, as well as how we solved them. You may recognize some of these design problems in your tools and teams, and we hope that our process and solutions are helpful to you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"problem-1-what-is-this-tool-called\"\u003eProblem 1: What is this tool called?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our post-research meeting with the OCCRP team, we decided to redesign the home page in order to make people\u0026rsquo;s first steps clearer. But we ran into an unexpectedly thorny problem: what name should show up on the home page?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObviously, the name of the tool. Easy, right? Well, even in the corporate world, but especially in the nonprofit tech and open source world, it\u0026rsquo;s not so simple.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat we did to solve this problem is listen carefully to how our interviewees referred to\u0026hellip; well, to the tool. As interviewers, we went to great pains not to put any words in their mouths. We heard the following names:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u0026ldquo;data dot occrp dot org\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u0026ldquo;OCCRP Data\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u0026ldquo;OCCRP\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u0026ldquo;Aleph\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u0026ldquo;OCCRP Aleph\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn reflecting on this challenge with the team, we dug into the name tension and found that the OCCRP team really liked the name that had been reserved to just refer to the code base: Aleph. The name Aleph is actually a literary allusion. The Aleph is a magical object in \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Aleph_(short_story)\"\u003ea Jorge Luis Borges story\u003c/a\u003e; discovered under a staircase in an old house, this glowing sphere contains the entirety of the universe, past, present, and future. Aleph, the open source project, also aims to contain a dazzling, head-spinning variety of information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOCCRP Aleph is a tool that allows journalists to upload, search, and cross-reference large data sets, often around business structures and property ownership. Datasets like these are crucial to \u0026ldquo;follow the money\u0026rdquo; investigations such as the Panama Papers and the Paradise Papers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo why not just call it Aleph? Since Aleph is open-source, anyone can run an instance of it on their own web servers. Newsrooms, such as the Süddeutsche Zeitung, have their own private Alephs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOut of these names, we determined that the name OCCRP Aleph should show up on the home page, while the project should still be called Aleph. We all loved the name, and even had some fun with a new logo\u0026hellip; but more on that later.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"problem-2-orientation--what-goes-on-the-home-page\"\u003eProblem 2: Orientation — What goes on the home page?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you visit an Aleph installation to look at datasets, you have two ways of encountering the datasets. Either you can search datasets for certain people or companies, or you can just browse entire datasets and see what you find. But do people actually do both of these things? We learned in our research phase that people use OCCRP Aleph almost exclusively to search. They come to OCCRP Aleph once they already have a lead they want to follow up on, the name of a person or a business. Nobody browses. Nobody starts out by \u0026ldquo;exploring.\u0026rdquo; OCCRP Aleph is rarely the first step in their research process – it\u0026rsquo;s always the second.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut if people already know what they want to search for, and they aren\u0026rsquo;t interested in seeing anything they weren\u0026rsquo;t looking for, then what shows up on the home page?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;re familiar with the ways that, for example, an e-commerce website solves this problem. An e-commerce website uses the home page to spotlight sales and deals; they recognize you from your past behavior, and push products to you that they think you\u0026rsquo;ll click on. However, neither of those techniques makes any sense for an open data platform that doesn\u0026rsquo;t track visitors. We had a few different patterns we could try.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShould we just emulate the classic, minimalist Google homepage, with a single search box? Or should we make the home page a personalized area, a shortcut to a user\u0026rsquo;s private groups and uploaded datasets? Or something in between?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost Aleph users are repeat users, so personalization seemed like a good idea. However, usability testing surfaced a few problems that needed to be addressed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople found it confusing when the first screen they saw was too customized. They also pointed out that, if personal search history, datasets, and other groups were shown immediately on the front page, somebody looking over their shoulder when they logged in might see sensitive information. So we had to make sure that what they saw was personal, but not \u003cem\u003etoo\u003c/em\u003e personal. We settled on a list of events: data added or removed from datasets they follow.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/bKhVLTDm04AmF50PQa9_jG1kXm2Sp8LNXXdS7jIxzVoAkb9pJ-iYy0DO0lz5Vk_g45Z5LY6QMT6Wj8f72OqPiVXb-pEZDIg4NUOTh027ljGbVihp86DJzmQ3B1DxA5DMVUPluPzH\" alt=\"Screenshot of Aleph home page\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis design acknowledges that search is users\u0026rsquo; main task. They come to OCCRP Aleph with a list of names, a list of organizations, or at the very least a question to look into. So we added heavy visual emphasis to the search box at the top of the page.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also made a subtle improvement to help people orient themselves: we added a dropdown menu in front of the search box. The dropdown shows the scope of the current search – the dataset(s) to which the search is being applied. When it says \u0026ldquo;OCCRP Aleph,\u0026rdquo; that means all datasets available to that user.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the datasets page, the dropdown isn\u0026rsquo;t a dropdown yet, just looks like a label.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/FKxZ5mDtvtDDK-qQzrYSV_eQmGJGg1VyylQTyBAsTrdgo7X8xK2n8Ao-paKe33WnlrTufL47T1KMHc8d1W17vLmmVArPfNVH37KPPTA4nC7nJBFQkFI19ZDEC4AmdWP_YKT8DMmQ\" alt=\"Screenshot of Aleph search box\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, once you enter a database, the label becomes a dropdown. You can choose whether to search within the database you\u0026rsquo;ve selected (here, \u0026ldquo;Mozambique Persons of Interest\u0026rdquo;) or whether to search the entirety of the Aleph instance. This dropdown offers more than just a choice: it sends a quiet signal to help you build your mental map of where you are.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/IvU-a04s8WdPpxGJE5wM2ZH3XPzZYL6Tg0NEazCyLU71Tk9nhVEcMAdPEFbexavV40MvhVTQF7XX8etWeBhyt5Os7yAzIzNDWP0LVYloxR6JQsKKjmtvyTn5eXNrydP_HAPcY4O_\" alt=\"Screenshot showing dropdown in front of search box that aids in navigating datasets\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new design gets people right down to business from the beginning, and, as an added benefit, cuts down on that \u0026ldquo;where am I and how did I get here?\u0026rdquo; feeling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"problem-3-sourcing--the-heavy-burden-of-verification\"\u003eProblem 3: Sourcing — The heavy burden of verification\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How reliable is this data?\u0026rdquo; This is the crucial question journalists ask whenever they are researching a story. Using outdated, falsified, hacked, or even incomplete data can cause serious consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAleph is in a difficult position here. OCCRP can\u0026rsquo;t vouch for each and every data set. OCCRP provides software that helps journalists search datasets and trace connections between datasets, but OCCRP can\u0026rsquo;t curate every dataset on OCCRP Aleph, much less every dataset on every Aleph installation!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our research, people expressed a lot of concern about data reliability. They asked for a lot of features that frankly aren\u0026rsquo;t possible: \u0026ldquo;trust scores,\u0026rdquo; verification marks, and automatic updating of datasets. But Aleph isn\u0026rsquo;t supposed to be a data evaluation tool. No software can substitute for the judgment of a trained journalist who is familiar with their subject area.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust to give one example: a three-month-old dataset with company addresses might seem recent enough to use\u0026hellip; but not for a seasoned business journalist, who already knows that this dataset is updated monthly!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why our philosophy was \u003cem\u003eData transparency, not data perfection\u003c/em\u003e. We aimed to spotlight all metadata that could help a trained journalist evaluate a source\u0026rsquo;s recency and provenance. Most of these fields already existed in the data model – it would have been difficult to add new fields – but we used design to draw attention to the most relevant ones. In particular, we recommended a bold callout that shows the dataset\u0026rsquo;s update frequency, if known – and if it\u0026rsquo;s not known, that\u0026rsquo;s also helpful information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/1cUATExcl1A3GRxZnTIXxlzMFTrY8l92vhjgqBMDxsq58kfWYZtho7SuSxOosJ0tuEWBhS6RxoIaR85wrCjFFkELffWtXtTw8PidAev0CoKFfU7zmCPTO3jLo9GFZzzF4eSkQPy-\" alt=\"Screenshot showing metadata attached to datasets\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside the dataset, people can see even more metadata. It\u0026rsquo;s spotlighted with a darker box. This information may not reassure journalists that this dataset is clean, uncompromised, and updated, but it gives them the information they need at a glance in order to make the necessary judgment calls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/MtuwqQe7UoQL-oPzK8nBbmNcVQ05XK12gjhf23qPKJbQO63FxjjQP_5fUP_wsEwCKr3EW1CeHoiVZXOkJmmDjnZu_1w0yR8of20sWB0_bg5YgzOzRACT3vhLomH6HqeRhKN6mpwL\" alt=\"Screenshot of dataset detail\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"little-design-changes-big-impact\"\u003eLittle Design Changes, Big Impact\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur research and usability testing helped us uncover lots of design opportunities along the way that weren\u0026rsquo;t quite as game-changing as the ones above, but nevertheless led to significant usability improvements. Let\u0026rsquo;s look at a few places where the OCCRP team added a little intervention that makes a big difference.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSearch tips.\u003c/strong\u003e Even people who used Aleph often had a hit-and-miss approach to advanced search. Since they use a lot of databases, all of which behave a little differently, they don\u0026rsquo;t remember exactly which conventions Aleph uses. To solve this, we built a giant dropdown advanced search panel that is packed with explicit reminders about how search works. It\u0026rsquo;s always available, right next to the search bar.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/recent-notifications-occrp-aleph-2020-12-11-21-52-05_hu_a66a52acffce2dd7.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of advanced search\" width=\"740\" height=\"772\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDocumentation for non-developers.\u003c/strong\u003e Previously, it was much easier to find information about how to contribute code to Aleph than how to use Aleph. Figuring out how to do journalist tasks like searching, parsing, uploading, and sharing datasets was a challenge, since the documentation was geared towards software developers. The new documentation page, located at \u003ca href=\"http://docs.alephdata.org\"\u003edocs.alephdata.org\u003c/a\u003e, is written for researchers and journalists, and built around the tasks they\u0026rsquo;re likely to do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/welcome-aleph-2020-12-11-22-10-33_hu_f380e88c7bb68d09.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of about page\" width=\"740\" height=\"394\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuick links to user settings.\u003c/strong\u003e Accessing various personal settings used to mean first going to a personal home page, then navigating to the place you wanted to be. We designed a menu and architecture that made navigation more efficient by surfacing common user tasks in a dropdown.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/JlyR-UN4LNBY0kq3rxbXfhaEnaHQ_zOSsHV0zasJjAE_uWWxU_GeKAYJuXRaXyXJVI2X5I-VUFl4tS0Qef_K_DXH47Dz1oBJhWhdITDUuxZfbTSWLUAyPIYIRVqg-Exy2OFb7qoC\" alt=\"Screenshot of user menu\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnd finally\u0026hellip;\u003c/strong\u003e We say over and over, \u0026ldquo;design is more than logos.\u0026rdquo; But, yeah\u0026hellip; we did design a new logo for Aleph!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis simple shape, inspired by the ancient Phoenician glyph for the letter \u0026ldquo;aleph,\u0026rdquo; is a high-contrast emblem that looks great in many different colorways. We work as a team and usually don\u0026rsquo;t emphasize the contributions of individuals, but in this case we have to shout out to \u003ca href=\"http://lorrainechuen.com/\"\u003eLorraine Chuen\u003c/a\u003e for her modern take on the ancient symbol.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/NArAyLZGebA3CqY4mkgPfZN9CLTW-ABRmIdshLf35vGL4ukFR2s2F5Cvj2UDq-s4LmbzBXKB6ExVJqWZ3YAX3ocG0b4Goop8aCw2mVQhvu0QhFW5EGF3_vWmh5x7BCq9Vj8d0UYe\" alt=\"Screenshot of new logo\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe hope learning about our approach was useful to you. Would you like to collaborate with us to solve similar design and usability problems? Get in touch!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThanks to Emma Prest, Kirk Jackson, Friedrich Lindenberg, Nadine Stammen, Lorraine Chuen, and all research participants.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Managing Director",
            "date_published": "2020-11-23T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-11-23T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/managing-director/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/managing-director/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"the-deadline-for-applying-to-this-role-has-passed\"\u003eThe deadline for applying to this role has passed.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe’re looking for a leader who can help us design and implement our long-term strategic vision, and support our teams to realize their full potential.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-role\"\u003eThe role\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll be a critical part of our leadership team, responsible for overseeing staffing and organizational culture, and professional development.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll grow our programs, business development strategy, network of collaborators, and strengthen our teams to ensure internal cohesion and stability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll work with key staff to build a multi-year strategy to support our unique position as collaborative technologists designing for safety \u0026amp; privacy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making secure communications tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of projects, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re also working through an open rebranding process, moving away from the name “Simply Secure” and toward an identity that more accurately reflects the diversity of the work we do.\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eLearn more on our blog.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre a critical senior leader with strengths as a manager, strategist, and culture builder.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave demonstrated organizational strategy, facilitation, and people management skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave experience and deep understanding of the civil society space in the US and EU as it intersects with technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave an extensive network of community organizations, nonprofits and advocacy groups, philanthropic partners, and a political understanding of key world regions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre comfortable with cross-cultural communication, collaboration and conflict resolution, through work with international teams.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave experience managing and enjoy working with a fully remote, distributed team, across many time zones and cultures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave availability during our prime work hours (11-6pm Central Europe / 10-5pm UK / 8-6pm US Eastern / 8-3pm US Pacific)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with research and design work, e.g. human-centered design, design thinking, service design, ux design, or participatory research (specifically field research).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights technology.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with collaborative work tools (we currently use Notion, Miro, and Google Suite).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProficiency in major world languages other than English \u0026ndash; especially German, French or Spanish.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe position is open until filled, and we will begin reviewing resumes on Wednesday, November 25th. Please send your resume and cover letter to Nicola Pratt at nicola [ at ] superbloom [ dot ] design by Monday, December 7, 2020.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Call for Proposals — Brand/Visual Designer",
            "date_published": "2020-11-20T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-11-20T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/brand-designer-cfp/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/brand-designer-cfp/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"the-deadline-for-applying-to-this-role-has-passed\"\u003eThe deadline for applying to this role has passed.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-project\"\u003eThe project\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are looking for someone who can bring their expertise in crafting product identities to a new, global tool that helps at-risk users (human rights defenders, journalists, activists, NGOs) stay safe online. The tool is launching in February 2021.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou’ll propose, create, and deliver an identity and design system that includes:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA logo\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLogotype\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA brand mascot\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIllustrations\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTypography\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColor palette\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuidelines for usage (dos and don’ts)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe identity system for this free tool is not intended to impress investors and convert customers. Instead, it will help users understand the tool and establish consistent patterns and metaphors to increase usability and trustworthiness.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeveral identity guidelines are already in place, including: mission, vision, values, audience, personality.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe identity system will be implemented into a browser extension, informational website, and extension marketplaces on Chrome and Firefox.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a time-limited contract, from approximately November 2020 to February 2021. We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to hire in the US and Germany, and contract internationally.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are inspired by work like:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.tunnelbear.com/\"\u003eTunnelbear\u003c/a\u003e - Consistent branding with expressive and approachable metaphors\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://signal.org/\"\u003eSignal\u003c/a\u003e - Breezy confidence and straight-talking makes the tool approachable to a mainstream audience\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://tails.boum.org/\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e - Strong graphical metaphor for communicating complex functionality, in a human, emotional way\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.mailvelope.com/\"\u003eMailvelope\u003c/a\u003e - Meaningful logo design and integrated, clear concept.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(We\u0026rsquo;re actually doing a rebranding process, moving away from the name \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure.\u0026rdquo; \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eMore info over here on the blog!\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou love designing identity systems. You get really excited about telling a visual story of a tool that is designed to help people.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou design expressive and accessible screens, logos, and illustrations, meant to be viewed on the web\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently, in collaboration with a fully remote team\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you’re getting what you need from us\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour meeting availability has sufficient overlap with our working hours of 10am to 6pm Central European Time. The project team is based in Germany.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAwareness of one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience in developing brands\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpert in communicating with international audiences\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledge of accessibility standards\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3-5 examples of your work. Please highlight the projects with quick turn-around times (less than 3 months) and tell us about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process\u003c/strong\u003e: how did these projects get created? Who was involved, what did the process look like, how long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA (very short!) outline of how you would approach working with us on this project. What phases would this project have, and what would you need from us to make it successful?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1-2 references. References will be contacted in the last phase of application review.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe times you are available for meetings within our working hours (10am to 6pm Central European Time)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSend these documents to \u003ca href=\"mailto:jobs-brand@superbloom.design\"\u003ejobs-brand@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition is open until filled and applications will be evaluated on a rolling review. We will stop accepting applications on December 4, 2020.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Researcher, Part Time",
            "date_published": "2020-11-12T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-11-12T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/design-researcher-pt/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/design-researcher-pt/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"the-deadline-for-applying-to-this-role-has-passed\"\u003eThe deadline for applying to this role has passed.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re looking for a part-time design researcher to help us with human centered design research.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-project\"\u003eThe project\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll help develop and conduct user interviews, surveys, and focus groups; you\u0026rsquo;ll synthesize research and develop outputs, including a report, to make the findings understandable and actionable by the project team; and you\u0026rsquo;ll work with clients to help them make the most of the research findings.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a part-time position, minimum 20 hours per week, from approximately November 2020 to March 2021, with the opportunity to renew. We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to hire in the US and Germany, and contract internationally.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(We\u0026rsquo;re actually doing a rebranding process, moving away from the name \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure.\u0026rdquo; \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eMore info over here on the blog!\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou love talking to research participants and understanding social and technical systems\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience with human-centered or participatory research (specifically field research)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently and in collaboration with a fully remote, distributed team\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have excellent project team communication and meeting facilitation skills\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are able to manage a balance of strategic planning and tactical execution\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are experienced with engaging in client-centered communication\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you\u0026rsquo;re getting what you need to be successful\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou understand the nuances of writing for an international audience and how to make your words direct and accessible without simplifying your message\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou write clear, concise, and engaging research synthesis to be read by a broad non-technical audience\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are familiar with working in the nonprofit space\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are available at least 20 hours/week with overlap during our prime work hours (11-6pm Central Europe / 10-5pm UK / 8-6pm US Eastern / 8-3pm US Pacific)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with collaborative work tools (we currently use Notion, Miro, and Google Suite)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with exploring and evaluating new tools\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable in cross-cultural communication, e.g. experience with international work\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAware of best practices around informed research consent, safeguarding confidential research information, and anonymizing participant data (if this is new to you, we\u0026rsquo;re happy to help you learn!)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResume\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamples of your work. With each link or document you send, please tell us about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process:\u003c/strong\u003e how did these outputs get created? Who was involved, what did the process look like, how long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSend these documents to Nicola Pratt at nicola [ at ] superbloom [ dot ] design by Wednesday, November 25, 2020.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo help us combat bias while we review applications, please remove your name from the documents you send.\u003c/strong\u003e One person on our team will keep a list assigning a code name to your application while we review it. If we\u0026rsquo;d like to interview you, we\u0026rsquo;ll match your code name to your real name, and get in touch. (If removing your name from your work screws up the formatting, don\u0026rsquo;t worry, this is not a graphic design job! You can also put an obviously fake name in place of your real name to keep the formatting consistent.)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Project Manager, Part Time",
            "date_published": "2020-11-12T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-11-12T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/project-manager-pt/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/project-manager-pt/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"the-deadline-for-applying-to-this-role-has-passed\"\u003eThe deadline for applying to this role has passed.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re looking for a part-time project manager to help us wrangle our projects.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-role\"\u003eThe role\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll help us manage a number of different projects with different partners and engagement models, making sure that we are on top of timelines, communicating effectively, and delivering on the work\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a part-time position, minimum 20 hours per week, from approximately November 2020 to March 2021, with the opportunity to renew. We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to hire in the US and Germany, and contract internationally.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(We\u0026rsquo;re actually doing a rebranding process, moving away from the name \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure.\u0026rdquo; \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eMore info over here on the blog!\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience with project management\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou enjoy simplifying complex projects, tracking details, and making sure the project teams are working well together\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have experience with leading projects and project delivery\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently and in collaboration with a fully remote, distributed team\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou have excellent project team communication and meeting facilitation skills\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are able to manage a balance of strategic planning and tactical execution\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are experienced with client-centered communication\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you\u0026rsquo;re getting what you need to be successful\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are familiar with working in the nonprofit space\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are available at least 20 hours/week with overlap during our prime work hours (11-6pm Central Europe / 10-5pm UK / 8-6pm US Eastern / 8-3pm US Pacific)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with research and design work, e.g. human-centered design, design thinking, service design, ux design, or participatory research (specifically field research)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperience with client-facing account management\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with collaborative work tools (we currently use Notion, Miro, and Google Suite)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable with exploring and evaluating new tools\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfortable in cross-cultural communication, e.g. experience with international work\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResume\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamples of your work. With each link or document you send, please tell us about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process:\u003c/strong\u003e how did these outputs get created? Who was involved, what did the process look like, how long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSend these documents to Nicola Pratt at nicola [ at ] superbloom [ dot ] design by Wednesday, November 25, 2020.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo help us combat bias while we review applications, please remove your name from the documents you send.\u003c/strong\u003e One person on our team will keep a list assigning a code name to your application while we review it. If we\u0026rsquo;d like to interview you, we\u0026rsquo;ll match your code name to your real name, and get in touch. (If removing your name from your work screws up the formatting, don\u0026rsquo;t worry, this is not a graphic design job! You can also put an obviously fake name in place of your real name to keep the formatting consistent.)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "What's next for 'Simply Secure'? Part 1: Revisiting our name and identity",
            "date_published": "2020-10-24T16:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-10-24T16:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to people.\u0026rdquo; That\u0026rsquo;s been Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s rallying cry since our founding in 2014. To make our vision of usable security a reality, we\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, from \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot of work that is better described more broadly as \u003cstrong\u003edesign for trustworthy technology\u003c/strong\u003e. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/popping-the-filter-bubble-design-practices-for-data-donation\"\u003eset of workshops on design for data donation\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"outgrowing-our-name\"\u003eOutgrowing our name\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we started to feel that the name Simply Secure was getting in our way. We explained again and again to potential collaborators, to funders, and to our community that we work on more than just security-focused tech (and also that we don\u0026rsquo;t think security is simple!). We clarified over and over that we have nothing to do with a \u003ca href=\"http://simplisafe.com\"\u003ecertain IoT home security company\u003c/a\u003e. We realized that we needed a name that helped us share and communicate our vision. Personally explaining our name to everyone just isn\u0026rsquo;t a great use of our time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe held internal retreats to clarify our mission and vision. We had fun brainstorming wacky name ideas. But just coming up with a new brand by ourselves, or with the help of an outside firm, felt risky.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause we\u0026rsquo;re not actually the \u0026ldquo;end users\u0026rdquo; of our name, our logo, or our color palette.\nWe\u0026rsquo;re not the most important stakeholders.\nWe\u0026rsquo;re not the people whose opinion most matters.\n\u003cem\u003eYou are\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf we rename ourselves and you, reading this, don\u0026rsquo;t get what we did and why, if you don\u0026rsquo;t groove on it\u0026hellip; well, then we can\u0026rsquo;t really serve our community effectively, and we\u0026rsquo;ve done something wrong.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s why we reached out to Una Lee of \u003ca href=\"https://www.andalsotoo.net/\"\u003eAnd Also Too\u003c/a\u003e. Una and her team are experts in co-design: the process of designing and deciding together with a community, rather than behind closed doors. We were delighted when Una agreed to mentor us through our own co-design process. In September 2020, we officially launched the search for Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s new name, and we committed ourselves to sharing our process publicly as we go. So hold on tight, and welcome aboard!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/refresh-crane-horiz@1x_hu_19781bd763ff062f.png\" alt=\"Simply Secure logo being built or unbuilt by a construction crane\" width=\"740\" height=\"431\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"we-asked-you--heres-what-you-said\"\u003eWe asked you – here\u0026rsquo;s what you said\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur first step was to send out a 5-minute survey asking what our community thought of Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s current name and visual style. The survey was open for 3 weeks and received 54 responses. Here\u0026rsquo;s what we found out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"our-name\"\u003eOur name\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a large majority of respondents, our name doesn\u0026rsquo;t capture what we do. They say that \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure\u0026rdquo; sounds like we only do security, and we do a lot more. Our name doesn\u0026rsquo;t imply anything about design or UX, anything about education, anything about human rights, or anything about being a nonprofit. It\u0026rsquo;d be impossible to think of a name that communicates all these things! But we also don\u0026rsquo;t want a name that only has to do with part of our work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis could be anything about security or safety. How would anyone know it\u0026rsquo;s about design/UX?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s not holistic or broad enough. The people I\u0026rsquo;ve worked with bring elegance and clarity to projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, because you work on many more issues than just security, and it doesn\u0026rsquo;t speak to the community-oriented dynamic that you cultivate as an org\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot everyone dislikes our name. However, when describing what we do, those respondents say, \u0026ldquo;you make security technology easier to use.\u0026rdquo; So it makes sense to us that these folks think our name is a good fit for us – for the security usability portion of our work, \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure\u0026rdquo; actually is a pretty good description.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood name - it\u0026rsquo;s about making security simple.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[I don\u0026rsquo;t like the name for you] because I think your work has broadened beyond a focus on security. But I do think it is a good name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive respondents mentioned the similarity to SimpliSafe, a US-based IoT home security company. Given that \u003ca href=\"https://simplisafe.com/privacy\"\u003eSimpliSafe\u0026rsquo;s privacy policy gives the company license to store and analyze recordings of your home\u003c/a\u003e, we\u0026rsquo;re not particularly happy about this association.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"our-logo\"\u003eOur logo\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne big surprise for us: five respondents said that they like the sticky notes on the logo. The funny thing is, sticky notes actually weren\u0026rsquo;t at all what we had in mind. The proportions of the squares in the logo are supposed to represent the Fibonacci sequence, which is a key part of many cryptography algorithms. But now that we see the \u0026ldquo;sticky notes\u0026rdquo; in the logo, we kind of love it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/simply-secure-sticker_hu_3c70f848f9ef8905.png\" alt=\"Simply Secure logo\" width=\"740\" height=\"996\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive more respondents said the logo reminds them of various corporate apps; Slack came up a few times, as did Google. Given the type of work we do, these aren\u0026rsquo;t exactly the mental connections we want folks to have when they think of us.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"our-visual-style\"\u003eOur visual style\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRespondents generally appreciated that our look is not dark, scary, or self-important. But we heard a lot of adjectives like \u0026ldquo;childish,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;kindergarten-ish,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;playful.\u0026rdquo; Many people told us that our imagery was too fun and light for the heavy, intense, and even dangerous topics we deal with.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/audience-funders_hu_7f074d3dbe0323f5.png\" alt=\"Colorful balloons\" width=\"740\" height=\"631\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s not very memorable. I get children\u0026rsquo;s birthday party from it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToo happy and bright - your work is about serious and concerning topics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe message we heard was: it\u0026rsquo;s refreshing that we present ourselves as welcoming and humble! But we also need to show that we take our work seriously. Imagery like balloons and cookies, and an aesthetic based on big, flat, brightly colored shapes, don\u0026rsquo;t communicate that we are a trustworthy, experienced partner for sensitive design and facilitation work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/audience-developers_hu_1309f5bfce5f8c48.png\" alt=\"Rabbit coming out of a top hat\" width=\"740\" height=\"931\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI worry that the rabbit ears in the hat makes a gesture toward being bewildering, rather than simple.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOut of 54 respondents, not a single person said that they liked our visual style in general, or that they thought it was a good representation of us. This confirms our hunch that we really need to rethink our look and feel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-we-do\"\u003eWhat we do\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sought out survey responses from people who already knew at least a little bit about us, either as individuals or as an organization. Respondents were very consistent in how they described our values and attitudes: putting people first, breaking down boundaries around how tech gets created, and paying attention to the \u0026ldquo;edges\u0026rdquo; often neglected by mainstream tech.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir answers to \u0026ldquo;what does Simply Secure do?\u0026rdquo; were more varied, and depended on the work they\u0026rsquo;d done with us. Here are the most prominent types of answers we got.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome folks painted us as conveners, networkers, and facilitators, bringing together people in the nonprofit tech space and creating connections between people and organizations. These people had often attended one of our workshops, or were part of our Slack.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat listeners and communicators.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA convener, a facilitator, a co-designer with a diverse outlook and commitment to security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConvening design thought, resources, and processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome people saw us as experts in usable security. These people tended to have been aware of us for a longer time. This makes a lot of sense, because a few years ago, a larger percentage of our work was in fact directly related to security usability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey help tech projects think carefully about how to design projects with security and usability in mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHuman-centered approach to design, security, and internet freedom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeveral people mentioned that we promote and share resources about thoughtful, responsible human-centered UX practices – not necessarily just about security. These tended to be people who found out about us more recently.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDigital agency with values for the future: transparency, security, ethics, environment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesign research and training agency focused on human rights centered design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople who were in a managerial role tended to mention our work using design research to support other nonprofits.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse data and storytelling to support organizational growth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResearch design, helping people think about communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHonest brokers for organizational planning and design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most common responses was the feeling that people are seeing the tip of the iceberg.  There\u0026rsquo;s a feeling that we do \u0026ldquo;more,\u0026rdquo; but it\u0026rsquo;s not always clear what.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesign + so much more!!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI know about some of the work around design, but honestly I am not sure what the day-to-day of Simply Secure looks like.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou do great projects but don\u0026rsquo;t get a lot of opportunity to talk about them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe intangible attributes that respondents mentioned were lovely to read, and a nice pick-me-up in tough times. Please remember to actually verbalize your compliments to the people you admire – it means a lot. We all need the boost right now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrustworthy and practical.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuper inspired by your work!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI gotta lotta love for Simply Secure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"who-responded\"\u003eWho responded?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e54 people responded to the survey. Here are some charts showing the demographic breakdown.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the multiple-response questions, we didn\u0026rsquo;t include responses checked by only 1 respondent, in order to keep the chart size manageable. We occasionally omitted custom responses from the charts in order to protect respondents\u0026rsquo; privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/refresh-survey-1_hu_a3ed7f78abf76939.png\" alt=\"Breakdown of how people know about us (multi-select). Top answers: through a person who works with SimSec (29), at a workshop (23), on Twitter (21), on Slack (20), at a conference (20, on the SimSec website (20))\" width=\"740\" height=\"365\"\u003e\n\n\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/refresh-survey-2_hu_c1842d5650eecb80.png\" alt=\"Breakdown of how long people have been aware of us. 9% for \u0026lt; 6 months, 17% for 6 months-1 year, 26% for 1-2 years, 24% from 2-4 years, 24% for 4\u0026#43; years.\" width=\"740\" height=\"365\"\u003e\n\n\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/refresh-survey-3_hu_5acae8d2a1278d15.png\" alt=\"Breakdown of how people are personally impacted by issues of digital privacy and security. 2% say these issues don\u0026rsquo;t impact their safety and well-being and are not important to them. 34% say they don\u0026rsquo;t impact their safety and well-being but are important to them. 43% say these issues sometimes impact their safety and well-being. 21% say these issues constantly impact their safety and well-being.\" width=\"740\" height=\"365\"\u003e\n\n\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/refresh-survey-4_hu_c12aa604a8f47a52.png\" alt=\"Breakdown of what kind of work respondents do (multi-select). Most common answers: Researcher (27), Activist (17), Manager (16), Developer (15), Designer (14), Facilitator(9)\" width=\"740\" height=\"365\"\u003e\n\n\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/refresh-survey-5_hu_cbbb8a5059c12eff.png\" alt=\"Breakdown of location. 60% Americas, 38% Europe, 2% Asia.\" width=\"740\" height=\"365\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"conclusions\"\u003eConclusions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe can\u0026rsquo;t draw conclusions about our \u003cstrong\u003ecommunity\u003c/strong\u003e from this survey, since we used a convenience sample, drawn from Slack, Twitter, and some mailing lists. However, among the people who filled out the survey, we can draw some conclusions about \u003cstrong\u003eourselves\u003c/strong\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe need a new name.\u003c/strong\u003e The name Simply Secure is misleading. It only refers to part of our work, and it has some unfortunate associations.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe need a new color palette.\u003c/strong\u003e Our logo, color palette, and visual style are inappropriately playful. However, we shouldn\u0026rsquo;t swing too far in the other direction and go super serious.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople who have known us longer are more likely to think our current branding is okay; people newer to us are more likely to be confused by it. Thus, \u003cstrong\u003echanging our branding makes sense if we want our community to grow.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe need to do a better job communicating the full range of what we do.\u003c/strong\u003e UX design, community work, and work with nonprofits and open source are all important parts of our identity that don\u0026rsquo;t come through clearly with our current branding.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople (at least, the people who took the time to answer the survey) \u003cstrong\u003eappreciate and understand our work!\u003c/strong\u003e Yay.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"next-steps\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNext steps\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re going to undertake this process together with an advisory committee, made up of people who are part of our community. Through a series of workshops, they\u0026rsquo;ll help us generate ideas, narrow down our options, and recommend a new name and visual style. We\u0026rsquo;ll announce the advisory committee on this blog shortly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny questions? Any thoughts? Drop a line anytime to Molly Wilson and Kelsey Smith at \u003ca href=\"mailto:refresh@superbloom.design\"\u003erefresh@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;re looking forward to going on this journey with you!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Call for proposals, writer and storyteller, 5-year report",
            "date_published": "2020-10-24T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-10-24T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/writer-5-year-report/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/writer-5-year-report/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"the-deadline-for-applying-to-this-role-has-passed\"\u003eThe deadline for applying to this role has passed.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re looking for a storycrafter to help us shape and share the tale of our organization\u0026rsquo;s last five years. Is it you?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-project\"\u003eThe project\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll create a written report that tells the story of Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s projects and impact over the last 5 years. The report will be published in an interactive digital format. (You don\u0026rsquo;t need to be a web designer as well; right now we\u0026rsquo;re primarily looking for a writer.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a 3-month freelance contract, from approximately November 2020 to February 2021 (timing negotiable). We are a US 501(c)3 organization that has the ability to hire in the US and in the EU.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are inspired by work like:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://youngfeministfund.org/annual-reports/\"\u003eFrida\u0026rsquo;s annual reports\u003c/a\u003e (we love the energy of the yearly themes and the fresh, engaging, inspiring tone)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://datasociety.net/annualreport/\"\u003eData and Society\u0026rsquo;s annual report\u003c/a\u003e (we love the way this report makes it easy to see the highlights while also going in-depth about the organization\u0026rsquo;s work)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/when-content-moderation-hurts/\"\u003eMozilla Internet Health Report\u003c/a\u003e (we love the way this brings an empathetic, human perspective to abstract topics)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/190319_der_prototype_fund_in_zahlen_DE.pdf\"\u003ePrototype Fund annual report\u003c/a\u003e (we love the way this shows the variety and long history of the org using simple, clear graphics)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-us\"\u003eAbout us\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are a small US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2014 with the goal of making security tools easier to use. We believed – and still do – that security doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be confusing to end users. We\u0026rsquo;ve contributed design to a variety of tools that enhance security, such as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/branding-tails\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/i2p-case-study\"\u003eI2P\u003c/a\u003e to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve held \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003esalons\u003c/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows\"\u003eresidency\u003c/a\u003e around designing for security. But we\u0026rsquo;ve done a lot more than usable security. Just in the last year, we\u0026rsquo;ve launched a \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport on trust and transparency in nonprofit funding\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecampaign to save internet freedom tech\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"https://hrcd.pubpub.org/\"\u003ecommunity around human rights centered design\u003c/a\u003e; a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eseries of videos about trust and responsibility in design\u003c/a\u003e; and much, much more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(We\u0026rsquo;re actually doing a rebranding process, moving away from the name \u0026ldquo;Simply Secure.\u0026rdquo; \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/simply-secure-rebranding-survey\"\u003eMore info over here on the blog!\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-you\"\u003eAbout you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou love finding and telling stories. You get really excited about telling the story of a group of people growing a nonprofit organization that uses design to make the internet a more humane place\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou write clear, concise, and engaging prose meant to be read on the web\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like working independently, in collaboration with a fully remote team\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou show up to remote meetings on time, prepared, with a list; you do what you say you\u0026rsquo;re going to do, on time and accurately\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are comfortable advocating for yourself and your work to make sure that you\u0026rsquo;re getting what you need from us\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou understand the nuances of writing for an international audience and how to make your words direct and accessible without simplifying your message\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are available to meet during our prime time hours (4-6pm Central Europe / 3-5pm UK / 10-12pm US Eastern / 7-9am US Pacific)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nice-to-have\"\u003eNice to have\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKnowledgeable about one or more of the following areas: open source software, internet freedom, tech criticism and activism, human rights\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperienced in writing annual reports\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpert in communicating with an international audience (ideally with fluency in languages other than English)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"sound-like-a-good-fit\"\u003eSound like a good fit?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease send us:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamples of work you have written. With each link or document you send, please tell us about the \u003cstrong\u003etimeline and process:\u003c/strong\u003e how did these pieces get created? Who was involved, what did the process look like, how long did it take?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA (very short!) outline of how you would approach working with us on this report. What phases would this project have, and what would you need from us to make it successful?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSend these documents to Nicola Pratt at nicola [ at ] superbloom [ dot ] design by Monday, November 15, 2020.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo help us combat bias while we review applications, please remove your name from the documents you send.\u003c/strong\u003e One person on our team will keep a list assigning a code name to your application while we review it. If we\u0026rsquo;d like to interview you, we\u0026rsquo;ll match your code name to your real name, and get in touch. (If removing your name from your work screws up the formatting, don\u0026rsquo;t worry, this is not a graphic design job! You can also put an obviously fake name in place of your real name to keep the formatting consistent.)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Under Pressure Slides (Molly Wilson, World Interaction Design Day 2020) (PDF)",
            "date_published": "2020-09-01T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-09-01T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/slides-design-under-pressure-09-2020/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/slides-design-under-pressure-09-2020/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Popping the Filter Bubble: Design Practices for Data Donation",
            "date_published": "2020-08-06T16:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-08-06T16:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/popping-the-filter-bubble-design-practices-for-data-donation/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/popping-the-filter-bubble-design-practices-for-data-donation/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/data_governance_graphic_hu_602679589f3c3e13.png\" alt=\"graphic linking data governance surveillance capitalism elections discrimination and polarization\" width=\"740\" height=\"329\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlgorithmic personalization affects everyone, whether we know it or not. It impacts the way we get our news, how we shop, and, concerningly, our \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/technology/facebook-tinkers-with-users-emotions-in-news-feed-experiment-stirring-outcry.html\"\u003emental health\u003c/a\u003e. By determining what we read, algorithms shape our worldview. Most web users know little about the underlying technology that powers these algorithms, in part because they are proprietary trade secrets closely guarded by their companies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne proposal to shift the power dynamic is to support people to learn more about their “filter bubble” (\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_bubble\"\u003ea term coined by Eli Pariser\u003c/a\u003e to refer to the highly selective snapshot of the internet that people see). If more users safely share some of their data, researchers can investigate these personalization algorithms based on lived experience. This idea — people sharing their data for research — is frequently referred to as “data donation”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough data donation is being used to explore interventions in decoding this closely guarded technology, it poses usability challenges as the concept is frequently counterintuitive.  People might reasonably think that the best way to protect themselves from the influence of these inscrutable algorithms is to shield their data, not share it. For one thing, donated data — without strong privacy protections — could be directly linked to individuals, and there is no good way for people to know exactly what they are giving up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore you enthusiastically endorse a data donation program, you need to do some homework. Here are some key questions to keep in mind:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan users be confident that the data collectors (e.g. researchers, application developers, organizations) have good intentions? Are the risks worth it? It’s important to think about these questions even if collectors\u0026rsquo; credentials and affiliations seem trustworthy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho owns the donated data? What can the data be used for? For how long? Then what happens?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan these intentions and promises be verified and enforced?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat will users know about the research and how will they agree to it? Could it be standardized? For example: I share x data for y reason with the oversight of z group.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWould the findings drawn from the donated data serve everyone, or just a small percentage of people? Not everyone is equally likely to donate data, so how can we ensure we aren’t excluding the most vulnerable groups of society?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-can-we-design-for-data-donation\"\u003eHow can we design for data donation?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn February 2020, we hosted a workshop with the \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eALgorithms.EXposed\u003c/a\u003e (ALEX) team. The ALEX team is building browser extensions that enable people to learn more about how they are targetted by algorithms. As part of the workshop, our goal was to find out if people are interested in the idea of donating data about their lived experience online and how we can provide a safe and transparent experience to do so. Our [workshop report](/resources/S implySecure-ALEX-Workshop-Report.pdf) outlines our key findings in detail. Here are four key guidelines for data donation design in 2020 based on these findings:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-transparency-ensure-participant-awareness-in-every-step-of-the-process\"\u003e1. Transparency: Ensure participant awareness in every step of the process\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComplete transparency is key to giving people the information they need to make informed choices. People need to know about the investigators, the research, the risks, and the future of their data. Participants’ comfort with sharing data depends not just on the goal, but also on the approach, especially the clarity and honesty of the communication around data sharing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-consent-uphold-participant-control\"\u003e2. Consent: Uphold participant control\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInformed consent is complicated — participants need to understand what their data is and where it’s going. But how can you collect informed consent without becoming a burden to the user? By offering a variety of controls, like reminders, repetition, and customization, people can choose the control model that works for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-consistency-reinforce-trust-by-relying-on-standards-of-interaction\"\u003e3. Consistency: Reinforce trust by relying on standards of interaction\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstandably, most people are unable to evaluate the trustworthiness of a system’s code, so will often rely on the visual and interaction design. The trust that comes from a standardized visual identity contributes to trust in the technology and organization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-delivery-involve-participants-in-the-process\"\u003e4. Delivery: Involve participants in the process\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers are looking for an experience that gives back, whether through tools, resources, updates, results, or recognition. Simply being involved in the process can be an excellent means for people to educate themselves about the security and privacy of their data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of a community of researchers passionate about unveiling the mysteries of corporate algorithms, we want to give power back to the people. Reverse-engineering through data donation has a lot of potential to foster transparency and understanding. But as UX designers, developers, and researchers, we must do more than just support the idea of data donation; we must actively design better data processes. The issues of privacy and security of data are more important than ever, and we hope that with well-designed flows, everyone can start to see past the edges of their own filter bubbles.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Data, Decision-Making, \u0026 Design: Measuring Internet Performance for Libraries and the Public Sector",
            "date_published": "2020-08-03T10:17:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-08-03T10:17:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/data-decision-making-design-measuring-internet-performance-for-libraries-and-the-public-sector/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/data-decision-making-design-measuring-internet-performance-for-libraries-and-the-public-sector/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLearn how we helped a group of libraries to make better decisions about their own internet services through the development of an independent data visualization tool.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the world changing around them, public libraries are working on the front lines of a fraying social safety net, supporting at-risk adults and children with everything from housing to criminal justice. This new role - relying heavily on web access - requires strong digital infrastructure, from internet speed to computer performance, from internet speed to software performance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, public institutions like libraries don’t have access to data about their infrastructure as the private telecommunications companies that serve them. Without transparency of information, how can they ensure they’re making the most of their often-limited resources?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is where Simply Secure stepped in to help. Through tight collaboration and research with the group, our team set out to design a visualization tool that would allow users to access, understand, and ultimately make positive decisions based on the measurement data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead on to learn more. \u003ca href=\"/resources/case_studies/Simply_Secure_M-Lab_Data_Decision-Making_Design.pdf\"\u003eDownload the Case Study to explore the project in-depth\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"project-overview\"\u003eProject overview\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo consistently and automatically measure internet performance, participating libraries installed small measurement devices — called ‘MLBN Murakami Devices’, developed by \u003ca href=\"https://measurementlab.net\"\u003eMeasurement Lab\u003c/a\u003e — connected to wired and wireless ports in the library.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-work\"\u003eThe work\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearch\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe team held an in-person workshop with 30 librarians from across the US, learning about the infrastructure, services, and providers at the libraries. Over the first year of the program, the research team conducted ten site visits to libraries across the US, engaging in focus groups with the community and interviews with the library staff.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese sessions allowed us to see the overview of librarians’ jobs, patron needs, and the models of libraries, giving us the crucial context needed to create a more useful tool. It also taught us to leave our assumptions at the door - where we’d expected the tool to be most beneficial in cases of troubleshooting a poor connection, we learned that most libraries have quality internet connections. This allowed us to shift our scope of the tool’s development significantly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDevelopment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhenever there is collaboration — especially remote — communication is vital and the design deliverables make an impact on the efficiency of communication. This is where personas, user flows, and sketches come in handy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe crafted personas and user flows to communicate the various account types (admin, editor, viewer), define system goals, and plan for features.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext, we drafted and analyzed initial sketches, adding further scope of the tool until we were ready to create our first wireframes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom here, we worked with some libraries to test a prototype, collecting feedback and identifying key findings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-impact\"\u003eThe Impact\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith version 1 of the MLBN Visualization website going live in Summer of 2020, libraries in the pilot program have the ability to view their internet performance data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKey positive applications of this tool include empowering libraries to:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonitor their performance day-to-day for a better experience for their users\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstand their current service capacity, and when to make the decision to spend more on an upgraded service\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnhance their reporting when it comes to transparency with stakeholders, from taxpayers to donors, to help build trust and make a case for greater investment when needed\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s rewarding to give our users something that will not only improve their jobs, but also help the community that they serve. We are excited to see the uses of the data in the future and make improvements through future phases and research. Finally, we learned that library workers are a wonderful group of people to work with and we look forward to future collaborations!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis work was supported through “\u003ca href=\"https://slis.simmons.edu/blogs/mlbn/\"\u003eMeasuring Library Broadband Networks for the National Digital Platform\u003c/a\u003e,” a grant (award #\u003ca href=\"https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded/lg-71-18-0110-18\"\u003eLG-71-18-0110-18\u003c/a\u003e) from by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grant for Libraries program. The research is led by Dr. Colin Rhinesmith, Assistant Professor and Director of the \u003ca href=\"https://comminformatics.net/\"\u003eCommunity Informatics Lab at the Simmons University School of Library and Information Science\u003c/a\u003e, along with \u003ca href=\"https://measurementlab.net\"\u003eMeasurement Lab\u003c/a\u003e (M-Lab) and Internet2 to examine how advanced broadband measurement capabilities can support the infrastructure and services needed to respond to the digital demands of public library users across the U.S.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Defaults and Customization: When Design Meets Open Source",
            "date_published": "2020-07-03T14:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-07-03T14:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/globaleaks-case-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/globaleaks-case-study/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eGlobaLeaks is a browser-based platform that enables whistleblowers to securely submit documents to companies, newspapers, government bodies, and other organizations. It also enables these organizations to host a secure platform for handling, viewing, responding to, and administering whistleblower-submitted documents. It has grown steadily and successfully since 2012 and is currently used by over 600 organizations worldwide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur design project, a collaboration between Simply Secure and Ura Design, aimed to further improve GlobaLeaks\u0026rsquo;s usability by focusing on the following areas: interface design, user journeys, accessibility, and localization. While Simply Secure focused on design research and UX recommendations, Ura Design took on the high-fidelity interface design and the GlobaLeaks brand guideline going forward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following three themes emerged from our design work:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCustomization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccessibility and Localization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrand and Trust\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-might-we-encourage-customization-while-improving-the-defaults\"\u003eHow might we encourage customization while improving the defaults?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe biggest challenge for GlobaLeaks is to offer sensible defaults while allowing for a large degree of customization. Since the practice of whistleblowing varies in different contexts, we need to customize the whistleblower interface that adapts to the cultural background and communicates trustworthiness. This versatility is vital for establishing a relationship between the whistleblowers and the organizations that use GlobaLeaks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are three roles for any GlobaLeaks installation: the Whistleblower who sends submission anonymously, the Administrator who sets up and maintains a copy of the platform (called an installation), and the Recipient who reads and processes the submissions. Allowing for customization shouldn’t distract from the need to provide “out-of-the-box” default options that make sense, not only to the Whistleblower but also to the people working behind a GlobaLeaks installation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo establish priority and clarity of customization options, we mapped out the relationship and points of contact among the main stakeholders of the platform. This allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of each role\u0026rsquo;s needs and identify their most-used features.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/gl-roles_hu_8a0e2c30c45890cf.png\" alt=\"gl-roles.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"316\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe relationship between the main stakeholders of a typical GlobaLeaks installation.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we realized that customization is key to communication, we wanted the new information architecture to encourage the Recipient to customize actively but also provide a default that is sufficient for those who don’t adjust settings. When it became clear that only certain options are relevant for certain contexts, it was easier to organize options with a card sorting exercise. For example, as Recipient directly communicates with Whistleblower, they should have permission to customize the questionnaires (submission form) and the text on the whistleblower interface, not the network and other technical settings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many open-source platforms that can be installed on various instances hosted by different organizations. Deciding on these defaults is perhaps the single most important task for any team working on highly customizable platforms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"accessibility-and-localization\"\u003eAccessibility and Localization\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no single design solution that will work for everyone. The global nature of GlobaLeaks means that it needs to be culturally and linguistically agnostic and customizable to a variety of contexts. Thorough research into the cultural, political, and social context of the target region reveals significant insights that help strengthen a design and enable it to serve better in a high-risk environment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the case of GlobaLeaks, the credit card image shown after the submission was perceived differently depending on the whistleblower’s cultural background and knowledge. For example, during our user interviews, we found out whistleblowers from Vietnam weren\u0026rsquo;t confused by the credit card while whistleblowers from the USA believed that payment was required.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo avoid miscommunication and misunderstanding, we recommend that organizations be considerate about their aesthetic choices and work closely with a native speaker of the language of installation or those who are familiar with the Whistleblowers\u0026rsquo; process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/credit-card_hu_e4da6402935b53ac.png\" alt=\"credit-card.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"408\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eScreenshot of the credit card image on the demo platform.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"branding-and-trust-how-might-we-create-a-trustworthy-experience-for-whistleblowers\"\u003eBranding and Trust: How might we create a trustworthy experience for whistleblowers?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlobaLeaks faces a branding challenge: they provide the open-source platform but do not control the individual installations. Questions like “What is GlobaLeaks?” vs “What is the New York Times whistleblowing platform?” will arise for people who are curious about the platform. GlobaLeaks shouldn’t assume that people who are willing to trust the New York Times, will also trust a platform chosen by the New York Times to host whistleblower submissions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrganizations which use GlobaLeaks must develop an understanding of their whistleblower users and with that, establish a trust to increase engagement. Allowing for customization of CSS styles is only one part of the equation; it is equally important to help organizations adjust the language and manage cultural expectations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an open-source submission framework, Globaleaks already provides source code that is more transparent and secure than closed-source technology. Open-source technology in itself is trustworthy, but potential whistleblowers need to be certain they know who they are sending a report to, and what is likely to happen afterwards. The whistleblower is unlikely to be familiar with GlobaLeaks and Hermes Center for Transparency and Digital Human Rights (the organization behind GlobaLeaks) so relying on GlobaLeaks/Hermes brand credibility alone isn\u0026rsquo;t sufficient.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe appearance of a design should match the user\u0026rsquo;s emotional state. Yet, a professional look doesn’t always mean that it is trustworthy. Therefore, efficient communication and transparency are key for better user experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe leveraged concise language and clean visuals to communicate trustworthiness and increase the transparency of the submission process. We wanted the mock-ups for the Whistleblower interface to be simple, clean, and easy to navigate. Additionally, we chose language that is friendly, easy to understand and be customizable to various geographical and cultural contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/stop-it_hu_b7641de689213d89.png\" alt=\"stop-it.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA whistleblower landing page mockup experimenting with a different tone of language.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn most open-source designs, the option to customize is often extensive. Customization should be easy while taking into consideration the power of defaults—especially in a highly sensitive platform like GlobaLeaks where trust and security are intertwined.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith these three key takeaways, we hope to highlight the importance of research and the versatility of open-source design in projects that seek to serve a larger community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/documentation/GlobaLeaks%20Report_May%202020.pdf\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eRead the full report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project was funded through OTF\u0026rsquo;s Usability Lab.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "A message to our community: save internet freedom tech",
            "date_published": "2020-06-22T09:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-06-22T09:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/save-internet-freedom-tech/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/save-internet-freedom-tech/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOur request to Congress to continue the fight to protect internet freedom worldwide - and how you can help.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince our inception, the Simply Secure team has been committed to supporting people impacted by threats to privacy and safety through usability and design support. For several years, we have worked alongside the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e, and its support and funding have allowed us to collaborate with many internet freedom projects. We have seen first hand how these resources have contributed to a stronger, safer, healthier, freer, and more open internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis week, alongside more than 350 public interest and human rights organizations, we’ve \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003ecalled on Congress\u003c/a\u003e to show real support to that same cause by committing to the protection of the Open Technology Fund and the crucial part it plays in defending global internet freedom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-the-open-technology-fund\"\u003eWhat is the Open Technology Fund?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the past eight years, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/about/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e (OTF) and the projects it supports have allowed more than 2 billion people in over 60 countries to safely access the internet, free of censorship and surveillance. Through the development of open-source technologies and wider networks, the fund is one of the most prominent protectors of democracy and freedom of speech online. Until recently, the fund has also experienced widespread bipartisan support for its innovation, efficiency, and leadership.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"so-why-does-it-need-help\"\u003eSo why does it need help?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite this track record of success, Michael Pack - newly appointed head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) - has this week dismissed the leadership and dissolved the board of the OTF alongside a number of other well-regarded institutions. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dw.com/en/trump-backed-us-global-media-agency-chief-under-fire-for-purge/a-53870348\"\u003eUSAGM spending has also been frozen\u003c/a\u003e, sparking concerns that the agency plans to reallocate all government funding for the OTF.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese drastic moves have also raised alarm bells around the chances of success for the proposed “\u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/news/introducing-open-technology-fund-authorization-act/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Authorization Act\u003c/a\u003e”, which would establish the Open Technology Fund (OTF) as an independent grantee of the US Agency for Global Media. The act has long been supported across party lines, but now stands under threat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-can-we-do\"\u003eWhat can we do?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs one of many organizations supported by the vital work of the OTF, the team at Simply Secure are dedicated to building a democratic online world. Please join us in requesting that congress continue to protect freedom of speech, thought, and education online. Sign the letter - and explore other ways you can help - at \u003ca href=\"https://saveinternetfreedom.tech/\"\u003esaveinternetfreedom.tech\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/about/\"\u003eLearn more about the Open Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/\"\u003eLearn more about Simply Secure\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Introducing Decentralization Off The Shelf: 7 Maxims",
            "date_published": "2020-06-15T09:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-06-15T09:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/decentralization-off-the-shelf-7-maxims/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/decentralization-off-the-shelf-7-maxims/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eOur design research for a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/decentral-patterns-project\"\u003edecentralization pattern library\u003c/a\u003e has resulted in a report outlining the obstacles to decentralization as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/report/\"\u003eRead the full report\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe potential of decentralization to contribute to a more equal society is huge. Where government and corporate control of information are causing harm, decentralized technologies can give power back through new data ownership and governance models. So why are these technologies not more widely adopted? What are the main obstacles to decentralization, and how can we solve them?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our latest research report, \u003cem\u003eDecentralization Off the Shelf: 7 Maxims\u003c/em\u003e, we interviewed 53 practitioners and led workshops with a total of 85 participants to find out. Here are the 7 key changes we need.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-we-need-to-collaborate-to-challenge-existing-power-structures-and-build-usable-technologies\"\u003e1: We need to collaborate to challenge existing power structures and build usable technologies.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e A focus on bespoke solutions to common problems results in missed opportunities for collaboration, a lack of common vocabulary, and higher access barriers for users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e Practitioners need to seek collaboration with other projects targeting the same users and use cases, and pattern match with regard to design and architecture choices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e The threat posed by decentralization to existing power structures means we can expect political and legal backlash as decentralized technologies become more popular. However, many projects are focused on their own products and not on this collective concern.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e In order to effectively challenge the status quo, we need to build a decentralization \u003cem\u003emovement\u003c/em\u003e. A movement involves collaborative strategizing and community organizing around a shared mission and values. Decentralization can learn here from adjacent movements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-we-need-to-ensure-accessibility-and-usability-by-employing-best-practices-in-human-centered-design\"\u003e2: We need to ensure accessibility and usability by employing best practices in human centered design.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e Decentralization introduces concepts that may not be familiar to users who are used to centralized technologies. This can be confusing and discouraging for users. Explanations of decentralized technologies are often not clear and accessible, and there is a general lack of design and product thinking in the space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e We need to work towards adopting shared language and interfaces across projects. Practitioners need to consistently apply best practices in human-centred design, and test products early and often with end users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-we-need-investment-to-improve-the-independent-verifiability-and-resilience-of-our-infrastructure\"\u003e3: We need investment to improve the independent verifiability and resilience of our infrastructure.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e Decentralized protocols are still dependent on centralized points of failure such as cloud infrastructure, web browsers, app stores, and proprietary hardware.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e We need funder investment in solutions for closing these gaps and improving the independent verifiability and resilience of our shared infrastructure. We also need a more collaborative approach: for example, crafting protocols on a variety of modular libraries and collaborating on connectivity toolkits.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-we-need-better-onboarding-training-and-education-for-developers\"\u003e4: We need better onboarding, training, and education for developers.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e As the past decade has brought a revolution of content for upskilling and onboarding developers to build client-server applications, there has not been a similar educational movement for decentralized applications. Current educational materials are highly technical and disparate, with a steep learning curve requiring significant time investment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e To attract and engage more developers, there is a dire need for clear and accessible educational content. We need better user experience for application developers with a focus on toolkits, query languages, and modular libraries. We also need to support projects to share more about their approach through the creation of accessible content.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"5-we-need-better-threat-modeling-for-safety-and-privacy\"\u003e5: We need better threat modeling for safety and privacy.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e While there is increased interest in decentralized technology as a response to surveillance capitalism, security breaches, and tech monopolization, few projects offer the security and service that end users are looking for from an alternative. Many decentralized projects do not have the resources to implement, communicate, and research good privacy and safety guarantees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e We need to train more developers and designers on privacy and security approaches and skills, as well as funding research and development on security and anonymity innovations. We need to better communicate with end users about who they are trusting with their data and be more transparent about the privacy trade-offs we make.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"6-we-need-more-sustainable-funding-business-development-and-recruiting-models\"\u003e6: We need more sustainable funding, business development, and recruiting models.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e Sustainable funding is the biggest factor in the successful delivery and maintenance of any project, yet projects often fail to identify their target audience and develop sustainable funding models. Without sustainable funding, it is difficult to attract talent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e We need to research, develop, and test community-driven funding models as they relate to the sustainability of people, projects, and protocols. We also need to work with project managers who can introduce business cases, prototyping processes, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"7-we-need-clear-governance-and-decision-making-models-that-foster-diversity\"\u003e7: We need clear governance and decision-making models that foster diversity.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe problem:\u003c/strong\u003e Decision-making processes are often unclear and poorly communicated, resulting in conflicts in interests and expectations, as well as challenges when it comes to protocol updates.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePractitioners operate within a relatively homogenized environment with respect to demographics and values, resulting in technologies that meet the needs of only a small part of the world’s population.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe solution:\u003c/strong\u003e We need open governance structures with strong social rules for decision-making that are communicated clearly to contributors and end users. Project leads should focus on diversifying their decision-making teams and the community as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaking these changes would lead to better usability and wider adoption of decentralized technologies. To find out more about the solutions and how to implement them, \u003ca href=\"https://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eread our report\u003c/a\u003e. Join the conversation on social media with #decentpatterns\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Designing From the Ground Up: A Case Study on I2P",
            "date_published": "2020-06-04T14:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-06-04T14:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/i2p-case-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/i2p-case-study/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"about-the-project\"\u003eAbout the project\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Invisible Internet Project (I2P) is a network layer that allows for censorship-resistant, peer-to-peer communication. Anonymous connections are achieved by encrypting the user\u0026rsquo;s traffic and sending it through a volunteer-run network of roughly 55,000 computers distributed around the world. It is similar to the Tor network, but focuses more on accessing hidden services than the Clearnet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/mascot_hu_7ee04ee64a39f090.png\" alt=\"/mascot.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;itoopie\u0026rdquo;, I2P\u0026rsquo;s mascot.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project, a collaboration between Simply Secure and Ura Design, provided usability feedback and strategic proposals for I2P. The goal was to make I2P a more usable tool for novice users, thereby adding to network traffic and anonymity guarantees for all users. While Simply Secure focused on a heuristics review and a workshop on information architecture, Ura Design will take on I2P\u0026rsquo;s brand identity as well as the console redesign.\n̨̨̨̨̨\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"design-problems-we-addressed\"\u003eDesign problems we addressed\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"documentation-ux-and-website-ia\"\u003eDocumentation UX and website IA\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI2P\u0026rsquo;s biggest challenge in onboarding new users is explaining its complex technology in an accessible yet accurate fashion. The website provides a lot of information, but both the content and the navigation confuses new users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/old_IA_hu_41a5714f233fd9cd.png\" alt=\"/old_IA.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"403\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e2017 version of I2P\u0026rsquo;s IA, which has since seen many updates.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reasons for this are all-too-familiar: I2P\u0026rsquo;s long history as a volunteer-run open source project, the many different user groups it serves, and the inherent complexity of the technology itself all contribute to a large body of information on the website. Among the core audiences, we have new users, returning users, network operators, contributing developers, academic researchers, and the press. Contributing developers sub-divide into: core protocol developers, application developers, and router developers. Needless to say, that is a lot of technical information that needs to be documented and communicated, and the lack of a separate documentation only exacerbates the architecture here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"terminology\"\u003eTerminology\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs a toot different from a tweet? Mastodon, a decentralised alternative to Twitter, is helping and not helping by using alternative terminology. Yes, a toot is different from a tweet—a toot is often only shared with people in your Mastodon community, whereas a tweet is always public; and no, tooting is just the cool kid\u0026rsquo;s word for tweeting, the core idea is the same.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI2P has a similar issue with its relationship to the Tor project. Both are network layers operating on top of the internet, both aim to preserve user\u0026rsquo;s privacy and anonymity, both are community-run open source projects, and have an academic following. However, the Tor project much more known and used, and having \u003ca href=\"https://geti2p.net/en/comparison/tor\"\u003ediverging terminology\u003c/a\u003e for these two projects is confusing to most users, who will be more familiar with Tor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-is-i2p\"\u003eWhat is \u0026ldquo;I2P\u0026rdquo;?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRelated to terminology, there is a deeper question of what the term \u0026ldquo;I2P\u0026rdquo; stands for. Is it an \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty_Questions\"\u003eanimal, a vegetable, or a mineral\u003c/a\u003e? Users need to create a working mental model of the technology to use it confidently. Right now I2P stands for both a network, a protocol, a community, a collection of websites (\u0026ldquo;eepsites\u0026rdquo;) and is associated with tools like the \u0026ldquo;I2P router\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;I2P console\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;I2P browser\u0026rdquo;. How do things fit together in this universe? What are the nouns and the verbs that people absolutely need to understand to operate in this universe?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen users encounter new technology, they are asking four kinds of questions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is it? - Is it a community, an application, a database, a protocol, a platform, a service? Who\u0026rsquo;s behind it? Do I pay for it?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow does it work? - What kind of technology is at work here? Does it use machine learning? Does it work offline? Does it collect data from me?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do I use it? - How do I connect? Do I need a smart phone? Do I need an account?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy should I use it? - What features does it provide? Does it meet my needs? Does it align with my values?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s important that these questions are answered — not necessarily in this order, and not necessarily at the same level of detail, but ideally in separate, navigable sections on the homepage or \u0026ldquo;about\u0026rdquo; page. This could also come in form of a high-level guide to the ecosystem (a diagram, a glossary, an example workflow), as well as clear explanations that use metaphors and illustrations to support building new mental models.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"activities\"\u003eActivities\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe worked with the I2P team in March/April 2020 on two items:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/uracreative/works/files/4445483/I2P.Heuristics.Review.SimSec.pdf\"\u003eheuristics review\u003c/a\u003e [PDF] with two designers testing I2P on their devices and systematically reviewing usability\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 three-hour-long IA workshops with two I2P team members and two designers working through a new information architecture\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/context_IA_hu_8028ab8405de112a.jpg\" alt=\"/context_IA.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"473\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eUnderstanding different use cases of the same content.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"results\"\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"new-information-architecture\"\u003eNew Information Architecture\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI2P is a complex project with many moving pieces—and that won\u0026rsquo;t change anytime soon. To help users navigate the website, we want to distinguish three larger contexts going forward: \u003cstrong\u003elearning\u003c/strong\u003e (for learning about the project), \u003cstrong\u003eguides\u003c/strong\u003e (for installation and network operation), and \u003cstrong\u003edocumentation\u003c/strong\u003e (for code contributions). Furthermore, we applied a generic navigation for standardized way-finding. The result is a sitemap that is deep rather than shallow: fewer items are surfaced at first to not overwhelm users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/1-level_sitemap_hu_d6c632f4ec56b042.jpg\" alt=\"1-level_sitemap.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"467\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/old_menu_hu_d4520fa2a7c636d4.jpg\" alt=\"old_menu.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"393\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/new_menu_hu_ffaa992c9d92b92d.jpg\" alt=\"new_menu.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"455\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/homepage_hu_b9f6fd024f1a9246.jpg\" alt=\"homepage.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"693\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe console\u0026rsquo;s architecture also received an update. Most of the changes revolve around grouping settings and configurations in a way that reduce the information presented at the same time (resulting in \u0026ldquo;deeper\u0026rdquo; trees again). One design question concerns \u0026ldquo;help and support\u0026rdquo; within the I2P console vs on the website (not always accessible once you are connecting over I2P). Should both sites have the same content for familiarity? Or should they differ because not every FAQ item is equally relevant? For instance, you wouldn\u0026rsquo;t lookup how to install I2P if you made it onto the I2P console. This is open to testing, but for now we opted for a \u0026ldquo;help and support\u0026rdquo; that is more relevant for the current context.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/console_IA_hu_49069e41f9f0f8ab.jpg\" alt=\"console_IA.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"837\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/console1_hu_96f74984246fcde5.jpg\" alt=\"console1.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"643\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/console2_hu_66fe07cea112e87a.jpg\" alt=\"console2.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"635\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo support implementation, we also sketched first wireframes, both for the website and the console. The console\u0026rsquo;s main function is to control the connection over I2P; that will remain on the left as a side bar. The rest of the console is now a center stage with tabs—all familiar UI patterns. That allows the user to navigate different, additional functions of the console: a dashboard, a \u0026ldquo;browser\u0026rdquo; to explore other eepsites, an email client, and other applications. Configuration and support remain on the top right for constant reference.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"controlled-vocabulary\"\u003eControlled Vocabulary\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom now on, I2P will adopt more consistent language around its many tools. We have started working on a controlled vocabulary:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI2P: a protocol for a network layer\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEepsite -\u0026gt; I2P site: a website only accessible over the I2P\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI2P network: the active number of peers connected over I2P\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI2P launcher: an application that allows you to open an I2P-ready browser\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI2P console: an in-browser application that controls how you connect over I2P\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI2P browser: a browser that connects over I2P automatically (inactive project)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRouter -\u0026gt; I2P router: a translator for IP to I2P\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeer/ Node -\u0026gt; Peer\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser -\u0026gt; Participant\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSusiMail -\u0026gt; I2P Mail\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSusiDNS -\u0026gt; I2P DNS Server\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHidden Services -\u0026gt; I2P Network\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHidden Services Manager -\u0026gt; I2P Network Manager\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI2P services -\u0026gt; I2P apps/applications\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBote/I2PBote/i2p-Bote -\u0026gt; I2P bote\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eitoopie: I2P\u0026rsquo;s mascot\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClearnet -\u0026gt; the Internet\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"browser-extension-direction\"\u003eBrowser extension direction\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the course of our design, questions around mental models kept resurfacing. Current users are expected to download a package installing the I2P launcher which in turn opens a browser console which in turn allows you to connect over I2P\u0026hellip; Anything reducing the number of steps required to get started would go toward wider adoption. The choice of UI depends on the scope of the console. If the I2P console should change all network connections over to I2P, then new users should install a general console application (similar to, for example, \u003ca href=\"https://mullvad.net/en/\"\u003eMullvad\u0026rsquo;s VPN menu control\u003c/a\u003e). If the I2P console should only change the protocol for a specific browser, then new users should only have to install a browser extension. That way, users only have to make changes within one context to use the I2P network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2020/browser_extension_hu_eb94511b59fc5799.jpg\" alt=\"browser_extension.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"649\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"process-recommendations\"\u003eProcess recommendations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoing forward, the I2P team will do well adopting the following design practices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJourney mapping\u003c/strong\u003e. What are the steps required to download and install I2P? Where are the pain points, and what could a guide/wizard do to prevent errors?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUser testing\u003c/strong\u003e. New ideas—be it words, UI, or entirely new products (such as a browser extension) would benefit from early testing. This needn\u0026rsquo;t be more than a few simple mockups. Make sure to test with your target users (not just the power users who are more easily available for testing).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"lessons\"\u003eLessons\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project began as an information architecture project: in sorting through how information is classified and presented, and in analyzing different users and contexts, we arrived at a cleaner and more focused version of the website\u0026rsquo;s and console\u0026rsquo;s information architecture. But looking at IA is also looking at how things fundamentally fit together, and that surfaced \u003cstrong\u003eunderlying questions around strategy\u003c/strong\u003e. What tools and processes make most sense together? Which users and use cases do we want to prioritize? Answering these questions ultimately made decisions about terminology, content, and architecture easier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother insight was that the typical user question around \u0026ldquo;how does it work\u0026rdquo; isn\u0026rsquo;t just about the underlying technology, but also about how one should use it. A protocol can be realized in many ways; the decisions of the I2P community to use a launcher, a browser, and a console is just one way of using the I2P protocol. While users need to learn about the features of I2P, it is equally important to \u003cstrong\u003eexplain how these different tools and processes work together\u003c/strong\u003e. To that end, diagrams or videos could help illustrate these concepts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, a tactical design recommendation: when technology is new, \u003cstrong\u003erely on familiar patterns as much as possible\u003c/strong\u003e. New users will be struggling with concepts around routers, peers, and I2P sites. Designers should give users a handrail to grab onto, even if it\u0026rsquo;s just calling the Internet \u0026ldquo;the Internet\u0026rdquo; (rather than \u0026ldquo;the Clearnet\u0026rdquo; from the vantage point of I2P).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project was funded through OTF\u0026rsquo;s Usability Lab.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Persona Template with Threat Model (PDF)",
            "date_published": "2020-04-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-04-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-threat-model/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-threat-model/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Tarot Cards of Tech (Artefact Group)",
            "date_published": "2020-04-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-04-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tarot-cards-of-tech/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tarot-cards-of-tech/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Anxiety Game (Andrew Lovett-Barron)",
            "date_published": "2020-04-20T19:15:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-04-20T19:15:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/anxiety-game/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/anxiety-game/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Rapid Virtual Meeting Prototyping in the Age of a Pandemic",
            "date_published": "2020-04-06T10:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-04-06T10:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/virtual-meetings/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/virtual-meetings/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/rapid-virtual-meeting-prototyping-age-pandemic/\"\u003eRead the full post on Mozilla Foundation\u0026rsquo;s blog.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe public health crisis surrounding COVID-19 has escalated the need to create environments online for productive, collaborative, and spontaneous community work and convenings. And in many ways, the approaches and practices we’re experimenting with now will serve as a foundation for improved virtual collaboration well into the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith that in mind, we wanted to share some learnings from a recent summit for 25+ \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/fellowships/\"\u003eMozilla Fellows\u003c/a\u003e from all over the world that we had to move online in a very short timeframe (10 days to be exact). In this post, we’ll share:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ethings we considered as we were having to switch gears quickly\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ehow we engaged with our community of participants and collaborators in that process, and\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ethings we learned as a result of this virtual event experiment.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile this is an example of a rapid prototype for putting on a virtual convening for participants from multiple time zones around the world, many of the things we learned are applicable to events being planned without the same time constraints.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/rapid-virtual-meeting-prototyping-age-pandemic/\"\u003eRead the full post on Mozilla Foundation\u0026rsquo;s blog.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Under Pressure Slides (Molly Wilson, Design Thinking Barcamp 2020) (PDF)",
            "date_published": "2020-04-01T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-04-01T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/slides-design-under-pressure-04-2020/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/slides-design-under-pressure-04-2020/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Recoding.Tech",
            "date_published": "2020-01-05T20:49:41+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-01-05T20:49:41+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/recoding_tech/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/projects/recoding_tech/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "What are stress cases?",
            "date_published": "2020-01-01T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2020-01-01T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/what-are-stress-cases/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/what-are-stress-cases/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"what-are-stress-cases\"\u003eWhat are stress cases?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen an aspect of a person or a context is pushed to an extreme, that\u0026rsquo;s a stress case.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome people refer to a stress case as an \u0026ldquo;edge case.\u0026rdquo; We prefer the term \u0026ldquo;stress case\u0026rdquo; (which we learned about from Eric Meyer and Sara Wachter-Boettcher\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://abookapart.com/products/design-for-real-life\"\u003eDesign for Real Life\u003c/a\u003e) because an \u0026ldquo;edge case\u0026rdquo; sounds like something that doesn\u0026rsquo;t happen very often.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fact, stress cases happen all the time! \u003ca href=\"https://aeon.co/essays/is-it-time-to-abandon-the-medical-construct-of-being-normal\"\u003eNobody is normal\u003c/a\u003e. As appealing as your \u0026ldquo;target demographic\u0026rdquo; looks, you don\u0026rsquo;t actually control who will show up to use your design, and people are\u0026hellip; well, human. That patient, reasonable, calm, healthy, able-bodied, literate, accurate, safe, well-intentioned, and happy user in your mind\u0026rsquo;s eye doesn\u0026rsquo;t actually exist.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, of course, people and environments that aren\u0026rsquo;t \u0026ldquo;users\u0026rdquo; in the classical sense are very much part of your design. Has your rent been driven up by Airbnb, have stray dockless scooters made it hard for you to navigate your sidewalks, or has someone accidentally uncovered your family secrets because of a mail-in DNA test? (\u003ca href=\"\"\u003eYes, this happens – a lot.\u003c/a\u003e) Systemic effects can cause even more stress cases than what you could find out from individual users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like doing the right thing for fellow humans, you need to design using stress cases. If the moral argument doesn\u0026rsquo;t convince you\u0026hellip; well, we doubt you like lawsuits, all-nighters, or bad PR. You can\u0026rsquo;t afford to ignore this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-stress-cases-can-help-you\"\u003eHow stress cases can help you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStress cases are guideposts for decision-making. They guide your design research and your usability testing. And they can inspire great ideas that might not otherwise have occurred to you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA common misconception about stress cases is that they make you add extra features, which costs time and money. If this is happening, you\u0026rsquo;re thinking about stress cases too late in your process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s say you\u0026rsquo;re working on a device, and you discover one month before release that it needs to be waterproof. At this late stage, waterproofing feels like an \u0026ldquo;extra feature.\u0026rdquo; But if you\u0026rsquo;d known a year ago that waterproofing was important, waterproofing would simply be part of your plan.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother common misconception is that stress cases are a big bummer that take the fun out of your creative process. This is only the case if you want it to be! For us, thinking creatively about how we can make solutions work for people, come rain or shine, fills us with energy and purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-youll-find-here\"\u003eWhat you\u0026rsquo;ll find here\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;ve put together some methods to help you use stress cases with your product, service, or experience design teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe can also offer you individual help with various aspects of stress cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis page is a work in progress, and we\u0026rsquo;d love to hear your feedback so far. Email molly [ at ] superbloom [ dot ] design.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Happy New Year from Simply Secure: 2019 Reflections",
            "date_published": "2019-12-31T10:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-12-31T10:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/year-end-2019/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/year-end-2019/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/2019-yearinreview_hu_cabf2bac60c21563.png\" alt=\"Cookie banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s hard to believe it, but 2019 is coming to an end! It’s been a big year at Simply Secure, leveraging design and usability to make tools safer and better protect user privacy. We’ve been trying out new ideas, working with new projects, experimenting with new formats, engaging in new spaces, and all with an eye towards supporting the community where they need it. I’ve been honored to \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-georgia\"\u003elead the team\u003c/a\u003e for a full year now (!!!), and I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2020. Our mission feels more critical than ever now, so I hope you’ll consider supporting us this year, and sharing our work with your network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"2019-accomplishments\"\u003e2019 Accomplishments\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"design--ux-support\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; UX Support\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe worked with projects like \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e, an extension that gives users control over the scripts that run in their browsers, and \u003ca href=\"https://aleph.occrp.org/\"\u003eOCCRP Aleph\u003c/a\u003e, a data tool for journalists focused on organized crime and corruption. These tools are now easier to use, safer, and more effective for their users’ needs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThrough a partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://codeforscience.org/\"\u003eCode for Science \u0026amp; Society\u003c/a\u003e, we started new collaborations with \u003ca href=\"https://prereview.org/\"\u003ePREreview\u003c/a\u003e, a tool aiming to diversify and open science by enabling open review of preprints, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.measurementlab.net/\"\u003eMeasurement Lab\u003c/a\u003e, an open internet measurement platform.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn collaboration with \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/\"\u003eMozilla\u003c/a\u003e and many industry partners, the University of Dundee launched the Open Design of Trusted Technology (Open DoTT) PhD program!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOf course, we continued our core partnerships, coaching projects in the \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/en/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e \u0026amp; working with teams through the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOpen Tech Fund’s Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs the year comes to a close, we’ve been working with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.globaleaks.org/\"\u003eGlobaLeaks\u003c/a\u003e team to improve the usability of their whistleblowing platform and kicking off a project with \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOTF\u003c/a\u003e to improve their application process.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"open-research--tools\"\u003eOpen Research \u0026amp; Tools\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe released two video series: \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/intro-design-spots\"\u003eDesign Spots\u003c/a\u003e, supported by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Tech Fund\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eTea Time\u003c/a\u003e, supported by \u003ca href=\"https://www.adobe.com/\"\u003eAdobe\u003c/a\u003e. \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/intro-design-spots\"\u003eDesign Spots\u003c/a\u003e introduces human-centered design for people who are new at design and usability work, while bringing a focus on security and high-risk users. In Tea Time, we dig into issues around trust, responsibility, ethics and externalities in design.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn June, we released \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003eOn Trust and Transparency\u003c/a\u003e, a report on our research with Luminate’s portfolio projects on the complex environment and relationships of the funding experience. Nine insights and thirty-four recommendations emerged from the work with themes around the \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/themes/funding-approach-process\"\u003efunding approach and process\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/themes/trust-power\"\u003etrust and power\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/themes/funder-identity-culture\"\u003efunder identity and culture\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/themes/assessing-impact\"\u003eassessing impact\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe started research on \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/decentral-patterns-project\"\u003eUX patterns in decentralized applications\u003c/a\u003e, working to build a library that can help the community learn from each other and make decentralized tools easier to understand and use.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"building-community--convening\"\u003eBuilding Community \u0026amp; Convening\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn January, we ran \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-2019-recap\"\u003eour first-ever residency\u003c/a\u003e, hosting 10 fellows working on projects at critical intersections of technology and society.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe presented our work all over the world, giving talks at conferences, meetups and events including \u003ca href=\"https://archive.fosdem.org/2019/schedule/event/designing_for_security/\"\u003eFOSDEM\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://media.ccc.de/v/Camp2019-10368-beyond_the_pile_of_knobs\"\u003eCCCamp\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.meetup.com/dweb-berlin/events/266070278/\"\u003eDWeb\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://internetfreedomfestival.org/\"\u003eInternet Freedom Festival\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.rightscon.org/\"\u003eRightsCon\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/en/\"\u003eMozilla Festival\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eFront Conference\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9bMIWx4dQ\"\u003eAMUSE\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/mydata\"\u003eMyData\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\"\u003ePersonal Democracy Forum\u003c/a\u003e, and on \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/privacy-trust-and-good-design/id1437677219?i=1000450089010\"\u003eAdobe’s Wireframe podcast\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe worked with \u003ca href=\"http://accessnow.org/\"\u003eAccess Now\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.eff.org/\"\u003eEFF\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e to organize and host convenings around human rights centered design at \u003ca href=\"https://www.rightscon.org/\"\u003eRightsCon\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozillafestival.org/\"\u003eMozFest\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https://ti.to/simply-secure/human-rights-centered-design-ai-mozhouse/en\"\u003e#HRCD4AI\u003c/a\u003e), the \u003ca href=\"https://aspirationtech.org/events/devsummit19\"\u003eNonprofit Developer Summit\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://radicalnetworks.org/\"\u003eRadical Networks\u003c/a\u003e, bringing together people from digital security, human rights, tech and design to talk about how we can better center human rights in our work and support each other as a community.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2020-looking-ahead\"\u003e2020 Looking Ahead\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe’re excited to be planning projects with \u003ca href=\"https://delta.chat/en/\"\u003edelta.chat\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://metrics.torproject.org/\"\u003eTor Metrics\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/moss/\"\u003eMozilla’s Open Source Support\u003c/a\u003e (MOSS) program, \u003ca href=\"https://internews.org/\"\u003eInternews\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/brainwane/status/1202375339332296704\"\u003ePython’s PIP CLI\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are piloting a fiscally sponsored projects model (\u003cem\u003emore soon!\u003c/em\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe hope to expand our community of advisors (\u003cem\u003ereach out if you’d like to learn more!\u003c/em\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd we hope to run another Underexposed residency and more human rights centered design (#HRCD) convenings, supporting a growing community of people working to build usable tools that protect our safety and privacy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith support from people like you, we are able to support more people and projects around the world through design and ux support, mentoring, resources, open research, events, workshops, and an online community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet’s keep working to \u003cem\u003ebuild trustworthy technology\u003c/em\u003e together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee you in 2020!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorgia\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/support-us/\"\u003eDonate to support our work\u003c/a\u003e via \u003ca href=\"https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=SeIKuUPaIZoWy469U2tcPvdsYy4Ptwjkg6omagjfRk9kzg02gV9f3FK5-Itwv_UHTF1PIG\u0026amp;country.x=US\u0026amp;locale.x=US\"\u003ePaypal\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://opencollective.com/underexposed\"\u003eOpenCollective\u003c/a\u003e or check. If your employer uses \u003ca href=\"https://causes.benevity.org/causes/840-472462310?lang=en\"\u003eBenevity\u003c/a\u003e, please consider setting up a match or a recurring donation. Follow us on \u003ca href=\"http://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/simplysecureorg/\"\u003eFacebook\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/simplysecureorg/\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://instagram.com/simplysecure/\"\u003eInstagram\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/simply-secure\"\u003eMedium\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Iconography of Security",
            "date_published": "2019-12-07T10:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-12-07T10:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/iconography-of-security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/iconography-of-security/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://24ways.org/2019/iconography-of-security/\"\u003eRead the full post at 24ways.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"congratulations-youre-locked-out-the-paradox-of-security-visuals\"\u003eCongratulations, you’re locked out! The paradox of security visuals\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigners of technology are fortunate to have an established visual language at our fingertips. We try to use colors and symbols in a way that is consistent with people’s existing expectations. When a non-designer asks a designer to “make it intuitive,” what they’re really asking is, “please use elements people already know, even if the concept is new.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"lots-of-options-for-security-icons\"\u003eLots of options for security icons\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re starting to see more consistency in the symbols that tech uses for privacy and security features, many of them built into robust, standardized icon sets and UI kits. To name a few: we collaborated with Adobe in 2018 to create the \u003ca href=\"https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2018/06/19/free-adobe-xd-ui-kit-private-file-sharing-prioritizes-security\"\u003eVault UI Kit\u003c/a\u003e, which includes UI elements for security, like touch ID login and sending a secure copy of a file. Adobe has also released a UI kit for \u003ca href=\"https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2019/09/19/cookie-banner-ui-kit-design-consent-and-disclaimers-users-can-trust\"\u003ecookie banners\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://24ways.org/2019/iconography-of-security/\"\u003eRead the full post at 24ways.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Open source \u0026 branding – a contradiction?",
            "date_published": "2019-11-21T10:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-11-21T10:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/branding-tails/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/branding-tails/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003ePreviously at Simply Secure, we\u0026rsquo;ve talked about the \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/tea-time-trust-consistency\"\u003epower of consistent visual design\u003c/a\u003e, how to use \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/color-message\"\u003ecolor schemes\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/nostalgia-trust-and-brand\"\u003elogos\u003c/a\u003e, and what a \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/how-to-name-your-app\"\u003egood name\u003c/a\u003e can do for a project. All of these elements help make a tool trustworthy and easy to use. What we don\u0026rsquo;t usually say is that these elements make up what, in the for-profit world, is often called \u003cem\u003ebranding\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"why-branding-is-a-dirty-word\"\u003eWhy branding is a dirty word\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Branding\u0026rdquo; is a dirty word in open source for several reasons. We would like people to be able to make technically-informed, feature-centric decisions untainted by smooth advertising; most open-source teams would prefer their work to speak for itself. It would be counterproductive and in bad taste for an open-source project to appear to be competing against other projects—ideally, we don\u0026rsquo;t see similar tools as \u0026ldquo;the competition,\u0026rdquo; but as potential collaborators and partners. It\u0026rsquo;s easy to see why \u0026ldquo;branding\u0026rdquo; sounds like a manipulative side effect of capitalism that we\u0026rsquo;d prefer not to associate ourselves with.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, if open-source teams can get beyond our instinctive dislike of the term \u0026ldquo;branding,\u0026rdquo; some of the goals and principles of branding are nonetheless quite relevant to us. Among other things, a strong brand can:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003emake you seem professional and trustworthy enough to use\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ehelp you be recognized across different platforms and devices\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecommunicate your principles and your ethical stance, both internally and externally\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ehelp people find you in the first place, and help them recommend you to others\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere at Simply Secure, we use the word \u0026ldquo;identity\u0026rdquo; instead of \u0026ldquo;branding\u0026rdquo; when talking about open-source and nonprofit projects. This choice not only reflects the non-commercial nature of our approach, but also the fact that our goals aren\u0026rsquo;t the same as classical branding: we\u0026rsquo;re trying to clearly and accurately communicate the essence of a project, but we\u0026rsquo;re not trying to sell, convince, or manipulate.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-problem-with-we-need-a-logo\"\u003eThe problem with \u0026ldquo;we need a logo\u0026rdquo;\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen open-source projects approach designers, their request is often for a logo, a color scheme, an explainer illustration or diagram, or maybe a name or tagline. These are, after all, the elements that will be visible in the end product. Unfortunately, this work runs into several common pitfalls:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeams waste time in long discussions because they have no heuristics or basis for decision-making. Endless loops of \u0026ldquo;I like this, I don\u0026rsquo;t like this\u0026hellip;\u0026rdquo; mean trying to deal with random, disconnected preferences instead of consensus based on agreed-upon principles.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe designer doesn\u0026rsquo;t know where to start, so just makes educated guesses. The rest of the team doesn\u0026rsquo;t love the design work, but can\u0026rsquo;t really explain why.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe designs don\u0026rsquo;t create a coherent look and feel, and the tool ends up looking as mismatched and patched-together as before (which doesn\u0026rsquo;t exactly enhance the project\u0026rsquo;s trustworthiness or visibility).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaying the foundation for identity work can help any team avoid these problems. What\u0026rsquo;s more, identity work helps with so much more than visuals. How people perceive your project is also determined by the voice and tone that you adopt when interacting with people. Are you a serious project offering professional services, or are you a playful team engaging with people interested in your topic? Are you politically driven, or do you remain as impartial as possible? Getting answers to these questions will serve as the basis for making many future decisions, from how to organize your FAQ page to how to phrase an important alert.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tails-a-case-study-of-open-source-identity-work\"\u003eTails: a case study of open-source identity work\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a case study of how identity work can happen in open source, we\u0026rsquo;re going to dive into the work we recently did with \u003ca href=\"https://tails.boum.org/\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e. Tails is an operating system that you can stick into any computer and boot from a USB stick. It\u0026rsquo;s a powerful tool for privacy, anonymity, and circumvention, so it needs to be understandable by activists, journalists, and other citizens who may not be experts in tech.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTails approached Simply Secure to help create an accessible explanation of how Tails works. We quickly realized that, before we could fine-tune an explanation of Tails, we needed to understand the voice, tone, and visuals that would be appropriate for Tails\u0026rsquo; audience. sajolida, who led and shepherded this project from the Tails side, framed the goals of the work by paraphrasing Mozilla\u0026rsquo;s questions about \u003ca href=\"https://design.firefox.com/values/\"\u003eFirefox\u0026rsquo;s values\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs this Tailsy? Is what we\u0026rsquo;re making a clear expression of what it means to be Tails? What will make it more Tails? What will we not do because it\u0026rsquo;s not true to Tails?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarting an open discussion about these questions in an unstructured forum could take months, even years, with no endpoint in sight. We wanted actionable answers, so we opted for a highly \u003cstrong\u003ecollaborative\u003c/strong\u003e yet \u003cstrong\u003estructured\u003c/strong\u003e process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe began with a half-day identity and values workshop in August 2018, conducted onsite near Berlin with the entire core Tails team. The goal of the workshop was to align around Tails\u0026rsquo; mission and values. We chose exercises that encouraged us to capture not just what Tails is as a technology, but \u003cstrong\u003ewho\u003c/strong\u003e Tails is for and \u003cstrong\u003ehow\u003c/strong\u003e Tails helps them. Here are a few of them:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat, how, why. We asked everyone in the workshop to define \u003cstrong\u003ewhat\u003c/strong\u003e Tails does, \u003cstrong\u003ehow\u003c/strong\u003e Tails does this, and \u003cstrong\u003ewhy\u003c/strong\u003e Tails does it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eValues. We asked each member of the team to choose the top 4 words that, to them, described the essence of Tails. Is Tails serious? Modern? Accessible? Reliable? Complex? Versatile? We provided a list of words, but also encouraged everyone to come up with their own words.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eX but not Y. Most successful identities fall in the happy medium between two extremes. We asked team members to frame Tails as \u0026ldquo;X but not Y,\u0026rdquo; for example, \u0026ldquo;accessible but not playful\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;diverse but not fragmented.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the workshop, we collected all this input and translated it into 4 possible identities for Tails. They all capture different aspects of Tails, exaggerating these aspects somewhat in order to elicit strong feedback:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Tails_all_four_hu_c851f5c322e8f824.png\" alt=\"Tails suggestions\" width=\"740\" height=\"1033\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe posted these identities online and gathered feedback from the Tails community. Then we synthesized that feedback into a final draft, together with the core Tails team, and the end result was this mission and value statement for Tails:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Tails_final_hu_f9fd4d4a11fc2de6.png\" alt=\"Tails identity\" width=\"740\" height=\"748\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSee everything at \u003ca href=\"https://tails.boum.org/contribute/mission/\"\u003ehttps://tails.boum.org/contribute/mission/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis identity document serves as the basis for all design decisions related to Tails. \u0026ldquo;How do we explain Tails to people?\u0026rdquo; might previously have been difficult to answer, especially for a diverse and distributed core team. But now it\u0026rsquo;s much more straightforward to evaluate colors, layouts, illustrations, and writing, even for people who don\u0026rsquo;t have a lot of experience making decisions like these. Instead of a question of personal preference, it becomes a question of \u0026ldquo;does this fit Tails?\u0026rdquo; As sajolida puts it, identity work is the way to help other decisions move forward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWant to try it yourself? Here\u0026rsquo;s our \u003ca href=\"/resources/identity_worksheet.pdf\"\u003etemplate for an identity worksheet\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "I Read About \"Design For Trust\"; So You Don't Have To",
            "date_published": "2019-10-10T10:08:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-10-10T10:08:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-trust/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-trust/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWhat is \u0026ldquo;design for trust\u0026rdquo;? I\u0026rsquo;d heard this phrase at enough design and design thinking conferences, and \u003ca href=\"https://uxdesign.cc/design-for-trust-building-products-47113c90e8d2\"\u003eall\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcelasapone/2018/06/08/scaling-a-human-tech-startup/#3e2897456f37\"\u003eover\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://uxdesign.cc/8-ux-surefire-ways-to-design-for-trust-7d3720b57a4c\"\u003edesign\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://blog.prototypr.io/how-to-design-for-trust-in-digital-services-ae4f9f82f7a4?gi=70f66ab2bd64\"\u003eand innovation blogs\u003c/a\u003e, but the more I read, the less the phrase seemed to mean. I really \u003cem\u003ewanted\u003c/em\u003e this to be more than a buzzword! So I started to comb through what people were saying on the internet, hoping that I\u0026rsquo;d find something I could both use and believe in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy starting point was design for trust\u0026rsquo;s big break in 2016. 2016 was when Joe Gebbia, one of the founders of Airbnb, gave a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ted.com/talks/joe_gebbia_how_airbnb_designs_for_trust?language=en\"\u003eTED talk entitled \u0026ldquo;Design for Trust,\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e neatly staking a claim to the phrase. Gebbia describes how Airbnb uses design to make people overcome their inhibitions to let strangers stay in their homes. As an exercise, Gebbia asks people to unlock their phones and hand them to the people next to them. \u0026ldquo;That tiny sense of panic you feel right now is exactly how hosts feel the first time they open their home,\u0026rdquo; he says, to a laughing audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/airbnb-ted_hu_f75c39e0f611dc9f.png\" alt=\"Airbnb talk at TED about design for trust,  2016\" width=\"740\" height=\"397\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eImage: TED.com\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order for Airbnb to work, Gebbia needed people to become comfortable doing something that previously made them uncomfortable. You can see why his definition of \u0026ldquo;design for trust\u0026rdquo; had instant appeal. If designers can make people do stuff they otherwise wouldn\u0026rsquo;t want to do, to disclose information normally kept private, that provides all kinds of value to a company. Framed this way, \u0026ldquo;designing for trust\u0026rdquo; is just a benevolent-sounding mask for using design to market, upsell, and manipulate. Is this really all that \u0026ldquo;design for trust\u0026rdquo; means – convincing people to take actions they\u0026rsquo;d rather not?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell. That\u0026rsquo;s depressing. We can, and need to, do better. So I combed the internet for writing about design and trust, as well as \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/Trust-Responsibility-Tea-Time\"\u003eshooting some videos on the topic\u003c/a\u003e with my colleague Eileen Wagner (thanks to Adobe and IxDD 2019 for the support!). If you\u0026rsquo;ve also been wondering what else \u0026ldquo;design for trust\u0026rdquo; can mean, join me on my journey through countless design blogs, stopping by business and CS academia, and ending up (as we often do) at human-centered design. Let\u0026rsquo;s go!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/trust-pyramid@2x_hu_67d5ab7388b90a30.png\" alt=\"Trust Pyramid\" width=\"740\" height=\"279\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOne note before we dive in: I\u0026rsquo;m oversimplifying greatly by modeling trust as a two-party relationship, an interaction between the product being designed and the person using it. In reality, we interact simultaneously with multiple products, tools, and services. Do you trust an article in your Facebook news feed enough to click on it? That requires asking whether you trust the person posting it, whether you trust the source of the article, and whether you trust Facebook. Oh, also – do you trust your internet connection? Do you trust your government? In order to investigate trust, let\u0026rsquo;s pretend briefly that only one of these relationships is active at a time.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"be-professional\"\u003eBe professional\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349079211?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYou can\u0026rsquo;t nail a job interview unless you\u0026rsquo;ve brushed the dandruff off your shoulders and picked the spinach out of your teeth. That\u0026rsquo;s the message of 75% of the how-to articles I found about design and trust. You need to look like the kind of organization that has its act together. Only then will people fill out your form, pay you money, install your app.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe most prevalent theme in these articles is consistency and attention to detail. They recommend using a style guide or a \u003ca href=\"https://uxplanet.org/inside-a-design-system-what-you-need-to-know-and-why-198ab645d5a3\"\u003edesign system\u003c/a\u003e: consistent colors, consistent visual language, consistent naming, consistent corner radius on every last button. They tell you to make sure that users have an impression of care and quality, and yes, it\u0026rsquo;s incumbent on design, especially visual and UI design, to manage that first impression.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey have a good point. A company that doesn\u0026rsquo;t use matching fonts in its marketing emails seems like a company that isn\u0026rsquo;t paying attention to other things. They might bill inaccurately. Their product might not be updated. It might crash. It might break other tools people have installed. This might not be fair, but it\u0026rsquo;s true: you need to keep your visual design looking consistent and updated, otherwise your product seems like a possible threat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s not just visual design. Make sure your links aren\u0026rsquo;t broken (the digital version of food stuck in your teeth!). Don\u0026rsquo;t prominently feature reviews in your product descriptions when none of your products actually have any reviews. \u0026ldquo;From print ad, to in-store experience, to mobile, Target looks and feels like Target, which provides a strong sense of consistency and trust,\u0026rdquo; says \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/nerdwallet-design/designing-for-trust-c7455896432b\"\u003ethis article from NerdWallet\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo yes, most of what the internet calls \u0026ldquo;design for trust\u0026rdquo; is basically charm school for tech products. They don\u0026rsquo;t mention being worthy of the trust you\u0026rsquo;re trying to earn. Not only is this a shady way to operate, but it shows a superficial understanding of how trust works, as we\u0026rsquo;re about to see.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTools you\u0026rsquo;ll need: consistent branding; design systems; voice and tone guide. Get started with the advice and articles in \u003ca href=\"https://www.designsystems.com/\"\u003eFigma\u0026rsquo;s Design Systems magazine\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"meet-real-needs\"\u003eMeet real needs\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349080146?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEarning trust isn\u0026rsquo;t a one-time event. It\u0026rsquo;s intuitively obvious: anything we call \u0026ldquo;trust\u0026rdquo; comes from accumulated interactions, not just a first impression. Let\u0026rsquo;s dive in to the literature: what else goes into trust, besides that initial gut-check?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a long time, researchers had studied trust by looking at the phenomena that surround it – like knowing that the sun is out by seeing light and shadow through the window curtains, they measured trust with experiments around interpersonal risk-taking. \u003ca href=\"https://people.wku.edu/richard.miller/Mayer%20Trust%20article.pdf\"\u003eMayer et al., in their 1995 paper \u0026ldquo;An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust,\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e wanted to describe how trust actually works between two people. They also didn\u0026rsquo;t like the fact that a lot of models of trust ignored that trustworthiness is personal and situational. Yes, some people are overall more trustworthy than others, but that\u0026rsquo;s a result of many individual interactions that build or destroy trust. Trust is dynamic and reinforces itself; it\u0026rsquo;s not a setting you can turn on and forget about.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough trust is contextual and relational, agreeing on some broad features of trust helps us understand it. Mayer proposes a model of trustworthiness that hinges on three factors in any interaction:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbility\u003c/strong\u003e – is the other party capable of doing what they say they\u0026rsquo;ll do?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntegrity\u003c/strong\u003e – is the other party going to do what they say they\u0026rsquo;ll do?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenevolence\u003c/strong\u003e – do they have your interests in mind?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsistent, professional design is a reasonably good indicator for the first factor, \u003cstrong\u003eability\u003c/strong\u003e. A modern-looking website that doesn\u0026rsquo;t crash feels like a reflection of a capable organization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe most straightforward way to incorporate the second factor, \u003cstrong\u003eintegrity\u003c/strong\u003e, in a design is to illustrate results. That might mean showcasing and encouraging user reviews, showing the results or products in action, or offering a freebie or guarantee as collateral. (No, \u003ca href=\"https://thenextweb.com/dd/2016/08/26/creating-trust-with-ux-design/\"\u003ea promise from you\u003c/a\u003e, no matter how sincere, doesn\u0026rsquo;t really help here. Spare me your pictures of locks and shields. Show, don\u0026rsquo;t tell.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third factor, \u003cstrong\u003ebenevolence\u003c/strong\u003e, seems simple but is actually the most complex to design for. Figuring out what people really want and need is a field unto itself; design researchers are trained in using ethnographic techniques to figure out what people\u0026rsquo;s needs actually are, and what features and products would actually address them. It\u0026rsquo;s not enough to offer a product or service at a low price. People value less tangible qualities like convenience, flexibility, emotional connection, and security. This explains why somebody might well pay for Amazon Prime even if they have figured out that the cost of the Prime membership is more than they usually pay per year in normal shipping: they value a short turnaround between \u0026ldquo;place order\u0026rdquo; and a package on their doorstep.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo here, \u0026ldquo;designing for trust\u0026rdquo; means offering what people actually need and value. It might be something that doesn\u0026rsquo;t seem related to, or even conflicts with, your business model. I like, but don\u0026rsquo;t particularly trust, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mcfit.com/de/\"\u003emy gym\u003c/a\u003e, because they make it very difficult to cancel my membership. And I would trust the workplace messaging platform Slack a lot more if I were able to \u003ca href=\"https://qz.com/1641708/slack-doesnt-care-that-you-cant-block-a-workplace-harasser/\"\u003ereport harassment\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcademics who study website credibility have \u003ca href=\"http://mmi.tudelft.nl/~joostb/files/detweiler_broekens_09.pdf\"\u003etaken this model up as well\u003c/a\u003e, and practitioners have found that it applies in real-world use cases. A study of a mockup of California health exchange websites found that the version that featured price prominently was rated by users as the most trustworthy. If price was buried, users felt the website was trying to bury the most important piece of information. Put another way, it seemed like the website didn\u0026rsquo;t have their interests in mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTools you\u0026rsquo;ll need: design ethnography, user research, personas, open-ended observations and interviews. Get started with the methods in \u003ca href=\"https://www.designkit.org/\"\u003eIDEO\u0026rsquo;s Design Kit\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"offer-control\"\u003eOffer control\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349076200?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEven the best design research won\u0026rsquo;t uncover people\u0026rsquo;s every need. People know themselves and their situations better than you, the designer, will ever know them. So how can you communicate this in your designs?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final key to designing for trust is to think about where you can give people control. Flexibility in their settings. Choices about their workflow. Options around their personal data. The last thing you want is for them to feel like part of a funnel, or to realize that you\u0026rsquo;re using so-called \u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"https://www.darkpatterns.org/\"\u003edark patterns\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rdquo; (I prefer the term \u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mollyclare/status/1174630208860819456?s=20\"\u003emanipulative patterns\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rdquo;) to tug them through a product. What\u0026rsquo;s the opposite of a manipulative pattern? The last parts of Nathan Kinch\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/greater-than-experience-design/data-trust-by-design-principles-patterns-and-practices-part-2-up-front-terms-and-conditions-337c6b37552d\"\u003elong but well-thought-out essay on data trust\u003c/a\u003e shows some interface patterns that give people choice, control, and agency.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, you\u0026rsquo;re already imagining the alternative: too many choices, confusion, overcomplexity. This is a very real problem: [Eileen Wagner and I gave a presentation recently](link to noscript) about our redesign of a complex content-blocking browser extension, a situation where we deeply cared about user control, but needed to reduce options; we learned from our research that even die-hard experts were scratching their heads. The answer, though, wasn\u0026rsquo;t to remove options. Instead, we burned through piles of post-its trying to figure out how to preserve choice and complexity without sacrificing usability. It is possible (\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003ehere\u0026rsquo;s our case study\u003c/a\u003e), and we designers need to be up for the challenge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA journey map is a common tool that designers use to help visualize how people experience a product or platform. Most journey maps are linear and emphasize the \u0026ldquo;happy path\u0026rdquo;. Designing for control means thinking through some less ideal, less typical journeys and giving these side roads some love. You might ask:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo people really need to provide all the information you ask for? Are you clear about what they do and don\u0026rsquo;t need to provide, and why that is?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo people need to do every one of your ideal steps?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan any of your content be skipped or repeated?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhere do you ask for blanket, product-wide permissions? Is it possible and easy for people drill down into those permissions and give more granular answers?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes part of your product look like machine-learning or algorithmic \u0026ldquo;magic\u0026rdquo;? If so, can you give people a peek into how it works? Even better, can you let them tweak the way the \u0026ldquo;magic\u0026rdquo; works?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan you imagine anybody being put at risk by using your tool? Can you give them an option that eliminates that risk?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTools you\u0026rsquo;ll need: journey maps, flowcharts, threat modeling. Get started with the methods in \u003ca href=\"http://dft.sri.com/method/\"\u003eSRI\u0026rsquo;s Design for Trust toolkit\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time you\u0026rsquo;re thinking about how to meet people\u0026rsquo;s needs, and how to offer people control and agency, you\u0026rsquo;ve come far beyond what Joe Gebbia had in mind in his TED talk. Not only are you designing something people will trust, you\u0026rsquo;re designing something worthy of their trust.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo stop thinking of trust as a party you\u0026rsquo;re trying to crash. Don\u0026rsquo;t settle for \u0026ldquo;trustwashing\u0026rdquo; your designs with smooth branding and empty promises. And start \u003cem\u003ereally\u003c/em\u003e designing for trust.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/simply-secure/i-read-about-design-for-trust-so-you-dont-have-to-1337d4efa6bc\"\u003eCross-posted to Medium.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "My Data, Your Data, Our Data",
            "date_published": "2019-10-03T10:08:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-10-03T10:08:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/mydata/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/mydata/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/vegas-cookie-banner_hu_674c0ae1fa8499e.png\" alt=\"Cookie banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"193\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen was the last time you actually read one of these alerts? Have you ever clicked through to read the full policy? Have you tried to make changes, or say \u0026ldquo;no\u0026rdquo; to the trackers? I know I sometimes don\u0026rsquo;t – too often, I find myself just looking for the \u0026ldquo;Accept\u0026rdquo; button.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are in Europe, you probably see an alert like this \u003cem\u003eevery time\u003c/em\u003e you load a new webpage or install a new app. These are the result of increased regulation in Europe around privacy (\u003ca href=\"https://gdpr.eu/\"\u003eread more about the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR\u003c/a\u003e). This legislation requires that companies get your explicit consent before they use your personal data. \u0026ldquo;Personal data\u0026rdquo; isn\u0026rsquo;t just your demographic, health or banking data — it\u0026rsquo;s also the behavioral tracks you leave behind every time you use digital devices, like your browsing behavior, the type of device you\u0026rsquo;re using, the language you view content in, where you\u0026rsquo;re connected from, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGetting our consent every time companies use this data sounds like a great idea. So what\u0026rsquo;s the catch?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, the way that companies are actually implementing this consent process is often less about making sure you understand what\u0026rsquo;s going on, and more about satisfying the law\u0026rsquo;s bare minimum requirements. \u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/consent/what-is-valid-consent/\"\u003eMuch of the \u0026ldquo;consent\u0026rdquo; that you\u0026rsquo;re likely to give online doesn\u0026rsquo;t even meet the GDPR\u0026rsquo;s standards\u003c/a\u003e. Overwhelming you with legalese, or manipulating you with misleading design, is a strategy to get you to click \u0026ldquo;accept\u0026rdquo; – \u003ca href=\"https://uxdesign.cc/dark-patterns-in-ux-design-7009a83b233c\"\u003edesigners often call this a \u0026ldquo;dark pattern.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e But this tactic is actually \u003cstrong\u003eillegal\u003c/strong\u003e in the EU – the GDPR requires that consent be \u0026ldquo;informed\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;explicit.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/ok-ok-ok-ok_hu_ce53738e9b953e86.png\" alt=\"Man bombarded with OK buttons\" width=\"740\" height=\"479\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere\u0026rsquo;s a deeper issue too, though: even if every company did design a perfectly informed, explicit consent process, we\u0026rsquo;re still relying on every individual to make decisions where they can\u0026rsquo;t know the future and don\u0026rsquo;t have all the information. Does my clicking \u0026ldquo;accept\u0026rdquo; in the moment mean that I am okay with my data being used forever? What if my identity is stolen in the future? What if I\u0026rsquo;m a target of harassment? What recourse do I have, if I already said \u0026ldquo;yes\u0026rdquo; to sharing my data? \u003ca href=\"https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-gdpr-europes-new-privacy-law-and-the-future-of-the-global-data-economy\"\u003eAs Julia Powles writes in the New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e: \u0026ldquo;the actions of any one person are unlikely to effect change, and so it is comparatively easy for us, as a collective, to yield certain concessions out of convenience, ignorance, or resignation.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo what if, instead of asking how we can improve these alerts, we stepped back and asked questions like:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow might we consent to sharing our private data in a meaningful and engaged way?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow might we build technology and systems where less private data is needed to begin with?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow might we design a better digital world where technology protects us while helping us achieve our goals?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese questions have been on my mind a lot lately. They were a major topic of the discussions I had recently as a guest on the \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/privacy-trust-and-good-design/id1437677219?i=1000450089010\"\u003eWireframe podcast (by Adobe/Gimlet)\u003c/a\u003e, and also in my talk at the \u003ca href=\"https://mydata2019.org/presenter/georgia-bullen/\"\u003eMyData conference\u003c/a\u003e in Helsinki. As practitioners in field known for innovation, we aren\u0026rsquo;t approaching this problem like a design challenge. And as people using these technologies, we need to stand up and demand better. Given the daily deluge of data breach notices, all of us — companies, end users, governments — should have similar interests here. Our data is becoming more and more valuable, so the risk of breaches is getting higher and higher. Why not rethink and redesign the whole system with privacy, not just consent, in mind?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne way that we\u0026rsquo;ve approached this at Simply Secure is by \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/sensitive-interviews\"\u003eincorporating techniques like threat modeling which we\u0026rsquo;ve learned from the information security communities into our design practice\u003c/a\u003e — making privacy, security and safety central to design. By thinking through risks and threats, and when possible working with and co-designing with people from at-risk or vulnerable communities, we can work together to design for not just normal-use best cases but also stressful, higher-risk scenarios. By bringing more diverse perspectives to the design process and incorporating real world experience and user feedback, we have the opportunity to design responsible interfaces that take into account not just user needs but user safety and privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRedesigning the tools, systems, and norms we\u0026rsquo;ve grown accustomed to is an uphill battle, but there truly is hope and potential for better more responsible technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Designing for Power Users: A Case Study on NoScript",
            "date_published": "2019-09-16T14:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-09-16T14:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/noscript-case-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/noscript-case-study/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/case_studies/NoScript_CaseStudy_2019.pdf\"\u003ePDF version\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://media.ccc.de/v/Camp2019-10368-beyond_the_pile_of_knobs\"\u003eTalk at #cccamp19\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-this-project\"\u003eAbout this project\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://noscript.net/\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e is a browser extension for Firefox and Chrome/Chromium that blocks executable web content based on JavaScript, Java, Flash, Silverlight and other plugins, unless the site host is considered trusted by its user and has been previously added to a whitelist. It is considered a trusted open source tool, and regarded as an integral part of a larger suite of browser extensions for additional security. Along with HTTPS Everywhere, NoScript is embedded in Tor Browser by default.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoScript has 1.5 million users on Firefox and around 50k users on Chrome, in addition to all Tor Browser users (currently around 2.5 million). It is used by activists, governments and corporations alike, and was the first (and is, as of August 2019, the \u003cem\u003eonly\u003c/em\u003e) browser extension to offer client-side protection against cross-site scripting attacks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoScript 10 \u0026ldquo;Quantum\u0026rdquo;, a full rewrite of NoScript 5 \u0026ldquo;Classic\u0026rdquo; using the new WebExtensions API, was released at the end of 2018. This was necessary for NoScript to survive past Firefox 57, which deprecated and disabled all legacy add-ons. There was a significant backlash from the existing user base due to the unfamiliar UI.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"high-priority-usability-issues\"\u003eHigh-priority usability issues\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough many improvements have been made since the initial release of the new version, many usability issues still required attention. Specifically, we identified three problem areas at the start of the project:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGiven the technical impossibility to reproduce verbatim the old UI, NoScript took the chance of a complete overhaul including long requested features (such as customizable presets) which couldn\u0026rsquo;t cleanly fit in the previous menu-based model. This, however, resulted in an excessive density of the layout, an excessive use of icons with no labels and therefore a generalized discoverability problem.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe switch from XUL to HTML led to accessibility issues, especially regarding keyboard navigation. There is the additional option to display NoScript in \u0026ldquo;high-contrast mode\u0026rdquo;, but that led to an extremely complex interface.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe documentation is outdated, still mostly referring to NoScript 5 \u0026ldquo;Classic\u0026rdquo;. Community-provided tutorials and guides are available, but have proven not to be easy to discover. An \u0026ldquo;official\u0026rdquo; up-to-date guide is sorely needed, but even better would be the tool to be more self-explanatory.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"familiar-patterns-in-open-source-design\"\u003eFamiliar patterns in open-source design\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to the problem areas, we see familiar patterns that many open source security tools face. NoScript was first released in May 2005, and has been developed and maintained by one developer as a side project. It has an active community of enthusiastic users who rely on it for security both personally and professionally, and wouldn\u0026rsquo;t hesitate to contact the developer or the community for help and discussion. Changes to NoScript were mostly reactive: they were directly based on unstructured incoming user feedback or feature requests. Sometimes changes needed to be fast, as researchers file security issues that were just being discovered (and potentially exploited). \u003cem\u003eIncredibly, NoScript has always responded within 24 hours to these security fixes in the past 14 years.\u003c/em\u003e However, when it came to UX/UI issues, the fix was not always immediate. This feedback setup only resulted in NoScript reacting to superficial UI/UX problems, rather than offering a coherent and thought-through foundation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnstructured incoming feedback meant that NoScript was always one step behind user needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother common issue we see is what has been referred to as the \u003ca href=\"https://opensource.com/article/17/4/itch-to-scratch-model-user-problems\"\u003eItch-to-Scratch Model\u003c/a\u003e, a developer-centric mindset that prevents valuable open source tools from having wider adoption. The developer of NoScript will readily admit that he \u003cem\u003ebuilt NoScript for himself, and will always make it work for him first\u003c/em\u003e. At the same time, he and other people working in the information security sector agree that \u003cstrong\u003eeveryone should use security tools like NoScript\u003c/strong\u003e. But how does one design a tool for all when the needs of the developer are the driving force behind the project?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoScript is caught between \u003cem\u003edesigning for developers\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003emaking it work for everyone\u003c/em\u003e—it is difficult to balance the needs of very different user groups.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo address the problem areas as well as these underlying issues, Simply Secure was tasked to go back to the drawing board and develop a new and usable UI that fits NoScript users\u0026rsquo; needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"methodology\"\u003eMethodology\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/usable-security-audit/\"\u003eframework\u003c/a\u003e for secure usability audits looks at security from a human-centered perspective. Our driving questions are: What do people want? What do people need? What can people use?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur research and synthesis focuses on user needs by conducting user interviews and usability tests to get get rich, qualitative feedback. In our prototyping and testing phase, our primary focus was that the tool made sense to people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-7827f84f-a937-4e0c-9625-b73837718d50_hu_9c349a45a81af655.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"345\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this research, we conducted five qualitative interviews in early May 2019. The interviewees identified themselves as: novice users (2), experienced users (2), and security trainers (2). The interview guide is in our appendix.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"scope\"\u003eScope\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have limited our redesign to the desktop browser extension as it appears on Firefox and Chrome/Chromium. The evaluation and redesign of the mobile interface for Firefox will follow the next release, and minor changes specific to mobile environments are possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note about Tor Browser\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe did not, as originally planned, speak to Tor Browser users about their NoScript experience. As of May 2019, Tor Browser is planning to integrate NoScript settings into its general security settings interface (the s\u003cem\u003elider\u003c/em\u003e), and thus we did not think that evaluating current pain points in the Tor Browser would be helpful. However, we did sketch out some UI designs for Tor use cases that are in line with the redesign. Thanks are due to the Tor Browser team for providing us with feedback they had collected from Tor Browser users, and for many great discussions on design issues and directions in the secure browser extensions space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"findings\"\u003eFindings\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-things-that-work\"\u003e1. Things that work\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"noscript-functions-as-a-browser-extension-for-security\"\u003eNoScript functions as a browser extension for security\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe users we spoke to understood that NoScript offers state-of-the-art script blocking, and is probably the most secure choice out there, even if not the most usable one. Users also understood how NoScript might interact with other browser extensions, and generally like \u0026ldquo;fiddling around with the knobs\u0026rdquo; to see how things interacted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNoScript is the last line of defence on my browser. I trust it to be working in my interest at all times.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI think everyone needs something like that. But not everyone will understand this tool.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"noscript-also-provides-information\"\u003eNoScript also provides information\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many users, seeing the scripts themselves is already a feature. If a site uses a lot of scripts, especially scripts that look like they are trackers, users lower their trust to a site.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou can see how much cruft is implemented on the website–just seeing this with the slider pushed over gives me a good feeling—and I get a bad feeling if the slider is on the wrong side!\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"people-know-how-to-use-noscript-effectively\"\u003ePeople know how to use NoScript effectively\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExperienced users had an established workflow of visiting a site → evaluating breakage → temporarily allowing scripts from the parent site → reloading → scrutinising other scripts and toggling their controls for the site to display/function correctly. \u003cstrong\u003eThis is not a straightforward process\u003c/strong\u003e—yet experienced users are able to achieve their respective goals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-45ebc90f-082a-4f34-9d23-b5ff20ade8e3_hu_d108405f23aadf3d.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExperienced users understood the NoScript workflow.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers often manage to achieve their goals, though the steps they take may not be the most efficient. Some people always change settings in the \u003ccode\u003eper-site permissions\u003c/code\u003e tab, while others prefer the menu interface with its \u003ccode\u003eallow all temporarily\u003c/code\u003e option.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile novice users understood that NoScript blocks scripts on the website you visit, few of them were able to verbalise NoScript\u0026rsquo;s blocking behavior (that blocking one domain on one site means blocking this domain for all sites, unless settings are temporarily revoked). Relatedly, novice users could only guess that temporary changes are changes \u003cstrong\u003ein this current browser session\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo novice users, the key questions were:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhich domains are ok? How do I know whether something is a tracker?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes NoScript help me decide which scripts are OK? Are there defaults?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes NoScript learn from my behavior? From other users\u0026rsquo; behavior?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-things-that-dont-work\"\u003e2. Things that don\u0026rsquo;t work\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"system-states-and-icons-do-not-match\"\u003eSystem states and icons do not match\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoScript uses three main icons to indicate differences in states:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e❗️ means that restrictions are disabled (i.e. scripts are allowed),\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e❌  means restrictions are enabled (i.e. scripts are blocked),\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e🕒  means temporary, with the options \u003ccode\u003etemporarily allow\u003c/code\u003e and \u003ccode\u003erevoke temporary allowance\u003c/code\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese icons were confusing to all users we talked to, most likely because system state (\u003ccode\u003eallow\u003c/code\u003e and \u003ccode\u003eblock\u003c/code\u003e) were mixed with recommendations (\u003ccode\u003esecure\u003c/code\u003e and \u003ccode\u003edanger\u003c/code\u003e). This is a phenomenon that happens throughout the interface, and the most obvious place for this was the use of \u003cem\u003ecolor\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf one were to assign a color for UI elements related to blocking, what would it be? Green is commonly associated with \u0026ldquo;GOOD!\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;DO THAT!\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;GO!\u0026rdquo;, while red is associated with \u0026ldquo;BAD!\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;DON’T DO THAT!\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;STOP!\u0026rdquo;. But adding additional meaning to color complicates things.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-b338ea39-0782-4904-8dd3-c688a82a715b_hu_31022785873ee08b.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"814\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we encounter a good or harmless script, we should allow it. If it is a bad or harmful script, we should block it. However, when we attach the GOOD and BAD to security practices, the colors are flipped: a good or recommended security practice is to block things by default, and a bad or not recommended security practice is to allow scripts in general. Suddenly, a simple color can carry meaning on three levels: the action, the system state, or the recommendation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoScript does not use red and green in combination (at least not with regard to \u003ccode\u003eblock\u003c/code\u003e and \u003ccode\u003eallow\u003c/code\u003e), but the same problem stills exists in a more nuanced form. An icon with a crossed-out item is usually BAD, and a sign without anything is usually GOOD. But of course, here blocking something is actually GOOD, while blocking nothing is actually BAD. So whichever indicators NoScript chooses, they should \u003cstrong\u003eeither\u003c/strong\u003e aim to indicate system state [allow/block] \u003cstrong\u003eor\u003c/strong\u003e recommendation [good/bad], but \u003cstrong\u003enot both\u003c/strong\u003e. And in any case, NoScript should probably stay away from standard colors and icons.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"when-to-block-when-to-allow\"\u003eWhen to block, when to allow\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn general, people tripped over allowing and blocking across the interface. For example, the \u003ccode\u003eCUSTOM\u003c/code\u003e preset has checkboxes for \u003cstrong\u003eallowing\u003c/strong\u003e certain scripts on sites; but users have unilaterally interpreted the checkboxes to be for \u003cstrong\u003eblocking\u003c/strong\u003e scripts of different kinds. The word \u0026ldquo;allow\u0026rdquo; at the top left was not always seen. (Moreover, having the \u003ccode\u003escript\u003c/code\u003e option as a checkbox in that tab was confusing—people rightly asked, \u0026ldquo;isn\u0026rsquo;t everything a script?\u0026rdquo;) Similarly, users stumbled over the phrase \u0026ldquo;disable restrictions\u0026rdquo; as a \u003cem\u003edouble negative\u003c/em\u003e for pausing NoScript on a particular tab. We\u0026rsquo;ve seen multiple NoScript users guessing at the meaning of these buttons, only to then test the difference in settings themselves and try to infer the behavior of particular features.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother source of confusion comes from the usage of \u0026ldquo;trust\u0026rdquo;. Experienced users know that sites you trust should generally be set to \u003ccode\u003eallowed\u003c/code\u003e, but sometimes it is necessary to allow scripts from sites you don\u0026rsquo;t trust for things to function correctly. Equating the two concepts (blocking and distrusting) was not helpful. Novice users sometimes expect NoScript to be making decisions about trust for them, due to the passive phrasing (\u0026ldquo;trusted\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;untrusted\u0026rdquo;).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the green or red lock icon indicating HTTPS status was mistaken as an indicator for a NoScript-trusted site for novice users. Neither novice users nor experienced users knew what it meant.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"unclear-language-makes-actions-confusing\"\u003eUnclear language makes actions confusing\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe found that some of the labels were unclear to both novice and experienced users. For example, none of the 6 people we talked to could describe what \u003ccode\u003eCascade top-level documents\u003c/code\u003e or \u003ccode\u003eMatch HTTPS content\u003c/code\u003e meant.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter installing NoScript, people often open it while on a tab that is \u0026ldquo;privileged\u0026rdquo; (browser settings, for example the \u003ccode\u003eadd-ons\u003c/code\u003e page), which does not allow content blocking. The screen for this warning was a first hurdle for novice users, who didn\u0026rsquo;t understand the warning, nor where to go from here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Screenshot_2019-04-23_at_12-b9808301-12ad-44f4-9442-1056bcd98b12.36.31_hu_e2c2546a244e2126.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"136\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is often the first screen that new NoScript users will see.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"strict-tone-and-voice-along-with-dated-ui-made-people-feel-insecure\"\u003eStrict tone and voice, along with dated UI, made people feel insecure\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoScript\u0026rsquo;s language on security is divisive. On the one hand, we repeatedly heard that running NoScript is making its users feel \u003cstrong\u003esafer\u003c/strong\u003e online. On the other hand, some users reported that they feel guilty when turning it off; or worse, they believed they were completely unprotected and insecure when it\u0026rsquo;s off. This was most evident when novice users confronted the interface. They were baffled by the fact that not using NoScript was deemed \u0026ldquo;dangerous\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-54f9aaf2-fb56-4258-977e-371123ad8fef_hu_e15640c1efc5939b.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"230\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e5 minutes ago I was browsing without it, putting \u0026lsquo;dangerous\u0026rsquo; here sounds life-threatening\u0026hellip;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe visual design stood out to many novice users. Upon seeing the settings page, novice users commented that the design looks dated, and does not inspire trust.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI cannot judge whether the tech is good or not, I have to rely on the design to tell me that.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers repeatedly commented on the icon design (the in-browser NoScript badge). It is too small for many devices, and not always as informative as they had hoped.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost people found the logo cute, albeit old-fashioned. Some knew the reference to Ghostbusters. However, the logo is not consistent (store vs app vs settings), and that has thrown some people off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"page-breakage-means-people-abandon-noscript-too-soon\"\u003ePage breakage means people abandon NoScript too soon\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though experienced users understood the ideal workflow of NoScript, few people follow it consistently throughout their web browsing. Page breakage happens frequently even with fine-tuned NoScript settings: either the display of certain elements is removed or altered, or interactive elements don\u0026rsquo;t function correctly. Most people abandon the process of assessing page breakage and adjusting script blocking after one or two attempts, and either allow everything temporarily, or close the tab they wanted to view.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-7fa32754-fcf3-47b2-818c-3ef292e7918d_hu_e057fee146dad330.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIf I haven\u0026rsquo;t found the right thing to turn off after the second try, I\u0026rsquo;ll just turn NoScript off.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSadly, whenever pages work, the success is attributed to the website that uses javascript wisely; whenever pages break, the failure is attributed to NoScript for breaking the website. By design, NoScript is always associated with frustration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"recommendations\"\u003eRecommendations\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on our user research, we developed five main design recommendations for NoScript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-focus-on-visualisation-and-customisability\"\u003e1. Focus on visualisation and customisability\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNoScript users value the ability to \u003cstrong\u003esee\u003c/strong\u003e which scripts are being used on a site, and to \u003cstrong\u003eadjust\u003c/strong\u003e settings to only allow the scripts needed for a site to function correctly. Most active users only use the menu interface on the website they are visiting, improving that interface and the visualisation of script information will be most crucial.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs such, NoScript is a tool that \u003cem\u003ecreates friction\u003c/em\u003e rather than removing it, and this sort of friction is seen as valuable and necessary for people who care about security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI always pause before I [allow] a script—what is it, and can I trust it? NoScript makes me think about the websites I visit.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign for:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.notion.so/d8c2c90d8e25448fb9dd5b033cce8a1e\"\u003eRose the Super User\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePotentially design for:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.notion.so/500c0eef3ff1415a82fc660188ba6e09\"\u003eEmil the Privacy Advocate\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t design for:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.notion.so/e71cde80a0ab46dda9c61b223844ecec\"\u003eChris the Curious\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend sticking with the core offering (surfacing information on scripts, and allowing for individual blocking) and making that more intuitive, rather than offering a script blocker that works silently and frictionlessly. \u003cstrong\u003eNoScript is inherently interactive, and not for everyone.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-communicate-system-state-better\"\u003e2. Communicate system state better\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurrent system states can be opaque or ambiguous, and don\u0026rsquo;t always match the user\u0026rsquo;s mental model. NoScript is a complex tool, and the goal isn\u0026rsquo;t to simplify the options; however, a clear communication around system states and tool behavior that doesn\u0026rsquo;t leave the user guessing is vital for people to achieve their goals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend using clear language and indicators for \u003ccode\u003eblocking\u003c/code\u003e and \u003ccode\u003eallowing\u003c/code\u003e, instead of trusting and untrusting. New and readable icons could help to indicate system states. We also recommend going through all labels and making sure functions are described in clear, simple and consistent language.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cpre\u003e\nSample text explaining NoScript\n===\n\nWhen you visit a `site`, it can have a `script`, from a `script owner`.\n\nThe script could present a security risk, or a privacy infringement, or just make browsing unnecessarily slow and cluttered.\n\nBut you can decide on what gets loaded into your browser! You can block scripts.\n\nDeciding on what to block, and how to block it, requires some knowledge about scripts and their owners.\n\nThough there are some general rules of thumb, decisions always depend on the site, the type of script, and the owner of that script.\n\n**NoScript is a tool that allows you to make these decisions easily.**\n\nYou can `block` or `allow` a script based on the `site` you're visiting, the `type of script`, and the `owner of that script`.\n\nWhen you do any of the three things above, you can do it temporarily (on a tab), or permanently (across all visits).\n\nMoreover, you can also save your specific `settings for the sites you visit`, so you don't have to fine-tune your blocking when you visit your most frequent sites.\n\nNoScript blocks every script by default. When you change this behavior for an individual script, or for scripts on a specific site, the new rules get saved. You can view and edit these rules in the settings.\n\u003c/pre\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-supply-better-defaults-and-explain-why\"\u003e3. Supply better defaults and explain why\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile we want to focus on making toggling choices and seeing site/script information easier, it\u0026rsquo;s vital to also consider the default settings for users who will not fine-tune NoScript to their needs. It is important to have on-screen helper texts (for example, hover-overs or information boxes) explaining features and defaults.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt would be great if NoScript would take a stand and prescribe settings for people who just wanted to be safer and not mess with it every single minute.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople also wanted to know why certain defaults were chosen. While the documentation is not the appropriate place to understand how and why things work, it is a good place to look up background information—experienced users said the documentation \u0026ldquo;made them feel safer\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend default settings that work out-of-the-box, and a walk-through of the main NoScript features in the onboarding process. Background information around browsing security as well as default choices should be provided in the documentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-update-the-visual-and-interface-design\"\u003e4. Update the visual and interface design\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe choice of colours, typeface, layout and UI elements could use an upgrade—for a state-of-the-art tool, NoScript \u003cem\u003elooks\u003c/em\u003e like it was last updated a decade ago.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis may seem like a cosmetic problem that doesn\u0026rsquo;t impact the way the tool works for users. However, users mentioned that an outdated interface:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReduces their trust in the tool, and makes them wonder if it has bugs or malware\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMakes them worry that it will not be compatible with their browser\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeaves them confused as to whether they have the latest version or need to update\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the general update, there are some specific changes we think could address some issues with the interface.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI could shoot myself in the foot accidentally with one of these toggle settings and it wouldn\u0026rsquo;t warn me.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ccode\u003eEnable/restrict temporarily\u003c/code\u003e should be a toggle with appropriate labels. Toggles should be used with care, making options clear and also throwing good alerts when needed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe presets under \u003ccode\u003eOptions/General\u003c/code\u003e should be communicated clearer, for example by renaming the tab to “Configure presets” and pushing it further back. (Make sure it\u0026rsquo;s understood as \u003cem\u003eredefining\u003c/em\u003e \u003ccode\u003eblock\u003c/code\u003e \u003ccode\u003eallow\u003c/code\u003e etc.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen you change settings that affect the current site, the menu interface should reflect that.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend a complete re-design of the UI, using a simple and clear style that does not distract from the existing complexity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"5-add-a-per-site-settings-feature\"\u003e5. Add a \u0026ldquo;per-site settings\u0026rdquo; feature\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs of now, changing the preferences around a script/domain means changing the preference for that script/domain for all tabs, for all sites visited. But that does not cover site-specific settings. For example, if a user wanted to allow scripts from \u003ccode\u003egoogleanalytics.com\u003c/code\u003e when visiting a trusted site, but does not want to allow them when visiting an untrusted site, this change has to be made manually each time. It would be convenient for the user to set these per-site preferences manually and have them saved as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA related use case is when people want to allow \u003ccode\u003efirst-party\u003c/code\u003e scripts but not \u003ccode\u003ethird-party\u003c/code\u003e scripts, e.g. when visiting \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com\"\u003eFacebook.com\u003c/a\u003e you want to allow scripts from Facebook.com; but when visiting your local news site you don\u0026rsquo;t want to allow scripts from Facebook.com. This could fall under saved per-site settings, or could be enabled with a shortcut, for example \u003ccode\u003efirst-party\u003c/code\u003e or \u003ccode\u003eaffiliated scripts\u003c/code\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend a new interface design for allowing per-site settings. This interface should communicate clearly which domains are allowed or blocked A) permanently and globally, B) permanently for this site, C) temporarily for this tab.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"design-decisions--testing\"\u003eDesign decisions \u0026amp; testing\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-6c8b5397-9011-4c9a-9e60-8215fad86308_hu_7d9872d18c6ade07.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1480\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-32a2faa8-b619-449f-a176-3c4c0b87418a_hu_4495006734091443.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1480\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-96c763ea-75dd-4f7b-8a5b-06b20d4508bf_hu_5ccc559e47f24a67.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1480\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-d6437ba8-4cf1-4206-a7f2-a29b086bd516_hu_faf1d14315528e7a.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1249\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-fef88c14-576d-42d3-ac8c-4714d146265d_hu_a9fd99957dd494be.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1249\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/Untitled-258e9d9d-dd31-4c23-8ad5-892a2789f60b_hu_e9f52bdf6616337e.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"1249\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"accessibility\"\u003eAccessibility\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn updating the UI style, we made sure that the contrast ratios of the colors are AAA-compliant. Moreover, we will add keyboard shortcuts to make NoScript more accessible for other input formats, as well as test our helper/hover text with screen readers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"testing\"\u003eTesting\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur designs (wireframes and clickable prototypes) were tested with experienced NoScript users in July 2019. Iterations have focused on the interfaces surrounding per-site settings. As a next step, we plan to release an alpha version in the fall of 2019. The feedback from this release will further inform the design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you would like to participate in alpha testing with us, please get in touch: ux [at] noscript.net\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEileen Wagner\u003c/strong\u003e, Design Lead\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLorraine Chuen\u003c/strong\u003e, Visual Design\u003cbr\u003e\nWith help from \u003cstrong\u003eMolly Wilson\u003c/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eGeorgia Bullen\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nSpecial thanks to \u003cstrong\u003eSusan Farrell\u003c/strong\u003e, UX researcher and OTF Advisory Board member\u003cbr\u003e\nInfinite gratitude to \u003cstrong\u003eGiorgio Maone\u003c/strong\u003e, developer and maintainer of NoScript\u003cbr\u003e\nCC BY-SA 4.0 Simply Secure, 2019\u003cbr\u003e\nFunded by Open Technology Fund\u0026rsquo;s Usability Lab\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "SOUPS 2019 Roundup",
            "date_published": "2019-09-04T10:08:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-09-04T10:08:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/soups-2019/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/soups-2019/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/soups2019_logo_380x403_hu_66ad75b03f56ffb.png\" alt=\"SOUPS 2019 Logo\" width=\"740\" height=\"785\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContributors: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/global_ashm\"\u003eAshley Fowler\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/gusandrews\"\u003eGus Andrews\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/bernardtyers\"\u003eBernard Tyers\u003c/a\u003e, and Georgia Bullen\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019\"\u003eSOUPS 2019\u003c/a\u003e, the 15th Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security, was held in Santa Clara, CA, alongside \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity19\"\u003eUSENIX Security\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/pepr19\"\u003ePePR\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/foci19\"\u003eFOCI\u003c/a\u003e and a few other conferences. For those not familiar with these events, they are the conferences hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/\"\u003eUSENIX\u003c/a\u003e, the advanced computing systems association, focused on supporting the advanced computing systems communities and furthering the reach of innovative research. The sessions range from deep technical research to industry presentations to usability research and attitudinal surveys. A few members of the Simply Secure community were in attendance, so we wanted to pull together some quick takeaways, either for other folks in attendance or for people who weren\u0026rsquo;t able to come.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of the SOUPS 2019 \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/technical-sessions\"\u003epapers and presentations are available online\u003c/a\u003e, as well as the other USENIX events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"workshop-designing-for-extremes-of-risk\"\u003eWorkshop: \u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/events/usable-at-soups/\"\u003eDesigning for Extremes of Risk\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe USABLE team at Internews (\u003ca href=\"https://usable.tools/\"\u003ehttps://usable.tools/\u003c/a\u003e) facilitated a half-day workshop at SOUPS. The workshop, entitled “Designing for Extremes of Risk,” was an interactive exploration of what it means to work with at-risk communities, particularly in the context of designing and developing privacy and security tools. The nearly 25 attendees represented a diverse range of professions, from academics to UX researchers to product teams and engineers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMain takeaways from the workshop included:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrom a product perspective, it can be difficult to identify at-risk communities, connect with them, and build the level of trust needed to collect accurate feedback. Using trusted intermediaries, such as digital security trainers, can provide tool teams with access to relevant feedback without jeopardizing the safety of at-risk communities.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTool teams can consider offering incentives (such as small stipends) for individuals to participate in user research. If offering incentives, be sure to research local implications for end users. For example, will accepting a stipend impact any government support that low-income participants may be receiving?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInternational events and UX convenings are a good entry point for interested parties to meet at-risk users and begin to build trust. It is helpful for people outside the existing Internet Freedom (IF) community to understand what events exist, who attends each one, and what the purpose of these events are.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways be clear about what will be shared from meetings or gatherings (participant list, notes, attribution, etc.) and set clear ground rules from the beginning to foster a sense of trust among attendees.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCo-design is most effective when it is implemented throughout the entire process. Utilize the co-design process not just for feature or tool development, but also developing the larger feedback collection process.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser personas allow design and development teams to understand users without requiring direct access or communication.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser engagements or any feedback collection activities should always take place in a trusted environment or location.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen designing alerts, it is important to consider the cross-cultural interpretation of the language/design. Images and graphics can be used to send a more universal message or serve users who may be illiterate.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere is no universal catalog for usability security bugs, analogous to the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Vulnerabilities_and_Exposures\"\u003eCommon Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) catalog for security threats\u003c/a\u003e. Are there ways to identify and/or automate the testing of usability failures by referencing “chaos engineering” style approaches (see \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_engineering#10-18_Monkey\"\u003ehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_engineering#10-18_Monkey\u003c/a\u003e).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReframe “edge cases” as “stress cases.” Account for how people operate under stress, as this is a more universally applicable approach. Though levels of stress can differ, all users face stress at some point.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"paper-why-people-dont-use-password-managers-effectively\"\u003ePaper: \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/presentation/pearman\"\u003eWhy people (don’t) use password managers effectively\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthors: Sarah Pearman, Shikun Aerin Zhang, Lujo Bauer, Nicolas Christin, and Lorrie Faith Cranor, Carnegie Mellon University\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParticipants in the study used password managers built into web browsers or operating systems (12) and 3rd-party separately installed password managers (9).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey “were reluctant to use password managers for [….] concerns over the single point of failure (i.e. the master password required to use password managers)” and they were “reluctant to give up control of their passwords” to the point where people don’t know their passwords.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParticipants did not feel that their passwords are at much risk and they don’t know where “save this password?” prompts are coming from.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome participants who used 3rd-party password managers were using old passwords for their master password, or kept copies of their master passwords in an email folder or on a notepad.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe researchers recommended that password manager developers focus deeply on user experience design and usability testing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.cylab.cmu.edu/news/2019/08/16-password-manager-soups-2019.html\"\u003eAnother summary, on cmu.edu\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"paper-\"\u003ePaper: \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/presentation/wu\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Something isn\u0026rsquo;t secure, but I\u0026rsquo;m not sure how that translates into a problem\u0026rdquo;: Promoting autonomy by designing for understanding in Signal\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthors: Justin Wu, Cyrus Gattrell, Devon Howard, and Jake Tyler, Brigham Young University; Elham Vaziripour, Utah Valley University; Kent Seamons and Daniel Zappala, Brigham Young University\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe researchers mapped out all the flows in the application that trigger users to confirm the identity of other chat participants, known as the “authentication ceremony”.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe participants in the study were paired up and given different scenarios that prompted the need to go through the authentication ceremony; different designs for this process were tested.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOverall, participants didn’t really understand the process. They did not tend to get around to it organically.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe alternative design developed by the researchers was more effective than the existing designs. Among the alterations they suggested were letting the user know they may want to exchange security numbers in person or through another channel; explaining what it means when the numbers don’t match; and getting rid of the “this number has been verified” toggle.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"paper-personal-information-leakage-by-abusing-the-gdpr\"\u003ePaper: \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/presentation/dimartino\"\u003ePersonal Information Leakage by Abusing the GDPR \u0026lsquo;Right of Access\u0026rsquo;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe researchers evaluated the GDPR identity verification process of 55 organizations in finance, entertainment, retail and others. They attempted to impersonate targeted individuals who have their data processed by these organizations, using only forged or publicly available information extracted from social media and other public data sources.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor 15 out of the 55 organizations, the researchers were able to successfully impersonate a subject and obtained full access to their personal data.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe leaked personal data contained a wide variety of sensitive information, including financial transactions, website visits, and physical location history.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe researchers shared recommendations for consumer and organizational practices to limit leaking personal data, such as requiring login credentials, strictly verifying ownership of email address, and calling subjects to request specific user data.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"paper-cooperative-privacy-and-security-learning-from-people-with-visual-impairments-and-their-allies\"\u003ePaper: \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/presentation/hayes\"\u003eCooperative Privacy and Security: Learning from People with Visual Impairments and Their Allies\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthors: Jordan Hayes, Smirity Kaushik, Charlotte Emily Price, and Yang Wang, Syracuse University\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResearchers shadowed people with visual impairments and their allies (e.g. family members, friends and professional support) to understand how they protect their privacy and security.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExisting tools are designed for individuals and focused on independence, often lacking accessibility support.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMultifaceted disability identities need to be considered in design and research. Participatory action research and design can support inclusive design practices that address otherwise marginalized groups.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAllies (friends, family, support staff) are important for privacy/security.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe need to think about designs that allow for cooperative privacy \u0026amp; security, rather than just individual-centric use cases.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor more, see the \u003ca href=\"http://www.inclusiveprivacy.org/index.html\"\u003ePrivacy for All Project\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"paper-privacy-and-security-threat-models-and-mitigation-strategies-of-older-adults\"\u003ePaper: \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/presentation/frik\"\u003ePrivacy and Security Threat Models and Mitigation Strategies of Older Adults\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthors: Alisa Frik, International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) and University of California, Berkeley; Leysan Nurgalieva, University of Trento; Julia Bernd, International Computer Science Institute (ICSI); Joyce Lee, University of California, Berkeley; Florian Schaub, University of Michigan; Serge Egelman, International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) and University of California, Berkeley\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe researchers did semi-structured interviews with 46 participants from senior centers and senior residences in the San Francisco Bay Area, aged 65-95.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe themes of the interviews were common security and privacy concerns, threat models, behaviors and strategies to mitigate perceived risks, usability issues with current protections, learning and troubleshooting approaches, and misconceptions regarding security and privacy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey found that older adults had similar attitudes and concerns to general population, but amplified risks, particularly due to complex trade-offs of privacy, safety, and autonomy. Older adults’ misconceptions about data flows lead to blind spots in mitigation strategies, and that the difficulty they experience in using technology decreases their self-efficacy around privacy \u0026amp; security.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"paper--1\"\u003ePaper: \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/presentation/simoiu\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was told to buy a software or lose my computer. I ignored it\u0026rdquo;: A study of ransomware\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthors: Camelia Simoiu, Stanford University; Christopher Gates, Symantec; Joseph Bonneau, New York University; Sharad Goel, Stanford University\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe researchers ran a detailed survey of a representative sample of 1,180 American adults.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBased on that, they estimated that 2-3% of respondents were affected by ransomware over a 1-year period (2016 - 2017).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe average ransom amount demanded was $530, and only a small fraction of affected users (about 4% of those affected) reported paying.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCryptocurrencies were typically only one of several payment options, which suggests that they may not be a primary driver of ransomware attacks.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe paper includes a proof-of-concept method for ransomware risk-assessment based on self-reported security habits.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"paper-from-usability-to-secure-computing-and-back-again\"\u003ePaper: \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2019/presentation/qin\"\u003eFrom Usability to Secure Computing and Back Again\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthors: Lucy Qin, Andrei Lapets, Frederick Jansen, Peter Flockhart, Kinan Dak Albab, and Ira Globus-Harris, Boston University; Shannon Roberts, University of Massachusetts Amherst; Mayank Varia, Boston University\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResearchers worked with the \u003ca href=\"https://thebwwc.org/\"\u003eBoston Women’s Workforce Council\u003c/a\u003e on technical strategies for an open data effort around gender wage equity in Boston.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey used multi-party computation (MPC) techniques to blind and anonymize sensitive (wage) data, allowing companies to share data securely and privately, but the public effort to collect city-wide data for a large study.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTheir platform for data collection focused on the usability of privacy-enhancing technologies (MPC).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey focused not only on the security and privacy of the data, but also on developing analytics tools in privacy-enhanced ways.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Persona Template for Security Tools",
            "date_published": "2019-08-22T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-22T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona-security/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Trust \u0026 Responsibility 'Tea Time': New video series with World Interaction Design Day exploring design and trust",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T14:08:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T14:08:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/trust-responsibility-tea-time/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/trust-responsibility-tea-time/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/tt-trustresponsibilityheader_hu_6911cdd8587b48cb.png\" alt=\"Trust \u0026amp; Responsibility Tea Time Header\" width=\"740\" height=\"389\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHow do we design for trust? What is our responsibility as designers?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese questions have been popping up in the global design conversation lately, and not a moment too soon. This year, \u003ca href=\"http://adobe.ly/xd\"\u003eAdobe\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://ixda.org/\"\u003eIxDA\u003c/a\u003e have named \u003cstrong\u003eTrust and Responsibility\u003c/strong\u003e as the theme for \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org/\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e (IxDD) 2019.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org/\"\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/banner-ixdd_hu_9820bcec290d7374.png\" alt=\"World Interaction Design Day Banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"91\"\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\nWe at Simply Secure couldn\u0026rsquo;t be more delighted: our mission is to practice and support responsible design, and \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org/\"\u003eIxDD\u003c/a\u003e is an opportunity for designers around the world to organize events and start discussions around how we, the design community, need to frame our mission, our philosophy, and our craft. Not only do we grapple with these questions in our daily work, we\u0026rsquo;re also confronted with them on a larger scale whenever we read or listen to the news.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, as we approach \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org/\"\u003eIxDD\u003c/a\u003e this September, we wanted to share how we at Simply Secure grapple with some of the most complex topics designers face. In this series of video shorts, we\u0026rsquo;re inviting you into our living room for a cup of our favorite beverage. We\u0026rsquo;ll be sharing more of our research and resources over the course of the summer. But for now, please accept our invitation to set your work down for a moment and put the kettle on – it\u0026rsquo;s tea time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMj8lGxmJoM\u0026amp;t=6s\"\u003eTrust \u0026amp; Consistency\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htp3bqhavjY\u0026amp;t=10s\"\u003eTrust \u0026amp; Transparency\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ovQKObSrag\"\u003eTrust \u0026amp; User Needs\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omk92KgQtgU\"\u003eResponsibility \u0026amp; Ethics\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omk92KgQtgU\"\u003eResponsibility \u0026amp; Externalities\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/collections/tea-time/\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eAll Videos: Tea Time — Trust \u0026amp; Responsibility\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested in engaging in the conversation? Propose an event for \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org/\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e, join the conversation online (#IxDD), reach out, or join us in our [community slack](mailto:slack@superbloom.design?subject=I’d like to join the Simply Secure Slack).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e| \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-adobe_hu_270c600c6a8fdd33.png\" alt=\"Adobe logo\" width=\"740\" height=\"1019\"\u003e\n |\n\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-IXDA_hu_f727576b1b2608a2.png\" alt=\"Interaction Day Logo\" width=\"740\" height=\"294\"\u003e\n |\n\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/simplysecure-logo_hu_6c1f69db775471cd.png\" alt=\"Simply Secure logo\" width=\"740\" height=\"118\"\u003e\n |\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Responsibility \u0026 Ethics",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-responsibility-ethics/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-responsibility-ethics/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349077436?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContinue the conversation on trust and responsibility. Host or attend an event on 24 September 2019 for \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/banner-ixdd_hu_9820bcec290d7374.png\" alt=\"World Interaction Design Day Banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"91\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePresented by:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e| \n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-adobe.jpg\" alt=\"Missing alt text\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-IXDA_hu_f727576b1b2608a2.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"294\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/simplysecure-logo_hu_6c1f69db775471cd.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"118\"\u003e\n |\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.future-ethics.com/\"\u003eFuture Ethics, Cennydd Bowles\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://thamesandhudson.com/design-for-the-real-world-human-ecology-and-social-change-9780500273586\"\u003eDesign for the Real World, Viktor Papanek\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Automating-Inequality-High-Tech-Profile-Police/dp/1250215781/\"\u003eAutomating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor, Virginia Eubanks\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262038889/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER\u0026amp;psc=1\"\u003eMismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design, Kat Holmes\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Women-Data-World-Designed/dp/1419729071/\"\u003eInvisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado Perez\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Technically-Wrong-Sexist-Algorithms-Threats/dp/0393356043\"\u003eTechnically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech, Sara Wachter-Boettcher\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ruinedby.design\"\u003eRuined by Design, Mike Monteiro\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eArticles\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/30-on-weaponised-design/\"\u003eOn Weaponized Design, Cade Diehm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.ethicsfordesigners.com/articles\"\u003eEthics for Designers, Jet Gispen\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"tools-and-templates\"\u003eTools and Templates\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.servicedesigntools.org/tools/14\"\u003eTomorrow Headlines Exercise\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://tarotcardsoftech.artefactgroup.com/\"\u003eTarot Cards of Tech\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.transfeministech.codingrights.org/\"\u003eTransfeminist Design Oracle\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://humanebydesign.com/\"\u003eHumane by Design\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/leeange/DSPPUX-Checklist\"\u003eDigital Security and Privacy Design UX Checklist\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.designforsustainability.studio/signals/the-copenhagen-catalog\"\u003eThe Copenhagen Catalog\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson, Georgia Bullen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt Direction by\u003c/strong\u003e Ana Sol Alvarez\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistents:\u003c/strong\u003e Sarnt Utamachote, Nicolas Simkin\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.adobe.com\"\u003eAdobe\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Clarote\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Responsibility \u0026 Externalities",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-responsibility-externalities/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-responsibility-externalities/",
            "content_html": "\u003ciframe src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349078448\" width=\"640\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContinue the conversation on trust and responsibility. Host or attend an event on 24 September 2019 for \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/banner-ixdd_hu_9820bcec290d7374.png\" alt=\"World Interaction Design Day Banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"91\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePresented by:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e| \n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-adobe.jpg\" alt=\"Missing alt text\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-IXDA_hu_f727576b1b2608a2.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"294\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/simplysecure-logo_hu_6c1f69db775471cd.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"118\"\u003e\n |\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.future-ethics.com/\"\u003eFuture Ethics, Cennydd Bowles\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://thamesandhudson.com/design-for-the-real-world-human-ecology-and-social-change-9780500273586\"\u003eDesign for the Real World, Viktor Papanek\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Automating-Inequality-High-Tech-Profile-Police/dp/1250215781/\"\u003eAutomating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor, Virginia Eubanks\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262038889/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER\u0026amp;psc=1\"\u003eMismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design, Kat Holmes\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Women-Data-World-Designed/dp/1419729071/\"\u003eInvisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado Perez\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Technically-Wrong-Sexist-Algorithms-Threats/dp/0393356043\"\u003eTechnically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech, Sara Wachter-Boettcher\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ruinedby.design\"\u003eRuined by Design, Mike Monteiro\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eArticles\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/30-on-weaponised-design/\"\u003eOn Weaponized Design, Cade Diehm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.ethicsfordesigners.com/articles\"\u003eEthics for Designers, Jet Gispen\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"tools-and-templates\"\u003eTools and Templates\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.servicedesigntools.org/tools/14\"\u003eTomorrow Headlines Exercise\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://tarotcardsoftech.artefactgroup.com/\"\u003eTarot Cards of Tech\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.transfeministech.codingrights.org/\"\u003eTransfeminist Design Oracle\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.designethically.com/toolkit\"\u003eDesign Ethically: Toolkit\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson, Georgia Bullen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt Direction by\u003c/strong\u003e Ana Sol Alvarez\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistents:\u003c/strong\u003e Sarnt Utamachote, Nicolas Simkin\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.adobe.com\"\u003eAdobe\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Clarote\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Trust \u0026 Consistency",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-trust-consistency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-trust-consistency/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349079211?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContinue the conversation on trust and responsibility. Host or attend an event on 24 September 2019 for \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/banner-ixdd_hu_9820bcec290d7374.png\" alt=\"World Interaction Design Day Banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"91\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePresented by:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e| \n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-adobe.jpg\" alt=\"Missing alt text\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-IXDA_hu_f727576b1b2608a2.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"294\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/simplysecure-logo_hu_6c1f69db775471cd.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"118\"\u003e\n |\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Design-Systems-Smashing-eBooks-Kholmatova-ebook/dp/B076H49W1G/\"\u003eDesign Systems, Alla Kholmatova\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.future-ethics.com/\"\u003eFuture Ethics, Cennydd Bowles\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows-ebook/dp/B005VSRFEA/\"\u003eThinking in Systems, Donella Meadows\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Users-Journey-Storymapping-Products-People-ebook/dp/B01D95U8UO/\"\u003eThe User\u0026rsquo;s Journey: Storymapping Products That People Love, Donna Lichaw\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21406547-innovating-for-people\"\u003eInnovating for People: Handbook of Human-Centered Design Methods, Luma Institute\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.de/Manipulation-Beeinflussung-suhrkamp-taschenbuch-wissenschaft/dp/3518298283/\"\u003eManipulation: Zur Theorie und Ethik einer Form der Beeinflussung, Alexander Fischer (in German)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eArticles \u0026amp; Games\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/trust-building-the-bridge-to-our-users\"\u003eTrust – Building the Bridge to Our Users, by John Geddes\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://hbr.org/2015/05/customer-data-designing-for-transparency-and-trust\"\u003eCustomer Data: Designing for Transparency and Trust, by Timothy Morey, Theodore “Theo” Forbath, and Allison Schoop\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ncase.me/trust/\"\u003eThe Evolution of Trust, a playable simulation, by Nicky Case\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/greater-than-experience-design/heres-what-airbnb-missed-when-designing-for-trust-3ded2d7fa15d\"\u003eHere’s What AirBnB Missed When Designing for Trust, by Nathan Kinch\u003c/a\u003e in reponse to \u003ca href=\"https://airbnb.design/designing-for-trust/\"\u003eDesigning for Trust at Airbnb, by Charlie Aufmann\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://uxmag.com/articles/designing-to-build-trust-the-factors-that-matter\"\u003eDesigning to Build Trust, by Ilana Westereman\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://makinggood.ac.nz/media/1270/mayeretal_1995_organizationaltrust.pdf\"\u003eAn Integrative Model of Organizational Trust, by Roger Mayer, James H. Davis, and F. David Schoorman\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson, Georgia Bullen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt Direction by\u003c/strong\u003e Ana Sol Alvarez\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistents:\u003c/strong\u003e Sarnt Utamachote, Nicolas Simkin\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.adobe.com\"\u003eAdobe\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Clarote\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Trust \u0026 Transparency",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-trust-transparency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-trust-transparency/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349076200?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContinue the conversation on trust and responsibility. Host or attend an event on 24 September 2019 for \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/banner-ixdd_hu_9820bcec290d7374.png\" alt=\"World Interaction Design Day Banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"91\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePresented by:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e| \n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-adobe.jpg\" alt=\"Missing alt text\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-IXDA_hu_f727576b1b2608a2.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"294\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/simplysecure-logo_hu_6c1f69db775471cd.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"118\"\u003e\n |\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Design-Systems-Smashing-eBooks-Kholmatova-ebook/dp/B076H49W1G/\"\u003eDesign Systems, Alla Kholmatova\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.future-ethics.com/\"\u003eFuture Ethics, Cennydd Bowles\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows-ebook/dp/B005VSRFEA/\"\u003eThinking in Systems, Donella Meadows\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Users-Journey-Storymapping-Products-People-ebook/dp/B01D95U8UO/\"\u003eThe User\u0026rsquo;s Journey: Storymapping Products That People Love, Donna Lichaw\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21406547-innovating-for-people\"\u003eInnovating for People: Handbook of Human-Centered Design Methods, Luma Institute\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eArticles \u0026amp; Games\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/trust-building-the-bridge-to-our-users\"\u003eTrust – Building the Bridge to Our Users, by John Geddes\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://hbr.org/2015/05/customer-data-designing-for-transparency-and-trust\"\u003eCustomer Data: Designing for Transparency and Trust, by Timothy Morey, Theodore “Theo” Forbath, and Allison Schoop\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ncase.me/trust/\"\u003eThe Evolution of Trust, a playable simulation, by Nicky Case\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/greater-than-experience-design/heres-what-airbnb-missed-when-designing-for-trust-3ded2d7fa15d\"\u003eHere’s What AirBnB Missed When Designing for Trust, by Nathan Kinch\u003c/a\u003e in response to \u003ca href=\"https://airbnb.design/designing-for-trust/\"\u003eDesigning for Trust at Airbnb, by Charlie Aufmann\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://uxmag.com/articles/designing-to-build-trust-the-factors-that-matter\"\u003eDesigning to Build Trust, by Ilana Westereman\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://makinggood.ac.nz/media/1270/mayeretal_1995_organizationaltrust.pdf\"\u003eAn Integrative Model of Organizational Trust, by Roger Mayer, James H. Davis, and F. David Schoorman\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson, Georgia Bullen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt Direction by\u003c/strong\u003e Ana Sol Alvarez\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistents:\u003c/strong\u003e Sarnt Utamachote, Nicolas Simkin\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.adobe.com\"\u003eAdobe\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Clarote\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Trust \u0026 User Needs",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T12:04:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-trust-user-needs/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tea-time-trust-user-needs/",
            "content_html": "\u003ciframe src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/349080146\" width=\"640\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContinue the conversation on trust and responsibility. Host or attend an event on 24 September 2019 for \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesignday.org\"\u003eWorld Interaction Design Day\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/banner-ixdd_hu_9820bcec290d7374.png\" alt=\"World Interaction Design Day Banner\" width=\"740\" height=\"91\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePresented by:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e| \n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-adobe.jpg\" alt=\"Missing alt text\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/logo-IXDA_hu_f727576b1b2608a2.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"294\"\u003e\n | \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/simplysecure-logo_hu_6c1f69db775471cd.png\" width=\"740\" height=\"118\"\u003e\n |\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Design-Systems-Smashing-eBooks-Kholmatova-ebook/dp/B076H49W1G/\"\u003eDesign Systems, Alla Kholmatova\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.future-ethics.com/\"\u003eFuture Ethics, Cennydd Bowles\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows-ebook/dp/B005VSRFEA/\"\u003eThinking in Systems, Donella Meadows\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Users-Journey-Storymapping-Products-People-ebook/dp/B01D95U8UO/\"\u003eThe User\u0026rsquo;s Journey: Storymapping Products That People Love, Donna Lichaw\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21406547-innovating-for-people\"\u003eInnovating for People: Handbook of Human-Centered Design Methods, Luma Institute\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eArticles \u0026amp; Games\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/trust-building-the-bridge-to-our-users\"\u003eTrust – Building the Bridge to Our Users, by John Geddes\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://nxhx.org/dfa/\"\u003eDesign for Agency, Joe Edelman\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://hbr.org/2015/05/customer-data-designing-for-transparency-and-trust\"\u003eCustomer Data: Designing for Transparency and Trust, by Timothy Morey, Theodore “Theo” Forbath, and Allison Schoop\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ncase.me/trust/\"\u003eThe Evolution of Trust, a playable simulation, by Nicky Case\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/greater-than-experience-design/heres-what-airbnb-missed-when-designing-for-trust-3ded2d7fa15d\"\u003eHere’s What AirBnB Missed When Designing for Trust, by Nathan Kinch\u003c/a\u003e in response to \u003ca href=\"https://airbnb.design/designing-for-trust/\"\u003eDesigning for Trust at Airbnb, by Charlie Aufmann\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://uxmag.com/articles/designing-to-build-trust-the-factors-that-matter\"\u003eDesigning to Build Trust, by Ilana Westereman\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://makinggood.ac.nz/media/1270/mayeretal_1995_organizationaltrust.pdf\"\u003eAn Integrative Model of Organizational Trust, by Roger Mayer, James H. Davis, and F. David Schoorman\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson, Georgia Bullen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt Direction by\u003c/strong\u003e Ana Sol Alvarez\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistents:\u003c/strong\u003e Sarnt Utamachote, Nicolas Simkin\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.adobe.com\"\u003eAdobe\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Clarote\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Identity and Values",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/identity_worksheet/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/identity_worksheet/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Qualitative Interview Cheat Sheet",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/qualitative_interviews/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/qualitative_interviews/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "User Testing Cheat Sheet",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/user-testing-cheat-sheet/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/user-testing-cheat-sheet/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Value Proposition Generator",
            "date_published": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/value_proposition_worksheet/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/value_proposition_worksheet/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Persona Template for Tech Tools",
            "date_published": "2019-08-17T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-17T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/persona/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Post-Interview Debrief",
            "date_published": "2019-08-15T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-15T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/interview_synthesis/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/interview_synthesis/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "App Feedback Gathering Exercise",
            "date_published": "2019-08-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-08-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/app_feedback_gathering/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/app_feedback_gathering/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "On Trust and Transparency: Perspectives from Luminate's portfolio",
            "date_published": "2019-07-17T00:08:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-07-17T00:08:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-trust-and-transparency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/on-trust-and-transparency/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/rowing_hu_8f41a4280b0b1ccb.jpg\" alt=\"rowing\" width=\"740\" height=\"310\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the last year, in partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://luminategroup.com/\"\u003eLuminate\u003c/a\u003e (\u003cem\u003eformerly known as Government \u0026amp; Citizen Engagement, part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.omidyar.com/\"\u003eOmidyar Network\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e), we delved into the complex environment and relationships of the funding experience, leveraging a human-centered research approach. The goal was to better understand an organization\u0026rsquo;s experience in the funding process with the Government \u0026amp; Citizen Engagement (GCE) team at the Omidyar Network. \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/insights/\"\u003eNine insights\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/recommendations/\"\u003ethirty-four recommendations\u003c/a\u003e emerged from the work, which you can explore on the \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ereport website\u003c/a\u003e or by reading the report, \u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;\u003ca href=\"/resources/ott/On_Trust_and_Transparency.pdf\"\u003eOn Trust \u0026amp; Transparency: Perspectives from Luminate\u0026rsquo;s portfolio\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstanding the experience of the funding process is a perfect fit for the human-centered approach we specialize in. Our interviews used the same topic structure and started in the same place, but by the halfway point, each interview had turned into a semi-structured conversation. Forsaking the predictability of a cookie-cutter approach allowed us to learn the needs, histories, priorities, pain points, hopes, and fears of each interviewee. Then, our follow-up survey zeroed in on particularly hot topics from our interviews. This two-phase research process allowed us to report on what grantees actually felt was important.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"whats-the-big-deal-about-trust-and-transparency\"\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s the big deal about trust and transparency?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe think one reason that trust and transparency kept coming up is that these are complex topics in any business relationship, but particularly in one with a baked-in \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/insights/power-dynamics/\"\u003epower asymmetry\u003c/a\u003e. No matter how honest and genuine the conversations between an executive director and an investment lead, one of them is responsible for the other\u0026rsquo;s organizational survival. But even though it\u0026rsquo;s not an easy playing field, both Luminate and grantees expressed over and over their hope and their optimism that the relationship actually could be a healthy and open one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/insights/deep-trusting-relationships/\"\u003etrusting relationship\u003c/a\u003e, both parties are confident that the other has their interests in mind. In this case, grantees need to see that Luminate truly understands their point of view, and they need to be involved in determining what kind of support is best for them. And, again and again, they brought up the theme of transparency. Transparency doesn\u0026rsquo;t always lead to trust in relationships, but in most cases, it\u0026rsquo;s certainly a big step in the right direction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne major way to bring trust to this challenging area is by sharing as much information as possible about the \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/insights/structure-and-clarity/\"\u003efunding process\u003c/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/insights/reporting-and-metrics/\"\u003echoice of metrics\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/insights/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/\"\u003ediversity/equity/inclusion issues\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/insights/funder-roles/\"\u003efunders\u0026rsquo; dual personal and professional role\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"when-trust-and-transparency-clash\"\u003eWhen trust and transparency clash\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot many funders would have the courage to commission a study that was bound to lead into some of the most sensitive areas of their work. The Luminate team was deeply curious about their grantees\u0026rsquo; experience, and they saw this study as a way to learn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to help Luminate learn about trust and transparency, we actually needed to develop strong practices around privacy and anonymity in our research process. Our commitment to strong security practices during the research process meant that, Luminate didn\u0026rsquo;t have visibility into who said what, but they were able to engage deeply in the research design process. Our methods, process, and approach were all transparent with Luminate, with participants, and now with you. If you are interested in following a similar process, definitely dig into the \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/project-details/\"\u003emethods and the guides\u003c/a\u003e, as well as our blog posts about \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/data-handling\"\u003ethreat modeling and data practices\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/sensitive-interviews\"\u003eearning trust in sensitive interviews\u003c/a\u003e. Security threat modeling and ethical practices in design research complement each other beautifully, and we hope that by sharing our tools, others researching sensitive topics can take this approach as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"an-inspiring-collaboration-for-us-and-we-hope-for-you\"\u003eAn inspiring collaboration for us – and, we hope, for you\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe hope that both the insights and \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/project-details/\"\u003emethodology\u003c/a\u003e are useful and inspiring to you. And we want to express our warmest admiration to the team at Luminate, for their openness throughout this challenging process. One last thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://objectively.is/\"\u003eObjectively\u003c/a\u003e for helping to breathe life into the report on the web. We hope that this report will spark a spirited conversation about how funders and grantees can work together more mindfully, holistically, and, in the end, effectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"additional-resources\"\u003eAdditional Resources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReport (\u003ca href=\"/resources/ott/On_Trust_and_Transparency.pdf\"\u003ePDF\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://ontrustandtransparency.report/\"\u003ewebsite\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/ott/OTT-InterviewGuide-AppendixA.pdf\"\u003eInterview Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/ott/OTT-SurveyGuide-AppendixB.pdf\"\u003eSurvey Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhoto Credit: \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/singapore2010/4892838185/in/photolist-8sn5k4-LY7F9B-LR35Fe-9nHY45-LNvLi5-9nEW7i-LNvBsj-5eazXt-LNvLHJ-4NkUd4-yboWue-85L4aa-dNi16P-85Pia9-LR35eT-LwvTVo-LwvSEN-LV6jnY-Mf9Etz-85PbGN-LY7Ga4-efsYCd-85Pch9-85L5iX-LV6pdu-85L3nr-85PaZh-85L3WX-85PfUJ-CbjSwo-85PaRq-85L7z2-pjK1en-85Pb6o-LwvWf3-85L7AP-85L3ZP-85L2np-85L3yF-85PfEW-85L2BV-85PfHm-wkmf8M-85P9aq-8dp8Tz-a8z6DX-NmGBQE-4fjzMa-ooMrve-hohjLw/\"\u003eXINHUA/SYOGOC-Pool/Liu Jie\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Earning Trust in Sensitive Interviews",
            "date_published": "2019-06-20T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-06-20T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sensitive-interviews/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sensitive-interviews/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/statues_talking_hu_c6b534d2f6ea7dbe.jpg\" alt=\"photo of statues talking\" width=\"740\" height=\"419\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of the time, honest conversations about sensitive topics happen between people who have known each other a long time, who\u0026rsquo;ve worked together, who\u0026rsquo;ve built up a foundation of trust. They don\u0026rsquo;t happen when some unknown people cold-email you and ask to make a one-hour appointment with you – right?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"setting-up-a-sensitive-interview\"\u003eSetting up a sensitive interview\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Simply Secure, we often find ourselves in the challenging position of needing to ask people we\u0026rsquo;ve just met about sensitive topics. Most recently, we\u0026rsquo;ve been working on a year-long project exploring the topic of power dynamics in the funder-grantee relationship. We set out to ask organizations about their funding experience – on behalf of the organization that, in many cases, holds the key to their survival. How could we have an honest conversation about a topic as core, and as fraught, as funding?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe did have one advantage going in: as a neutral third party, we were in a better position than a staff member from the funder to get honest answers from organizations. However, as a completely unknown quantity, we were at a disadvantage: nobody knew us well enough to trust us with sensitive information. We needed to build trust, and fast.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur tactic was to lean on our expertise in two pretty different fields: security and design research. We used careful \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/data-handling\"\u003esecurity practices\u003c/a\u003e to ensure confidentiality and privacy in our interviews, and made sure to make these practices were transparent to our interviewees. And we used \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/feedback-gathering-guide\"\u003edesign research techniques\u003c/a\u003e to set the tone for an open conversation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"lessons-from-security-identifying-a-threat-model-and-mitigating-the-risks\"\u003eLessons from security: Identifying a threat model and mitigating the risks\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe concept of a \u0026ldquo;threat model\u0026rdquo; is key to designing effective security: in order to make something safer for somebody, you need to proactively defend against the most likely threats to that person in their context. The threat model for our participants was centered around attribution of feedback, meaning that keeping their participation in the research private from both the funder and other participants was critical.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo accommodate this threat model, we used a variety of techniques. We took notes only on paper, and did most of our synthesis on paper in person in our Berlin office. We used encrypted email and other encrypted messaging. We used animal pseudonyms (Narwhal, Wombat, etc.) when contacting participants, when entering appointments into our Google calendar, and when discussing the interviews on our internal Slack. All documents that linked pseudonyms to actual identities were kept on a single encrypted drive in a safe in our office.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as important as the actual techniques we used was the fact that we told participants about them. We always led with a sentence like, \u0026ldquo;it\u0026rsquo;s very important to us that the funder doesn\u0026rsquo;t know we talked to you or what you said, so we\u0026rsquo;re taking these precautions.\u0026rdquo; We prepared a sheet giving examples of our practices for anonymizing quotations in our report. The fact that we had correctly identified our participants\u0026rsquo; threat model and were taking steps to address it went a long way towards helping us gain their trust. In many cases, participants didn\u0026rsquo;t seem particularly interested in the specifics of our security practices; just knowing that we understood their threat model and had a thought-through set of practices was enough for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"lessons-from-design-research\"\u003eLessons from design research\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesign research is different from many other kinds of qualitative research in that it has an exploratory, human-centered focus. Rather than a list of questions to ask, we came to each interview with a list of topic areas to explore together. We wanted to ask about a few core areas: the organization\u0026rsquo;s history with the funder, their perception of the funder, and the process of applying for and receiving funding. But every interview was different: sometimes we ended up talking a lot about personal relationships, sometimes we ended up focusing more on financial reporting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe told participants this at the very beginning of each interview. We told them that we were hoping to have a conversation, not an interrogation. We told them that we wanted to learn their story, whether or not it was \u0026ldquo;average\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;representative.\u0026rdquo; We told them that it was our responsibility to redirect the conversation if necessary, and that they should just talk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause our interviews were flexible rather than rigid, participants could tell that we were listening. If they brought up a pain point, rather than moving on to the next question, we asked them to dive into it. If they seemed particularly preoccupied with a certain aspect of the funding experience, we asked them more about it. Being listened to as an individual, rather than being shepherded through a one-size-fits-all process, helped each participant realize that we wanted and needed to hear their story, a story literally nobody else could tell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also made sure to thank participants as specifically as possible. \u0026ldquo;Thanks for your time\u0026rdquo; is generic; \u0026ldquo;thanks for opening our eyes to the unique situation in your country\u0026rdquo; shows that we heard their story.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are grateful for the trust that every participant placed in us, and we hope our final report reflects this. If you find yourself in a position where you need to build trust in a complex or sensitive research situation, feel free to reach out to us; we\u0026rsquo;re happy to share more insights from both security and design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhoto Credit: \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/infomatique/47261164321/in/photolist-h8dVxn-MyN2xQ-edTXsw-AZkTHG-h4rFZD-2dUnxuU-2dBuE6Z-2f1iPAH-h4sSke-85MQDD-h4sSw6-bFHo3Z-9jbHAg-edTXkm-rcnEyP-7bPCsc-E3UpNh-p5gybD-8TtnmB-dCagG1-9jeckT-2miM67-iuCEXD-bzEXuM-24oSeVi-5Chmjd-ec7cAU-ec1wse-6tpndW-ec1wmF-edNhTt-9mCxyP-ec7cxE-edTXd5-9n7C6t-edNhuP-9naF3f-85oi1K-89kZ3e-edNhVx-ec7czQ-WcyGcM-9mCxzv-DWZ39g-D8vcYs-nUa1Wz-ec7cz7-ec1wp4-9mFAMG-ec7cyu\"\u003eWilliam Murphy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Data Handling Best Practices",
            "date_published": "2019-06-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-06-04T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/data-handling/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/data-handling/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWhile a lot of our work focuses on bringing human-centered approaches to privacy and security projects, we also try to incorporate privacy and security best practices in our human-centered research on a daily basis. In previous posts, we have outlined how to supplement your research with a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/participant-rights\"\u003eparticipant bill of rights\u003c/a\u003e or a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/model-release\"\u003emodel release form\u003c/a\u003e. We also shot a video about \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/design-spot-high-risk-research\"\u003edoing research with at-risk participants\u003c/a\u003e. This post outlines some of our best practices in data handling for user research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoing data handling with privacy and security in mind means spending some time to identify different threats, culminating in a threat model, and coming up with strategies that fit the particular threat model. We’ve compiled some best practices for both risk assessment and security strategies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"risk-assessment\"\u003eRisk assessment\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny risk assessment begins with considering what data you will be collecting for the research. Some guiding questions are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is the most sensitive data you are collecting?\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs there a copy of this data anywhere else?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho else knows where it is?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs the data easy to relate to an individual?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhere do you store data, and who else has access to it?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho knows how much of the research, and when? (Think about team, organization, client, public.) Are there policies about what you can disclose, and to whom?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext, evaluate the risks your data collection would pose to the participants. Risks can mean (but aren’t limited to):\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRisk of personal data leaking\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRisk of research content leaking\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRisk of association with this tool/research\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRisk of association with stakeholders involved\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRisk of participants knowing about each other\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWrite down a list of risks based on stakeholders in the research you are conducting, and consider both the severity (how bad the situation would be) and the likelihood of that situation occurring. (We are attaching an example at the end of this post.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmark\u003erisk = severity x likelihood\u003c/mark\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(To read more about this specifically, check out our \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/usable-security-audit/\"\u003eusable security methodology\u003c/a\u003e.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"security-strategies-for-mitigating-risks\"\u003eSecurity strategies for mitigating risks\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDepending on the output of your risk assessment, you will want to alter the process and tooling of your research. Here are, roughly, the strategies you might choose to mitigate the risks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDifferentiate\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTreat different aspects of your research differently \u0026ndash; personal notes from your interview should be treated differently from a contact list. Knowing how sensitive different data is can help you differentiate your strategies.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimise data\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflect on what data you actually need to complete the research, and only collect what you need. For personal information, ask yourself: does it matter how old participants are, what gender they identify with, or where they live? Do you need their email address or phone number? If you are offering a compensation, can you do that without their bank account information?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat tools are you using to coordinate the work? What information do your tools collect? You need to assess how the tools you are using also collect data and think about how that intersects with the risks you’ve identified. Choose privacy-friendly tools for online surveys, scheduling, and click-testing (this means \u003cstrong\u003eno tracking\u003c/strong\u003e by default.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGo local\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes your data need to live on a cloud? Do you need remote access to the data? Or can access to the data be limited in physical location? If you and your team are working from the same location, there’s no need to use cloud services to facilitate access to the data. Even if you have remote team members, they might not need direct access to the data.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGo analogue\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes your data need to be on a digital medium? Consider using pen and paper to document your research. In many cases, we found that it doesn’t make sense to have video or audio recordings.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEncrypt\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEncrypt hard drives as well as external drives for sharing, and only give out passwords to team members who need access to the data.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEncrypt communication with participants and team members alike.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymize\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse pseudonyms or handles for participants from the beginning. (We like using memorable animal names.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnonymize how you present the information. For example, you should redact or edit quotes that could potentially identify individuals. If you take pictures, focus on people’s hands and feet rather than their faces.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSegment\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSet up infrastructure that is easy to remove later. For example, a separate calendar and email account for each research project means it’s easy to remove the data afterwards.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSecure\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhysical security matters just as much: who has access to your office, and how easy is it to get information from your office? (Also consider “sticky note walls” as potentially leaking information to visitors.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBack up a copy of your most important data at a trusted location in case your office gets searched by police or other adversaries.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommunicate\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe transparent about your security decisions to all participants. Ask for their consent before you begin the research.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClarify what information is OK to share with whom, and when, with your client and team members, as well as participants. Where necessary, supplement it with an NDA.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelete\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSet a data retention time period. We recommend deleting all research data 6 months after the research is done (and published).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSchedule a “data review” regularly to see if there is any unnecessary information on your devices / your cloud.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"example\"\u003eExample\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo see how these principles interact, let’s look at a case from some of our recent research on the grantee experience with a funder. First and foremost, we wanted to protect confidentiality with our participants\u0026ndash;organizations and businesses who are receiving funding from the funder, and were willing to speak to us about their funding relationship. Participants are putting a lot of trust in us, and we wanted to be extra sure that our research was not putting their funding relationship at risk. Based on what we knew, we drafted a simple matrix:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\n    \u003cth\u003eAdversarial scenario\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth\u003eLevel of risk\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth\u003eReasoning\u003c/th\u003e\n  \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\n    \u003ctd\u003eFunder finding out participants’ identities\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eHIGH\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eGiven that we are incorporating the funder at every stage of the research, it’s conceivable that through accidentally sharing email invites or not properly redacting interview transcripts we could reveal who said what, and that may have negative repercussions for participants.\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr class=\"even\"\u003e\n    \u003ctd\u003eParticipants finding out about each others’ participation\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eMEDIUM\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eEven if Simply Secure did well with anonymizing the information, it is possible that participants who know each other would be talking about this research. This information could A) get back to the funder, or B) influence participation in the research, e.g. who participates in the research, what they would tell us, and if they might try to intentionally influence the research in some way.\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\n    \u003ctd\u003ePublic finding out content of the interviews\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eLOW\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eEven though the content will go through synthesis and eventually be published, we wouldn’t want sensitive issues to be disclosed to the public without the funder’s consent. However, we don’t expect people interested in this data to engage in criminal activities.\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\n    \u003ctd\u003eGovernments finding out participant’s funding sources\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eLOW\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003eMost participants list openly their funding sources anyway.\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe assigned pseudonyms to everyone who answered our call for participation. This list of assignments was the most sensitive piece of data and arguably more important to keep safe rather than the content of the interviews. We protected it on an encrypted external drive that only two team members had access to. The content of the interviews were in turn documented on paper, and we did the synthesis on paper in our office, which we then destroyed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on the risk assessment, we decided that the channel of communication might not have to be the most secure (though we would always prefer end-to-end encrypted video chats), but the calendaring tool that details \u003cstrong\u003ewho\u003c/strong\u003e we are talking to is more important to keep safe. We thus decided to use pseudonyms on the calendar invitations that we used, and sent out calendar files that did not link email addresses.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"data-handling-statement\"\u003eData handling statement\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have decided on a data handling strategy, it’s time to write up a statement that you should attach to any invitation for participation. We have drafted a \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research_tools/data-handling-statement.md\"\u003edata handling template\u003c/a\u003e for you to use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a rough outline of our data handling practices. Of course, trust is something that has to be earned, and merely safeguarding your research with consent forms and data handling statements isn’t enough. You earn trust by following through with these policies, and by listening to your participants and being receptive to their privacy and security needs during the entire research period.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources:\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTemplate: \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research_tools/data-handling-statement.md\"\u003eData Handling Statement\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/what-we-do/usable-security-audit/\"\u003eUsable Security Audit framework\u003c/a\u003e for risk assessment\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/design-spot-high-risk-research\"\u003eOur Design Spot\u003c/a\u003e on user research with at-risk participants\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.theengineroom.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Ties-that-Bind-Full-Report.pdf\"\u003eTies That Bind\u003c/a\u003e report on organizational security\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/leeange/DSPPUX-Checklist\"\u003eUX Checklist\u003c/a\u003e for privacy-aware user research\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Tell us about your experience with investigative journalism tools",
            "date_published": "2019-05-20T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-05-20T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/occrp/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/occrp/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/zeitung_hu_6d7550f826435c58.jpg\" alt=\"photo of German newspapers\" width=\"740\" height=\"326\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is partnering with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.occrp.org/en\"\u003eOrganized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)\u003c/a\u003e to develop their data platform, \u003ca href=\"http://data.occrp.org\"\u003edata.occrp.org\u003c/a\u003e. The site is probably the largest data archive in nonprofit investigative journalism, and it’s built on an open source tool that anyone can re-use. We are also working with OCCRP to re-build VIS, a network visualisation tool for investigators.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese tools need to be better, quicker, more precise. That\u0026rsquo;s why we, and OCCRP, want to take a step back and get some systematic feedback from investigators, journalists, and researchers. Whether you’re new to OCCRP’s tools or experienced with them, we would be grateful for the chance to talk to you about your processes and tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo you work with data in a journalistic capacity – as a researcher, an investigator, a freelance journalist, or as part of a newsroom or news organization – or do you know somebody who does?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo you have 30-60 minutes to donate in May or June for a conversation with Simply Secure? Interviews can be remote (using screen-sharing) or in person in Berlin or London. We can provide a small gift in exchange for your help.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you can help, please contact SimplySecure’s researcher, Molly Wilson, at molly [ at ] superbloom [ dot ] design (PGP ID: 3427 2860 D066 35CB) by mid-June 2019.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth Simply Secure and OCCRP are grateful for your feedback and help!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Creating Patterns for Decentralized Systems",
            "date_published": "2019-04-30T14:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-04-30T14:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/decentral-patterns-project/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/decentral-patterns-project/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eExciting news! Simply Secure was awarded a \u003ca href=\"https://www.samsungnext.com/\"\u003eSamsungNEXT grant\u003c/a\u003e for design in decentralization. This allows us to develop our long-standing idea of a pattern library for decentralized systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat do we mean by that?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy \u0026ldquo;design patterns\u0026rdquo;, we mean a best practice user flow or interaction that projects can use or draw from. An example of a design pattern would be a pop-up window for \u003ca href=\"https://catalogue.projectsbyif.com/patterns/just-in-time-consent\"\u003ejust-in-time consent\u003c/a\u003e. A pattern library, of course, is a collection of patterns. By \u0026ldquo;decentralised systems\u0026rdquo;, we mean protocols, apps, and services that are non-centralised\u0026ndash;that includes both federated networks and the stronger concept of distributed networks (p2p).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve been seeing some common challenges across the board for decentralization projects, such as communicating privacy, key management, and even just explaining what decentralized systems are. (\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/decentral-patterns\"\u003eRead more in our post.\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll projects working in this area are facing similar issues, and these issues don\u0026rsquo;t have to (and can\u0026rsquo;t!) be solved individually. Our hope is to get projects in this space to work together and come up with common solutions, and agree on design patterns to implement in a decentralised system. (The paradox!) This would also have the added benefit that users new to the decentralised world will only have to learn few new design patterns to participate in these projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"looking-for-collaborators\"\u003eLooking for collaborators!\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave you been thinking about similar problems in the past? We’re looking for collaborators to create UX/UI elements for decentralized systems. Write us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre you working on a decentralization project? Get in touch \u0026ndash; we’d love to speak to you about your needs and challenges for design and usability issues.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Under Pressure Video (Molly Wilson, Design Thinking Barcamp 2020)",
            "date_published": "2019-04-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-04-27T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/video-design-under-pressure-04-2020/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/video-design-under-pressure-04-2020/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Challenges in Decentralization",
            "date_published": "2019-04-12T14:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-04-12T14:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/decentral-patterns/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/decentral-patterns/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIn working with decentralization projects funded by the Prototype Fund, I\u0026rsquo;ve been thinking more about overall design patterns for decentralized systems. By \u0026ldquo;decentralized systems\u0026rdquo;, I mean protocols, apps, and services that are non-centralized\u0026ndash; including both federated networks, e.g. \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/tblguwlssa8xEDOLj/viwDC90VUCwKo01gD/recdiyiRMKxV0mrsw\"\u003eMastodon\u003c/a\u003e, and peer to peer networks, e.g. \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/beakerbrowser/fritter/blob/master/README.md\"\u003eFritter\u003c/a\u003e\u003csup id=\"fnref:1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. By “design patterns”, I mean recurring concepts we see in interfaces, workflows, and writing. For example, Projects by IF has a catalogue of patterns on \u003ca href=\"https://catalogue.projectsbyif.com/\"\u003eData Permissions\u003c/a\u003e that collects many design concepts related to privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn looking at the decentralized space, the big question is what about our existing mental models as well as existing design patterns changes. For example, the pattern of account authentication (the trio of \u0026ldquo;login\u0026rdquo;/\u0026ldquo;signup\u0026rdquo;/\u0026ldquo;password reset\u0026rdquo;) is almost everywhere in centralized and decentralized tools. But in a decentralized system, authentication can work differently — it’s possible that the service you are connecting to doesn’t have your account information to complete the authentication. How do we communicate that difference consistently? Do users need to know that a system has decentralized technology under the hood? And when it comes to the interfaces we build: what new patterns can we develop to make decentralized systems easier to understand? Are there existing patterns that work well? With so many new decentralized tools emerging lately, the technology is (often) new, non-mainstream, and sometimes counterintuitive for experienced users of the centralized web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn trying to tackle some of these challenges across the board, I’ve started compiling some emerging themes in decentralized systems design. I will give four areas as examples.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExplanation and terminology\u003c/strong\u003e\nHow do you explain the difference between centralized and decentralized systems? What do users expect, what should be communicated without overwhelming people? What kinds of metaphors can we use to talk about this technology?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOnboarding to Federation\u003c/strong\u003e\nWhen onboarding new users to a federated system, what do they need to know about the federation? Does the system need them to choose which community to join? If so, what are the factors that should influence such a decision? What happens when they want to move from one community to another?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrivacy/Discoverability\u003c/strong\u003e\nThere is a known trade-off between privacy and discoverability in p2p contexts\u003csup id=\"fnref:2\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e2\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. What choices does that present to the user experience? How do you communicate unusual privacy properties such as exposing people’s IPs? What settings should be allowed? On the other end of that spectrum: what UX options are there when there is no look-up table for privacy reasons?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIdentity Management\u003c/strong\u003e\nWithout a central authority in place, it can be hard to manage identities across different communities, or encryption keys across different devices. What are sensible UX flows that protect the user’s security without adding to their cognitive load? And how can our digital identity be framed differently to match the constraints and possibilities in decentralized contexts?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"whats-next\"\u003eWhat’s next?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of these issues are sector-wide. Some of them require a joint effort from different decentralization projects to solve. And others present a huge and exciting playground for people interested in designing a totally different digital space. For now, I’m researching and compiling the patterns I see. Watch this space!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"acknowledgments\"\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks to everyone at #35C3 who pitched in, esp. Jan from Nextcloud, Ben from Matrix, Roel from XMPP, Elio from Ura Design, Ksenia from Delta Chat, Cade from Tactical Tech.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\"\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:1\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy definitions are largely based on \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@VitalikButerin/the-meaning-of-decentralization-a0c92b76a274\"\u003ethis article\u003c/a\u003e, which also introduces the distinction between technical, political, and logical decentralization. I will mostly talk about technical decentralization, and specify when I mean political or logical decentralization.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:2\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/dat-ecosystem-archive/whitepaper/blob/master/dat-paper.pdf\"\u003edat whitepaper\u003c/a\u003e for an excellent description of the trade-off.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed: Residency Pilot Recap",
            "date_published": "2019-03-31T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-31T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-2019-recap/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-2019-recap/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eBuilding responsible user experience (UX) into the world’s technology is easier said than done. At Simply Secure, we believe that this goes beyond the work itself, it’s also about supporting the community of practitioners trying to build more responsible technology. Starting with a dedication to privacy, security, transparency, and ethics, we engage user experience designers, researchers, and developers to hone their skills through workshops, mentorship and coaching.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"why-pilot-a-residency\"\u003eWhy pilot a residency?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the last four years, we have held convenings as part of our program, Underexposed, which have created space to hold conversations on the challenges of technology and design, with topics ranging from privacy and security to transparency and ethics. Although the convening model can foster valuable new ideas, this year, we wanted to experiment with our model and instead try something that would provide more time and space for practitioners, while still creating the opportunity for a dynamic and diverse collaboration. With this in mind, we decided to pilot a \u003cstrong\u003eresidency\u003c/strong\u003e model. A residency, would allow us to pilot working with a small group, for a longer period of time, and create a structure to allow them to work collaboratively and have access to mentors and experts for support, advice and feedback. We envision the residency as a replicable model that can create a supportive environment and structure needed to work on these hard problems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our community, one of the challenges we have identified is that many projects don’t have a team member who focuses on the user experience at all; or if they do have someone whose focus is design or user experience, that person tends to work as a team of one on many different projects or needs for a given project. For the fellows, the goal was to provide the unique opportunity to get a full week to focus on one of their projects, to have the support of the other fellows, mentors, and Simply Secure staff, and to develop a community to allow that support to extend beyond the residency. Additionally, we hoped to:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport building user-centered design practices into key projects in the community.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvide education and resources for designers and developers on how to build tools that support and protect users’ security and privacy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConnect designers and developers with users who can contribute time and resources towards testing, giving feedback, and help with co-designing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRaise visibility of the fellows’ work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHelp leaders in the space form peer-support networks.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShare the learnings from the model itself.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"underexposed-2019\"\u003eUnderexposed 2019\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the pilot in January 2019, we hosted \u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/#underexposed-fellows-2019\"\u003e11 fellows\u003c/a\u003e for a week-long residency in Berlin, Germany. All of the fellows applied through our \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/\"\u003eopen call\u003c/a\u003e, which invited practitioners in the space to propose projects in the areas of ethical technology, responsible AI, civic technology, and internet freedom. In the 3-week application period, we received 52 applications, representing 12 countries and 8 regions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the residency week, fellows had time for user research, independent work, lectures, critical discussions, and design critiques. We invited leaders in the space to facilitate sessions on a range of topics and hold time to work one-on-one with fellows on their projects. The week culminated in a public event at the Mozilla Berlin office with over 70 people in attendance, where fellows presented their projects, the progress they made during the week, and their plans for next steps with their work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, based on feedback from the fellows and mentors, the residency model seems to have been successful in providing them a supportive environment to make progress on their projects or pursue new ideas that came from the activities of the residency week. In the months following the residency, the cohort of fellows are still collaborating with each other and the mentors remotely — chatting about design challenges, sharing ideas, discussing opportunities to reconnect or collaborate in the future. Going forward, we are thinking about how to expand on the pilot to host more residencies and prototype different aspects of the residency model, e.g. length of time or diversity of the cohort projects.\nInterested in exploring more?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/who-we-are/#underexposed-fellows-2019\"\u003eRead about the fellows and their work more\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/underexposed-reflection-dark-crystal\"\u003eDan Hassan’s post\u003c/a\u003e about takeaways for Dark Crystal around Trust and User Experience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ura.design/en/blog/underexposed-2019/\"\u003eUra Design’s Elio and Anxhelo\u003c/a\u003e reflected on their experience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWatch some of the \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/album/5846228\"\u003evideos\u003c/a\u003e of the final presentations!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThank you!\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderexposed 2019 would not have been possible without our financial and in-kind support from a number of funders and community organizations. Underexposed 2019 was supported financially by the \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20210116213737/https://www.opentech.fund/labs/community-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund Community Lab\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fordfoundation.org/\"\u003eFord Foundation\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.internetsociety.org/\"\u003eInternet Society\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.getkeepsafe.com/\"\u003eKeepSafe\u003c/a\u003e. Wikimedia Germany donated their community space, WikiBär, for the full week to the program, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/contact/spaces/berlin/\"\u003eMozilla Berlin\u003c/a\u003e hosted for the public event on Friday evening, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.stickermule.com/\"\u003eStickerMule\u003c/a\u003e provided stickers. Some fellows were also able to leverage existing support from Mozilla Foundation and Freedom of the Press Foundation to enable their participation. Thank you as well to volunteer Emma Callahan for her support throughout the week, and all of our mentors: Nasma Ahmed (\u003ca href=\"https://makeway.org/project/digital-justice-lab/\"\u003eDigital Justice Lab\u003c/a\u003e), \u003ca href=\"https://blog.vincentahrend.com/\"\u003eVincent Ahrend\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://shiba.computer/\"\u003eCade Diehm\u003c/a\u003e (Tactical Tech), \u003ca href=\"https://www.accessnow.org/profile/sage-cheng/\"\u003eSage Cheng\u003c/a\u003e (Access Now), Elio Qoshi \u0026amp; Anxhelo Lushka (\u003ca href=\"https://ura.design/\"\u003eUra Design\u003c/a\u003e), and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/ei8fdb\"\u003eBernard Tyers\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed Reflection: Dark Crystal",
            "date_published": "2019-03-26T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-26T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-reflection-dark-crystal/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-reflection-dark-crystal/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis guest post comes from a Dark Crystal contributor; one of the Underexposed 2019 Fellows.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"intro--trust\"\u003eIntro ~ Trust\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the first in a series of reflections about Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/\"\u003eUnderexposed 2019 Residency\u003c/a\u003e. When thinking about how to frame this reflection an emergent thought was to focus on some of the themes which arose throughout the experience. Trust was one of these themes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-is-darkcrystalpw--how-does-it-relate-to-trust\"\u003eWhat is darkcrystal.pw \u0026amp; how does it relate to Trust?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://darkcrystal.pw\"\u003eDark Crystal\u003c/a\u003e is a pattern of secure data management fusing an established cryptographic algorithm with new peer-to-peer technologies. A proof of concept application has been built on top of the offline-first \u003ca href=\"https://scuttlebutt.nz/\"\u003escuttlebutt protocol\u003c/a\u003e. Said another way Dark Crystal is an app which supports people to back up their secrets using the trust in their social fabric. The ethical enquiry, the seed, at the heart of the project was exploring how to make darkcrystal more inclusive, so that more people can \u003ca href=\"https://issuu.com/instituteofnetworkcultures/docs/moneylabreader2overcomingthehype\"\u003eparticipate as peers\u003c/a\u003e in the new \u003ca href=\"http://distributedweb.care/posts/racial-justice/\"\u003edecentralised web\u003c/a\u003e and attempting to extend who gets to benefit from privacy preserving/enhancing technologies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is important because the price of entry into the P2P web is secure management of your \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-key_cryptography\"\u003eprivate keys\u003c/a\u003e, be it \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy\"\u003ePGP\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://bitcoin.org\"\u003ebitcoin\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://briarproject.org/\"\u003eBriar\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://beakerbrowser.com/\"\u003eBeaker Browser\u003c/a\u003e (built on \u003ca href=\"https://datproject.org/\"\u003eDAT\u003c/a\u003e) or \u003ca href=\"https://www.scuttlebutt.nz/\"\u003escuttlebutt\u003c/a\u003e. If the new distributed web is to achieve its hopes of becoming a foundational tool in people\u0026rsquo;s digital lives and society\u0026rsquo;s civic fabric then we need to reduce the costs of this key data loss. Imagine not only losing your family photos during a hard disk failure but your life-savings and your digital identity - forever. Figuring out this key problem is an open design problem which has yet to be cracked in a meaningful way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"along-which-lines-of-trust-did-darkcrystalpw-hear-about-the-residency\"\u003eAlong which lines of Trust did darkcrystal.pw hear about the residency?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe team behind Dark Crystal have been using the p2p social media protocol scuttlebutt since Jan 2018. We have been organising there in the open since before we spiralled around to private key management as our focus. At that time we were primarily communicating in the #mmt channel (which is short for magic money tree, the handle we\u0026rsquo;d been referring to the proto-project) on scuttlebutt. Without diving too deep into scuttlebutt it\u0026rsquo;s worth noting that everything outside of private messages are globally viewable[1] (if you want to learn more about how the protocol works you can look at this excellent \u003ca href=\"https://ssbc.github.io/scuttlebutt-protocol-guide/\"\u003eprotocol guide\u003c/a\u003e). This attribute of the system led to our critic-in-residence expressing that organising on SSB had the quality of setting up your office in the middle of a building site, with no walls. Over the course of 2018 the #mmt channel became one of the most subscribed to channels in the scuttleverse. This radical openness of communications, processes and research was experienced differentially. For some it was an overwhelming firehose and for others it was a compost of trust in which different seeds could be planted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll this is a long way of saying that cameralibre from scuttlebutt was at at the \u003ca href=\"https://opensourcedesign.net/summit/\"\u003eOpen Source Design summit\u003c/a\u003e in Tirana, Albania met \u003ca href=\"/about/people/eileen\"\u003eEileen\u003c/a\u003e from Simply Secure who told him about the Underexposed residency and cameralibre trusted the Dark Crystal team enough to pass on the recommendation to apply.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"simply-secure-built-trust-with-its-team-even-before-we-arrived-in-berlin\"\u003eSimply Secure built Trust with its Team even before We arrived in Berlin\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter applying and being accepted onto the residency (yay!) the Simply Secure team built trust with our team by accommodating some of our constraints. We\u0026rsquo;re six people spread over 4 countries in two continents. Two thirds of us have kids under 2. The folx at Simply Secure enabled us to access the residency by offering two members of the team to join so as to allow flexibility around childcare. This introduction to the Simply Secure team established that the concept of design extended well beyond the boundaries of the digital and supported the call for the residency \u003cstrong\u003ein action\u003c/strong\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResponsible technology is about helping. It’s about meeting its users’ needs and making their lives better. It depends on design, co-design, research, and user engagement. It depends on an ethical orientation and values-driven decision making. And these things are only possible in the context of a community that provides insight, feedback, and accountability. \u003ca href=\"\"\u003e/underexposed/\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"establishing-trust-at-the-residency\"\u003eEstablishing Trust at the Residency\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe opening presentation by Simply Secure laid out some of the ground rules such as Chatham House Rules, anti-harassment and code of conduct rules and how they would be enforced and the vibe care of \u0026ldquo;if something takes your mind out of the room, then take your body out of the room also\u0026rdquo;. Food was arranged and most of the other logistics such as expenses were set up. The framework had been established.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"examples-of-projects-working-on-trust\"\u003eExamples of projects working on Trust\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike us there were a number of other projects which were working on themes in and around the neighbourhood of trust. From getting people to back up their secrets during the set up phase for secure cloud computing, to establishing trusted entropy of keys using dice, to 2FA and password managers to resources around PGP and also HTTPS everywhere.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the interesting themes which emerged was the \u003cstrong\u003edistrust and scepticism\u003c/strong\u003e which can arise \u003cstrong\u003ewhen introducing new patterns and approaches\u003c/strong\u003e to people. This is particularly exacerbated \u003cstrong\u003ewhen there is an existing way of doing things\u003c/strong\u003e (resetting passwords through your email for example) \u003cstrong\u003eeven if they are less secure\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is clear is that whether there are existing insecure ways of doing things or if there are no existing prior art, patterns or approaches is that many of the design challenges are common in and around these neighbourhoods. Within the P2P space projects are either admitting that private key management are not at the top of their list and that someone else will do it or there are teams all trying to figure this out in isolation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe value of a residency such as Underexposed is that those of us working in industry or within the open source realm of distributed technologies we rarely get these opportunities to network and collectively put our heads together. This is the first time that Simply Secure have run a residency over a week and were explicit in their communications that this format was an experiment. Having attended our team feels that they are carving out what feels like important common ground to afford participants connections which can persist over distance. From the perspective of an open source distributed team working with open source distributed technologies this pattern feels like a productive one from which we have already derived great value.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"selected-highlights\"\u003eSelected Highlights\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeeting the rest of the fellows. When I arrived in the Slack group my gut was like: \u0026ldquo;Oooooh this is where you all are!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEarly in the life of Dark Crystal Prof. George Danezis (one of our \u003ca href=\"https://darkcrystal.pw/about\"\u003eadvisors\u003c/a\u003e) gave us \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1145/1572532.1572581\"\u003ea paper\u003c/a\u003e which he described as the earliest seminal work in the space. I was speaking with one of the fellows and due to brain fog was struggling to remember the name of the paper. So I went around ham-handedly describing the contents of the paper. The fellow in question had a big smile on their face by the end of my attempt and revealed that they had written that paper. We\u0026rsquo;ll hopefully get continue the dialogue in an episode of Dark Crystal Diaries (the first episode was with another of our advisors \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eCory Doctorow\u003c/a\u003e).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeeting another Ethereum Foundation Grant recipient working in the same problem domain\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHaving sessions with folx involved in research around \u003ca href=\"https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/30-on-weaponised-design/\"\u003eWeaponized Design\u003c/a\u003e, who have helped with design within Freedom of the Press Foundation (which has their own offering of \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/freedomofpress/sunder\"\u003eSunder\u003c/a\u003e) and Briar (we\u0026rsquo;d actually met around a pub table some 5 or 6 years prior for some early user testing).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe had some very impactful sessions with folx from \u003ca href=\"https://ura.design\"\u003eUra Design\u003c/a\u003e in detangling some of the design interface complexity with social backup mechanisms. We\u0026rsquo;ve actually been able to apply to \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u0026rsquo;s Usability Lab\u003c/a\u003e to potentially be able to continue this work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"conclusion\"\u003eConclusion\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s only a couple of weeks since the residency and our team is still riding the ripples. The connections made have been invaluable and we have high hopes that the seeds sown could contribute towards advancing the art of secure data management in the field of distributed systems. Proponents of the distributed web often speak about putting the power of computer networks back into the hands of the people and if we\u0026rsquo;re going to expand the stakeholders who have a seat at the table as these technologies mature and the cultures and processes within which they come up, then these common problems are best served by people working together. I personally feel that this residency and other efforts in the same spirit lay the common soil in which the mycelial human connections can be woven to strengthen the social fabric being interwoven with these new cypher driven computing patterns and networks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[1] global in the sense anyone who has downloaded a client could see this data or through portals which expose the content from cypherspace to www\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "New: 3-minute video skill shares we call 'Design Spots' ",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T14:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T14:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/intro-design-spots/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/intro-design-spots/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is a non-profit, and our mission is educational. We support practitioners in design and technology by running workshops, creating open resources, and gathering a community around ux design and trustworthy technology. Over the past five years, we’ve been exploring different ways to share our knowledge with the community. Today we’re excited to present our next iteration of knowledge and skill sharing: short videos that answer specific community questions. We call them \u003cem\u003eDesign Spots\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe conceived Design Spots out of two separate thoughts. First, we wanted to offer another medium of communication — specifically one that would be accessible to folks asynchronously, so videos seemed like a sensible thing to try out. Second, we wanted to address specific needs in the community, i.e. questions we’ve heard from you. Some of that happens in our Slack, in person at coachings or workshops, but with these videos, we can open up our answers to a wider audience and hopefully benefit more people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo without further ado, here are our first five videos!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/tags/design-spots/\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\" style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003eDesign Spots\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- \\* \\[Getting Started with Human-Centered Design](/learning/blog/design-spot-getting-started)\n\\* \\[Tool Feedback](/learning/blog/design-spot-tool-feedback)\n\\* \\[Research With High-Risk Participants](/learning/resources/design-spot-high-risk-research)\n\\* \\[Designing For Security](/learning/blog/design-spot-design-security)\n* \\[Onboarding New Users](/learning/blog/design-spot-onboarding) --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGet in touch if you have ideas for more topics, or questions you’d like to see us answer!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve started holding open office hours monthly, the first Wednesday of the month at 10AM Eastern / 4PM CET. We also host a [community slack](mailto:slack@superbloom.design?subject=I’d like to join the Simply Secure Slack), where you are welcome to join, connect with others, and get support from the community as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Human-centered Design, Where to Start?",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T12:05:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T12:05:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-getting-started/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-getting-started/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/321251611?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"design-mindset\"\u003eDesign Mindset\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/design-everyday-things\"\u003eThe Design of Everyday Things\u003c/a\u003e (Don Norman, 1998)\nBooks by \u003ca href=\"http://www.kerismith.com/\"\u003eKeri Smith\u003c/a\u003e, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Explorer-World-Portable/dp/0399534601/\"\u003e“How to be an Explorer of the World”\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.abebooks.com/9780811847759/Thoughtless-Acts-Observations-Intuitive-Design-0811847756/plp\"\u003eThoughtless Acts?\u003c/a\u003e (Jane Fulton Suri, 2005)\n\u003ca href=\"https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/mismatch\"\u003eMismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design\u003c/a\u003e (Kat Holmes, 2018)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePodcasts\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://99percentinvisible.org/\"\u003e99% Invisible\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-matters-with-debbie-millman/id328074695?mt=2\"\u003eDesign Matters\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://xd.adobe.com/ideas/perspectives/wireframe-podcast/\"\u003eWireframe\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://uxdesign.cc/my-top-5-ux-ui-podcasts-3011f51017c9\"\u003eMore Suggestions from UX Collective\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWebsites\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.cs.umd.edu/users/ben/goldenrules.html\"\u003eThe 8 Golden Rules of Usability\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/ux-for-beginners-key-ideas\"\u003eUX for Beginners\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"design-methods\"\u003eDesign Methods\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.101designmethods.com/\"\u003e101 Design Methods\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Methods-Design-Innovative-Effective/dp/1592537561\"\u003eUniversal Methods of Design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWebsites\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.designkit.org/methods.html\"\u003eDesign Kit\u003c/a\u003e by ideo.org\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/index.html\"\u003eDesign methods\u003c/a\u003e by usability.gov\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.universalusability.com/resources.html\"\u003eUniversal Usability\u003c/a\u003e\nSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/self-starter\"\u003e\u0026lsquo;User Experience Self-Education Resources\u0026rsquo;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson, Emma Callahan, Ana Sol Alvarez\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Ben Mergelsberg, Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistent:\u003c/strong\u003e Luciana Damiao\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eMusic:\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ldquo;Downtown\u0026rdquo; by bensound.com\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Scout Brody, Maya Wagoner, Brett Gaylor\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Quick Tool Feedback",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T12:04:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T12:04:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-tool-feedback/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-tool-feedback/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/321474068?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/User-Experience-Team-One-Research-ebook/dp/B00DUITE5Q/\"\u003eThe User Experience Team of One\u003c/a\u003e (Leah Buley, 2013)\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Moderators-Survival-Guide-Handling-Situations-ebook/dp/B00FOVX5O8/\"\u003eThe Moderator’s Survival Guide\u003c/a\u003e (Donna Tedesco, Fiona Tranquada, 2013)\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Observing-User-Experience-Practitioners-Research/dp/1558609237/\"\u003eObserving the User Experience\u003c/a\u003e (Mike Kuniavsky, 2003)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eArticles\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://uxdesign.cc/asking-the-right-questions-on-user-research-interviews-and-testing-427261742a67\"\u003eHow to ask the right questions\u003c/a\u003e (Fabricio Teixera)\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/body-language-user-research-nikki-anderson-ma/\"\u003eBody Language and User Interviewing\u003c/a\u003e (Nikki Anderson)\n\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@DesignMap.com/being-the-crystal-goblet-706b6c3522a\"\u003eBeing the Crystal Goblet\u003c/a\u003e (Audrey Crane)\nGeorgia\u0026rsquo;s talk on \u003ca href=\"http://georgiamoon.github.io/ux-bugs-talk/\"\u003eUX bugs\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"tools-and-templates\"\u003eTools and Templates\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMolly’s \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/user-testing-cheatsheet\"\u003euser testing cheat sheet\u003c/a\u003e\nSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/feedback-gathering-guide\"\u003efeedback gathering guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Ame Elliott, Marie Kochsiek, Vincent Ahrend\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Ben Mergelsberg, Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistent:\u003c/strong\u003e Luciana Damiao\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eMusic:\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ldquo;Downtown\u0026rdquo; by bensound.com\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Scout Brody, Maya Wagoner, Brett Gaylor\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "High-Risk User Research",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T12:03:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T12:03:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-high-risk-research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-high-risk-research/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003etopics:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003euser-research\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/321474097?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"background-and-principles\"\u003eBackground and Principles\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooks and Academic Publications\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.ideo.com/journal/the-little-book-of-design-research-ethics\"\u003eLittle Book of Design Research Ethics\u003c/a\u003e (IDEO, 2016)\nForum Qualitative Sozialforschung (FQS) Quarterly, \u003ca href=\"http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/issue/view/62\"\u003eSpecial Issue on Research Ethics in Qualitative Research\u003c/a\u003e (2018, 19:3)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNews\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/30/facebook-emotion-study-breached-ethical-guidelines-researchers-say\"\u003eArthur, Charles. Facebook emotion study breached ethical guidelines, researchers say.\u003c/a\u003e The Guardian, 30 June 2014.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWebsites\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/conducting-ethical-user-research\"\u003eConducting Ethical User Research\u003c/a\u003e (Ditte Mortensen)\n\u003ca href=\"https://uxpa.org/uxpa-code-of-professional-conduct/\"\u003eUXPA Code of Professional Conduct\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"tools-and-methods\"\u003eTools and Methods\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWebsites\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://responsibledata.io/\"\u003eResponsible Data\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eForms and Templates\u003c/em\u003e\nUX Checklist \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/leeange/DSPPUX-Checklist\"\u003eGitHub\u003c/a\u003e/\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1snDclSxKsyfUlqIH7HBWv9rdT6gIRPHqAuhaUjFZCoU/edit?usp=sharing\"\u003eGoogle Slide\u003c/a\u003e\nSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/participant-rights\"\u003eparticipant bill of rights\u003c/a\u003e\nSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/model-release\"\u003eparticipant release form\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson, Cade Diehm\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Ben Mergelsberg, Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistent:\u003c/strong\u003e Luciana Damiao\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eMusic:\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ldquo;Downtown\u0026rdquo; by bensound.com\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Scout Brody, Maya Wagoner, Brett Gaylor\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Designing For Security",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T12:02:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T12:02:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-design-security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-design-security/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/321474122?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"principles-and-background\"\u003ePrinciples and Background\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/talking-across-divide\"\u003eDesigning For More Than \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s Secure\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"learn-about-contexts\"\u003eLearn about contexts\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/personas\"\u003epersona template\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews/user-personas-for-privacy-and-security-a8b35ae5a63b\"\u003eUser Personas for Privacy and Security\u003c/a\u003e (Gus Andrews)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"mental-models\"\u003eMental models\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Mental-Models-Aligning-Strategy-Behavior-ebook/dp/B004VFUOQ0/\"\u003eMental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior\u003c/a\u003e (Indi Young, 2008)\n\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/whatsapp-update\"\u003eTradeoffs In Seamlessness\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Casey Callendrello\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Ben Mergelsberg, Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistent:\u003c/strong\u003e Luciana Damiao\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eMusic:\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ldquo;Downtown\u0026rdquo; by bensound.com\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Scout Brody, Maya Wagoner, Brett Gaylor\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Onboarding New Users",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T12:01:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T12:01:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-onboarding/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spot-onboarding/",
            "content_html": "\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/321474152?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"explain-your-tool\"\u003eExplain your tool\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/design_tools/ValueProp-Generator\"\u003evalue proposition generator\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"onboarding-process\"\u003eOnboarding process\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://lawsofux.com/\"\u003eLaws of UX\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://uipatterns.io/\"\u003eUI Patterns\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"language-and-visuals\"\u003eLanguage and visuals\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/AWeb-Everyone-Designing-Accessible-Experiences-ebook/dp/B00HCREJZ6/\"\u003eA Web for Everyone: Designing Accessible Experiences\u003c/a\u003e (Sarah Horton \u0026amp; Whitney Quesenbery, 2014)\n\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/style-guide\"\u003eWhy Style Guides\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://styleguides.io/examples.html\"\u003eStyleguides.io\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"information-architecture\"\u003eInformation architecture\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Information-Architecture-Beyond-Louis-Rosenfeld/dp/1491911689/\"\u003eInformation Architecture: For the Web and Beyond\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/documentation-ux\"\u003eImproving your Documentation IA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"credits\"\u003eCredits\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewith\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Vincent Ahrend\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduced by\u003c/strong\u003e Eileen Wagner, Ben Mergelsberg, Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirected by\u003c/strong\u003e Ben Mergelsberg\n\u003cstrong\u003eCamera assistent:\u003c/strong\u003e Luciana Damiao\n\u003cstrong\u003eArt:\u003c/strong\u003e Molly Wilson\n\u003cstrong\u003eMusic:\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ldquo;Downtown\u0026rdquo; by bensound.com\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilmed at\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.stattlab.net\"\u003eStattlab\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://wrangelfilm.com\"\u003eWrangelfilm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupported by\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial thanks to\u003c/strong\u003e Scout Brody, Maya Wagoner, Brett Gaylor\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimply Secure CC-BY\u003c/strong\u003e (Georgia Bullen, Ame Elliott, Eileen Wagner, Molly Wilson)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Video Series: Designing For Security",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/designing-for-security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/designing-for-security/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eHow can design help make your tool more secure? We have three places to start. From our video series, Design Spots.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Video Series: High-Risk User Research",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/high-risk-user-research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/high-risk-user-research/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThese are additional considerations for conducting user research involving high-risk participants. From our video series, Design Spots.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Video Series: Human-centered Design, Where to Start?",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/human-centered-design-where-to-start/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/human-centered-design-where-to-start/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eInstead of learning methods and tools, you can start by developing a design mindset. From our video series, Design Spots.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Video Series: Onboarding New Users",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/onboarding-new-users/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/onboarding-new-users/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eA complex tool can be hard to understand for new users. Here are four tips around designing for their specific needs. From our video series, Design Spots.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Video Series: Quick Tool Feedback",
            "date_published": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-03-05T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spots-video-1/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/design-spots-video-1/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDesigning alongside your users will make your tools respond best to their needs. We\u0026rsquo;ll show you how to get instant input from your users. From our video series, Design Spots.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "How to improve the UX of your documentation",
            "date_published": "2019-02-20T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-02-20T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/documentation-ux/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/documentation-ux/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMany projects we work with involve new, unusual or complex technologies, and it is challenging to present information about the tool that respects both beginners and experts alike. This problem is especially difficult when it comes to the documentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDocumentation serves many different needs. For first-time users, it is the place that provides guides and manuals for your initial set-up and onboarding. After successfully setting up the tool, many users will likely never return to the documentation again. If you have contributors to your tools, e.g. from developers, translators, writers, and others, it is a place people go to understand  the technical specification, tweak or extend their set-up, or potentially even develop an interoperable service. When these groups of people meet in the same place in the documentation, they might get frustrated and confused, and work around your carefully documented process to find their own solution if the documentation isn’t clear and approachable. In extreme cases, this can present a security risk, as it did with the case of \u003ca href=\"https://saschafahl.de/static/paper/stackoverflow2017.pdf\"\u003edevelopers copying code from Stack Overflow\u003c/a\u003e instead of reading the documentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you work in an environment that regularly tells people to RTFM*, it’s really important to get the documentation right. Good documentation is skimmable, up-to-date, and thoroughly tested by its audiences. What’s more, good documentation is easy to navigate, and helps people find the relevant information quickly. This is where working on the information architecture of your documentation comes in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve made a quick design exercise to help you figure out who needs to know what, and what’s missing from your documentation so far.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"single-post__related\"\u003e\n    \u003cul\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eOn post-it notes or cards, write the titles of the pieces of information about your tool you already published -- for example: a glossary, what to do if you found a bug, how to install…\u003c/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eThink about, and write up, three different use cases or \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/personas\"\u003epersonas\u003c/a\u003e: first-time users, general users, and power users. Arrange these cards near the user they most apply to.\u003c/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eIs anything missing? For each users, write what’s missing on a different color post-it.\u003c/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eWithin the clusters for each user, what’s the natural or appropriate sequence of these cards?\u003c/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eReorganize your documentation according to the cards. For first-time users: use diagrams and visuals, define terms they might not know. For power users: use action words to organize your sections, for example: \"set-up self-hosted version\", \"report a bug\", \"test the latest version\".\u003c/li\u003e\n    \u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCard sorting exercises can seem simple or boring, but are an extremely effective way to help you sort your information. Sometimes the best interventions are the simplest ones!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere is an example of using card sorting to \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/documentation/Card%20Sorting%20with%20Tails.pdf\"\u003esimplify and organize Tails’s documentation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more about the theory and practice behind documentation writing, we highly recommend the Write the Docs community and their \u003ca href=\"https://www.writethedocs.org/guide/\"\u003eguide for beginners\u003c/a\u003e. To learn more about card sorting, visit the tools section of \u003ca href=\"https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/card-sorting.html\"\u003eusability.gov\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*an elegant way of spelling “read the f***ing manual”\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "User Testing Cheat Sheet",
            "date_published": "2019-01-08T10:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-01-08T10:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/user-testing-cheatsheet/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/user-testing-cheatsheet/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat do you see here?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat can you do here?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat do you think is going on here?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat do you think that does?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhy do you think that’s there?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeelings\u003c/strong\u003e\nWhat’s your opinion of ___ ?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat do you think of ___ ?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhy do you say that?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhy?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlow\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat do you think will happen next?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat do you want to do next?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKeeping it moving\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat are you wondering?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat are you looking for?\u003cbr\u003e\nIs there a particular word you’re looking for?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat would you do to figure this out if I weren’t here?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClarification\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nAre you saying that ___ ?\u003cbr\u003e\nI think I heard you say ____. Does that capture it?\u003cbr\u003e\nIs it fair to say that ___ ?\u003cbr\u003e\nIs it accurate that ___ ?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWrap-up\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nHow was that experience overall?\u003cbr\u003e\nAnything confusing? Anything difficult?\u003cbr\u003e\nAnything missing?\u003cbr\u003e\nHow was that compared to your expectations?\u003cbr\u003e\nWhat would you change?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eBy Molly Wilson, 2015. Thanks to Mia O’Neill, Julie Stanford, Kim Ladin, and Jenny Mailhot.\u003c/small\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003csmall\u003eLicense: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.\u003c/small\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Announcing our 2019 Underexposed Design Fellows",
            "date_published": "2019-01-02T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2019-01-02T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-fellows/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2019/philharmonic_hu_75ec04b68b26f35c.jpg\" alt=\"photo of viewer at beach\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHappy New Year! For 2019, Simply Secure is trying something new. We iterated on our event series, \u003ca href=\"/underexposed\"\u003eUnderexposed\u003c/a\u003e, and are bringing you the first Underexposed Residency in January 2019! Fellows from around the world will spend one week with the Simply Secure team focused on a project that they propose. Together, the cohort will use the residency to workshop their specific design challenge. Over the week they will have time for user research, independent work, lectures, critical discussions, design critiques and office hours with leaders in the field.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are incredibly happy to have received over 50 excellent applications, and had a hard time selecting the small cohort for our pilot programme. It is with pride and pleasure that we are announcing our first cohort of Design Fellows today. They are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSarah Fox, Care \u0026amp; IoT\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDan Hassan \u0026amp; Mu, Dark Crystal\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlexander Morley, remix.science\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIohanna Nicenboim, Unpredictable Things\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoraya Okuda, HTTPS Everywhere\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTiffany Ou, Least Authority - GridSync\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eValentina Pavel, Privacy \u0026amp; GDPR Tools\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStuart Schecter, Revisolution │ 2FA\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCaroline Sinders, Ethical Mechanical Turk\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are extremely excited to spend the week with them and learn from one another. We are also thankful to our friends Bernard Tyers, Cade Diehm, Nasma Ahmed, Elio Qoshi, Anxhelo Lushka, Angel Lee, and Vincent Ahrend, for volunteering their time as mentors to the residency program. Special thanks also to our \u003ca href=\"/underexposed#partners\"\u003epartners and sponsors\u003c/a\u003e, and everyone who donated on Open Collective \u0026ndash; this event would be unthinkable without your support!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollow us on Twitter to get the latest update from our week! \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=%23underexposed2019\"\u003e#underexposed2019\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Using Personas in Open-Source Projects",
            "date_published": "2018-10-18T09:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-10-18T09:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/personas/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/personas/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDesign is all about making decisions. From a rebrand to a feature specification, from a new product to a new logo, every design change presents you with a fresh set of decisions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn open-source software, we often start out with the admirable goal of basing these decisions on the needs and preferences of our community. As a user-centered designer, this makes me feel like half the battle is already won – many companies would prefer to make these decisions entirely internally, and need a lot of convincing in order to take outside input seriously!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, open-source projects can lean too far in the other direction. It’s not always practical to have the entire community weigh in on every decision. This can lead to a slower pace and to discussion fatigue, and can also cause louder or more urgent voices in your community to take on more weight than you’d like.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePersonas are a way to crystallize your goals, keeping your focus on people without needing to call a meeting or ask for input at every turn. You can use them as a heuristic to help you make decisions. They’ll remind you of your mission, and keep you honest during your internal conversations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this article, we’ll take you through how to create personas for your open-source project. If you’re able to do actual user research, definitely base your personas on actual people you talked to. If you’re not able to do research or testing with users, we think you should – everyone should learn a few quick, basic tools for engaging with their users. If you’ve never done any engagement with your users and have been creating your product based on hypotheticals, you may be wasting your time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-a-persona-is-and-what-it-isnt\"\u003eWhat a persona is (and what it isn’t)\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Renee would love this,” my colleague said, pointing to a mockup of a redesigned file browser. Renee wasn’t our boss. Renee wasn’t a user we’d interviewed. Renee wasn’t even real! Renee was a \u003cstrong\u003epersona\u003c/strong\u003e we’d developed. If you’re curious, Renee was an experienced, savvy admin who had an encyclopedic knowledge of keyboard shortcuts and hated touching a mouse. She was a combination of several people we’d interviewed, our best guess at an iconic user for this particular piece of software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA persona is a slight abstraction of a human who might use your product or service. It often takes the form of a quick portrait: a name, an age, a job, an appearance, enough to give you a sense of who this person is.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Our audience is more than just a few people,” you might be thinking, “so why get so specific?” At first glance, defining a broad target demographic might seem more pragmatic, because you’re including more users in your intended audience – and, in the world of open source, we often strive to make our products inclusive and widely usable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, defining your audience broadly has a couple of pitfalls. First, it’s hard to use demographics to make decisions. Try and picture a woman between 18 and 35. Not so easy, is it? You certainly can’t think “would a woman between 18 and 35 understand this branding?” Second, using demographics to make product decisions can lead to stereotyping. Answers to questions like “would a woman between 18 and 35 use this feature?” might veer uncomfortably close to implying that a young woman would prefer pastel colors and a simpler interface. Nope. Not going there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we say that a persona is a “slight” abstraction: if you abstract too much, you’ll end up with a vague demographic description that isn’t actually useful to you. (Just like every article ever about “millennials.”)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou will probably want to make multiple personas. You can give them nicknames in order to keep them straight: a team at the UK Digital Service \u003ca href=\"https://dataingovernment.blog.gov.uk/2016/06/15/performance-platform-5-themes-and-7-personas/\"\u003ecreated 7 personas during a project to evaluate their Perfomance Platform\u003c/a\u003e, and named them (among other things) “Bart the Active Citizen,” “Anna the Strategist,” and “Eric the Guide.” Don’t make too many, though, or you’ll have too many “people” in the room.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-to-include-in-a-persona\"\u003eWhat to include in a persona\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour persona will have three parts. The first part is demographic. Give your persona a \u003cstrong\u003ename\u003c/strong\u003e, an \u003cstrong\u003eage\u003c/strong\u003e, a \u003cstrong\u003elocation\u003c/strong\u003e, and an \u003cstrong\u003eoccupation\u003c/strong\u003e, no matter what. Be specific – “John Doe” or “Max Mustermann” won’t be very helpful to you! If it helps, pretend you are describing a character in a book or movie.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen, depending on your product, you may want to answer some behavioral questions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs this person a current user of your product?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat communities is this person a part of?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are this person’s hobbies, or their family situation? (Include this only if it’s relevant.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat technologies does this person use, and why?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third part of your persona has to do with their goals. You may want to answer the following questions:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are this person’s goals in life?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are their goals at work?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat makes them feel good when using a technical product? And what makes them feel bad?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf they use this product, why? And if not, why not?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat do they want this product to do for them?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2018/simsec_basic_persona_hu_e87fb34f222059cd.png\" alt=\"preview of persona template\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve made these sections into a template that you can use (and modify). Download it here: \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research_tools/simsec_basic_persona.pdf\"\u003ePDF\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research_tools/simsec_basic_persona.ai\"\u003eAI\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot all personas need to follow this format – in fact, it’s better if personas have information specific to the product or project you’re working on. Our former fellow Gus Andrews put together a set of \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews/user-personas-for-privacy-and-security-a8b35ae5a63b\"\u003esecurity usability personas\u003c/a\u003e. They include sections like access locations, technology threats, and physical threats, effectively building a threat model into each persona. So, feel free to customize the sections you include. Our suggestions are just a starting point.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"further-links\"\u003eFurther links:\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/personas.html\"\u003ehttps://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/personas.html\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Leading with Empathy",
            "date_published": "2018-10-02T09:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-10-02T09:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-georgia/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-georgia/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eHello.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of you may know me from our collaborations in the internet freedom community over the last six years or from my time in the open mapping and data visualization communities before that, but for those who don’t — Hello! And nice to meet you! My name is Georgia Bullen, and I’m excited to take the baton from Scout as the new Executive Director of Simply Secure. If you want to read more about my past work, \u003ca href=\"/about/people/georgia\"\u003eplease do\u003c/a\u003e, but for now I’d like to focus on what’s next at Simply Secure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the last four years, Simply Secure has been critical in helping to bring design and user experience into the focus for many communities working on issues of security, privacy, transparency, or other ethical implications. Scout and the team have established a really strong base of resources, support, and relationships that I\u0026rsquo;m excited to build on going forward. The issues that we face in tech are not getting easier, in fact everyday they seem to become increasingly challenging as tech reaches into new places and contexts around the world. As usability is being realized as a necessity, our movement needs support, mentorship and leadership through open educational resources, open research, and a growing network with which to work through these challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding on what Scout talked about in her \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/transition-time\"\u003erecent post\u003c/a\u003e, here are some things I see as important over the next few years:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo scale with the challenges, we need to build our networks of practitioners to work together, learn from each other, and help locally.\u003c/strong\u003e We are a small team, but part of a growing community. Our hope is that we can work with the network of practitioners in the ecosystem to build more connections — and grow to create local networks that can help each other address local, cultural challenges together. Having a strong diverse community will allow us to help each address local and global issues in scalable ways.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you don\u0026rsquo;t leverage human-centered design in your process, you could be putting your system and your community of users at risk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe will work to be even louder advocates for usability in security tools, critical infrastructure, and new technology. Good security requires usability.\u003c/strong\u003e If your technology isn\u0026rsquo;t usable, users will work around your system to do what they need to do, or they\u0026rsquo;ll use something else. If you don\u0026rsquo;t leverage human-centered design in your process, you could be putting your system and your community of users at risk. At a minimum, usability needs to be a part of security audits, and even more importantly as part of the development process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs technology becomes central to human rights, empathy becomes even more important to an ethical design approach.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmpathy is the first step to ethical design.\u003c/strong\u003e Human-centered design builds from the base assumption that through empathy, participation, and intentionality we can understand the needs of our users by embedding ourselves in their context — observing how they live their lives, what challenges they encounter, asking questions to understand them and their perspectives better. By focusing on individual experiences, we can be sure to design to people\u0026rsquo;s needs. This is particularly important when we are working in the human rights space. As technology becomes central to human rights, empathy becomes even more important to an ethical design approach.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a community, we have the power to envision a more ethical and just future, through human-centered design. Simply Secure is ready to help, and I\u0026rsquo;m excited to help lead the team in that work.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "A Guide to Gathering Feedback",
            "date_published": "2018-09-27T11:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-09-27T11:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/feedback-gathering-guide/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/feedback-gathering-guide/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eA human-centered approach to software means a lot of qualitative research \u0026ndash; that’s research that focuses on small-scale, in-person feedback-gathering. While bigger companies have entire departments that do product design and market research, it can be difficult for smaller, distributed teams on a budget to get user feedback. (Difficult, but not impossible: [we interviewed Tails](/learning/blog/formative-testing) about their formative testing practices, for example.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo that end, Simply Secure created a generic guide to a roughly 1-hour session to gather feedback on your mobile or web app. Individuals and teams can use this to test copy, visuals, and new designs. It’s easy to imagine running a session like this at conferences or meetups where your main audience convenes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/app_feedback_gathering.pdf\"\u003ePDF version\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research_tools/app_feedback_gathering.md\"\u003eMarkdown version\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions, comments, pull requests? Write us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:\u0026#99;\u0026#111;\u0026#110;\u0026#116;\u0026#97;\u0026#99;\u0026#116;\u0026#64;\u0026#115;\u0026#105;\u0026#109;\u0026#112;\u0026#108;\u0026#121;\u0026#115;\u0026#101;\u0026#99;\u0026#117;\u0026#114;\u0026#101;\u0026#46;\u0026#111;\u0026#114;\u0026#103;\"\u003econtact@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Thank You and Farewell",
            "date_published": "2018-06-01T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-06-01T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/transition-time/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/transition-time/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eToday we are \u003ca href=\"/community/opportunities//\"\u003eannouncing our search for our next Executive Director\u003c/a\u003e. Outgoing Executive Director Sara \u0026ldquo;Scout\u0026rdquo; Sinclair Brody shares her thoughts as we approach this transition.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2018/viewer_hu_5c22dd34fcceffd4.jpg\" alt=\"photo of viewer at beach\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s easy to talk about how the world is moving faster today than in yesteryear, especially in communities that focus on technology. But when I began my role as founding Executive Director of Simply Secure almost four years ago, the world that we work in was in many ways a different place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure started as an idea between \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meredith_Whittaker\"\u003eMeredith\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Laurie\"\u003eBen\u003c/a\u003e. Their vision was to make secure-communications tools – i.e., chat and email applications that support end-to-end encryption – more usable and approachable for non-expert people. We \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/why-hello-world\"\u003elaunched\u003c/a\u003e as an independent organization in 2014, with commitments of support for our first few years from \u003ca href=\"https://opensource.google.com/\"\u003eGoogle\u003c/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.dropbox.com/\"\u003eDropbox\u003c/a\u003e. Our team \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-again\"\u003egrew\u003c/a\u003e, and we diligently set about the work of effecting change. We began collaborations with organizations such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/\"\u003eMozilla\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e, and extended our collaboration with the Open Technology Fund through the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eUsability Lab\u003c/a\u003e. Our focus expanded to include supporting people working not just on secure communications, but on any topic with security, privacy, transparency, or other ethical implications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the intervening years \u0026ldquo;usability\u0026rdquo; and good user-experience (UX) design have gone from seemingly unattainable ideals to necessary parts of the development process for the internet freedom and other ethical-tech communities. While our efforts to support developers and designers with educational resources, open research and consulting, and peer mentorship have helped this transition, the movement has come from practitioners themselves. It has been a pleasure and an honor to collaborate with a such a diverse and committed group of people, and to help them find ways to improve their products and their teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some observations that have manifested time and again during these years.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePractitioners want to put people first.\u003c/strong\u003e Very few people build technology for technology’s sake. Most people do it because they believe on some level that they can make the world a better place. This is especially true in communities that have human-rights, internet-freedom, or other civic-minded goals. However, the gap between wanting to put people first and finding good ways to do so in practice can be a big one.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProfessional and cultural barriers can get in the way.\u003c/strong\u003e Employees of big companies want to do the right thing, but don’t know how to get past a business-as-usual mentality. Open-source developers want to broaden their appeal, but don’t want to get trapped in a corporate mindset – and often don’t know how to move forward when a project is leanly resourced to begin with. When you’re working hard to deliver the parts of a project you understand, it’s hard to find the time and energy to explore dimensions where the right course of action is less apparent.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHuman-centered design can help with all sorts of problems.\u003c/strong\u003e Whether you’re a software developer seeking to make your tool more friendly, a designer advocating for change within your organization, or a funder worried about the effectiveness of a program or project, design and design-research methods can help bring new insights and directions to bear. Even a short conversation can help \u0026ldquo;unstick\u0026rdquo; a team faced with challenges involving users, external communication, or internal processes. Everyone can benefit from a little human-centered thinking.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile bearing witness to these lessons as Simply Secure has grown and changed through the years, so too has my personal landscape changed, most notably through the birth of my two sons. As I look forward to the future of our community, the work it has ahead of it, and to the needs of my growing family, I have decided it is time to pass this leadership of Simply Secure on to someone else. In August I will start as a Lecturer in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.swarthmore.edu/computer-science\"\u003eComputer Science Department\u003c/a\u003e of \u003ca href=\"https://www.swarthmore.edu/\"\u003eSwarthmore College\u003c/a\u003e, where I will have the opportunity to share human-centered thinking with the next generation of technologists.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe person who comes after me as Executive Director has exciting yet daunting challenges ahead of them. We are a small team with big ambitions. We are making the world a better place through human-centered design, and have shown that even small engagements can have a big impact. We need a leader who can navigate the sometimes-dizzying diversity of our communities (from global north to south, hackers to funders, corporate to counter-culture, geek to design critique). We need someone who can negotiate the challenge of building a financially sustainable organization while fulfilling our non-profit, educational mission. We need someone who dives into details and finds satisfaction in spreadsheets, but who can simultaneously chart a long-term strategic vision. Most of all, we need someone who leads through empathy – for the practitioners we serve, for colleagues within the team, and for the members of the public who ultimately benefit from what we do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking back on my years at Simply Secure, I am pleased to say that I have relished the opportunity to grow the organization from the ground up. I see the difference we have made, and am hopeful for the future. Most of all, I am enthusiastic to support my successor in leading our organization through its next stage of growth and evolution.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIf you know someone that would be a great candidate, please share \u003ca href=\"/community/opportunities//\"\u003eour job posting\u003c/a\u003e. We’re relying on you to help us find our next Executive Director!\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "A Curated List of GDPR Resources",
            "date_published": "2018-05-18T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-05-18T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/gdpr-resources/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/gdpr-resources/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is dedicated to helping designers and developers build technology that protects people\u0026rsquo;s privacy and security. Thus we welcome the upcoming EU regulations for data protection, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as a promising step in taking seriously people\u0026rsquo;s rights to privacy and security online.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the past few weeks (and leading up to the deadline of May 25, 2018), we have collected some resources and examples that we found helpful or interesting. We hope that these tools and checklists will help smaller organizations get some last-minute advice and explainers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGDPR-compliance is the minimum of what we need to do as ethical designers, and it is only the start of a conversation we all need to engage in. These are exciting times!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"general-privacy--ux\"\u003eGeneral Privacy + UX\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://simplysecure.org/knowledge-base/\"\u003eSimply Secure Knowledge Base\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"overview\"\u003eOverview\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.fastcodesign.com/90171699/what-is-gdpr-and-why-should-designers-care\"\u003eWhat is GDPR, and why should designers care? (Fast Company)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/\"\u003eGuide to GDPR\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.kau.se/cs/pbd\"\u003eCourse from Karlstad University\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"privacy-by-design\"\u003ePrivacy By Design\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\"\u003ePBD Primer\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://iab.org/wp-content/IAB-uploads/2011/03/fred_carter.pdf\"\u003eFoundational Principles\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2017/07/privacy-by-design-framework/\"\u003ePrivacy by Design Framework\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"ad-tech--gdpr\"\u003eAd Tech + GDPR\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://blogs.harvard.edu/doc/2018/05/12/gdpr/\"\u003eGDPR Will Pop the Adtech Bubble (Doc Searles)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/InteractiveAdvertisingBureau/GDPR-Transparency-and-Consent-Framework\"\u003eInteractive Advertising Framework\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"patterns-and-catalogues\"\u003ePatterns and Catalogues\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://catalogue.projectsbyif.com/\"\u003eData Permissions Catalogue (Projects By If)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://newdigitalrights.projectsbyif.com/\"\u003eNew Digital Rights (Projects By If)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://dataportability.projectsbyif.com/\"\u003eData Portability (Projects By If)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"assessment-plans\"\u003eAssessment Plans\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://gdprchecklist.io/\"\u003eGDPR Checklist\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uu9XRXExRQXD5Z3RpcGyRdIu2OUbyHTeeUmw4aR5Xs8/edit#gid=512308730\"\u003eGDPR assessment and implementation plan - Processors (Corrick, Wales, Partners)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U0Bfjrz4GbB5VREkh44nKE5-WJlqpvqc5yoymNJu0m4/edit#gid=512308730\"\u003eGDPR assessment and implementation plan - Controllers (Corrick, Wales, Partners)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"in-practice\"\u003eIn Practice\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FpKNHdGcPTt7UxUEraAqrcfojGwvnHkFgZjetHwP06E/edit\"\u003eGDPR and The Engine Room (The Engine Room)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://jacquesmattheij.com/gdpr-hysteria-part-ii-nuts-and-bolts\"\u003eGDPR Actionable Advice\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/opengdpr/opengdpr\"\u003eOpenGDPR Framework\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/17/facebook-gdpr-changes/\"\u003eA Flaw-By-Flaw Guide to Facebook’s GDPR Changes (TechCrunch)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Formative Testing, with Tails",
            "date_published": "2018-04-27T11:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-04-27T11:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/formative-testing/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/formative-testing/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe spoke with sajolida from Tails about design methods, user research, and particular challenges in open source.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"before-we-begin-could-you-tell-us-what-tails-is-and-what-its-used-for\"\u003eBefore we begin, could you tell us what Tails is and what it’s used for?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://tails.boum.org/\"\u003eTails\u003c/a\u003e is a live operating system that you can start on any computer from a USB stick. It provides a secure computing environment out of the box.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eActivists and journalists use Tails to create dissident books and videos, chat off-the-record, browse the web anonymously, and share sensitive documents. It is free software and is used by more than 20,000 people daily.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-is-it-that-you-do-for-tails\"\u003eWhat is it that you do for Tails?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though I have a background in computer science, I never really jumped into writing core but do a lot of the work needed around the code itself. We are a small team and people are doing many different things. I started doing documentation and website. We always had a strong policy to have an extensive documentation. By necessity I\u0026rsquo;m also doing fundraising and accounting, and more recently I started doing UX, checking whether our interfaces actually work for people, etc.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-did-your-ux-work-come-about-in-the-first-place\"\u003eHow did your UX work come about in the first place?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2014, we got in touch with a startup incubator in Paris called \u003ca href=\"https://paris.numa.co/en/\"\u003eNUMA\u003c/a\u003e. They wanted to contribute to open source projects and we organized some user testing sessions together. That was the start of our UX journey. For that event we prepared a list of tasks, e.g. \u0026ldquo;how to chat securely with your friends\u0026rdquo;, and they organised the space and recruiting. For us it was a big eye-opener, because people were not able to complete any of the tasks we posed to them! The problems were elsewhere and people had serious problem starting Tails and getting connected to the network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen we worked with them on mapping the installation process. The website was very badly organized back then and people were constantly getting lost. We sat down and tried to make the process more streamlined. While doing this, we also started incorporating early testing of our designs. For example, had people click through very rough prototypes created using interactive slide shows. We were two people, so we did \u003ca href=\"https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/parallel-design.html\"\u003eparallel design\u003c/a\u003e and had people test different solutions. That was the beginning!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"so-you-learned-design-methods-along-the-way\"\u003eSo you learned design methods along the way?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross the process of designing the installation instructions, we worked with NUMA and then on our own. It really had opened our eyes, using just very simple methodologies. We continued learning more UX methods on our own, reading books and online resources, and listening to the advice of experienced UX designers every time we could.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"designers-are-notoriously-hard-to-find-in-open-source-how-is-ux-in-open-source-different-from-ux-in-the-industry\"\u003eDesigners are notoriously hard to find in open source. How is UX in open source different from UX in the industry?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think that UX is becoming more and more important in the software industry, because a lot of revenue is directly tied to UX. Oftentimes companies are competing with very similar services, and a better UX, even just by a little bit, might be the deciding factor. Of course, in open source we\u0026rsquo;re not fighting for market shares and money and I have the feeling that the importance of UX is neglected, because the survival of a project does not depend so strongly on your product being useful and usable. In the case of Internet freedom tools, it\u0026rsquo;s often external funding that determines your survival, not so much your success over the competition.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"and-of-course-success-is-hard-to-measure-in-open-source-to-begin-with\"\u003eAnd of course success is hard to measure in open source to begin with!\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. We don’t ask people to subscribe, we don’t collect usage data, there’s no payment, etc. So it’s hard to have success metrics, especially if you want to respect the privacy of your users! One technique we experimented with was to do a \u003ca href=\"https://tails.boum.org/blueprint/veracrypt/#survey\"\u003esurvey from our website\u003c/a\u003e. If you ask respectfully, and if people understand how useful it is, people are ready to participate!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"you-recently-had-an-uxui-design-sprint-in-berlin-can-you-tell-us-more-about-it\"\u003eYou recently had an UX/UI design sprint in Berlin, can you tell us more about it?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eActually we had two sprints of three days each this winter. We are working on two new features for Tails and wanted to check our designs with users right from the start. We were two people in each sprint: the main developer of the feature and me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe arrived on the first day with our prior research on the feature, for example the results of a user survey or feasibility studies on the technical issues, but zero design. We started by doing a \u003ca href=\"https://articles.uie.com/design_studio_workshop/\"\u003edesign studio\u003c/a\u003e the two of us to come up with a candidate design that we could draw and print on paper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2018/prototyping_hu_982d27a1e77f2139.jpg\" alt=\"paper prototype\" width=\"740\" height=\"417\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the afternoon of the first day we had our first users come over and test our paper prototype. On the second and third day we continued inviting people to come and test our prototype as we improved our design. We had 7 users come over for each sprint, counting two hours per participants to have time to debrief and prepare the prototype for the next participant.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s for the initial sprint. After the feature is developed, we also do some moderated user testing with a beta version of the feature. But if I could only do one set of tests I would keep the early paper prototyping. Because if you only test at the end, you\u0026rsquo;ll find out too late that thing you\u0026rsquo;ve built is bad!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can\u0026rsquo;t see myself building anything in the future without going through a process like this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"we-at-simply-secure-are-big-believers-in-paper-prototypes-what-role-did-they-play-in-your-testing\"\u003eWe at Simply Secure are big believers in paper prototypes. What role did they play in your testing?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith paper prototypes, you draw or print your interface on paper. You create pieces of paper for each moving part of your interface: a menu that opens, a dialog box that appears, a checkbox that gets selected, etc. You give the user a pencil and pretend that it\u0026rsquo;s their mouse, to click, and keyboard, to write. The pieces of paper and the pencil are like a magic computer: they can click anywhere, write anything, and you are playing the computer, changing and moving the pieces of paper as the person uses the interface. It\u0026rsquo;s surprising how fast people get it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomething that\u0026rsquo;s tricky for us: since Tails is a full operating system, most of the time we\u0026rsquo;re not building the tools ourselves. We are relying on Debian, on GNOME, and on all sorts of preexisting tools. In the two sprints we did, it was mostly integration work. Paper prototypes were especially useful in this case, since we could print out mockups of existing GNOME interfaces and several other tools and test the changes that we wanted to make to them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll-in-all, the new things that we designed represented maybe 10% of the overall experience. Doing even a rough code prototype for all this would have been impossible. You would have to change things all over the place!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-useful-were-these-sessions-for-you-and-your-team\"\u003eHow useful were these sessions for you and your team?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe involved our developers in this process. I was mainly facilitating the feedback, preparing the prototypes etc. And the developers were just observing. That was super useful, mostly for four reasons:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOften when you tell developers that what they\u0026rsquo;re designing is going to be too complicated, they don\u0026rsquo;t believe you. But when they see one person being confused, they go back and really want to fix the problem.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou also make sure that what you are designing is possible for them to implement. Sometimes they also come up with solutions that you wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have considered yourself because they know better the technical implications.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf you disagree on a design choice, you avoid endless debates by testing any of the proposed solutions with the next user and learning from that. You can even show two different versions to the same user, have them comment on both, and learn even more.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are a remote team and being in an office working on the same sheet of paper is so much better. Once the sprint is over, you don\u0026rsquo;t have to explain your design because the developers saw it in action. The drawings from the sprint are the only specification that they need to write the code.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"it-wasnt-hard-to-find-participants\"\u003eIt wasn’t hard to find participants?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot at all! The interest we found in Berlin was overwhelming. People wanted to help. It was so easy to recruit people. We had 100 and 175 people, respectively, answer our call on our website for both our sprints. This is really amazing!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-were-some-of-your-findings-how-has-that-informed-your-design\"\u003eWhat were some of your findings? How has that informed your design?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s fascinating how often the problems that you identify with user testing are really not were you expected them to be\u0026hellip;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur first sprint was about integrating VeraCrypt in GNOME, the desktop environment in Tails. Instead of having a dedicated application to unlock VeraCrypt volumes, for example an encrypted USB stick, we integrated that in the native GNOME environment like you would do to open a regular USB stick. But this made the whole thing too transparent for people who were otherwise used to have a dedicated VeraCrypt application in Windows for example.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe solved that by adding a little wrapper in our applications menu that has the word \u0026ldquo;VeraCrypt\u0026rdquo; in it. It provides shortcuts to the most common operations and a link to our documentation. It will teach people how to do it seamlessly the next time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;re not testing to see if it works; you\u0026rsquo;re testing to evolve and change as much as you want and as best as you can.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"do-you-observe-or-record-your-tests\"\u003eDo you observe or record your tests?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI don\u0026rsquo;t record. We are changing the prototype between each test. It\u0026rsquo;s a formative process. For example, participants might misunderstand some interface widgets or labels that we designed. We would draw new widgets or change the labels on the fly until it works for them. You\u0026rsquo;re not testing to see if it works; you\u0026rsquo;re testing to evolve and change as much as you want and as best as you can. You also get ideas or suggestions directly from the participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-are-you-plans-next\"\u003eWhat are you plans next?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of the UX things we\u0026rsquo;ve been doing are task-oriented. Something we\u0026rsquo;d like to do more in the project is storytelling and explaining what Tails is and why people should use it. This is more complicated for me, after all I am a scientist and I more used to solving problem. Finding a narrative is a challenge! Communication, branding, design\u0026mdash;maybe that’s a next gap to fill.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"thank-you-sajolida\"\u003eThank you, sajolida!\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2018/sajolida_hu_df511b528b306487.jpg\" alt=\"sajolida\" width=\"740\" height=\"712\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Innovation Is About Putting People First",
            "date_published": "2018-02-20T12:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-02-20T12:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/innovation-about-people/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/innovation-about-people/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2018/MIC_hu_621364562c3562b3.png\" alt=\"Fast Company\u0026rsquo;s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Design for 2018\" width=\"740\" height=\"208\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is thrilled to be named as one of \u003cem\u003eFast Company\u003c/em\u003e’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2018/sectors/design\"\u003eTop 10 Most Innovative Companies in Design for 2018\u003c/a\u003e and to have our focus on “helping designers be more transparent and ethical” recognized.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFast Company calls their list of innovative companies a “guide to the businesses that matter most.” We live in a time where much of the technology industry seems focused on monetizing clicks and likes, on tracking users to optimize conversions, and on warehousing data to train opaque AI models. We believe that truly innovative design is about more than clicks, conversions, and models. We need to focus the technology community not just on what’s good for companies, but good for people. This is the work that matters most.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll practitioners, from open-source software developers to brand designers and UX researchers, can work to make responsible and ethical technology. We’re here to support them, and to learn from them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo if you are just finding out about us and the work we do now, welcome! We are happy to talk to teams seeking help at the intersection of design and thorny challenges in privacy, security, transparency, and ethics. We believe that designers and design should have a leadership role in shaping the conversation on these issues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe help organizations large and small, so whether you’re at a big company and need a bespoke workshop to kickstart your design team in a new area, or whether you’re a cryptographer volunteering for an open-source project and need help with your design strategy, we want to hear from you. Connect with us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eon Twitter\u003c/a\u003e or at  \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@simplysecure.org\"\u003econtact@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Prototyping Transparency: A Smart Charging Station",
            "date_published": "2018-01-18T11:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2018-01-18T11:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/transparent/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/transparent/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHere at Simply Secure we love to share the good work that others are doing. Our interview series is a way for us to spread current ideas, insights, and experiments to anyone interested in ethical design.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMarcel Schouwenaar is part of the team behind the \u003ca href=\"https://responsiblesensinglab.org/projects/transparent-charging-station\"\u003eTransparent Charging Station\u003c/a\u003e, a device that visualizes \u0026ldquo;smart\u0026rdquo; charging at charging stations. He spoke with us about fair allocation of resources, visualizing algorithms, and the role of transparency in design.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"in-designing-this-transparent-charging-station-what-was-your-underlying-assumption\"\u003eIn designing this Transparent Charging Station, what was your underlying assumption?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElectric power is a resource that fluctuates a lot, especially with renewable resources. Sometimes too much power is generated, and sometimes there is a scarcity; and similarly, depending on the time of day, a lot of power is needed sometimes, and none at all at other times. Grid operators have to constantly decide how to allocate the available energy, and it is no different with electric charging stations around the city. So when there is not enough energy available to charge all the hooked up cars, the company has to prioritize charging according to certain parameters. The challenge here is to build a reliable provision of power, a reliable \u003cem\u003enetwork\u003c/em\u003e so that everyone\u0026rsquo;s mobility is guaranteed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"so-electric-power-is-a-public-good-and-the-question-you-posed-was-how-to-distribute-that-public-good-was-this-the-goal-of-the-project\"\u003eSo electric power is a public good, and the question you posed was how to distribute that public good. Was this the goal of the project?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBasically, yes. We have to decide how to prioritize some people over other people. But then the question is \u0026ldquo;to which people, and why?\u0026rdquo; As a design challenge we actually got the problem wrong for weeks. We were building UX for people to express their urgency in this scenario, or some sort of voting system for decision making. But that was all wrong. The problem here isn\u0026rsquo;t so much deciding on those parameters, but understanding how algorithms are making those decisions in the first place. The design challenge, therefore, is to make that decision process transparent to the public. People will be affected by these decisions, so we need to have a way to communicate. And this project is an attempt to visualizes resource allocation according to whatever algorithm is in charge. The problem here isn\u0026rsquo;t so much deciding on those parameters, but understanding how algorithms are making those decisions in the first place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"how-did-you-come-up-with-the-idea\"\u003eHow did you come up with the idea?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project was commissioned by a client, a grid operator in the Netherlands that saw the urgency of having a public conversation around algorithmic decision making in smart cities. As a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Corporation_(certification)\"\u003eB Corp\u003c/a\u003e charged with the task of distributing energy across the Netherlands, they have de facto no competition on the market, but an even greater responsibility to the public. Companies like them are therefore interested in making the process as transparent as possible, and the transparent charging station is just the latest incarnation of that in the \u0026ldquo;smart city\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- ![charging machine prototype](https://the-incredible-machine.com/img/projects/chargingstation/4.jpg)  --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://responsiblesensinglab.org/img/a464d4ed-a7b4-440e-86ce-5343bc8f574b/transparante-laadpaal.jpg\" alt=\"charging machine prototype\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"what-were-some-of-the-challenges-in-designing-this-machine\"\u003eWhat were some of the challenges in designing this machine?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst of all, humans are not used to algorithmic decision making. We\u0026rsquo;d like to think that decisions are very singular, that at one particular moment, there is a clear number of choices, and a determinate decision on those choices. However, with an algorithm like this, things are very different. It\u0026rsquo;s many tiny decisions over time, and much harder to picture.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly, a decision based on parameters is hard to communicate, because it\u0026rsquo;s very abstract. So we thought we might have a way for people to experience these parameters. In our prototype, we had two of them: stress and privilege. By interacting with the machine, you can express how much stress you have (\u0026ldquo;I need this much charge before this hour\u0026rdquo;), and also identify yourself via an ID that has a level of privilege attached to it. This was our way to explain the abstract idea of parameters to the general public.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"and-how-does-your-machine-communicate-these-decisions\"\u003eAnd how does your machine communicate these decisions?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe machine shows the amount of charge available in the upcoming four hours, as well as who it will be distributed to and why. So if you\u0026rsquo;re asking yourself, why am I getting so little charge, you might see that the person who\u0026rsquo;s charging now has more \u0026ldquo;privilege\u0026rdquo;. It also records a history of the power distribution. Of course, in practice, nothing goes according to plan, ever. I might see a certain plan for the next four hours, but then someone else might arrive in the meantime and get all the power instead. That\u0026rsquo;s why the recording is important, too. We thought long and hard about this, because there are many ways to give people something like a digital receipt. However, we felt that another app made by the company or the city is not as trustworthy. For some time we were even experimenting with thermal paper that could be a physical (and unalterable) imprint of your charge history. But we settled for the less cumbersome solution: your own phone camera. It\u0026rsquo;s a more intuitive way to engage with the physical world. So if decisions seem unfair, the idea here is that customers can take a quick video of the “replay” to document it for a possible complaint. We call it an actionable perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"so-will-we-see-machines-like-this-on-future-street-corners\"\u003eSo will we see machines like this on future street corners?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe don\u0026rsquo;t think a machine like this will be built, at least not in this form. But it\u0026rsquo;s a good conversation starter for entities that operate in both the private and public sector. They are eager to prove that they are doing the right thing, and this is, we think, one possible way to do it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTransparency is not a solution for data governance, but it is a way to give users of the system some leverage points.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"one-central-idea-here-is-that-discrimination-is-not-determined-by-bad-intentions-but-only-by-bad-outcomes-you-only-need-to-look-at-the-results-of-a-program-to-see-whether-discrimination-exists-or-not-what-do-you-think-about-this-approach\"\u003eOne central idea here is that discrimination is not determined by bad intentions, but only by bad outcomes. You only need to look at the results of a program to see whether discrimination exists or not. What do you think about this approach?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was also a revelation to our client. For one, modern-day applications are never that easy where you can look at a piece of code and \u0026ldquo;see\u0026rdquo; the inequality. Systems can become complex and interdependent, you don\u0026rsquo;t always know what influences what. Also consider optimization algorithms, used in machine learning or artificial intelligence. It\u0026rsquo;s constantly changing and trying to come up with the best possible output. But doing so is letting in lots of bias of course\u0026mdash;this is old news. However, that cannot be traced back to one particular input, or to one decision. So the scrutiny has to be on a different level. Transparency is not a solution for data governance, but it is a way to give users of the system some leverage points.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"do-you-think-that-this-principle-of-transparency-can-be-applied-in-other-domains-also\"\u003eDo you think that this principle of transparency can be applied in other domains also?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe think that similar prototypes could also be developed for, say, internet traffic monitoring. If you\u0026rsquo;re home and trying to watch Netflix, and you realize your internet speed is very slow, a system like ours could help to communicate the reasons. Right now there is just no way to see why! It could be the dust accumulating in your computer, some websites mining Bitcoins in the background, your ISP screwing you over\u0026hellip;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI suspect we will see more and more of that in the future. \u0026ldquo;Smart cities\u0026rdquo; are just trying to optimize allocation of different scarcities, be it energy, water, safety, internet traffic, clean streets etc. How we allocate resources is and should be a political choice. Just because the IBMs and Ciscos of this world are informing the government on how we do it doesn\u0026rsquo;t make it any less political, especially when the methods amplify discrimination and bias. The role of transparency here is to make an open, political discussion around these issues possible in the first place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"youve-been-touring-europe-with-this-prototype-recently-what-was-the-response-from-people-working-in-this-area\"\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ve been touring Europe with this prototype recently. What was the response from people working in this area?\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA lot of the discussion around these topics have been very academic, and I\u0026rsquo;m proud to have a physical prototype that I can show. There is a lot of commitment from the cities, from academia, the industry. They got the message. It doesn\u0026rsquo;t matter if they discard this prototype, because what matters is that the point got across, and people are actively thinking and designing new stuff. As for the machine: three cities are ready to make smart and transparent charging systems, it has also sparked quite a few research projects, and will be part of an exhibition in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.ams-institute.org/\"\u003eAMS Institute\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"thank-you-marcel\"\u003eThank you, Marcel!\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2018/marcel_hu_31e3ffea1b43cd93.jpg\" alt=\"Headshot of Marcel\" width=\"740\" height=\"944\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarcel Schouwenaar, a designer and strategist at \u003ca href=\"https://the-incredible-machine.com/\"\u003eThe Incredible Machine\u003c/a\u003e. In 2012 he co-founded this company together with partner Harm van Beek. In their work they research opportunities in the realm of internet connected products and services for clients like LEGO Group, Zodiac Aerospace, Festool and Alliander. With a strong focus on experiment and validation, The Incredible Machine is most often involved in the earliest stages of innovation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is in these stages that Harm and Marcel encountered ethical dilemmas where the interest of business conflicted with those of people and society. This friction led to the writing of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.iotmanifesto.com/\"\u003eIoT Design Manifesto\u003c/a\u003e – in collaboration with fellow designers and researchers – and the establishment of the Just Things Foundation. Both of these efforts are aimed at addressing what it means to create products in a data-driven society and empowering professionals to act in the interests of people, society, and the environment. Marcel is also a co-organizer of ThingsCon Amsterdam.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "User Feedback Activities",
            "date_published": "2017-09-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-09-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/gather-feedback/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/gather-feedback/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Retail Apps and Data Collection",
            "date_published": "2017-07-30T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-07-30T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/loyalty/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/loyalty/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIn 2017 we did user research in San Francisco to speak with people who used store branded loyalty and couponing apps, such as the Starbucks or GroupOn apps. Our eight participants were selected on the basis of frequent use of shopping and loyalty apps and regional diversity. We did not ask invasive questions about income, and instead recruited people from a range of professions and communities, such as chef from San Rafael and UX designer from Palo Alto. Two of our participants used Android, although one of them also used an iPhone as a personal phone. The remaining 6 used iPhones.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe goal was to understand why people used these apps and to explore ideas for personal data markets that would give individuals more control over how their data was used and who benefited financially.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur participants were enthusiastic users of:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShopping apps:\u003c/strong\u003e Including apps for coffee and cafes, grocery shopping,liquor delivery, household supplies, clothing, entertainment, and party supply delivery. Two participants were hosting March Madness basketball parties and used apps to purchase supplies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eService apps:\u003c/strong\u003e Including dog-walking, laundry delivery, and social events (wine-tasting, outdoor activities, etc.).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"no-surprises-about-data-sharing\"\u003eNo Surprises About Data Sharing\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur hypothesis was that people would not understand what data apps gather about them, and once they did might feel that they were not getting a good deal by exchanging their data for coupons. We expected showing participants their app settings for location tracking and contact sharing would lead to surprise and outrage, and that would be a catalyst for a discussion about what apps data collect. Our hypothesis was wrong. None of the participants were surprised about the data being gathered by their apps. All of them were all familiar with privacy settings and had made some changes in configuration. A common pattern was to deny at least one app permission because they didn’t trust one particular app, but granting it to others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/permissions_hu_d72e015ec7bdc90c.jpg\" alt=\"Summary: iPhone privacy setting showing contact sharing denied for Messenger but granted for other apps like Uber, LinkedIn, and Pintrest.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eiPhone privacy setting showing contact sharing denied for Messenger but granted for other apps like Uber, LinkedIn, and Pintrest.*\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"communal-economic-benefits-made-data-collection-worth-it\"\u003eCommunal Economic Benefits Made Data Collection Worth It\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur participants were familiar with privacy settings and had no surprise or outrage about the data apps gathered about them. Not only were they not surprised, our participants had \u003cem\u003epositive\u003c/em\u003e feelings about how these apps was beneficial not only to themselves, but to their communities. We were surprised that participants generally framed the benefits not only in terms of personal savings, but in terms of communal benefits. All eight participants said that they wouldn’t be able to stay in the Bay Area if they didn’t work hard to save money. Getting discounts on necessities like groceries and coffee by purchasing through the app was a common money saving strategy. People had strong positive feelings about grocery store chain Safeway’s app and the Starbucks app because they believed they helped them continue living in their communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe were surprised that people also saw the Safeway and Starbucks app as helping them give back to their communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"apps-support-volunteer-donations\"\u003eApps support volunteer donations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne participant used the Safeway app to buy food for a residential treatment facility where he volunteered. He shared that he could not afford to purchase and donate extra food without the app, so he credits the app with helping his community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/safeway_hu_aef71993a7ce8c3f.jpg\" alt=\"Summary: Screenshot of grocery store Safeway’s app.\" width=\"740\" height=\"566\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eA participant who uses the Safeway app to donate food to a residential treatment facility reviews his latest money saving offers in the app.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"apps-support-worker-pay-by-enabling-tipping\"\u003eApps support worker pay by enabling tipping\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur participants rarely used cash for their purchases. In San Francisco, companies such as Square shaped a culture of credit and debit card use, even for purchases as small as a cup of coffee. Now apps and watches are quickly becoming standard ways to pay. We heard the expected stories of personal convenience when ordering coffee via the Starbuck’s app. Anecdotal observation at three Starbucks in downtown San Francisco during morning rush hour showed lines of more than twenty people mostly paying with cards, and separate, faster queues for people paying by app. We were surprised to learn than there is no way to add a tip to a credit card or debit card payment at Starbucks. Two participants shared that the \u003cem\u003eonly\u003c/em\u003e way to give tips was through the app. When asked about leaving cash tips, they were puzzled and said it was possible, but unusual.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can’t tip if you pay with a card because there’s no signing. I worked in food service, and the ability to tip is very important, so pay with app is a better choice. Pay with cash? No. That’s not really common anymore. \u003cem\u003e– 33-year-old freelance graphic designer from Alameda, California.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/starbucks_hu_dd5f7067655d202e.jpg\" alt=\"Summary: Advertisement for the Starbucks app in downtown San Francisco.\" width=\"740\" height=\"568\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eSign for the dedicated line for orders made through the app at a Starbucks in downtown San Francisco.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"tech-startups-as-good-for-communities\"\u003eTech startups as good for communities\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur participants believe the tech industry is an important part of San Francisco and were proud to support it, both by working in it, but also by contributing their data via apps. Three of our participants worked in tech marketing and felt strongly that the industry helped keep neighborhoods vibrant and provided work to people. They were proud that startups “stood up for the little guy” and talked about how apps such as Cups, which gives discounts at multiple independent neighborhood coffee stores, were a way to help “mom and pop, brick and mortar” stores stand up against chain stores.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/pridehat_hu_1fae993d2909a92e.jpg\" alt=\"California gay pride hat.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eStudy participant who worked in marketing for a startup and was unconcerned about data collection.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"reconsidering-our-assumptions\"\u003eReconsidering Our Assumptions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe participants’ strong positive feelings about the apps and their perceived community benefits were surprising. Our discussion about risks of data collection by private companies or consequences of government data collection faltered. Even though four of our eight participants told stories about being profiled or harassed for being non-white, a religious minority, or LGBT, they were unconcerned about personal risks from apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI hate when people say ‘well what do you have to hide?’.\nI have a Muslim name and get regularly asked where I’m \u003cem\u003ereally\u003c/em\u003e from. I do not take it lightly. But using these services [retail apps] is a requirement for participating in modern society. That’s the way it is now. \u003cem\u003e– 26-year-old graduate student from San Jose, California.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is a nonprofit focused on security, privacy, transparency, and ethical software, so hearing strong opposition to privacy measures was disappointing. It made us appreciate how complex the technical, social, and economic systems are and how much additional work is necessary to raise awareness and change the culture of data sharing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe look forward to delving deeper into this research, and trying alternate approaches to uncover opportunities for personal data marketplaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Lessons from Architecture School for IoT Security",
            "date_published": "2017-07-05T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-07-05T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-architecture-school-iot-security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-architecture-school-iot-security/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSoftware is impermanent; its underlying code will always need updating. Architecture is enduring, meant to last for generations. But both strive to be intuitive, and architecture can teach security and UX professionals how to build IoT applications that balance seamless experience and upgradable infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecurity for the Internet of Things (IoT) needs design, and appropriate complexity is the key UX challenge for IoT. Architecture school teaches problem finding over problem solving and prepares professionals to work on complex systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/ArchSchool-IoTLessons_hu_e3f43934a8f422fb.jpg\" alt=\"Summary: Start with people in context, understand unspoken needs, homes are more than houses.\" width=\"740\" height=\"316\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eSummary slide from presentation at \u003ca href=\"https://conferences.oreilly.com/solid/internet-of-things-2015\"\u003eO\u0026rsquo;Reilly Solid\u003c/a\u003e in 2015. All slides are available for \u003ca href=\"/resources/OReillyUXIoTElliott.pdf\"\u003edownload\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur three-part series discusses how lessons from architecture school can inform IoT security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"lessons-from-architecture-school-for-iot-security\"\u003eLessons from architecture school for IoT security\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePart 1: \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-1\"\u003eStart with People, in Context\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePart 2: \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-2\"\u003eUnderstand Unspoken Needs\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePart 3: \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-3\"\u003eHomes Are More than Houses\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Participant Bill of Rights",
            "date_published": "2017-06-29T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-06-29T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participant-bill-of-rights/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/participant-bill-of-rights/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Example Screener",
            "date_published": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/example-screener/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/example-screener/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Model Release",
            "date_published": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/model-release/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/model-release/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Research Consent Form",
            "date_published": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/research-consent-form/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/research-consent-form/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Simply Secure Style Guide",
            "date_published": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/simply-secure-style-guide/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/simply-secure-style-guide/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Tor Project Style Guide",
            "date_published": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-06-28T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tor-project-style-guide/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/tor-project-style-guide/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Security is a “Design in Tech” Trend",
            "date_published": "2017-03-22T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-03-22T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/security-design-in-tech/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/security-design-in-tech/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe’re honored to see Simply Secure included in the \u003ca href=\"https://designintechreport.wordpress.com/\"\u003eDesign in Tech Report 2017\u003c/a\u003e. I’ve learned a lot from previous versions of the reports, which describe design trends from a business ecosystem perspective. I wrote up \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/maeda-report\"\u003ehighlights from the 2016 Report\u003c/a\u003e, and it’s exciting to see how far the industry has come in a year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Maeda presented this year’s report on trends in design and business at the SXSW festival. Simply Secure is mentioned at 56:00 of the video.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/208035080?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eJohn Maeda presenting the \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/208035080\"\u003eDesign In Tech Report 2017\u003c/a\u003e at SXSW.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"making-progress\"\u003eMaking Progress\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe still have lots of hard work ahead of us to reach the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/maeda-report\"\u003evision I described\u003c/a\u003e last year of Silicon Valley shifting focus away from customer data as a commodity and toward user privacy as a core value proposition, but I’m glad to see this attention on security. Designers are urgently needed to help build products and services people trust. And there are clear connections between security and several of the other trends highlighted in the 2017 Design in Tech Report including inclusive design and voice- and chat-based interfaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"start-here\"\u003eStart Here\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re new to security, and want to start by improving your digital footprint, start by reading our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/new-year-tips\"\u003eFour Concrete Security Tips\u003c/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/tinfoil-press/securing-your-digital-life-like-a-normal-person-a-hasty-and-incomplete-guide-56437f127425#.1g5d9s7v0\"\u003eSecuring Your Digital Life Like a Normal Person\u003c/a\u003e by Martin Shelton. Designers getting started with security challenges can also check out \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/fight-phishing\"\u003eHow to Fight Phishing: Security for Designers\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"lets-keep-this-going\"\u003eLet’s Keep This Going\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure has a public Slack channel for discussing issues related to user experience, security, privacy, and design. Email \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e for an invitation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore in these interviews:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAme on \u003ca href=\"https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/ame-elliott-on-making-security-usable-and-delightful\"\u003eMaking Security Usable and Delightful\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScout on \u003ca href=\"https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/better-security-starts-and-ends-with-humans\"\u003eBetter Security Starts and Ends with Humans\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Professional Knowledge and IoT",
            "date_published": "2017-03-03T16:30:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-03-03T16:30:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/professional-knowledge-iot/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/professional-knowledge-iot/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis year\u0026rsquo;s Consumer Electronics Show (\u003ca href=\"http://www.ces.tech/\"\u003eCES ‘17\u003c/a\u003e) showcased numerous internet of things (IoT) devices but was found wanting when it came to security concerns. In his \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@scottjenson/ces-ux-of-iot-report-c75fb7f49aee#.8g0ybnegy\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eUX of IoT\u003c/em\u003e report from CES\u003c/a\u003e, Scott Jenson assesses that “companies really, really, REALLY want to make home automation systems,” but how can we begin to consider the ethics when developers don’t even consider security risks?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIoT systems pose two security challenges. First, they can be manipulated as surveillance infrastructure to target vulnerable people. Second, insecure devices can be turned into remotely controlled networks that cause harm, such as taking websites offline. In fall 2016, malicious actors harnessed about 500,000 hacked devices such as CCTV cameras to comprise the \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/2016/12/botnet-broke-internet-isnt-going-away/\"\u003eMirai botnet\u003c/a\u003e. This botnet used distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks to take parts of the internet offline. This included Twitter and all top-level domains from the country of Liberia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"understanding-risks\"\u003eUnderstanding risks\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen people put IoT devices in their homes, they open themselves up to the risk that those devices could be used by a malicious actor to learn more about them. As former U.S. Intelligence Chief James Clapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/09/internet-of-things-smart-home-devices-government-surveillance-james-clapper\"\u003ehas said\u003c/a\u003e, “in the future, intelligence services might use the [Internet of Things] for identification, surveillance, monitoring, location-tracking, and targeting.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome people may not be concerned about governments spying on them, but if they enjoy using the internet, they should consider how their devices can be harnessed as bots to affect the greater good. Botnets are a direct threat to the open internet, as the cost to secure sites against such an attack is estimated at $150,000 or more per year. Since such protection is unaffordable for both individuals and most organizations, DDoS attacks are effectively a form of censorship. It’s not a far stretch to see how hacked devices could be commandeered to silence journalists.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"an-insights-toolkit-for-people-who-build-connected-things\"\u003eAn insights toolkit for people who build connected things\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe upsides of IoT are self-explanatory, but at Simply Secure, we want IoT systems to be built with a bias toward protecting people’s privacy. As a first step, we have been working with \u003ca href=\"https://wiki.mozilla.org/Open_IoT\"\u003eMozilla’s Open IoT Studio\u003c/a\u003e to identify gaps in professional knowledge. Our shared goal is to assemble tools that developers can use to protect people’s privacy and the open internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt MozFest in London and ThingsCon in Amsterdam, Simply Secure conducted research to understand participants’ priorities around IoT and privacy. We created what we call the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Trustworthy_IOT\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eInsights Toolkit for Building a Trustworthy IoT\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e. This toolkit is meant to guide discussions that will help developers and technologists identify technologies that inspire and worry them and to learn where they can go for more information. The \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Trustworthy_IOT\"\u003e toolkit\u003c/a\u003e is on GitHub and includes questions, worksheets, and other assets. It can be forked, translated into other languages, adapted, localized, and continually improved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/MozFestPhotos_hu_9afcbac0d915c658.jpeg\" alt=\"Photos of study materials, such as colored bits of paper and user responses on a visual survey.\n\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eA workshop we facilitated at MozFest in London, where we used the \u003cem\u003eInsights Toolkit\u003c/em\u003e to understand developers’ priorities for IoT security. (October 2016)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"top-insights-resources-and-fighting-botnets\"\u003eTop insights: Resources and fighting botnets\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on discussions with about 30 developers at MozFest, the greatest challenges to get IoT developers to consider better security practices are 1) identifying reliable sources of security information (e.g., blogs) to respond to their skepticism and 2) equipping developers who are already on board with stories to convince their colleagues of the benefits of good security practices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Stackoverflow isn\u0026rsquo;t going to cut it for security.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevelopers are curious and eager to get more information, but there is no consensus about reliable sources of security information. MozFest and ThingsCon were consistently mentioned as places where professionals expect to get information about privacy-preserving technology, but there is still a need for more specific, actionable recommendations that developers can deploy immediately. \u003ca href=\"http://stackoverflow.com/\"\u003eStackoverflow\u003c/a\u003e, a knowledge-sharing website that is popular among developers, was mentioned as a useful resource for some questions but viewed as unreliable for security information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What’s the problem with using a Raspberry Pi to get a cat to come to a web cam?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most evocative stories during our MozFest workshop was a developer whose colleague programmed a Raspberry Pi to move a mechanical arm and make a rattling noise that would summon his cat to a home video camera. This participant scoffed at the possibility that his home was vulnerable because he had not programmed any security into his device. To the colleague, this Raspberry Pi hack was a bit of harmless fun. It didn’t occur to him that his program could be manipulated by a third party either to gather private data about his home devices or to become part of a botnet that would harm other parts of the internet. When challenged about these security risks, he retorted, “it’s just scaremongering by people who want your money.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s just scaremongering by people who want your money.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe colleague made a fair point. Both consumers and developers question the value of privacy due to the assumption that companies manufactured concerns to increase sales of security products. For years, marketing teams told consumers that antivirus products were essential for their computers. However, research reports such as Google’s \u003ca href=\"https://security.googleblog.com/2015/07/new-research-comparing-how-security.html\"\u003ecomparison of experts’ and novices’ behavior\u003c/a\u003e for online safety showed that experts don’t consider antivirus protection to be an important element of security. Those kinds of mixed messages can make people distrustful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"conclusion-building-professional-knowledge\"\u003eConclusion: Building professional knowledge\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a lot of commercial hype about IoT applications (brilliantly skewered by the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/internetofshit\"\u003eInternet of Shit Twitter\u003c/a\u003e account). Developers who want to build their professional reputations intensify the hype in their eagerness to master new frameworks and APIs. From their vantage point, privacy advocates bring an unwelcoming message that quashes good-natured enthusiasm for building new things. However, no one doubts that IoT devices can benefit society in many ways (i.e., saving energy and conserving natural resources). The challenge for people who care about an ethical IoT is to support developers in building things they want to build by incorporating security practices into their workflows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure’s initial research indicates that developers can be skeptical of security claims and unsure where to go for accurate technical advice. At Simply Secure, we want to distribute open resources to help developers do their best work while preserving privacy for IoT applications and beyond. If you’re working on an IoT project, use our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Trustworthy_IOT\"\u003eTrustworthy IoT toolkit\u003c/a\u003e to build awareness with your colleagues about security.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Initial Usable Security Methodology",
            "date_published": "2017-03-01T00:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-03-01T00:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/initial-usable-security-methodology/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/initial-usable-security-methodology/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Four Concrete Security Tips for the New Year",
            "date_published": "2017-01-26T15:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2017-01-26T15:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/new-year-tips/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/new-year-tips/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"in-november-i-had-the-opportunity-to-speak-at-the-oreilly-security-conference-in-new-york-city\"\u003eIn November, I had the opportunity to speak at the \u003ca href=\"https://conferences.oreilly.com/security/network-data-security-ny/public/schedule/detail/55105\"\u003eO’Reilly Security Conference\u003c/a\u003e in New York City.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI shared a number of insights that we have discussed here on the Simply Secure blog, including findings from Ame’s \u003ca href=\"/resources/techreports/NYC15-MobMsg.pdf\"\u003eNew York City study\u003c/a\u003e on privacy for mobile messaging.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI also sat down with \u003ca href=\"https://www.oreilly.com/people/0d2c1-mac-slocum\"\u003eMac Slocum\u003c/a\u003e to talk about the importance of human factors in security (you can watch the interview \u003ca href=\"https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/better-security-starts-and-ends-with-humans\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e). Our conversation focused on security from a software developer’s perspective, advice on how to make tools more human-centric (e.g., talk to your actual users), and perspectives on big challenges in security (e.g., the Internet of Things).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, most people aren’t security-focused software developers and aren’t intimately familiar with the technology that can help protect their online data. If you’re a UX expert and interested in learning more about security and privacy, your own digital footprint is a great place to start. Here are some concrete steps that you and your loved ones can take in the new year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"steps-for-better-privacy--security\"\u003eSteps for better privacy \u0026amp; security\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs I have \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/not-binary-properties\"\u003esaid before\u003c/a\u003e, security isn’t a binary property. Unlike Santa’s clear-cut naughty vs. nice list, the analysis of whether a system or app is secure has many shades of gray. Different people worry about different threats to their data; to use security terminology, everyone has their own threat model. To help you thoroughly consider the risks facing your data, the suggestions below dissect the kinds of threat each tip is meant to protect against.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/google-2fa-garden_hu_3a7d4cae62a27d22.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing Google product icons behind both a gated fence and a high-tech locked forcefield bubble.\" width=\"740\" height=\"378\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eTwo-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your account by requiring both your password and a second bit of information to sign in. Image from Google’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/landing/2step/\"\u003e2-step verification page\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-use-two-factor-authentication\"\u003e1. Use two-factor authentication\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether it’s called \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/landing/2step/\"\u003etwo-step verification\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/help/148233965247823\"\u003elogin approvals\u003c/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https://support.twitter.com/articles/20170388\"\u003elogin verification\u003c/a\u003e, two-factor authentication requires you to have both your password and a “second factor” before you can sign in to your account. In most cases, this second factor is a code generated on your mobile phone or sent to you as an SMS message, but some systems (including Google, Dropbox, and Github) support special \u003ca href=\"https://www.yubico.com/start/\"\u003eUSB devices\u003c/a\u003e or voice calls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProtects against:\u003c/strong\u003e Two-factor authentication prevents an attacker who has access to your password from gaining access to your account. You don’t have to be a famous person or have especially sensitive data to be a target of this kind of attack; most victims are everyday people. The vast majority of the online public would benefit from using two-factor authentication, especially for their email account, which can serve as a gateway to all their other accounts. If you are an activist or person facing dedicated attackers, it is even more essential that you sign up as many accounts as possible – and that you generate codes on your phone rather than receive them via SMS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWords of caution:\u003c/strong\u003e If you lose your phone or second factor, be prepared, as it may take up to a week or more to regain access to some accounts. Many services provide a set of single-use codes that you can print out and save for emergencies. Tucking them into your sock drawer is generally sufficient, but if you’re worried about targeted threats, you might consider writing them down by hand in a place that is harder for others to find.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/1password-meter_hu_faba756d061e3239.png\" alt=\"Screenshots of a password-generation interface, one where strength meter is low and one where the strength meter is high.\" width=\"740\" height=\"398\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003e1Password is one of the more reputable password managers. In addition to following best practices around security (the company has collaborated in a number of \u003ca href=\"https://support.1password.com/security-assessments/\"\u003ethird-party audits\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://1password.com/files/1Password%20for%20Teams%20White%20Paper.pdf\"\u003edocumented\u003c/a\u003e the application’s security architecture publicly), it features handy details like a password generator with an engaging strength meter. Screenshot from 1Password 6.5.3.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-use-a-password-manager\"\u003e2. Use a password manager\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was a late convert to using a password manager. I thought that my own schemes for remembering passwords (and in some cases, reusing them for low-value sites) were sufficient. But at a certain point – after a big data breach became public or almost falling for a phishing attempt – I realized that I needed to admit my limitations. I now recommend \u003ca href=\"https://1password.com/\"\u003e1Password\u003c/a\u003e to my friends and family. The default is their cloud-based version, which allows you to easily sync passwords across devices. As of this writing, they also offer versions for teams and for families as well as a non-synced edition for a flat license fee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProtects against:\u003c/strong\u003e Password managers make it easy for you to use long, complex passwords that are hard for attackers to crack. They also allow you to use a unique password for every site or application, which makes it impossible for an attacker to use a data breach on one platform to compromise your data on another. Finally, they make it less painful to change your password if a breach happens. They thus protect you from malicious attackers seeking to gain access to your personal information online through a compromised password. Again, most attacks against passwords aren’t targeted at famous people but common members of the population. Even your “low value” accounts, such as old social media profiles or email addresses, are worth protecting. Attackers often use them to try and extort money from your friends or to harvest personal information that they can then use in attacking a higher-value target.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWords of caution:\u003c/strong\u003e Don’t use the first free password manager you come across. If you use a cloud-based password manager, try to avoid accessing it from a public computer that may be infected with spyware, such as one in an internet café or a hotel business center. If you are in a pinch and have to do so, change your vault password (the password that you use to unlock your password manager) as soon as you can get to your own computing device. If you are an activist who is worried that your government might be able to compel the password management company to share your data, consider using a version that isn’t based in the cloud. For example, since \u003ca href=\"http://keepass.info/\"\u003eKeePass\u003c/a\u003e is an open-source password manager built by a decentralized, borderless community of developers, it would be hard to legally compel them to share your data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-lock-and-encrypt-your-devices\"\u003e3. Lock and encrypt your devices\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you turn on or wake up your computer or phone, do you use a password, PIN, pattern, or fingerprint to sign in? If not, even casual attackers can get access to your data when left alone with your device for just a few moments. While having to unlock your screen multiple times per day can be annoying, it is an important protective step for many people. Similarly, encrypting your device’s long term storage (e.g., its hard drive) prevents slightly more dedicated attackers from stealing your data by plugging it into their computer and scanning it. This method can allow them to access even devices that have a screen lock.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProtects against:\u003c/strong\u003e Screen locks prevent would-be attackers from getting into your device when they have physical access to it. This includes cases where you forgot your phone in a taxi or where your computer was stolen from your home. It may also include cases where your device is in a locked environment that others have access to, such as a locked hotel room, or during targeted searches such as at international border crossings. Encryption also protects against more dedicated attacks by people who have physical access to your device for an extended period of time. With the important caveat noted below, both device encryption and screen locks pose very little downside and significant upside.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWords of caution:\u003c/strong\u003e If you encrypt your device, it’s important to write down the password, PIN, or pattern you use to unlock it in a safe place. Losing access to your unlock code means that you permanently lose access to the data on the device. If you are worried about targeted in-person threats, screen locks that employ codes or passphrases may be a better choice than fingerprints, as there’s evidence that biometric readers \u003ca href=\"http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/2/11540962/iphone-samsung-fingerprint-duplicate-hack-security\"\u003ecan be fooled\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2017/windows-update-notification_hu_850b0aaeef10b8f6.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of a dialog box prompting the user to install a Windows update.\" width=\"740\" height=\"424\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eIt’s easy to ignore update notifications when you’re busy. Don’t postpone them for too long! Screenshot by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/mynetx/4758472876\"\u003emynetx\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/\"\u003eCC BY-SA 2.0\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-install-updates\"\u003e4. Install updates\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWriting software is a human process, which means that all software can have flaws. Software updates decrease the likelihood of your data falling prey to known vulnerabilities. Just as a homeowner regularly changes the batteries on a smoke detector and cleans out the gutters, it’s important to make sure the devices and software you rely on have up-to-date software and firmware. This includes your phone and computer operating systems, your web browser, and your apps. It also includes smart TVs, game consoles, and routers. If you’re not sure how to tell whether something is up to date, a web search for “check to see whether [product name] is up to date” often yields good instructions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProtects against:\u003c/strong\u003e Software updates protect against digital attacks that target known vulnerabilities. These can be manual, such as a malicious hacker trying to steal your data, or automated attacks, including worms that jump from device to device. Once again, these attacks aren’t designed just for famous or powerful people but anyone who has devices on the internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWords of caution:\u003c/strong\u003e Make sure that you’re using the official channel to get authentic software updates. Don’t download updates from links that you see in emails, which may be phishing attacks, or in online advertisements, which may be vectors for malware infection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"more-resources\"\u003eMore resources\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beginning of a new year is always a great time to pick up new habits and new knowledge. For some additional guides on getting started with privacy- and security-conscious practices, check out \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@mshelton\"\u003eMartin Shelton’s Medium stream\u003c/a\u003e. To learn more about the big picture of protecting your data from surveillance, which can be especially important if you’re an activist or someone who might be subject to particular scrutiny by your government, check out \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/en\"\u003eEFF’s site on surveillance self-defense\u003c/a\u003e. Many of its resources are also useful for everyday people, too, such as its overview animation on \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/animated-overview-using-password-managers-stay-safe-online\"\u003epassword managers\u003c/a\u003e or its tutorial on \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/how-encrypt-your-iphone\"\u003eencrypting your iPhone\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre you a designer or UX researcher interested in learning more and integrating a greater awareness of privacy and security into your practice? \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eJoin our\u003c/a\u003e Slack community!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Essential Non-technical Skills for Working in Security",
            "date_published": "2016-12-16T15:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-12-16T15:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/nontechnical-security-skills/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/nontechnical-security-skills/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThere’s a misconception that highly technical skills like cryptography are required to work in security. That’s not true. With critical threats to internet freedom and individual privacy, there is an urgent need for \u003cem\u003edesigners\u003c/em\u003e to get involved with security projects.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUX designers are an important part of reframing the conversation about security. Instead of assuming that security’s UX needs to start with ways to discourage undesirable behavior, we should start from a positive mindset of elucidating its benefits to users. Here are three ways that non-technical UX skills can improve security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"privacy-as-part-of-a-brand-promise\"\u003ePrivacy as part of a brand promise\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCopywriters and brand strategists have a role to play in protecting privacy, so think of their skills as part of the UX toolbox. Canadian VPN TunnelBear uses gentle humor and illustrations to convey the benefits of security to customers. Instead of the militaristic language of defensive cyber-security, TunnelBear communicates a warm but firm commitment to privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/tunnelbear_hu_e67ec425697aacd7.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of the TunnelBear website, which describes its security and privacy benefits in detail.\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eDescription from the TunnelBear.com website\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther places where skilled writing can communicate how your service protects privacy include the product description in app stores and during new feature updates.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"service-design-for-two-factor-authentication\"\u003eService design for two-factor authentication\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComposing messages and notifications is hard, but instead of being generic and detached, copywriters can cultivate a more personable presence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/smart-oven_hu_5b424cac011666d1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshots of a smart oven companion app. There are lots of notifications, many of which are contradictory or hard to understand.\" width=\"740\" height=\"664\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eImage from Mark Wilson’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.fastcodesign.com/3065667/this-1500-toaster-oven-is-everything-thats-wrong-with-silicon-valley-design\"\u003ereview\u003c/a\u003e of the June oven in Fast Company\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThese notifications from an IoT oven (which have since been rewritten) show just how difficult it is to write copy for an alert\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComing at security from a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_design\"\u003eservice-design\u003c/a\u003e lens would improve the UX of two-factor authentication (2FA), which adds an extra layer of protection beyond a password. For example, Google accounts with 2FA enabled will send a code to users’ phones. But these messages are a missed opportunity to build a relationship with users who are taking positive steps to protect their privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/google-2fa-messages_hu_2a07fb5de8bcd045.PNG\" alt=\"Screenshot showing a series of messages containing authentication codes from Google.\" width=\"740\" height=\"1312\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eGoogle’s periodic text messages for 2FA codes\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterrupting people’s workflow when they are trying to access their accounts isn’t ideal, but 2FA messages are an overlooked touch point. Considering the rise of SMS chatbots, these messages could be opportunities to applaud people for secure behavior or to act as a concierge for security practices. For example, it might answer questions such as “How do I make sure my router has the latest security patches?” or “Are other people getting a warning when they try to login to the Bank of America website?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"interaction-design-to-communicate-system-behavior\"\u003eInteraction design to communicate system behavior\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVisual design and animation are powerful mechanisms for communicating how systems work. Giving users insight into messaging systems could increase demand for privacy-preserving systems. For example, messaging systems such as Facebook use an animated graphic to let users know that someone is typing a comment, thereby making an invisible action visible. What kinds of new graphics could convey that a message has been encrypted? Or delivered? Or expose where the data are stored?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/writing-a-comment_hu_18effeb3fba31b85.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of a notification from Facbook that reads: A friend is writing a comment\u0026hellip;\" width=\"740\" height=\"355\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eFacebook use an animated graphic to indicate when someone else is typing a comment\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany apps, including WhatsApp and iOS iMessage, use read receipts to reveal that someone has seen a message. These simple visual vocabularies are powerful in communicating how the system works. iMessage displays the words “read” and “delivered” to indicate status while WhatsApp uses check marks to indicate if the message has been seen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/whatsapp-chat_hu_c2a8082f33dbbf37.PNG\" alt=\"Screenshot of the WhatsApp chat interface\" width=\"740\" height=\"1312\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eWhatsApp uses two check marks to indicate that both the sender and receiver have seen the message\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead receipts demonstrate how UX can change and normalize new behaviors. In the past, users who didn’t have time to respond to text messages could still read them. Now, users who don’t know that they can disable read receipts may avoid opening WhatsApp until they have the time to respond. This way, they can maintain plausible deniability for a slow response time. Designers can help users develop behaviors that protect their security and privacy in a similar fashion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, the Google Chrome team takes UX seriously and has done \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2016/technical-sessions/presentation/weinberger\"\u003eresearch\u003c/a\u003e on how the visual design of browser warnings impacts user behavior. The browser currently displays a neutral “information” icon for sites that don’t support encryption, or that have problems with their encryption. The team has announced that this will change to a scarier, more prominent \u003ca href=\"https://security.googleblog.com/2016/09/moving-towards-more-secure-web.html\"\u003ewarning icon\u003c/a\u003e next month; they are using this as an opportunity to engage users in understanding risks to their security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/chrome-warning_hu_45b24250e09a1205.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of the Chrome browser showing an icon in the URL bar which consists of an i with a circle around it. A menu extends from the icon and contains a variety of information about the webpage.\" width=\"740\" height=\"838\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eChrome currently warns users that they are visiting an insecure site with an information icon\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"security-and-positive-design\"\u003eSecurity and positive design\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecurity teams often have a reputation for saying “no” because they think that the best way to protect users is to limit their behavior. But a good UX can also impress the benefits of security upon users through an affirmative approach. Non-technical UX skills such as brand strategy, copywriting, and visual design all have pivotal roles to play in helping people protect their privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Fighting Phishing in the Browser: Security for Designers",
            "date_published": "2016-10-28T14:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-10-28T14:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/fighting-phishing-browser/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/fighting-phishing-browser/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMy previous posts (\u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/one-phish-two-phish\"\u003epart one\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/fight-phishing\"\u003epart two\u003c/a\u003e) explored what phishing attacks are and ways that designers can help prevent their products from becoming a target. In this post, I’d like to examine some more technical countermeasures. If you’re a designer interested in fighting phishing, this can be useful background information, and it can help prepare you for discussions with your more technical teammates. I also hope this post will highlight that current technical solutions alone are not enough to help users fight phishing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-browser-companies-fight-phishing\"\u003eHow browser companies fight phishing\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeb-browser companies work hard to fight phishing. Services such as the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Safe_Browsing\"\u003eSafe Browsing initiative\u003c/a\u003e provide a continually updated catalog of probable phishing sites and help users of Chrome, Firefox, and Safari avoid them. These browsers pop up a warning message when users navigate to a site in the catalog. Some anti-virus companies provide software that performs a similar function. These services work best against phishing sites that have been around for a few hours or days but are less effective for ones that just launched or that target a limited number of high-value users (such as the spear phishing attacks I described in my first post).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/ff-phishing-warning_hu_449e369dba191e47.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of an eye-catching browser warning.\" width=\"740\" height=\"363\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eAn example of Firefox’s phishing warning for a site that was registered on the Safe Browsing blacklist. Adapted from \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/pejrm/6481288929\"\u003ethis image\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/pejrm/\"\u003ePaul Jacobson\u003c/a\u003e, which was released under a \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/\"\u003eCC BY-NC-SA 2.0\u003c/a\u003e license.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn considering the browser’s efforts to protect users, one common misconception is that the lock icon in the URL bar communicates the authenticity of a website. For example, some people might think that a lock next to a URL containing the word “Amazon” means that you’re viewing a page legitimately owned by Amazon.com. In fact, the lock symbol is meant to convey whether the connection between your computer and the web server is encrypted. It’s entirely possible for the creator of a phishing site to set up encryption on a bogus site, so relying on the presence of a lock icon alone can’t keep you from falling for an attack.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/https-lock_hu_c9d87c04ee5dea43.png\" alt=\"Image of a green lock and https prompt.\" width=\"740\" height=\"200\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eWhile reassuring, a lock icon in the URL of a browser does necessarily mean that the site in question is legitimate.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the lock itself isn’t necessarily meaningful in the fight against phishing, the information you get when you click on it can be if you know what to look for. For most modern web browsers, clicking on the lock will show you security details about the site, including information about its \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSL_certificate\"\u003eSSL certificate\u003c/a\u003e. This certificate includes information about the organization’s name, its location, and what website(s) are affiliated with it. In theory, these certificates are only issued to an organization after a \u003cem\u003ecertification authority\u003c/em\u003e such as \u003ca href=\"https://letsencrypt.org/\"\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s Encrypt\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://www.entrust.com/ssl-certificates/\"\u003eEntrust\u003c/a\u003e verifies these aspects of its identity. When the identify-verification process works well, it means that someone pretending to be Amazon.com Inc. and located in Seattle, WA will be prevented from getting an SSL certificate tying their website to that company’s name and location.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/ssl-certificate-view_hu_1d6d602acfc17434.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a SSL certificate, composed of data fields with values indicating that the certificate belongs to the Bank of America.\" width=\"740\" height=\"723\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eThe SSL certificate I received when viewing Bank of America’s website. It is issued by the Symantec Corporation’s “certification authority” and has a specific assurance level.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn practice, the process can be very messy and subject to corruption or subversion. This was the case in 2011 when the webmail of up to 300,000 Iranians was compromised after a \u003ca href=\"http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/06/diginotar_audit_damning_fail/\"\u003ecertification authority was hacked\u003c/a\u003e. By issuing fraudulent SSL certificates, the attackers were able to more accurately impersonate domains such as gmail.com, compromise a number of Iranian users’ credentials, and spy on them. Even sophisticated users were fooled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the classic certificate-based system fails, there are newer lines of defense such as \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_Public_Key_Pinning\"\u003ekey pinning\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.certificate-transparency.org/\"\u003ecertificate transparency\u003c/a\u003e. Key pinning is a browser feature to verify that the SSL certificates for a company\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Blink and You’ll Miss It: Notifications in an AI World",
            "date_published": "2016-10-13T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-10-13T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/notifications-in-ai/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/notifications-in-ai/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eI’ve been enjoying the videos from \u003ca href=\"#\"\u003eAI Now\u003c/a\u003e, an exploration of artificial intelligence and ethics hosted by the U.S. White House and NYU’s Information Law Institute. Co-chairs Kate Crawford and Simply Secure co-founder Meredith Whittaker put together a program focused on issues of social inequality, labor, and ethics in artificial intelligence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ai-inspiration\"\u003eAI inspiration\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at the program through a UX design lens, there were abundant design opportunities to make AI systems more effective, transparent, and fair. For example, Human-Computer Interaction pioneer Lucy Suchman called for the demystification of artificial intelligence in the video below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n      \u003ciframe allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen\" loading=\"eager\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/ilKPYH94JSg?start=1650?autoplay=0\u0026amp;controls=1\u0026amp;end=0\u0026amp;loop=0\u0026amp;mute=0\u0026amp;start=0\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" title=\"YouTube video\"\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\nLucy Suchman’s presentation from the AI Now plenary begins at 27:30.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuchman also showed two photos side-by-side, one of an elderly woman with her caregiver and the other of an elderly man with a robot caregiver. She described the ways in which the human caregiver dynamically orients herself to the elderly woman whereas the robot cannot do the same. To me, her example illuminated how a human-centered design approach could offer improvements in the way robot caregivers interact with their human patients. One way to put Suchman’s observations to work is to design the robot with longer arms so that the man doesn’t need to lean so far forward to reach it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"notifications-as-a-ux-challenge\"\u003eNotifications as a UX challenge\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond hardware, there are many design opportunities for software as well, one of which is the ethical design of on-screen interfaces for AI interactions. I encourage you to read the entire \u003ca href=\"https://assets.ctfassets.net/8wprhhvnpfc0/3JOy5k4f1YSCQOi8MCCmA2/97010d04fbc7892662ce8b2469dc1601/AI_Now_2016_Report.pdf\"\u003eAI Now summary report\u003c/a\u003e. In particular, the following recommendation stood out as a clear opportunity for design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSupport research to develop the means of measuring and assessing AI systems’ accuracy and fairness during the design and deployment stage. Similarly, support research to develop means of measuring and addressing AI errors and harms once in ­use, including \u003cem\u003eaccountability mechanisms involving notification\u003c/em\u003e, rectification, and redress for those subject to AI systems’ automated decision making.\u003c/strong\u003e\n– from The AI Now Report: The Social and Economic Implications of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the Near-Term (emphasis mine)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotification is critical to helping people understand how their data are accessed and used, but the UX of notification is a hard design problem. On mobile phones, managing notifications is complex. Let’s begin with a few relatively inconsequential examples from everyday apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Notification-examples.001_hu_ad3eec1e8f91ec0a.jpeg\" alt=\"iOS notifications from food delivery service Foodora and language learning app Duolingo\" width=\"740\" height=\"635\"\u003e\n\niOS notifications from food delivery service Foodora and language learning app Duolingo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese notifications sit on the border between being useful and being spam. My phone is set up to get very few notifications, but when I was experimenting with location-based services, I was flooded with spam notifications. Frequent notifications that [someone I barely know] is going to [an event I don’t care about] at [a time when I’m preoccupied] were frustrating.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven without sophisticated context detection, these apps seem to be using the intersection of my past behaviors and the time to make inferences. For example, I might flinch when Foodora thinks that I’m at home and craving pizza at 8 P.M. on a Saturday night, but I can’t dispute that my order history makes it a reasonable assumption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA better example of accounting for past behavior when designing notifications is Duolingo’s reminder feature. You can set reminder notifications in Duolingo, but if you don’t log in after receiving alerts over several days, Duolingo will cease to send them. Duolingo’s designers predicted that I might ignore the alerts and then designed for it. Many other spam creators could learn from Duolingo’s approach.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/StopAlerts_hu_b99598ec11d7cac2.jpg\" alt=\"Alert from Duolingo, saying: These reminders don\u0026rsquo;t seem to be working. We\u0026rsquo;ll stop sending them for now.\" width=\"740\" height=\"236\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ux-for-user-control\"\u003eUX for user control\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotifications are invitations to interact with systems. They suggest that an app or process needs the user’s attention. Consider the iPhone’s settings for managing alerts. On a per-app basis, users can control which kind of notifications they want to see and how they want to see them. At first glance, it may seem like fine-grained control, but this style of notification control is already at the end of its utility.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/notification-control-panel.001_hu_e41a6962776d135f.jpeg\" alt=\"iOS notifications settings. Left: list of applications that generate notifications. Right: controls for an individual application.\" width=\"740\" height=\"635\"\u003e\n\niOS notifications settings. Left: list of applications that generate notifications. Right: controls for an individual application.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstagram notifications for popular accounts expose how the current UX can’t scale. Notifications work fine as long as an Instagrammer has a bounded number of followers, but the below video shows how overwhelming notifications can become when an account has 8 million followers. The account holder behind \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/433/?hl=en\"\u003e@433\u003c/a\u003e, a popular soccer Instagram account, captured what it’s like to receive so many notifications. Since posting the video, @433 has accrued another 4 million followers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n      \u003ciframe allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen\" loading=\"eager\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/zGl796352RI?autoplay=0\u0026amp;controls=1\u0026amp;end=0\u0026amp;loop=0\u0026amp;mute=0\u0026amp;start=0\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" title=\"YouTube video\"\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOverwhelming Instagram alerts for accounts with many followers demonstrate challenges in scaling notifications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"towards-ux-for-ai\"\u003eTowards UX for AI\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn my examples, getting alerts to order food, use a language app, or interact with Instagram followers may be annoying, but the consequences of ignoring them are relatively minor. Skeptics might suggest management strategies such as not using annoying apps or having fewer followers, but people will have no choice but to use some AI systems. For some applications such as credit scoring or medical care, the consequences of ignoring a notification may be drastic, even life-or-death. As part of a larger ecosystem, poor app notification practices by less “consequential” apps threaten the utility of notifications overall. If your notifications feed is crowded with spam about your Instagram followers, you’re bound to miss a critical health alert or two.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrivacy, ethics, and consent come into play when considering scenarios such as how to alert people to automatic facial recognition in public places. Just as we have “video surveillance in use” signs, a design suggestion I have encountered is for cameras to broadcast their presence to anyone within their recording radius. The alert could also invite people to interact with the recorded data. There are already numerous challenges across law, economics, and hardware manufacturing that make this unrealistic. Even if we set those aside, when drones with cameras are as small as bugs, a person could be on tens of thousands of cameras at once. It would trigger a notification nightmare akin to Instagrammer @433’s video.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMobile alert mechanisms aren’t designed for users to interact comfortably with a high volume of notifications. Without better UX, people can’t be effectively notified of how their faces are being recognized and the different ways their data are being used. What if they are misrecognized once in a thousand times? How would they wade through all the messages to identify and rectify the error? A poor UX will limit people’s ability to hold systems accountable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout better notifications, people will not be able to identify misjudgments by automated systems and redress them, and this has potentially devastating personal consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"challenges-for-tomorrows-designers\"\u003eChallenges for tomorrow’s designers\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe social, economic, and ethical implications of AI systems are critically important, and as designers, we must push the frontiers of UX to accommodate these new and proliferating systems. UX for AI is an emerging field, and we need to reimagine training and support for designers who are building their professional practice in this area. What projects are doing a good job at UX for AI or notifications in general? Let us know at \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@simplysecure.org\"\u003econtact@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e or tweet us @simplysecureorg\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "How to Fight Phishing: Security for Designers",
            "date_published": "2016-09-30T15:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-09-30T15:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/fight-phishing/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/fight-phishing/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMy \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/one-phish-two-phish\"\u003elast post\u003c/a\u003e examined the concept of phishing, which is a type of social-engineering attack to con people into divulging private information like passwords or credit card numbers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e When you look for advice on how to protect against phishing, most of what you’ll find is tired wisdom such as “check the email carefully” or “never click on links in emails.” This type of advice assumes that the burden is entirely on would-be victims to protect themselves. While there are important steps that everyone should take, design and security professionals must do more than simply blame users. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this post we’ll examine some things that you can do to fight phishing and help your users develop healthy security habits. In a future post, we will explore some of the technical ways web browsers do the same.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow designers and front-end devs can help\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhishing isn’t just a technical problem, it’s a human problem. Here are some concrete human-centered tips for fighting phishing. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. Consistently polish your designs. \u003c/strong\u003eOne simple action is to make sure that the UX of your organization’s emails and websites are consistently polished. While this is not foolproof (it’s easy for a phisher to hire an unethical designer to replicate what you do), polished designs raise the bar for phishers and make it easier for users to recognize poorly-crafted impersonations. Make sure that not just the welcome email and the homepage are refined and on-brand but also lesser-used designs such as those for password resets. Defining and adhering to a formal \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/style-guide\"\u003estyle guide\u003c/a\u003e can help you maintain consistent polish. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/password-reset_hu_34c2c34b48019c42.png\" alt=\"Mockup of two password-reset pages, one that has a polished design and one that does not.\" width=\"740\" height=\"281\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eIt’s harder for users to fall for a phishing attempt if they’re used to seeing refined designs everywhere (left) than if they are used to seeing the occasional page whose design has been neglected (right).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. Consider the habits you encourage.\u003c/strong\u003e Many social-network companies use email updates to increase user engagement. These emails can unintentionally condition users to click on links that will prompt them to sign in. For example, Facebook sends me an email whenever someone tags me in a post or photo (it’s possible that newer users of the service have to opt in to these notifications), and this has habituated me to seeing notifications in my inbox. It would be easy for a phisher to lull me in by crafting an attack based on this message. If the linked page mimicked the real Facebook site, I might end up falling for the attack. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/fb-email_hu_4295ef9dcad1cf7d.png\" alt=\"An example email notification from Facebook.\" width=\"740\" height=\"355\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eEmail messages like these train users to click on links and sign in to their account on the web page that pops up. Phishers can easily craft a message that takes advantage of this habit.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3. Tell users what you don’t do. \u003c/strong\u003eEmails from financial institutions frequently append anti-phishing boilerplate to their emails. While these additions communicate important information about things that the bank will never do (in particular, ask for sensitive information over email), few users probably ever read or learn from them. Work with your design team to brainstorm ways to communicate this information more clearly. For example, would it make sense to send a brief and engaging email to your users on an annual basis? Are there opportunities to share similar information at key points in your users’ workflows, such as after they’ve reset their password? Or are there ways to make the email footer more eye-catching? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/boilerplate_hu_fbb6b84ca6f32a3b.png\" alt=\"Sample Boilerplate text from TD Bank and Bank of America emails.\" width=\"740\" height=\"321\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eBoilerplate anti-phishing text from TD Bank and Bank Of America, followed by a potentially more eye-catching alternative.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4. Make user-friendly URLs. \u003c/strong\u003ePeople who are equipped to assess the authenticity of your site by looking at its URLs find it a valuable signal. Try to identify the URLs that people are likely to link to, and make them short and reasonably easy to decode. People have a harder time evaluating long URLs when they wrap to multiple lines or scroll off the screen in a browser window. For example, if you’re trying to track click-throughs on your most recent email campaign, consider a system that allows you to use a link like http://acmebank.com/signup/?id=43289s32, rather than http://acm.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db7c289db00f46d096f56f14a\u0026id=e70bf2b789\u0026e=c0e9ebec4f. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5. Don’t use shady alternative domains.\u003c/strong\u003e If your organization’s main website lives at https://acmebank.com, don’t send your users to sites such as https://acmebank.billpay.com or https://billpay.com/acmebank. Using third-party vendor domains can train users to expect unfamiliar websites as part of your communications and make phishing attacks with shady domains seem more credible. The cost savings associated with using these domains may be outweighed by the frustration that your users experience from getting phished.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e6. Support two-factor authentication.\u003c/strong\u003e Allowing users to configure two-factor authentication \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-factor_authentication#Mobile_phone_two-factor_authentication\"\u003eusing their mobile phones\u003c/a\u003e is the single strongest protection that you can offer. Two-factor authentication requires users to sign in with both their password and a one-time code either generated with a smartphone app or received by SMS. (Note: members of the security community consider app-generated codes to be much more secure than those received over SMS, especially when users live in countries where the cellular network may be surveilled.) Even if users fall prey to a phishing attack, the attacker will not be able to use their password to access their account at a later date. It can take a significant investment to support two-factor authentication, but the protection it offers is unparalleled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are just some ideas of how you might protect your users from phishing. Happily, you aren’t alone in the anti-phishing fight; there’s a lot going on in users’ web browsers, too. I’ll explore some of this work in my next post.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the meantime, tell us about your experiences. If you’re a designer, what have you been doing to fight phishing? Do you have a particularly egregious example of a third-party vendor site? \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eShare it with us\u003c/a\u003e on Twitter or in our Slack channel.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "What ‘90s London Raves Can Teach Us About Infosec",
            "date_published": "2016-09-13T15:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-09-13T15:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/90s-raves-infosec/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/90s-raves-infosec/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eOne of the highlights of HybridConf 2016 was hearing writer \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/stevyncolgan?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\"\u003eStevyn Colgan\u003c/a\u003e talk about his time as a police officer at London\u0026rsquo;s Scotland Yard. He entertained the audience of UX designers and front-end developers with stories from his book, \u003ca href=\"https://unbound.com/books/why-did-the-policeman-cross-the-road/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhy Did the Policeman Cross the Road?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e. As someone who is concerned about the state of policing (in line with \u003ca href=\"http://mashable.com/2016/08/10/black-lives-matter-mike-brown-ferguson-timeline/#_4rcJTFBJZqPrecent\"\u003erecent protests\u003c/a\u003e in the United States), I did not expect to be impressed, but Colgan\u0026rsquo;s design-thinking approach to crime prevention took me by surprise.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"design-thinking--policing\"\u003eDesign Thinking + Policing\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColgan was a founding member of the Problem Solving Unit, which operated differently from the rest of Scotland Yard. Instead of solving crimes, they made it their duty to prevent them. Colgan didn\u0026rsquo;t use dystopic tools to identify future criminals. Rather, his team borrowed techniques from cognitive science, marketing, urban planning, and other fields to consider the influence of environmental factors. It is this holistic approach - contemplating physical, technical, and social systems - that makes him a design thinker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColgan shared many stories about his 30 years with the police force, and a few of them were particularly relevant to the security crowd. Information security is about keeping unauthorized people from accessing sensitive content, so in a sense, infosec overlaps with law enforcement in its commitment to crime prevention. Instead of only taking a classic defensive-security stance, borrow from Colgan\u0026rsquo;s Problem Solving Unit and find inspiration by thinking like a creative cop. Here are a few pieces of advice from Colgan\u0026rsquo;s stories:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake your stuff less attractive\u003c/strong\u003e - Something as simple as covering a motorcycle decreases the likelihood that it will be stolen. The added friction of needing to uncover the motorcycle will redirect thieves to other more-accessible targets nearby.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/motorcycle-cover_hu_fb62d828308739c5.JPG\" alt=\"A covered motorcycle is less attractive to thieves than uncovered motorcycles nearby (from Stevyn Colgan\u0026rsquo;s Hybrid Conf talk)\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIdentify the weakness\u003c/strong\u003e - In many enclaves, trash collection happens on a set day. Residents wheel their garbage bins to the curb and bring them back after they\u0026rsquo;ve been emptied. In Colgan\u0026rsquo;s city, the only distinguishing factor across these bins is the owner\u0026rsquo;s house number scrawled on the side. Uncollected bins signal that people aren\u0026rsquo;t home; with one glance, thieves can deduce which houses would make the best targets for daytime break-ins.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/numbered-bin_hu_692e979761c334b4.JPG\" alt=\"Garbage bins are identical except for the house number written on the side (from Stevyn Colgan\u0026rsquo;s Hybrid Conf talk)\" width=\"740\" height=\"417\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConstantly adapt your techniques\u003c/strong\u003e - In the 1990s, London was a center for raves. While these gatherings were a mainstay of cultural life for many people during that era, the police considered them to be dangerous because of illegal drug use, sexual assaults, and overcrowding in the case of fire. Before the internet, people relied on posters to learn when and where raves would be held. The Problem Solving Unit made it difficult for promoters to attach posters by adding diagonal braces to walls, which meant that fewer people learned of the raves. Inclement weather played a role, too. The posters were easily damaged when it was wet or windy because they were posted on uneven surfaces.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/diagonal_hu_8dc032e7be0dc646.jpg\" alt=\"Diagonal bracing made it more difficult for promoters to attach posters to the wall wall (from Stevyn Colgan\u0026rsquo;s Hybrid Conf talk)\" width=\"740\" height=\"408\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"implications-for-infosec\"\u003eImplications for infosec\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColgan\u0026rsquo;s stories of social engineering drew on observations of human behavior and environmental signals, and the Problem Solving Unit\u0026rsquo;s successes and can be applied to infosec UX. Key takeaways include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBasic precautions are good enough for most people\u003c/strong\u003e - Withstanding a targeted attack by a powerful adversary is difficult, but deflecting crime is easier. Just as covering your motorcycle redirects attention, simple deterrents can save your data from harm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLook with fresh eyes\u003c/strong\u003e - Identical garbage bins are unremarkable features in many landscapes because they\u0026rsquo;re so common. Thinking like a designer means looking past the surface and seeing what can be tweaked. Removing bin numbers - the superficial solution - would have been a complex and impractical response, but nudging people to change their behavior worked just as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsider the entire user journey\u003c/strong\u003e - Rather than focusing only on undesirable behavior at raves, Colgan mapped the entire user journey from the very moment that people learn of a rave. By looking for the starting point, Colgan\u0026rsquo;s team came up with the clever solution to use \u0026ldquo;cancelled\u0026rdquo; stickers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was surprised to find a police officer at a design conference, but Colgan\u0026rsquo;s stories demonstrate that a design mindset always has a place, and technical problems don\u0026rsquo;t always need technical solutions. Colgan\u0026rsquo;s solutions may have been in plain sight, but they were elegant. Instead of signaling a lack of originality, tactics like the \u0026ldquo;cancelled\u0026rdquo; stickers are markers of success.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes, the best adjustments are so trivial that we overlook or discount them. When crafting new technologies, what simple solutions have been sitting in front of you, waiting to be discovered?\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "One Phish, Two Phish: Security for Designers",
            "date_published": "2016-08-30T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-08-30T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/one-phish-two-phish/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/one-phish-two-phish/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMost people who spend time online have a general idea of what \u0026ldquo;phishing\u0026rdquo; is, but it can be hard for folks outside of the security community to pin down an exact definition. Understanding the threat that phishing attacks pose can help designers and other UX experts become effective advocates for experiences that protect users. In this post, we will explore the basics of how phishing attacks work, and in a follow-up post, we will examine some of the mechanisms that protect users against them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"phishing-is-social-engineering\"\u003ePhishing is social engineering\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs of this writing, Wikipedia defines phishing as \u0026ldquo;the attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money), often for malicious reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/phishing-definition_hu_a3175b41ca092ff9.png\" alt=\"Image defining phishing as an attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.\" width=\"740\" height=\"571\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA definition of the term \u0026ldquo;phishing,\u0026rdquo; adapted from \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat does this really mean? Implicit in this definition is the idea that phishing attacks target people; they are an example of what security experts call a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_engineering_(security)\"\u003esocial engineering attack\u003c/a\u003e. This is in contrast to many of the other digital threats we hear about, such as exploits that take advantage of flaws in particular software programs (e.g.: \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_overflow\"\u003ebuffer overflows\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL_injection\"\u003eSQL injection points\u003c/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-site_scripting\"\u003ecross-site scripting opportunities\u003c/a\u003e) or assaults that take aim at the limitations of a computer system (e.g.: \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack\"\u003edenial-of-service attacks\u003c/a\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSocial engineering attacks are just a modern take on the classic \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick\"\u003econfidence trick\u003c/a\u003e, which derives its name from the attacker\u0026rsquo;s methodology of building false confidence – or trust – with the target before attempting to defraud them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/confidence-definition_hu_3d55a51e56565091.png\" alt=\"Image with text defining the term confidence trick as an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their confidence.\" width=\"740\" height=\"614\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA definition of the term \u0026ldquo;confidence trick,\u0026rdquo; adapted from \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther examples of social-engineering attacks include \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam\"\u003eadvance-fee scams\u003c/a\u003e (beware of people claiming to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16915-bbb-tip-foreign-money-exchange-scams\"\u003eNigerian royalty!\u003c/a\u003e) and the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McDonnell\"\u003eelaborate scheme\u003c/a\u003e that \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McDonnell\"\u003eMary McDonnell\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rsquo;s character uses to steal a key card, thus allowing \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Redford\"\u003eRobert Redford\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rsquo;s character to access a locked building in the movie \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakers_(1992_film)\"\u003eSneakers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"a-sample-attack\"\u003eA sample attack\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgain, the aim of a phishing attack is to harvest confidential information from users. Let\u0026rsquo;s walk through a hypothetical example to see what this looks like in practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJuanita gets an email that looks like it\u0026rsquo;s from Bank of America, saying her password needs to be reset, and it offers a link that allows her to take this action.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJuanita clicks on the link and sees a webpage that looks similar to the one she is used to using.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe enters in her username and her password.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe page returns an error, saying that the password she entered is incorrect. Like many people, Juanita has a small number of passwords that she reuses across many sites. She tries a few different passwords, trying to find one that works.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJuanita eventually gives up, clicks the \u0026ldquo;Forgot Passcode\u0026rdquo; link, and sees that the site returns an error message asking her to sign in again later.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt this point, the attackers have probably gotten:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJuanita\u0026rsquo;s bank username\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJuanita\u0026rsquo;s bank password\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe passwords of several other services Juanita uses, potentially including the one she uses on her email account\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey accomplished this because:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey sent a message pretending to be from Bank of America to an actual Bank of America customer.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey spoofed the \u0026ldquo;from\u0026rdquo; address in the email, so it looked like it was really coming from Juanita\u0026rsquo;s bank.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey created an email that looked and felt similar to the emails Juanita regularly gets from her bank.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey created a webpage that looked and felt similar to the one she\u0026rsquo;s accustomed to.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey took advantage of Juanita\u0026rsquo;s uncomfortable relationship with passwords; she wasn\u0026rsquo;t sure that she was typing the right one, so inadvertently shared several others as well.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/phishing-example_hu_3365c920dd3137b.png\" alt=\"Image of a mocked-up phishing email and sign-in page.\" width=\"740\" height=\"537\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA mocked-up phishing email and sign-in page.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-practical-threats-of-phishing\"\u003eThe practical threats of phishing\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor their attacks to be successful, phishers must create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing confidential details. Attackers harvesting credit card numbers might create a fake version of a popular online retailer or a government website to collect social security numbers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmail credentials – the username and password you enter when you sign in to your email account – are a particularly juicy target because most sites use email as a password-reset mechanism (for example, when you click the \u0026ldquo;Forgot your password?\u0026rdquo; link on Amazon.com\u0026rsquo;s sign-in page, they send a code to your email account as the first step in resetting your password). Thus, attacks against your email account are about more than getting access to your email messages; they\u0026rsquo;re about using your email account as a jumping-off point to get access to the rest of your digital life, too. There are also other ways in which a phishing attack may be just the first of a multi-step attack; if you reuse passwords, one successful phish can end up compromising many accounts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, if you reuse passwords from one account to another, a successful phishing attack against one account can easily end up escalating into something more serious. Where possible, try to use unique passwords for your high-value accounts and consider using a reputable password manager that isn\u0026rsquo;t based in the cloud, like \u003ca href=\"https://1password.com/\"\u003e1Password\u003c/a\u003e (stay tuned for my next post on phishing, where I will explore this and other defensive mechanisms in more detail).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"advanced-attacks\"\u003eAdvanced attacks\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEarly phishers focused on compromising a large number of random accounts, but their attacks quickly evolved to become more targeted. Rather than send emails to a million hotmail.com accounts, attackers will sometimes do meticulous research and craft a message specifically designed to appeal to the staff of a particular organization. This message might be designed to look like the sign-in page for the organization\u0026rsquo;s internal web portal or for its health insurance provider. If the attacker is an employee or knows someone who works at the organization, they may reference information that only insiders would know.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, imagine that Hamidou works for Collective Insurance of Brooklyn, a large company that conducts much of its business online. He recently started working there and is still learning how to navigate the company\u0026rsquo;s employee benefits website, which he thinks looks very outdated. This benefits site is managed by a firm called BenefitsDigital, which specializes in benefits management but hasn\u0026rsquo;t updated the styling on their site for a long time. While accessing it during new-employee orientation, Hamidou noticed that it has a strange URL like collectiveinsurancebrooklyn.benefitsdigital.com.  his HR representative explained that this is to be expected because the site is hosted by the benefits administration company.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn attacker saw Collective Insurance of Brooklyn listed on BenefitsDigital\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;Our Clients\u0026rdquo; page, and used a LinkedIn search to discover that Hamidou and a few other people started working there recently. Further sleuthing revealed that most employees at the company have email addresses of the form firstname.lastname@. From there, it was easy for the attackers to send this small group of employees a customized message that looked like it came from BenefitsDigital. The message tells them that they need to sign in to the website and perform their quarterly benefits review to prevent a discontinuation of their 401(k) matching, and helpfully reminds them that they are eligible for a $200/month commuting reimbursement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHamidou clicks on the link in the email, which brings him to collectiveinsurancebrooklyn.ebenefitsdigital.com. His eyes skim over the long URL and he doesn\u0026rsquo;t notice that the site is hosted at ebenefitsdigital.com (a site the attackers set up to mimic the legitimate benefits administrator), not benefitsdigital.com. The website is just as weirdly outdated and buggy as ever, so nothing seems out of place to Hamidou. When he tries to sign in, he gets an error message that the site is down for maintenance. He decides he will try again a few days later.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/spear-phishing_hu_7c136e603145dd33.png\" alt=\"Image defining spear phishing as a personalized phishing attack against a high-value target, either an individual or an organization.\" width=\"740\" height=\"611\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA definition of the term \u0026ldquo;spear phishing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAttacks similar to this example is not just believable, but becoming increasingly common. As you might imagine, a customized message that references an organization\u0026rsquo;s cultural touchstones is less likely to set off alarm bells for its victims and has a higher probability of success. If the phisher\u0026rsquo;s goal is to gain access to the organization\u0026rsquo;s internal systems, a customized attack can can be successful if just a single employee bites.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven more sophisticated attacks combine inside knowledge with a sense of social pressure by making the emails personalized to individual targets, and making it seem like the message is coming from a senior member of the organization, such as its CEO (apparently, this kind of attack is now called \u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2448905/snapchat-hit-by-ceo-email-scam-as-whaling-attacks-increase\"\u003ewhaling\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rdquo;). If you\u0026rsquo;re a lowly payroll processor and you get an urgent email from someone six levels above you in the corporate hierarchy – on the day where the rest of the department is at a retreat! – it can be hard to keep your cool and tune in to the possibility that the inquiry may not be legitimate. And, even if you do get a sense that the request may not be legitimate, how do you verify your hunch without simultaneously insulting a bigwig and torpedoing your career?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"phishing-is-about-confidence\"\u003ePhishing is about confidence\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs I remarked before, phishing is just one modern take on the idea of a confidence game. A successful attack depends on the user developing confidence that the request for their information is legitimate. Social pressures, such as in the whaling example, can make it hard for users to see an attack for what it is. So can general discomfort with computers or a lack of experience dealing with sensitive information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/abagnale_hu_ca7245900b4ec621.png\" alt=\"Still image from the movie Catch Me If You Can, picturing Leonardo DiCaprio dressed as an airline pilot surrounded by eight young women dressed as stewardesses.\" width=\"740\" height=\"410\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2002 movie \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71rDQ7z4eFg\"\u003eCatch Me If You Can\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e publicized \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Abagnale\"\u003eFrank Abagnale Jr.\u0026rsquo;s\u003c/a\u003e adventures as a young confidence trickster. Frank (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is the epitome of the term \u0026ldquo;confidence man,\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;con man\u0026rdquo; for short.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s important to note that falling for a phishing attack does not indicate any kind of failing in a person\u0026rsquo;s intelligence. The skills we\u0026rsquo;ve evolved over millennia for developing trust in other human beings – evaluating appearance, behavior, and pattern-matching – do not serve us well in a digital context. The channels we have for receiving trust information from computers, such as the visual design of a website or the \u0026ldquo;from\u0026rdquo; header of an email, are simply too easily spoofed. When push comes to shove, if you create a website that is a faithful replica of \u003ca href=\"https://www.bankofamerica.com/\"\u003ebankofamerica.com\u003c/a\u003e, you will find people who will trust it based on its visual design alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a future post, I will review some of the mechanisms that exist to help users and organizations protect against phishing attacks and explore ways that designers can contribute safeguards through their products. In the meantime, do you have a favorite story about phishing or other forms of social engineering? Connect with us on \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e and tell us all about it!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Learning from Drones",
            "date_published": "2016-08-16T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-08-16T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/learning-from-drones/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/learning-from-drones/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast week, I encountered discussions of drones in two unimaginably different contexts: in an academic presentation at \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity16\"\u003eUSENIX Security 2016\u003c/a\u003e and on the TV comedy \u003ca href=\"https://www.ifc.com/shows/portlandia/explore--1000011\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePortlandia\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e. As distant genres, they offer different perspectives that have equally important UX implications for privacy preservation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity16/technical-sessions/presentation/wing\"\u003eopening keynote\u003c/a\u003e of USENIX Security, Dr. Jeannette Wing examined the trustworthiness of cyber-physical systems, which are engineered systems with tight coordination between the computational and physical worlds. Some of her examples included the Nest thermostat and the Apple watch, which are very exciting user experiences to UX designers. To a designer like me, her concrete, design-based examples set an inviting tone for such a technical conference.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"drones-from-a-technical-security-perspective\"\u003eDrones from a technical security perspective\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Wing spent time exploring points of vulnerability in which the integrity of systems, such as drones, could be compromised. This uncertainty needs management at multiple levels. For example, drones need to manage unexpected atmospheric conditions and sensor malfunctions while still operating safely. However, when flying and data collection already draw on limited battery life, there\u0026rsquo;s barely power left for anything else. Dr. Wing called for securing the full set of software running on IoT devices, from low-level device identity in hardware through secure boot and storage up to encrypted communications and secure configuration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/JeannetteWingSlide_hu_1868dd0043849591.jpg\" alt=\"Slide from Jeannette Wing\u0026rsquo;s keynote at USENIX Security 2016.\" width=\"740\" height=\"408\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eSlide from Jeannette Wing\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;Crashing Drones\u0026rdquo; keynote at USENIX Security 2016.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut preserving privacy is more than just a technical stack; the challenges that users have when operating drones contain UX lessons for privacy preservation. For that, we turn to Portlandia, which picks up where Dr. Wing dropped off.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"drones-in-pop-culture\"\u003eDrones in Pop Culture\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the \u0026ldquo;Pickathon\u0026rdquo; episode of \u003ca href=\"https://www.ifc.com/shows/portlandia/explore--1000011\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePortlandia\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, the two protagonists use drones to experience the Pickathon music festival virtually. By flying their drones to the front row of the concert, the two operators can see and hear everything from their couch. Although they manage to avoid long lines and smelly port-a-potties, their impact on the physical world is still felt: They injure other concert-goers—intentionally or not—as they navigate the festival.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Portlandia-Ad_hu_d4b6af78e2bc5b9f.jpg\" alt=\"Fake advertisement in the Portlandia Pickathon episode for drone rentals.\" width=\"740\" height=\"448\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eFake advertisement in the Portlandia \u0026ldquo;Pickathon\u0026rdquo; episode for drone rentals.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plot points of the sketch unpack UX for privacy in a humorous way:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBystanders don\u0026rsquo;t know who\u0026rsquo;s operating them or why\u003c/strong\u003e\nIt\u0026rsquo;s unclear at the beginning that remote concert-goers are in control of the drones and that they have nothing to do with the official music festival.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBystanders don\u0026rsquo;t know what data is being collected\u003c/strong\u003e\nIn the sketch, concert-goers assume that the drones contain cameras but are uncertain whether audio and other data are also being captured.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubjects under observation are unsure of how to interact with remote operators\u003c/strong\u003e\nThe operators can broadcast their voices through the drones, and one annoyed concert-goer was surprised to discover that \u0026ldquo;this thing can talk.\u0026rdquo; The operator taunted the concert-goer into a fist fight in which the concert-goer curses the absent operator all the while getting beat up by the drone.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBystanders and subjects don\u0026rsquo;t know where the drone operator is located\u003c/strong\u003e\nWhen the freshly bruised concert-goer breaks open the drone, he sees a label with the operators\u0026rsquo; address. He shows up at their house to beat up the operator who goaded him during the fight.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen operating a third-party drone, an external carrier might be able to both monitor and override control of the drone from afar\u003c/strong\u003e\nAt the end of the episode, the bruised concert-goer makes peace with the operators and joins them on their couch. While all three enjoy the concert via drone operation, the entrepreneur who rented the drone to the operators appears in the background. In his quest to make music festivals appealing to music fans over age 40, he had snuck into their home to watch them and gather data points.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/drone-injury_hu_256c25ba45aaf531.jpg\" alt=\"The concert-goer who was cut up by the operator\u0026rsquo;s drone in Portlandia\u0026rsquo;s Pickathon episode.\" width=\"740\" height=\"437\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eThe concert-goer who was cut up by the operator\u0026rsquo;s drone in Portlandia\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;Pickathon\u0026rdquo; episode.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-drones-challenge-us-to-design-for-privacy\"\u003eHow drones challenge us to design for privacy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrones are a useful example when considering privacy because they make every actor in the system visible. In contrast to contexts such as mobile messaging on a phone, drones are less abstract because you can see the operator, owner, and subjects under observation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are two key UX design challenges for people working on IoT applications more broadly:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow can embedded sensors disclose the data they are collecting, who is collecting it, and for what purposes?\u003c/strong\u003e\nWithout a service design component, policies such as a hypothetical drone registration service won\u0026rsquo;t help people understand the who, what, where, and why behind the drone\u0026rsquo;s operation. As an analogy, many commercial trust don\u0026rsquo;t just have a license plate to identify them. They also display decals that ask, \u0026ldquo;How\u0026rsquo;s my driving? Call 1-800-XXX-XXXX for complaints about vehicle number N.\u0026rdquo; Because of the decal, other drivers now know of another channel to learn more and hold truck drivers accountable. Nothing similar exists for drones.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat best practices for zero-UI or design-beyond-the-screen can be used to help bystanders interact with drones?\u003c/strong\u003e\nDismantling a drone to find a physical street address like in Portlandia may be comedic, but it is neither common nor scalable. With weight and power at a premium on drones, there is no space to add instructions on how bystanders should interact with the drone. One solution is to use bystanders\u0026rsquo; cell phones displays, but that approach is also problematic. It is highly unlikely that we can scale the use of mobile notifications to inform bystanders of their rights and the drones\u0026rsquo; purpose. Even if notifications were mandatory, the thousands of IoT devices alerting bystanders through their smartphones would be an unnavigable user experience. We need to explore these issues more deeply.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"drones-lead-the-way\"\u003eDrones lead the way\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrones are complex cyber-physical systems with poor ability to disclose how they work to bystanders. In contrast to the relatively well-understood domains of email and mobile messaging, privacy-preserving measures for drones are significantly more complicated. Because the challenges for drones are new to both the public and the technical community, they provide an opportunity to engage a mass audience in critical thinking about how we want to interact with the systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough drones, designers can explore particular challenges such as alert management. By thinking about how multiple parties (owner, operator, subjects under observation, privacy advocates, etc.) want to interact with drones, thoughtful UX design can empower people to manage their privacy in a variety of contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Your Software Can Help At-risk People, Too",
            "date_published": "2016-08-02T20:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-08-02T20:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/your-software-can-help/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/your-software-can-help/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWeb browsers are utility software; they are designed to work for all people. Not only must their features meet the needs of average members of a population, they must also work for people with special needs. As Firefox says on its \u003ca href=\"https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/mobile-accessibility-features\"\u003emobile accessibility features\u003c/a\u003e page, the browser has been \u0026ldquo;designed to meet the needs of the broadest population possible,\u0026rdquo; but \u0026ldquo;sometimes that is not enough.\u0026rdquo; In particular, software that is built for everyone can too often leave people with specific security or privacy needs at risk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a counterexample, I recently noticed that Chrome\u0026rsquo;s Android app has a small but tremendously valuable feature for people at risk of in-person surveillance. At-risk users might include someone whose phone is subject to regular inspection at government checkpoints, which has been \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/26/world/europe/a-21st-century-migrants-checklist-water-shelter-smartphone.html\"\u003ereported to be the case\u003c/a\u003e in Syria. It could also be someone whose boss requires them to hand over their phone at the start of each retail-job shift, as Ame learned in her \u003ca href=\"/resources/techreports/NYC15-MobMsg.pdf\"\u003eNew York City study\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe feature is part of Chrome\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/7005900\"\u003eincognito mode\u003c/a\u003e, which lets users browse the web without worrying that their device will record the history or cookies from their session. The browser automatically deletes this information when all incognito tabs are closed. Now, on phones running recent versions of the Android operating system, Chrome can push a message to the notification shade and to the lock screen that allows you to easily close all incognito tabs in a single action.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/incognito-notification_hu_adb376e924ec247b.png\" alt=\"Images depicting the Chrome notification.\" width=\"740\" height=\"121\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eChrome\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;Close all incognito tabs\u0026rdquo; notification, as an icon in the notification bar (left), expanded in the notification shade (center), and on the lock screen (right).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis hits the sweet spot for features that are incredibly useful for a subset of an app\u0026rsquo;s user population:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s unobtrusive\u003c/strong\u003e. If you don\u0026rsquo;t use incognito mode, you won\u0026rsquo;t ever encounter or be confused by this feature.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s automatic\u003c/strong\u003e. If you do use incognito mode, you don\u0026rsquo;t have to take extra steps to enable it; it\u0026rsquo;s on by default.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s simple and elegant\u003c/strong\u003e. Since it\u0026rsquo;s a notification, it\u0026rsquo;s easily available from anywhere in the operating system. Its functionality is immediately apparent and immediately effective.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, not everyone is a fan of this feature; a quick web search reveals that some users who keep incognito tabs open for extended periods find this notification annoying. In creating this feature, the designers had to choose whether to build in more protection (having the notification on by default) or less, and they erred on the side of more. Given the goals of incognito mode, I think this is appropriate. That said, Google might address criticizers\u0026rsquo; concerns by offering a setting to opt out of the notifications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"learning-from-this-example\"\u003eLearning from this example\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile we often cheer the loudest when apps integrate features like end-to-end encryption (e.g.: \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/whatsapp-update\"\u003eWhatsapp\u003c/a\u003e), smaller features can make a big impact, too. This Chrome feature shows that apps designed for a general population can directly help people concerned about their data security in simple, elegant ways.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRight now, members of the western technology community often perceive at-risk users as being a niche population. It\u0026rsquo;s easy to envision opposition fighters in Syria, activists like \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ai_Weiwei\"\u003eAi Weiwei\u003c/a\u003e, or journalists like \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Poitras\"\u003eLaura Poitras\u003c/a\u003e, who worked with Edward Snowden to publish his documents. But as you learn more about the prevalence of surveillance and the concerns that people have about intrusions on their private data, you will discover that this group is larger than you think – and it\u0026rsquo;s growing. At-risk users are people who worry about their security, either physical or digital. As online data plays an ever-increasing role in life around the globe, its potential for exploitation by corrupt officials, domestic abusers, and organized crime escalates as well.  It\u0026rsquo;s important to get a jump-start thinking about these users now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat small features can your project add to help at-risk people? If you need help brainstorming or have released a successful project in this vein, \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003elet us know\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Respecting Participants in Privacy-related User Studies",
            "date_published": "2016-07-26T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-07-26T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/respecting-participants/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/respecting-participants/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eI was in Darmstadt for Privacy and Security Week last week to present Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s work on ethics in user research at \u003ca href=\"https://petsymposium.org/2016/spw-mirror/pets-2016/hotpets/\"\u003eHotPETS\u003c/a\u003e. You can check out the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Talks-and-Slides/2016/HotPETS-2016-paper.pdf\"\u003epaper\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Talks-and-Slides/2016/HotPETS-2016-slides.pdf\"\u003eslides\u003c/a\u003e on GitHub.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"resources-for-ethical-research\"\u003eResources for ethical research\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2015, we did a field study that we named \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgTechReport.pdf\"\u003eStraight Talk: New Yorkers on Mobile Messaging and Implications for Privacy\u003c/a\u003e. We have since used it as a case study to demonstrate how to work with study participants. Here is a list of \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging\"\u003eresources\u003c/a\u003e for user studies that draws from the case.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, our previous blog posts explain how to use \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/recruiting-screeners\"\u003eparticipant recruiting screeners\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/model-release\"\u003emodel releases\u003c/a\u003e for photography, and the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/participant-rights\"\u003eparticipant\u0026rsquo;s bill of rights\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"participating-in-research-shouldnt-harm-people\"\u003eParticipating in research shouldn\u0026rsquo;t harm people\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Internet Freedom community is keenly aware of the need to protect sources who speak with journalists, but we tend to overlook how to protect research participants as well. Here are some questions to ask yourself next time you do a study:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo you need to record audio and video — are they necessary for publishing results — or will handwritten notes suffice?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre the research participants representative of your target user population? Think not only demographics but also attitudes. If your participants are willing to install logging software and be recorded, are they reasonable approximations of your intended users?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSite analytics can encroach on privacy. Given this, what alternatives can you consider that will also help you quantify usability?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s the threat model? What could happen to your participants if others find out that they participated in your research?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf your organization requires standard language on an informed consent document, are there options to include a second page that\u0026rsquo;s written in human-centered, accessible language?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/participant-discussion_hu_b1b2cd099692a3a2.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Ame looking at papers with a research participant.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eIn this interview, the consent forms and model release forms were visibly laid out on the table.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"safeguarding-participants-is-important\"\u003eSafeguarding participants is important\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was encouraging at \u003ca href=\"https://eurousec.secuso.org/\"\u003eEuroUSEC\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://petsymposium.org/2016/spw-mirror/pets-2016/index.html\"\u003ePETS\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://petsymposium.org/2016/spw-mirror/pets-2016/hotpets/\"\u003eHotPETS\u003c/a\u003e to see so many presenters who shared the results of their user studies. At Simply Secure, we want to assist researchers in approaching their studies mindfully. Please adapt our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging\"\u003eresources\u003c/a\u003e for your use. Our goal is to provide tools that match the needs of a global audience, so let us know where they can use improvement.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Don't Let Color Drown Out Your Message",
            "date_published": "2016-07-19T16:45:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-07-19T16:45:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/color-message/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/color-message/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast month, I \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/compelling-color\"\u003ewrote\u003c/a\u003e about the importance of visual design for creating compelling software and shared resources for learning about color and choosing a good color scheme.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI also cautioned readers that using color in \u0026ldquo;moderation can go a long way toward making your project look professional and credible.\u0026rdquo; Today\u0026rsquo;s post will dissect that advice in greater detail.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"use-color-as-an-accent\"\u003eUse color as an accent\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColor is great for logos and accents — it makes a statement, it conveys personality — but it can also overwhelm users when it dominates the main body of the interface. Designers use color to focus people\u0026rsquo;s attention on the most important content, and a little bit can go a long way. Whites, grays, and blacks may seem visually boring when you have a rainbow of options to choose from, but they provide a neutral basis that allows the colorful elements of your UI to stand out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/weather-newsletter_hu_24998e6ca1d69ae3.png\" alt=\"Two mockups of a weather newsletter, one with a dark blue background and the other with a white background.\" width=\"740\" height=\"306\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eNewsletters and other information-heavy designs are particularly well-served by light backgrounds. When choosing a color for a graphic element, don\u0026rsquo;t just select an attractive hue; first examine the importance of the information it conveys and whether it deserves to be highlighted.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/acme-email-bright_hu_d325a9780cefe968.png\" alt=\"Two mockups of an email sign-in page, one with a bright purple background and one with a white background.\" width=\"740\" height=\"290\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eA white background and gray text in the text fields makes the sign-in flow to the right more approachable and professional. This color combination also helps the actionable elements – the button and the \u0026ldquo;Learn more\u0026rdquo; link – stand out more. \u003ca href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indian_woman_smiles.jpg\"\u003ePhotograph\u003c/a\u003e used under \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/deed.en\"\u003eCC BY-SA 2.5.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"neither-too-bright-nor-too-dark\"\u003eNeither too bright nor too dark\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to present your user with an engaging and warm experience, try to use light, neutral tones as the background for the majority of your interface. Unlike software developers, who may find light text on dark backgrounds easier to read, members of the general public can interpret dark colors as unfriendly — sometimes threatening — which just makes things harder if you\u0026rsquo;re trying to build software that inspires confidence and trust with new users. Avoid using black or dark gray unless you are confident that your target audience will interpret it as a cultural reference (as is the case when you\u0026rsquo;re \u003ca href=\"https://www.blackhat.com/\"\u003ecatering to hackers\u003c/a\u003e or there is a functional reason for a dark background (e.g. when it\u0026rsquo;s a tool for working with \u003ca href=\"https://color.adobe.com/\"\u003ecolor\u003c/a\u003e or when it\u0026rsquo;s an optional customization in a text editor).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/acme-dark_hu_c252704c7513fb6b.png\" alt=\"Two mockups of an email sign-in page, one with a dark background and bright colors, the other with a white background and darker colors.\" width=\"740\" height=\"290\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eAvoid dark backgrounds as a general rule. If you want to convey a serious feeling, consider using darker shades for your accent colors.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"dont-over-saturate\"\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t over-saturate\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHighly saturated colors should be used carefully. Saturated colors can suggest liveliness and cheer but can easily go too far and make it painful to look at the interface.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/cat-infographic_hu_e0615583381e3694.png\" alt=\"Two mockups of an infographic with a red background; one uses a very saturated red, the other uses a less-saturated red.\" width=\"740\" height=\"291\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eThe graphic to the left uses #FF0000 for its red, which has a saturation of 100%. The graphic on the right uses #FF4040, which is a tone of the same hue and brightness that has a saturation of 75%. The difference is subtle, but it makes the contrast with the colors and repeated pattern of the cat outlines a little less jarring.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you don\u0026rsquo;t know how saturated a color is, look at the \u0026ldquo;S\u0026rdquo; value on an HSB (hue, saturation, brightness) color picker in an image-editing program. The more saturated a color is, the closer its value is to 100. The Simply Secure color palette is bright and cheerful with a variety of hues but balances this brightness by dampening the saturation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/color-saturation_hu_f254340e820a6351.png\" alt=\"An image of a color picker and an image of the five shades of Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s color palette.\" width=\"740\" height=\"354\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eTo the left, the Sketch color picker displays the values for hue (H), saturation (S), and brightness (B). To the right, Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s color palette has been labeled with each color\u0026rsquo;s saturation value.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"think-expansively-and-find-a-friend\"\u003eThink expansively and find a friend\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven people who have spent years studying the subject have a hard time getting color right. When you\u0026rsquo;re working on a new palette or layout, we recommend that you ask a color-savvy friend who is removed from the work to give you feedback. Instead of a single design that they have to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to, present multiple design directions and have a conversation about the advantages and disadvantages of each. When possible, repeat this process several times, ideally with different critics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrivacy-preserving technology is important, and color can make it approachable to a broad audience. As with many aspects of software, aiming for simplicity and elegance in color is usually a safe bet. If you don\u0026rsquo;t know where to start, try finding inspiration from other technologies that are designed to appeal to a broad audience. Otherwise stick to the basics: use a clean and light background, don\u0026rsquo;t over-saturate, and focus on using color to accent the most important information. This will help you create a design that is approachable, useful, and conveys trustworthiness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you need a friendly pair of eyes to take a look at your latest creation, please consider joining the #design channel of our Slack community! You can request an invitation by emailing us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Illustrated Quick-start Intro to Wireframing",
            "date_published": "2016-07-12T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-07-12T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/wireframing-intro/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/wireframing-intro/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re new to UX design, \u003ca href=\"http://www.experienceux.co.uk/faqs/what-is-wireframing/\"\u003ewireframing\u003c/a\u003e is a powerful tool to understand how users experience your software. People with technical backgrounds benefit from wireframing because it forces them to take a step back from their coding mentality. Rather than focusing on the technical architecture, wireframing exposes the user-experience structure: how the user moves from one screen to another.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/wireframe-example_hu_864c987539c15d95.jpg\" alt=\"Image showing one wireframe with a set of buttons representing options, and another with a drop-down menu of options.\" width=\"740\" height=\"281\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eExample wireframes taken \u003ca href=\"http://www.goodui.org/\"\u003efrom GoodUI.org\u003c/a\u003e. Both show the same content organized with two different structures, but the left wireframe is better because it discloses choices rather than keeping them hidden.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWireframes are useful because they offer a stripped-down, visual experience made up of plain boxes and lines—no formatting, no styling, no graphic design. That\u0026rsquo;s right; improving your UX skills starts with abandoning colors and styles. If you can draw mostly straight lines, you\u0026rsquo;ve got what it takes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"why-wireframe\"\u003eWhy wireframe?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTeams use wireframes at many points during the design process. They can use it to conceptualize a design, to critique their design internally, and to get reactions from testers. Here are three advantages of wireframing:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStart off right.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nIf you\u0026rsquo;re implementing a new feature, start by analyzing how a different app handled a similar challenge. The act of sketching wireframes can trigger different thought processes and impart a deeper understanding than what you would get by just looking at an interface on screen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGet user feedback faster than with code.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nIt only takes an afternoon to complete a set of wireframes. If you\u0026rsquo;re not sure which features need to be implemented first, experimenting with wireframes and seeing how testers react is a smart investment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFind the problem.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nIs something about your app confusing to people, but you can\u0026rsquo;t figure out how to fix it? Support tickets and pull-requests can only go so far. Sitting down to wireframe some alternatives can help your team untangle its thinking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-90-minute-no-drawing-skills-needed-wireframe-boot-camp\"\u003eThe 90-minute-no-drawing-skills-needed wireframe boot camp\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWireframing is a quick way to validate your design. It saves on wasted development time, and anyone can do it. When you are ready to test out a new interface, wireframing will help you drill down to the best UI and help you organize your development priorities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can start wireframing with little more than an hour and some basic office supplies. There are numerous apps such as \u003ca href=\"https://balsamiq.com/\"\u003eBalsamiq\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sketchapp.com/\"\u003eSketch\u003c/a\u003e for making wireframes, but doing it by hand is more effective when you\u0026rsquo;re new to the process. Don\u0026rsquo;t waste time mastering wireframe software; spend that time building your UX acumen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterials needed:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePaper\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlack Sharpie marker\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrey Sharpie (could be something like a highlighter, too)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDifferent color marker for callouts (traditionally red)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOptional: window to the outside for easy tracing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, pick the website or app you want to analyze. I picked Twitter\u0026rsquo;s iOS app as the basis for my wireframes in this exercise. Even though I know the app well, taking the time to wireframe it helped me see the app more critically, and what I learned from wireframing will inform my design choices for similar apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"make-paper-printouts\"\u003eMake Paper Printouts\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tutorial works by tracing an existing app or website. To do that, you need paper printouts. If you\u0026rsquo;re analyzing a website, just print every page. If you picked an iOS app like me, here\u0026rsquo;s one way to print from iOS:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCapture screenshots of the screens you want to work on. I did this on my iPhone by pressing the power button and soft button at the same time. I sent the screenshots to my laptop, which is connected to a printer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn a laptop, open every screenshot image and merge them into one file. You can do this on a Mac by using the Preview application to open the images. Go to View -\u0026gt; Thumbnail menu option and drag thumbnail images from different files into one thumbnail tray. Now you have a multipage file.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDecide what scale or size works best for your needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow, you can see what the screens look like when printed in the \u0026ldquo;4 up\u0026rdquo; setting from the Preview application. This is a good layout for mobile apps because it mimics a small screen and is easy to cut down to size.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/4up-color_hu_9c7c338afd80aac9.jpg\" alt=\"Image of four screenshots printed in greyscale on a single page.\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eImage of screenshots in \u0026ldquo;4-up\u0026rdquo; setting.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/architecture_hu_a74d2f63865f86ba.jpg\" alt=\"Image of several screenshots pinned up on a board.\" width=\"740\" height=\"731\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eImage of pinned-up architecture.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCut out each screen to lay out the architecture. The typical way to lay out architecture is to make every item in the top row a global navigation choice. In the top row of my cutouts, I drew red squares around specific global navigation buttons to indicate the current state of the app. Each item underneath the top row represents a substate. In this example, only the \u0026ldquo;Me\u0026rdquo; column to the far right has other substates beneath it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes it\u0026rsquo;s easier to work with enlarged wireframes so there\u0026rsquo;s plenty of room to write out button names. In this example, I use words instead of icons to indicate what the buttons do.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want to work with an enlarged version of the screen, you can sketch based on what you see on screen, but if you\u0026rsquo;re not used to sketching, you can start by tracing your printouts. You don\u0026rsquo;t need any equipment other than a window to do this. It works best if it\u0026rsquo;s brighter outside than inside. You can see the result of my tracing below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/AmeAtWindow_hu_223ad48c35baa3e.jpg\" alt=\"Image of the author working with screenshots held up against a window.\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eTracing at a window.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/TracedImage_hu_c3315801475303eb.jpg\" alt=\"Image of a traced wireframe.\" width=\"740\" height=\"1008\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eTracing result.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"wireframing-at-the-right-level-of-abstraction\"\u003eWireframing at the right level of abstraction\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince navigation is the focus of my wireframe, I only use color (gray shading in this case) to indicate what state the UI is in. Use abstractions such as wavy lines or lorem ipsum copy to represent user-generated content. Abstract representations keep testers focused on the navigation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther elements can also cause confusion, even if users are generally familiar with them. When getting user feedback on a Twitter wireframe, things like \u0026ldquo;Name @handle\u0026rdquo; can be distracting. To avoid this, use something made up but recognizable like \u0026ldquo;Marie Curie @mcurie\u0026rdquo; if you plan to show that element to testers. If the audiences for your wireframe are people who are comfortable with pseudocodes, using \u0026ldquo;Name @handle\u0026rdquo; probably won\u0026rsquo;t throw them off, and in those cases, that level of abstraction is fine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese images show a progression from screen printout at left to the most abstract zones of activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/levels-of-abstraction_hu_5957839c7be90ccc.jpg\" alt=\"Three wireframes at varying levels of abstraction.\" width=\"740\" height=\"363\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eLevels of abstraction.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/CloseUpAbstract_hu_31096b4d3398f4a8.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up image of one of the more abstract wireframes.\" width=\"740\" height=\"885\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eAn more abstract wireframe.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe red writing are callouts that describe what activity happens in each zone, with an emphasis on navigation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next image is even more abstract, and it raises the question: Why are there four different button blocks spread across multiple zones?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/zones-of-activity_hu_94cff1c41d784898.jpg\" alt=\"Image of a wireframe that highlights zones of activity.\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eZones of activity.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis wireframe of the Twitter iOS app really spotlights the trade-offs in navigation. There are four different areas of navigation (why?), and instead of using hamburger-, sidebar-, or other types of menus, the designers settled on buttons. There are positive and negative tradeoffs here. On the one hand, the buttons are self-disclosing, and it is immediately clear what sort of operations are possible. On the other hand, there\u0026rsquo;s a lot of clutter, and users have to look in multiple places to perform the operation they want.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo practice wireframing, I suggest:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDraw whatever you\u0026rsquo;ve been working on, regardless of its state. Much like handwritten notes, even an hour of drawing helps me understand the logic behind the system.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLook for a widely admired version of the feature you\u0026rsquo;ve been working on. Sketch out a wireframe of what you find and then sketch out your version. Tools that have mass adoption have generally achieved high usability. Wireframing Amazon\u0026rsquo;s shopping cart gives a good understanding of what a successful cart needs. In this case, Twitter is a reasonable place to start if you want to understand the logic behind a complex communication app.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnalyze the similarities and differences between the other version and your version of the feature. What considerations underlie those design choices?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo set a benchmark for user profiles, you can make a series of wireframes by looking at popular services that have user profiles and using them as points of comparison.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake a look at guides like this one on \u003ca href=\"http://www.dtelepathy.com/blog/design/learning-to-wireframe-10-best-practices\"\u003e10 best practices for wireframing\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"wireframes-trigger-insights\"\u003eWireframes Trigger Insights\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave you ever given a slide presentation only to see a typo that you didn\u0026rsquo;t catch beforehand? Even though you rehearsed many times, the typo didn\u0026rsquo;t leap out at you until now. When it comes to UI, wireframing ensures against this. Like the exercise in this post, wireframing an app that you\u0026rsquo;re building will quickly reveal problems that you didn\u0026rsquo;t expect. Wireframing takes you out of the code and offers another context to critically examine engineering and design choices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you\u0026rsquo;re working solo or on a team, wireframing is a quick and powerful way to think about the structure of your app and to prioritize improvements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"going-deeper\"\u003eGoing Deeper\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://eleganthack.com/\"\u003eChristina Wodke\u003c/a\u003e is one of the first information architects. She has years\u0026rsquo; worth of excellent posts on \u003ca href=\"http://boxesandarrows.com/\"\u003eBoxes and Arrows\u003c/a\u003e. \u003ca href=\"http://boxesandarrows.com/mythic-design/\"\u003eMythic Design\u003c/a\u003e, one example of her many thought-provoking pieces, addresses the limits of wireframes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbby Covert\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"http://abbytheia.com/makesense/\"\u003eHow to Make Sense of Any Mess\u003c/a\u003e is a quick read and a classic resource on how to structure content.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Talking Across The Divide: Designing For More Than \"It's Secure\"",
            "date_published": "2016-07-05T19:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-07-05T19:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/talking-across-divide/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/talking-across-divide/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re coming to the study of security and privacy from another field, it can sometimes be tough to get a clear answer to what seems like a simple question: Is this app secure? However, if you\u0026rsquo;re working on the user experience for that software, it\u0026rsquo;s critical that you understand the assumptions that security experts are making about your users and their behavior – and not just take the experts\u0026rsquo; word that all is well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;ve written before that neither security nor usability are \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/not-binary-properties\"\u003ebinary properties\u003c/a\u003e. In a nutshell, this means that there\u0026rsquo;s a lot of gray area when it comes to deciding whether something is secure or insecure. Security enthusiasts often come at the problem by answering one question: Is this the most secure solution available? Meanwhile, non-experts are actually asking a different one: Is this secure enough for what I want to do? Like usability, security is defined as a function of a particular set of users and their needs – more specifically, as a function of the threats they face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/buckets_hu_2c684074b820167c.png\" alt=\"Image of two buckets, labeled \u0026lsquo;secure\u0026rsquo; and \u0026lsquo;insecure\u0026rsquo;, with a marble labeled app and a question mark.\" width=\"740\" height=\"653\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s often hard to classify an app as being secure or insecure without additional context about the user and their goals.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re a designer, usability researcher, or other UX professional collaborating with a security engineer for the first time, it may be uncomfortable to push back and ask for more information about the app\u0026rsquo;s security features, especially if the answers are full of unfamiliar acronyms and buzzwords. And it\u0026rsquo;s tempting as a security expert to say something along the lines of, \u0026ldquo;trust me; this is secure.\u0026rdquo; But digging in to this kind of cross-discipline dialogue can be essential for identifying places that users will get tripped up. Talking across the divide can prevent an app that is secure in theory from becoming seriously flawed in practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some questions that teams of security experts and UX professionals should be able to answer about the software they are building together. This kind of conversation is best held in front of a whiteboard, where team members can communicate visually as well as verbally. Security experts should challenge themselves to offer complete explanations in accessible terms. Their partners should be vocal when a concept is not clear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is the threat model (probable set of attacks) that the software protects against? Who are the \u0026ldquo;adversaries\u0026rdquo; that are likely to try and subvert the software, and what features are in place to protect against them? Include both attackers interested in your infrastructure (either for monetary gain or for \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html?_r=2\u0026amp;ref=technology\"\u003ethe lulz\u003c/a\u003e) and in your users\u0026rsquo; data (whether they\u0026rsquo;re harvesting large quantities or carrying out a personal vendetta).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat threats is the software currently vulnerable to? Don\u0026rsquo;t forget to consider users who are at risk of targeted attacks, such as domestic abuse survivors, investigative journalists, or LGBTQ activists around the world (one resource to help you get started is our former fellow Gus Andrews\u0026rsquo; \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews/user-personas-for-privacy-and-security-a8b35ae5a63b#.gmcvkdhkt\"\u003eset of user personas for privacy and security\u003c/a\u003e). Remember in particular that some people are targeted by their telecom providers and even their governments.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow does the UX help users understand both the protections the software offers and the protections it does not offer? Given the people who use the software (or are likely to use it in the future), does the UX do an accurate and reasonable job at conveying how it aims to keep its users secure? For example, if the software advertises encryption, is it truly to inform users or simply to smooth over their fears (pro tip: the phrase \u0026ldquo;military-grade encryption\u0026rdquo; is never a good sign for users)? If your chat app\u0026rsquo;s messages automatically disappear, do people understand that there are ways those messages may still be retained?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre there things that users can do – or fail to do – that will expose them to additional risk? Does the UX help shape their behavior appropriately to counter this eventuality? For example, does the app periodically encourage users to protect their accounts with basic features like two-factor authentication? Does it just send two-factor codes by SMS or also support alternatives like app-generated codes or hardware tokens?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is just a starting point in what we hope will become an ongoing conversation between UX professionals and their security-minded colleagues. Great software is built around excellent user experiences, and keeping users\u0026rsquo; data safe is a core (if often implicit) user need. For this reason, we believe designers and UX researchers can be important advocates for user security. Conversations across the divide are an important first step to making this a reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWould your team like help talking through these types of issues? We can lend a hand. Drop us a line at \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@simplysecure.org\"\u003econtact@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Safeguarding Research Participants With A Bill Of Rights",
            "date_published": "2016-06-28T13:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-06-28T13:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/participant-rights/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/participant-rights/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIn this installment of our series on resources for field research, we discuss the \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgParticipantBillofRights.pdf\"\u003eparticipant\u0026rsquo;s bill of rights\u003c/a\u003e. Additional resources include \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/recruiting-screeners\"\u003escreeners\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/model-release\"\u003emodel releases for photography\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"why-consent-matters\"\u003eWhy Consent Matters\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eField research such as interviews and observations are an important part of Human-Centered Design. As important as learning about first-person, lived experiences is to the design process, the act of participating in an interview can feel awkward. There is an inherent power dynamic that puts researchers in a dominant position; for all that participants know, once they share a personal story, researchers are free to use it as they please.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile an interview may seem innocuous, it can put participants in harm\u0026rsquo;s way when handled improperly. Consent is a safeguard that stems from a collection of unethical scientific studies such as the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_syphilis_experiment#Ethical_implications\"\u003eTuskegee experiment\u003c/a\u003e, where Black men who had syphilis were not told that they were infected, and not told that their condition was the primary reason for the study. This and other experiments from earlier eras caused lifelong trauma for their participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile research on technology projects may seem less dangerous than medical experiments, they can also harm participants. For example, people can suffer serious consequences from online behavior, including lowered credit scores, loss of livelihood, and threats to their safety or the safety of their loved ones. When a researcher shares participants\u0026rsquo; stories, they are vulnerable to similar consequences if those stories can be traced back to participants through personally-identifiable details.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthical researchers generally use a consent form that both informs and assures participants that they have rights. This is called \u0026ldquo;informed consent,\u0026rdquo; and by signing the consent form, participants acknowledge that they understand what kinds of data are being gathered and how the data will be used.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/participant-discussion_hu_b1b2cd099692a3a2.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of the author looking at papers with a study participant.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"balancing-the-power-dynamic\"\u003eBalancing the power dynamic\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use the phrase \u0026ldquo;participant\u0026rsquo;s bill of rights\u0026rdquo; for our informed consent document to convey that the participant has control over aspects of the process. There are three main areas in the bill of rights:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe power to ask questions:\u003c/strong\u003e Participants are empowered to ask questions and give feedback about the interviewer, including speaking to a superior. The form should include contact information for the interviewer\u0026rsquo;s superior.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompensation just for showing up:\u003c/strong\u003e Participants can refuse to answer individual questions, refuse to participate, or leave, but still be compensated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eControlling what\u0026rsquo;s captured and how it\u0026rsquo;s shared:\u003c/strong\u003e Participants understand that researchers will not record the interview, take their photo, or quote them unless participants give their consent. Researchers will take appropriate measures to contact participants about any media they want to use publicly, and participants can review the media content before it is shared. They can also request the removal of any materials that have already been shared publicly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"example-bill-of-rights\"\u003eExample bill of rights\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow is an example of a participant\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgParticipantBillofRights.pdf\"\u003ebill of rights\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe respect you and appreciate your time. Everyone participating in an interview has the following rights:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI can ask questions about the interview, the organization, or the interviewer at any time\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI do not have to answer any question that I do not want to\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI can refuse for the interview to be recorded by video or audio, and I will still be compensated\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI can leave at any time, and I will still be compensated\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI can provide confidential feedback about my interview experience to the interviewer\u0026rsquo;s manager\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI must approve the use of any photos, audio, video, or anonymized quotes that are used publicly, whether on a website, on a blog, or in the press\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEven after a photo, video, or quote has been published, I have the right to request its removal at any point in the future\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou can reach us anytime by calling or texting to [x] or by email at [x].\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tips-to-consider\"\u003eTips to Consider\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSelect an approachable name for the document:\u003c/strong\u003e In medical or psychological contexts, these consent documents are reviewed by Committees for the \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Commission_for_the_Protection_of_Human_Subjects_of_Biomedical_and_Behavioral_Research\"\u003eProtection of Human Subjects\u003c/a\u003e. As a term, \u0026ldquo;human subjects\u0026rdquo; may be technically correct, but it is distant and off-putting. At Simply Secure, we intentionally selected \u0026ldquo;participant\u0026rsquo;s bill of rights\u0026rdquo; to provide clear language and to empower participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrint the bill of rights on letterhead:\u003c/strong\u003e Use your organization\u0026rsquo;s name and logo to make this look official.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBe accessible:\u003c/strong\u003e Bring two copies of the consent form so that participants can take one with them. This should include contact information for someone in your organization who is not the interviewer in case the participant wants to discuss a negative experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTake only what you need:\u003c/strong\u003e Be mindful of appropriately secure channels for communication. Safeguard necessary physical documentation in a locked cabinet, and shred anything that you have no reason to keep.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe invite you to adapt this bill of rights to suit your needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Model Release: Respectfully Sharing Stories",
            "date_published": "2016-06-21T16:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-06-21T16:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/model-release/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/model-release/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis post is part of a series explaining our publicly available \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging\"\u003eresources\u003c/a\u003e for user research. The previous installment covered \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/recruiting-screeners\"\u003ehow to write screeners\u003c/a\u003e to recruit participants. This week, we discuss how to get \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgModelRelease.pdf\"\u003emodel releases\u003c/a\u003e to share photos from user studies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOne approach among many\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt Simply Secure, we strive to balance study participants' privacy with building  empathy in an audience of developers, policymakers, and designers by sharing study photos and stories. Meanwhile, many startups have used exploitative and borderline unethical user testing methods that make extensive use of behavior tracking. Privacy-preserving technology is evolving. Now is the time to develop best practices that both enable meaningful data collection on user experience and respect users' privacy. There are many ethical ways to handle data collection, and the following is an approach we used in one of our studies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recently conducted a user study about participants' experience with surveillance and the strategies they use to preserve their privacy. There's an inherent paradox in recording a conversation about surveillance, and to acknowledge this, we decided that handwritten notes were sufficient to capture attitudes towards surveillance and personal strategies to get around it. Instead of recording audio or video during the interviews, our researchers only took notes on paper. In situations where anonymity is critical to our participants' safety, we asked them to tell us what they'd like to be called rather than collecting their names and contact details.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy take photographs?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a designer, I'm a visual person and find photos to be a powerful note-taking tool and memory aid. When I look at a photo from a user study from 10 years ago, I can remember specific details of the conversation and insights from the study even though I haven't interacted with the participant since then. Not only are photos useful to designers as memory aids, they are powerful in inviting an audience into a user's story. They help the audience internalize learnings from a study. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePhotography is always an opt-in process\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite its benefits as a mnemonic, participants should never feel pressured to have their photo taken. At the beginning of Simply Secure interviews, participants are given a Participant's Bill of Rights that outlines consent procedures, including the ability to refuse any questions, quit and still be compensated, and refuse photography.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a winter 2015 study, we helped participants understand how the photos could be used by showing them photos from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/?hl=en\"\u003eHumans of New York's (HONY)\u003c/a\u003e Instagram feed. HONY combines photos of people in public space, with descriptions of what they are doing or thinking. These powerful stories are akin to bite-sized doses of user research. We used HONY's feed to demonstrate how we might share their stories and personally ­identifiable photos on the public web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the final 5-10 minutes of our session, we asked if people were comfortable posing for photos. Doing this at the end is beneficial because participants have a clearer idea of who we are and are conscious of the stories they've shared. Participants could choose from three types of photographic participation: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo photography\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeing photographed in a personally meaningful but non-­identifiable way (such as their shoes or purses)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeing photographed in an identifiable way \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat a model release means\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur default is to avoid collecting personally-identifiable information, but in instances where we do, we ask study participants to sign our model release. This step is central to how Simply Secure balances building audience empathy and protecting participants' privacy. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are clear concerns that modeling is exploitative and harmful to people, and the choice of using a model release—and calling it a \"model release\"—is an intentional one. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn important ethical consideration of model releases is that models \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@AndyKimy/things-i-learned-doing-stock-photography-modeling-9b5812d832b5#.2cfxfddng\"\u003elose control\u003c/a\u003e of their images and cannot choose how their narratives will be paired with them. When using HONY as an example, we showed a photo of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/96lwfutrC9/?taken-by=humansofny\u0026hl=en\"\u003ea man who talked about the aftermath of his domestic violence conviction\u003c/a\u003e. By talking through this provocative example, we were confident that our participants appreciated how hard it can be to get a nuanced picture of people's stories.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe explained that although we had no plans to put the images on Instagram, we would like to share them on our blog and in presentations. That's a much smaller audience than popular Instagram feeds, but there are implications of sharing photos anywhere on the open web.\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSome examples\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf the 12 participants in our study, three signed model releases, five agreed to non-personally-identifiable photos, and four did not want to be photographed. We took photos with an iPhone, and everyone was offered a chance to review them. Rather than candid shots, we took staged photos to portray the participants as powerful, positive people. After some minor photo filtering and cropping, we sent copies of the photos to participants who signed model releases to get their approval for public use. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/SignedRelease_hu_87defa5728f6bbf7.jpg\" alt=\"Missing alt text\" width=\"740\" height=\"285\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eStudy participants who signed model releases for sharing photos.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Non-Identifiable_hu_5f3eb24bdb5e264b.jpg\" alt=\"Missing alt text\" width=\"740\" height=\"311\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eNon-personally identifiable photos, taken with verbal consent, but not a signed model release.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWe're still learning\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince our study was about surveillance and personal strategies to preserve privacy, we asked participants to show us examples of how they use their phones. With their permission, we photographed their phones. We blurred out their names and personal information before sharing any photos publicly, but photos with homescreens, photos, and wallpaper required extra sensitivity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsider the photos below. One of the participants had a photo of herself as the wallpaper. She was comfortable sharing the photo and signed a model release. But what should we do if her wallpaper were a photo of another private individual? How should we approach photography when the wallpaper is a photo of a child? Complicating matters, does it change things if the participant is the parent versus a relative of the child?\u003c/p\u003e\n![Missing alt text](/images/blog/2016/VarietyOfPhones.jpg)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eParticipants' phones. Photos shared by consent with identifiable text blurred. \u003c/em\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are still learning at Simply Secure, and we believe that a human-centered approach should be a best practice in developing privacy-preserving software. We welcome discussion about best practices for ethical research. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTell us what you think of how a background image of other private individuals fits into personally identifiable information. If you are a researcher and want to join the research dialogue on our Slack channel, email \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Event: UX in a High-Risk World",
            "date_published": "2016-06-17T14:30:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-06-17T14:30:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/ux-high-risk/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/ux-high-risk/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAs you know, building great software depends on a deep knowledge of users. If you're working on a project targeted at people who operate in high-risk situations, such as activists and journalists, it can be hard to get the quality insight you need to design features and experiences that will work for them. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're based in the San Francisco Bay area, there's an exciting event happening in July that focuses especially on user experiences for this population. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ux-in-a-high-risk-world-tickets-25739389206\"\u003eUX in a High-Risk World\u003c/a\u003e, hosted by Internews on Thursday July 14th, will bring together \"visionary leaders who are piloting and developing solutions for activists facing censorship, hacking, surveillance, and suppression in some of the world's most challenging environments\". \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/ux-high-risk_hu_18e62b75c68de72f.png\" alt=\"Missing alt text\" width=\"740\" height=\"448\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a great opportunity to talk not just about building secure, privacy-preserving software, but about the lived experiences of users who have an urgent need for it. We think that this is an important conversation, and we're offering support by sharing it with our community of partners and volunteers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInternews will also announce the UXFund Call for Proposals at the event. As the event description notes, \"UXFund is a small-grants program to support usability and accessibility improvements for open-source digital security tools.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAttendance is free but admission is limited, so if you want to go, \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ux-in-a-high-risk-world-tickets-25739389206\"\u003eregister\u003c/a\u003e before the July 6th deadline!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Event: UX in a High-Risk World",
            "date_published": "2016-06-17T14:30:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-06-17T14:30:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/ux-high-risk/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/ux-high-risk/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAs you know, building great software depends on a deep knowledge of users. If you\u0026rsquo;re working on a project targeted at people who operate in high-risk situations, such as activists and journalists, it can be hard to get the quality insight you need to design features and experiences that will work for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re based in the San Francisco Bay area, there\u0026rsquo;s an exciting event happening in July that focuses especially on user experiences for this population. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ux-in-a-high-risk-world-tickets-25739389206\"\u003eUX in a High-Risk World\u003c/a\u003e, hosted by Internews on Thursday July 14th, will bring together \u0026ldquo;visionary leaders who are piloting and developing solutions for activists facing censorship, hacking, surveillance, and suppression in some of the world\u0026rsquo;s most challenging environments\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/ux-high-risk_hu_18e62b75c68de72f.png\" alt=\"Missing alt text\" width=\"740\" height=\"448\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a great opportunity to talk not just about building secure, privacy-preserving software, but about the lived experiences of users who have an urgent need for it. We think that this is an important conversation, and we\u0026rsquo;re offering support by sharing it with our community of partners and volunteers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInternews will also announce the UXFund Call for Proposals at the event. As the event description notes, \u0026ldquo;UXFund is a small-grants program to support usability and accessibility improvements for open-source digital security tools.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAttendance is free but admission is limited, so if you want to go, \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ux-in-a-high-risk-world-tickets-25739389206\"\u003eregister\u003c/a\u003e before the July 6th deadline!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Compelling Color",
            "date_published": "2016-06-10T19:30:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-06-10T19:30:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/compelling-color/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/compelling-color/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eGreat user experiences are born through the hard work of professionals with a variety of skills. As illustrated by the UX unicorn we\u0026rsquo;ve \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/self-starter\"\u003eseen before\u003c/a\u003e, there\u0026rsquo;s a lot that goes into what we call \u0026ldquo;design\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;usability.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/UXUnicorn_hu_e01443dc5f39ab.png\" alt=\"Image of a unicorn composed of different elements of the user-experience process\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe skills and responsibilities of an effective UX team. Originally published in \u003ca href=\"http://blog.invisionapp.com/building-an-enterprise-ux-team\"\u003eBuilding an enterprise UX team\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/RainbowliciousD\"\u003eRachel Daniel\u003c/a\u003e (also on \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheldaniel\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e), UX Director at MaxPoint. Used by permission.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at this unicorn illustration, it may be tempting to dismiss visual design as a \u0026ldquo;nice to have\u0026rdquo; skill. After all, it\u0026rsquo;s possible to make a basically functional piece of software without paying any particular attention to the visual design (just as a horse can get by without a horn). And unlike interaction design, which is possible to evaluate empirically through user studies, it can be hard to pin down exactly what makes a visual design \u0026ldquo;good.\u0026rdquo; This subjectivity can be compounded by visual design’s tendency to evolve and trend over time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/ios67_hu_e15f1588918af0b3.png\" alt=\"Screenshots of iOS 6 and iOS 7\" width=\"740\" height=\"657\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eObserve the difference in the visual design in the icons of iOS6 (left) and iOS 7 (right). This change would appear to be driven largely by a desire to have the apps look fresh, new, and modern.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut visual design is about more than just making something pretty or trendy. Visual design includes typography, iconography, and color, all of which can contribute or detract from usability. These basic elements of visual design usually follow well-understood rules.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/visual-design-is-key_hu_dc3e9c92e432ffaa.png\" alt=\"Two versions of the phrase visual design is key, one of which is easily legible and the other of which is not.\" width=\"740\" height=\"391\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTypography and color selection can make or break a user\u0026rsquo;s experience.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s focus for now on some basic ideas around color. A consistent and tasteful palette can be a great way to make your software, website, newsletter, and print materials more usable and attractive to your users. Simply Secure worked with a professional visual designer to come up with our colors (as documented in a post about our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/style-guide\"\u003estyle guide\u003c/a\u003e), but it\u0026rsquo;s possible for even people new to design to select a set of tasteful hues. Here are some tips to get you started.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"read-up-on-the-basics\"\u003eRead up on the basics\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre you confused by terms like \u003cem\u003ehue\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003esaturation\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003ebrightness\u003c/em\u003e, and what bearing they have on making a color scheme attractive? Ria Carmin\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://blog.prototypr.io/design-for-programmers-d38c56982cd0\"\u003edeveloper-targeted post\u003c/a\u003e addresses exactly that. (See \u0026ldquo;Rule 3: Color\u0026rdquo;.) She does a great job of breaking down different types of color palettes, such as those that follow a monochromatic, analogous, complementary, or triad scheme.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/color-pickers_hu_5736a4f530a7e9be.png\" alt=\"Screenshots of three color picker interfaces.\" width=\"740\" height=\"275\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTraditional color pickers can be limiting, imprecise, or hard for color novices to understand.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"choose-your-tool-carefully\"\u003eChoose your tool carefully\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen making a color palette, don\u0026rsquo;t work with individual colors in isolation. Many traditional color pickers in graphics software can be limiting, imprecise, or hard to understand. Free online tools such as \u003ca href=\"https://color.adobe.com/\"\u003eAdobe Color\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://paletton.com/\"\u003ePaletton\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://coolors.co/\"\u003eCoolors\u003c/a\u003e can help you identify a collection of colors that work well together. To play it safe, use the default settings and carefully modify one color at a time to watch the rest of the palette adjust.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"dont-go-to-the-extreme\"\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t go to the extreme\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it\u0026rsquo;s tempting to try and send a strong message about your software by using lots of intense colors, remember that moderation can go a long way toward making your project look professional and credible. Developers in the security community seem particularly drawn toward dark shades, which can feel unapproachable to some users. Another tendency is to pick the brightest, most saturated colors available, which can also be off-putting. Finally, remember that color is often used best as a highlight, not as the main body. Whites and greys with a small, coherent selection of accent colors allow the user\u0026rsquo;s eyes to quickly identify what belongs in the background and what needs their attention. For example, Simply Secure uses lots of bright colors on our webpage, but the main body of each page is a neutral white or off-white.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHas your team been struggling with color? Did you recently go through a redesign that you\u0026rsquo;re proud of? We\u0026rsquo;d like to hear from you; please \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eget in touch!\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Selecting Research Participants for Privacy and Beyond",
            "date_published": "2016-06-03T14:30:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-06-03T14:30:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/recruiting-screeners/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/recruiting-screeners/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eA screener is a questionnaire that helps researchers recruit the most appropriate participants for their user study research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgScreener.pdf\"\u003eHere\u003c/a\u003e is an example we used for our mobile messaging study in NYC. Blue Ridge Labs handled the recruiting. Most of this screener\u0026rsquo;s questions are a standard part of how they work with potential participants. Our questions, in red, focus on messaging and attitudes towards privacy. Additional questions about VPN use, email, and getting online were for our Fellow \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews\"\u003eGus Andrews\u0026rsquo;s research.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example question sorts candidates into how frequently they message:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbout how many messages would you say you send via your phone in an average week? This includes text, Facebook messages, WhatsApp, etc.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLess than 10\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBetween 11-30\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e31-50\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMore than 50\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions like this can allow researchers to select a balanced mix of participants – for example, a few who message infrequently and a few who message heavily. In our case, we wanted frequent messagers, and used this question to meet with people sending 31 or more messages per week. (In practice most participants sent more than 50.) In recruiting terms, we screened out people sending 30 or fewer messages.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScreeners are a regular part of user research for studies on everything from breakfast-cereal selection to the usability of enterprise software. Professional recruiters rely on screeners to match participants with projects. Even if a team handles their own recruiting, such as by posting a listing in a café or on a message board, screeners can still be helpful. The process of creating one helps a team be very specific about who they want to talk to, and forces them to clarify who they think will use (or not use) their product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tips-for-effective-screeners\"\u003eTips for Effective Screeners\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some considerations for writing effective screeners for privacy-preserving technologies and beyond.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t ask for information you don\u0026rsquo;t need.\u003c/strong\u003e\nWhen you complete a screener, you gather personally-identifiable information about people and are responsible for storing it securely. Is gender identity relevant? Income? Zip code? Nationality? There are good reasons for collecting answers to those questions, but if they aren\u0026rsquo;t directly relevant to your study, don\u0026rsquo;t ask. Potential participants are more likely to complete a shorter, more-targeted questionnaire. The faster you get enough completed questionnaires, the sooner you can recruit enough candidates to start your study. Our example screener included questions from our partner Blue Ridge Labs that weren\u0026rsquo;t immediately relevant to our work. The disadvantage of having extra questions was offset by the advantage of having our partner manage participants\u0026rsquo; information. Simply Secure has no way to identify or contact the participants since we never had access to the data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstead of yes/no questions, ask multiple choice or open-ended questions.\u003c/strong\u003e\nYes/no questions tend to be more leading and encourage the potential participant to answer correctly rather than truthfully. For example, ask \u0026ldquo;How many text messages do you send in a week?\u0026rdquo; instead of \u0026ldquo;Do you send more than X messages?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeople are more than their demographics.\u003c/strong\u003e\nThink of ways to ask questions about behaviors or attitudes, not just descriptive demographics like age. \u0026ldquo;So easy your mother could use it\u0026rdquo; assumes that mothers have more trouble using technology than other groups. Don\u0026rsquo;t assume that people in a particular demographic will all be the same or have the behaviors you\u0026rsquo;re looking for. Tech enthusiasts and tech-avoidant people come in all ages, sizes, colors, and genders.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf the research is in-person, rather than on-line, screen for people who want to share their stories.\u003c/strong\u003e\nScreeners are used for both qualitative, in-person research and quantitative, online research like surveys. If you\u0026rsquo;re recruiting for in-person research, you\u0026rsquo;ll want to talk to potential candidates first to see how comfortable they are responding to questions. Having a thick accent, making grammar mistakes, or being shy shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be barriers to participating in an interview. But someone who is ambivalent about the topic or uninterested in answering questions won\u0026rsquo;t be as good at inspiring a design team empathize with them. Our screener with Blue Ridge Labs used \u0026ldquo;must talk in more than one-word answers\u0026rdquo; as a criterion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability questions can shorten time between screener and study.\u003c/strong\u003e\nAsk which of several times participants are available for a feedback session. For example, consider this question:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSelect all times you are available to meet at [address]:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonday, June 3 at 1:00pm\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonday, June 3 at 2:30pm\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTuesday, June 4 at 6:00pm\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTuesday, June 4 at 7:30pm\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNone of the above\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions like this remove the need for an extra step in determining availability. Be sure to ask how people want to be contacted for follow up for their available times. If you plan to meet someone Monday, don\u0026rsquo;t send emails to a work address they don\u0026rsquo;t check over the weekend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMake room for non-users.\u003c/strong\u003e\nTeams can learn a lot from carefully listening to people who aren\u0026rsquo;t already interested in their projects. Making room in the screener to capture people who, for example, haven\u0026rsquo;t heard of two-factor authentication can lead to important insights about designing broadly-appealing, generally-accessible software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"get-the-right-people\"\u003eGet the Right People\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScreeners are helpful for making sure studies get the right mix of participants. They are also part of the foundation of a process for getting critical user feedback early and often. Taking the time to ask a few basic questions up front can set up the whole study – and project – for success.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/participant-discussion_hu_b1b2cd099692a3a2.jpg\" alt=\"Ame and a participant sitting at a table.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eLearning from a Blue Ridge Labs participant recruited using our screener.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources\"\u003eResources:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgScreener.pdf\"\u003eNYC Mobile Messaging Screener\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"further-reading\"\u003eFurther Reading:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGV\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://library.gv.com/how-to-find-great-participants-for-your-user-study-da20f98dad9e#.bxovavq37\"\u003eHow to Find Great Participants\u003c/a\u003e (includes screener worksheet)\nSpring UX\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@SpringUX/amy-and-susans-research-management-tips-and-tricks-the-recruit-9e646f1706e9#.2kv2w2k76\"\u003eManaging the Recruit\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Meeting Users' Needs: The Necessary Is Not Sufficient",
            "date_published": "2016-05-27T16:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-05-27T16:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/necessary-not-sufficient/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/necessary-not-sufficient/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eBuilding great software requires understanding what users want and need. If you’re building privacy-preserving software, this includes understanding the privacy threats that your users face. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/nyc-participant_hu_3663ba13b335d0a1.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a woman standing on a city sidewalk.\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003eOne of the participants in Ame’s NYC study.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Ame \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/straight-talk\"\u003eset out to talk\u003c/a\u003e to people in the New York City neighborhoods of Brownsville and Harlem about their experiences with mobile messaging, she wanted to amplify voices that are frequently underrepresented in the software community. (Many thanks again to \u003ca href=\"https://www.labs.robinhood.org/dig\"\u003eBlue Ridge Labs\u003c/a\u003e for helping her connect with study participants.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBig tech companies usually end up focusing their user research on the affluent Silicon-Valley dwellers that resemble their employees. Many funders of internet-freedom software are interested in the needs of activists and journalists. As a result, the software requirements of other people – folks who aren’t activists, but who have modest financial means – are not heard by developers, product managers, and other decision-makers who shape the features and presentation of software today. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eImportant nuances\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAme began sharing findings of the study with researchers, developers, and members of our Slack community to seek feedback. We were excited and gratified to see it referenced in a \u003ca href=\"https://vnhacker.blogspot.com/2016/05/security-and-privacy-in-google-allo.html\"\u003erecent blog post\u003c/a\u003e by a Google security engineer who contributed to \u003ca href=\"https://allo.google.com/\"\u003eAllo\u003c/a\u003e, the new instant-messaging app that the company announced during I/O. (Note: the engineer wrote the post as a personal opinion, not in his official capacity as a Google employee. He subsequently made several changes to the wording of the post, we assume at his employer’s request.) \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blog post highlights that study participants expressed concern around physical threats like shoulder surfing, and that they see disappearing messaging (where messages are automatically deleted after a certain amount of time) as a key protective feature. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe were pleased, because the post signified that this research was already reaching software decision-makers. It validated our belief that this kind of study, which amplifies the voices of underrepresented users, holds real potential to influence the features and priorities of software teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, we were less pleased by this part of the post: “Most people focus on end-to-end encryption, but I think the best privacy feature of Allo is disappearing messaging. This is what users actually need when it comes to privacy.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s true that our writeups of the study thus far have talked about the mismatch between privacy enthusiasts’ priorities (e.g. end-to-end encryption) and participants’ requested security features (e.g. disappearing messaging). However, we have never argued that disappearing messages should come at the expense of end-to-end encryption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants in the study saw disappearing messaging as an important feature because it combats a set of threats that they feel they have some control over. That doesn’t mean that those are the only threats that they care about. Indeed, participants also expressed concern about government surveillance, while simultaneously conveying a sense of inevitability. If you believe the government will always have the power to spy on you, why would you waste time trying to find software that prevents that spying?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFalse dichotomies\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Allo team has faced significant criticism by members of the security community because they plan to make its end-to-end encryption opt-in rather than on by default. They argue that this allows users to upgrade their security if they want, but otherwise have immediate access to chatbot-style, AI-powered features. Until we can actually use the product, it’s hard to know whether this dichotomy – privacy vs. chatbot goodness – is really a necessary one. Is it truly impossible to both provide end-to-end encryption for interpersonal channels and offer an advanced bot interface on another? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf it is the case that users have to choose between a feature that offers chatbot functionality and one that works to preserve their privacy, let’s all be honest about the decision that’s being made. Don’t imply that disappearing messaging is sufficient because it’s what users are already asking for. Meeting user demands is a necessary part of building software, just as protecting against the threats they’re familiar with is a necessary part of ensuring their privacy. But that doesn’t make either sufficient. Software teams need to use their expert knowledge to offer users features that they demonstrably need, even if they don’t know to ask for them. Software that truly meets users’ privacy needs will protect them against the spectrum of threats they genuinely face, not just the ones they know to talk about.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eConnect \u0026 share your thoughts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeeing this study interpreted by one software engineer has already taught us a lot. We now know that the way we’ve been presenting these findings has not gone far enough to contextualize how they should be interpreted. This is something we will work to improve.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the meantime, we are eager to get your thoughts and opinions on this work as well. Please take a look at a draft technical report describing it – available \u003ca href\"/resources/techreports/NYC15-MobMsg.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e and in our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging\"\u003eGithub repo\u003c/a\u003e – and \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003elet us know\u003c/a\u003e what you think.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, if you live in NYC and you’re interested in connecting with some great people doing outreach around security and cryptography, we encourage you to check out \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/cryptoharlem\"\u003e@cryptoharlem\u003c/a\u003e. It is one of many groups around the world working with their local communities to improve access to privacy-preserving tools. If you are part of such a group, we’d love to hear about your experiences, and talk about the possibility of working with you to amplify the needs of people in your community.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "How to Name Your App",
            "date_published": "2016-05-20T19:30:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-05-20T19:30:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/how-to-name-your-app/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/how-to-name-your-app/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eNaming software is hard because the name needs to convey a lot of meaning about what the program does to an unfamiliar audience, and do it all using only a word or short phrase. You want something memorable and easy to say – which becomes more complex when designing with a global audience in mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndroid\u0026rsquo;s recently-announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.android.com/versions/name-n/\"\u003ecompetition\u003c/a\u003e to name the latest operating system has been met with \u003ca href=\"https://news.fastcompany.com/what-could-possibly-go-wrong-with-googles-android-naming-contest-4007780\"\u003eskepticism\u003c/a\u003e. The accompanying \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1IocBl_5UM\"\u003eparody video\u003c/a\u003e pokes fun at naming as an unskilled and silly exercise. The name for something like the latest version of an operating system doesn\u0026rsquo;t really matter from an end-user point of view. Only super-technical people will notice or care. Call it Nutella McNutella face, as Tech Crunch \u003ca href=\"http://techcrunch.com/2016/05/18/nutella-mcnutellaface/\"\u003esuggested\u003c/a\u003e, or version 9.9.4.1, and a general audience will be satisfied that it\u0026rsquo;s the latest choice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"why-names-matter\"\u003eWhy Names Matter\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn contrast to an established operating system, an app\u0026rsquo;s name is an important way to differentiate what the program does and to encourage end-users to try it. Names are particularly important for internet-freedom projects where people may have limited bandwidth, be searching for information in a language they don\u0026rsquo;t speak well, or trying to make a quick choice between similarly-named apps in an app store. A strong name can help build trust and drive adoption among users who need the project most, and get more people communicating securely.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven open-source software developers need to consider their \u0026ldquo;brand\u0026rdquo; – that is, the way they express their project’s benefits and values. Coming up with a memorable, compelling, and differentiated name for an app is a skill practiced by \u003cem\u003ebrand strategists\u003c/em\u003e. Most brand strategists work in the highly-commercial world of advertising – i.e., encouraging people to buy things. However, that same skill can help developers of all kinds reach a general audience and enable them to better protect their privacy. Here are a set of practices practices from commercial naming than can be adapted to an open-source context.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/mcdonalds_hu_59088a301c4fe543.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a McDonald\u0026rsquo;s restaurant\" width=\"740\" height=\"336\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003eMcDonald’s is one of the most-recognized name brands in the world. Imagine a world where privacy-preserving software names are as identifiable. \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeepersmedia/14341391157/\"\u003eImage\u003c/a\u003e by Mike Mozart, \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0\"\u003eCC-BY 2.0\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"clarify-your-purpose\"\u003eClarify Your Purpose\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA successful name conveys something about the app, either functional benefits or an attitude. Clarifying the values the app represents is an important first step. Naming conversations can be difficult because they can expose differences in opinion among contributors about the most important benefits of the app.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo get everyone on the same page, try filling in the following sentence, leaving the name blank for now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor [type of user], [name] is a [frame of reference] that [key benefit] because [reasons to believe].\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE.g., \u0026ldquo;For teenagers, Snapchat is a photo messaging app that hides messages from your parents because the interface is too confusing for adults.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some thought-starter questions adapted from \u003ca href=\"http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2012/12/the-trinity-of-brand-strategy.html\"\u003eBrand Strategy Insider\u003c/a\u003e to help you complete the above sentence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapabilities:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat does the app do?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen the app does a better job than competitors, how is it different? (e.g. Faster? Cheaper? More fun? More reliable?)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCulture and Purpose:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat will the development team never compromise on?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are the team\u0026rsquo;s the core beliefs?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat larger goal or cause does this app serve?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat does this app want to change in people\u0026rsquo;s lives?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are the ideas that the customer and development team agree are important?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePersonality:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs the product serious or playful?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf the app were a drink, what would it be? (E.g. home-brewed oolong tea versus a Starbuck\u0026rsquo;s mocha?)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf this project were a person (or celebrity), who would it be?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAspirational Self-Image:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat does using the app tell others about the customer?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do customers want to be seen?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"generating-ideas\"\u003eGenerating Ideas\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter you\u0026rsquo;ve answered the questions above, work with your team to identify a list of three to five adjectives that describe your app’s brand. It may take some time to get to agreement on the adjectives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have the adjectives, brainstorm a list of at least 20 name options that reflect those adjectives. Let the list sit for a few days, then review your choices with fresh eyes. Select your top choices and move on to the exercises below in Choosing a Name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have time and can find willing participants, it\u0026rsquo;s a good idea to go through this brainstorming process again, starting over from your adjective list, and including different people. A second, independent round of brainstorming before moving on to choosing a final candidate is a good way to get comprehensive coverage.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo help seed ideas for brainstorming, look at example naming resources, such as Wolf Olin\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.scribd.com/document/390837342/Naming-Handbook\"\u003eNaming Handbook\u003c/a\u003e for inspiration. Here are some categories of possible names, with U.S.-centric \u003ca href=\"http://www.slideshare.net/andrepo/brand-name-proposal\"\u003eexamples\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAcronyms (UPS, IBM)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDescriptive (Whole Foods, Airbus)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlliteration and Rhyme (Reese\u0026rsquo;s Pieces, Dunkin\u0026rsquo; Donuts)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvocative (Amazon, Crest)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNeologisms (Wii, Kodak)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eForeign words (Volvo, Samsung)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFounders\u0026rsquo; names (Hewlett-Packard, Disney)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeography (Cisco, Fuji Film)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePersonification (Nike, other myths)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake a critical look at the apps on your phone. What kind of names do they have?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy home screen has\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTranslations from analogue: 7 apps. (e.g. Clock, Notes)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDescriptive: 3 apps. (e.g. Headspace, Lyft)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvocative:  3 apps. (e.g. Kindle, Signal)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNeologisms: 6 apps. (e.g. Instagram, Trello)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"choosing-a-name\"\u003eChoosing a Name\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have a list of candidate names, start vetting them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpen the door and shout out the name.\u003c/strong\u003e\nSaying the name out loud, such as \u0026ldquo;Hey, come look at this thing on XYZ\u0026rdquo; is a way to bring your project to life. If it\u0026rsquo;s hard to say or you feel embarrassed saying it, then it\u0026rsquo;s probably not the right name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTry using the name in a sentence.\u003c/strong\u003e\nIs it hard to spell or type? How does it fare with speakers of other languages?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s the verb that means to use the app?\u003c/strong\u003e\nRight now in San Francisco, WhatsApp is starting to become a verb, but I hear \u0026ldquo;message me in WhatsApp\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;text me in WhatsApp\u0026rdquo; as well as \u0026ldquo;WhatsApp me.\u0026rdquo; Consider if you want your name to work as a verb. For example, Google Drive \u003ca href=\"http://www.gottabemobile.com/2014/05/05/confusing-google-drive-update-gets-even-more-confusing/\"\u003econfuses\u003c/a\u003e many people, in part because no one knows what verb to use. Even habitual users struggle to describe using it. \u0026ldquo;Link it to me on Google Drive?\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;Share it with me on Google Drive?\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Drive\u0026rdquo; works as an analogue for a disk drive, but the verb phrase probably isn\u0026rsquo;t \u0026ldquo;Drive it to me.\u0026rdquo; The poor name choice makes it difficult to talk about and form a mental model of how the sharing features of the program work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the name already in use?\u003c/strong\u003e\nIs the domain name available? What search results come up on websites and app stores? Are there legal conflicts? (A rigorous review may require the help of an attorney.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it good enough?\u003c/strong\u003e\nKeep in mind, naming is often anti-climatic. It\u0026rsquo;s fine to settle on an option that elicits a neutral reaction rather than love-at-first-site enthusiasm. The best names are often straight-forward or obvious. \u0026ldquo;Dropbox\u0026rdquo; is one example of an app with a clear, straightforward name.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it make sense to potential users?\u003c/strong\u003e\nGet user feedback on your choices. This can be as simple as saying that you\u0026rsquo;re working on an app called X, and if someone asks you what it does, turn the question around and ask them what they would expect at app called X to do.  Making side-by-side comparisons of app store descriptions or websites introducing the app can help clarify how end-users perceive different names.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"whats-in-a-name\"\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s in a Name?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe name and the values your “brand” expresses are how people find your app in a sea of similar alternatives. It helps them distinguish between options that are trustworthy and those made with snake-oil. Sharing the name is how they encourage their friends to use it, too. If your goal is to get a privacy-preserving app into the hands of as many people as possible, having a strong, memorable, and evocative name is an essential step that your team must take.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Straight Talk: New Yorkers on Mobile Messaging and Implications for Privacy",
            "date_published": "2016-05-16T00:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-05-16T00:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/straight-talk-new-yorkers-privacy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/straight-talk-new-yorkers-privacy/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Developers Are People, Too: Supporting Cryptographic Agility",
            "date_published": "2016-05-13T19:50:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-05-13T19:50:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/developers-people-too/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/developers-people-too/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eOn Monday I had the pleasure of speaking at a \u003ca href=\"https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/24636/chapter/2\"\u003eWorkshop on Cryptographic Agility and Interoperability\u003c/a\u003e held at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nationalacademies.org/\"\u003eNational Academies\u003c/a\u003e by the \u003ca href=\"http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/CYBER/index.htm\"\u003eForum on Cyber Resilience\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe assembled group of academics, policy-makers, and practitioners touched on a variety of problems around the practical application of cryptography in production software. The main focus was on the challenges and benefits associated with cryptosystems that can be updated or swapped out over time (and thus exhibit “agility”). The organizers asked us to consider questions such as the following.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy is cryptographic agility useful and what are its potential risks and impacts?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat approaches have been attempted for improving cryptographic agility, and how successful have they been?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow might privacy and human rights be affected by cryptographic agility?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are the consequences of cryptographic agility for the interoperability and usability of communications systems?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat are the key opportunities for standards bodies, governments, researchers, systems developers, and other stakeholders with regard to cryptographic agility?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Forum will issue an official report of what was said in due time; for now, here are some of the thoughts I shared with the group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"who-are-the-users\"\u003eWho are the users?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhenever I encounter a group of security experts talking about designing user-facing systems, I like to remind them that their users are almost certainly less experienced with security than they themselves are. This doesn’t mean that their users are stupid or ill-informed, and nine times out of ten it doesn’t mean that the experts should go about trying to educate their users to achieve a shared worldview, either. But it does mean that the experts need to put effort into building empathy with their users, and into setting them up for success.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/developer-hands_hu_72c279f3eba87742.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of hands on a keyboard\" width=\"740\" height=\"495\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eDevelopers are users, too – of APIs, standards, and libraries. Image \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/\"\u003eCC-BY 2.0\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://www.wocintechchat.com/\"\u003eWOCInTechChat\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the case of cryptographic agility, “users” aren’t just the consumers buying and using mass-market software. They are also the software developers, architects, and decision-makers who are trying to decide whether and how to integrate cryptography into their systems. These developers are the ones who must benefit first from policies, standards, and practices if we are to use cryptographic agility to achieve resilience against software vulnerabilities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-to-help-end-users\"\u003eHow to help end users\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevelopers want to do the right thing for their users. Users want to do the right thing to protect their data, too, but are often even less experienced with security than developers. One big risk of cryptographically-agile systems is that developers force decisions onto users who are ill-equipped to make them. (“Hmm, we support three different encryption schemes because we’re agile. Which one should we use? Let’s ask the user!”) What can developers do to help users?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood defaults\u003c/strong\u003e: Developers should choose default settings for users that are secure, and that strike a balance with performance. This goes against a custom of security-expert culture: without knowing the user’s threat model, it may feel wiser to set no default and let the user choose. However, many users find such decisions daunting; asking users to choose among unfamiliar options can lead to them being frustrated and giving up on the program, or guessing at an answer. At the other extreme, some developers may be tempted to set the default to the most conservative, cryptographically-strong setting. This can be problematic in cases where there is a significant performance impact.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoices come with recommendations\u003c/strong\u003e: In cases where the user must make a choice – or may be inclined to alter the default setting – the developer should offer guidance to help them. In some cases, this may involve simply stack-ranking the options (“Most secure” through “least secure”). In cases where there is not a clear ordering, another approach may be scenario-based menus that highlight the relative pros and cons of each option (“Strong data protection, with a 10% slowdown on uploads”).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransparency\u003c/strong\u003e: Developers should provide a mechanism by which curious users can identify exactly which cryptographic library is being used in a program. This will help ease users’ minds when a vulnerability is discovered – ”Ah, this is running OpenSSL X.X, so I’m safe!” – and can help the community more easily hold developers accountable for updates. It can also be useful increasing the visibility of closed-source, country-mandated cryptographic suites, which many security experts worry may contain backdoors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"developers-we-3-you\"\u003eDevelopers, we \u0026lt;3 you\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s more that the security-expert community can do to help developers. Here are some broader-reaching ideas.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlgorithm guidance\u003c/strong\u003e: It’s not enough to simply say “these are the algorithms available”, or “these are the algorithms approved for use”. Authoritative entities – be they government agencies like \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Institute_of_Standards_and_Technology\"\u003eNIST\u003c/a\u003e, standards bodies like \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Organization_for_Standardization\"\u003eISO\u003c/a\u003e, or educational materials like textbooks – should try whenever possible to offer unambiguous guidance as to the relative benefits and drawbacks of algorithms. There is broad consensus in the security community on which algorithms are reaching their end-of-life and which ones are still fresh, but average developers don’t have easy access to this information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProgramming education\u003c/strong\u003e: It is a time-honored tradition for practitioners to complain that academic institutions aren’t preparing students well for “the real world”. There are many critical areas of programming practice that receive no attention in many undergraduate programs, such as writing automated tests for code. For what it’s worth, I would like to add the cryptography lifecycle to this list. In addition to offering guidance around the pros and cons of different algorithms, security courses should require students to spend time thinking about how a program’s architecture impacts its resilience in the face of cryptographic vulnerabilities over time. It’s not enough to design a system that uses a cryptographic library well; students must also learn to plan for a library’s obsolescence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStudy developers\u003c/strong\u003e: In the user-experience community, we understand that studying our users is an essential part of building systems that work for them. If we are to understand the current practice of cryptographic agility – what’s really working for developers, what challenges they face, and why they make the decisions they do – we can’t just convene experts to talk about the problem. We must use social-science qualitative-research methods to actually talk to developers in the context of their work, probe their practices, and uncover their lived experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"bridging-the-people-tech-gap\"\u003eBridging the people-tech gap\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure has multiple stakeholders, and in technical circles we often try to be the voice of the user when users aren’t in the room. We bring that same passion in advocating for the needs of cryptographers, software engineers, and fledging computer scientists. We work on tools for people who just want to communicate with their friends – who treat computers as black boxes – \u003cem\u003eand\u003c/em\u003e people who are passionate about writing good, secure, usable code. \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eLet us know\u003c/a\u003e how we can do more.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Chatbots, UX, and Privacy",
            "date_published": "2016-05-06T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-05-06T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/chatbots-ux-privacy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/chatbots-ux-privacy/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eChatbots, or conversational programs that simulate interactive human speech patterns, are a hot topic in UX right now. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently claimed that “\u003ca href=\"http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2016-03-31/microsoft-build-bots-ai-cortana-keynote-conference\"\u003ebots are the new apps\u003c/a\u003e”, and that they are the interface of the future for tasks like ordering food and booking transportation. In San Francisco, tech elites use a multitude of oft-parodied services like Wag to find dog walkers and Rinse to have their laundry done. However, the appeal of a single integrated interface to multiple apps is obvious from a UX point of view, even as the social implications of so much “efficiency” are still being debated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"back-to-the-command-line\"\u003eBack to the Command Line\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.promptapp.io/\"\u003ePrompt\u003c/a\u003e bills itself as the “command line for the real world”. It uses text to integrate with over 1,000 services – including commerce (e.g. Domino’s Pizza), productivity (e.g. Evernote), and home automation (e.g. Nest). With Prompt, it’s possible to get directions from Google Maps or order an Uber to drive you there simply by sending text commands.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Prompt-small_hu_f9a8facf82ef4810.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of a conversational UI.\" width=\"740\" height=\"601\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003eScreenshot from \u003ca href=\"https://www.promptapp.io/\"\u003ePrompt.io\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDriving everyone from the interactive world of apps to the visually impoverished world of the command line feels like a step backward to many designers, including me. But we can interpret this shift as a response to the usability challenges of working across multiple apps on a mobile OS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"chatbots-versus-better-apps\"\u003eChatbots versus Better Apps\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDan Grover’s excellent post \u003ca href=\"http://dangrover.com/blog/2016/04/20/bots-wont-replace-apps.html\"\u003eBots Won’t Replace Apps, Better Apps Will Replace Apps\u003c/a\u003e clearly illustrates the UX implications of what he describes as “Silicon Valley phone OS makers’ growing failure to fully serve users’ needs, particularly in other parts of the world.” I recommend reading the whole article, but the screenshots alone tell a compelling story.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDan is a product manager at Chinese mobile messaging platform WeChat, which works to embed services in its core interface graphically rather than textually. His examples offer a view into the world of the Chinese-language mobile experience and serve as a counterpoint to the hype around chatbot interfaces. For example, he contrasts a pizza ordered via 73 keystroke taps in a conversational UI with 16 taps in the graphical WeChat equivalent. Even though click/tap counts are an imperfect way to evaluate usability, they are one illustration that advocates of the so-called efficiency of chatbots might not have the whole story. Textual interfaces work well for some users in some contexts (system administrators and programmers have embraced them for decades!), but that doesn’t mean that they will work everywhere for everything.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/MSPizzaBot_hu_cb4cc187ff87bb02.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a conversational UI with a corresponding column of tap counts on the right.\" width=\"740\" height=\"399\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003eExample transaction from Microsoft Bot Framework showing 73 taps to order pizza. \u003ca href=\"https://dev.botframework.com/\"\u003eImage\u003c/a\u003e from Microsoft.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/pizza-hut-ordering_hu_4df221d0a495a003.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a GUI interface with tap counts indicated.\" width=\"740\" height=\"522\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003eWeChat interface for in-app ordering Pizza Hut, showing 16 taps needed to complete the transaction. \u003ca href=\"http://dangrover.com/blog/2016/04/20/bots-wont-replace-apps.html\"\u003eImage\u003c/a\u003e from Dan Grover.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese chatbot-versus-graphical interactions show different relationships between messaging apps and other special-purpose apps. For example, ride-sharing service Lyft uses the phone’s native text-messaging app to notify passengers that their ride has arrived, but passengers can’t order a ride from within the native messaging app. WeChat started as a messaging app and has expanded to take on activities done by special-purpose apps in other contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"security-implications-of-chatbots\"\u003eSecurity Implications of Chatbots\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTelegram, which tries to position itself as a platform that keeps users’ data secure in a credible way (despite significant challenges on that front), gives developers \u003ca href=\"https://telegram.org/blog/bots-2-0\"\u003etools for building bots\u003c/a\u003e. It even offers \u003ca href=\"https://telegram.org/blog/botprize\"\u003eprize money\u003c/a\u003e to developers using the Telegram Bot API. But how do privacy and security fit into this landscape? Should we be advocating for the equivalent of end-to-end encryption in this kind of chatbot universe?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom a human-centered point of view, we can expect that communicating with a bot sets end-user expectations that their messages are being read by machines. It’s an easy inference that their messages are saved and archived by the bot owner and used as training material to improve the program over time. Just as people who call a customer hotline are informed that “This call may be monitored or recorded for training purposes,” people have an expectation that some unseen entity is eventually reading the message. Otherwise, how would they know what kind of pizza to send to which house?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe expectation that “secure” chats are read by unknown parties has the potential to change users’ mental models of privacy and confuse their understanding of what “secure messaging” means in other contexts. Further research is needed to understand the implications and how to communicate security properties of different platforms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"chatbots-as-security-coaches\"\u003eChatbots as Security Coaches?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChatbots are an intriguing output format for explaining security concepts. In this example from Slack, a bot messages me to let me know that a file’s actual sharing permissions have changed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Slackbot-Shared_hu_d2ee75f4f1299fb2.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot from a Slack’s conversational interface indicating that a private file was shared in a particular channel by a particular user.\" width=\"740\" height=\"154\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003eScreenshot from Slack.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an effective message because it’s actionable. The proactive information (which appeared to me in a private channel, with accompanying notification) gives a sense of immediacy. I know who shared what file with whom, and it’s easy to check the contents of the file. I am one click away from being able to ask Scout about the action she has just taken.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis approach could be adapted to a number of contexts. Many large service providers send notifications by email when a user’s password has been modified or other important account details have changed. A conversational UI could not only be a prompt and friendly way to share this information with users but could offer users an opportunity to take immediate action if the change was unwanted. Thinking more aspirationally to connected homes, smart cities, and IoT applications, chatbots could help people understand the chain of custody of their data. For example, they could notify people that their image has been captured on video and shared with a third party – or offer them an opportunity to opt out of such a recording. The details of such systems would be complex, but new interfaces could help make the exchange of complicated information more easy and accessible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’m optimistic that chatbots can help people understand how their data is being used. I’m especially excited by the potential to use chatbots not just to control commerce but to empower us to manage our personal data. Privacy-minded people should look for opportunities to make chatbots more than just glorified mechanisms of corporate surveillance. We should strive to instead create tools that will help people understand their data and their capacity to control it in an actionable, friendly way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"further-reading-on-chatbots--ux\"\u003eFurther Reading on Chatbots + UX\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConnie Chan, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/conniechan/status/715773848147374080\"\u003eTweetstorm on WeChat Mobile Commerce\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlistair Croll, \u003ca href=\"#\"\u003eWhat Is A Bot OS?\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBenedict Evans, \u003ca href=\"#\"\u003eMessaging and Mobile Platforms\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Matters: 2016 Design in Tech Report",
            "date_published": "2016-04-29T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-04-29T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/maeda-report/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/maeda-report/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eFor the past two years \u003ca href=\"http://www.maedastudio.com/index.php\"\u003eJohn Maeda\u003c/a\u003e (whose previous roles include Professor at the MIT Media Lab and President of the Rhode Island School of Design) has issued a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kleinerperkins.com/perspectives/design-in-tech-report-2016/\"\u003eDesign In Tech Report\u003c/a\u003e. This influential analysis, which Maeda presents at \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k2FHLPyfUc\"\u003eSXSW\u003c/a\u003e and has also been picked up by outlets like \u003ca href=\"http://www.wired.com/2016/03/john-maeda-really-matters-world-design/\"\u003eWired\u003c/a\u003e, has helped Silicon Valley understand how design is valuable to companies and their customers. It is situated in the context of venture capital, as Maeda is currently Design Partner at VC firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers. However, his attention to industry trends backed with carefully-reported figures has implications for the broader world of tech – including nonprofit and open-source efforts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"design-as-a-force-for-good\"\u003eDesign as a Force for Good\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy three biggest take-aways from the 2016 Design in Tech Report are that market trends of the past year prove that design:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eis about more than beauty,\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ehas deep ethical implications, and\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecan be a force for economic inclusion.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"more-than-beauty\"\u003eMore than beauty\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a trained designer, I have to grit my teeth to report that \u0026ldquo;design is more than beauty\u0026rdquo;. The heart of my practice is not visual design but user experience flows, so this take-away seems painfully obvious. Design is about making things that work well for real people. However, it\u0026rsquo;s helpful for me to remember just how much patient explanation can be necessary to communicate the broad range of activities encompassed by design to people who aren\u0026rsquo;t familiar with it – from research, to information architecture, to organizational design and beyond. In that sense, it\u0026rsquo;s gratifying that market trends are bearing out the value of design beyond the simple creation of pretty pictures. How do we spread this understanding further?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ethical-implications\"\u003eEthical implications\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ethical implications of design are particularly important to consider in the context of the current technology industry, which is heavy on VC-fueled startups. That community is interested in design because design shapes behavior, and is effective at driving \u0026ldquo;conversions\u0026rdquo;, or sales. From creating addicting products that encourage spending, such as \u003ca href=\"http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9156.html\"\u003eAddiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas\u003c/a\u003e, to \u003ca href=\"http://darkpatterns.org/\"\u003eDark Patterns\u003c/a\u003e that trick users out of unsubscribing from services, irresponsible design harms people. How do we harness this deep understanding of user motivation and behavior for good rather than just for profit?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"economic-inclusion\"\u003eEconomic inclusion\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHappily, the report also highlights instances of design being used in ways that benefit society. For example, the UK Government\u0026rsquo;s Digital Service Agency saved \u003ca href=\"https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2015/10/23/how-digital-and-technology-transformation-saved-1-7bn-last-year/\"\u003e£1.7 billion\u003c/a\u003e ($2.5 trillion) by re-designing digital services and making them more accessible to all people. Design is an amplifier of values, and can build systems that are more equal or more unequal. The report showcases examples of market success that design for diverse audiences, such as gay social networks and gender-neutral children\u0026rsquo;s toys. How can we help the security and privacy communities meet the needs of a broader group of people?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"from-design-for-trust-to-design-for-privacy\"\u003eFrom Design for Trust to Design for Privacy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2016 Design in Tech Report touches on cybersecurity startups delivering network monitoring solutions, but the more encouraging point is that it positions them within a bigger framework of designing for trust. Considering everything from AI interfaces to startups in the so-called sharing economy, the 2016 report states that \u0026ldquo;design\u0026rsquo;s fundamental impact rests in the ability to engender trust\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am optimistic that the 2017 Design in Tech Report will address privacy in a more explicit way. The Apple vs FBI case is a turning point for how companies handle customers\u0026rsquo; data, and with Apple\u0026rsquo;s strong heritage as a design-driven company, other design companies are taking note. I hope that this time next year we will be examining how design leaders within Silicon Valley\u0026rsquo;s VC-culture are shifting their focus away from customer data as a commodity and toward user privacy as a core value proposition.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "When User News Is Bad News: Tactical Advice On User Feedback",
            "date_published": "2016-04-22T15:30:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-04-22T15:30:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/when-user-news-bad/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/when-user-news-bad/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWhen you\u0026rsquo;re putting your heart and soul into designing, building, or improving a piece of software, tuning in to feedback from users can sometimes get you down.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImagine waking up one morning and finding your project is being mentioned on Twitter in a slew of messages like these:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks Snapchat. Your app officially sucks.\n— Michael (@michaellorelei) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/michaellorelei/status/723170934442459137\"\u003eApril 21, 2016\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Facebook app sucks\n— em (@emma0wczarzak) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/emma0wczarzak/status/722461510195290114\"\u003eApril 19, 2016\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou know, the YouTube app really kind of sucks.\n— Samuel Ford (@samuelwford) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/samuelwford/status/710110100430655488\"\u003eMarch 16, 2016\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003enetflix\u0026rsquo;s windows app sucks\n— Nico (@nico_satria18) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/nico_satria18/status/708907048939851776\"\u003eMarch 13, 2016\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe weather channel\u0026rsquo;s app sucks. It clearly says it\u0026rsquo;s clear in \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATX?src=hash\"\u003e#ATX\u003c/a\u003e. Nah.\n— jhem (@jhem_unfiltrd) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/jhem_unfiltrd/status/707595481673703424\"\u003eMarch 9, 2016\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/uber?src=hash\"\u003e#uber\u003c/a\u003e app update sucks. Horrible usability.\n— Kyle (@DerWetterWunder) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/DerWetterWunder/status/675761725677764610\"\u003eDecember 12, 2015\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDear \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Nike\"\u003e@Nike\u003c/a\u003e,\nThe snkrs app sucks. Please do something about that\n— Chip Zoller (@CocainaKeem) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/CocainaKeem/status/717100438265442304\"\u003eApril 4, 2016\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/McDonalds\"\u003e@McDonalds\u003c/a\u003e your app totally sucks! Never works! \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/TechFail?src=hash\"\u003e#TechFail\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/McFailure?src=hash\"\u003e#McFailure\u003c/a\u003e\n— Dawn Duncan (@Duncan03Dawn) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Duncan03Dawn/status/687623070702563328\"\u003eJanuary 14, 2016\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether they\u0026rsquo;re saying it \u0026ldquo;kinda sucks\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;officially sucks\u0026rdquo;, or that it is a full-on #McFailure, it\u0026rsquo;s easy to find tweets like this for just about any app. With few details and lots of negative attitude, this sort of message is always discouraging to the team working on the app in question.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean it\u0026rsquo;s reasonable to just ignore negative feedback, however. Unless you know why the user is frustrated and a fix to their problem is just waiting to be pushed in the next release, all user feedback is always an opportunity to learn something.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"a-positive-spin\"\u003eA positive spin\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, it\u0026rsquo;s important to have the right mindset when approaching negative user feedback. No matter how strongly you identify with the software project in question, the comments aren\u0026rsquo;t about you as a person, so be mindful of your emotional reaction when you\u0026rsquo;re reading it. It\u0026rsquo;s very common to feel angry, frustrated, and even hurt. Try to find a balance between taking the feedback so seriously that it upsets you, and discounting it to the point that you lose motivation to understand what\u0026rsquo;s going on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your project is new or under-resourced (as many so many often are), remember that these kinds of messages are a sign that people care about what you\u0026rsquo;re doing. They are trying to use your software. It excites them enough that they\u0026rsquo;re even trying to tell you when it disappoints them. They may not have the vocabulary, time, design understanding, or technical acumen to explain what they dislike, but they want you to hear them so you have a chance to make things better.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tactical-advice\"\u003eTactical advice\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, how do you actually go about turning negative feedback into useful insight? Here\u0026rsquo;s a set of questions and ideas to get you started.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"provide-a-forum\"\u003eProvide a forum\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo users have a place to go when they want to \u003ca href=\"https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kvetch\"\u003ekvetch\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kvell\"\u003ekvell\u003c/a\u003e in the first place? Feedback channels don\u0026rsquo;t have to be elaborate or high-maintenance; while it\u0026rsquo;s great if your team can support online user forums localized in 23 languages, a simple email address that is prominently advertised on your website is an effective place to start.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePro tip:\u003c/strong\u003e don\u0026rsquo;t just tell users to file a bug on GitHub. That\u0026rsquo;s a great way to get highly-technical users to submit feedback, but a lousy way to get insights from just about anyone else. Social-media sites like Twitter and Facebook can be an effective way to connect with users, although it\u0026rsquo;s important to try and help users understand the risks that such platforms pose. (For example, it\u0026rsquo;s a bad idea to post publicly on Twitter about using VPN software from a country where such programs are prohibited.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"muster-the-troops\"\u003eMuster the troops\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaking sense of user feedback is critically important to software projects, because your users\u0026rsquo; opinions will ultimately determine the success of your software. (If they don\u0026rsquo;t like it, eventually they\u0026rsquo;ll find a better alternative; if they do like it, they\u0026rsquo;ll tell their friends and your userbase will grow.) Monitoring and analyzing user feedback is therefore worth investing non-trivial amounts of time and energy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you have one or more team members who are responsible for this work? Do those people actually have time to engage with the data that is coming in? Do they have time during team meetings to share their findings? Does the team use this information to help it prioritize near- and long-term work?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"gather-a-baseline\"\u003eGather a baseline\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have a software project that people outside the team are using, it\u0026rsquo;s past time to start gathering data on what those users are saying about it. Even if your userbase is small and the feedback is mostly positive, an accurate picture today will provide the basis for future evaluation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat are the top known issues? Are you trying to keep track of individual pieces of feedback, or have you leveled up to clustering pieces into related groups? Are there clusters of complaints that can\u0026rsquo;t be explained by any known bug? How many users are providing feedback: do you think it\u0026rsquo;s ten different people saying similar things, or one person trying to reach out ten different times with the same issue?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to your official feedback channel, don\u0026rsquo;t forget to monitor your project\u0026rsquo;s social-media accounts on a regular basis. Even if you don\u0026rsquo;t think of it as a way for users to send feedback, they almost certainly do. And there\u0026rsquo;s nothing more demoralizing to a user than landing on a Facebook page and finding that there are complaints that have been ignored for months (or years!) on end.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"track-comments-over-time\"\u003eTrack comments over time\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou don\u0026rsquo;t have to instrument your app or gather analytics to get longitudinal data. Checking in on your feedback channels on a regular basis (daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the size of your userbase and the volume of feedback) will help you build a picture of how you\u0026rsquo;re doing, and provide a \u0026ldquo;user heartbeat\u0026rdquo; to help motivate and direct the team\u0026rsquo;s efforts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre you monitoring how many new complaints you get in each thematic cluster per month? Did your latest update cause complaints to go down, or have they remained constant? Are your development priorities successfully addressing top complaints over time?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"engage-for-information--community\"\u003eEngage for information \u0026amp; community\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tweets quoted above are an extreme example, but many users provide feedback that isn\u0026rsquo;t exactly useful. After all, how can you debug a problem if you don\u0026rsquo;t even know what version of the software the user is running? Depending on the feedback channel through which the user connected, you may be able to reach out and ask for more information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen a user submits feedback (even the inactionable kind), do they get a response thanking them for taking the time to share their thoughts? Does your project website have a page describing what information makes a good bug report?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust a brief automated reply can make your users feel like you care about them, even if you don\u0026rsquo;t have the time to write them personally. \u0026ldquo;Thank you so much for your feedback, it means a lot to us. We will do our best to read it soon. We are busy trying to ship the next version of the software, so probably can\u0026rsquo;t reply in detail. But if you\u0026rsquo;re willing to go the extra mile for us, would you consider sharing more detailed feedback using these instructions?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"invite-critics-to-a-beta-testing-group\"\u003eInvite critics to a beta-testing group\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis may be beyond the organizational means of many small projects, but: have you considered starting a beta-testing group? Some distribution platforms like Google Play have features to make this easier. Beta-testing can help you prevent huge waves of negative feedback by providing more eyes on software updates, and can serve as a great way to channel the enthusiasm of some of your biggest user critics. We work with a number of organizations that connect with users interested in privacy-preserving software, so let us know if you need help connecting with more potential users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"its-all-about-the-empathy\"\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s all about the empathy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the day, we all care about how our users feel. We may get frustrated when they chew us out for honest mistakes, or berate us for problems that are ultimately out of our control. But these moments are always an opportunity to put ourselves in their shoes, try to see our project through their eyes, and learn our craft anew.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you do a great job channeling your users\u0026rsquo; feedback into amazing software improvements? Are you struggling and looking for more help than the above ideas provide? Please \u003ca href=\"/contact\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Comfortable UX, Not Just Open APIs",
            "date_published": "2016-04-15T19:30:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-04-15T19:30:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/comfortable-ux-open-apis/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/comfortable-ux-open-apis/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure focuses its collaborative efforts on open-source, privacy-preserving software projects. In my conversations with designers, developers, and end users, I\u0026rsquo;m often struck by a divergence in their understanding of what \u0026ldquo;openness\u0026rdquo; means in software. For example, last December during a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/straight-talk\"\u003euser study\u003c/a\u003e, participants reading app store descriptions of secure messaging apps consistently thought that \u0026ldquo;open source\u0026rdquo; meant that their messages were public.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe distinction between \u0026ldquo;source code\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;content generated in apps\u0026rdquo; isn\u0026rsquo;t always clear to a mass audience, and this confusion has implications for privacy preservation. Many people know that their Facebook login credentials give them access to other services and apps, as \u0026ldquo;Login With Facebook\u0026rdquo; is common on everything from babysitter finder Urban Sitter to dating app Tinder. However, most people don\u0026rsquo;t understand connecting Facebook functionality to other apps often allows their personal data to flow between services as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvocative services like \u003ca href=\"https://www.cheaterbuster.net/\"\u003eSwipebuster\u003c/a\u003e, whose creator says they intended to build awareness about privacy issues, illustrate the confusion many people experience about what \u0026ldquo;open\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;public\u0026rdquo; mean in the context of the apps they use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"is-tinder-data-public\"\u003eIs Tinder data public?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwipebuster allows you to search for Tinder profiles based on certain criteria. Armed only with a first name, age, approximate location, and $5, you can get a list of matching Tinder users, complete with their photos, last logins, and whether they\u0026rsquo;re looking for men or women.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe anonymous creator explains, \u0026ldquo;There is too much data about people that people themselves don\u0026rsquo;t know is available,\u0026rdquo; Vanity Fair \u003ca href=\"http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/04/check-tinder-cheater-swipe-buster\"\u003ereports\u003c/a\u003e. \u0026ldquo;Not only are people oversharing and putting out a lot of information about themselves, but companies are also not doing enough to let people know they\u0026rsquo;re doing it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to Vanity Fair, Tinder responded that \u0026ldquo;searchable information on the Web site is public information that Tinder users have on their profiles. If you want to see who\u0026rsquo;s on Tinder we recommend saving your money and downloading the app for free.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"paying-money-to-not-deal-with-tinder\"\u003ePaying money to not deal with Tinder\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s put aside for a moment the potential moral or social implications of trying to access Tinder data for purposes other than finding a date, and explore why Swipebuster is so disturbing. I believe that it resonates as an example of the cultural divergence around openness because it occupies a middle ground between two undesirable options. Engaging with Tinder directly as a user – installing the app to see if someone else is using it – can be undesirable if you don\u0026rsquo;t want others to know you\u0026rsquo;re browsing Tinder data (e.g., because you\u0026rsquo;re already in a romantic relationship). The apparent openness of the Tinder APIs presents a nice alternative if you can write code to query them, but this path requires a level of technical knowledge that makes it all but impossible for most people. $5 seems like a bargain when compared to learning Python from scratch or making your neighbors think you\u0026rsquo;re cheating on your spouse.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwipebuster is what I would call a \u003cem\u003ecomfortable user\u003c/em\u003e experience. A comfortable UX opens the possibility of accessing data to a broad spectrum of users. An open API may make the underlying app possible, but data alone isn\u0026rsquo;t enough for users to engage. In the case of Swipebuster, filling out a form with a credit card is an easy, routine experience for someone trying to get information. A $5 price adds another barrier, but it is a familiar interaction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis ease contrasts with Tinder users\u0026rsquo; perceptions. Many consider the data they share with the dating service to be confidential on some level. The existence of Swipebuster makes many Tinder users feel shocked and vulnerable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Swipebuster_hu_65b658ab858a67a5.png\" alt=\"Form from Swipebuster.com.\" width=\"740\" height=\"727\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eForm from Swipebuster.com.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs The Guardian\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/05/tinder-swipebuster-spy-on-users-privacy-dating-app\"\u003eAlex Hearn\u003c/a\u003e writes,\u0026ldquo;Even if it might seem obvious that Tinder, a site which works by showing name, gender, age and location to strangers, doesn\u0026rsquo;t consider that information secret, it\u0026rsquo;s a very different matter to be confronted with a searchable database of that information. Your home is not secret, for example – people see you come and go all the time – but that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean posting your address online is advisable.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-happens-in-vegas-does-not-stay-in-vegas\"\u003eWhat happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Las Vegas tourist bureau has lured visitors with the promise that \u0026ldquo;what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,\u0026rdquo; encouraging people to engage in behavior they wouldn\u0026rsquo;t want to be associated with in other contexts. By extension, people may believe that what happens in an app like Tinder stays in that app. It may be more realistic to assume is that everything that happens in an app is ultimately accessible on the open web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlong with confusing permissions, badly-communicated or poorly-designed API integration can be another vector of privacy risk. \u003ca href=\"http://www.vice.com/read/you-can-pay-5-to-find-out-if-your-significant-other-is-secretly-using-tinder-vgtrn\"\u003eVice\u003c/a\u003e (and Tinder itself, as quoted above) describe Tinder\u0026rsquo;s web-based API as \u0026ldquo;open, or \u0026ldquo;public\u0026rdquo;, but when examined more closely, it appears that it is actually what software developers call \u0026ldquo;undocumented\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;private\u0026rdquo;. This means that Tinder developers probably neither intended the API to be used by third parties nor made particular efforts to prevent such use; Swipebuster is the result of what many would call \u0026ldquo;reverse engineering\u0026rdquo;. Part of the shock with Swipebuster is because it shows that security through obscurity isn\u0026rsquo;t working. Whatever social contract of mutual accountability might work when a Tinder user encounters someone they know in the app, or when an app\u0026rsquo;s interface limits access to the data contained within, doesn\u0026rsquo;t hold when it\u0026rsquo;s easy to pay for information from a database.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"building-more-comfortable-experiences\"\u003eBuilding more comfortable experiences\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Simply Secure, we want better privacy-preserving tools that empower people to protect their data. Although Swipebuster may occupy shaky moral ground, it demonstrates that a good UX will always enable more people to access data than an open API (even in cases where the API is more elegant). Programmatic interfaces aren\u0026rsquo;t enough; to get people truly engaged, we need initiatives that work to open not only data but also make truly comfortable experiences for non-expert users as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Tradeoffs In Seamlessness: The WhatsApp Update",
            "date_published": "2016-04-08T20:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-04-08T20:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/whatsapp-update/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/whatsapp-update/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eI was originally planning on continuing today the series I \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/facebook-p1\"\u003estarted\u003c/a\u003e last month, but it\u0026rsquo;s hard to pass up the opportunity to talk about Tuesday\u0026rsquo;s exciting \u003ca href=\"https://blog.whatsapp.com/10000618/end-to-end-encryption\"\u003eWhatsApp’s  update\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe new version of the messaging service\u0026rsquo;s apps now offers users a glimpse into a feature that has been quietly rolling out for months: end-to-end-encryption. A number of other groups have written about the update\u0026rsquo;s technical strengths and weaknesses – c.f. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/04/whatsapp-rolls-out-end-end-encryption-its-1bn-users\"\u003ethe EFF\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://threatpost.com/whatsapp-encryption-a-good-start-but-far-from-a-security-cure-all/117230/\"\u003eThreatPost\u003c/a\u003e, and WhatsApp\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.whatsapp.com/security/WhatsApp-Security-Whitepaper.pdf\"\u003eown whitepaper\u003c/a\u003e – but I\u0026rsquo;d like to spend a moment on the updated user experience, and lessons that UX designers and developers can take from the decisions WhatsApp has made.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers don\u0026rsquo;t have to take any action at all – it just works!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"always-on-for-everyone\"\u003eAlways on for everyone\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs long as both you and your messaging partner are running recent versions of the program, WhatsApp\u0026rsquo;s end-to-end-encryption is on by default, with no apparent way for the user to turn it off. This means that people don\u0026rsquo;t have to fuss with generating or exchanging cryptographic keys; it happens silently in the background. In fact, users don\u0026rsquo;t have to take any action at all – it just works!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://twitter.com/FredericJacobs/status/717382059589836800\" alt=\"Update your WhatsApp.\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eFredric Jacobs shares the error message he saw when his messaging partner was running an old version of the software (left) and the menu option to turn on notifications around encryption (right).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"an-exercise-in-tradeoffs\"\u003eAn exercise in tradeoffs\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, this seamlessness doesn\u0026rsquo;t come for free. Security enthusiasts are quick to point out limitations of this approach – in particular, that an application without mandatory \u003ca href=\"https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/key-verification\"\u003ekey verification\u003c/a\u003e can be susceptible \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-middle_attack\"\u003eman-in-the-middle attacks\u003c/a\u003e. WhatsApp mitigates this limitation in two ways: by providing an optional key verification facility (which the \u003ca href=\"https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/04/whatsapp-rolls-out-end-end-encryption-its-1bn-users\"\u003eEFF analyzes\u003c/a\u003e quite nicely) and by allowing users to opt-in to getting warning messages when their messaging partner\u0026rsquo;s key has changed (i.e., key-continuity detection).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/WA-key-message_hu_77e2b7c4acd87321.png\" alt=\"Screenshot from WhatsApp interface.\" width=\"740\" height=\"219\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eThe message WhatsApp displays when the other user\u0026rsquo;s key has changed.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"noticing-notifications\"\u003eNoticing notifications\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe current release of WhatsApp does not prompt users to opt-in to encryption-related notifications. The option to do so is a bit hidden in the Settings \u0026gt; Account \u0026gt; Security, but given how few options are in that menu, it\u0026rsquo;s reasonable to expect that someone poking around will discover it without too much trouble. I am curious whether WhatsApp did any user research before or during their design of this interface (which is pictured in Fred\u0026rsquo;s tweet above) to make it discoverable and appealing to users who aren\u0026rsquo;t necessarily looking for it. It should at least be easy to find for users who are seeking it out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigners working with security settings often have to be cautious about pushing users too hard to turn on things that won\u0026rsquo;t be useful to them. Time and again, intrusive security notifications have caused users to be frustrated to the point of turning off the security feature or switching to a less secure product. WhatsApp has done a good job on this front; in the absence of an attack, the notification is both rare (it should only occur when the other person has switched phones or uninstalled and reinstalled the app) and discrete once enabled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, I worry that it may be a little \u003cem\u003etoo\u003c/em\u003e discrete. When we were testing it, we actually managed to miss the inline message (pictured above) at first, even though we were explicitly looking for it! This may be because the chat thread wasn’t open when it appeared. Other messages came in after it, pushing it out of the user\u0026rsquo;s focus area, which is centered on the bottom of the screen. It took scrolling back up into the message history to see the inline message. Could an attacker exploit this focus issue with some users by intentionally sending a slew of distracting messages after signing on?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/WA-key-dialog_hu_ade0846d98968a3a.png\" alt=\"Screenshot from WhatsApp interface.\" width=\"740\" height=\"824\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eThe dialog that appears when you tap the inline notification.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, while the dialog that pops up when you \u0026ldquo;tap for more info\u0026rdquo; offers reasonable detail (and a \u0026ldquo;learn more\u0026rdquo; option), neither it nor the inline message itself help the user realize that \u0026ldquo;security code changed\u0026rdquo;  means \u0026ldquo;your communication may be at risk\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI understand that the cases where users are being attacked will be far, far outnumbered by the cases where their messaging partner has simply gotten a new phone. And it\u0026rsquo;s important to not overwhelm users with useless messages. At the same time, when the user chose to turn on these security notifications, they gave a strong signal that they were concerned about security. Perhaps the designers assumed that any user who turned this feature on would know what the warning meant? But if that\u0026rsquo;s the case, why use a term (\u0026ldquo;security code\u0026rdquo;) that is so friendly to security novices, rather than the one that experts are accustomed to (\u0026ldquo;key\u0026rdquo;)?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"heres-hoping-the-importance-of-research-and-iteration\"\u003eHere\u0026rsquo;s hoping: the importance of research and iteration\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am so pleased and impressed that WhatsApp has invested the time and energy necessary to release this feature that I am going assume (hope?) that this is just the first of several iterative improvements to this experience. Once they have a chance to look at how the feature has been received and get more data about how often people are engaging with it – likely through both in-app analytics and user research – they can work to make it even more discoverable and useful to users who want to learn more about their security status.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some concrete suggestions that I would love to see explored.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre there ways to \u003cstrong\u003esurface the notification feature\u003c/strong\u003e to users who haven\u0026rsquo;t opened their account settings? This might itself be a one-time (or once-yearly) notification, ideally some time after the user has completed the initial setup flow so as not to get lost in dialog fatigue. Users could have the option to (1) go directly to their security settings, (2) be reminded to do so later, (3) or dismiss the suggestion permanently.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre there patterns of behavior that might indicate that the user is under attack, and be used to \u003cstrong\u003eenable the notifications automatically\u003c/strong\u003e? For example, sudden key changes by a number of the users\u0026rsquo; contacts, or the user blocking a number of new contacts.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCould the inline notification do more to indicate that the change in security code is \u003cstrong\u003eworthy of investigation\u003c/strong\u003e? Any solution would need to be coherent in the app\u0026rsquo;s visual design language, of course, but color or iconography could go a long way here.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs there some way to prevent users from \u003cstrong\u003emissing the inline notification\u003c/strong\u003e as we did in our experiments? The obvious choice would be to have the notification be a modal dialog the first time it appears for a given messaging partner (in addition to the inline message so the user could easily access it again if they accidentally dismissed it), but there are likely other options as well.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-perfect-is-the-enemy-of-the-good\"\u003eThe perfect is the enemy of the good\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll apps have room for improvement, and designing for both general users (who currently are unlikely to be subject to a MITM attack) and users at risk (who may be targeted by government-level attackers on a daily basis)  is extremely hard to do. WhatsApp and \u003ca href=\"https://whispersystems.org/\"\u003eSignal\u003c/a\u003e have pushed the envelope of UX design for cryptography to new territories, and have brought end-to-end encrypted messaging to over a billion people. We therefore applaud them for this accomplishment wholeheartedly, and enthusiastically await their future efforts in this realm!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre there other design patterns that you have experienced that you think would work well in a context like WhatsApp? Have you tackled similar problems, and would you like to share your efforts with the public? Are you working on a software project and seeking help designing or researching similar experiences? Please \u003ca href=\"/contact\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "How UX Excludes or Includes",
            "date_published": "2016-04-01T15:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-04-01T15:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/ux-includes-excludes/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/ux-includes-excludes/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSoftware communicates its values via its user experience (UX) by making some actions easy and others harder. For example, mobile apps can be configured to automatically opt users in to location sharing, and require people to dig through multiple layers of menus to opt out. This design choice reflects the developer\u0026rsquo;s belief that it\u0026rsquo;s ok to collect location data about users without asking their permission. But this is just one example; values are encoded in software in many ways beyond default settings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2016 Twitter has come under fire for UX changes, most notably \u003ca href=\"http://thenextweb.com/twitter/2015/11/04/why-i-dont-like-twitters-new-heart-button/\"\u003eswitching their classic star icon\u003c/a\u003e (meaning \u0026ldquo;favorite\u0026rdquo;) to the heart icon (meaning \u0026ldquo;like\u0026rdquo;). Other changes in Twitter\u0026rsquo;s UX send strong messages about what Twitter believes their platform is for.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe GIFs are coming! Get ready to search and send GIFs in Tweets and Direct Messages: \u003ca href=\"https://t.co/uk75stt1zN\"\u003ehttps://t.co/uk75stt1zN\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/twitter/status/700002208306171904\"\u003epic.twitter.com/1dDD1B4CW2\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe addition of GIFs to the compose window tells users that animated images are an expected, normal part of Twitter. This may come as surprise to long-time Twitter users who see it primarily as a professional or news-sharing communication platform. (These may be many of the same people who felt that hearts were inappropriate or unprofessional replacements to stars.) Normalizing the use of GIFs is probably a way to encourage new users or to encourage new behaviors by current users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, the implementation choices in the GIF search feature also send a more subtle message about how users are expected to express themselves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/twitter-gif_hu_97688fcb46a5ae4b.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot showing a GIF-selection menu.\" width=\"740\" height=\"933\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eInserting a GIF into a tweet with Twitter\u0026rsquo;s web interface. Screenshot from the Twitter interface as viewed in Chrome on OSX.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ux-shapes-behavior\"\u003eUX Shapes Behavior\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at the options presented, we see that they have included only emotions in the top choices. This shapes user behavior by encouraging them to express strong agreement or dissent. The message that \u0026ldquo;Twitter is for arguing on the internet\u0026rdquo; is encoded into the UX. Of the 8 choices showing, four are positive (Agree, Applause, Awww, and Dance) and four are negative (Deal With It, Do Not Want, Ewww, and Eye Roll). The latter options tell users that they should expect to not only see things they do not want to on the platform, but to also share things that others don\u0026rsquo;t want to see. If someone questions your tweet, the UX suggests adding a \u0026ldquo;Deal With It\u0026rdquo; GIF as a response and moving on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwitter partnered with \u003ca href=\"http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/17/here-come-the-gif-twetes/\"\u003eGiphy and Riffsy\u003c/a\u003e to provide the GIFs, which focus on pop culture in the United States. It\u0026rsquo;s not clear if or how either the selections of illustrated emotions or the default GIFS are localized for a global audience. The first image illustrating applause is a take from The Lord of the Rings fantasy movie showing white actors dressed in costumes similar to 19th-century British clothes. I have watched that movie many times, but it strikes me as an odd choice to illustrate \u0026ldquo;applause.\u0026rdquo; What does it feel like to not know who those people are? How does that impact diverse users\u0026rsquo; comfort sharing that GIF? Any GIF? Using Twitter in general?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore fundamentally, what messages do the choice of images and titles for the GIFs send? How do they set the tone for conversation on Twitter? How do they welcome or exclude participation by different groups?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommunicating with graphics presents challenges for cross-cultural miscommunication in apps beyond Twitter. One example is the choice of words to describe emoji in Slack. I was surprised that the fist icon, which I had used for years on my iPhone in text and WhatsApp messages, is labeled \u0026ldquo;facepunch\u0026rdquo; in Slack. I thought of it as fist-bump, or a modern high five. So every time I thought I was sending a supportive \u0026ldquo;right on, you go, well done\u0026rdquo; message, the recipient may have thought I was punching them in the face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/punch_hu_4ff4eb3905fb975b.png\" alt=\"Slack app emoji of face punch\" width=\"740\" height=\"350\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eFacepunch sounds less supportive than fist-bump.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-for-inclusion-from-the-beginning\"\u003eDesigning for Inclusion, From the Beginning\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI live and work in San Francisco and am familiar with many of same the Gen-X cultural memes that the people working at Twitter, Facebook, or Google are steeped in. I want to make tools approachable and accessible to a global audience, but struggle with ways to make my own biases and cultural assumptions visible so they can be questioned.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUX designers have an opportunity to \u003ca href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/3058051/the-future-of-work/how-ordinary-tech-workers-can-improve-the-industrys-diversity\"\u003edesign for inclusion\u003c/a\u003e from the beginning and to challenge their teams to make software welcoming to all kinds of people. Even just thinking about the hands that you show in your product can be informative. Facebook\u0026rsquo;s repository of \u003ca href=\"https://design.facebook.com/toolsandresources/diverse-device-hands/\"\u003ediverse hand\u003c/a\u003e images is just one visual ways to remind your team and the world who you\u0026rsquo;re designing for (though I\u0026rsquo;d still like to see some painted nails, jewelry, and tattoos in the bunch).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRizwan Javid created a \u003ca href=\"https://www.rizwanjavaid.com/blog/multicultural-names-for-invisions-craft-plugin-sketch-photoshop/\"\u003eset of multicultural names\u003c/a\u003e for InVision\u0026rsquo;s Craft plugins (which integrate with Photoshop and Sketch) to help designers make prototypes that reflect a global userbase. Using this list can help address some practical considerations: can your UI handle a name like \u0026ldquo;Juan Carlos Gutiérrez De La Paz\u0026rdquo; without wrapping when displayed under a profile photo? But it also sends an important message to the team if they know they are designing for Shamika Thompson and Le Ly, instead of just the John Does and Jane Smiths of the world. The small step of including diverse names in an early interface can build empathy and send a message to designers that they are creating something for a global audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"technology-builders\"\u003eTechnology Builders\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond designing \u003cem\u003efor\u003c/em\u003e a global audience, look for ways to celebrate the leadership of people of color building technology. Slack designer and developer Diógenes Brito\u0026rsquo;s choice to use a \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@uxdiogenes/just-a-brown-hand-313db35230c5#.h2p4pw6lp\"\u003ebrown hand\u003c/a\u003e to unveil a feature in Slack reflects a world where the people creating websites and integrating APIs have brown hands.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat a lovely day! Why? The new Add to Slack Button—connecting apps to Slack is easy as pie! 🍕\u003ca href=\"http://t.co/wSA6bZY3UR\"\u003ehttp://t.co/wSA6bZY3UR\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/SlackHQ/status/636223893431160832\"\u003epic.twitter.com/4p1TxVkjBQ\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/radiomorillo\"\u003eStephanie Morillo\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/divinetechygirl\"\u003eChristina Morillo\u003c/a\u003e have created a set of \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/wocintechchat\"\u003estock photography\u003c/a\u003e showing women of color tech leaders, developers, and designers — and released it under a Creative Commons license. So next time you need an illustration of a developer or a designer, use them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/woc-designer-developer_hu_9e6ebc6c890b54e2.png\" alt=\"Photos of a woman of color standing in front of a whiteboard and of a woman of color using a laptop.\" width=\"740\" height=\"545\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eSample \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/wocintechchat/25677210462/\"\u003eUX Designer\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/wocintechchat/25703142551/\"\u003eDeveloper\u003c/a\u003e images from \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/wocintechchat/25703142551/\"\u003eWOC Tech Chat\u003c/a\u003e, shared under a \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/\"\u003eCC BY 2.0 license.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload Javid\u0026rsquo;s text files of names from our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/UI_text_assets\"\u003eGitHub repository\u003c/a\u003e (added there by permission), and \u003ca href=\"/contact\"\u003etell us\u003c/a\u003e about your favorite resources on designing for diversity!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Contracting Creatives, in Brief",
            "date_published": "2016-03-25T19:15:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-03-25T19:15:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/creative-briefs/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/creative-briefs/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eYour team has reached the stage where you need to hire a professional designer. Maybe you want to finally get a great-looking logo, make a website that doesn\u0026rsquo;t look like it was \u003ca href=\"http://www.dolekemp96.org/main.htm\"\u003edesigned in 1996\u003c/a\u003e, or create a really compelling video for your Kickstarter campaign. In any case, you know that it might be tricky to express what you\u0026rsquo;re looking for – especially if you come from a technical background and aren\u0026rsquo;t used to dealing with folks who work in pixels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re hiring a designer, you need to write a \u003ca href=\"https://articles.uie.com/short_form_creative_brief/\"\u003ecreative brief\u003c/a\u003e. Briefs can take many forms, but the basic idea is to communicate both what the project is, and give some indication of how the resulting work should \u003cem\u003efeel\u003c/em\u003e – but without getting too detailed or prescriptive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ask-an-expert-a-conversation-with-anne-trausch\"\u003eAsk an expert: a conversation with Anne Trausch\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAme sat down this week with \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-trausch-5787431\"\u003eAnne Trausch\u003c/a\u003e, a veteran content strategist, writer, and designer currently at IDEO San Francisco, to talk about the role a brief plays in a creative process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQ: What is the essence of a creative brief?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA creative brief clarifies the restrictions and the opportunity of a particular challenge. It\u0026rsquo;s a call to arms and also a map of where to focus efforts. Briefs answer why the project matters, and what the audience will get out of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey should be short — ideally a page in length — with a simple statement of the problem, objective, audience, main message, reasons to believe the message, and tone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBriefs put a box around a problem and say, \u0026ldquo;Go wild within this box.\u0026rdquo;\n– Anne Trausch\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQ: What words of wisdom do you have about helping organizations communicate their spirit and vision, and in bridging the divide with creative professionals?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a creative team to succeed it\u0026rsquo;s vital to clarify a strategic direction and foster agreements around any limits to the approach. Briefs outline what criteria a good solution will have to adhere to. Understanding the restrictions of a project can be liberating. Briefs put a box around a problem and say, \u0026ldquo;Go wild within this box.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe best solutions are often unfamiliar, bold, and new. In those cases, a team could be anxious trusting something seemingly unproven. A good brief reminds everyone of the strategic intent and can help keep conversations and discussions focused on how well the proposed solution addresses the challenge, and not get bogged down in how the team feels about it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have never been forced to accept compromises, but I have willingly accepted constraints.\n– Charles Eames\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"to-review-briefs-in-practice\"\u003eTo review: briefs in practice\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding on Anne\u0026rsquo;s wisdom, here are some practical tips for people new to writing creative briefs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep it \u003cem\u003ebrief\u003c/em\u003e. When in doubt, focus on the basics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat problem are you trying to solve with this creative endeavor?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat outcomes do you want to see as a result?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho is your audience for this project?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat message do you want to convey?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat reasons does someone have to believe your message?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do you want the project to \u003cem\u003efeel\u003c/em\u003e – what\u0026rsquo;s the emotion, the spirit, or the values that you want to convey?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemember, successful briefs not only convey your hopes and dreams for a project, but also provide some creative breathing room. After all, you\u0026rsquo;re not hiring a printer to manufacture an artifact you\u0026rsquo;ve already fully envisioned, but a creative professional whose talent will, if all goes well, bring something new and beautiful into the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have your brief in hand, you can work to find someone who will use it as a starting place for a conversation on what can be achieved on your budget and timeline. One tip for finding a designer is to look at the work they\u0026rsquo;ve already done, and try and find someone whose past projects have a similar scope and spirit to what you\u0026rsquo;re looking to accomplish. Personal referrals can be great, but only if the person\u0026rsquo;s experience is also in line with the work you want to have done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re an open-source team looking to collaborate on a design project for the first time and need a hand writing a brief or finding a designer, \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/107567840?badge=0\" alt=\"Learn about creative briefs from the perspective of creative professionals themselves in Briefly from Bassett \u0026amp; Partners\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eLearn about creative briefs from the perspective of creative professionals themselves in \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/107567840\"\u003eBriefly\u003c/a\u003e from \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/bassettandpartners\"\u003eBassett \u0026amp; Partners\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Contracting Creatives, in Brief",
            "date_published": "2016-03-25T19:15:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-03-25T19:15:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creative-briefs/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/creative-briefs/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eYour team has reached the stage where you need to hire a professional designer. Maybe you want to finally get a great-looking logo, make a website that doesn\u0026rsquo;t look like it was \u003ca href=\"http://www.dolekemp96.org/main.htm\"\u003edesigned in 1996\u003c/a\u003e, or create a really compelling video for your Kickstarter campaign. In any case, you know that it might be tricky to express what you\u0026rsquo;re looking for – especially if you come from a technical background and aren\u0026rsquo;t used to dealing with folks who work in pixels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re hiring a designer, you need to write a \u003ca href=\"https://articles.uie.com/short_form_creative_brief/\"\u003ecreative brief\u003c/a\u003e. Briefs can take many forms, but the basic idea is to communicate both what the project is and give some indication of how the resulting work should \u003cem\u003efeel\u003c/em\u003e – but without getting too detailed or prescriptive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ask-an-expert-a-conversation-with-anne-trausch\"\u003eAsk an expert: a conversation with Anne Trausch\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAme sat down this week with \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-trausch-5787431\"\u003eAnne Trausch\u003c/a\u003e, a veteran content strategist, writer, and designer currently at IDEO San Francisco, to talk about the role a brief plays in a creative process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQ: What is the essence of a creative brief?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA creative brief clarifies the restrictions and the opportunity of a particular challenge. It\u0026rsquo;s a call to arms and also a map of where to focus efforts. Briefs answer why the project matters and what the audience will get out of it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey should be short — ideally a page in length — with a simple statement of the problem, objective, audience, main message, reasons to believe the message, and tone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBriefs put a box around a problem and say, \u0026ldquo;Go wild within this box.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Anne Trausch\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQ: What words of wisdom do you have about helping organizations communicate their spirit and vision, and in bridging the divide with creative professionals?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a creative team to succeed, it\u0026rsquo;s vital to clarify a strategic direction and foster agreements around any limits to the approach. Briefs outline what criteria a good solution will have to adhere to. Understanding the restrictions of a project can be liberating. Briefs put a box around a problem and say, \u0026ldquo;Go wild within this box.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe best solutions are often unfamiliar, bold, and new. In those cases, a team could be anxious trusting something seemingly unproven. A good brief reminds everyone of the strategic intent and can help keep conversations and discussions focused on how well the proposed solution addresses the challenge, and not get bogged down in how the team feels about it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have never been forced to accept compromises, but I have willingly accepted constraints.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Charles Eames\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"to-review-briefs-in-practice\"\u003eTo review: briefs in practice\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding on Anne\u0026rsquo;s wisdom, here are some practical tips for people new to writing creative briefs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep it \u003cem\u003ebrief\u003c/em\u003e. When in doubt, focus on the basics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat problem are you trying to solve with this creative endeavor?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat outcomes do you want to see as a result?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho is your audience for this project?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat message do you want to convey?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat reasons does someone have to believe your message?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow do you want the project to \u003cem\u003efeel\u003c/em\u003e – what\u0026rsquo;s the emotion, the spirit, or the values that you want to convey?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemember, successful briefs not only convey your hopes and dreams for a project but also provide some creative breathing room. After all, you\u0026rsquo;re not hiring a printer to manufacture an artifact you\u0026rsquo;ve already fully envisioned, but a creative professional whose talent will, if all goes well, bring something new and beautiful into the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have your brief in hand, you can work to find someone who will use it as a starting place for a conversation on what can be achieved on your budget and timeline. One tip for finding a designer is to look at the work they\u0026rsquo;ve already done, and try and find someone whose past projects have a similar scope and spirit to what you\u0026rsquo;re looking to accomplish. Personal referrals can be great, but only if the person\u0026rsquo;s experience is also in line with the work you want to have done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re an open-source team looking to collaborate on a design project for the first time and need a hand writing a brief or finding a designer, \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/107567840?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLearn about creative briefs from the perspective of creative professionals themselves in \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/107567840\"\u003eBriefly\u003c/a\u003e from \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/bassettandpartners\"\u003eBassett \u0026amp; Partners\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Notes from the Internet Freedom Festival",
            "date_published": "2016-03-18T19:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-03-18T19:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/notes-iff-2016/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/notes-iff-2016/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eI really enjoyed my time at the \u003ca href=\"https://internetfreedomfestival.org/\"\u003eInternet Freedom Festival\u003c/a\u003e in Valencia, Spain. I was inspired and humbled to meet so many talented people as part of a global event about internet freedom. From powerful conversations about privilege to UX design jam sessions, it was a great week. With more than 600 people registered and 160+ sessions, there was more terrific discussion than I could be part of, but here are some themes that stuck with me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-with-and-designing-for\"\u003eDesigning With and Designing For\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIFF is the \u003ca href=\"https://team.cartodb.com/u/jsanz/viz/5044e12c-e473-11e5-ae2b-0e98b61680bf/public_map\"\u003emost global event\u003c/a\u003e I\u0026rsquo;ve attended, with people from 43+ countries. It was an eye-opening exposure to what the global internet is like in 2016, and how much work is needed to make it better. I\u0026rsquo;m a practitioner of Human-Centered Design who believes that empathy should be the foundation for building technology, and some of my most memorable discussions were about privilege, power, and my own biases. From observations on white-knighting, the minimization of lived experiences, and more, I came away with a renewed appreciation for the distinction between designing with people by involving them as partners versus designing for people in ways that are disrespectful and take away agency. I\u0026rsquo;m looking forward to listening and learning more. Thank you to the people who challenged me and encouraged me to grow.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"data-algorithms--you\"\u003eData, Algorithms, \u0026amp; You\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an example of this, Tara Adiseshan\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20220121120311/https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/Designing_Participatory_Algorithmic_Decision-Making_Processes\"\u003eDesigning Participatory Algorithmic Decision-Making Processes\u003c/a\u003e challenged me to think more broadly about structural discrimination, and how dangerous the myth of \u0026ldquo;neutral data\u0026rdquo; is in an era when algorithms determine so much of our experiences – pricing, credit scores, and more. There is a powerful design opportunity to give people agency to understand what data about them is collected and how to participate in the outcomes. Check out the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/algorithm_club\"\u003eAlgorithm Club\u003c/a\u003e, a Twitter book club, for more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContinuing the theme of data and algorithms, Sarah Gold and Ian Hutchinson from Projects By If\u0026rsquo;s session \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20220429091917/https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/You_and_your_data\"\u003eYou and Your Data\u003c/a\u003e turned out to be the boldest empathy exercise I encountered at IFF, encouraging empathy for advertisers and people who make their money from advertising revenue. This participatory discussion imagined the \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@projectsbyif/if-at-iff-advertising-after-adblockers-da11c71df292#.pwmf7qas5\"\u003einternet after adblockers\u003c/a\u003e. I\u0026rsquo;m interested to see their \u003ca href=\"https://catalogue.projectsbyif.com/\"\u003eexamples of data permissions\u003c/a\u003e work as a case study of how policy, user experience, and data agency intersect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"building-better-ux\"\u003eBuilding Better UX\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHuge thanks everyone who participated in the \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20220429093702/https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/UI_and_Usability_Jam_Sessions\"\u003eUI and Usability Jam\u003c/a\u003e, a workshop connecting the a community of people working to improve the design and usability of internet freedom tools. If you haven\u0026rsquo;t seen these \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/self-starter\"\u003eResources for UX Self-Education\u003c/a\u003e, take a look. My biggest inspiration came from appreciating how the well-known user onboarding challenge of empty states – or the initial state of the interface before there\u0026rsquo;s activity to display – is an opportunity for techno-activists to attract people to their movement. Triggered by Stingray Mapping and \u003ca href=\"https://whereat.io/\"\u003eWhereat.io\u003c/a\u003e’s use of location information in compelling ways, I got excited about how \u0026ldquo;demo mode,\u0026rdquo; or using an app solely for the purpose to showing features, is an opportunity to reinforce the values that lead people to download the app in the first place. Special thanks to Bridget Sheerin for pushing my thinking about radars and other dynamic interfaces for communicating location tracking.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was also glad to see more sessions about the craft of UX. Thanks to our Fellow \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews\"\u003eGus Andrews\u003c/a\u003e for a great session focused on \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20220429093702/https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/Feedback_on_secure_tools:_Giving_it_and_getting_it_more_easily,_with_graphics\"\u003etools and feedback\u003c/a\u003e, and to Sajolida for the \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20220429093621/https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/User_experience_of_configuring_Tor_in_Tails_(and_Tor_Browser_and_Whonix)\"\u003eTor configuration in Tails\u003c/a\u003e feedback session.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/gusandrews\"\u003e@gusandrews\u003c/a\u003e for graphic tools for feedback \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternetFF?src=hash\"\u003e#InternetFF\u003c/a\u003e. \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/ux?src=hash\"\u003e#ux\u003c/a\u003e design FTW. \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/anxiaostudio\"\u003e@anxiaostudio\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xurxosanz\"\u003e@xurxosanz\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://t.co/rFhVljA12Q\"\u003epic.twitter.com/rFhVljA12Q\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, inspired by An Xiao Mina\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20220429093702/https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/Multilingual_Design:_Bringing_Language_Access_to_the_Full_Stack\"\u003eMultilingual Design\u003c/a\u003e session, I\u0026rsquo;ve been thinking more about majority and minority languages, and what a more linguistically inclusive internet would be like. As a first step, I\u0026rsquo;m working to follow more people on Twitter who Tweet in languages other than English.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI came away from the Festival energized by the vibrant and passionate community and fired up to make the internet a better place.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Learning Lessons Where We Find Them: Analyzing Facebook's Privacy Checkup, Part 1",
            "date_published": "2016-03-11T19:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-03-11T19:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/facebook-p1/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/facebook-p1/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is the first in a short series of posts looking at Facebook\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;Privacy Checkup\u0026rdquo; feature. This installment examines why even privacy advocates who avoid social-media sites should take time to understand it and related user experiences. The next installment will go into depth critiquing the feature itself, taking lessons from the user experience that are useful to any designer of privacy or security-related software.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a reader of the Simply Secure blog, chances are good that you spend a fair amount of time thinking about privacy and data security. If you use programs like \u003ca href=\"https://www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en\"\u003eTor Browser\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.eff.org/privacybadger\"\u003ePrivacy Badger\u003c/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https://whispersystems.org/\"\u003eSignal\u003c/a\u003e, you might express your personal data-privacy goals with statements like \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t want anyone to be able to follow what I do online,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;I want to be able to control my online data and metadata as much as possible,\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t want any companies or governments spying on me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile people who don\u0026rsquo;t use these types of programs may have spent fewer hours searching out vetted open-source software, that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean that they don\u0026rsquo;t care about their data privacy. The Pew Research Center has \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/privacy/\"\u003efound\u003c/a\u003e that \u0026ldquo;91% of American adults say that consumers have lost control over how personal information is collected and used by companies,\u0026rdquo; and that \u0026ldquo;the public has little confidence in the security of their everyday communications.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne thing that Ame heard during her \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/straight-talk\"\u003erecent study\u003c/a\u003e in New York City is that participants were concerned that they were being surveilled by the police through Facebook. Although we need no external validation or justification of their concerns to find meaning in their lived experience, there is tremendous evidence that their fears are justified – as reported by \u003ca href=\"http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/10/7341077/nypd-harlem-crews-social-media-rikers-prison\"\u003eThe Verge\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/23/online-surveillance-black-teenagers-new-stop-and-frisk\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, and other outlets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mix of social media and conspiracy statutes creates a dragnet that can bring almost anybody in.\n– Andrew Laufer, as quoted by \u003ca href=\"http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/10/7341077/nypd-harlem-crews-social-media-rikers-prison\"\u003eThe Verge\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, some privacy advocates would tell people with these concerns that privacy is anathema to sites like Facebook because their revenue model is largely based on gathering data about users and selling targeted ads. And, depending on your threat model and the security practices of the social-media site in question, it\u0026rsquo;s true that sharing your data with such sites can put your security at risk – both online and in the physical world – especially if you are an activist under threat from state actors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut there is no single definition of what is \u0026ldquo;private enough.\u0026rdquo; Everyone has different threat models. And as a user advocate with a human-centered-design ethos, I argue that it is not reasonable to simply tell \u003ca href=\"http://newsroom.fb.com/company-info/\"\u003ea billion\u003c/a\u003e or more people that they should abandon the platforms they use to communicate every day with friends and relatives – that they use to buy used clothing for their children, get inspiration for their creative endeavors, and hunt for job opportunities. The value that users get from these sites is too high; a message to leave it based on amorphous privacy threats would fall on closed ears.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe should instead make sure that users have the tools they need to manage who can see their data, and work to understand the ways that sites share data outside of the user-visible platform. It sounds like the New York City police are not able to obtain warrants that provide them access to large swaths of the local population\u0026rsquo;s accounts (although I welcome correction on this point). This means that helping users control who sees their data shared through the platform – and an increased focus on helping individuals detect phony friend requests – could go a long way toward protecting the participants Ame talked to who were concerned about unwarranted police surveillance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why features like Facebook\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;Privacy Checkup\u0026rdquo; hold great potential. The best way to understand how well it works for users in practice would be to look at Facebook\u0026rsquo;s usage statistics (How many users complete the checkup? What changes do they implement as part of the process? Do they engage more with their privacy settings than users who don\u0026rsquo;t interact with the feature? Do their sharing behaviors change after completing the checkup?) or perform a user study (Do users understand what is going on? Are they happy with the results of the checkup when they\u0026rsquo;re complete? What about six months later? Do they feel that their data is safer? Do they work with friends or family to help them protect their data?). But, we\u0026rsquo;re going to be scrappy and do an armchair expert review – the kind of analysis that is easy to perform on any piece of software after using it for a short amount of time. This kind of review is most useful for identifying low-hanging fruit – i.e., obvious things that may confuse or frustrate users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStay tuned for the next post in this series, where we\u0026rsquo;ll start taking the feature apart and identifying lessons that are useful to any designer of privacy or security-related software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/fb-privacy-settings_hu_59fea85589647695.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Scout\u0026rsquo;s Facebook account, taken today.\" width=\"740\" height=\"702\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eScreenshot of Scout\u0026rsquo;s Facebook account, taken today.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Be a self-starter: UX educational resources",
            "date_published": "2016-03-01T13:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-03-01T13:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/self-starter/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/self-starter/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"user-experience-self-education-resources\"\u003eUser Experience Self-Education Resources\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAn annotated list by \u003ca href=\"http://about.me/susanfarrell\"\u003eSusan Farrell\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLast updated\u003c/strong\u003e: 1 March 2016\n\u003cstrong\u003eStatus\u003c/strong\u003e: Beta / draft\n\u003cstrong\u003eSuggestions, etc.\u003c/strong\u003e: \u003ca href=\"mailto:susanf@acm.org\"\u003esusanf@acm.org\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUsage Intent\u003c/strong\u003e: Please ask, until it\u0026rsquo;s under version control at GitHub. This is just a draft.\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntended Audience\u003c/strong\u003e: Anyone who wants to learn how to make things easier to use, through better design and research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-is-user-experience-ux\"\u003eWhat is User Experience? (UX)\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a lot of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_experience\"\u003eofficial and unofficial definitions worth reading\u003c/a\u003e. An applied version:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser experience is concerned with what happens when someone uses something (tools, designs, systems, toys, amusement parks, etc.) and their experience of that.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople experience interacting with businesses and organizations in various ways for various reasons (find information, shop, research, call, buy, receive, set up, repair, return, email, branding, stores, etc.).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA person\u0026rsquo;s user experience with something can be good, bad, ugly, brilliant, fun, embarrassing, and so on.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability\"\u003eUsability\u003c/a\u003e can, and should, be \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_usability_evaluation_methods\"\u003eevaluated\u003c/a\u003e. Occasionally it should be measured, but quick, qualitative testing with users helps you improve outcomes faster, especially while designing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe profession of UX is a big set of people with many and various combinations of UX skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey are all trying to improve people\u0026rsquo;s lives by making software, information, products, services, and other designed experiences, better, easier to use, and more delightful.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/UXUnicorn_hu_e01443dc5f39ab.png\" alt=\"Image of a unicorn composed of different elements of the user-experience process\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe skills and responsibilities of an effective team. It’s ideal to have more than one UX person to ensure important sub-specialties are covered. Originally published in \u003ca href=\"http://blog.invisionapp.com/building-an-enterprise-ux-team\"\u003eBuilding an enterprise UX team\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/RainbowliciousD\"\u003eRachel Daniel\u003c/a\u003e (also on \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheldaniel\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e), UX Director at MaxPoint. Used by permission.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s a good user experience? Well, that depends on things like:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho the users are\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat the purpose of the system is\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat people expect\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow well it meets their needs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow they feel about it\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd how it\u0026rsquo;s experienced, sustained, and maintained over time\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"why-improving-human-computer-interaction-matters\"\u003eWhy improving human-computer interaction matters\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn many parts of the world, every business is suddenly in the software business\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEveryone is a potential computer user\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUX methods solve important problems for people and organizations\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUX research finds and meets real, human needs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople want to be delighted. Functionality is usually not enough.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can decide with data (stop arguing)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can create more-appropriate products and services by collaborating with users\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can find and mitigate risks by testing designs early and often\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can measure how much more usable your products and services are over time\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can compare your offerings with competitors’\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou can streamline: saving time, effort, and money\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-to-get-up-to-speed\"\u003eHow to Get Up to Speed\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://nngroup.com/reports/user-experience-careers/\"\u003eUser Experience Careers (free report and article)\u003c/a\u003e Read this to see if it sounds right for you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart doing these things one at a time until you\u0026rsquo;re doing all of them:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCarry a notebook\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollect screenshots and photos of designs that work well and poorly\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePay attention to the details of every interface you use\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAggressively teach yourself by reading books\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFind a mentor and a community\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGet (and later provide) an internship or apprentice position\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTake some courses online and also hands-on workshops\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearn to describe interfaces and interactions as precisely as possible\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmbrace usability testing so you can learn what works and check designs as you build\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u0026mdash;\u0026ndash;Start designing\u0026mdash;\u0026ndash;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e(Don\u0026rsquo;t get distracted by tools, use what you can get that works)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePaper prototyping\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInteractive prototyping\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePractice\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"where-to-start-reading\"\u003eWhere to Start: Reading\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinciples of visual design\nHCI university textbook(s) that cover both design and ergonomics / human factors\nInteraction design\nAccessibility\nResearch methods (overview)\nInformation architecture\nHow to analyze data\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou are what you read. Get serious by hitting the books. There\u0026rsquo;s no faster or better way to educate yourself. Snack a little with blogs, talks, and workshops, sure; but the books are where the foundational learning happens. Everyone in UX has read these, will read these, or has them on hand for reference. See also other books these people write. Find more in their bibliographies. Go to CHI, UXPA, and other conferences where new design research papers are presented. (See UX Professional Organizations, below.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"books\"\u003eBooks\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat books on interface design are infrequent. The old textbooks have a lot of good in them still. Humans hardly ever change, and usability problems seem perennial.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Think-Revisited-Usability/dp/0321965515/\"\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t Make Me Think\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654/\"\u003eThe Design of Everyday Things\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/ux-for-beginners-key-ideas\"\u003eUX For Beginners: Key Ideas\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Surgery-Made-Easy-Do-It-Yourself/dp/0321657292/\"\u003eRocket Surgery Made Easy - Do It Yourself\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/The-User-Experience-Team-One/dp/1933820187/\"\u003eThe User Experience Team of One\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.usability.gov/sites/default/files/documents/guidelines_book.pdf\"\u003eResearch-Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines (PDF - free)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/AWeb-Everyone-Designing-Accessible-Experiences-ebook/dp/B00HCREJZ6/\"\u003eA Web for Everyone - Designing Accessible Experiences\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Observing-User-Experience-Practitioners-Research/dp/1558609237/\"\u003eObserving the User Experience\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Interfaces-Jenifer-Tidwell/dp/1449379702/\"\u003eDesigning Interfaces\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/About-Face-Essentials-Interaction-Design/dp/1118766571/\"\u003eAbout Face - Essentials of Interaction Design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.jjg.net/elements/\"\u003eThe Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Information-Architecture-Beyond-Louis-Rosenfeld/dp/1491911689/\"\u003eInformation Architecture: For the Web and Beyond\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Search-Analytics-Your-Louis-Rosenfeld-ebook/dp/B005EI86HC/\"\u003eSearch Analytics for Your Site\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VFUOWY/\"\u003eRemote Research\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/dp/1933820217/\"\u003ePrototyping: A Practitioner\u0026rsquo;s Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/dp/0124157815/\"\u003eMeasuring the User Experience\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937557286/\"\u003eDesigning for Touch\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/articles/recommended-user-interface-books/\"\u003eNN/g recommended UI Books\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"other\"\u003eOther\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://usabilitygeek.com/top-20-user-experience-blogs-resources-2015/\"\u003eTop [35] blogs and resource website list by usabilitygeek.com\u003c/a\u003e (Don\u0026rsquo;t miss their Honorable Mentions at the bottom)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://uipatterns.io/\"\u003eUI Patterns\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many pattern libraries, including the above; seek them out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLook at a lot of patterns to understand interaction.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeware copy-pasting. Almost nothing is universally appropriate, and interfaces evolve (and devolve) all the time. If your platform has an official style and pattern library, start with that.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome popular patterns are awful. Figure out why.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen someone mentions a great app or website, find out what makes it so great.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOptimize and improve design patterns that people already love. Don\u0026rsquo;t reinvent the wheel. Invent new controls and interactions, but test them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"websites-for-ux-reference-and-best-practices\"\u003eWebsites for UX Reference and Best Practices\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com\"\u003ehttps://www.nngroup.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://usabilitynet.org\"\u003ehttp://usabilitynet.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://hcibib.org\"\u003ehttp://hcibib.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://usability.gov\"\u003ehttp://usability.gov\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/reports/how-to-recruit-participants-usability-studies/\"\u003eHow to Recruit Participants for Usability Studies\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.cs.umd.edu/users/ben/goldenrules.html\"\u003eThe Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.universalusability.com/resources.html\"\u003eUniversal Usability Resources\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ux-professional-organizations\"\u003eUX Professional Organizations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://uxpa.org/\"\u003euxpa.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sigchi.org/\"\u003esigchi.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://ixda.org/\"\u003eixda.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"interesting-talks-and-resources\"\u003eInteresting Talks and Resources\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bret+victor\"\u003eBrett Victor\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://offlinefirst.org/\"\u003eOffline First\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Reaching For The Masses: Protecting Privacy Through Better Software",
            "date_published": "2016-02-26T18:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-02-26T18:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/cfr-brief/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/cfr-brief/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMany regular readers of our blog have already \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_the_Kool-Aid\"\u003edrunk the metaphorical Kool-Aid\u003c/a\u003e. You know that a good user experience is critical to an app\u0026rsquo;s success; moreover, you know that when a piece of software seeks to preserve its users\u0026rsquo; privacy, a poor UX can have disastrous results.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut working in a community of passionate individuals – whether it\u0026rsquo;s as a designer, a cryptographer, or an internet-freedom activist – can make it easy to forget that the majority of the human race isn\u0026rsquo;t aware of your favorite issues. It\u0026rsquo;s easy to lose sight of the fact that most people don\u0026rsquo;t spend their days thinking about their relationship to software, or how their software handles their data. The recent news about \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBI_v._Apple\"\u003eApple and the FBI\u003c/a\u003e have brought many of these issues to the forefront, but it\u0026rsquo;s hard for people on the outside to sort through the hype to understand what\u0026rsquo;s really going on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough our main focus at Simply Secure is on helping UX professionals and software developers learn, connect, and grow in their efforts to make great experiences for their users, we also try to help other communities understand the space we work in. To that end, I recently penned \u0026ldquo;Protecting Data Privacy With User-Friendly Software\u0026rdquo; for the \u003ca href=\"http://www.cfr.org/\"\u003eCouncil on Foreign Relations\u003c/a\u003e series of \u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"http://www.cfr.org/thinktank/dcp/cyberbrief.html\"\u003eCyber Briefs\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rdquo;. The CFR \u003ca href=\"http://www.cfr.org/about/mission.html\"\u003epositions itself\u003c/a\u003e as \u0026ldquo;a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens\u0026rdquo; – many of whom aren\u0026rsquo;t familiar with the difference between symmetric and asymmetric crypto, or between UI and UX.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePolicymakers in the United States and other countries should recognize that anything less than intact cryptography puts all users at risk. Developers cannot build software that allows law enforcement to access encrypted communications but prevents malicious actors from exploiting that access. Cryptography cannot distinguish good people from bad, so a backdoor for one is a backdoor for all.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe focus of too many projects has long been on users who resemble the developers themselves. It is time to professionalize the practice of open-source development, recruit designers and usability researchers to the cause, and take a human-centered approach to software design. In particular, project leaders should make the development process more accessible to new participants by including explicit instructions to user-experience experts in their documentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can read the full brief \u003ca href=\"https://www.cfr.org/report/protecting-data-privacy-user-friendly-software\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Features – Like Backdoors – Are Forever",
            "date_published": "2016-02-19T18:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-02-19T18:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/backdoors-are-forever/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/backdoors-are-forever/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe are pleased to announce a new collaboration with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e as part of their \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eUsability Lab\u003c/a\u003e project. This exciting initiative will allow open-source software projects to \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/a/simplysecure.org/forms/d/1uOPAhJLspvP9RydoGDCci2gKkOjzgF6qExBFHbuL-3Q/viewform\"\u003eapply\u003c/a\u003e for free assistance with user-experience (UX) design as well as usability research. To our knowledge, this is the first program to offer support of this kind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/otf-simsec_hu_987626dd4e7f2c4d.png\" alt=\"Open Technology Fund \u0026#43; Simply Secure\" width=\"740\" height=\"267\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"who-should-apply\"\u003eWho should apply?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Usability Lab is focused on projects within OTF’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/about/program\"\u003eremit\u003c/a\u003e – i.e., software tools and initiatives that support free expression and information exchange online. If you’re working on a tool that provides encrypted communication, secure file exchange, censorship circumvention, or related features, you should definitely apply. If you\u0026rsquo;re not sure whether your project fits within this framework, please apply, and we will work with you to see if it can be supported under the program.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-kind-of-support-can-projects-receive\"\u003eWhat kind of support can projects receive?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEligible software projects will receive free support from design and/or research professionals to evaluate and improve the quality of their project’s UX. Simply Secure will work with your project to identify the type of support will be most useful and scope a well-defined set of activities that can be accomplished over the period of a few weeks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePotential activities include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpert reviews to identify opportunities for improving the UX\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsability studies to evaluate a newly-proposed feature\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign sprints to harmonize the visual look-and-feel between an app and its website\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProgram evaluations to examine a team’s process for getting feedback from its users\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStrategy research to help a team identify and understand its user population\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to matching software teams with skilled designers and researchers, Simply Secure will collaborate with engineers and UX professionals to ensure good communication over the course of the project. Simply Secure will also work with the software team after the design or research phase is complete, to make sure they are successful in incorporating the findings into their next development cycle. Finally, Simply Secure will work with software teams to transparently share the results of the collaboration, bringing open-source values to UX work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"can-ux-professionals-get-involved\"\u003eCan UX professionals get involved?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbsolutely! If you are a UX or visual designer or a usability researcher interested in doing applied work on software in this space, please contact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:ux@superbloom.design\"\u003eux@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e with a link to your portfolio and/or curriculum vitae. This is a pilot program that we hope will help us connect an extensive network of designers and researchers working on privacy and internet-freedom tools, so we want to hear from you!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-do-i-learn-more\"\u003eHow do I learn more?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease apply for support \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/a/simplysecure.org/forms/d/1uOPAhJLspvP9RydoGDCci2gKkOjzgF6qExBFHbuL-3Q/viewform\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e (or email us if you are uncomfortable using Google forms) as part of OTF’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eUsability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, and contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:scout@superbloom.design\"\u003escout@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"mailto:lindsay@opentechfund.org\"\u003elindsay@opentechfund.org\u003c/a\u003e with questions!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Awkward! QR Scanning + LinkedIn Spam",
            "date_published": "2016-02-12T15:30:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-02-12T15:30:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/qr-linkedin/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/qr-linkedin/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMessaging with friends and colleagues is rewarding – but sharing contact information is awkward. Many people want to preserve their privacy by carefully controlling who gets their contact information, and choose not to broadcast their email address or phone number via a public Facebook or Twitter profile. Instead, they choose to strategically share their contact info.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s awkward to navigate the social and UX challenges in this sharing. Looking at how WeChat and LinkedIn handle this problem exposes two different kinds of awkwardness: mechanics of sharing and social agreement about what permissions you get as a result.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"wechat-reciprocity-and-leaving-people-hanging\"\u003eWeChat: Reciprocity and Leaving People Hanging\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChinese messaging app \u003ca href=\"https://web.wechat.com/\"\u003eWeChat\u003c/a\u003e has grown to 650 million monthly users. Although posts \u003ca href=\"https://citizenlab.org/2015/07/tracking-censorship-on-wechat-public-accounts-platform/\"\u003emay be censored\u003c/a\u003e, it\u0026rsquo;s a fixture of the Chinese mobile landscape. During 2016\u0026rsquo;s Lunar New Year, WeChat handled \u003ca href=\"http://qz.com/613384/over-8-billion-red-envelopes-were-sent-over-wechat-during-chinese-new-year/\"\u003e8 billion\u003c/a\u003e \u0026ldquo;red envelopes\u0026rdquo; of New Year\u0026rsquo;s money through its payment platform. Christina Xu\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"http://www.88-bar.com/2016/01/are-you-scanning-me-or-am-i-scanning-you/\"\u003eAm I Scanning You, or Are You Scanning Me\u003c/a\u003e shares the social nuances of scanning a QR code off someone else\u0026rsquo;s phone to exchange contact information. Her writing provides cultural context; for example, URLs are \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/chrysaora-weekly/pictures-of-chinese-people-scanning-qr-codes-a564047ec58f#.x6mx3a1iv\"\u003eonly \u003cem\u003eslightly\u003c/em\u003e more human-readable than a QR code\u003c/a\u003e for most Chinese people. Her discussion of Chinese norms of courtesy and reciprocity include descriptions of the discomfort that an inexperienced QR-code scanner causes, requiring their scanning partner to \u0026ldquo;hold their phone out steadily for awkward, uncertain seconds, as if waiting slightly too long for a high five.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/WeChatQRScan_hu_e84c5e86b01702f.jpg\" alt=\"Image of users scanning QR codes.\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eScanning a QR Code to share contact info in WeChat. Photo by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/BAalOnLHyTZ/\"\u003eAn Xiao Mina\u003c/a\u003e, used by permission.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith WeChat, the physical mechanics of contact sharing may be awkward or difficult, but it\u0026rsquo;s clear what you have permission to do. After being scanned, you still have a graceful way to not complete the friend request if you choose. However, once the request is accepted, you can exchange messages with them on the platform, and optionally share \u003ca href=\"http://blog.wechat.com/tag/moments/\"\u003eMoments\u003c/a\u003e with them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"linkedin-spam-and-dark-patterns\"\u003eLinkedIn: Spam and Dark Patterns\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast fall, designer \u003ca href=\"http://www.frankchimero.com/writing/\"\u003eFrank Chimero\u003c/a\u003e proposed that any New Yorker cartoon could be captioned with \u0026ldquo;Hi, I\u0026rsquo;d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.\u0026rdquo;  These bland and unthreatening words, which the professional networking site has made familiar to many people around the world, have achieved internet memedom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"und\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://t.co/L2KQhUd8vf\"\u003epic.twitter.com/L2KQhUd8vf\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; Frank Chimero (@frank_chimero) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/frank_chimero/status/646390063283208192\"\u003eSeptember 22, 2015\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, these messages are not always desirable, and a specific set of UX decisions has caused LinkedIn to become synonymous with spam. Dan Schlosser describes \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@danrschlosser/linkedin-dark-patterns-3ae726fe1462#.spk95qyup\"\u003eLinkedIn\u0026rsquo;s Dark Patterns\u003c/a\u003e and how they trick people into inviting their contacts to connect on the social network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/LinkedInScreen_hu_3ee94b3d769ee88f.png\" alt=\"LinkedIn iPhone app screenshot\" width=\"740\" height=\"1314\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eLinkedIn interrupts users\u0026rsquo; workflow to request access to your contacts.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn contrast to the up-front awkwardness of scanning a QR code, sharing contact information via LinkedIn is downright seamless. The LinkedIn iPhone app screenshot shown above makes \u0026ldquo;continue,\u0026rdquo; which gives ongoing access to your contacts, prominent – and the \u0026ldquo;x\u0026rdquo; to dismiss the request without granting access subtle. Because the app frequently requests access to your contacts, invitations to connect can be unknowingly sent to everyone in your address book, including those you don\u0026rsquo;t consider professional contacts, such as someone you texted with to buy a used sofa.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith LinkedIn, the social awkwardness around contact sharing comes after the request has been sent. The fact that LinkedIn\u0026rsquo;s aggressive requests reached meme status indicates that these requests are often unintentional. Furthermore, there\u0026rsquo;s no social agreement on how to interact once the LinkedIn connection is made. Message only within the app? Send emails? Endorse for skills? It\u0026rsquo;s not clear what accepting the request means, because it\u0026rsquo;s not clear what the invitation-sender intended.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-to-share-contacts-and-preserve-privacy\"\u003eDesigning to Share Contacts and Preserve Privacy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeliberately increasing the awkwardness of sharing contacts would decrease usability and distract users from their primary communication goals. However, \u0026ldquo;friction-free\u0026rdquo; isn\u0026rsquo;t always good; designers should safeguard the intentionality of sharing contacts by making it explicit and noticeable. Instead of happening seamlessly behind the scenes, contact sharing should be something people intentionally and explicitly opt into. I look forward to more experiences like WeChat, where the on-screen UX and social agreements work together – even if they require a little QR awkwardness.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Video Roundup",
            "date_published": "2016-02-05T16:40:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-02-05T16:40:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/video-roundup/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/video-roundup/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIt’s always great to attend security and privacy conferences in person. But in cases where you have to miss an event, online videos of the talks can be a great way to stay current with the ongoing conversation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"art-design-and-the-future-of-privacy\"\u003eArt, Design, and The Future of Privacy\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs I promised \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/privacy-discussions/\"\u003eback in September\u003c/a\u003e, the videos of the event we co-hosted with \u003ca href=\"http://dismagazine.com/\"\u003eDIS Magazine\u003c/a\u003e at \u003ca href=\"http://pioneerworks.org/\"\u003ePioneer Works\u003c/a\u003e are available online. The \u003ca href=\"#\"\u003eDIS blog\u003c/a\u003e had a great writeup with summaries of the different panels, and you can find transcripts over at \u003ca href=\"http://opentranscripts.org/sources/art-design-future-privacy/\"\u003eOpen Transcripts\u003c/a\u003e. I had a great time participating and came away with some great perspectives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo of my favorite sessions were Sarah Ball talking about unique perspective from her work as a prison librarian and our advisor Cory Doctorow’s barn-burning sendoff at the end.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/140995268?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/140995268\"\u003eArt, Design, and The Future of Privacy - Ask a Prison Librarian about privacy, technology, and state control\u003c/a\u003e from \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/mjoseff\"\u003eMatthew Joseff\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com\"\u003eVimeo\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/141260965?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/141260965\"\u003eArt, Design, and The Future of Privacy - Where to from here?\u003c/a\u003e from \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/mjoseff\"\u003eMatthew Joseff\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo\"\u003eVimeo\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVideo links:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/140246342\"\u003ePreface\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#\"\u003eWelcome – Meredith Whittaker and Marvin Jordan\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/140995266\"\u003eHuman rights meets design challenges – Scout Sinclair Brody\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/140995269\"\u003eDigital Privacy IRL: Architecture, public space, and its role in preserving online rights – Noah Biklen and Sarah Gold, moderated by Ame Elliott\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/140995264\"\u003eIf you build it they won’t care: Designing privacy-preserving technologies for people with other interests – Tyler Reinhard, Ame Elliott, and Harlo Holmes, moderated by Scout Sinclair Brody\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/140995268\"\u003eAsk a Prison Librarian about privacy, technology, and state control – Cory Doctorow interviewing Sarah Ball\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/143852704\"\u003eNo, thank you: Agency, imagination, and possibilities for rejecting world-changing technological innovation – Kate Crawford, Lauren McCarthy and Allison Burtch, moderated by Meredith Whittaker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/141260965\"\u003eWhere to from here? – Cory Doctorow\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"shmoocon-2016\"\u003eShmoocon 2016\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/shmoocon-talk/\"\u003eearlier post\u003c/a\u003e, I described the talk that \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-gus/\"\u003eGus\u003c/a\u003e and I gave last month at Shmoocon, and linked to the \u003ca href=\"/resources/Shmoocon2016-user-are-people-too.pdf\"\u003eslides\u003c/a\u003e. Videos for the whole conference are \u003ca href=\"https://archive.org/details/shmoocon-2016\"\u003enow online\u003c/a\u003e, including one of \u003ca href=\"https://archive.org/details/Users_Are_People_Too\"\u003eour talk\u003c/a\u003e, which highlights some practical, low-cost things that any software team can do to improve the user-experience design of their project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://archive.org/embed/Users_Are_People_Too\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\" mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"enigma\"\u003eEnigma\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast week’s USENIX \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/enigma2016\"\u003eEnigma Conference\u003c/a\u003e had a great slate of speakers and we’ve heard some positive feedback about it on our Slack channel. Watching via \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIdV7bE97mSPTH1mOi_yUrw\"\u003eYouTube\u003c/a\u003e, I particularly enjoyed hearing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfFjde0UPbY\"\u003eAdrienne Porter Felt\u003c/a\u003e talk about some of her team’s efforts to make security more accessible and useful for their users.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Notes on the O'Reilly Design Conference",
            "date_published": "2016-01-29T16:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-01-29T16:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/notes-on-oreilly/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/notes-on-oreilly/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast week I went to the O\u0026rsquo;Reilly Design Conference and enjoyed learning about emerging UX trends.  The conference was full of high-quality presentations on UX practice. Here are three of my favorite talks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-many-minds-of-the-maker\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://conferences.oreilly.com/design/ux-interaction-iot-us/public/schedule/detail/45749\"\u003eThe Many Minds of the Maker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnight-Mozilla Fellow \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/livlab\"\u003eLivia Labate\u003c/a\u003e shared examples of how designers can overcome barriers to learning code. Her experiences from the pragmatic (no you don\u0026rsquo;t need to learn Rails) to the philosophical (to be good at something, be bad at it first) are relevant to people beyond designers. Her willingness to find common ground and avoid stereotypical conflicts between designers and developers is important.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"measuring-hard-to-measure-things\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://conferences.oreilly.com/design/ux-interaction-iot-us/public/schedule/detail/45525\"\u003eMeasuring Hard to Measure Things\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGitHub\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/tenaciouscb\"\u003eChrissie Brodigan\u003c/a\u003e shared user research that helped make GitHub more useful to new users. She included interesting examples of empathetic listening to understand what people wanted. I especially appreciated her insights on survey design and A/B testing offers of free, private code repositories at attract people. Pro tip: consider phrases other than \u0026ldquo;free private\u0026rdquo; (e.g., “You’re eligible for a free private repository!”) in an email subject line to avoid spam filters. There were some nice lessons on transparency too, as people took to Twitter to complain about newbies being offered free stuff at the expense of long-time users during a limited-rollout experiment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"designing-for-evil\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://conferences.oreilly.com/design/ux-interaction-iot-us/public/schedule/detail/45326\"\u003eDesigning for Evil\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/jorm\"\u003eBrandon Harris\u003c/a\u003e described the benefits of a troll persona (or, more generally, an attacker persona) for understanding how users could subvert your software to harm others. This seems particularly relevant as a way for designers without a technical security background to consider how their interfaces are vulnerable to attackers. For example, Scout wrote about \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/catching-issues-evolving-interfaces/\"\u003eAshley Madison\u0026rsquo;s leaky interface\u003c/a\u003e and password recovery flow. With no technical knowledge, a designer could imagine someone testing both their partner\u0026rsquo;s and their own email addresses to see what kind of messages are returned.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"privacy-as-a-social-good\"\u003ePrivacy as a Social Good\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe conference had a robust slate of 11 presentations over two days in the Design for Social Good track. Privacy played a role in several presentations, including my own talk on \u003ca href=\"http://conferences.oreilly.com/design/ux-interaction-iot-us/public/schedule/detail/45742\"\u003eUX for Security\u003c/a\u003e. Two areas that felt particularly rich in other talks were helping people feel mastery over IoT environments and questioning algorithmic decision-making. It was nice to see designers talking seriously about the benefits of privacy, but more work is still needed to expand the conversation. Birds of a Feather groups and hallway conversations on social good felt more anchored to \u0026ldquo;social\u0026rdquo; as in social media rather than societal good.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"favorite-quotes\"\u003eFavorite Quotes\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/MargaretGouldStewart_hu_b17866f73741b08c.JPG\" alt=\"Image of a slide from the conference, which says: This is hands down the most time-consuming process and the least efficient thing that I do in my life. [\u0026hellip;] People have wasted years of their lives doing this.\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eFacebook’s \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mags\"\u003eMargaret Gould Stewart\u003c/a\u003e, pictured here, encouraged designers to improve enterprise software by offering this quote from a usability study participant. There are many painstaking experiences that waste people’s time, and they have no say in which system they have to use for their jobs.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Luxurious design has a place in people\u0026rsquo;s lives regardless of who they are.\u0026rdquo; - \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/danamo\"\u003eDana McKay\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/oreillydesign\"\u003e#oreillydesign\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I started out as a designer and developer. Now I\u0026rsquo;m just an expectation setter.\u0026rdquo; \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mikekuniavsky\"\u003eMike Kuniavsky\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/oreillydesign\"\u003e#oreillydesign\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"for-the-reading-list\"\u003eFor the Reading List\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo of my next UX reads will be \u003ca href=\"http://www.oreilly.com/design/free/designing-for-respect.csp\"\u003eDesigning for Respect: UX Ethics for the Digital Age\u003c/a\u003e by David Hindman an Designing for Dasein by Thomas Wendt.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Users are people too: our talk at Shmoocon",
            "date_published": "2016-01-22T19:40:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-01-22T19:40:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/shmoocon-talk/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/shmoocon-talk/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast week \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-gus/\"\u003eGus\u003c/a\u003e and I gave a talk at \u003ca href=\"http://shmoocon.org/\"\u003eShmoocon\u003c/a\u003e in DC. The focus was on helping technologists who don\u0026rsquo;t have experience in human-centered design processes conduct basic research to improve their existing open-source tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe covered four basic steps that we believe even small or volunteer teams can take:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAgree on your target users\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo an expert review of your UX to identify (\u0026amp; fix) low-hanging fruit\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterview real users\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild a model of your users and their needs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmooth the path for user feedback\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIterate until you get it right\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall the talk was well received, with a few choice quotes making their way onto Twitter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Usability is what allows you to get the job done. Design is what brings you joy.\u0026rdquo; - \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/scouttle\"\u003e@scouttle\u003c/a\u003e on making security tools not suck \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/shmoocon\"\u003e#shmoocon\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat line by \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/scouttle\"\u003e@scouttle\u003c/a\u003e: \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eActually\u003c/em\u003e listen to your users! Duct tape your mouth if you have to!\u0026rdquo; (With \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/gusandrews\"\u003e@gusandrews\u003c/a\u003e at \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/shmoocon\"\u003e@shmoocon\u003c/a\u003e Belay It)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;ve gotten a few queries from folks interested in our slides. If you\u0026rsquo;d like to take a look, you can find a PDF of the deck (including speaker notes) \u003ca href=\"/resources/Shmoocon2016-user-are-people-too.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e! We will also put them in our small-but-growing \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources\"\u003eGitHub repository\u003c/a\u003e of resources.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Signing on to protect the internet",
            "date_published": "2016-01-15T16:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-01-15T16:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/signing-on-to-protect/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/signing-on-to-protect/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis week we joined nearly 200 other organizations, companies, and individuals in signing \u003ca href=\"https://securetheinternet.org/\"\u003ean open letter\u003c/a\u003e to the world\u0026rsquo;s governments calling for them to protect the integrity of online security, and to not undermine it by weakening, limiting, or backdooring encryption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure has written before about the importance of this issue before, both \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/encryption-not-for-terrorists/\"\u003eon our blog\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wanting-it-bad-enough-won_b_8762322\"\u003eelsewhere\u003c/a\u003e. We believe that all people should have access to strong privacy-preserving technologies, and that efforts to compromise encryption in the name of fighting terrorism will only backfire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you agree with us, we encourage you to \u003ca href=\"https://securetheinternet.org/#form\"\u003esign the letter\u003c/a\u003e as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Calling UX Designers \u0026 Usability Researchers",
            "date_published": "2016-01-08T17:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-01-08T17:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/suds/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/opportunities/suds/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe are pleased to share that the call for applications to the 2016 Supporting Usability and Design for Security (SUDS) Fellowship \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/fellowships/suds\"\u003eis now live\u003c/a\u003e. The fellowship, which is sponsored by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e and co-administered by Simply Secure, is the next generation of the Secure Usability Fellowship Program (SUFP).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: the deadline for applications has been extended to March 21st.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSUDS is designed to pair fellows with host organizations that will offer mentorship and oversight, and Simply Secure is once again acting as one of the host organizations. Read on for more information about the fellowship, as well as for details on what types of projects we specifically are interested in hosting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/interface-sketching_hu_4af8d4d7c87b4cfc.jpg\" alt=\"Come design and research with us!\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eCome design and research with us!\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"fellowship-basics\"\u003eFellowship basics\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-long-is-the-fellowship\"\u003eHow long is the fellowship?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fellowship term can be 3-6 months (for seasonal fellows) or 12 months (for senior fellows).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-is-included\"\u003eWhat is included?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA modest stipend, plus a modest travel stipend for 12-month (senior fellows). See the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/fellowships/suds\"\u003eSUDS application site\u003c/a\u003e for more details.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"who-should-apply\"\u003eWho should apply?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fellowship is targeted at UX professionals. This means primarily UX designers and usability researchers, although other types of human-centered experts are welcome to apply.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-types-of-projects-does-it-support\"\u003eWhat types of projects does it support?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is designed to fund human-centered design and research work on security and privacy problems that fall under OTF\u0026rsquo;s Internet-freedom \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/about\"\u003eremit\u003c/a\u003e. This might include, for example, research into challenges users of privacy-preserving software currently have, or design explorations to help make such tools more useful and delightful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-types-of-projects-does-it-not-support\"\u003eWhat types of projects does it not support\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSUDS does not support software development directly: i.e., it generally won\u0026rsquo;t fund people to write software code. It doesn\u0026rsquo;t support policy research, training, or long-horizon (5+ year) speculative research activities. Finally, it is not general-purpose lab funding; it is designed to support an individual UX professional working full-time for the specified fellowship term.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-simply-secure-is-looking-for\"\u003eWhat Simply Secure is looking for\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/fellowships/suds\"\u003eSUDS application site\u003c/a\u003e has the list of current hosts and encourages you to suggest additional ones. Different hosts are interested in working on different types of projects. Simply Secure is open to applicants from a variety of UX-oriented backgrounds, and with different levels of experience working with security and/or privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur organization is especially focused on supporting high-quality UX design and usability research for secure-communications software (e.g., encrypted chat), and on normalizing UX processes into the open-source development process. But, we\u0026rsquo;re open to other types of projects, too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo if you\u0026rsquo;re an experienced UX designer or researcher and are passionate about security and privacy, we want to hear from you. If your idea falls outside of our core focus area or you don\u0026rsquo;t even know exactly what you want to work on, that\u0026rsquo;s ok – we can chat about your interests and work with you to see if there\u0026rsquo;s a project that might fit your background! Just drop us a line at \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@simplysecure.org\"\u003econtact@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "How to Sketch Storyboards in 10 Minutes: No Drawing Skills Needed",
            "date_published": "2016-01-01T14:30:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2016-01-01T14:30:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sketching-storyboards/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/sketching-storyboards/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSketching \u003ca href=\"https://uxmag.com/articles/storyboarding-in-the-software-design-process\"\u003estoryboards\u003c/a\u003e – cartoon-like drawings showing how people use technology – is a way to get more, high-quality ideas for product design. Sketches are useful for taking notes during a discussion and for getting a team on the same page. Fine art drawing is difficult for many, but anyone can master the basics of sketching storyboards – even without drawing skills. You don\u0026rsquo;t need to be artistic, just follow these simple steps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a quick primer to get started. Thank you to \u003ca href=\"http://eleganthack.com/\"\u003eChristina Wodtke\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.usersknow.com/\"\u003eLaura Klein\u003c/a\u003e for inspiring this with their workshop at Lean Startup 2015. All you\u0026rsquo;ll need is a pen, a few sheets of paper, and 10 minutes. If you\u0026rsquo;re unaccustomed to drawing, thicker pens like Sharpie markers can be more expressive than fine-tipped pens like ballpoints.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"sketching-emotions\"\u003eSketching Emotions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne key element that storyboard often convey is emotion. To learn how to quickly sketch a variety of sentiments, start by folding a piece of paper into thirds horizontally, as though folding a letter. Then unfold the paper and fold it in thirds vertically. You should end up with 9 boxes folded into the paper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Fold-Paper_hu_fcd009781bff8c04.png\" alt=\"Images of folded paper.\" width=\"740\" height=\"313\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eFold a piece of paper into thirds vertically (left). Then unfold and fold into thirds horizontally (right).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDraw a circle in each of the nine squares, then add two dots to the middle of each circle. These dots are the eyes. Eyes go in the middle of the face, lower than you might think.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/FacesAndEyes_hu_eb36e5c10f985bd5.png\" alt=\"Images of circles and circles with eyes.\" width=\"740\" height=\"315\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eDraw a circle in each box (left). Two dots for eyes go in the middle of each circle (right).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow it\u0026rsquo;s time to add mouths and eyebrows for expression. Draw a smile on each face in the top row, a straight line on each face in the middle row, and a frown on each face in the bottom row. Draw eyebrows tilted up on every face in the left column, no eyebrows in the middle column, and eyebrows pointed down on every face in the right column.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/SimpleFaces_hu_b2917447d7d9f57d.png\" alt=\"Images of simple expressive faces.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eSimple mouths and eyebrows capture emotions.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCongratulations, you\u0026rsquo;ve done it! You have 9 different facial expression capturing a range of emotions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"from-stick-figures-to-star-people-and-box-people\"\u003eFrom Stick Figures to Star People and Box People\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of us learn to draw stick figures in grade school, and don\u0026rsquo;t practice beyond the game of Hangman. But with a few minutes of practice with these new forms, you\u0026rsquo;ll be up and running with more expressive figures.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStar people are simple figures whose head, arms, and legs make a star shape. Take a new sheet of paper and draw a star for reference. Underneath it, practice drawing the \u0026ldquo;body\u0026rdquo; of the star, which will be the arms and legs of the figure. To do this, imagine tracing around the perimeter of a star. Don\u0026rsquo;t worry about the fifth point/head of the star yet. After you\u0026rsquo;ve practiced a few times, draw 10 star people with heads. If you like, experiment with drawing different groups of figures, such as figures of different sizes together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/StarPeople_hu_3122f968bcf939c1.png\" alt=\"Left column: practice drawing the perimeter of a star as the body of a figure. Right column: 10 star people figures and some groupings of figures.\" width=\"740\" height=\"567\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eLeft column: practice drawing the perimeter of a star as the body of a figure. Right column: 10 star people figures and some groupings of figures.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBox people are an alternative to star people. I personally find star people easier, but box people\u0026rsquo;s arms and legs are easier to position. Practice drawing a page of box people. At the end, you\u0026rsquo;ll probably have a sense of which are easier for you to draw.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/BoxPeople_hu_eef71c827826471f.jpg\" alt=\"Image of sketched box people.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003ePracticing sketching box people.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t worry if the sketches are messy and the lines aren\u0026rsquo;t square. Just keep practicing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"putting-it-all-together\"\u003ePutting It All Together\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSketching a storyboard is a way to be specific about the problem you\u0026rsquo;re trying to solve. Here are some examples of star people with faces that tell two simple stories about the emotions people feel when using technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/Storyboards_hu_155766ef8610254b.png\" alt=\"Image of example sketches.\" width=\"740\" height=\"392\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eExample sketches of star people feeling emotions while using technology.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can see how these brief sketches convey the emotional experience of using technology. Storyboards like these are useful at the beginning of the product development cycle because they help get a team on the same page about what problem they are solving and how they deliver positive feelings. Storyboarding is also a good way to get unstuck if you\u0026rsquo;re not sure where to begin or how to prioritize possible changes. Taking a few minutes to sketch a handful of storyboard panels can uncover new insights into how people use technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"additional-resources\"\u003eAdditional Resources\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChristina Wodtke\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"http://eleganthack.com/a-library-of-visual-thinking/\"\u003eLibrary of Visual Thinking\u003c/a\u003e includes lots of resources for digging deeper into working visually. If you\u0026rsquo;re unsure what to illustrate with these figures, read Laura Klein on \u003ca href=\"http://www.usersknow.com/blog/2015/11/28/predictive-personas\"\u003ePredictive Personas\u003c/a\u003e. Simple sketches like these are a nice way to illustrate predictive personas, far better and more expressive than generic stock photography. Happy sketching.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Some Of Our 2015 Favorites",
            "date_published": "2015-12-24T19:30:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-12-24T19:30:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2105-favorite-resources/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/2105-favorite-resources/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e2015 was our first full year in operation, and we’ve come a long way! Looking back at the past twelve months, here are some resources that we’ve found to be particularly useful (or entertaining). Let us know your favorites on \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ames-picks\"\u003eAme’s picks\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThinking back on 2015, I’m really glad to be part of Simply Secure and for the opportunity to be an evangelist for design. I’m thankful for resources that make design easier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"the-noun-project\"\u003eThe Noun Project\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://thenounproject.com/\"\u003eThe Noun Project\u003c/a\u003e is a great resource for icons. They’re useful for more than interfaces – I’ve included them in presentations and posters too. With low pricing for individual icons or subscriptions, as well as options for \u003ca href=\"https://help.thenounproject.com/hc/en-us/sections/200137528-Icon-Credit-Requirements\"\u003efree attributed use\u003c/a\u003e, they’re my number one resource for 2015. Easy to search, easy to download, or drag-and-drop directly from the desktop app into Keynote.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/snowflake_hu_a3e8446b58d86b06.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the Noun Project\u0026rsquo;s image download interface.\" width=\"740\" height=\"532\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith subscription or purchase, the images are free to modify. Here are some of my favorite modifications from this year:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/NounProjectIcons_hu_70772948bf6d93b7.png\" alt=\"Noun project sample icons\" width=\"740\" height=\"368\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"flickr\"\u003eFlickr\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlickr has a nice way \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/\"\u003eto search images licensed\u003c/a\u003e under \u003ca href=\"http://creativecommons.org/\"\u003eCreative Commons\u003c/a\u003e, which I use to \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-2/\"\u003eillustrate presentations and blog posts\u003c/a\u003e, like the Lessons from Architecture School series. (Scout is also a fan of Google’s advanced image search options; after doing a search, choose “Search Tools \u0026gt; Usage Rights\u0026quot;.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/Flickr_hu_5a65c6c3863bd8b0.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Flickr interface.\" width=\"740\" height=\"488\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"invision-blog\"\u003eInVision Blog\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInVision makes collaboration software great for teams working remotely on UX projects. The \u003ca href=\"http://blog.invisionapp.com/\"\u003eInVision Blog\u003c/a\u003e is a consistent source of high-quality, accessible design writing. Here are three recent posts I’ve found helpful:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://blog.invisionapp.com/designing-for-android/\"\u003eDesigning for Android\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://blog.invisionapp.com/top-3-tips-from-our-webinar-the-7-most-common-usability-issues/\"\u003eTop 3 Tips from our Webinar “The 7 Most Common Usability Issues\u0026quot;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/dlf-book-podcast-recommendations/\"\u003eA Comprehensive Reading List By and For Designers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"scouts-picks\"\u003eScout’s picks\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year was one of tremendous growth for us as an organization; we went from being a group of one to having other staff members and receiving official nonprofit status from the IRS. Here are some of the online resources I’ve found useful and entertaining, either in my own work or as a support to others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nngroup\"\u003eNNGroup\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/\"\u003eThe Nielsen Norman Group\u003c/a\u003e has been a mainstay in the user-experience research space for almost twenty years. They have a great collection of free \u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/articles/\"\u003earticles\u003c/a\u003e on all sorts of relevant topics, from \u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/articles/which-ux-research-methods/\"\u003efoundational user-research pieces\u003c/a\u003e to gems like \u003ca href=\"https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-learn-in-restaurants\"\u003ethis recent comparison\u003c/a\u003e of UX design and working in restaurants. They are one of the first places I encourage new researchers to check out while exploring the field.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"swift-on-security\"\u003eSwift on Security\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLest any of us in security take ourselves too seriously, it’s always good to have someone like \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/SwiftOnSecurity\"\u003eSwift on Security\u003c/a\u003e in our Twitter feeds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/swift-twitter_hu_f16473f35d8c7ac1.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of @SwiftOnSecurity\u0026rsquo;s Twitter page.\" width=\"740\" height=\"983\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"nonprofit-pointers\"\u003eNonprofit pointers\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSetting up a new tech nonprofit in the US isn’t always easy, especially given the IRS’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140701/11470827745/irs-rejects-non-profit-status-open-source-organization-because-private-companies-might-use-software.shtml\"\u003erecent take on open-source\u003c/a\u003e. My #1 bit of advice is to get good lawyers helping you, if your organization can afford it (shout out to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.neolawgroup.com/\"\u003eNEO Law Group\u003c/a\u003e in San Francisco), or a good law clinic if you can’t (for example, check out OTF’s new \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/lab/legal-lab\"\u003eLegal Lab\u003c/a\u003e). But I also have found resources like \u003ca href=\"http://www.guidestar.org/\"\u003eGuidestar\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/nonprofit-basics-29948.html\"\u003eNolo\u003c/a\u003e to be tremendously helpful in understanding the landscape and requirements of organizations like ours.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Straight Talk: New Yorkers on Privacy",
            "date_published": "2015-12-18T18:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-12-18T18:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/straight-talk/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/straight-talk/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe spent last week in New York doing field work on mobile messaging. Thank you to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.labs.robinhood.org/dig\"\u003eDesign Insights Group\u003c/a\u003e at Blue Ridge Labs for connecting us to such great participants. Many thanks also to the research participants themselves, who gave us permission to share their stories and images.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/NYC-EnvironmentSidebySide_hu_bf24dab02c577328.png\" alt=\"NYC background images\" width=\"740\" height=\"274\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eApartment building in Brownsville (left); jewelry store + phone center in Harlem (right).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"real-new-yorkers-with-real-stories\"\u003eReal New Yorkers with Real Stories\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe talked with twelve New Yorkers from across the city, meeting with people in libraries, offices, restaurants, and homes. We spent an hour listening to each participant talk about how they currently message, their privacy concerns and security practices, and their opinions on secure messaging. These conversations provided insights into how to design secure communication tools for a mass audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/NYC-PeopleSideBySide_hu_9e6bbc5ff090b934.png\" alt=\"NYC interview images\" width=\"740\" height=\"332\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eLearning how real New Yorkers use mobile phones by interviewing them.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost participants were Android users, with one iPhone user and one person declining to say. All of them used multiple messaging apps on the same phone, with the native messaging app, \u003ca href=\"https://www.whatsapp.com/\"\u003eWhatsApp\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://www.kik.com/\"\u003eKik\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.messenger.com/\"\u003eFacebook Messenger\u003c/a\u003e the most commonly used, along with direct messages in \u003ca href=\"https://support.twitter.com/articles/14606\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://help.instagram.com/400205900081854/\"\u003eInstagram\u003c/a\u003e. Many people have developed a hierarchy based on how well they know someone to determine how they message them: letting someone know your Instagram handle is less intimate than giving them your phone number.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"emoji-for-fun-and-security\"\u003eEmoji for Fun and Security\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoing out into the field is always surprising. One unexpected insight during this research was participants’ use of emoji as a privacy-preserving strategy. Emoji were an important part of messaging for many people, with apps like \u003ca href=\"https://bitmoji.com/\"\u003eBitmoji\u003c/a\u003e and Expresser used to add graphics across multiple platforms. One teenaged participant even used emoji in place of names in her contact list; the people with emoji were the most intimate or frequently messaged.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/NYC-PhonesSidebySide_hu_8ad039a166119a63.png\" alt=\"NYC phone images\" width=\"740\" height=\"425\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eLeft to right: Bitmoji, Expresser, and a participant’s contacts list.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing emoji to hide the names of contacts can be an effective strategy if, like these participants, your main privacy concerns are related to other people getting physical access to your device. Shoulder surfing, people rifling through your phone, and screenshotting were some of participants’ top worries. Concealing the name through emoji makes it more difficult to identify the contact at a glance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStay tuned for more research findings and design directions from this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Maximizing Meaning in Empty States",
            "date_published": "2015-12-11T18:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-12-11T18:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/maximizing-empty-states/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/maximizing-empty-states/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIt can be hard to communicate about security-related features with users who aren't already security experts. From word choice to the level of detail included, it's easy to overwhelm people with information, leave them scared, or bore them to indifference. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many applications, one major challenge is finding the right place to communicate. Empty states – screens in your app where there is no actual content to display – are a great opportunity for this communication, in part because they frequently occur when the user is first starting out. Here's a \u003ca href=\"http://emptystat.es/\"\u003e sampling\u003c/a\u003e of empty states from a variety of platforms, and a \u003ca href=\"http://blog.invisionapp.com/why-empty-states-deserve-more-design-time/\"\u003epiece\u003c/a\u003e on designing great empty states in general.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIncognito Mode vs. Private Browsing: Scannability Wins\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a mini case study of how empty states can be used to communicate about security, consider the initial pages for Incognito Mode in Chrome and Private Browsing in Firefox.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/chrome-incognito_hu_47ef3d7fc574f84b.png\" alt=\"Incognito mode empty state, Chrome version 47.0.2526.80\" width=\"740\" height=\"271\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eIncognito mode empty state, Chrome version 47.0.2526.80\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth take advantage of the empty state associated with a new browser window to communicate both the benefits and limitations of the feature. They both share that their respective features prevent some data (like cookies and search history) from being recorded by the browser, but preserve other types of data (like downloaded files and bookmarks). Both screens also communicate that the features don't protect the user from surveillance by ISPs or employers providing internet service.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/firefox-private-browsing_hu_fce3e4f8465d4784.png\" alt=\"Private Browsing empty state, Firefox 42.0\" width=\"740\" height=\"323\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003ePrivate Browsing empty state, Firefox 42.0\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn comparing the two, though, the text in Firefox's empty state stands out as being more scannable: it's easier to extract essential information from it without having to read it carefully. Specifically, the use of lists, bold subheadings, and icon bullets helps the reader 1) learn that Private Browsing doesn't keep everything private, and 2) extract details on what is and isn't retained while using Private Browsing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're setting out to communicate complicated concepts to your users, working to make your textual content more scannable is one quick and easy step you can take. Reflecting the meaning of the text in its structure – e.g., dividing benefits and limitations into two bulleted lists – reduces the burden on the user in trying to understand your material. And, this structure helps you resist the temptation to make your writing complex in an attempt to be precise. It's better to be simple in the main interface and provide a link to more information for users who want to learn more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor other ideas on how to make your interface text more scannable, check out The Nielsen Norman Group's \u003ca href=\"http://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-users-read-on-the-web/\"\u003ehandy list of tips\u003c/a\u003e and illustrative examples.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThere's Always Room for Improvement\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the Firefox Private Browsing empty state wins out over Chrome's Incognito Mode as being more scannable, its design could still be refined to help new users understand the feature better.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, the green checkmarks under \"Not Saved\" convey confidence, but the caution symbols (which are affectionately referred to as \"party hats\" on the Simply Secure Slack channel) can be ambiguous. If the point is to help users understand that saved downloads and bookmarks can be problematic, wouldn't something along the lines of a red X be more clear?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis brings up an interesting conflict between the positive and negative words and their corresponding icons: the negative heading (\"Not Saved\") has positive icons (green checks) and vice versa. Perhaps alternative symbols would help, like smiling and frowning faces? Perhaps a term other than \"saved\" would be helpful: \"discarded\", or \"forgotten\" and \"remembered\"? Alternative terminology could also prevent \"saved\" as being understood to mean \"kept safe or protected\", an interpretation that non-native English speakers might make.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, the \"Tracking Protection\" box in Firefox poses potential challenges to unfamiliar users. The rectangle labeled \"ON\" looks like a button or toggle from a mobile interface, but is in fact not actionable. The tutorial helps the user understand what the feature does (it block \"parts of the page that may track your browsing activity\") and goes out of its way to explain how to turn the feature off, but doesn't offer users insight into how parts of a page might track them, what kinds of content might be blocked, or the implicit tradeoffs they might be making when choosing whether to use the feature (i.e., they might not be tracked, but parts of webpages might stop working).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOpinions are Opinions; Data is Data\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll this illustrates that there's always room for improvement in any user experience. And, it also shows that there can be a lot of hard decisions to make when trying to communicate with users: two people could probably argue endlessly about whether \"saved\" and \"not saved\" is better or worse than \"remembered\" and \"forgotten\".\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat's why it's important for a software team to not just rely on their own intuition and inclinations in making decisions about user experiences. Whenever possible, products benefit when teams gather data from real users – whether it's a broad quantitative sampling or a small focus group in all its qualitative glory. Quick, scrappy, and informal studies can offer just as might food for thought as large, well-organized ones – and are easier for small teams to perform on the fly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're interested in improving how your project communicates with users about its security features, or want help structuring a study to get insight from real users, \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e. And, please spread the word to your favorite open-source projects and encourage them to apply for \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/apply-for-help\"\u003efree help!\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Donate to Simply Secure",
            "date_published": "2015-12-04T16:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-12-04T16:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/donate15/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/donate15/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is a non-profit organization, and we rely on donations to be\nsuccessful in our work of getting privacy-preserving software in the hands of\nmore people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/donation-gifts_hu_a3f38b465af36692.png\" alt=\"Image of wrapped gifts\" width=\"740\" height=\"652\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo celebrate our official recognition by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization –\nwhich means donations are tax-deductible in the US – we have added a \u003ca href=\"/donate/\"\u003edonations page\u003c/a\u003e to our website. As\nyou are contemplating your charitable giving at the end of the year, please keep\nus in mind. Even small amounts will help us demonstrate that there is broad\nsupport for improving the user experience of secure software, so we welcome your\ncontribution, whether it is $1, $10, or $1,000.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, don\u0026rsquo;t forget to drop us a line at \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@simplysecure.org\"\u003econtact@simplysecure.org\u003c/a\u003e and let us\nknow what open-source software projects you would like to see get support\npolishing their user experience. We will reach out to the teams you suggest and\nsee if we can lend them free help, either through our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/apply-for-help/\"\u003erecently-announced\u003c/a\u003e\ncollaboration with the Open Technology Fund or as part of another initiative.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Apply now for design and usability help",
            "date_published": "2015-11-27T18:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-11-27T18:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/apply-for-help/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/apply-for-help/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe are pleased to announce a new collaboration with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e as part of their \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eUsability Lab\u003c/a\u003e project. This exciting initiative will allow open-source software projects to \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/a/simplysecure.org/forms/d/1uOPAhJLspvP9RydoGDCci2gKkOjzgF6qExBFHbuL-3Q/viewform\"\u003eapply\u003c/a\u003e for free assistance with user-experience (UX) design as well as usability research. To our knowledge, this is the first program to offer support of this kind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/otf-simsec_hu_987626dd4e7f2c4d.png\" alt=\"Open Technology Fund \u0026#43; Simply Secure\" width=\"740\" height=\"267\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"who-should-apply\"\u003eWho should apply?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Usability Lab is focused on projects within OTF’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/about/program\"\u003eremit\u003c/a\u003e – i.e., software tools and initiatives that support free expression and information exchange online. If you’re working on a tool that provides encrypted communication, secure file exchange, censorship circumvention, or related features, you should definitely apply. If you\u0026rsquo;re not sure whether your project fits within this framework, please apply, and we will work with you to see if it can be supported under the program.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-kind-of-support-can-projects-receive\"\u003eWhat kind of support can projects receive?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEligible software projects will receive free support from design and/or research professionals to evaluate and improve the quality of their project’s UX. Simply Secure will work with your project to identify the type of support will be most useful and scope a well-defined set of activities that can be accomplished over the period of a few weeks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePotential activities include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpert reviews to identify opportunities for improving the UX\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsability studies to evaluate a newly-proposed feature\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign sprints to harmonize the visual look-and-feel between an app and its website\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProgram evaluations to examine a team’s process for getting feedback from its users\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStrategy research to help a team identify and understand its user population\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to matching software teams with skilled designers and researchers, Simply Secure will collaborate with engineers and UX professionals to ensure good communication over the course of the project. Simply Secure will also work with the software team after the design or research phase is complete, to make sure they are successful in incorporating the findings into their next development cycle. Finally, Simply Secure will work with software teams to transparently share the results of the collaboration, bringing open-source values to UX work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"can-ux-professionals-get-involved\"\u003eCan UX professionals get involved?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbsolutely! If you are a UX or visual designer or a usability researcher interested in doing applied work on software in this space, please contact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:ux@superbloom.design\"\u003eux@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e with a link to your portfolio and/or curriculum vitae. This is a pilot program that we hope will help us connect an extensive network of designers and researchers working on privacy and internet-freedom tools, so we want to hear from you!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-do-i-learn-more\"\u003eHow do I learn more?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease apply for support \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/a/simplysecure.org/forms/d/1uOPAhJLspvP9RydoGDCci2gKkOjzgF6qExBFHbuL-3Q/viewform\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e (or email us if you are uncomfortable using Google forms) as part of OTF’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/labs/sua-lab/\"\u003eUsability Lab\u003c/a\u003e, and contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:scout@superbloom.design\"\u003escout@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"mailto:lindsay@opentechfund.org\"\u003elindsay@opentechfund.org\u003c/a\u003e with questions!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Encryption is not for terrorists",
            "date_published": "2015-11-20T15:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-11-20T15:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/encryption-not-for-terrorists/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/encryption-not-for-terrorists/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eRecent attacks by\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/2015/11/14/9734894/daesh-isis-isil\"\u003eDaesh\u003c/a\u003e in Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, and Paris have fanned the flames of an ongoing debate about software that is resistant to surveillance. It seems that some participants in that debate are trying to use these attacks as an excuse to drum up fear around end-to-end encryption. They argue that these events tell us that the general citizenry shouldn’t have access to strong privacy-preserving tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA lot of people are saying a lot of \u003ca href=\"http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/17/intelligence-agencies-pounce-paris-attacks-pursue-spy-agenda\"\u003esmart things\u003c/a\u003e on the subject, but I want to briefly outline a couple ways in which this call for limiting encryption is problematic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"this-instance\"\u003eThis instance\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere appears to be no actual evidence that encryption software was used to plan recent attacks, much less that such software thwarted intelligence agents who would otherwise have been able to prevent the tragedies. Indeed, \u003cem\u003eLe Monde\u003c/em\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://www.lemonde.fr/attaques-a-paris/article/2015/11/18/le-telephone-portable-d-un-membre-du-commando-trouve-pres-du-bataclan-a-permis-de-remonter-a-alfortville_4812515_4809495.html\"\u003ereports\u003c/a\u003e that the cell phone found in a trash can near the Bataclan in Paris contained “a detailed map of the concert hall in addition to an SMS message saying, according to information gathered by \u003cem\u003eLe Monde\u003c/em\u003e, ‘Let’s go and get this started.’” [^1] Not an encrypted chat program, or an encrypted email – an old-fashioned, easily-intercepted text message.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lack of evidence did not prevent “European officials” from asserting that encryption tools had a role in the Parisian attacks – assertions that were \u003ca href=\"http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/17/the-blame-game/\"\u003epublished and silently removed\u003c/a\u003e in an article by the New York Times.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe all have an interest in seeing terrorists’ attacks prevented, and we can all appreciate that finding and monitoring the activities of malicious actors is hard work. It’s also understandable if officials are trying to keep details of the investigation (like what communication tools the terrorists used) quiet. But fear-mongering about encryption – whether it’s truly disingenuous or simply unsupported – doesn’t make the public feel better when attacks occur, nor does it mollify people’s concerns about the massive surveillance systems that have been put in place to thwart such plots.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIndeed, false claims of encryption hampering intelligence efforts only highlight the ineffectiveness of mass surveillance. The cynics among us must wonder, “Why are they complaining about encryption, when they can’t even thwart attacks that are planned in the clear?”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-bigger-picture\"\u003eThe bigger picture\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if there is evidence that the terrorists who planned these attacks were using high-quality encryption tools (and not just ones that are likely insecure \u003ca href=\"http://motherboard.vice.com/read/encryption-app-telegram-probably-isnt-as-secure-for-terrorists-as-isis-thinks\"\u003ein practice\u003c/a\u003e), that doesn’t mean that law-abiding citizens should be prevented from doing so. There are many imperfect analogies we can use to argue this point: terrorists use fast cars, paper shredders, cell phones, and (for countries with minimal gun-control laws) terrorists use firearms. When push comes to shove, the fact that a technology with substantial lawful use is sometimes used by malicious people – and even when this use of technology makes it more difficult for law enforcement to stop the “bad guys” – does not justify efforts to ban it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is especially true when it comes to things like encryption. We live in a world where the internet is integrated in every intimate corner of our lives – from our love letters to our financial and health records – and numerous criminal factions stand to profit from gathering our personal data. The average person’s integrity and even safety depends on keeping their private information private. Some policy-makers would have us believe that it’s possible to build a “backdoor” into encryption so law enforcement can peek into our private lives when they have probable cause, but the technological reality doesn’t line up. Backdoors can’t reliably be marked “good guys only”; when one is introduced, it will inevitably be used by malicious actors as well. Encryption tools that only work some of the time aren’t proper encryption tools at all. All sorts of organizations and people – from Google and Facebook to the EFF and The Tor Project, from the CISO of Yahoo to the co-inventor of the RSA algorithm – \u003ca href=\"https://static.newamerica.org/attachments/3138--113/Encryption_Letter_to_Obama_final_051915.pdf\"\u003eagree\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-future-of-this-debate\"\u003eThe future of this debate\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure believes that all people deserve access to privacy-preserving communication tools, including end-to-end encryption. We are working to support software developers in their efforts to make these tools more user-friendly, and to help tool-makers express the value of their software to non-experts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe debate on who should have access to these tools will only intensify as they become more popular. If the pundits arguing in favor of backdoors – or, more absurdly, in favor of outright bans on certain encryption algorithms – have their way, dedicated terrorists won’t be thwarted. They’ll still find ways to communicate out of the eyes of law enforcement. But law-abiding citizens will have lost the ability to protect their data in the process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[^1] My own translation; \u003ca href=\"http://www.lemonde.fr/attaques-a-paris/article/2015/11/18/le-telephone-portable-d-un-membre-du-commando-trouve-pres-du-bataclan-a-permis-de-remonter-a-alfortville_4812515_4809495.html\"\u003eoriginal text\u003c/a\u003e: \u0026ldquo;un plan détaillé de la salle de concert ainsi qu’un message SMS disant, selon des informations du Monde, « On est parti on commence ».\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Why Open-Source Projects Need Style Guides",
            "date_published": "2015-11-13T15:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-11-13T15:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/style-guide/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/style-guide/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStyle guides\u003c/em\u003e specify the look and feel of how a company or team communicates with the outside word. \u003ca href=\"http://styleguides.io/examples.html\"\u003eStyleguides.io\u003c/a\u003e collects examples of website visual standards that maintain a consistent online presence. Brand guidelines typically focus on how logos are treated, while style guides are more extensive – including not only look and feel, but also interactive behavior, such as the \u003ca href=\"https://playbook.cio.gov/designstandards/alerts/\"\u003ealerts and form templates\u003c/a\u003e in the U.S. Web Design Standards.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStyle guides empower groups, such as teams developing open-source software, to communicate with their users with one consistent voice. Visual design elements, such as fonts and colors, help the world understand who you are. For example, Starbucks Coffee has a particular green, which they use for a variety of purposes:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/starbucks-green_hu_361fbe6bcbe2c789.jpeg\" alt=\"Image of the Starbucks Green\" width=\"740\" height=\"1316\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eStarbucks Green: Pantone 3425 C / Hex #00704A / RGB[0,112,74] / CMYK[100,0,78,42].\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause they are so consistent in using that green – and only that color green – people in many countries can make sense of this ad.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/starbucks-ad-cropped_hu_bb8507b3d2a3f732.jpg\" alt=\"Image: Photo of a Starbucks advertisement\" width=\"740\" height=\"472\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003ePhoto of a Starbuck\u0026rsquo;s advertisement seen in San Francisco, October 2015.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"building-users-confidence\"\u003eBuilding Users\u0026rsquo; Confidence\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs my recent blog post on \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/nostalgia-trust-and-brand\"\u003eNostalgia, Trust, and Brand Guidelines\u003c/a\u003e argues, end users can\u0026rsquo;t assess the quality of underlying cryptography, and will instead evaluate how robust or trustworthy software is based on its look and feel. Style guides can help a distributed team of volunteers come together to make polished software that inspires confidence by end-users and drives adoption of secure communication technologies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"beyond-darth-hoodie\"\u003eBeyond \u0026ldquo;Darth Hoodie\u0026rdquo;\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Simply Secure worked with \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eMartin Wright\u003c/a\u003e of \u003ca href=\"https://www.mysociety.org/\"\u003emySociety\u003c/a\u003e to create our style guide, we discussed using bright, punchy colors to convey a friendly, approachable tone. The Simply Secure colors and rounded fonts communicate a welcoming feeling, very different than the traditional shield, lock, and key icons that try to say \u0026ldquo;Secure!\u0026rdquo; but end up saying \u0026ldquo;Keep Out\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/style-guide-v1.pdf\"\u003eSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s style guide.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese choices were intended to make security accessible and desirable to a mass audience, rather than the \u003ca href=\"http://www.istockphoto.com/photos/computer+hacker?facets=%7B%22text%22:%5B%22computer%20security%22%5D,%22pageNumber%22:1,%22perPage%22:100,%22abstractType%22:%5B%22photos%22%5D,%22order%22:%22bestMatch%22,%22f%22:true%7D\"\u003edark, menacing images\u003c/a\u003e familiar to people who read articles about security in the popular press. Stock photography of hackers tends to be comical, with balaclavas and hoodies as standard attire, as in \u003ca href=\"https://www.pinterest.com/jkulenski/horrible-infosec-stock-art/\"\u003eHorrible Infosec Stock Art\u003c/a\u003e (thanks to @bascule in our Slack channel for the pointer).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"inviting-designers-to-participate\"\u003eInviting Designers to Participate\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as a cliché stock image tells InfoSec professionals that they aren\u0026rsquo;t the audience for an article, designers judge whether a team is a good fit for them based on appearances. UX professionals will look at a piece of software and evaluate how much its creators value their users, based on how professional and consistent the software\u0026rsquo;s interface, website, and supporting materials look. Style guides are a tangible asset that all teams should create to help designers understand a team\u0026rsquo;s values and commitment to UX, and to creating software for average people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"imaging-different-use-cases\"\u003eImaging Different Use Cases\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePutting together a style guide is a good exercise on its own, because it helps clarify the audience and describe the situations where end users\u0026rsquo; will encounter the materials.  For instance, at Simply Secure we knew we wanted community events, so we made sure to have event signage that included the same colorful Fibonacci sequence that\u0026rsquo;s on our website and business cards.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/2016/EventSignageLandscape_hu_4124dd6915dfbb54.jpg\" alt=\"Image: Simply Secure event sign template.\" width=\"740\" height=\"572\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eSimply Secure\u0026rsquo;s template for event signs.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStyle guides should be living documents, updated over time, so starting with something quick and scrappy  – but open and accessible – is a great choice for an open-source project. We\u0026rsquo;re releasing ours under a \u003ca href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"\u003eCC-BY 4.0 license\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"/resources/style-guide-v1.pdf\"\u003eour website\u003c/a\u003e and our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources\"\u003eGithub repo\u003c/a\u003e, so you check it out. And, if you want help developing a style guide for your open-source secure-communications project, \u003ca href=\"/contact\"\u003elet us know\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Don't let security dogma steer you wrong",
            "date_published": "2015-11-06T16:00:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-11-06T16:00:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/security-dogma/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/security-dogma/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMy \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/when-closed-source-wins/\"\u003erecent post\u003c/a\u003e describing some of the reasons we choose Slack over IRC for our public forum is part of a larger conversation people are having around the promise and concerns of group-communication tools. A quick search for \u0026ldquo;Slack vs. IRC\u0026rdquo; yields a wealth of opinions on the subject; our post generated some interesting discussion (and a couple angry rants on Twitter).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI focused my discussion on the usability advantages of Slack – advantages that I believe encourage designers to join our public forum in a way that they would not if it were hosted on IRC. Simply Secure is about bridging the gap between the technical and design/research communities to get more human-centered thinkers working on open-source privacy-preserving tools. We can\u0026rsquo;t do that if we continue to tell designers that they have to communicate using tools they hate, and the OSS community\u0026rsquo;s expectation that they do so is one reason open-source tools are still so painful to use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuried at the end of the post was another point that deserves more attention: \u0026ldquo;But for the meantime, this abstract threat does not outweigh the benefits Slack offers, especially when one ponders how often both Slack and its open-source alternatives realistically undergo regular security reviews by skilled engineers.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/xdogma_hu_9357afea147823cc.png\" alt=\"Text image: security reality, not security dogma\" width=\"740\" height=\"232\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s critical to observe that we can\u0026rsquo;t assume that open-source tools are always – \u003cem\u003eby virtue of them being open source alone\u003c/em\u003e – the most secure in practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"open-source-alone-is-not-enough\"\u003eOpen source alone is not enough\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What?!\u0026rdquo;, you might be yelling at your screen. After all, we all know that opening source code to the light of day allows the public to hold developers accountable, and prevent both unintentional bugs and all-too-intentional back doors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut, you have to ask yourself: how many security audits have you personally performed of the open-source tools you use? (What were the results? Did you do a follow-up a year later?) How many IRC clients have \u003ca href=\"https://hackerone.com/slack\"\u003ebug bounties\u003c/a\u003e? How many of the open-source tools we depend on have \u003cem\u003eanyone\u003c/em\u003e with security expertise reviewing their code – much less neutral third parties who aren\u0026rsquo;t part of the team that wrote it?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe answers, of course, are not pretty. Even projects \u003ca href=\"http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/07/bad-kitty-rooky-mistake-in-cryptocat-chat-app-makes-cracking-a-snap/\"\u003enew\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://heartbleed.com/\"\u003eold\u003c/a\u003e with an explicit security focus suffer serious bugs that would arguably have been caught by a thorough security review. We\u0026rsquo;re still exploring the world of Slack alternatives, but a \u003ca href=\"https://blog.okturtles.com/2015/11/five-open-source-slack-alternatives/\"\u003erecent review\u003c/a\u003e listed \u0026ldquo;empty test suite\u0026rdquo; as a problem with three of the five products it considered. If a team doesn\u0026rsquo;t have the resources to build automated tests into their development cycle, what confidence can we have that they are doing their due diligence with respect to security?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"dealing-with-resourcing-realities\"\u003eDealing with resourcing realities\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBig closed-source organizations like Slack clearly have the leg up in this domain; a quick search on \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/vsearch/p?keywords=security\u0026amp;company=slack\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e reveals at least a handful of Slack engineers whose primary focus is security. This is slowly changing in the open-source world; efforts like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.coreinfrastructure.org/\"\u003eCore Infrastructure Initiative\u003c/a\u003e and OTF\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/lab/red-team-lab\"\u003eRed Team Lab\u003c/a\u003e (currently accepting \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/a/simplysecure.org/forms/d/1nrbxhucjKeloQu3eSUkO1rMQ6QwdWNVOQqm-uUZVwjQ/viewform\"\u003eapplications\u003c/a\u003e; contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:info@opentech.fund\"\u003einfo@opentech.fund\u003c/a\u003e with questions) provide support to open-source projects seeking to evaluate and improve their security posture.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s not enough to shake our collective, outraged fist and say that open-source projects would fulfill their maximally-secure destiny if only they had more resources. And I agree, of course, that there are considerations beyond code-level vulnerabilities that should give any user pause when considering a tool like Slack. \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/not-binary-properties/\"\u003eSecurity is not a binary property\u003c/a\u003e, and a cloud-based solution hosted by a third party is too risky in the context of many organizations\u0026rsquo; threat models.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"open-source-is-good-avoiding-dogma-is-better\"\u003eOpen-source is good; avoiding dogma is better\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo if you\u0026rsquo;re an organization that has the technical resources to host your own solution, and you find one that is truly accessible to your users (or your users have the time and patience to work with the developers to improve it), that\u0026rsquo;s great! If you do use an open-source tool, please contribute back to the project so its developers can continue in their good work. This is the ideal outcome, and the one that will lead us to the best privacy and security posture over time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut, in the meantime – and no matter your threat model – please take an honest look at the pros and cons of any solution you consider, and think critically about whether a development team practices the values that they preach. Open-source solutions are great, but only if they will really meet your needs, or can be adapted to in a reasonable amount of time to do so. Just because something is open-source doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean that is it necessarily has fewer security vulnerabilities than a closed-source solution. Espousing otherwise – especially to organizations with limited technical capacity – is irresponsible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t let security dogma get in the way of your assessment of security reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks to \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Isa\"\u003e@isa\u003c/a\u003e for a recent conversation on the topic that inspired this post, although please don\u0026rsquo;t blame her for my conclusions.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Mind The Gap Between Mobile Apps",
            "date_published": "2015-10-30T18:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-10-30T18:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/mind-the-gap-mobile/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/mind-the-gap-mobile/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eUsers of the Facebook iPhone app were recently surprised by a new feature offering to “Add the last link you copied?” into a status update. Many people did not expect to see a complete URL that they had put onto the clipboard from another app, without explicitly involving Facebook. Christian Frichot \u003ca href=\"https://un-excogitate.org/facebook-ios-clipboard\"\u003ediscusses iOS security concerns\u003c/a\u003e with this feature, but I also consider this to be a UX design failure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/Facebook-URL2_hu_89acd01f5e5287e1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshots of new Facebook URL feature\" width=\"740\" height=\"593\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eCopying a link in Safari (left) makes it appear in Facebook (right).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsider the following example scenario: you get a reminder to share the name of a counseling service with a friend who is having a difficult time. Several minutes after copying Integral Counseling’s website URL from Safari into an email and sending it to your friend, you open Facebook and see the offer to include the link in a status update. Clicking the X in the dialog box presumably prevents Facebook from including the link in your status update, but there’s no way to keep the link from the screen or – more broadly – to limit Facebook’s access to your clipboard in the first place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFacebook seems to be reading everything on the clipboard to see if there happens to be a link to a website. People copying \u003cem\u003eany\u003c/em\u003e information – even passwords or personal notes to themselves, even when using encrypted chat or email – feel like they have had their privacy compromised.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"good-ux-isnt-creepy\"\u003eGood UX Isn\u0026rsquo;t Creepy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIndividual iOS apps haven’t always done a good job of exposing to the user how they access OS-level features like the clipboard and address book. Seamless access to Contacts creates all sorts of awkward situations, such as Tinder dates showing up in LinkedIn’s “People you might know”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Privacy menu of the device’s Settings lets users specify which apps have access to Contacts, Photos, and other OS features. This control panel, traditional copy-pasting, and the interface for explicit in-app sharing are the ways users understand how content gets into Facebook, a broadcast medium. Automatically pulling in links from the clipboard breaks that mental model.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/iOS-Privacy-Menu2_hu_5e85e2d3121af8f1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshots of the iOS Privacy Settings\" width=\"740\" height=\"438\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eLeft: the Privacy menu of Settings controls which apps access OS-level functionality like Photos and Contacts. Center: within Safari and other apps that use the iPhone’s native sharing menu, Facebook shows up as a destination. Right: the iOS Facebook app automatically pulls in links from the clipboard.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no setting for granting access to the clipboard; it seems that iOS provides unlimited access to all apps. There are cases where this functionality makes sense and truly helps the user: for example, reading-list manager Pocket also inspects the clipboard for content and asks to add a copied URL to your personal list. Perhaps similar functionality makes Facebook feel creepy because Pocket is about keeping your data for you, while Facebook is about sharing your data with the world.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/Pocket-Flow_hu_dc8542eecddac480.png\" alt=\"Screenshots from using Pocket\" width=\"740\" height=\"424\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eLeft: Pocket asks to add a URL to a reading list. Center: when reading a website within Pocket, there’s an option to share that link. Right: Pocket has options to share with different audiences, including via Facebook, but the default is a personal reading list.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese apps’ differing value propositions are apparent from the language on their respective home pages. \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/\"\u003eFacebook\u003c/a\u003e invites you to “Connect with friends and the world around you.” In contrast, \u003ca href=\"https://getpocket.com/\"\u003ePocket\u003c/a\u003e is about keeping thing to yourself, telling users “When you find something you want to view later, put it in Pocket.” The private nature of the app is reinforced by a mental model that Pocket is a place on your phone where you can read articles and watch videos even without a network connection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUX designers have worked hard to create seamless user experiences where things seem to happen as if by magic. But as people’s behavior online and off is increasingly tracked, seamlessness can now easily evolve from being unexpectedly delightful to downright creepy. Facebook has a business imperative to get more content into the platform, and this probably resulted in a drive to create a shortcut around the iOS sharing menu. I encourage individual designers facing similar imperatives to push back and protect their users by advocating for good UX – in other words, UX that isn’t creepy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"alternative-elegant-seams\"\u003eAlternative: Elegant Seams\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs more people become privacy aware, there’s a professional challenge for UX designers to understand the technical on-ramps and off-ramps of how data flows into and out of their apps. Elegant transitions between apps can help UX designers move from a siloed view of their product to a transitional view, designing for users to move throughout an ecosystem of apps and operating systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsider how the \u003ca href=\"http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/13/2612736/ios-history-iphone-ipad\"\u003eiPhone UX\u003c/a\u003e evolved; it launched without a clipboard or the ability to multi-task between apps. The UX for switching between apps is still clunky, relying on a double-click to see what apps are open. And even though people now often move between apps or close apps they don’t want running in the background, the interface for multi-tasking hasn’t kept pace. Double-clicking to scroll through apps is one kind of seam, but not an elegant one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/Double-Click-Apps-Small_hu_15a116f869165e01.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of iOS app switching\" width=\"740\" height=\"1313\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eDouble-clicking the iPhone’s button shows open apps.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurfacing the seams between apps – such as permission management and data sharing (both implicit and explicit) – is important for empowering users to protect their privacy. Rather than falling into a paternalistic trap of “making everything just work” and not “forcing the user to think” – which robs users of their agency – designers must create elegant interfaces that liberate users to manage how their data flows between apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne opportunity for managing seams and meeting people’s privacy goals is to use best practices from \u003ca href=\"https://www.service-design-network.org/about-service-design\"\u003eservice design\u003c/a\u003e for helping people move between multiple experiences and platforms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an increasingly-privacy conscious world, “seamless” doesn’t always work. Sometimes we need elegantly visible seams.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed: Building a Movement for Secure UX",
            "date_published": "2015-10-23T15:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-10-23T15:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-building-movement/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/underexposed-building-movement/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast week Simply Secure hosted a pilot workshop called Underexposed. A small group came together in San Francisco to:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShare successes and challenges in secure user experiences.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDescribe processes and wishes for successful collaboration between designers, developers, and security professionals.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrioritize the most important topics and audiences for outreach.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also held participant-proposed breakout sessions on topics ranging from “Making a Living” to “Privacy-Preserving User Research Metrics.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can \u003ca href=\"/resources/events/Underexposed2015RawNotes.pdf\"\u003edownload a pdf\u003c/a\u003e of photos capturing the post it notes from the sessions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"top-3-surprises\"\u003eTop 3 Surprises\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re hard at work synthesizing the discussion, but Underexposed is a community effort. Please reach out if you\u0026rsquo;re interested in being a reviewer of the output. Stay tuned for more outcomes, but here are three of the things from the notes that stood out to me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"timing-is-everything\"\u003eTiming is Everything\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of our goals was to find specific ways to facilitate collaboration between designers and other teammates. Part of that effort involved identifying communication gaps and misconceptions about design. Timing came up as a common misconception. Budgeting sufficient time for design into a project plan is one way to insure success. We also heard a clear request to involve design earlier in the process, rather than tacking it onto the end after the technical challenges are met.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/designmisconceptions-small_hu_9c3e7b539b8e52f0.jpg\" alt=\"Image: Design takes time. Design is not window dressing at the end.\" width=\"740\" height=\"361\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe heard an unmet need for project and product management expertise, and Simply Secure is working to build those skills in the secure communications community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"lights-camera-action\"\u003eLights, Camera, Action!\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group identified some surprising potential audiences for Simply Secure\u0026rsquo;s work normalizing Human-Centered Design for security. Journalists were consistently mentioned as a priority, but groups like celebrities and parents/grandparents unexpectedly surfaced as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/audiences-small_hu_b67869d2b4225917.jpg\" alt=\"Image: Audience journalists; Audience: celebrities; Audience: Parents and Grandparents\" width=\"740\" height=\"250\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTelling human stories about the lives of relatable people is an important part of communicating the value of secure communications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"blackout-day\"\u003eBlackout Day\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe community is looking for ways to build awareness of global security challenges. There\u0026rsquo;s a need for visual design that works across cultures, in addition to localizing the text in interfaces. Building empathy for the digital threats that people face in other geographies is challenging. Perhaps inspired by the 2012 \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protests_against_SOPA_and_PIPA\"\u003eprotest against proposed internet legislation\u003c/a\u003e in the U.S., one creative way to help more people appreciate an open internet is to have a \u0026ldquo;Blackout Day,\u0026rdquo; simulating the conditions of internet restrictions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/blackout-day-small_hu_b58672a049329089.jpg\" alt=\"Black Out Day. Empathy for the experience of other countries.\" width=\"740\" height=\"733\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks to our participants\u0026rsquo; lively discussion, Underexposed was a success. We\u0026rsquo;re working on ways to involve more people in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "When Closed-Source Software Wins The Day",
            "date_published": "2015-10-16T16:10:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-10-16T16:10:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/when-closed-source-wins/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/when-closed-source-wins/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWe prefer to use open-source software as a matter of principle. We believe that putting software code in the open is the best way for the public to build trust in it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou might find it curious, then, that we choose to foster communication and community through a tool like \u003ca href=\"https://slack.com/\"\u003eSlack\u003c/a\u003e, which is closed-source. (Note: you can request to join our Slack channel by sending a request to \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.) Many software teams that build privacy-preserving tools host similar spaces dedicated to communication with volunteers and users. Their spaces are usually built on \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat\"\u003eIRC\u003c/a\u003e, though, which has multiple open-source options for both the client and the server. Why didn’t we go a similar route?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur decision to go with Slack over IRC mirrors the decisions that people the world over make every day. If we take a minute to examine our reasoning, we can find some valuable lessons for open-source developers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"instant-access\"\u003eInstant access\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the biggest advantages we found Slack has over IRC is how quickly it works in a variety of environments. You can get up and running on the web in less than a minute, and expand your experience to include a native client on your desktop or mobile device with a quick download. You don’t have to enter a channel name or configure the software to point at a particular server: you click on an invitation in your email, and you can get started after just one or two steps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlack has been pretty close to instantly accessible from an administrative point of view, too. We haven’t had to set up a server, do extensive configuration, or offer any kind of how-to information to our users other than “send us an email and we’ll invite you”. Given the diverse community of people we are trying to reach – including designers, researchers, and program managers – we expect we would either have to offer a lot of support to get the more adventuresome among them to try IRC.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"stateful-active-participation\"\u003eStateful, active participation\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIRC grew up in the age of desktops, where you only participated in a real-time online conversation when you were seated at the keyboard. Some IRC clients may have evolved beyond this model, but vestiges of it remain. Today’s smartphone-weilding users operate in a different world, where they might be on their phone at one moment, a computer the next, and a tablet in a few hours. Slack tries to make this experience seamless. It remembers where in the conversation stream you left off, and helps you find your place across different devices. It also lets you get notifications when somone mentions you, so you can tune in even when you’re “offline”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"friendliness\"\u003eFriendliness\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond ease of first use and aspects of the software’s functionality, Slack is just so gosh darn \u003cem\u003efriendly\u003c/em\u003e looking. For many people, staring at a screen full of monospace text is tortuous. Tasteful in-line image integration, textual hierarchies interspersed with whitespace, and tastefully-colorful menus all make Slack easier on the eyes. There’s a welcoming bot that helps you set up your profile, and pithy loading messages help you adopt a lighthearted mood when you join each day. Finally, Slack offers much of its functionality up front through graphical interfaces, rather than requiring the user to learn special textual incantations to access them. Although Slack is intended to help people communicate through text, its attention to other details is what makes the experience more enjoyable than current IRC clients for most people.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/irc-client_hu_436f13bd627dfe0.png\" alt=\"Image: Screenshot of an IRC client.\" width=\"740\" height=\"417\"\u003e\n \n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/slack-screenshot_hu_b7a56a2bc993fd52.png\" alt=\"Image: Screenshot of our Slack channel.\" width=\"740\" height=\"391\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eThe IRC and Slack experiences are very different\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-tradeoffs\"\u003eThe tradeoffs\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow that I’ve gushed about what Slack offers, I want to call out some of its downsides. Because it’s owned and operated by a third party, we don’t have ultimate control over our Slack community. We believe that the company has reasonable policies in place that prevent their employees from going in and mucking about, but there’s always a chance that a bad apple could get in and do damage of some kind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lack of control also manifests in the fact that Slack limits the number of archived messages that are available on unpaid accounts. In other words: if we want to access all of our archives, we need to pay them money – and given their rates for a community our size, we can’t afford to. The silver lining here is that they offer \u003ca href=\"https://slack.com/help/articles/204368833-Apply-for-the-Slack-for-Nonprofits-discount\"\u003efree upgrades to documented nonprofit organizations\u003c/a\u003e, so when our application for 501(c)3 status is approved, we should be able to gain access to those archives again. (We have also been trying to download the archives on a semi-regular basis for our archive, and are glad that Slack provides the facility to perform such downloads to administrators.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, being closed-source means that Slack may have all sorts of crazy vulnerabilities that could allow an attacker to compromise our community in some way, and only Slack employees would know. For some communities this alone is enough to make Slack an impossible option, which we understand and support. So if an open-source solution comes along that offers more of Slack’s benefits than current IRC options, we will definitely reconsider our choice (feel free to \u003ca href=\"https://www.simplysecure.org/contact\"\u003econtact us\u003c/a\u003e if you know of one). But for the meantime, this abstract threat does not outweigh the benefits Slack offers, especially when one ponders how often both Slack and its open-source alternatives \u003cem\u003erealistically\u003c/em\u003e undergo regular security reviews by skilled engineers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one case where open-source options are currently losing the battle, at least right now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup\u003eScreenshot of the WeeChat IRC client, \u003ca href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WeeChat_0.3.5_-_es.wikipedia_at_irc.wikimedia.org.png\"\u003eFundación Wikimedia, Inc.\u003c/a\u003e, published under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Catching Issues in Evolving Interfaces",
            "date_published": "2015-10-08T16:10:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-10-08T16:10:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/catching-issues-evolving-interfaces/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/catching-issues-evolving-interfaces/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eYou may remember this summer’s media frenzy surrounding adultery-matchmaking site Ashley Madison. In brief, the company had its password database hacked, stolen, and posted online with great fanfare. Amidst the stories focusing on noteworthy individuals and the demographics of the membership as a whole, some people have been investigating other aspects of the site’s operations, from their “Affair Guarantee” package to their practice of \u003ca href=\"http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/07/cheaters-hook-up-site-ashley-madison-makes-account-deletion-confusing/\"\u003echarging to delete\u003c/a\u003e a user’s account from their servers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"leaky-interfaces\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Leaky\u0026rdquo; Interfaces\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne researcher uncovered a quirk of the site’s password-recovery form that actually allows someone to check whether an email address is associated with an account. In security, we often refer to such a flaw as “leaking” sensitive information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsually leaks that occur with sign-in or password-recovery forms involve the text of the interface – e.g., a sign-in form that responds “The password entered does not match the one on file for this email address” as opposed to the more broad “The email address and/or password entered do not match our records.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Ashley Madison password-recovery form actually uses the same text whether or not the email address entered is in their database. However, in one case the text-input field and the button stay present in the screen, and in the other case they disappear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/am-screenshots_hu_bea5ac6d50bb7ef3.png\" alt=\"Image: Screenshots from Ashley Madison\u0026rsquo;s password-recovery form.\" width=\"740\" height=\"258\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eScreenshots of Ashley Madison’s password-recovery form when the email address is not (left) and is (right) part of their database.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"supporting-graceful-product-evolution\"\u003eSupporting graceful product evolution\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiven the site’s focus on discretion – and the carefully-worded textual content of the form – it’s unlikely that someone sat down and intentionally designed it to behave this way. It’s more likely that this interaction snuck in as parts of the site’s architecture were reworked over time. Since the folks working on the site likely don’t reset their passwords on a regular basis (much less compare the result when the email address is and is not in the database), it\u0026rsquo;s easy to see how the team missed the addition once it was added.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an example of why it\u0026rsquo;s important to think of designing not just the \u003cem\u003eproduct\u003c/em\u003e, but also \u003cem\u003eprocesses\u003c/em\u003e to support the product\u0026rsquo;s graceful evolution over time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some ideas to help catch interface problems that sneak in:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreate UX reviewers.\u003c/strong\u003e Just as teams conduct code reviews before a set of code changes are committed, it can be useful to have UX reviews as well. These can be performed by a designer – advisable when an interface is being implemented against a set of mockups that the designer created – or by another engineer when the change is small. The goal is to make sure that at least one other person takes a solid, critical look at the user-facing implications of the changes, just as the code implications are examined.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreate an adversary persona.\u003c/strong\u003e Many teams craft \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_(user_experience)\"\u003euser personas\u003c/a\u003e to help them design interaction patterns that will meet the needs of their diverse user population. Why not also create one or more personas representing attackers? (Thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/gretared\"\u003e@gretared\u003c/a\u003e for her take on \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/jorm\"\u003e@jorm\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rsquo;s idea of creating a troll persona – \u0026ldquo;because you can\u0026rsquo;t design for good without understanding the evil\u0026rdquo;). This adversary persona can help UX reviewers identify ways that the interface might inadvertently leak information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRegularly audit against known best practices.\u003c/strong\u003e Armed with your attacker persona and other approaches for threat modeling, try to identify a set of principles or clear protection goals that you can then use to evaluate the user experience on a regular basis. For example, many websites require users to reauthenticate before accessing sensitive parts of their account; this is a best practice that protects against both accidental and some intentional forms of data compromise. Keep the list of best practices as short as you can, to make it feasible to schedule a regular review that assures your interface hasn\u0026rsquo;t evolved too far from its original privacy-driven design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eScreenshots of Ashley Madison password-recovery forms captured by Troy Hunt and \u003ca href=\"http://www.troyhunt.com/2015/07/your-affairs-were-never-discrete-ashley.html\"\u003eused on his blog\u003c/a\u003e, which is published under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Ninjas + Hemingway: Writing for User Interfaces",
            "date_published": "2015-10-02T16:10:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-10-02T16:10:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/writing-for-uis/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/writing-for-uis/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"writing-for-interface-how-to-explain-things-and-reduce-support-needs\"\u003eWriting for Interface: How to Explain Things and Reduce Support Needs\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe writing in your user interface is an opportunity to encourage people to use your product. Writing in interfaces includes everything from the words in an in-app setup tutorial to a website\u0026rsquo;s navigation menu. Because there is both technical complexity and high stakes for user failure, careful language is key to getting mass audiences to adopt secure communication tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood writing for an interface, also called user-experience (UX) copywriting, does two things:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt explains \u003cstrong\u003ehow things work\u003c/strong\u003e, and\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt creates an \u003cstrong\u003eemotional reaction\u003c/strong\u003e with the user.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"explanations-in-language-people-understand\"\u003eExplanations in language people understand\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplaining how things work isn\u0026rsquo;t straightforward. Many secure communication apps struggle with conveying too much technical information to an overwhelmed user who, for example, doesn\u0026rsquo;t care about the difference between DSA and RSA keys. Careful UX copywriting avoids this pitfall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven a simple explanation can create a negative emotional reaction when it sounds like jargon to a general audience. Jargon is off-putting, whether it\u0026rsquo;s Silicon Valley buzzwords or bureaucratic \u003ca href=\"https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/governmentese\"\u003egovernmentese\u003c/a\u003e, because it conveys that the service is untrustworthy. To stamp out jargon, Mail Chimp\u0026rsquo;s Content Style Guide on GitHub includes this \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/mailchimp/content-style-guide/blob/master/16-word-list.html.md#words-to-avoid\"\u003elist of words to avoid using\u003c/a\u003e. They\u0026rsquo;ve flagged a bunch of corporate-speak words as inappropriate. Mail Chimp is a sales tool for sending customized email and newsletters, so \u0026ldquo;Incentivizing your ninjas to crush it!\u0026rdquo; could be a reasonable explanation of their value to their customers who are marketing professionals, but their writing is careful to use vocabulary that is accessible to a broader audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Hash\u0026rdquo;? \u0026ldquo;Fingerprint\u0026rdquo;? Tweet us @simplysecureorg with your nominations of technical security terms to avoid.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"reducing-the-need-for-support\"\u003eReducing the need for support\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith good UX copywriting directly in the interface, the need for training and other kinds of support decreases. Consider this excerpt from 18F\u0026rsquo;s writing guide for U.S. Government websites:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;FAQs are bad. We don\u0026rsquo;t like them. \u003cstrong\u003eIf you write content by starting with user needs, you won\u0026rsquo;t need to use FAQs.\u003c/strong\u003e … If you\u0026rsquo;re thinking about adding FAQs, consider reviewing the content on your website that is generating questions and think about how you can change the content or design to answer the question — or provide an answer in context to prevent people from visiting an additional webpage to find the answer.\u0026rdquo; – \u003ca href=\"https://pages.18f.gov/content-guide/faqs/\"\u003e18F Content Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk\"\u003eGov.UK writing guide\u003c/a\u003e does a good job of explaining how to make complex information accessible to a broad audience. Just as a piece of consumer software must be understandable to many types of users to be successful, UK government publications must reach and be useful to a broad spectrum of readers, from English-language learners, to populations with low levels of literacy, and citizens with a range of accessibility challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith good UX copywriting directly in the interface, the need for training and other kinds of support decreases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"resources-for-ux-copywriting\"\u003eResources for UX copywriting\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to complete style guides, here are some practical tips:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInVision\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"http://blog.invisionapp.com/10-ux-copywriting-tips-designers/\"\u003eTen UX Copywriting Tips for Designers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUser Testing\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.usertesting.com/blog/2015/02/10/copywriting/\"\u003eSix Ways to Keep Bad Copywriting from Killing Your Product\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy favorite suggestion (which makes both lists) is to make your writing shorter. To trim excess words, try the \u003ca href=\"http://www.hemingwayapp.com/\"\u003eHemingway App\u003c/a\u003e. It was named after the writer whose work was famous for its short, clear sentences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/hemingway_hu_a9725b0536a95cf1.png\" alt=\"Image: Screenshot from Hemingway App, showing dynamic highlighting as you type.\" width=\"740\" height=\"442\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eImage: Screenshot from \u003ca href=\"http://www.hemingwayapp.com/\"\u003eHemingway App\u003c/a\u003e, showing dynamic highlighting as you type.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Victims of Success: Dealing With Divergent Feature Requests",
            "date_published": "2015-09-25T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-09-25T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/handling-feature-requests/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/handling-feature-requests/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast fall I attended a workshop with a group of open-source developers working on security tools. In talking about the challenges they faced in making their tools more usable, I blithely said something along the lines of \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s important to always listen to your users, and take your cues from them.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But how,\u0026rdquo; replied one developer, \u0026ldquo;do you know what feature requests are the right ones?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy first response was confusion. I was talking about user research, so a question about feature requests seemed like a bit of a non-sequitur – especially since lay users are generally more comfortable sharing problems than they are sharing suggestions for improvement (e.g., “configuring the app is hard!” rather than “please reduce the number of steps in the sign-up flow\u0026quot;). The developer then shared that, although his team didn\u0026rsquo;t have a lot of opportunities to interact directly with their users, they \u003cem\u003edid\u003c/em\u003e have a form for submitting feature requests. Moreover, their more tech-savvy users were using the form a lot, to the point of inundating the team. He wanted to know how to prioritize among this deluge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"listen-for-the-intent-underneath-the-request\"\u003eListen for the intent underneath the request\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it is important to listen to your users and learn from their message, it\u0026rsquo;s absolutely critical to hear the intent behind what they say. To use a contrived example, imagine that a user says \u0026ldquo;You should put a purple pony on your main page. Ponies are really friendly, and I like them, and they would make me smile every time I opened the app!\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it is important to listen to your users and learn from their message, it\u0026rsquo;s absolutely critical to hear the intent behind what they say.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it\u0026rsquo;s undoubtedly true that this one user would find your app much improved by the addition of a little \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_My_Little_Pony:_Friendship_Is_Magic_characters#Twilight_Sparkle\"\u003eTwilight Sparkle\u003c/a\u003e, that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean that actually adding an image of a My Little Pony is going to improve the experience for most of your users. Even if you got the same message from hundreds of people, you should still ask yourself: \u003cem\u003eWhat underlying need is driving these requests?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this example, the suggestion itself gives some clues:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe user says that ponies are friendly. Does the user find the app unfriendly? Is there something about the color scheme, the typography, or the wording used in the app that could be changed to make it more inviting?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePonies are lighthearted and energizing. Does the user feel that interacting with the app is burdensome or painful? Are there unvoiced friction points that could be smoothed over to make the app more enjoyable to use?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe user says they want to smile when they open the app. Although a pony may not be an appealing symbol for all people, is there another non-invasive way to greet the user when the app is launched?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"find-deeper-answers-through-research-and-analysis\"\u003eFind deeper answers through research and analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than view feature requests as a set of highly-divergent signals, it can help to try and group requests based on the underlying need that they speak to. If you see a lot of heat around your error conditions, consider reviewing the messages displayed in those situations to make sure they make sense to people not on the development team. If you have a lot of requests around your sign-up flow, perhaps it\u0026rsquo;s time to do some \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_walkthrough\"\u003ecognitive walkthroughs\u003c/a\u003e with real users to identify friction points. If possible, make sure that your feature-request channel offers users the possibility to enter their contact information, as it is often helpful to follow up with them afterward for more context about why they are making the request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"keep-the-channels-open\"\u003eKeep the channels open\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore generally, make sure that your team gets opportunities to interact with users that aren\u0026rsquo;t just through feature requests. Whether it\u0026rsquo;s a help forum, a user study, a questionnaire on the download page, or some other channel, the more insight you can gain into what and how users think about your product, the better equipped you will be to prioritize user-facing improvements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want to talk through how your open-source security project learns about its users or prioritizes its feature requests, please \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Fostering Discussions Around Privacy",
            "date_published": "2015-09-18T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-09-18T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/privacy-discussions/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/privacy-discussions/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis week we\u0026rsquo;ve been busy in New York City meeting with our \u003ca href=\"about/people/#board-of-directors\"\u003eadvisors\u003c/a\u003e and co-hosting \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/nyc-event/\"\u003eArt, Design, and the Future of Privacy\u003c/a\u003e. It was gratifying to see so many people turn out to discuss creative ways of approaching an issue that is dear to our hearts, and I know that I\u0026rsquo;m not the only one who was inspired by the work our speakers are doing. From Lauren McCarthy\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"http://socialturkers.com/\"\u003ecrowdsourced relationships\u003c/a\u003e, to Sarah Ball\u0026rsquo;s perspective from working as a \u003ca href=\"http://www.nypl.org/help/community-outreach/correctional-services\"\u003eprison librarian\u003c/a\u003e, and straight through to \u003ca href=\"http://craphound.com/\"\u003eCory\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rsquo;s rousing call for hope and action in the era of peak indifference, the evening showed that the conversation about privacy is for more than just technologists and policy makers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe event was recorded, and we\u0026rsquo;ll share that recording here and via \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e as soon as we can. In the meantime, we want to hear about the conversations you\u0026rsquo;re having in your town about privacy. Are you a designer or an artist working on projects that deal with the subject? Are you a software developer who has been inspired to build privacy-preserving tools, or a person who is curious and interested in learning more about what tools are already available? We want to hear about your experiences, so \u003ca href=\"/contact\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Nostalgia, Trust, and Brand Guidelines",
            "date_published": "2015-09-11T15:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-09-11T15:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/nostalgia-trust-and-brand/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/nostalgia-trust-and-brand/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast week \u003ca href=\"https://design.google/library/evolving-google-identity\"\u003eGoogle unveiled a new logo\u003c/a\u003e as part of an updated brand identity. Professional typographic designers were swift to react. \u003ca href=\"http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/2/9248309/google-new-logo-graphic-design\"\u003eTobias Frere-Jones\u003c/a\u003e, designer of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_(typeface)\"\u003eInterstate\u003c/a\u003e and other widely-used fonts, said \u0026ldquo;I really hope this \u0026rsquo;e\u0026rsquo; does not become a thing.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond professional designers, the New Yorker\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.newyorker.com/culture/sarah-larson/why-you-hate-googles-new-logo\"\u003eSarah Larson\u003c/a\u003e complained Google \u0026ldquo;took something we trusted and filed off its dignity.\u0026rdquo;  The Google logo reaches the level of cultural commentary in a general interest magazine because its use is so widespread.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"logos-in-the-landscape\"\u003eLogos in the Landscape\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a point of historical comparison, in 1970 designer Saul Bass created a new bell logo for telecommunications company AT\u0026amp;T. When AT\u0026amp;T updated to Bass\u0026rsquo; bell logo they changed:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e135,000 Bell System vehicles\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e22,000 buildings\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1,250,000 phone booths\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e170,000,000 telephone directories\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose numbers, taken from the description of the imaginative \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKu2de0yCJI\u0026amp;list=PLNEqylJnMBqTlxSpVfV0CJiMX4oF2cRsh\"\u003e1969 pitch video\u003c/a\u003e, capture what was the largest corporate re-branding effort of the time. Although a meandering twenty-six minutes full of dated cinematography, the video makes some still-relevant points about why companies change logos. Starting at 6:09 the narrator describes how logo changes signal to external audiences (customers) and internal audiences (employees) that the organization is a different kind of company with different values.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterpretations of what the new Google logo means range from enthusiasts seeing evidence of  a company maturing and becoming more interested in design, to critics observing that the friendly, approachable letters could be a counter-measure against the company\u0026rsquo;s  Orwellian growth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"logos-and-nostalgia\"\u003eLogos and Nostalgia\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA negative reaction to the new Google logo is understandable, because any change reminds users that those browser tabs and mobile app icons can be modified at will. When Larson demands Google \u0026ldquo;give us back our serifs,\u0026rdquo; we\u0026rsquo;re reminded that those serifs weren\u0026rsquo;t ours to begin with, but were simply part of the landscape we passed through. Similarly, the Southern Bell pay phones emblazoned with Bass\u0026rsquo; logo were part of the landscape of my childhood, but they weren\u0026rsquo;t mine to control.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/Southernbell_hu_b3a3ecb36dacdc42.png\" alt=\"Southern Bell logo, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Bell#/media/File:Southernbell.png, used under fair use guidelines.\" width=\"740\" height=\"190\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eSouthern Bell logo (1970-1983) designed by Saul Bass.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrong emotional bonds fuel nostalgia for lost logos. Given the place that NASA (the United States\u0026rsquo; National Aeronautics and Space Administration) holds in the hearts of many Americans, it\u0026rsquo;s not surprising that the organization\u0026rsquo;s retired logo – which was part of a set of graphics standards created by design firm Danne \u0026amp; Blackburn – is still revered. A recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thestandardsmanual/reissue-of-the-1975-nasa-graphics-standards-manual\"\u003ecrowd-funded campaign\u003c/a\u003e to republish the 1975 NASA Graphics Standards Manual as a hardcover book ballooned past its goal the day it launched, even though those standards are \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nasa_graphics_manual_nhb_1430-2_jan_1976.pdf\"\u003eavailable free as a PDF\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/NASA_hu_e90cdf6c70832e7a.jpg\" alt=\"NASA Graphics Standards Manual by Display Graphic Design Collection, https://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisdisplay/, used under CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003ePage from the 1975 \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisdisplay/6112626281/\"\u003eNASA Graphics Standards Manual\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDanne \u0026amp; Blackburn\u0026rsquo;s logo is more than the beneficiary of nostalgia. It\u0026rsquo;s a powerful, simple design classic of extraordinary flexibility. Their logo is successful in sizes ranging from icon on a business card to the exterior of the Hubble Telescope, where it continues to orbit the Earth today.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"brand-guidelines-for-correct-and-incorrect-use-of-logos\"\u003eBrand Guidelines for Correct and Incorrect Use of Logos\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-graphics-standards-manual/\"\u003eNASA Graphics Standards Manual\u003c/a\u003e is one example of brand guidelines. Unlike logos, where everyone is entitled to an opinion on whether they like or dislike the styling, brand guidelines go beyond style preferences to create an independent system by which design choices can be judged to be right (\u0026ldquo;on brand\u0026rdquo;) or wrong (\u0026ldquo;off brand\u0026rdquo;).\u0026quot; You may think that a particular logo is badly done or not to your taste, but still be able to conclude that it is used correctly if it follows the brand guidelines.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMozilla\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/styleguide/identity/mozilla/branding/\"\u003ebrand guidelines\u003c/a\u003e are unusual because they allow use of any solid color. New York University\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"http://www.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu/advertisePublications/documents/standards/CentralAdmin_Visual_Identity.pdf\"\u003evisual identity (PDF)\u003c/a\u003e is more typical in describing exact colors, sizes, positions, and how to use the logo correctly. The American Red Cross\u0026rsquo; \u003ca href=\"http://www.redcross.org/about-us/media-resources/logo/brand-standards\"\u003ebrand standards\u003c/a\u003e include downloadable logos, which are important for reassuring participants of a high-quality experience when a community center hosts an official blood drive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"why-secure-communication-needs-brand-guidelines\"\u003eWhy Secure Communication Needs Brand Guidelines\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrand guidelines ensure consistency when many different people are working on a product. This is an important component for building trust with end-users. It\u0026rsquo;s crucial for secure communication projects in particular because lay users can\u0026rsquo;t assess the underlying cryptography. Instead, they assess how trustworthy something is by the user experience, and consistent brand expression is a key part of that. As a counterexample, consider how a sloppily-implemented logo in an email can alert people to a phishing scam by signaling untrustworthiness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLogos and brand guidelines communicate trust, and giving mass users confidence that open-source secure communications tools are trustworthy is an important step to driving adoption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup\u003eImage of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Bell#/media/File:Southernbell.png\"\u003eSouthern Bell logo\u003c/a\u003e, used\nunder fair use guidelines\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup\u003eImage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisdisplay/6112626281/\"\u003eNASA Graphics Standards Manual\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisdisplay/\"\u003eDisplay Graphic Design Collection\u003c/a\u003e, used\nunder \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/\"\u003eCC-BY-NC-ND 2.0\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Art, Design, and the Future of Privacy",
            "date_published": "2015-09-09T16:09:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-09-09T16:09:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/nyc-event/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/nyc-event/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re headed to NYC next week for our annual Advisors\u0026rsquo; Meeting. While we\u0026rsquo;re there we\u0026rsquo;re thrilled to be partnering with Dis Magazine to host Art, Design, and the Future of Privacy. If you\u0026rsquo;re in the area, please join us; the event is free and open to the public.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"730pm-thursday-sept-17\"\u003e7:30pm, Thursday Sept 17\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"pioneer-works-brooklyn\"\u003ePioneer Works, Brooklyn\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin cryptographers, critical theorists, architects, designers, sociologists, user experience researchers and other bright luminaries for a casual evening discussing privacy, the culture of technology, and possibilities for creative intervention in the age of ubiquitous digital tracking. The conversation will be rich, fun, and move from the stage to the audience to end the night with a party feeling and plenty of shared discussion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/adfp-flyers_hu_7198aa29205cc710.png\" alt=\"Event flyer\" width=\"740\" height=\"957\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHuman rights meets design challenges\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eScout Sinclair Brody\u003c/em\u003e\nScout discusses our collective obsession and fatigue with technology, and the rights and responsibilities of artists, designers, and clear-thinking technologists within this context. How can we all work to make technology better for us as individuals and as a society?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital Privacy IRL: Architecture, public space, and its role in preserving online rights\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eModerated by Ame Elliott\u003c/em\u003e\nNoah Biklen and Sarah Gold examine the role of built space, public space, and spatial metaphors in the preservation of privacy and digital rights.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you build it they won’t care: Designing privacy-preserving technologies for people with other interests\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eModerated by Scout Sinclair Brody\u003c/em\u003e\nTyler Reinhard, Ame Elliott, and Harlo Holmes discuss the deployment of “privacy-preserving technologies,” the role of design and critical engagement in this process, and the needed creative interventions that help these efforts resonate with the rest of us.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAsk a Prison Librarian about privacy, technology, and state control\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eCory Doctorow interviewing Sarah Ball\u003c/em\u003e\nCory talks with Sarah about the lives of people in prison, the fraught conception of “the private individual”, and the intersection between human rights, state control, and privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo, thank you: Agency, imagination, and possibilities for rejecting world-changing technological innovation\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eModerated by Meredith Whittaker\u003c/em\u003e\nKate Crawford, Lauren McCarthy, and Allison Burtch examine the role of human-centered approaches and critical discourse in the conception “technology for social justice,” and speculate on the moves necessary to enable local communities (et. al) to reject globally celebrated “disruptions.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere to from here?\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eCory Doctorow\u003c/em\u003e\nCory closes the evening with hopeful practicalities. Where can we direct our attention if we value privacy, have views on technology, and want to build more creative and relevant interventions?\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Briar: Notes From An Expert Review",
            "date_published": "2015-09-04T15:20:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-09-04T15:20:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/briar-expert-review/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/briar-expert-review/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eResearchers who want to evaluate software interfaces have a number of tools at their disposal. One option for identifying obvious and significant problems is an expert review, which is often used to catch low-hanging fruit before performing any kind of user testing. Expert reviews employ \u003ca href=\"http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/\"\u003eusability heuristics\u003c/a\u003e, which systematically explore potential problems with a piece of software by applying patterns for good design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith some guidance from UX-research veteran \u003ca href=\"https://about.me/susanfarrell\"\u003eSusan Farrell\u003c/a\u003e, we recently performed expert reviews of a few open source tools for encrypting communications. Each expert review included evaluation by myself and at least one additional researcher; many thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hcisec\"\u003eArne Renkema-Padmos\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://www.robertstribley.com/\"\u003eRobert Stribley\u003c/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/ei8fdb\"\u003eBernard Tyers\u003c/a\u003e for their work on this project. During the review we described issues and took screenshots to illustrate them. After prioritizing the issues by severity and picking our top 15, we compared our findings with one another and synthesized them into a single report.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the tools we reviewed was \u003ca href=\"https://briarproject.org/\"\u003eBriar\u003c/a\u003e, an open source peer-to-peer communications application for Android. Briar uses a range of communications methods — Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Tor — to provide users end-to-end encryption for messaging.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe picked Briar to review because the development team expressed readiness (and eagerness!) to get and incorporate feedback. You can access our full report \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews/expert-review-briar-a-p2p-messaging-app-33413034005f\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e. Below are a few insights regarding visibility, an important element of successful user interfaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"visibility\"\u003eVisibility\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn overarching issue that Briar has, which it shares with a number of applications in the FLOSS secure tools space, is a lack of visibility into system and messaging status. Researchers found it unclear how Briar was connecting to the network at a particular moment in time – was it via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Tor? – making it hard to troubleshoot when a connection was not working. Status icons do not make it clear when Briar is running versus when Briar is actually connected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, Briar does not yet do a thorough job of indicating when a message has been delivered. Because Briar can only deliver messages when a user is online, it can be hard to tell whether a message has made it through to the recipient. Briar also does not display an icon on its main screen to indicate when new messages have arrived.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/briar-screenshot_hu_cfcbc325ef26062b.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Briar mobile interface\" width=\"740\" height=\"519\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eBriar\u0026rsquo;s main screen currently does not provide a flag to make visible when new messages have arrived, requiring the user to dig into \u0026lsquo;Contacts\u0026rsquo; or \u0026lsquo;Forums\u0026rsquo; to discover them.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVisibility is a crucial principle of usable design. Users need indications that they are correctly understanding the status of the system, that it has changed, or that they need to take action. While we were successful at using Briar to get a message to friends in the same room (the case which we tested), a clearer picture of where messages were in transit would have helped us better understand when and why we were having trouble.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee the full report on our review of Briar \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews/expert-review-briar-a-p2p-messaging-app-33413034005f\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Usability and Security: Not Binary Properties",
            "date_published": "2015-08-28T15:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-08-28T15:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/not-binary-properties/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/not-binary-properties/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003ePeople who think about computer security for a living sometimes cringe when they read about the subject in the popular press. Security is a complex and nuanced topic, and it’s easy to make assertions that don’t hold up to careful scrutiny.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne basic-but-unintuitive principle is that security is not a binary property: in the absence of other context, it’s hard to definitively say that a particular system or piece of software is “secure” or “insecure”. We can only say that a system is secure against a particular threat, or – more usefully – against a collection of threats, known as a “threat model”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/justice-statue-small_hu_d7b6771109a57a39.jpg\" alt=\"Justitia, Tehran Courthouse. Image CC BY-SA 3.0, Abolhassan Khan Sadighi,\" width=\"740\" height=\"1023\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eJustitia, Tehran Courthouse.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, some people might say that using a VPN while browsing the web from a coffee shop is “secure”, because it prevents the jerk across the street with a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantenna\"\u003ecantenna\u003c/a\u003e from listening in and seeing what websites you go to. But if your threat model includes listeners with devices housed with internet service providers (or a government that \u003ca href=\"http://www.dailydot.com/politics/iran-censorship-circumvention-tech/\"\u003eoperates VPNs\u003c/a\u003e), you might instead refer only to an option like \u003ca href=\"https://www.torproject.org/\"\u003eTor\u003c/a\u003e as “secure”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs someone who has spent a lot of time thinking about security, it’s tempting to dismiss things as “insecure” when they don’t protect against the threats that I’m personally concerned about. Go too far down that path, though, and we find ourselves in a world where only the products that protect against the most extreme threats are considered acceptable. As with transportation safety and public health, we have to recognize that getting people to adopt a “good enough” solution – at least as a first step – is usually better than having them not change their behavior at all. In other words: it’s important to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as security is not a binary property, it’s also important to not think of usability as an all-or-nothing game. Design thinking encourages us to ask not just whether humans in general find a piece of software usable, but to explore 1) the circumstances in which different groups of users might be motivated to use the software and 1) the needs that a piece of software must meet in order to sustain that motivation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think that this distinction is particularly important for software developers to bear in mind. It’s easy to get discouraged when someone tells you that the code you’ve slaved over “isn’t usable”. (Or get defensive – after all, there are plenty of people who seem to find it useable enough, or there wouldn’t be anyone to file all those feature requests.) I challenge you instead to dig deeper, and try to understand exactly what things the user found frustrating about their experience, and what expectations they had using the software that may be mismatched against the assumptions you have made in designing it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as we can only say that software is “secure” against certain threats, so too must we define “usability” as a function of particular users with particular needs, backgrounds, and expectations. Working to understand those users will ultimately help our community build better software.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Thinking",
            "date_published": "2015-08-21T17:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-08-21T17:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-thinking/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/design-thinking/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThe latest Harvard Business Review (paywall, but with limited free content) has two articles about design thinking that are relevant for teams working on security and privacy: \u003ca href=\"https://hbr.org/2015/09/design-for-action\"\u003eDesign for Action\u003c/a\u003e by Tim Brown and Roger Martin and \u003ca href=\"https://hbr.org/2015/09/design-thinking-comes-of-age\"\u003eDesign Thinking Comes of Age\u003c/a\u003e by Jon Kolko. These articles describe how design thinking has moved beyond creating tangible products and on to supporting collaborative design of complex systems. They give an overview of design thinking’s evolution, from its roots in Herbert Simon’s \u003cem\u003eThe Sciences of the Artificial\u003c/em\u003e, through Richard Buchanan’s \u003ca href=\"https://web.mit.edu/jrankin/www/engin_as_lib_art/Design_thinking.pdf\"\u003eWicked Problems in Design Thinking\u003c/a\u003e, and into addressing challenges for domains far outside areas historically considered “design.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach article presents an easy-to-understand list: one that presents problems, another that offers solutions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"getting-past-common-criticisms\"\u003eGetting Past Common Criticisms\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrown and Martin highlight how design thinking can facilitate organizational change – including stakeholder buy-in – that helps teams get past common criticisms of work in progress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis doesn’t address the problems I think are critical.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThese aren’t the possibilities I would have considered.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThese aren’t the things I would have studied.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis isn’t an answer that’s compelling to me.\n\u0026ndash; Common negative reactions from \u003ca href=\"https://hbr.org/2015/09/design-for-action\"\u003eDesign for Action\u003c/a\u003e, by Tim Brown and Roger Martin\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese criticisms occur in many contexts, including secure communications, and although the example in the article is of a CEO critiquing a consultant, the criticisms will probably be familiar to open-source developers too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"principles-for-a-design-centric-culture\"\u003ePrinciples for a Design-Centric Culture\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKolko’s article describes principles of a design-centric culture that help teams get past traditional criticism and get unstuck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFocus on users’ emotional experiences\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreate models to examine complex problems\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse prototypes to explore potential solutions\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTolerate failure\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExhibit thoughtful restraint.\n\u0026ndash; From \u003ca href=\"https://hbr.org/2015/09/design-thinking-comes-of-age\"\u003eDesign Thinking Comes of Age\u003c/a\u003e by Jon Kolko\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThoughtful restraint is particularly tough for open-source efforts because the collaborative nature of decision-making can lead to compromises resulting in an ever-longer feature list rather than necessary editing. For an example of thoughtful restraint in action, check out Open Whisper Systems’ \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#development-ideology\"\u003eDevelopment Ideology\u003c/a\u003e: “The answer is not more options. If you feel compelled to add a preference that\u0026rsquo;s exposed to the user, it\u0026rsquo;s very possible you\u0026rsquo;ve made a wrong turn somewhere.”\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Empathy In The Real World",
            "date_published": "2015-08-14T16:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-08-14T16:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/empathy-in-the-real-world/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/empathy-in-the-real-world/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAs a practitioner of Human-Centered Design, empathy is a core skill in the work I do. In \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@duretti/no-flex-zone-empathy-driven-development-aebf4d8cf7cf\"\u003eNo Flex Zone: Empathy Driven Development\u003c/a\u003e, Duretti Hirpa writes about how empathy can be a competitive advantage.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We build software for all kinds of people, and empathy helps us to connect to these disparate audiences. We have to choose empathy, but I’d argue, it’s undeniably the ‘one weird trick’ to future-proofing the software engineering.”\n– Duretti Hirpa\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure chooses empathy, and we believe that understanding the lives of end-users is an essential element in building empathy for them. Here are some security-focused resources for building empathy. These are useful not only because they explain use scenarios for different technologies but also because they paint vivid pictures of users’ priorities and motivations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwift on Security writes \u003ca href=\"https://korvys.tumblr.com/post/128982454345/a-story-about-jessica/amp\"\u003eA Story About Jessica\u003c/a\u003e, a fictionalized 17-year-old interested in biology and her boyfriend. She is currently worried about getting a scholarship for college and getting evicted from the apartment she shares with her mother. To make matters worse, Jessica unwittingly infects her hand-me-down laptop with spyware and doesn’t even know it, since she trusts the accuracy of the reassuring “protected” message she sees from her anti-virus software. This story is consistent with the finding shared by Iulia Ion, Rob Reeder, and Sunny Consalvo that \u003ca href=\"http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2015/07/new-research-comparing-how-security.html\"\u003enon-experts rely on anti-virus software\u003c/a\u003e for all their security needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEleanor Saitta gives detailed \u003ca href=\"http://dymaxion.org/essays/usecases.html\"\u003eReal World Use Cases for High-Risk Users\u003c/a\u003e, explaining how applications like Facebook are essential emotional supports for vulnerable people, and that Facebook over Tor can help keep them safe. Details like a controlling husband making his wife get rid of her phone after a cross-country move can help tool developers build empathy for people who would benefit from their services. It can also help technologists make “compromises,” such as interoperating with services like Facebook that may be problematic from a security point of view, more desirable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure fellow Gus Andrews’ \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews/user-personas-for-security-and-privacy-a8b35ae5a63b\"\u003eUser Personas for Security and Privacy\u003c/a\u003e build on work from Saitta and others to share personas from around the globe, important for helping developers make technologies that are accessible to people in contexts different than their own. The example of a human-rights activist from the Democratic Republic of Congo contains some helpful nuance – for example, that she needs “to take a break from the stress of worrying for her safety and meeting with victims of violence.” Social technologies are one way that people escape and relax, so this activist may get important emotional benefits from using “insecure” applications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorking on secure communications is important because we have the chance to improve people’s lives by making critical tools meet their needs more closely. As Saitta writes about a woman living in a shelter’s Facebook use, “That account has been her one lifeline to contacting people, and not only is it crucial for her to be able to access it, it\u0026rsquo;s been an emotional lifeline for her for years. Losing access to it radically lowers her long-term chances of not only getting to safety but also of living a happy life later on.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoing user research is a powerful and efficient way to build empathy, and I encourage everyone to spend time in the field, talking with people about their lives and how technology fits (or doesn’t fit) into it. One starting point when having such conversations is the USDS \u003ca href=\"https://methods.18f.gov/\"\u003e18F Method Cards\u003c/a\u003e, which are an open-source resource for structuring user research. The cards on \u003ca href=\"https://methods.18f.gov/archive/bodystorming/\"\u003ebodystorming\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://methods.18f.gov/stakeholder-and-user-interviews/\"\u003euser interviews\u003c/a\u003e from the Discover section are particularly relevant for gaining insight that helps establish an empathetic connection with users.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Missing Trouble: In Memoriam",
            "date_published": "2015-08-07T16:12:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-08-07T16:12:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/missing-trouble-in-memoriam/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/missing-trouble-in-memoriam/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis week we are marking the sudden passing of our Operations Manager, Nóirín “Trouble” Plunkett, who introduced\nthemselves \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-trouble/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e just a few short months ago. We are\nheartbroken, and it has been hard to come to terms with this unexpected loss. Ame and I attended a memorial service\nin their honor this week in Boston, and we have been reading the multitude of memorials that have been posted online\n(including \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@quince/n%C3%B3ir%C3%ADn-go-lonra%C3%AD-solas-suthain-orthu-231c0eb42453\"\u003ethis\u003c/a\u003e one by Kaia Dekker, which deeply resonated with us).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile we did not know Trouble for very long – our organization is new, and they started with us in March – their\nimpact was immeasurable. They were a force of organization (of financials and file systems) and a source of productive\nrhythm (for newsletters, blog posts, and social media). They proofread our writing, cheered us on in our outreach, and\nlightened our work with wit and good humor. They wrangled our HTML, managed our Git repo, and had a talent for finding\nbeautiful open-licensed images (Ame often joked that Trouble seemed to be using a better internet than she was).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrouble was also a vocal advocate of openness, and one of its greatest champions as we work to integrate the open-source\nethos into our collaborative design efforts. In their short time with our new organization, they helped us create a\nfoundation of honesty, precision, and compassion for the work we do. We will honor their memory by building on their\ncontributions, maintaining a rigorous commitment to openness, and methodically trying to make the world a better place,\none project at a time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are no words that can adequately express our sadness or our appreciation for the short time we shared with Trouble.\nThey were an irreplaceable treasure, and we miss them sorely.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Kids’ Online Privacy: SOUPS Conference Keynote",
            "date_published": "2015-07-31T16:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-07-31T16:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/soups-keynote/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/soups-keynote/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLast week I went to the \u003ca href=\"https://cups.cs.cmu.edu/soups/2015/program.php\"\u003eSOUPS\u003c/a\u003e conference in Ottawa. As a first-time attendee, it was a good opportunity to connect with some members of the academic usable-security community. One of the highlights was keynote speaker \u003ca href=\"https://socialsciences.uottawa.ca/crm/professor-profile?id=36\u0026amp;pageID=1\"\u003eValerie Steeves\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteeves, sharing findings from her \u003ca href=\"https://mediasmarts.ca/research-and-evaluation/young-canadians-wireless-world/ycww-phase-iii/young-canadians-wired-world-phase-iii-life-online\"\u003eYoung Canadians in a Wired World\u003c/a\u003e research, reported results of an in-depth study of 5,436 Canadians in Grades 4-11. Based on a survey and in-person discussions, she shared sobering findings that kids’ expectations of online privacy are not being met. Alarmingly, 68% of respondents agreed with the incorrect statement that “If a website has a privacy policy, that means it will not share my personal information with others.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"https://mediasmarts.ca/sites/default/files/images/publication-report/infographic-YCWWIII-Life-Online.pdf\" alt=\"2013 Summary of Young Canadians’ Online Behaviors\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e2013 Summary of Young Canadians’ Online Behaviors, from \u003ca href=\"https://mediasmarts.ca/research-and-evaluation/young-canadians-wireless-world\"\u003eYoung Canadians in a Wireless World\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteeves also explained specific ways that the corporate, for-profit internet is harmful to children. She particularly called out commercial surveillance – for example, Club Penguin’s rules for policing other community members – as harmful for reinforcing gendered stereotypes and setting kids up for conflict with each other.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing quotes, she captured the frustration young people felt at being forced to agree to consent to privacy behaviors they don’t want in order to participate with their friends.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If we had a choice to say no, I would chose no. We can’t, or else we can’t go on the thing…” – Young Canadians in a Wired World study participant on agreeing to undesirable website terms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing able to spend time online with friends is tremendously important, so the participants were repeatedly willing to make privacy compromises to be able to participate.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe qualitative research shared in this presentation is a powerful motivator for giving people more control over their privacy and has an important role in informing design directions.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Behind-the-Scenes: Emerging Conversations from Slack",
            "date_published": "2015-07-21T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-07-21T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/conversations-from-slack/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/conversations-from-slack/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThank you to everyone contributing to the Simply Secure Slack channel. If you’re interested in joining, email \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e for an invitation. I’m especially eager to get more UX people in privacy and security involved, so spread the word. Here are some highlights from our recent Slack conversations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"sharing-the-rationale-for-ux-decisions\"\u003eSharing the Rationale for UX Decisions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out Gabriel Tomescu’s \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/user-experience-design-1/the-anatomy-of-a-credit-card-payment-form-32ec0e5708bb\"\u003eThe Anatomy of a Credit Card Form\u003c/a\u003e sharing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.waveapps.com/\"\u003eWave\u003c/a\u003e design team’s process for arriving at an elegant, easy-to-use form. It includes a quote that spoke to me, “Given the existing mental model of paying with credit cards online, we felt the presence of one lock icon was sufficient.” Indeed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/creditcardentry_hu_39bf325c2e2af89e.png\" alt=\"Subtle improvements to Wave’s credit card form\" width=\"740\" height=\"497\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSubtle improvements to \u003ca href=\"https://www.waveapps.com/\"\u003eWave’s\u003c/a\u003e credit card form\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"communicating-technical-benefits-vs-user-benefits\"\u003eCommunicating Technical Benefits vs. User Benefits\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStewart Butterfield wrote \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/accel-insights/we-dont-sell-saddles-here-4c59524d650d\"\u003eWe Don’t Sell Saddles Here\u003c/a\u003e, which speaks eloquently to selling benefits of \u003cem\u003ehorseback-riding\u003c/em\u003e, not saddles. A technically savvy crypto audience will happily geek out about the details of different saddles. Meanwhile everyday computer users are still puzzling, “This helps me ride a horse? But why? And how does this help?”.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"security-cuddly-and-fierce\"\u003eSecurity: Cuddly and Fierce\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.tunnelbear.com/\"\u003eTunnel Bear’s\u003c/a\u003e brand is more about horseback-riding than saddles. Their website doesn’t lead with “VPN” to describe what it is. Instead of shields, locks, or keys they use bears. Bears!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/tunnelbearhiding_hu_2797d197a969583c.png\" alt=\"Tunnel Bears are approachably cuddly, but also fierce\" width=\"740\" height=\"605\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/tunnelbearpricing_hu_f20fcfa78abd87b1.png\" alt=\"Tunnel Bears are approachably cuddly, but also fierce\" width=\"740\" height=\"400\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTunnel Bears are approachably cuddly, but also fierce\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLook for me at \u003ca href=\"https://cups.cs.cmu.edu/soups/2015/program.php\"\u003eSOUPS\u003c/a\u003e in Ottawa this week. I’ll be presenting a lightning talk on ”Security is Not Enough: Design for Security Engagement” on Thursday afternoon. I’d love to chat if you’re there.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Closing the Participation Gap: HotPETS Presentation Summary",
            "date_published": "2015-07-17T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-07-17T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hotpets-presentation-summary/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hotpets-presentation-summary/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eI really enjoyed being part of the emerging-work track, \u003ca href=\"https://petsymposium.org/2015/hotpets.php\"\u003eHotPETS\u003c/a\u003e, at the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium earlier this month. From meeting lots of great people to getting face-time with the Simply Secure team, Philadelphia was fun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScout and I presented “\u003ca href=\"https://petsymposium.org/2015/papers/elliot-simsec-hotpets2015.pdf\"\u003eHuman-Centered Design for Secure Communication: Opportunities to Close the Participation Gap\u003c/a\u003e” as part of a session on Privacy and Human Behavior. The session also included some nice qualitative work from \u003ca href=\"https://petsymposium.org/2015/papers/ganesh-activists-hotpets2015.pdf\"\u003eTactical Technologies\u003c/a\u003e covering the collaborative and social nature of privacy and ethical implications for researchers working with vulnerable populations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"/resources/PETS-Final-2015.pdf\"\u003eHotPETS presentation\u003c/a\u003e shared emerging findings from my Listening Tour — a series of semi-structured interviews reporting on perceptions and opportunities for security and privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Listening Tour is a series of conversations — 27 so far — with designers, cryptographers, researchers, entrepreneurs, activists, and other potential members of Simply Secure’s community. This activity is part of a Human-Centered Design process to understand the needs and priorities of the stakeholders we serve.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe biggest surprise from the tour so far has been how poorly the phrase “secure communication” is understood outside the security community. The entrepreneurs and designers I spoke with at professional events — people with no particular interest or awareness of security concerns — guessed “secure communication” to be something related to anti-\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing\"\u003edoxxing\u003c/a\u003e efforts, \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin\"\u003ebitcoin\u003c/a\u003e, or specialized tools for doctors and lawyers. There’s definitely work to do in bridging this gap.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStay tuned for more as the Listening Tour progresses, but emerging opportunities we have identified so far for closing the participation gap are 1) motivating lay-user adoption and 2) creating a shared vocabulary. The need for a shared vocabulary between designers and cryptographers resonated particularly well in the post-presentation discussion at HotPETS. We’ll be thinking more about how language can smooth collaboration and improve the accessibility of secure communication.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Lessons from Architecture School: Part 3",
            "date_published": "2015-07-08T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-07-08T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-3/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-3/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis is the third and final installment in the series on Lessons from Architecture School: Lessons for IoT Security. You can also read the \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-1\"\u003efirst\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-2\"\u003esecond\u003c/a\u003e installments, or download \u003ca href=\"/resources/OReillyUXIoTElliott.pdf\"\u003ethe presentation\u003c/a\u003e. Thank you to the audience at Solid Conference for good questions and lively discussion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"homes-are-more-than-houses\"\u003eHomes Are More Than Houses\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eShop houses\u003c/em\u003e are a type of vernacular architecture built throughout Southeast Asia. \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernacular_architecture\"\u003eVernacular architecture\u003c/a\u003e is built using folk knowledge and local customs, typically without the use of an architect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/shophouses_hu_fd8c73a521c3aded.jpg\" alt=\"Shop Houses, Singapore. Image CC-BY-NC-ND, Peter Morgan\" width=\"740\" height=\"323\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eShop houses, Singapore.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShop houses are traditionally two levels with commercial space on the ground floor and a residence above. A typical feature is an awning protecting the street from sun and rain. Local custom, which became law in Singapore in the 1800s, is that the owner maintains the awning over a public passage or sidewalk, creating an interesting interplay between personal responsibility and the common good.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite widespread familiarity with the building type, there are better and worse examples of vernacular architecture because, despite having access to good precedents, not everyone does a good job with implementation. For example, an awning may be both legally required and obviously a good idea, and still be leaky or badly constructed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDifferent types of knowledge — and different types of professional expertise — are necessary to make a successful building, just as they are for making successful security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"security-thought-starter\"\u003eSecurity Thought-Starter\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDon’t roll your own crypto. It’s easy to create a code that you yourself can’t crack that is trivially easy to a pro. Recent \u003ca href=\"https://threatpost.com/weak-homegrown-crypto-dooms-open-smart-grid-protocol/112680\"\u003ethreats to Open Smart Grid\u003c/a\u003e show that creating a home-grown cryptographic solution leaves big vulnerabilities. Working with standard cryptographic libraries is one way to make sure your applications are using best-in-class security. Using open-source libraries also means that you (or experts) can validate the crypto. One venue for learning more is the \u003ca href=\"http://www.realworldcrypto.com/rwc2016\"\u003eReal World Crypto Conference\u003c/a\u003e, next held in Stanford, CA in January 2016.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ux-consideration\"\u003eUX Consideration\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExposing underlying systems can teach behavior. When electric cars first reached a mass audience, new dashboard interfaces educated drivers on the basics of how these unfamiliar systems work. Many Prius drivers didn’t know how internal combustion engines worked, which meant an explanation only in terms of difference would not be meaningful. Instead, UX design taught a bunch of people how to think about their car’s power source.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/prius_hu_7078a6b9638e0a3.png\" alt=\"Toyota Prius dashboard. Image CC-BY, It\u0026rsquo;s Our City\" width=\"740\" height=\"483\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eToyota Prius dashboard\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design decisions in electric car dashboards have changed drivers’ behavior by helping them understand how the system works. Similarly, there is a huge opportunity for designers to create new interfaces to help people communicate securely. For example, simple visualizations of how the internet works could change users’ messaging behavior to become more security aware. The challenge is to show only appropriate complexity and not overwhelm the user with extraneous detail, just as the UX designers for the Prius selected only a few pieces of information that directly respond to changes in driving conditions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/pmorgan/9611965697/\"\u003eShop houses, Singapore\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/pmorgan/\"\u003ePeter Morgan\u003c/a\u003e, used under \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/\"\u003eCC-BY-NC-ND\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/its_our_city/2838668732/\"\u003eToyota Prius dashboard\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/its_our_city/\"\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s Our City\u003c/a\u003e, used under \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/\"\u003eCC-BY 2.0\u003c/a\u003e (cropped)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Niaje! Introducing Maina",
            "date_published": "2015-07-01T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-07-01T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-maina/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-maina/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eI’m Maina, and I\u0026rsquo;m excited to start out as a Senior Fellow at Simply Secure. Prior to this fellowship, I conducted research at the Center for Advanced Security Research Darmstadt, and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.tu-darmstadt.de\"\u003eTechnische Universität Darmstadt\u003c/a\u003e. Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, I focused on the usability of verification in \u003ca href=\"http://www.heliosvoting.org\"\u003eHelios\u003c/a\u003e, an end-to-end verifiable, open-source, remote electronic voting system. Previously, I taught several undergraduate courses, including human-computer interaction and computer security. My undergraduate degree is in computer science, and for my master’s degree, I investigated secure protocols for mobile phone voting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy previous research had two goals: first, to investigate the usability of verification in Helios, and second, to investigate whether voters are motivated to take up opportunities to verify their vote. With respect to the first research goal, my colleagues and I conducted a cognitive walkthrough and identified \u003ca href=\"https://www.usenix.org/conference/evtwote-11/usability-analysis-helios-%E2%80%94-open-source-verifiable-remote-electronic-voting\"\u003eobstacles to voter verification in Helios\u003c/a\u003e. We proposed improvements which were integrated and tested in a lab user study. The findings showed that \u003ca href=\"http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?reload=true\u0026amp;arnumber=6059254\"\u003evoters were able to perform verification with the improved Helios\u003c/a\u003e. We also found, using surveys, that despite the usability improvements, \u003ca href=\"http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-10178-1_20\"\u003evoters lacked the motivation to take up verification opportunities\u003c/a\u003e. Furthermore, and with respect to the second research goal, we identified that voters trust the people and processes involved in (paper-based) elections, suggesting that they are \u003ca href=\"http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-642-39185-9_9\"\u003einsufficiently motivated to take up verification opportunities\u003c/a\u003e. Consequently, we designed \u003ca href=\"https://www.ndss-symposium.org/ndss2014/workshop-usable-security-usec-2014-programme/voter-what-message-will-motivate-you-verify-your-vote/\"\u003emotivating messages to increase voter verification intention\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Simply Secure, I want to continue to focus on user motivation and apply it in the context of secure communication. I want to understand user motivation and how it can better guide secure behavior, focusing specifically on email. My research will concentrate on these three questions: (i) To what extent does a lack of user motivation contribute to the low adoption and use of secure email behaviors?, (ii) How can we motivate users to adopt such behaviors?, and (iii) How can security motivation be integrated effectively into the design of email interfaces? I will focus on the link between user motivation and adoption, and test the impact of motivational interventions. The output of my research should recommend how to increase the uptake of secure email behaviors for the general population.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNiaje, pronounced \u0026rsquo;ni-a-dʒei\u0026rsquo;, means \u0026ldquo;what\u0026rsquo;s up\u0026rdquo; in Swahili.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Hello Joseph and Kat",
            "date_published": "2015-06-23T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-06-23T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-joseph-and-kat/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-joseph-and-kat/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eYou’ve already met \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-gus/\"\u003eGus\u003c/a\u003e, and we’re looking forward to introducing you to Maina, the other Fellow that Simply Secure is hosting under the auspices of Open Tech Fund’s Secure Usability Fellowship Program.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are not the only SUFP fellows, however – the EFF has been hosting \u003ca href=\"http://jbonneau.com/\"\u003eJoseph Bonneau\u003c/a\u003e since the start of this year, and Kat Krol started recently as a SUFP Fellow at University College London. We hope to share more about their research later in the year, but in the meantime, here are their introductions, in their own words! (And remember, if you’d like to catch up with any of the Fellows, share your work with them, or ask about what they’re up to, you can find them all on our Slack channel. \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eEmail us\u003c/a\u003e for an invite!)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"joseph-bonneau-sufp-fellow-at-eff\"\u003eJoseph Bonneau, SUFP Fellow at EFF\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m Joseph Bonneau and I\u0026rsquo;m a Secure Usability Fellow working at both the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Stanford. I started in February 2015. My main goals are to improve the state of the art of secure messaging with user-centered cryptographic architectures. In particular, on the EFF side I\u0026rsquo;m working on improving the EFF\u0026rsquo;s Secure Messaging Scorecard and starting next steps of the Campaign for Secure and Usable Crypto. At Stanford I\u0026rsquo;m doing technical work on the CONIKS project to build user-verifiable public key directories for secure messaging tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy background is in cryptography and computer security. I earned my PhD from the University of Cambridge as well as BS and MS degrees in Computer Science from Stanford. I\u0026rsquo;ve worked at Google, Yahoo, and Cryptography Research, Inc. and last year I was a fellow at Princeton University\u0026rsquo;s Center for Information Technology Policy. My research has spanned many topics including passwords and user authentication, cryptocurrencies, HTTPS and web security, privacy in social networks and side-channel cryptanalysis. I also taught the first courses on cryptocurrencies in the past year (both in-person at Princeton and an online MOOC). In my spare time I enjoy the outdoors, triathlons and pub trivia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"kat-krol-sufp-fellow-at-ucl\"\u003eKat Krol, SUFP Fellow at UCL\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy name is Kat Krol. I\u0026rsquo;m a final year PhD student at University College London, UK. In my PhD research, I look at the role of effort in users\u0026rsquo; security and privacy decisions online. I\u0026rsquo;m passionate about conducting user studies of various kinds, always aiming to combine quantitative data with qualitative feedback from participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, design and computing are all about fulfilling users\u0026rsquo; every need and want, providing interactions that are pleasurable and seamlessly integrate with their lives. Security is absolutely at odds with this – it disrupts users\u0026rsquo; natural workflow, asks them to heed every warning, check URLs and create complex passwords. The aim of my research is to contribute towards usable security and privacy that are contextually sensitive to human capabilities, needs and preferences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring my fellowship, I will be focusing on tools for secure instant messaging looking at their usability and adoption. There is so much technically excellent encryption software out there, that has not been widely adopted due to poor usability and/or a mismatch between what the technology offers and what the users need. I\u0026rsquo;m excited about the first steps, in which I will be conducting focus groups with users of selected messaging apps to learn about their perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "All Your Base Are Belong To Gus",
            "date_published": "2015-06-19T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-06-19T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-gus/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-gus/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eHi, everyone! I’m Gus. I am pleased to be joining Simply Secure for a one-year fellowship.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the past year and change I worked for the Open Internet Tools Project, where I pioneered their work on security usability. OpenITP being an open source organization, I had the great joy of doing all my work in public, which means everything we did is \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@gusandrews\"\u003estill online\u003c/a\u003e and publicly available. Among the things I did:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eworked to help the community share best practices in usability;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eran usability-focused hackathons;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eheld a monthly meeting of security trainers (which is still ongoing!);\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eheld workshops to develop security-focused user personas and visual assets;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eran user tests on a number of tools;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eanalyzed tool-building projects’ data on their downloads;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eand wrote analyses of the field.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy fellowship at Simply Secure will have two parts:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne part of my job this year will be continuing to do usability work for various secure-tools projects, in a more focused way. I will work with particular projects to identify what their usability needs are and develop solutions specific to their stage of development. These might include design workshops, metrics analysis, expert review, or more user testing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other part of my job will be a more overarching research project that might be useful to a number of tool developers, as well as to the broader community of security trainers, usable-security researchers, and digital literacy educators. Building on the methodology already developed by Arne Renkema-Padmos, I will work with a handful of researchers to assess users’ mental models of how the Internet works. Users will draw out diagrams of what they understand, with “scaffolding” provided by images of Internet elements with which they may be familiar (browsers, routers, etc.). We will then analyze these diagrams to identify patterns in misconceptions, as well as what users already understand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOutside of work, I produce \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/user/themediashow\"\u003eThe Media Show\u003c/a\u003e, a YouTube series about media literacy and digital literacy which I began while writing \u003ca href=\"http://www.studyplace.org/wiki/User:Gusandrews/SearchProject/1208chapters\"\u003emy dissertation\u003c/a\u003e at Teachers College. Our latest series of episodes answer questions about media and technology drawn from Google Autocomplete — meaning many people have asked them. We’ve got episodes in the works on how ads know your location, how the Internet crosses the ocean, and how hackers find out your passwords. Previously, we’ve done episodes on \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HupyaXuSqMA\"\u003ehow spam ends up in your email\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBjQ28CqsS4\"\u003ehow search engines work\u003c/a\u003e. Follow our progress on \u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/themediashow\"\u003eYouTube\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI look forward to continuing to work with folks in this space!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/themediashow_hu_623e5cf6e76d3835.png\" alt=\"The Media Show\u0026rsquo;s puppets explain how search engines work\" width=\"740\" height=\"398\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eThe Media Show\u0026rsquo;s puppets explain how search engines work\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Lessons from Architecture School: Part 2",
            "date_published": "2015-06-11T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-06-11T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-2/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-2/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis continues \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-1\"\u003ePart 1 of a series\u003c/a\u003e of posts drawn from a talk I gave at O’Reilly’s online conference \u003ca href=\"http://conferences.oreilly.com/experience-design-iot\"\u003eExperience Design for Internet of Things (IoT)\u003c/a\u003e on “Lessons from Architecture School for IoT Security.”  You can find the slides for the original talk \u003ca href=\"/resources/OReillyUXIoTElliott.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e. The talk encourages designers to think about security and outlines some ways UX design can support privacy in IoT applications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen designing IoT applications for the home, we can take advantage of how much time we spend there by looking critically at the unspoken assumptions homes reveal. Living in a house is something we all unconsciously understand how to do, having learned from watching those around us before we could talk. The home is a rich environment from a cultural anthropology perspective, in part because it encodes tacit knowledge about the people who live there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"understanding-unspoken-needs\"\u003eUnderstanding Unspoken Needs\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at Finland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kansallismuseo.fi/en/hvittraesk\"\u003eHvitträsk\u003c/a\u003e, a home and architectural studio built in 1903 by Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren, and Eliel Saarinen, reveals extensive use of \u003cem\u003eJugendstil\u003c/em\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau\"\u003eArt Nouveau\u003c/a\u003e, decor mimicking forms found in nature. Hvitträsk teaches the cultural context of its construction, when Finnish Nationalism was rising as Finland sought to establish a distinct identity from neighboring Sweden and from Russia, who was administering Finland at the time. Nationalism and Romanticism are values that can be decoded by looking carefully at the environment. The combination rug/blanket references coverings used for sleigh rides, and the stained glass figures reference the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic poem. These design choices reflect an emerging national identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/hvittraesk_hu_b20d23ca3dbc276e.png\" alt=\"Hvitträsk, built 1903, boyhood home of architect Eero Saarinen. Image CC-BY-NC, David Castell, https://www.flickr.com/photos/8712554@N02/2797981340/\" width=\"740\" height=\"770\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eHvitträsk, built 1903, boyhood home of architect Eero Saarinen.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHvitträsk was the boyhood home of Eero Saarinen, well-known as the architect of what was then called the \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_Center\"\u003eTrans World Airlines Flight Center\u003c/a\u003e, and is still in use by JetBlue passengers as T-5 of John F. Kennedy airport in New York City.  Just 59 years separate the construction of Hvitträsk and the airport, but they included sweeping technical advances, from horse-drawn sleigh to commercial airplanes. One of the unspoken needs of buildings is to endure, and buildings – unlike many forms of IoT hardware – are upgradeable. Buildings are expected to last much longer than the 18-month lifespan of a device designed to become obsolete.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/jfk-t5_hu_e1d0a5dbaff1806d.jpg\" alt=\"JFK Airport T-5, built 1962 by architect Eero Saarinen. Image CC-BY-NC, Sean Marshall, https://www.flickr.com/photos/7119320@N05/7452651372/\" width=\"740\" height=\"479\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eJFK Airport T-5, built 1962 by architect Eero Saarinen.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"security-thought-starter\"\u003eSecurity Thought-Starter\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuildings’ long lifespans challenge IoT security paradigms. There’s an inherent tension in the enduring quality of building hardware and the difficulties of keeping connected devices secure over time. Sources including the \u003ca href=\"http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=PM\u0026amp;subtype=XB\u0026amp;htmlfid=GBE03620USEN#loaded\"\u003eIBM Institute for Business Value\u003c/a\u003e caution that committing to connected building infrastructure, such as smart doorknobs with 20+ year lifespans, carries risks because a smart doorknob needs to be maintained and kept up to date against security threats unknown at the time it was built. Designers need to think critically about the path for upgrading firmware in order to reduce the risk of IoT devices becoming out of date and vulnerable to new security threats. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCADA\"\u003eSCADA\u003c/a\u003e) systems in industrial contexts have long been criticized as insecure, so designers have a chance to learn from that experience and encourage thinking about security as those systems are adapted to home use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRouters are one example of a piece of infrastructure with long lifespans, still keeping the internet of ten years ago alive, often with numerous security vulnerabilities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/firmware-upgrade_hu_432bb83f642188fe.png\" alt=\"Detail of a router firmware update dialog box. Image CC-BY, Fabian Rodriguez, https://www.flickr.com/photos/magicfab/3893245793/\" width=\"740\" height=\"332\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eDetail of a router firmware update dialog box.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ux-consideration\"\u003eUX Consideration\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the simplest ways to protect a computerized system is to install software updates that include security patches, but users often view updating software as unpleasant and disruptive. I call on designers to re-imagine software updates as a moment for positive user engagement and behavior change. Successes in chronic disease management, financial planning, and other difficult topics show that design can change behavior. Let’s translate those successes into information security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are formidable challenges to re-inventing something banal – people unthinkingly rush to dismiss dialog boxes unread – but new interfaces for explaining underlying security systems have the opportunity to create positive change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis series continues with Part 3: \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-3/\"\u003eHomes Are More than Houses\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup\u003eImage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/8712554@N02/2797981340/\"\u003eHvitträsk\u003c/a\u003e, by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/8712554@N02/\"\u003eDavid Casteel\u003c/a\u003e used under \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/\"\u003eCC-BY-NC-ND 2.0\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup\u003eImage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/7119320@N05/7452651372/\"\u003eT-5, JFK Airport\u003c/a\u003e, by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/7119320@N05/\"\u003eSean Marshall\u003c/a\u003e, used under \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/\"\u003eCC-BY-NC 2.0\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup\u003eImage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/magicfab/3893245793/\"\u003eOpenWRT router firmware update\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/magicfab/\"\u003eFabian Rodriguez\u003c/a\u003e, used under \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/\"\u003eCC-BY 2.0\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Lessons from Architecture School: Part 1",
            "date_published": "2015-06-05T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-06-05T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-1/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-1/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eThis is the first in a series of posts pulled from a talk I gave at O’Reilly’s online conference \u003ca href=\"http://conferences.oreilly.com/experience-design-iot\"\u003eExperience Design for Internet of Things (IoT)\u003c/a\u003e on “Lessons from Architecture School for IoT Security.” The talk is a call to action for designers and non-technical people to get involved — with us at Simply Secure or elsewhere — in the worthy problems of experience design for IoT security. I want to encourage more people to think about security and to outline some ways UX design can support privacy in IoT applications. You can find the slides for the original talk \u003ca href=\"/resources/OReillyUXIoTElliott.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany thanks for all the positive comments from the online audience for the talk. I’m glad to see that a few of the participants joined our Slack channel. You should join too — by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e — if you’re interested in being part of an emerging conversation about security, privacy, design, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"architecture-school\"\u003eArchitecture School\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI studied architecture. Not systems architecture, but actual building architecture. The time I spent in the Colleges of Environmental Design in Boulder, Colorado and Berkeley, California shaped how I think and how I approach problems. No, I can’t tell you if your deck will fall down, and although I may have an opinion on your kitchen remodel, that’s not part of my professional education.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy background is much closer to what we today call “\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking\"\u003edesign thinking\u003c/a\u003e” or even “Lean Startup” methods. Architecture school teaches \u003cem\u003eproblem finding\u003c/em\u003e, rather than \u003cem\u003eproblem solving\u003c/em\u003e, and it’s great preparation for work on many kinds of complex systems. There are many elements of a studio-based architectural education that make it useful for thinking about security, including rapid prototyping and getting feedback during critiques. However, the most relevant quality is how architecture school teaches new ways of seeing how buildings work and how people inhabit them. I’d like to share some of the lessons from architecture school that are applicable to security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"calling-designers-iot-security-needs-you\"\u003eCalling Designers, IoT Security Needs You\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnyone working on a connected-home application is also in the data-collection business, as connecting and collecting go hand-in-hand. \u003ca href=\"http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/17/sold-our-souls-and-more-to-internet-giants-privacy-surveillance-bruce-schneier\"\u003eBruce Schneier’s recent Guardian article\u003c/a\u003e includes examples that speak to designers’ priorities on crafting user experience: Samsung TVs listening in on near-by conversations and Mattel re-selling children’s questions to Hello Barbie dolls. As a designer, I understand the motivation for some of the choices that eventually led to privacy problems, and that some designers haven’t had exposure to the privacy implications of their designs. The desire to create convenient, positive interactions for users can have unintended consequences, and designers have a role to play in safeguarding end-user needs. Beyond that, designers have the power to make conversations about privacy richer than the tension between what’s technically possible and what’s legal. What’s desirable? What’s delightful? Security for IoT needs design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s one lesson from architecture school for designing IoT applications with privacy in mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"start-with-people-in-context\"\u003eStart with People, In Context\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArchitecture is concerned with creating spaces for people to experience. As a Human-Centered designer, I encourage everyone to get out into the field as much as possible to understand the context. People working on domestic IoT applications should go and meet with people in their homes to get a deeper understanding of how their products fit into the rhythms of home life. But even without doing in-context interviews, looking at examples of how people inhabit space can inform the design of appropriate technology. Most of us spend quite a bit of time in buildings, and critically examining how people inhabit buildings can lead to the design of more Human-Centered IoT products.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be deliberately provocative, I’ve selected images for this series that feel historical and far-removed from the current hype around IoT. This one is from the Dutch Golden Age.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/deHooch1670_hu_d8bc8c4625d5a6f8.jpg\" alt=\"Pieter de Hooch, “Man Handing a Letter to a Woman in the Entrance Hall of a House.” from the Rijksmuseum.\" width=\"740\" height=\"858\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003ePieter de Hooch, 1670. “Man Handing a Letter to a Woman in the Entrance Hall of a House.” from the Rijksmuseum.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at this painting with the eyes of an architect, this domestic scene tells us about the values of Dutch society in the 1600s. There are no window coverings, highlighting a social convention around transparency. There are also multiple people visible, each of whom has different privileges in the home. The man delivering the letter could be a guest, who would only have access to the entrance hall or certain semi-public areas of the home. There’s also a dog and a child. Children are an interesting case in the modern context because they are not able to consent to the collection of their data in many situations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne method for doing design research is to seek inspiration from observation of \u003ca href=\"https://www.designkit.org/methods/extremes-and-mainstreams.html\"\u003eextreme users\u003c/a\u003e, or people outside the mainstream who are likely to invest time in creating work-arounds to make technology fit their needs. Extreme users can be helpful participants with well-articulated worldviews, whose experiences can create designs that work well across the entire spectrum of users. Designing to accommodate the needs of a child in a European country — who is protected from unwanted data collection by local regulations — can result in a user experience that works well for all kinds of people, including those eagerly opting in. We can expect additional regulatory constraints around children’s data in the future, so giving attention to these issues now can also help designers future-proof their product.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ux-consideration\"\u003eUX Consideration\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProfile managers are examples of interfaces that can contribute to future-proofing by allowing people to opt in or out of data collection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/netflix-profiles_hu_722e925080c28cd8.png\" alt=\"Netflix profile manager\" width=\"740\" height=\"862\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eVideo-streaming service Netflix has an explicit interface for asking viewers to sign in with a profile to interact with their system, but what about other people who may also be watching? There are examples of using mobile phones to passively interact with video viewing systems, such as logging everyone in a group who may be watching at once, but without an explicit login moment, users have no ability to safeguard their privacy by opting out.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatching videos is a screen-based interaction, but the issues become more complex with ambient systems. We don’t yet have best practices around signing in to ambient systems where an explicit login at a console may not be appropriate. How can we as designers create appropriate interfaces to give users control of ambient IoT systems?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"security-thought-starter\"\u003eSecurity Thought-Starter\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no single place to turn for guidance on this issue, but the European \u003ca href=\"http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/article-29/index_en.htm\"\u003eArticle 29 Working Party\u003c/a\u003e is one starting point for understanding privacy protection and data collection mechanisms. If you’re a developer or entrepreneur thinking about collecting data in the home, keep in mind that there need to be ways for people to opt out, whether they’re guests or residents, adults or children.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlan for change, and don\u0026rsquo;t take on privacy debt in a quickly-changing landscape.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanning for the ability to opt out of collection by ambient devices can help future-proof emerging design work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more about emerging challenges in IoT interfaces, check out the recently released \u003ca href=\"http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920031109.do\"\u003eDesigning Connected Products\u003c/a\u003e by Claire Rowland, Elizabeth Goodman, Martin Charlier, Ann Light, and Alfred Lui.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis series continues with Part 2: \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/lessons-from-architecture-school-2\"\u003eUnderstand Unspoken Needs\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "What We Look For in a Software Partner",
            "date_published": "2015-05-29T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-05-29T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/what-we-look-for/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/what-we-look-for/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAs we gear up to start collaborating with open-source software projects, there are a bunch of things we have been pondering. There are a lot of compelling projects out there that we’d love to work with, but we need some criteria to choose which ones to focus on first.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, we’ve drafted a \u003ca href=\"/resources/CollaborationQuestions.pdf\"\u003eset of questions\u003c/a\u003e to ask about a software project and the team that develops it. As the document notes, these questions are not a quiz to judge the worthiness of projects or the people who work on them. Many questions have no “right” answer, and are included to ultimately help us foster a diverse portfolio of projects aligned with our core goals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe questions boil down to the following high-level issues:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat does the software do?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow is it built, and how is it licensed?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAt whom is it targeted, and who actually uses it?\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgain, there are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but we do have some ideas about what types of tools and teams we want to work with first. To start, we are particularly focused on tools that enable \u003cem\u003esecure communication\u003c/em\u003e — multi-way data exchange among end users – although we’re also interested in knowing about tools that perform related functions. Furthermore, we are most interested in working with development teams that are \u003cem\u003ecommitted to improving the user experience\u003c/em\u003e of their software, and to integrating good design into their ongoing development practices. Finally, as part of our ongoing commitment to publicly-auditable software, we are committed to working on \u003cem\u003eopen-source tools\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe expect this document of criteria to evolve and change over time, so we want to hear your feedback on it. \u003ca href=\"/contact\"\u003eGet in touch\u003c/a\u003e if you have suggestions on how to improve it!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a future post, I will describe the models of collaboration we’re currently envisioning. In the meantime, if you are working on a secure-communications software project and you are interested in collaborating with us to evaluate and improve its user experience (or if you’re a software user and want to suggest a team for us to reach out to), please tell us about the project \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/a/simplysecure.org/forms/d/1yWK2kIGdC_y0Vz5S-j_jno9P0qelBHeYsHrFuusoysg/viewform\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e. (Note: this form is hosted by Google. If you’re more comfortable communicating by email, you can also send a message to \u003ca href=\"mailto:collab@superbloom.design\"\u003ecollab@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e with answers to \u003ca href=\"/resources/IntakeQuestions.pdf\"\u003ethese questions\u003c/a\u003e.)\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Making the Abstract Experiential",
            "date_published": "2015-05-21T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-05-21T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-the-abstract-experiential/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/making-the-abstract-experiential/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIt’s difficult for many lay users who are unfamiliar with the mechanics of how the internet works to make assessments of risk or to secure their communications. One way that design can help is by making abstract concepts understandable. There’s exciting work in understanding existing models of security and ways to leverage them in design, such as Rick Wash’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.rickwash.com/papers/rwash-homesec-soups10-final.pdf\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Folk Models of Home Computer Security\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e, but there’s still so much to be done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an inspirational example of how design can contribute to making abstract concepts accessible to a lay audience, here’s a 1977 video from designers Charles and Ray Eames. It makes the abstract topic of exponential growth \u003cem\u003eexperiential\u003c/em\u003e by relating it to the scale of the human body. Having admired the Eames’ work since my days in architecture school, I think starting with the scale of the human body is a great way to approach problems. The whole 9 minutes is worth a watch to get a sense of the pacing, since timed transitions between views illustrate scale.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n      \u003ciframe allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen\" loading=\"eager\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/0fKBhvDjuy0?autoplay=0\u0026amp;controls=1\u0026amp;end=0\u0026amp;loop=0\u0026amp;mute=0\u0026amp;start=0\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" title=\"YouTube video\"\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eVideo: Powers of Ten by Charles and Ray Eames\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe strong narrative structure of the video connects abstract mathematical concepts to personal experience. Viewers learn by relating powers of ten to concrete things they can see or imagine, but the video feels more inspirational than educational. The inspirational tone is more powerful than a neutral explanation for increasing engagement, and I’m eager to see more inspiration in discussion of privacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSarah Gold’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sarah.gold/alternet/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlternet\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e video is one example of an experiential narrative that makes risks to privacy accessible to a mass audience. Similarly, the \u003ca href=\"https://donottrack-doc.com/en/episodes/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eDo Not Track\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e episodes are personalized videos that let people experience what various groups know about their online behavior. They are engaging and pleasurable to watch, even if the information in the video upsets people learning it for the first time. Like \u003cem\u003ePowers of Ten\u003c/em\u003e, Episode 1 of \u003cem\u003eDo Not Track\u003c/em\u003e also uses time to help viewers experience the scale of large numbers, with \u003cem\u003eDo Not Track\u003c/em\u003e showing how much revenue technology companies and the US internet advertising market make every second.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen designers approach privacy, we look beyond education and into action. Making abstract privacy topics experiential can motivate a broader group of end users to get involved in making better tools to protect privacy and security. It’s already pleasurable to relax at a picnic gazing at the sky, but Powers of Ten makes knowledge of exponents so compelling that gazing at the sky gets even better. I believe that understanding the mechanics of the internet can let people enjoy it more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCharles and Ray Eames are legends of modern American design, famous for making products people welcome into their lives. As a community, let’s work to help end users embrace privacy and security by making challenging ideas accessible and easy to integrate into their daily lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/blog/EamesStamps_hu_2b1ea57338aa4559.png\" alt=\"US Postage Stamps Commemorating Charles and Ray Eames. Photo by Ame Elliott\" width=\"740\" height=\"749\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Postage Stamps Commemorating Charles and Ray Eames.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "What We Do",
            "date_published": "2015-05-13T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-05-13T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/what-we-do/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/what-we-do/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eYou learned at our \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/why-hello-world/\"\u003elaunch\u003c/a\u003e that we’re setting out to improve the experience users have with secure-communication tools. We told you that we want to work with the open source community, and that we’re committed to documenting our activities transparently. But what does this mean in practice – how will \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-ame/\"\u003eAme\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/hello-trouble/\"\u003eTrouble\u003c/a\u003e, and I be spending our days?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s much easier to show than to tell, so I expect you’ll get a better feel for our work as we describe it here over time. For the moment, though, you can expect it to fall into three major buckets:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDirect collaboration\u003c/strong\u003e: We partner with open-source software-development teams to support them in researching and improving the usability of their tools. We’re focusing at first on secure-communication tools that have an established user base, but also collaborate with teams building related or emerging tools. I’ll tell you more in future posts about what we look for in a partner, and also introduce the projects we’ve already started working with. If you have a tool that you’d like a hand with, \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003eget in touch\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformation sharing\u003c/strong\u003e: We take our collaborative research and use it to build public resources that help everyone – developers, designers, researchers, users, and the community at large – better understand great user experiences and how to achieve them. We also work to raise the profile of high-quality usable-security designs and projects, both those that we participate in directly and those conducted by other organizations. We share this information freely here, and through our newsletter, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003eTwitter stream\u003c/a\u003e, and conference talks. Stay tuned in the near term for a reading list that will help you get started thinking about usable security – and \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003elet us know\u003c/a\u003e about your favorite books and papers that you want to see included.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMentorship and capacity building\u003c/strong\u003e: We work to support usable-security practitioners of all stripes, including developers, designers, and researchers. We encourage promising junior practitioners and students in their efforts to learn, and to participate in designing trustworthy experiences. As part of this, we are \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/fellowship/\"\u003epartnering\u003c/a\u003e with the Open Technology Fund on the Secure Usability Fellowship program.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to these formal activities, we also aspire to act as a hub for usable-security practitioners, and among the development, design, research, and user communities. Although we don’t provide funding for projects, we make it a point to know about different practitioners and activities in the space, and offer referrals when asked. So, although we’re still catching up on our backlog of email inquiries, we’re always interested in hearing from you if you’re doing work in this space. And, as always, we hope you’ll \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003estay tuned\u003c/a\u003e to keep up with our activities!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Dia dhaoibh, mise Nóirín!",
            "date_published": "2015-05-11T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-05-11T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-trouble/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-trouble/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eHi, I'm N\u0026#243;ir\u0026#237;n (sounds like\n[n\u0026#810;\u0026#736;\u0026#245;\u0026#720;\u0026#638;\u0026#690;i\u0026#720;\u0026#626;]). In Ireland, I have a\npretty common name: I share it with professors, politicians, and even our\npolice commissioner! Elsewhere, however, it's less simple. I've had conference\nbadges in the names of \"N\u0026#8730;\u0026#8805;ir\u0026#8730;\u0026#8800;n\" and\n\"N\u0026#219;ir\u0026#204;n\", online services often call me \"N\u0026amp;#xF3;ir\u0026amp;#xED;n\" or\n\"N\u0026#56128;\u0026#56352;ir\u0026#56128;\u0026#56352;n\", and I've even gotten mail for\n\"N\u0026#x251C;\u0026#xE2;\u0026#xE3;\u0026#xC6;\u0026#x251C;\u0026#xE9;\u0026#x252C;\u0026#x2502;ir\u0026#x251C;\u0026#xE2;\u0026#xE3;\u0026#xC6;\u0026#x251C;\u0026#xE9;\u0026#x252C;\u0026#xA1;n\"!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo at Simply Secure, I go by a name I picked up on the Appalachian Trail,\nthat's found in most spell-checkers, and is a bit simpler to pronounce:\nTrouble.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to the IRS, my job title is Operations Manager. Much like my name\nthough, the reality is more nuanced, and always evolving. I think of myself as\nSimply Secure’s \u003ca\nhref=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Steerswoman\"\u003eSteersman\u003c/a\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn1\" id=\"ref1\"\u003e1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. I travel\nalongside our collaborators, through their varied communities, always\ncollecting knowledge, connecting ideas, and helping to preserve and share what\nwe see. I come from the Open Source world, and, with Scout and Ame, will be\nworking hard to make sure that the things we learn, create, and do, are done as\ntransparently as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur shared vision at Simply Secure is that people shouldn’t have to choose\nbetween tools they like and tools that are secure. We know where we want to be:\nin a world where secure and private communication tools are available to\neveryone. We know the direction we need to go to get there: human-centered\ndesign is our guide star, open-source tools are the paths we walk along,\nverifiable and auditable cryptography is the shelter we depend on. But in the\nwords of the Irish proverb, “it’d be a long road that didn’t have turns in\nit”\u003csup\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn2\" id=\"ref2\"\u003e2\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e.  So, bringing together the finest\ntraditions both ancient and modern, I’m here to record what we’re doing, map\nout where we’ve been, and glean what I can about where we’re going.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI hope you'll join me along the way!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr /\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup id=\"fn1\"\u003e1. I prefer gender-neutral titles and pronouns where\npossible. \u003ca href=\"#ref1\" title=\"Return to text\"\u003e\u0026#8617;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csup id=\"fn2\"\u003e2. Is fada an b\u0026oacute;thar nach mb\u0026iacute;onn casadh ann.\u003ca\nhref=\"#ref2\" title=\"Return to text\"\u003e\u0026#8617;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"
        },
        {
            "title": "Hello, I’m Ame, Design Director for Simply Secure",
            "date_published": "2015-05-06T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-05-06T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-ame/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-ame/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eI’m Ame (sounds like “Amy”). Last month I joined Simply Secure after\nspending the past eight years at IDEO, a global design and innovation\nconsultancy. While there, I designed consumer technology for entertainment, \u003ca\nhref=\"http://www.ideo.com/work/innovators-accelerator-digital-platform-by-lightspeed\"\u003eeducation\u003c/a\u003e,\nbanking, \u003ca href=\"http://www.ideo.com/work/the-bold-italic\"\u003emedia\u003c/a\u003e, business\nsoftware, mobile/wearables, and home automation. Uniting all my work is\nHuman-Centered Design, a set of practices and research methods that starts with\npeople, studies their needs and preferences, and creates things they want and\nenjoy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was fortunate to work with fantastic teams on projects I was proud of, but\nover time I began to feel a vague sense of unease about how little power people\nhad to protect their privacy. A catalyst for my thinking more explicitly about\nabout user experience + privacy was watching Mike Monteiro’s Webstock talk on\n\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/68470326\"\u003eHow Designers Destroyed the World\u003c/a\u003e,\nwhich takes designers to task for the drastic real world consequences of bad\ndesign [the privacy settings example starts at 4:40].\u003c/p\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv\n          style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\n        \u003ciframe\n          src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/68470326?dnt=0\"\n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;\" allow=\"fullscreen\"\u003e\n        \u003c/iframe\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMike Monteiro at \u003ca\nhref=\"https://vimeo.com/webstock\"\u003eWebstock '13\u003c/a\u003e: \u003ca\nhref=\"https://vimeo.com/68470326\"\u003eHow Designers Destroyed the World\u003c/a\u003e, on \u003ca\nhref=\"https://vimeo.com\"\u003eVimeo\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn exploring the social and technical barriers to privacy for mass\naudiences, a common thread has been the need for design. And by design I don’t\nmean decoration – I mean research and implementation that makes things work for\npeople. By the time I saw the announcement for Simply Secure on \u003ca\nhref=\"http://boingboing.net/2014/09/18/privacy-for-normal-people.html\"\u003eBoing\nBoing\u003c/a\u003e, I knew that I wanted to work on design for privacy and security.\nSimply Secure is founded on the idea that people shouldn’t have to choose\nbetween communication tools they like and tools that are secure, and that\ndesign and user research can play a role in eliminating the need to choose.\nThat founding principle is what I practice, and why I’m here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Simply Secure, I’ll be building a culture of design to address the\nchallenges of privacy and security. That means working directly on the user\nexperience (UX) of tools providing secure communication, as well as connecting\nto the community of people working on privacy and security around design.\nEveryone should be able to communicate privately and securely, and it will take\ncollaboration by people of different backgrounds to make that a reality. So if\ndesign is unfamiliar, stay tuned. I’ll be sharing my passion and showing how\ndesign can make secure communication accessible.\u003c/p\u003e"
        },
        {
            "title": "Simply Secure's Growing Team",
            "date_published": "2015-05-04T12:00:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2015-05-04T12:00:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-again/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hello-again/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eHappy Spring! Like so much in the northern hemisphere, our blog and Twitter\nstream have been largely dormant for a while – but we’ve been behind the scenes\ngetting ready for a season of tremendous growth. Since we announced Simply\nSecure in the fall, we’ve become formally established as a legal entity,\ninterviewed and hired an exceptional staff, and fleshed out our plans for\npartnering with open-source organizations to make secure-communication tools\nmore usable. We’ll tell you more about what we’re working on in future blog\nposts, but today I’d like to introduce you to our two awesome new staff\nmembers: Ame Elliott, our Design Director, and Nóirín Plunkett,\nour Operations Manager.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAme Elliott comes from global design consultancy IDEO, where she led Design\nResearch for Fortune 500 clients. She holds a Ph.D. in Design Theory and\nMethods, and has spent her career creating and developing Human-Centered Design\ntechniques, which ensure that the resultant design responds to the needs of the\npeople who will engage with it, and not the other way around. This approach –\nimproving technology by focusing on users – is at the core of Simply Secure’s\nmission, and we are ecstatic to have someone of Ame’s caliber applying these\nprinciples to the secure-communications space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNóirín “Trouble” Plunkett is Simply Secure’s Archivist,\nHistorian, and Operations Manager. Trouble brings impeccable organization and\nwriting skills to this unusual role, along with deep experience in the open\nsource world by way of the Apache Software Foundation, Google, and the Ada\nInitiative. As Operations Manager, they work to generally keep the ship that is\nSimply Secure sailing smoothly. As Archivist and Historian, they will be\nworking to catalog (and make freely available to the public) resources to help\nmake usability and design an integral part of software development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is this excellent team up to? In a word, lots. In coming weeks we will\nshare more about some work Ame is doing (a “listening tour”) to learn about\nwhere the design, software, and user communities stand in relation to current\nsecure-communication technology. This series of qualitative-research interviews\nwill provide a broad and deep review of the work being done, and help pinpoint\nclear opportunities for us to make a serious impact. We’ll also tell you about\nthe ways in which we are hoping to collaborate with software partners to\nimprove their tools, and how to get involved. And, of course, we can’t wait to\nintroduce our inaugural group of Secure Usability Fellows!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThank you for your interest and support while we’ve been getting up and\nrunning. If you want to stay in touch as we start sharing out our work, please\nsign up for our newsletter, follow us on Twitter, or drop us an email – more\ninfo \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "A Fellowship of Usability",
            "date_published": "2014-12-01T20:22:00-05:00",
            "date_modified": "2014-12-01T20:22:00-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/fellowship/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/fellowship/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"announcing-a-new-program-for-usable-security-researchers\"\u003eAnnouncing a new program for usable-security researchers\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are pleased to announce one of our first initiatives – the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentechfund.org/fellowships/sufp\"\u003eSecure Usability Fellowship Program\u003c/a\u003e (SUFP) – in partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentechfund.org/\"\u003eOpen Technology Fund\u003c/a\u003e. This new program aims to cultivate applied research and creative collaboration at different levels and across institutions on the topic of usable security, especially the usability of open-source secure-communication tools to promote human rights and open societies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSUFP’s approach to this work is straightforward; the program supports qualified individuals to work within \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentechfund.org/fellowships/sufp/partners\"\u003eaccomplished host organizations\u003c/a\u003e on clearly-defined and high-impact usable-security projects. Simply Secure will offer mentorship and community to the fellows, act as a host organization for some of them, and help OTF guide and administer the program overall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo tiers of competitively-paid fellowships are available:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSenior Fellows\u003c/strong\u003e - Offered as a one year term and typically taken up by postdoctoral or doctoral students, and/or researchers/practitioners with demonstrated expertise and experience.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeasonal Fellows\u003c/strong\u003e - Offered as a three- or six-month term and typically taken up by students and/or less-experienced practitioners.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe encourage people from a varied and unlikely backgrounds – from students to established practitioners – to apply. We welcome applications from people in a diversity of disciplines; likely candidates have experience as usability researchers, interaction or visual designers, computer scientists, user-facing software developers, data visualization designers, or other types of social scientists.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo apply to be a fellow, please complete \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentechfund.org/fellowships/sufp\"\u003ethis online form\u003c/a\u003e. The deadline for applications to the inaugural group of fellows is \u003cstrong\u003eJanuary 2nd, 2015\u003c/strong\u003e. If you’re interested in hosting a fellow, please contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:sufp@opentechfund.org\"\u003esufp@opentechfund.org\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "We're hiring!",
            "date_published": "2014-10-08T17:35:00-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2014-10-08T17:35:00-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hiring/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/hiring/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"join-our-team-and-lets-make-this-happen\"\u003eJoin Our Team and Let\u0026rsquo;s Make This Happen\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have ambitious goals, and the first step to meeting them is growing our team. We’re officially hiring two new positions – an Operations Manager and a Research Director (or Associate Director).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re interested in helping us quickly make an impact on the usability of secure communication tools, please apply. If you know someone who fits this description, please spread the word. In any case, check out the \u003ca href=\"/community/opportunities/\"\u003ejob descriptions\u003c/a\u003e and let’s get to work!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Why Hello, World!",
            "date_published": "2014-09-18T14:56:18-04:00",
            "date_modified": "2014-09-18T14:56:18-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/why-hello-world/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/blog/why-hello-world/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"were-here-to-make-security-easy-and-fun\"\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re here to make security easy and fun.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInternet software links us to our friends, allows us to transact across oceans, and forms a digital space for culture and society. Because these technologies provide forums for sensitive discourse and expression, we are all concerned about their security and privacy – but don’t always know what to do about it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fact, when security-enhancing functionality exists, it often seems to add an extra layer of complexity. Under these circumstances, how can an average person tell how a given feature works – or validate that security claims are true at all?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/audience-funders@2_hu_cb750db0aefd18a5.png\" alt=\"Celebratory balloons\" width=\"740\" height=\"631\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat’s why we’ve created Simply Secure: to help develop security and privacy tools that make this choice clear, easy, and available to everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"our-founding-principles\"\u003eOur founding principles\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe future of a positive, accessible, and people-centered Internet requires trustworthy privacy and security.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf privacy and security aren’t easy and intuitive, they don’t work. Usability is key.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechnology should respect the user’s desire for privacy and security.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsers shouldn’t have to choose between services they like and services that are secure; they should be able to easily adopt privacy and security solutions for existing services.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are already many credible and exciting software-development efforts that aim to make privacy and security ubiquitous. Rather than create redundant initiatives, we will focus on supporting existing open source work by providing usability and development expertise, direct ties to user communities, connections to funding sources, and other resources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo build trust and ensure quality outcomes, one core component of our work will be public audits of interfaces and code. This will help validate the security and usability claims of the efforts we support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore generally, we aim to take a page from the open-source community and make as much of our work transparent and widely accessible as possible. This means that as we get into the nitty-gritty of learning how to build collaborations around usably secure software, we will share our developing methodologies and expertise publicly. Over time, this will build a body of community resources that will allow all projects in this space to become more usable and more secure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe hope that this effort will result in more pleasing and robust tools that meet users’ privacy and security needs where they are – from layering additional security on top of popular name-brand cloud platforms, to augmenting small, stand-alone mobile apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re excited to be launching, and hope you will \u003ca href=\"/contact\"\u003econtact us\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/simplysecureorg\"\u003efollow us on Twitter\u003c/a\u003e if you’re interested in learning more and getting involved.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2022-01-12T18:21:46+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/readme/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/readme/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"impact-to-date-section\"\u003eImpact to date section\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"eileen-additions-nov-23\"\u003eEileen additions Nov 23\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eC. Tails summit workshops + Radical Networks + open source design summit -\u0026gt; 50\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eD. 65 -\u0026gt; 67\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLocalisation Lab\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTails\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"ame-edits-on-12-octo\"\u003eAme edits on 12 Octo\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNumbers higher than 5,600:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA. Audience increases from 5,600 to 5,700\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRights Con 15\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFoss Backstage 40\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHERE 15\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInvoice to Go 15\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdobe Design Summit SF 250\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdobe MAX 625 est per RSVPs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBerlin Design Lab 30\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eB. Increase to 50+\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdobe SF, Adobe LA, Adobe LA, Foss, HERE, Invoice to Go, Design Lab Berlin Acual number is 52\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eC.Workshops increases from 31 to 47\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHERE\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- * Open Archive --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e// Eileen comment: aren\u0026rsquo;t we counting PF twice? I\u0026rsquo;d put them under projects/coachings, and have workshops be separate! We do enough workshops for those to be impressive!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund round 3 = 13\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBriar\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConflict Base:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDein eigenes Webarchiv:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDas lokal finanzierte Europa:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDEMOCRACY:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiversity Ticket:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnte Teilen:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGlobal Agriculture Information Platform:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMenstruation Cycle Tracker\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNordlicht/Timelens\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSolar Energy Mesh System\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVoice Gym\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHoax Files\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eD. Increase from 59 to 65 (number is 64 but some pro bono must have happened)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e13 prototype fund\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRightsCon KeePassXc and FOTP\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE. Partners goes up from 10 to 14\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdobe\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHERE\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInvoice2Go\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOmidyar\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eF. Countries up by 1 to 13\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne Prototype Fund project in Hungary\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"updates-on-17-may\"\u003eUpdates on 17 May\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA. Audience increases by 1,760 to 5,600\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMay 2018 UX London 600\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMay 2018 re-publica. 500\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMay 2018 Biz to Buttons 600\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMay 2018 Biz to Buttons workshop 10\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApril 2018 Underexposed Caroline, Adam, Maya 50\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarch 2018 IFF SapientRazorfish talk, 40\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eB. Add 5 presentations to 45+\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eListed above in A.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eC. Add 15 workshops to be 31\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBiz to Buttons\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund: Briar, Conflict Base, Eigenes Web Archiv, Democracy, Diversity Ticket, Ernte Teilen, Global Agriculture Information, Menstrual Cycle Tracker, Voice Gym, Nordlich, Hoax Files, GREMIEN\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIFF documentation workshop\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIFF privacy workshop with Least Authority\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eD. Teams goes up by Prototype Fund entries in C. above to 59\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE. Partners goes up by 1 to be 10\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrom Biz to Buttons paid for workshop\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eF. No change to countries\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"already-live-on-site-formerly-ame-is-editing-this-text-file-with-numbers\"\u003eALREADY LIVE ON SITE. FORMERLY AME IS EDITING THIS TEXT FILE WITH NUMBERS.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m using these numbers for the Adobe pitch deck. I\u0026rsquo;m showing my work, but do not plan to push them to the website. Somebody else can.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncreases to add to website:\nA. Audience numbers to increase by 500 to 3,800 (this is an estimate, 2 events haven\u0026rsquo;t happened)\nAdd in number of participants from the Prototype fund coachings, which we are calling workshops\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMar. 2018.    Introduction to UX, Prototype Fund, Berlin. (Guess 35 event this week)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeb. 2018.   Overview of UX Findings from Prototype Fund Round 2 (Guess 100)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeb. 2018.   Panelist, \u0026ldquo;Trust Labels for IoT,\u0026rdquo; Bosch Connected World, Berlin, Germany. 150\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeb. 2018.    Intro to User Experience Design, Demokratie.io Kickoff, Better Place Lab, Berlin, Germany. 15\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJan. 2018.    Exploring the \u0026lsquo;Design\u0026rsquo; in Privacy By Design, Computers, Privacy, and Data Protection, Brussels, Belgium. 75)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJan. 2018.    UX, Usability, and Privacy: Building Trustable Products, Privacy for Everyone, Berlin, Germany. 50\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDec. 2017.     IoT Security: User Experience and Privacy, ThingsCon Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 25\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eB. 9 presentations added since Droid Con. Do we make it 40+ assuming that the current 30+ is at least 32? I say yes. We didn\u0026rsquo;t track this carefully in the beginning, so I think rounding up by 1 right now is fine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eC.  Workshops increase to 16\nNote: we are calling 1:1 team coachings workshops. Is this weird? It sounds grander that it is. But some of them are realy hard.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrototype Fund Round 2 total is 15 since  10/30 and +1 pro Bono with Zifra. Zifra isn\u0026rsquo;t a new team, but it is a new workshop.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRound 2 New since 10/30: Pluragraph, Videoactive X2, Sea Watch X2, Stadtgestalten X2,tale:net, Meine Stadt Transparent, VISOR, Atomschatzkarte, Pretix, UwaziML, Datenland, Cobudget\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eD. Projects updated to 46\nNote, was 38 and need to add 8. Many projects already counted only 8 new projects. Rest are repeats.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE. Partner Organizations to 9 with Better Place/Demokratie as new. Question did we get any donations for Underexposed from somebody new? That could make that number go higher.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eF. Counties should be 12 because one of the Prototype Fund CoBudget is in New Zealand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1030-update-countries\"\u003e10/30 update countries:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdding: Lebanon, France, Cuba, Venezuela, increasing country total to 11.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal 7 countries: US, Canada, Germany, Sweden, UK, Syria, Italy\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1030-update-projects\"\u003e10/30 update* projects:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew coachings\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e(6) Prototype Fund Round 2:CoBudget, Uwazi, AtomMuell,Crabgrass, Pretix, Fix My Berlin\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e(5) OTF Summit 2016: Apretaste, OTI Measurement Lab, OONI, Venezuela Sin Filtro, Tails\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIncreases total to\u003c/em\u003e 37\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOld total was 25, but should have been 26. Note that Peerio participated in 3 events, but gets counted once.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(1) Usable: Least Authority and [Peerio]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(6) Prototype Fund 1: Speakerinnen, Frab, MietLimbo, Fireside, Syrian Archive, Schleuder\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(2) IFF 2016: Mailvelope, Zifra, [Peerio]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(5) IFF 2015 Whereat.io, Stingwatch, Mailvelope, Peerio, Amnesty\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(6) OTF DC Summit 2015: Signal, GlobaLeaks, Tor Project, smex.org, MLab Browser Extension, Qubes OS\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(6) Misc: Geti2p, Storymaker 2, Shamir Secret, Mynigma, F-Droid, Scout\u0026rsquo;s random open-source developer seeking help on needfinding circa early 2016, Ranking Digital Rights\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"925-update-next-conference-1k-participants\"\u003e9/25 update* NEXT Conference: +1k participants\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew participant total:\u003c/em\u003e 3,340\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePublished participant total:\u003c/em\u003e 3,300+\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"95-update\"\u003e9/5 update\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct manager meetup: +1 presentation, est. +35 attendees\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDroidCon: +1 presentation, +700 attendees\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdd other presentations by Scout (+1 presentation for each):\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDartmouth Talk (40 people)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRightsCon panel (30 people)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eO\u0026rsquo;Reilly Security (40 people)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eParticipant increase:\u003c/em\u003e +840 for a total of 2,340\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePresentation increase:\u003c/em\u003e  +5 presentations for a total of 32\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePublished participant total:\u003c/em\u003e 2,300+\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePublished presentation total:\u003c/em\u003e 30+\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 more projects supported under Prototype Fund (that concludes first round of PF folks)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eProject toal:\u003c/em\u003e 25\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePublished projects total:\u003c/em\u003e 25 projects\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"initial-deployment\"\u003eInitial deployment\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncluded Ame\u0026rsquo;s talks to date\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncluded Scout\u0026rsquo;s SchmooCon and and NetGain panel\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEstimated participants total:\u003c/em\u003e 1,500\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "2019 UX Residency in Berlin",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-08T14:54:11-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/residency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/residency/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\n    \u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/images/img/wocintech-lady-on-laptop_hu_2ff8bdaf11a517c2.jpg\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"bringing-ux-forward\"\u003eBringing UX Forward\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe depend on human-centered thinkers to challenge assumptions, draw lines in the sand, and chart new paths that protect and empower the people whose lives our software touches.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe need designers and UX researchers to have a seat at the table as we tackle emerging challenges in fields such as IoT, artificial intelligence, and secure communication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe must make space for cutting-edge dialogue that focuses not just on the technical, but the human and the ethical.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"2019-an-immersive-residency-experience\"\u003e2019: An Immersive Residency Experience\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin a small but global cohort of UX designers and researchers building a better future. In 2018 we will focus on how UX can make new technologies (including the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence) understandable and trustworthy from a privacy-preserving perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis week-long program will include workshops with guest lecturers, individual or small-group work sessions, critiques, and public cultural events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are opportunities for travel and lodging support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"learn-more\"\u003eLearn More\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be notified when more details become available, please contact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:residency@superbloom.design\"\u003eresidency@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the meantime, consider joining our Slack channels by asking for an invitation in the same email, or by sending us a note at \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHeader image CC-BY \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/wocintechchat/\"\u003e#WOCinTech\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "3 x 3",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-07-05T17:55:01+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/3x3/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/3x3/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Aaron Brunmeier",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-02T18:11:56Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/aaron/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/aaron/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Abhishek Sharma",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-05T17:05:40-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/abhishek/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/abhishek/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAbhishek is a multi-disciplinary product designer skilled in UI/UX, with experience in branding, product management and team building. He has designed for various softwares such as chatbots, process automation, data dashboards; in domains like education, healthcare; for non-profit and for-profit space in an agency model. Being a part of small teams and startup, he has built capability in performing various roles rolled into one while his time leading product at Glific and leading design at ColoredCow. He is adept at working with less resources and is driven towards getting things done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe works best in a close collaboration with users, developers and product people. He has a keen interest in informing his work with metrics and measurements that allow tracking and improvements over time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbhishek is largely self-taught as a practicing design thinking professional having graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a generalist and takes a keen interest in organisation development. He is driven to make a large-scale impact through design.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "accessibility",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/accessibility/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/accessibility/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "adoption",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/adoption/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/adoption/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Adriana Valdez Young",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-04-25T14:06:28+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/adriana-valdez-young/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/adriana-valdez-young/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAdriana is a design researcher and strategist focused on democratizing access to new technologies and creating more inclusive, accessible, and joyful experiences for all. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the past 15 years, she has led design research at littleBits, Openbox, Stae, and 3x3. Currently, she is Associate Chair of \u003ca href=\"https://interactiondesign.sva.edu/\"\u003eMFA Interaction Design at School of Visual Arts\u003c/a\u003e, and Senior Advisor at SOUR, an urban innovation and design studio co-located in Brooklyn and Istanbul. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer work has been presented in the Amsterdam Biennale, Archizines, Design Institute Australia, Eyebeam, Journal of Urban Technology, UX Magazine and the World Bank. Her work and life story are featured in Jesse Eisenberg’s new documentary, \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.indiewire.com/news/trailers/secret-mall-apartment-trailer-jesse-eisenberg-documentary-1235096495/\"\u003eSecret Mall Apartment.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe holds a BA in History from Brown University and an MSc in City Design from the London School of Economics.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Alexander Morley",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-08-09T16:24:30-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/alexander-morley/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/alexander-morley/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAlex is a med-student turned neuroscientist turning into a developer. He is currently a Mozilla fellow working on building tools and communities to facilitate the sharing of research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"project-name\"\u003eProject name:\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003efeed.me\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"project-description\"\u003eProject description:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncreasingly, the applications we use in our day-to-day lives are driven by algorithms that are hard to understand and are optimised for the end-goals of the developers (e.g. advertising money, time-on-site) and not for the users (e.g. keeping in touch with family, finding a new job). Feed.me is an experiment to see what happens when we give users more control over the algorithms that control their feeds. Can we allow a grandparent to look at photos of their kids without being shown political news, or allow a trauma victim to filter for things that are specifically triggering for them, or allow an electrician who was recently made redundant to use their feed to find leads on new jobs rather than waste more time that they could be using to continue pursuing their online degree? Technically all these things are well within reach, but they don’t line up well with the goals of the organisations that provide our social media services. Feed.me hopes to leverage the power of the browser to put the user in control with easy to understand “plug and play” algorithms that will work on all their social media. Guided by some user-research completed during the residency the first concrete goal is to implement a browser-extension that will allow the re-ordering of posts viewed through the browser without directly interacting with the APIs of the social media services.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003evideo: \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/325016831\"\u003ehttps://vimeo.com/325016831\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Alexandra Creighton",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-25T16:27:27-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/alex-creighton/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/alex-creighton/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAlex enjoys laying the tracks before the train, and is focused on crafting efficient, scalable systems and infrastructure, empowering Simply Secure to realize its strategic goals. Alex and her team manage all aspects of the day-to-day operations work that makes Simply Secure go. She is the founder of \u003ca href=\"http://sanssoucigroup.com/\"\u003eSans Souci\u003c/a\u003e, and has provided operational consulting and back-office support services to small businesses and freelance professionals for over ten years.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "algorithms",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/algorithms/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/algorithms/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Alicja Peszkowska",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-10-22T12:22:22+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/alicja-peszkowska/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/alicja-peszkowska/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAlicja Peszkowska (she/her) is a Copenhagen-based anthropologist, researcher, and participation strategist. She has collaborated with public institutions, such as the National Gallery of Denmark, and international players, including the European Commission, as well as grassroots nonprofit organizations across Western and Eastern Europe and beyond. Her experience spans community building \u0026amp; engagement, communication, narrative shaping, PR, and organizational strategy. She has designed for participation for clients such as LEGO, IKEA, Milestone Systems, Creative Commons, and the Wikimedia Foundation, and curated campaigns and events both online and offline \u0026ndash; most recently at the community-run Vi lever på polsk gallery in Copenhagen \u0026ndash; and her writing on digital culture and everyday democracy has appeared in The Fix, Last Week in Denmark, and elsewhere. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAs a coach, Alicja brings a human-centered approach to strategy and storytelling. She helps people clarify their mission, strengthen their communities, and design participation that feels both inspiring and realistic. Known for asking sharp questions and challenging assumptions, she focuses on solutions grounded in values, resources, and reality, so that ideas can grow into structures that last and work in practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Allen Gunn",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-11T10:56:28-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/allen-gunn/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/allen-gunn/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAllen Gunn, “Gunner”. is Executive Director of Aspiration (\u003ca href=\"https://www.aspirationtech.org\"\u003ewww.aspirationtech.org\u003c/a\u003e) in San Francisco, USA, and works to help NGOs, activists, foundations and technologists make more effective and sustainable digital strategies in support of social change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGunner has worked in numerous technology environments from NGO to Silicon Valley start-up to college faculty to large corporation, serving in senior management, engineering, teaching and volunteer roles. He is an experienced strategist, mentor and facilitator with a passion for designing collaborative open learning processes, and he believes in melding hard work with serious fun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his role at Aspiration, he connects nonprofit organizations, free and open source projects, philanthropic funders and activists with strategic frameworks, technology solutions, digital practices and data skills that help them more fully realize their missions.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Ame Elliott",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-22T12:53:31+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ame/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ame/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAme (sounds like \u0026ldquo;Amy\u0026rdquo;) Elliott is a designer, researcher, and strategist working at the intersection of people x data x environments. Prof. Dr. Elliott teaches interaction design and design ethics at Hochschule Macromedia in Berlin and has been a coach for the Prototype Fund since 2017. She enjoys helping teams prioritize and move items onto a “To Don’t” List and focus their limited resources in high-impact ways. After many years of working in Silicon Valley, she believes that some elements of Big Tech (e.g. UX patterns) can be directly applied to public-interest tech projects. Some aspects (e.g. surveillance capitalism) are so toxic they must be rejected. And there is a middle area of practices that need to be adapted and re-imagined to fit the needs of values-driven projects. Ame is interested in system change and capacity building for transformation. Her particular passions are fighting climate change, urban design/cities, and imagining the future of work. Ame’s research explores how to include stakeholders with different backgrounds in discussion of responsible AI and data governance and making technical concepts accessible to a broad audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "An Xiao Mina",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-04-25T14:04:15+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/an-xiao-mina/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/an-xiao-mina/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAn Xiao Mina is a futures thinker, creative consultant, and coach, with a decade in nonprofit executive and board experience. Her mission is building a more just, compassionate, and sustainable world through better futures in work, technology, and society, and she’s coached and trained hundreds of global media and nonprofit leaders in the fields of product, program, strategy and operations. Co-founder of Five and Nine Futures Lab and producer for their podcast on magic, work and economic justice, Mina has written for publications like Hyperallergic, Fast Company, The Atlantic, and Nieman Lab. Her creative practice has been exhibited in spaces like the Victoria \u0026amp; Albert Museum, the Museum of the Moving Image, and the Brooklyn Museum, and she is a Senior Civic Media Fellow at the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab and 2024 Fellow at the Sundance Trans Possibilities Intensive. She serves on the boards of the Processing Foundation and the News Product Alliance. Her newest book, the Hanmoji Handbook, is co-authored for MITeen Press about emoji and the Chinese language. She is a certified foresight strategist and trauma-informed yin yoga teacher.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Andrea Goulet",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-04-25T13:57:30+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/andrea-goulet/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/andrea-goulet/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAndrea Goulet is a globally recognized expert in empathy-driven communication and organizational change. As the founder of Lovelace Communications and the nonprofit Empathy in Tech, as well as the former CEO of Corgibytes, a software company specializing in modernizing mission-critical legacy systems, Andrea has spent her career helping teams align and collaborate more effectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe is the cohost of the Empathy in Tech podcast and a LinkedIn Learning instructor, where over 75,000 learners have taken her courses on effective communication. A sought-after keynote speaker, Andrea brings a unique blend of deep technical knowledge and human-centered leadership to the stage, helping organizations improve collaboration, reduce friction, and scale with clarity.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Angela Sasse",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-11T10:56:28-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/angela/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/angela/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Anh Le",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-07-22T16:28:02-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/anh/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/anh/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAnh Lê is designer and researcher whose work focuses on labor, migration, and digital justice. They recently completed their Masters in International Affairs at The New School, where they worked as a Research Assistant for the Mellon Initiative for Inclusive Faculty Excellence. Prior to graduate school, Anh worked on strategic communications and digital organizing campaigns with organizations including Community Tech NY, Mekong NYC, and the Southeast Asian Freedom Network. In a past life, they worked as a 3D designer and implementation specialist in the apparel industry.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Ann Marie Carrothers",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-22T14:35:02+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ann-marie/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ann-marie/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAnn Marie is a jill of all trades who has worked in fields ranging from television production and the performing arts to UX/web design and education. An opera singer turned computer programmer, she cares deeply about the integration of the arts and technology, speaking around the world to artists, activists, and educators on how to integrate digital education into the arts. She specializes in helping educators, non profits, and small businesses increase awareness and audience engagement through low cost technology and content strategy implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "announcements",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/announcements/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/announcements/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Apply for Superbloom Board of Directors",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-09T15:01:42+02:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/2024-directors-application/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/2024-directors-application/",
            "content_html": "\n\u003cdiv class=\"indicates-required\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e indicates required\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cform name=\"directors\" class=\"fullpage-form\" netlify\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"name\"\u003eName \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"text\" id=\"name\" name=\"name\" required /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"email\"\u003eEmail \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"email\" id=\"email\" name=\"email\" required /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"about\"\u003eWhere can we learn more about you on the internet (\n      e.g. LinkedIn, Website, Current Work Bio page, Social)? \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cp class=\"help-text\"\u003eIf we can’t learn about you on the internet, please share anything that can help us learn more\n      about you. \u003c/p\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"about\" name=\"about\" rows=\"5\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"reference\"\u003eWho is someone who can be a reference for your background in public\n      interest work or communities relevant to Superbloom’s mission? \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cp class=\"help-text\"\u003eIf you don’t have permission to share that person’s contact information now, we can follow up\n      for that later.\u003c/p\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"reference\" id=\"reference\" name=\"reference\" required /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"why-interested\"\u003eShare with us why you are interested in getting involved with Superbloom,\n      and why you would be a good fit for our Board of Directors. \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"why-interested\" name=\"why-interested\" rows=\"5\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"prior-experience\"\u003eDo you have any prior experience related\n      to non-profits (board, advisory groups, work experience, or other)? \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"prior-experience\" name=\"prior-experience\" rows=\"5\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003cfieldset class=\"checkbox-group\"\u003e\n      \u003clegend\u003eWhat would you be most interested in helping with? \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/legend\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option1\" name=\"Nonprofit Administration \u0026 Management\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option1\"\u003eNonprofit Administration \u0026 Management\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option2\" name=\"Finance\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option2\"\u003eFinance\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option3\" name=\"Fundraising\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option3\"\u003eFundraising\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option4\" name=\"Program Design \u0026 Strategy\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option4\"\u003eProgram Design \u0026 Strategy\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option5\" name=\"Legal Support\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option5\"\u003eLegal Support\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option6\" name=\"Compliance\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option6\"\u003eCompliance\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option7\" name=\"Programmatic Advising\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option7\"\u003eProgrammatic Advising\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option8\" name=\"Business Models \u0026 Sustainability\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option8\"\u003eBusiness Models \u0026 Sustainability\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option9\" name=\"Policy / Advocacy \u0026 Mobilization\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option9\"\u003ePolicy / Advocacy \u0026 Mobilization\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option10\" name=\"Communications \u0026 Storytelling\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option10\"\u003eCommunications \u0026 Storytelling\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option11\" name=\"Organizational Culture \u0026 Health\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option11\"\u003eOrganizational Culture \u0026 Health\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"checkbox\" id=\"option12\" name=\"Scaling Organizations \u0026 Systems\" /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option12\"\u003eScaling Organizations \u0026 Systems\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n    \u003c/fieldset\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"interest-more\"\u003ePlease share more of your thinking in relation to the boxes you have checked \u003cspan\n        class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"interest-more\" name=\"interest-more\" rows=\"5\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cinput type=\"submit\" value=\"Apply\" class=\"button\" /\u003e\n\u003c/form\u003e"
        },
        {
            "title": "Artificial Intelligence",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/artificial-intelligence/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/artificial-intelligence/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Asher Lipman",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T03:57:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/asher/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/asher/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAsher Lipman is a designer and developer whose work operates at the intersection of civic technology, privacy, and ludic design. Asher has full stack developer skills with experience in open source software management, design research, and iterative prototyping. Asher comes to Superbloom from Helpful Places, where he helped maintain and promote an open-source solution for digital transparency in smart cities. Prior to that, he served as a Research Assistant at Cornell University’s Interplay Research Lab, where his work focused on non-utilitarian design schemes for robots and AI agents. Asher holds a Bachelors in Information Science, though in his free time he likes to focus more on his minors in Game Design and Creative Writing. Outside of work you will probably find him reading, most likely something by Claire North or Nick Harkaway, or concocting increasingly elaborate sandwiches like that yellow alien from Lilo \u0026amp; Stitch.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Ben Laurie",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ben-laurie/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ben-laurie/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Ben Scott",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ben-scott/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ben-scott/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Bernard Tyers",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/bernard/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/bernard/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eBernard works on open source software and digital public services where privacy, security, identity, accessibility, inclusion are vital. He’s led international user research, and designed services for vulnerable user groups. He’s contributed to the Python package manager, Yunohost, SecureDrop and Briar. Bernard is a founder of Open Source Design collective, an organisation that advocates for UX design in open source software, and is member of the Open Technology Fund advisory council. He holds an MSc in Human Centred Design dissertation on user mental models of the Off-The-Record encryption protocol for instant messaging. Before he came to the “Light Side” of technology, he was an engineer and systems administrator for 15+ years.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "branding",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/branding/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/branding/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Brooke Hunter",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/brooke/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/brooke/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "browser extension",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/browser-extension/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/browser-extension/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Cade Diehm",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/cade/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/cade/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eWith a multi-disciplinary background in information security, interface politics and digital systems, Cade and his team at New Design Congress work tirelessly to tease out and weave threads that can be pulled together to build a truly hopeful future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2018, his influential essay On Weaponised Design, introduced the titular concept, a term that describes designed systems that harm users while behaving within normal parameters. His critiques on design ethics, decentralisation and open source bring nuance to the complexity of digital infrastructure. His work on the Para-Real, a term that describes the collision-point between digital platforms and the real world, is the focus of a research series about subcultures and solidarity networks building livelihoods in spite of platform exploitation, austerity and crisis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCade\u0026rsquo;s work is equally advisory, applied and research-based. He has collaborated with PEN America, the University College London, the London College of Communication, Signal, Google, \nMozilla, Bauhaus Earth, Webrecorder, Eyebeam, C/O Berlin, Open Archive, Superbloom, WYNG Foundation, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Furtherfield, Ink \u0026amp; Switch, the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights, the International Institute for the Environment and Development, the European Commission, Protocol Labs, the Deutschland Bundestag Prototype Fund, the Center for Digital Resilience, Consumer Reports, the Algorithmic Transparency Institute and many others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrior to founding the New Design Congress, Cade spent six years leading design-focused digital security projects in Australia, the United States, Korea, Germany, Singapore and the United Kingdom. He was an information security researcher and head of production at the Berlin-based non-profit Tactical Tech, providing security consultation and bringing the NGO’s activism to audiences worldwide. He contributed to early prototypes of the secure messaging app Signal and was Chief Design Officer at SpiderOak, then a Snowden approved no-knowledge cloud storage company.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 1999 to 2006, Cade represented Australia in international disability swimming, and holds Australian and world records.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCade resides in Berlin with his partner and two Shiba Inus, Ripley and Kodak.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Carissa Yao",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/carissa/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/carissa/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Caroline Sinders",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-22T14:44:15+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/caroline/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/caroline/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eCaroline Sinders is an award winning critical designer, researcher, and artist. They’re the founder of human rights and design lab, Convocation Research + Design. For the past few years, they have been examining the intersections of artificial intelligence, intersectional justice, systems design, harm, and politics in digital conversational spaces and technology platforms. They have worked with the United Nations, Amnesty International, IBM Watson, the Wikimedia Foundation, and others. Sinders has held fellowships with the Harvard Kennedy School, Google’s PAIR (People and Artificial Intelligence Research group), Ars Electronica’s AI Lab, the Weizenbaum Institute, the Mozilla Foundation, Pioneer Works, Eyebeam, Ars Electronica, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Sci Art Resonances program with the European Commission, and the International Center of Photography. Their work has been featured in the Tate Exchange in Tate Modern, the Contemporary Art Center of New Orleans, Telematic Media Arts, Victoria and Albert Museum, MoMA PS1, LABoral, Wired, Slate, Hyperallergic, Clot Magazine, Quartz, the Channels Festival, and others. Sinders holds a Masters from New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’ve been named by Forbes as an AI Designer to Watch in 2017, won the bronze award for Webby’s Anthem Award’s responsible technology category for a toolkit they created for technologists and community organizers for how to hold safe and caring events during COVID19, shortlisted for a Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award in the Social Good Category for a product they lead design on, and they have provided insights, critique and feedback to internationally regulatory bodies such as the ICO and FTC on technology, design, digital harm, and policy.  Their artwork on disinformation has been described “work [that] helps us better understand how easily visual culture contributes to their credibility” by Hyperallergic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaroline is currently based between London, UK and New Orleans, USA.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Carrie Winfrey",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-02T19:54:49+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/carrie-winfrey/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/carrie-winfrey/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "case studies",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/case-studies/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/case-studies/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "case study",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T10:25:57-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/case-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/case-study/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "censorship",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/censorship/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/censorship/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "censorship circumvention",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/censorship-circumvention/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/censorship-circumvention/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Chelsea McCullough",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T03:57:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/chelsea/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/chelsea/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDr. Chelsea McCullough brings decades of experience working at the intersection of government, technology, and community-led innovation. She focuses on translating between and across the public, private, social, and academic sectors to build shared language and common understanding so that diverse groups may address complex social and civic challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChelsea directs initiatives that prioritize the ethical design and application of emerging technologies (including AI) based on principles of collaboration, inclusion, equity, and transparency. She integrates this work across several domains. In her roles as the Founder of Digi.City and a Strategic Advisor to Smart Cities Connect, she convenes government and industry leaders to build cohesive ecosystems. As a researcher, she focuses on resident-centered community engagement with city government. She has also led initiatives to co-design AI-enabled smart hand tools with skilled trade workers with the City of Austin, the Texas AFL-CIO, and Good Systems, a UT Grand Challenge. Chelsea is also an Instructor at Texas State University in Department of Political Science.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChelsea completed her PhD in Information Science from the School of Information and MA and BS degrees in Communication from The University of Texas at Austin. She is an NSF NRT Fellow in Ethical AI, a ZEIT-Stiftung Research Fellow with the City Science Lab in Hamburg, GE, a Simon Industrial \u0026amp; Professional Fellow at the University of Manchester (UK), a Marshall Memorial Fellow, and an Eisenhower Fellow.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "code of conduct",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-03T00:30:26-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/coc/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/coc/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"we-are-committed-to-providing-a-harassment-free-event-experience-for-everyone\"\u003eWe are committed to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarassment includes, but is not limited, to offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, in consultation with the person reporting the harassing behavior. This may include warning the participant, asking them to leave the event or community space, or barring them from this and all future Superbloom events or community spaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please approach a member of the Superbloom \u003ca href=\"/about/people\"\u003eteam\u003c/a\u003e, or write to \u003ca href=\"mailto:coc@superbloom.design\"\u003ecoc@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. At an event, the Superbloom team members will introduce themselves at the start of the event, so that you are able to approach them directly in person. We will work with you to take appropriate action, up to and including contacting venue security or local law enforcement if necessary, though we will never escalate without your permission. We value your attendance and contributions, and we want you to be safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis code of conduct applies to interactions between attendees during the course of their attendance at events, whether or not they occur at the event itself. This code of conduct also applies to community spaces convened or managed by Superbloom, e.g. the Superbloom/Simply Secure community Slack. This includes meetups, gatherings, and other social activities officially or unofficially related to our events are also covered by this Code of Conduct.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe expect all participants to follow these rules at events, community gatherings, and associated online or offline spaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "coding",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/coding/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/coding/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "community",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/community/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/community/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Contact us",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-13T23:43:09-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/contact/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/contact/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eTo join the conversation about usable security, follow us on Twitter (\u003ca\nhref=\"https://twitter.com/sprblm_\"\u003e@sprblm_\u003c/a\u003e) or join us on\nSlack (email \u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\"\u003eslack@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\nfor an invitation).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo express interest in collaborating with Superbloom, email us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive occasional email updates from us, please enter your email address\nand subscribe to our newsletter:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\"\u003evar pleaseEnter = \"\"; \u003c/script\u003e \u003cscript\n\u003cp\u003etype=\u0026ldquo;text/javascript\u0026rdquo;\nsrc=\u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.5.2/jquery.min.js%22%3E\"\u003ehttps://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.5.2/jquery.min.js\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\"\nsrc=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/phplist/phplist-subscribe-0.2.min.js\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"phplistsubscriberesult\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cform\naction=\"https://simsec.hosted.phplist.com/lists/?p=subscribe\u0026id=1\"\nmethod=\"post\" id=\"phplistsubscribeform\"\u003e \u003cinput type=\"text\" name=\"email\"\nvalue=\"\" id=\"emailaddress\" /\u003e \u003cbutton type=\"submit\" class=\"button\"\nid=\"phplistsubscribe\"\u003eSubscribe\u003c/button\u003e \u003c/form\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "CoRD",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/cord/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/cord/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Cory Doctorow",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-01-12T08:53:37-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/cory/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/cory/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "COSCUP",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-12T16:59:39+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/coscup/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/coscup/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "CTFG",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ctfg/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ctfg/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "curated",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/curated/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/curated/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Dan Hon",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-11T10:56:28-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/dan-hon/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/dan-hon/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDan is an award-winning technologist who has worked in the field of online games, interactive advertising and public government digital services over the last 20 years. Over the past few years, his work has focussed on transforming digital services in government at the state and federal government in the United States. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDan was lead strategy consultant for \u003ca href=\"https://vision2023.cdt.ca.gov/\"\u003eVision 2023\u003c/a\u003e, California’s Statewide Strategic Technology Plan; co-designed and was an instructor for the \u003ca href=\"https://mccourt.georgetown.edu/digital-fundamentals-for-public-impact/\"\u003eDigital Fundamentals for Public Impact\u003c/a\u003e course at the McCourt School of Public Policy; led the creation of California’s first digital service, the Child Welfare Digital Service; co-chaired the Code for America Summit, and is a keynote speaker and published writer on technology, design, government and ethics in technology. Dan has led award-winning creative work as Creative Director at Wieden + Kennedy for Nike, Coca-Cola, Sony and other clients, and Six to Start, the games startup co-founded with his brother has won Best of Show, Best Experimental and Best Game at SXSW. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe has been writing online since the late 90s, and most recently has been writing the newsletter \u003ca href=\"https://newsletter.danhon.com/\"\u003eThings That Caught My Attention\u003c/a\u003e since 2014.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDan studied Law at the University of Cambridge, and software engineering at the University of Liverpool. More information about Dan and his previous work is available at \u003ca href=\"http://about.danhon.com/\"\u003eabout.danhon.com\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Daniela Hernandez",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/daniela-hernandez/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/daniela-hernandez/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDaniela has been working as a bookkeeper for the last 10 years. She is always eager to learn and grow in her role. In her personal life, she looks forward to time with family and friends and enjoys any opportunity to travel.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "data visualization",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/data-visualization/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/data-visualization/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "decentralization",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/decentralization/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/decentralization/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Decentralization",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/decentralization/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/decentralization/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "design",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/design/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Coaching",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-08T09:55:44-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/ux-guidance/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/ux-guidance/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"help-when-you-need-it\"\u003eHelp when you need it\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re here to help you get unstuck on your design challenge, over the barriers to adoption, support in centering the\nmost vulnerable users by helping you with human-centered design in your software development practice or organizational\nprocesses.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUX design isn\u0026rsquo;t just a \u0026ldquo;nice to have,\u0026rdquo; even in resource-strapped contexts like human rights advocacy and open-source\nsoftware. Making sure that people can actually use the tools you\u0026rsquo;re developing is a crucial part of making an impact. We\ncan help. Our team of seasoned designers has experience in nonprofit, corporate, and academic contexts, and we can help\nyou and your team work through the thorniest design issues. We specialize in tools around privacy, security,\ndecentralization, transparency, data visualization, and civic tech. We envision a world in which tools used by\nvulnerable communities have users centered in their design process. Secure tools can\u0026rsquo;t have an impact if no one is using\nthem, and security and privacy should not be a privilege.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are proud to serve as design coaches for \u003ca href=\"https://www.opentech.fund/\"\u003eOpen Tech Fund\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://prototypefund.de/\"\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/a\u003e grantees. We also work with other funders as well as independent teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA multi-lingual team of experts with over 50 years of experience in design, facilitation, and research. We’re here to\nhelp you get unstuck on your design challenge, over the barriers to adoption, support in centering the most vulnerable\nusers by helping you with human-centered design in your software development practice or organizational processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-you-get\"\u003eWhat you get\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperts in human-centered UX as you need them\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupport with solutions to problems without having to hire more staff\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn approach that centers the most vulnerable needs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn inclusive, international, and security and privacy focused perspective\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"building-your-knowledge-strengthening-your-team\"\u003eBuilding your knowledge, strengthening your team\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur goal isn\u0026rsquo;t just to solve your UX problems – we want to help you and your team gain the skills you need. To that end,\nwe build, curate, and recommend resources to delve deeper into issues themselves. We\u0026rsquo;ve written articles ourselves, such\nas \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/color-message\"\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t Let Color Drown Out Your Message\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/wireframing-intro\"\u003eIllustrated Quick-Start Guide to Wireframing\u003c/a\u003e from our \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eKnowledge Base\u003c/a\u003e. We\u0026rsquo;ve also put together a\n\u003ca href=\"\"\u003eStarter Pack\u003c/a\u003e of templates specifically geared towards open-source software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor teams that want to hire a professional designer, Simply Secure can help scope a creative brief and help structure\nprojects for success integrating design and research into technical teams. Learn more about \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/creative-briefs\"\u003econtracting creatives\u003c/a\u003e and how to organize your team for success.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also provide peer support and discussion through our \u003ca href=\"\"\u003ecommunity building\u003c/a\u003e\nactivities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\"\u003eBook a Coaching\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/assets/img/PeopleSketching.jpg\" alt=\"Developers sketching wireframes on paper.\" width=\"750\" height=\"563\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eDevelopers sketching wireframes of analogous websites during a hands-on user experience guidance session.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"more-information\"\u003eMore Information\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-can-we-help-with\"\u003eWhat can we help with\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProject scoping and planning\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInformation architecture, navigation, and overall organization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWireframes and screen flow\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOnboarding experience\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDealing with documentation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdentifying user needs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGetting usability feedback\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVisual design, identity, and branding\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreating a style guide\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIcons, colors, and visual language\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWriting for in-app copy, app store descriptions, and websites\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eService design, including multi-factor authentication\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn addition to general UX guidance, we also offer a specialized \u003ca href=\"/what-we-do/usable-security-audit\"\u003eUsable Security\nReview\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEven if you don\u0026rsquo;t quite know what you need, we can help you figure it out!\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-to-bring-to-your-coaching\"\u003eWhat to bring to your coaching\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA physical notebook and pen\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA computer\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs many team members as you wish\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAny demos, mock-ups, or sketches you may have\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA list of challenges or blocks\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA list of questions and goals\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"our-coaches\"\u003eOur Coaches\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/georgia/\"\u003eGeorgia Bullen\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/eileen/\"\u003eEileen Wagner\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/ame/\"\u003eAme Elliott\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/lisa/\"\u003eLisa Steingräber\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/rae/\"\u003eRae McKelvey\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/cade/\"\u003eCade Diehm\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/bernard/\"\u003eBernard Tyers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/nina/\"\u003eNina Alter\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/ngoc/\"\u003eNgọc Triệu\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/about/people/kelsey/\"\u003eKelsey Smith\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested in coaching with us? \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eReach out.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\"\u003eBook a Coaching\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "design insights",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/design-insights/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/design-insights/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "design insights",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/workshop/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/workshop/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Design Under Pressure",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/design-under-pressure/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/design-under-pressure/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "desktop app",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/desktop-app/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/desktop-app/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "diary study",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/diary-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/diary-study/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "digital rights",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/digital-rights/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/digital-rights/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Digital Rights",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/digital-rights/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/digital-rights/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "digital security",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/digital-security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/digital-security/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Dis/Misinformation",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/dis-misinformation/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/dis-misinformation/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Django Skorupa",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-11T10:26:14-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/django-skorupa/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/django-skorupa/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Dorothy Chou",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/dorothy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/dorothy/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Eileen Wagner",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-06T13:26:01+05:30",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/eileen/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/eileen/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eA logician by training, Eileen has a keen eye for structure and detail. Making sense of complex technologies is her bread and butter. As a designer, she focuses on information architecture, content strategy, and interaction design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe loves supporting teams and organizations in UX design, and aspires to make her solutions more available to the public. To that end, she founded the project \u003ca href=\"http://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eDecentralization Off The Shelf\u003c/a\u003e, a pattern library for decentralized technologies. She previously campaigned for public interest technology at the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany. There she helped establish the Prototype Fund, the first public funding program for open source projects in Germany.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen she’s not buried in sticky notes, Eileen enjoys singing and arranging barbershop music.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "equity",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/equity/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/equity/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Erika Owens",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-04-25T14:05:36+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/erika-owens/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/erika-owens/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eErika Owens is Co-Director at Open Parliament TV. Previously, Erika was Co-Director at OpenNews, where she supported a thriving network and created inclusive, caring spaces for the journalism-tech community. Erika also serves on the board of the Movement Alliance Project, has trained as a donor organizer with Bread and Roses Community Fund, and recently completed a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University. She is based in Sheffield, UK and loves nonprofit journalism, people watching, and laughing heartily.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Eriol Fox",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-08-05T09:59:08+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/eriol/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/eriol/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eEriol is a ‘generalist’ senior designer with 10+ years of experience in design, technology and human rights and has been leading projects and teams for the last 5. Their bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree was in Time-based media, where they explored the nature of communicating digitally, personal information exchange and vulnerability in the early 2000s. They then pivoted into a design career while doing volunteer community work in Cardiff UK across Environmental, Education, Asylum Seeker and Arts issues and gained their masters in Visual Communication at the University of South Wales. Eriol has worked in insurance, finance, legal, housing and family tech sectors before moving into the open-source and human rights as a designer. They are most happy when working as part of a team of designers, developers and product folks with a focus on collaboration and cross-function conversation and appreciation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are passionate about intersectional inclusion and actively works to make tech and design more inclusive through their talk ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1RZiIcnEWU\u0026amp;list=PLwz4EueITgvmJzrNWbGkAMeDVLlOWQuch\u0026amp;index=14\u0026amp;t=1s\"\u003eDiversity in Design\u003c/a\u003e’ and also ensuring design is \u0026rsquo;trauma informed\u0026rsquo; through their talk \u0026lsquo;\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx1K8VZ9yeg\u0026amp;list=PLwz4EueITgvmJzrNWbGkAMeDVLlOWQuch\u0026amp;index=5\"\u003eUX research and Ethnographic design for humanitarian technology\u003c/a\u003e\u0026rsquo;. Eriol is also part of a number of communities including \u003ca href=\"https://opensourcedesign.net/\"\u003eOpen Source Design\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://sustainoss.org/working-groups/design-and-ux/\"\u003eSustain OSS Design \u0026amp; UX Working group\u003c/a\u003e and their local \u003ca href=\"https://bristolpride.co.uk/\"\u003ePride festival committee\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEriol is currently studying part-time for a PhD in Computer Science at \u003ca href=\"https://openlab.ncl.ac.uk/people/eriol-fox/\"\u003eNewcastle University’s Open Lab\u003c/a\u003e the research is funded by \u003ca href=\"http://www.northernbridge.ac.uk/\"\u003eNorthern Bridge\u003c/a\u003e and is around \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/Erioldoesdesign/Design_HOSS_PhD\"\u003ehow designers get involved in humanitarian focused open source software projects\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "events",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/events/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/events/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "external",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/external/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/external/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "facilitation",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/facilitation/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/facilitation/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Feira @ The Global Gathering",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-12T17:22:06+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/feira-the-global-gathering/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/feira-the-global-gathering/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Fiscal Sponsorship Interest",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-08-31T07:59:41-10:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/fiscal-sponsorship-interest/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/fiscal-sponsorship-interest/",
            "content_html": "\u003cdiv class=\"indicates-required\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e indicates required\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cform name=\"fsp-interest\" class=\"fullpage-form\" netlify\u003e\n  \u003ch3\u003eAbout You\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"name\"\u003eName \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"text\" id=\"name\" name=\"name\" required /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"email\"\u003eEmail \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"email\" id=\"email\" name=\"email\" required /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003ch3\u003eAbout Your Work\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"project-name\"\u003eName of Project or Initiative\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"text\" id=\"project-name\" name=\"project-name\" required /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"website\"\u003eWebsite of Project or Initiative\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"text\" id=\"website\" name=\"website\" /\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"overview\"\u003ePlease give a general overview of the project/initiative, with a focus on the theory of\n      change. What change does your project seek to bring about in the world? How, and with whom? Please include detail\n      about the type of work/interventions, e.g. research, advocacy, policy.\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"overview\" name=\"overview\" rows=\"5\" maxlength=\"2000\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"mission-align\"\u003eSuperbloom’s mission is to change who technology serves. We believe technology design is\n      integral to the open source movement and should be leveraged to affect societal change. How does your project\n      align with this mission?\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"mission-align\" name=\"mission-align\" rows=\"5\" maxlength=\"2000\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"goals\"\u003eWhat are the 3-5 goals for your program? For example, grow team to #X of staff members to\n      facilitate ABC program initiative; build partnerships with XYZ organizations; fundraise $Y to support ABC program\n      initiative.\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"goals\" name=\"goals\" rows=\"5\" maxlength=\"2000\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3\u003eGovernance\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"governance\"\u003ePlease tell us about your current governance structure – do you have an advisory board? How\n      are decisions made? Please share any information you have, including names, responsibilities, and relationship\n      with the project.\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"governance\" name=\"governance\" rows=\"5\" maxlength=\"2000\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"team\"\u003ePlease tell us about your team – roles, responsibilities, names, and location. How many are\n      volunteers? How many are being paid?\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"team\" name=\"team\" rows=\"5\" maxlength=\"2000\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003cfieldset class=\"checkbox-group\"\u003e\n      \u003clegend\u003eDo you have a legal entity related to this project?\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/legend\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"radio\" id=\"option1\" name=\"legal-entity\" value=\"yes\" required /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option1\"\u003eYes\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"checkbox-group__item\"\u003e\n        \u003cinput type=\"radio\" id=\"option2\" name=\"legal-entity\" value=\"no\" required /\u003e\n        \u003clabel for=\"option2\"\u003eNo\u003c/label\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n    \u003c/fieldset\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3\u003eAbout Your Fiscal Sponsorship Search\u003c/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"deadline\"\u003eAre you working to a deadline to find a Fiscal Host? If so, what is your deadline? \u003cspan\n        class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"deadline\" name=\"deadline\" rows=\"5\" maxlength=\"2000\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"other_hosts\"\u003eAre you talking to other possible Fiscal Hosts?\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"other_hosts\" name=\"other_hosts\" rows=\"5\" maxlength=\"2000\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"funding\"\u003eDo you have existing funding? If yes, please supply details or a link to any\n      information as applicable.\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e(Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"funding\" name=\"funding\" maxlength=\"2000\" rows=\"5\" required\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"input-item\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"additional-info\"\u003eIs there anything else you'd like us to know about your work, your team, or your\n      immediate needs? (Max 2000 characters)\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003ctextarea id=\"additional-info\" name=\"additional-info\" maxlength=\"2000\" rows=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/textarea\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\n  \u003cinput type=\"submit\" value=\"Apply\" class=\"button\" /\u003e\n\u003c/form\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "FOSDEM",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-12T19:30:38+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/fossdem/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/fossdem/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "fsps",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/fsps/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/fsps/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "funding",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/funding/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/funding/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "gdpr",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/gdpr/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/gdpr/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Gemma Lane",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T03:57:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gemma-lane/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gemma-lane/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Geoffrey MacDougall",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/geoffrey-macdougall/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/geoffrey-macdougall/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eGeoffrey is an accomplished leader and strategist in innovation change management. With more than 25 years experience in fundraising and advocacy, he has raised more than $75M in public, private, and philanthropic funding for start-ups, nonprofits, and established companies, and engaged millions of people in advocacy campaigns.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "George Danezis",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/george-danezis/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/george-danezis/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "George Danezis",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-14T00:23:29-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/george/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/george/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Georgia Bullen",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-10-16T17:52:49-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/georgia/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/georgia/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eGeorgia joined Superbloom (previously Simply Secure) in 2018, returning to her first passions — usability and human centered design. She has been working to change who technology serves as an advocate in the internet health movement focusing on issues such as security, privacy, and equitable access to technology. Her work has focused on the intersection of human-centered design, communities, physical space, and technology – e.g. how technology intersects with human rights — access to information and the right to communicate. Georgia brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of usability and design, technology, data, policy, and nonprofit leadership.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to her work at Superbloom, Georgia is the chair of the Advisory Committee for Measurement Lab and serves as an advisor to TechCongress. Georgia came to Superbloom from New America’s Open Technology Institute, where she had most recently been a core member of the leadership team. Georgia studied Psychology and Human-Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon and Urban Planning at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Her previous work and projects are available at \u003ca href=\"https://georgiabullen.com\"\u003egeorgiabullen.com\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Gina Giampaolo",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-19T09:36:57Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gina-giampaolo/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gina-giampaolo/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "guide",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/guide/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/guide/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Gus Andrews",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gus-andrews/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gus-andrews/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Gus Hosein",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gus-hosein/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gus-hosein/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Gus Narea",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-11T17:15:33-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gus-narea/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/gus-narea/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "harassment",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/harassment/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/harassment/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "high-risk",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-02-21T21:53:50Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/high-risk/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/high-risk/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Human-Centered Design",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/human-centered-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/human-centered-design/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "identity",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T10:25:57-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/identity/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/identity/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "information architecture",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/information-architecture/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/information-architecture/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Internet of Things",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/internet-of-things/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/internet-of-things/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "internet of things (IoT)",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/iot/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/iot/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "internet shutdowns",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/internet-shutdowns/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/internet-shutdowns/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "interviews",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/interviews/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/interviews/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Iohanna Nicenboim",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/iohanna/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/iohanna/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eIohanna Nicenboim is a designer and researcher, focusing on artificial intelligence and IoT in everyday life. Through design fictions she highlights social and ethical issues we might encounter in the future. She recently worked for the Connected Everyday Lab in TU Delft and is a ThingsCon fellow.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Jackie Lu",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-14T00:23:29-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jackie-lu/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jackie-lu/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Jackie Lu",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-12T16:25:34-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jackie/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jackie/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "James Vasile",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-14T11:13:23-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/james-vasile/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/james-vasile/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://startpage.com/?query=james%20vasile\"\u003eJames Vasile\u003c/a\u003e has fifteen years’ experience as a user, developer, advocate and advisor in the free and open source software world. His expertise is in software licensing and community-building, as well as non-profit and small business startup. He focuses on free software and open source production, although his work and interests often take him far beyond the world of software. Much of what James does involves teaching people how to build successful businesses around free software and ensuring licensing alignment in multisource FOSS stacks. James\u0026rsquo;s technical experience also allows him to act as outsource CTO/Architect, due-diligence open source expert, new venture advisor, convening facilitator, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames currently serves on the governing or advisory boards of \u003ca href=\"https://horizonspbc.com/\"\u003eHorizons\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bravenewsoftware.org/\"\u003eBrave New Software\u003c/a\u003e, and the \u003ca href=\"https://opentechstrategies.com/\"\u003eElectronic Frontier Foundation\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to his work with OTS, James was the founding Director of the Open Internet Tools Project, which during his tenure originated a variety of excellent community-based projects. These include Techno-Activism Third Mondays (a meetup that gathers people in over 20 cities around the world every month), the Circumvention Tech Festival (which has become the Internet Freedom Festival), and a 1000+ volunteer translation project now know as Localization Lab. He was also a founding board member of Overview Services, which made open source software that powers Pulitzer-winning data journalism.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreviously, James was a Senior Fellow at the \u003ca href=\"http://softwarefreedom.org/\"\u003eSoftware Freedom Law Center\u003c/a\u003e, where he advised and supported a wide range of free software efforts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames was a Director of the \u003ca href=\"http://freedomboxfoundation.org/\"\u003eFreedomBox Foundation\u003c/a\u003e. He helped boot up and served on the board of Open Source Matters, the non-profit behind Joomla. He remains active in several technology development efforts. His FreedomBox work has been recognized by an Innovation Award at Contact Summit 2011 as well as an \u003ca href=\"https://www.freedomboxfoundation.org/news/AshokaChangemakers2/\"\u003eAshoka ChangeMaker\u0026rsquo;s award for Citizen\u0026rsquo;s Media\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames frequently speaks and writes about technology trends and free software. You can learn more about him from his \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/jvasile\"\u003eGitHub activity\u003c/a\u003e and his \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesvasile/\"\u003eLinkedIn profile\u003c/a\u003e, or by connecting with him on \u003ca href=\"https://fosstodon.org/@jamesvasile\"\u003eMastodon\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/jamesvasile\"\u003eX\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Jamie Tomasello",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-10-29T16:32:32Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jamie/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jamie/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJames Tomasello has built global multidisciplinary operations, security, compliance, customer success, and trust and safety teams at internet service providers, security companies, law firms, and nonprofits for over 25 years. She/he is currently a Principal Security Advisor and founding team member of Credible Security, a cybersecurity firm focused on delivering tailored and effective solutions for organizations of all shapes and sizes. She/he finds joy in empowering teams and contributing to a culture where psychological safety is prioritized. Additionally, James is the founder of Keel Prism Travel, a travel management company that provides tailored travel logistics and travel incident response services for nonprofits and early stage startups. James has been a certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer. She/he is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (both CIPP/US and CIPT) and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Psychology and double minors in Sociology and Trauma and Resistance from East Tennessee State University.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Jan Dittrich",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-03-20T17:43:02-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jan/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jan/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJan is a design researcher and anthropologist. After working for USEEDS° and Wikimedia Germany e.V. they now work on their PhD at the University of Siegen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI focus on researching user needs with qualitative methods. How I do this I have written down in a little online book: urbook.fordes.de/.  I also use statistical methods, surveys, usability testing and heuristic analysis.  I would like to expand my skills and knowledge of participatory design in open source projects. I have used PD in some projects at Wikimedia.  I have a solid understanding of UX design and its principles.  I have experience in working with design systems and created a small one myself for Wikimedia Germany’s donation page.  I do some programming myself (JavaScript, Python, some Clojure and R) and I worked with and in Open Source communities, so I have a good understanding of open source software creation.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Jasmine McNealy",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-03T07:57:56-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jasmine/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jasmine/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Jill Townley",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-22T13:10:24+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jill-townley/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jill-townley/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJill coordinates research projects and player communication for the Eterna game platform, creating the puzzles that collect RNA sequences designed by Eterna players to be experimentally tested by RNA researchers as part of their larger research goals.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Johanna Barnbeck",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-23T14:56:59+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/johanna-barnbeck/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/johanna-barnbeck/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJohanna is a creative consultant, science communicator and artistic researcher. As founder of \u003ca href=\"https://spreadthenerd.net/\"\u003eSpread the Nerd\u003c/a\u003e, a Berlin based agency for science communication and format development, she makes research come alive. She is enthusiastic about strategic communication, creative ways of engaging different audiences, visual communication and artistic approaches to scientific topics.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Join",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-09-17T14:11:36-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/join/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/join/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Join the conversation on Slack",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-06T15:25:48+05:30",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/slack/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/slack/",
            "content_html": "\n\n\u003ch2\u003eJoin the Simply Secure brain trust! \u003c/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eContribute your voice to our community of practitioners on group discussion tool \u003ca href=\"https://www.slack.com\"\u003eSlack,\u003c/a\u003e where we share tips, support one another’s work, and collectively make sense of the latest developments in security and UX.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003ca href=\"mailto:slack@superbloom.design\" class=\"button button--primary read-more\"\u003eEmail to join our public Slack.\u003c/a\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere's a summary of \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/conversations-from-slack\"\u003e some past discussion in the Simply Secure Slack.\n\n\n\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Jon Rogers",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-03T12:51:33-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jon-rogers/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jon-rogers/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJon Rogers is Professor of Design and Creative Technology at \u003ca href=\"https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.northumbria.ac.uk%2F\u0026amp;data=04%7C01%7Cjon.rogers%40northumbria.ac.uk%7C81987d82884d49f6598708d8b3f15dfb%7Ce757cfdd1f354457af8f7c9c6b1437e3%7C0%7C0%7C637457196536618944%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000\u0026amp;sdata=D2FdH4DVcr5QCUh%2Fa%2BqfTtR8huO4xQQCbQRRa6pVmp4%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\"\u003eNorthumbria University\u003c/a\u003e  with twenty five years\u0026rsquo; experience working at the interface between design and emerging technologies. Following a recent three year  fellowship at Mozilla Berlin, he is now based in Northumbria working on a range of projects exploring how we can start to build trust in the creation and development of the Internet of Things.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Jonathan Romano",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-22T14:41:34+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jonathan-romano/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jonathan-romano/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJonathan is a software engineer and creative. Following several years as lead developer for the Eterna scientific discovery game, he co-founded and is executive director of Frameshifter, a new nonprofit organization fiscally sponsored by Superbloom Design, engaging the public in scientific research through gamification, collective and hybrid intelligence, and human-centered design. Jonathan operates at the nexus of science, technology, creativity, communities, and public benefit and with interests spanning R\u0026amp;D, software architecture and developer experience, arts and digital media, human computer interaction, information management, collaboration, and education\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- notionvc: e6a37647-e2a5-470a-ad64-d8324cec5599 --\u003e"
        },
        {
            "title": "Jose René Gutiérrez",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-14T16:23:18-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jose-rene-gutierrez/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/jose-rene-gutierrez/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Júlia Racskó",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-05-29T23:50:23+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/julia-racsko/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/julia-racsko/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJulia Racsko is a senior product designer who combines analytical and creative thinking to get to the core of how our digital media environment became so exhausting, and how to design a nourishing one that is based on a holistic understanding of attention as a connection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe has lived, studied, and worked in Budapest and Milano as an illustrator before turning towards product design. She then moved to Geneva, where she completed her master’s degree at HEAD exploring the effects of the attention economy and the possible remedies. The results of this research and the exploration of the concept ‘attention as a connection’ are shared in her talk ‘Attentive Design’ (\u003ca href=\"https://interaction20.ixda.org/program/attentive-design-a-quest-for-a-sustainable-model-of-attention\"\u003eInteraction20\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://beyondtellerrand.com/events/dusseldorf-2021/speakers/julia-racsko\"\u003eBeyond Tellerrand\u003c/a\u003e). She also led the design function in an IoT project in collaboration with EPFL and prototyped the device in Shenzhen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe is currently an in-house product designer at Steady Media in Berlin helping content creators find independence by owning their audience, so they can create a healthier media environment for all of us. She is also nourishing her illustration practice back to life after the shock of the pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Justina Leston",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-11T10:56:28-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/justina-leston/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/justina-leston/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eJustina is an Argentine photographer and graphic designer based in Berlin. She has more than ten years’ experience working in different fields of graphic design including branding, editorial, web design and animation. As a freelancer she loves having the freedom to choose the projects she wants to work on and she is very happy to have had the opportunity to work for different prestigious non-governmental organizations including: International Civil Society Center, tbd*, Urgent Action Funds, Digital Freedom Fund, Water Integrity Network, Climate of Change, WWF International.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "K J Hepworth",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-05-15T16:35:16+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kj-hepworth/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kj-hepworth/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDr KJ Hepworth is a design researcher with expertise in visualization and information design, and a passion for justice-oriented projects. They are disabled, neurodivergent, and queer, and these identities enrich their mentoring and professional practise.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Kami Joseph",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-05T17:05:40-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kami/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kami/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eKami comes with a background in finance and business operations. After spending some years after college in corporate offices, she was sure that she wanted her work to matter beyond the numbers. In 2016, after navigating an investment banking path, and after a short stretch in the corporate retail space, she entered the nonprofit world and has worked for several organizations with various admirable missions in the Pittsburgh (PA) region. Her compassion for people and ambition to make a difference in the world are her key drivers. Kami holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Business Administration. She currently lives in Atlanta with her husband, Ryan. When she’s not at work, Kami enjoys finding new restaurants, laughing with her loved ones and doesn’t mind finding her way to the gym for a good workout.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Katie Werremeyer",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T03:57:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/katie-werremeyer/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/katie-werremeyer/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eKatie Werremeyer is a transformational leader with two decades of software company leadership dedicated to fundamentally shifting how technology is built. Her pioneering work establishes empathy and ethics as core drivers of decisions rather than afterthoughts, ensuring technology is both innovative and beneficial to society. \u003cbr\u003e\nAs Co-founder of Empathy in Tech, she\u0026rsquo;s created a global movement through podcasts, workshops, and training tools that make empathy actionable. Previously as COO at Camera Bits and through her consultancy, Katie has demonstrated how human-centered leadership drives sustainable growth even when competing against tech giants. Drawing from her diverse professional experiences across technical and creative fields, she champions inclusive practices that bridge operational excellence with authentic human connection, advocating for responsible innovation that strengthens communities and respects human dignity.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Katie Wilson",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-16T18:09:36Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/katie/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/katie/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eKatie is a researcher and writer who likes to zoom in and out from the human scale to the systems-view. She is a practitioner of human-centered design research, incorporating mixed methods from social science, UX design, and participatory action research. Before working in public interest tech, she wrote about and researched housing justice and gentrification policy in the Bay Area. She likes to work on problems concerning the equity and justice of the structures that shape our lives. Katie holds a bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree in Comparative American Studies from Oberlin College. Outside of work, she volunteers for the Parole Preparation Project and loves to tackle any kind of elaborate cooking or crafting project.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Kelsey Smith",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-11T15:50:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kelsey/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kelsey/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eKelsey’s design practice is informed by a background in art, business, and teaching, as well as her time living in Kenya, Korea, Spain, and now Germany. Since starting at Simply Secure in 2020, Kelsey has drawn on these experiences to inform her work \u003ca href=\"/learning/resources/popping-the-filter-bubble-design-practices-for-data-donation\"\u003eexploring institutional trust with data collection\u003c/a\u003e, simplifying digital security practices, and serving diverse communities through participatory user research. Kelsey\u0026rsquo;s toolkit as a UX designer encompasses information architecture, wireframing, workshop facilitation, need-finding research, usability testing, interactive prototyping, and user interface design. Her work has ranged from \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/strength-in-numbers\"\u003ebrowser extensions protecting against phishing\u003c/a\u003e to tools that help human rights defenders safeguard their security. In her time with Simply Secure, she has worked with organizations such as Amnesty International and Mozilla. A native of Michigan, she has called Berlin home since 2018.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Kris Wade",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-06T13:26:01+05:30",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kris/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/kris/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eKris has been supporting Simply Secure’s daily operations for over three years, assisting in project management, policy development, event planning, fundraising support and more. Her background in project management began at Charles Schwab and was fine-tuned at various  startups. Kris’s passion is creating something from the ground up, starting with the initial research, sizing and planning, then completion. When Kris isn’t project managing, she can be found at the movies, a yoga class or at home painting.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Laura Gaetano",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/laura-gaetano/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/laura-gaetano/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLaura is a multidisciplinary designer with a background in performance art, ceramics and music journalism. After a career in the music industry where she did everything from artist management to event planning and PR to art direction, she landed in tech almost by accident and became a Ruby developer, then ran the successful open source program “Rails Girls Summer of Code” before moving onto a career in UI/UX and marketing design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe’s most passionate to work with mission-oriented folks on things that matter, and has a thing for accessibility, design systems, DEI, open source software and documentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePhoto credit: Zoe Noble\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Legal",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-03-20T10:38:02-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/legal/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/legal/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in the United States of America. Our Employee Identification Number (EIN) is available upon request to \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. Our official address is:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMailing: 276 Fifth Ave, Suite 704-33\nNew York, NY 10001\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmail: \u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWebsite: \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design\"\u003ehttps://superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhone: +1 (914) 752-2330\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom adheres to the highest ethical standards in all of our operations and is dedicated to protecting the privacy of everyone who interacts with us. We don’t sell, barter, give away, rent, or permit anyone outside of Superbloom, our Board of Directors, and project-scoped contractors to use or access information about our partners, collaborators, research participants, or website visitors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use third party services to publish work, keep in touch with people, and understand how we can do both of these things better. Here you can find out what these services are and how we handle all sorts of data, from user research to job applications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf there is additional information you would like to see in this document about our practices, or if you have other comments or questions, please reach out to \u003ca href=\"mailto:data@superbloom.design\"\u003edata@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cspan\u003eThis document was last updated on March 20, 2026.\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"our-site--services\"\u003eOur site \u0026amp; services\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use the following services to run our websites and understand how people are using them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"website-analytics\"\u003eWebsite Analytics\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur website uses \u003ca href=\"https://plausible.io/\"\u003ePlausible\u003c/a\u003e for simple and privacy-friendly web analytics. We collects information about how people are using our sites to allow us to improve their experience. Our traffic data is not used for any other purposes. Plausible does not use cookies and is fully compliant with GDPR, CCPA, PECR and other privacy regulations out of the box.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"newsletter\"\u003eNewsletter\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we send out newsletters, we use \u003ca href=\"https://www.phplist.com/\"\u003ephpList\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://tinyletter.com/\"\u003eTinyLetter/Mailchimp\u003c/a\u003e, which stores subscribers email addresses. We do not use the platform features for tracking links or opens. We only send our newsletter to people who expressly sign up for it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"github\"\u003eGitHub\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use \u003ca href=\"https://pages.github.com/\"\u003eGitHub Pages\u003c/a\u003e to host our website. Find out more about how Github uses data in their\u003ca href=\"https://help.github.com/articles/github-privacy-statement/\"\u003e privacy statement\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"vimeo\"\u003eVimeo\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe host videos using\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com\"\u003e Vimeo\u003c/a\u003e for its robust and scalable infrastructure. Find out more about how they use data in their\u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/privacy\"\u003e privacy statement\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"google-drive--email\"\u003eGoogle Drive \u0026amp; Email\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe currently use G Suite for Nonprofits for our email, calendaring, and document storage. Individual members of the team use PGP and are happy to correspond via encrypted email, or honor requests to have files shared with us be not stored in Google Drive. We respect diverse threat models and work to accommodate our partners’ needs and concerns.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"slack\"\u003eSlack\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe host a \u003ca href=\"https://slack.com/\"\u003eSlack\u003c/a\u003e organization for internal communication and community organizing. Slack stores your account information and usage data, and our administrators have access to all public channels. Please refer to Slack’s\u003ca href=\"https://slack.com/privacy-policy\"\u003e privacy policy\u003c/a\u003e before you sign on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"underexposed-events\"\u003eUnderexposed events\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use \u003ca href=\"https://pretix.eu/about/en/\"\u003ePretix\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.meetup.com/\"\u003eMeetup\u003c/a\u003e to handle signups and ticketing for our \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/\"\u003eUnderexposed\u003c/a\u003e events. They allow us to promote each event to other people interested in similar gatherings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen someone signs up to an event through Pretix, we’ll only use that information to get in touch about that specific event. After the event, we delete any information about attendees from Pretix.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo exercise your data rights on Pretix, go to their\u003ca href=\"https://pretix.eu/about/en/privacy\"\u003e privacy policy\u003c/a\u003e for more information; also see Meetup’s \u003ca href=\"https://help.meetup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044422391\"\u003eprivacy policy\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"submissions\"\u003eSubmissions\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur submission platform is run on \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com\"\u003eAirTable\u003c/a\u003e. When you submit a session to Underexposed, or apply to the Underexposed Design Residency program, your data will be stored on AirTable. AirTable does not collect or process the information you submit. More in their \u003ca href=\"https://airtable.com/privacy\"\u003eprivacy policy\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"at-the-event\"\u003eAt the event\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe ask attendees for consent to being filmed or photographed by members of the Superbloom team on Pretix. If you want to change your decision or you’ve been filmed or photographed against your consent at a Superbloom event, please email \u003ca href=\"mailto:data@superbloom.design\"\u003edata@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf a speaker consents, we film their talk so we can publish it after the event. We transcribe films to ensure that what the speaker says is accessible to everyone. This transcript will be published verbatim, unless a speaker wants to review and edit it. We won’t publish footage of Q\u0026amp;As if we haven’t received consent from all participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"our-social-media-accounts\"\u003eOur social media accounts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use social media accounts to share our work. We occasionally use the analytics tools provided by these platforms to understand how we can use these services better. Our social media accounts are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/@sprblm_\"\u003eSuperbloom on Twitter\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/en/privacy#update\"\u003ePrivacy policy\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/superbloomdesign/\"\u003eSuperbloom on LinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy\"\u003ePrivacy policy\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’d like content about you removed from any of our social media profiles, please contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:data@superbloom.design\"\u003edata@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"research-participants\"\u003eResearch participants\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResearch is an important part of our work: it helps us understand people’s needs and build better products and services.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"asking-for-consent\"\u003eAsking for consent\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll research participants are given a consent form that outlines what the research involves, what information will be recorded and how it will be used. If the participant is happy to proceed we ask them to sign the form to confirm this. We scan signed consent forms and shred paper copies, then store consent forms on Google Drive and keep these for 3 years.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the moment, we do not conduct any research with people under the age of 18.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can view an example of\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research_tools/participant_bill_of_rights.pdf\"\u003e our participant Bill of Rights on GitHub\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"using-information-from-research\"\u003eUsing information from research\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResearch material is separated from any identifiable information, such as consent forms, while we are working with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny notes we gather during research sessions are stored securely. Any digital files (like audio, photos and videos) are stored on Google Drive and are only accessed by Superbloom team members involved in the research. At the end of the project, all notes and digital files are destroyed or deleted.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes we may publish quotes from research sessions. We only do this if we have specific consent from the participant and any personally identifiable information has been removed. We will only publish audio, photos and video from a research session if a participant has given consent and has signed a model release form.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"survey\"\u003eSurvey\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe use LimeSurvey for gathering and processing information from survey participants. See their \u003ca href=\"https://www.limesurvey.org/privacy-policy\"\u003eprivacy policy\u003c/a\u003e for more information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"withdrawing-your-consent\"\u003eWithdrawing your consent\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants are able to withdraw their information from a project at any time. To do this, contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:data@superbloom.design\"\u003edata@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"working-at-superbloom\"\u003eWorking at Superbloom\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly team members involved in the recruitment process have access to applications, CVs and emails we receive. We don’t collect any \u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/lawful-basis-for-processing/special-category-data/\"\u003especial category data\u003c/a\u003e or ask for any background checks as part of the application process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen people join Superbloom, we request information about them needed for tax purposes. We hold information about their role and their professional development at Superbloom. Access to this information is controlled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"things-we-dont-do\"\u003eThings we don\u0026rsquo;t do\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuperbloom doesn\u0026rsquo;t participate in the following data processing activities:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuying or selling marketing lists\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEntering into data sharing agreements with other organisations\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTelephone marketing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePostal marketing\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCCTV surveillance\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe don\u0026rsquo;t use \u0026ldquo;soft opt-in\u0026rdquo;, meaning you won\u0026rsquo;t receive any marketing communication from us unless you\u0026rsquo;ve specifically agreed to it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"keeping-data-secure\"\u003eKeeping data secure\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe carefully choose our services and tools at Superbloom. It’s important that they follow good security practices, like HTTPS, two-factor authentication and the ability to set a strong password. We\u0026rsquo;ve reviewed the privacy policies and security practices of everything we use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen a new team member joins Superbloom, we explain best practices for keeping their devices secure, maintaining the security of their online accounts, and working outside our offices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"data-breaches\"\u003eData breaches\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the event of a data breach, we are required to notify the Information Commissioner’s Office. We will do so following\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/personal-data-breaches/\"\u003e their guidance\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"data-transfer-outside-the-eea\"\u003eData transfer outside the EEA\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have reviewed the privacy policies of third party services we use. They provide adequate protections when information is shared outside of the European Economic Area.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"exemptions\"\u003eExemptions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are exemptions to data protection regulations that may require us to share data about you, including requests by law enforcement. This includes requirements and orders in the United States, where we are based. A full list of EU exemptions are listed\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/exemptions/\"\u003e on the ICO website\u003c/a\u003e. This also applies to data held about you by third party services we use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"reviewing-how-we-use-data\"\u003eReviewing how we use data\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery quarter, we review our documentation of the data we handle and third party services we use. This helps us continuously improve our processes and hold ourselves to account. We will update this document as necessary.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"your-rights-and-getting-in-touch\"\u003eYour rights and getting in touch\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe General Data Protection Regulation gives EU citizens the following rights:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-be-informed/\"\u003eRight to be informed\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-of-access/\"\u003eRight of access\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-rectification/\"\u003eRight to rectification\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-erasure/\"\u003eRight to erasure\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-restrict-processing/\"\u003eRight to restrict processing\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-data-portability/\"\u003eRight to data portability\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-object/\"\u003eRight to object\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/rights-related-to-automated-decision-making-including-profiling/\"\u003eRights related to automated decision-making, including profiling\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo exercise any of these rights, please contact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:data@superbloom.design\"\u003edata@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e. You can find information specific to the services we use or our activities in the relevant sections of this document. If you are located in the EU and aren\u0026rsquo;t satisfied by our response, you can contact the EU \u003ca href=\"https://ico.org.uk/concerns/\"\u003eInformation Commissioner\u0026rsquo;s Office\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"acknowledgements\"\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn drafting this policy we used a number of different resources and inspirations. We want to offer particular thanks to Projects By If for their \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/projectsbyif/how-if-uses-data\"\u003eclear example\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "libraries",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/libraries/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/libraries/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Links",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-06T18:09:04-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/links/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/links/",
            "content_html": "\u003cdiv class=\"flower--list\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design\"\u003esuperbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.redbubble.com/people/Superbloom-Dsgn/shop\"\u003eSuperbloom Shop\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/sprblm\"\u003eGithub\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://mastodon.design/@sprblm\"\u003eMastodon\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/superbloomdesign/\"\u003eLinkedIn\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/sprblm_\"\u003eTwitter\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Lisa Baird",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/lisa-baird/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/lisa-baird/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLisa Baird is an independent business and organizational designer, user experience designer, and writer with 15 years of education-to-employment expertise forged in financial administration at The University of Texas System; strategy at the University of California Office of the President; grantmaking at the Bill \u0026amp; Melinda Gates Foundation; human-centered design at IDEO; and direct client work for Arizona State University, Better Future Forward, Calbright College, Edmit, Entangled Solutions, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Guild Education, IDEO, the U.S. Department of Education, and others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLisa earned her Master of Design from California College of the Arts, her Master of Business Administration from UC Berkeley, and her two bachelors degrees in finance and journalism from The University of Texas at Austin.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Lisa Steingräber",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/lisa/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/lisa/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eLisa creates digital and analogue products and services with the greatest passion in the field of the future of life-long learning. After working at a start-up, she moved to a consultancy where she worked on a variety of digitisation projects in the interface between tech, design and education. The user is always at the heart of what she designs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLisa also works as an innovation consultant and advises organisations on how to improve their products and services as well as train agile methodologies. Using her expertise, she guides teams through various phases of a project: developing new ideas, testing them on the market and drawing up implementation strategies. She is most interested in supporting teams to reflect on group dynamics and creating feedback culture.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Lorraine Chuen",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-23T22:52:30Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/lorraine/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/lorraine/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Loyalty Study",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-08T10:08:53-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/loyalty-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/loyalty-study/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"surveillance-risks-and-personal-benefits-by-shopping-apps\"\u003eSurveillance Risks and Personal Benefits by Shopping Apps\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn March 2017, we went to San Francisco to speak with people who used store branded loyalty apps or coupon apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur hypothesis was that people would not understand what data apps gather about them, and once they did might feel that\nthey were not getting a good deal by exchanging their data for coupons.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe were wrong.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstead of outrage about the data gathered, our participants had positive feelings about how these apps were beneficial\nnot only to themselves but to their communities. None of the participants were surprised by their settings and the kinds\nof data they were sharing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEveryone was familiar with their phones\u0026rsquo; privacy settings, and most people had one specific thing they opted out of,\nwhile sharing contacts and location with many apps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"outcomes\"\u003eOutcomes\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/loyalty\"\u003eblog post\u003c/a\u003e about the loyalty app study.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Maina Korir",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/maina/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/maina/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Matt Stempeck",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-06-13T13:20:16+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/matt/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/matt/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMatt Stempeck (he/him) is a writer, researcher, technologist, and activist. He\u0026rsquo;s been researching and building civic technology since 2005, and looks for creative ways to make the world better through electoral and social campaigns, government, research, and journalism.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMatt curates the \u003ca href=\"https://civictech.guide/\"\u003eCivic Tech Field Guide\u003c/a\u003e, the most comprehensive collection of democracy tech projects in the world. And he\u0026rsquo;s Technologist in Residence at Cornell Tech, where he organizes the \u003ca href=\"https://www.pi.tech.cornell.edu/\"\u003eSiegel PiTech Impact Fellowship\u003c/a\u003e, embedding highly technical PhD students with public interest organizations across sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2016, Matt led the Digital Mobilization team at Hillary for America, which included the campaign’s voter registration, peer organizing, and SMS technologies and programs. Matt also served as Director of Civic Technology at Microsoft in New York City. He\u0026rsquo;s now based in Lisbon, where he work on engagement projects with a creative collective appropriately known as the \u003ca href=\"https://biffud.com/\"\u003eBad Idea Factory\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMatt became/earned a Master of Science at the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Civic Media. While at the Media Lab, he quantified global media attention to stories like Trayvon Martin’s, designed a peer-to-peer humanitarian aid marketplace, and built an award-winning email product to fight misinformation online. Matt also holds a Bachelor of Arts with high honors from the University of Maryland College Park, where he wrote his undergraduate thesis on the disruption participatory media brought to political journalism.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Meag Doherty",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/meag-doherty/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/meag-doherty/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMeag Doherty is an American design leader and public interest technologist with expertise in science and technology policy, program strategy, and public health. Since 2019, she has worked on user experience strategy at WONDROS for the All of Us Research Program at the National Institutes of Health and, most recently, as the All of Us Deputy Chief User Experience Officer. Meag is also a Fellow at the Software Sustainability Institute and has spent time mentoring open-source community leaders on how to work more openly. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreviously, Meag was a user experience lead at Agency CHIEF, helping clients like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, National Park Foundation, and Rock The Vote to conduct user research and develop user experience strategies. During that time, Meag also frequently wrote and spoke about global open government and data initiatives and their impact on U.S. policies. Before that, Meag led policy, strategy, and research for governments and nonprofits like the Chicago City Council, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the OpenGov Foundation. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeag started her career as a research assistant at the Center for Connected Health at MassGeneral Brigham, studying the impact of SMS-based interventions on exercise among patients with Type 2 Diabetes. There, she met technical and clinical mentors who would shape her trajectory toward the intersection of technology, policy, and health.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Melina Garcia",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/melina-garcia/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/melina-garcia/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Melissa Huerta",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T03:57:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/melissa/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/melissa/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMelissa works to advance the promise of the internet through strategic philanthropy. Bringing real-world solutions, Melissa weaves operational efficiency and program execution to drive the organization’s mission. Her collaborative, equity-centered approach centers community needs and partnership. With over 17 years of experience in nonprofit technology advocacy, she understands how the evolving social, political, and technological landscape requires organizations to build resilient processes that lead to desired impact.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMelissa has designed global grantmaking programs and funded over $25 million in initiatives that helped organizations drive impact and build effective strategies. She has a wealth of global experience, having worked across the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, and is fluent in Japanese and Spanish. Melissa has her Master\u0026rsquo;s in International Education Policy from Harvard University.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Memo Esparza",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-05-29T10:19:19+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/memo-esparza/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/memo-esparza/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMemo is a senior product designer and creative director specializing in UX/UI, branding, and strategic design leadership. He combines deep product expertise with comprehensive brand experience, focusing on design strategy and collaborative processes to drive impactful creative projects forward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter co-founding a digital agency where he led brand and visual identity projects across fintech, healthtech, and tech sectors, Memo joined Open Collective as a senior designer and advanced to Head of Design. In this role, he led all design initiatives to scale a financial transparency platform serving 150,000+ users managing over $35M annually.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe is now serving clients as an independent, spanning complex enterprise interfaces for Google, partnering with SF-based agencies, branding, and cross-functional product leadership in fast-paced startup environments. Memo specializes in translating strategic concepts into intuitive user experiences while maintaining design consistency at scale.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Meredith Whittaker",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-11T10:56:28-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/meredith/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/meredith/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "method",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/method/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/method/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Michael Anton Dila",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-03-20T17:45:23-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/michael-dila/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/michael-dila/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMichael has spent his career working at the crux of change: building and equipping teams to do their most ambitious work; working to democratize the knowledge and practice of design; leading innovation work in companies, organizations and institutions; nurturing community and instigating challenging conversations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe is currently leading a project called Oslo for AI, which is an effort of technology diplomacy with the intention of creating new possibilities for participation in our most important conversations about AI.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMichael has a passion for starting things. Whether it\u0026rsquo;s companies or communities, he has spent much of the last 25 years breaking new ground. As a design and innovation leader he was devoted to making both more rigorous and more accessible. He is a founding member of Overlap, a peer network of innovators who share knowledge and practice to advance the state of the art of design. Since spending five years helping to build an elite innovation unit in the U.S. Department of Defense, he has been focused on working with leaders and teams in domains characterized by both high technical and ethical complexity, such as AI, defense innovation and inclusive entrepreneurship.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "mobile app",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/mobile-app/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/mobile-app/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Molly Clare Wilson",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-06-26T13:07:45+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/molly/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/molly/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eMolly’s favorite part of being a designer is helping others learn. She makes the language and practice of design into something accessible and meaningful to a wide variety of collaborators. Her background is in human-centered design, strongly influenced by her time creating and leading programs at the Stanford d.school in Palo Alto, CA and later at the Hasso-Plattner-Institut School of Design Thinking in Potsdam, Germany.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an interaction designer in industry, she’s worked on complex products in finance, health, and education. Since joining Superbloom in 2018, she has focused on security usability; designing to counteract harm and abuse; framing responsible, respectful design processes and practices; and using co-design to rebalance power dynamics.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Nancy Reyes",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-05T21:50:07Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nancy-reyes/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nancy-reyes/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "NDC",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ndc/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ndc/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "networking",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/networking/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/networking/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Ngọc Triệu",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-25T16:27:27-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ngoc/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/ngoc/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eNgọc practices design as an intervention to address and reform asymmetrical power relations. As a design researcher at Simply Secure, she imagines the future(s) of the world(s) through lenses such as decoloniality and decentralization. Ngọc is passionate about user advocacy, co-creation, and equal access to knowledges(s). Whether she is distilling data into insights that inform design decisions or conceptualizing information architecture, Ngọc works closely with designers, developers, and funders to ensure accessibility and security for vulnerable communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore joining Simply Secure, Ngọc has lived in Vietnam, Japan, the UK, and Germany where she has worked in international development and humanitarian aid, pedagogical design, documentary photography, and film-making. When Ngọc isn\u0026rsquo;t busy identifying design research gaps and mapping solutions, she enjoys doing Kendo (Japanese sword-fighting) and roaming the forest.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Nicola Pratt",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-10-09T22:41:06-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nicola/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nicola/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Nimisha Vijay",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-05-15T23:23:20+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nimisha/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nimisha/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eNimisha is a UX designer based in Berkeley, USA. With a background in engineering, she ventured into design as a contributor to the open source collaboration platform Nextcloud. She soon transitioned into a full time UX designer and spends her time there working with the open source community to build a better internet. She is a core member of the Open Source Design community, with experience organising events, speaking about ways to contribute, and studying the relationship between open source and design. Nimisha understands designing in low-resource contexts, scrappy user research, and leveraging community as a strength. She has also explored research in privacy and cybersecurity, with a paper published at a top security conference. Nimisha believes in privacy, agency, and control over your life on the internet and is fascinated by how a community can help achieve that.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Nina Alter",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nina/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/nina/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Nóirín \"Trouble\" Plunkett",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/trouble/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/trouble/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "open source",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/open-source/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/open-source/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "open source design",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/open-source-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/open-source-design/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Open Source Design",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/open-source-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/open-source-design/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "open source software",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/open-source-software/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/open-source-software/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "organizing",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/organizing/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/organizing/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Participant Bill of Rights",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-19T15:15:41-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/bill-of-rights/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/bill-of-rights/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch3 id=\"participant-bill-of-rights\"\u003eParticipant Bill of Rights\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe respect you and appreciate your time. Everyone participating in an interview with Simply Secure has the following rights:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can ask questions about the interview, the organization, or the interviewer at any time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI do not have to answer any question that I do not want to.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can refuse to be video or audio recorded and I will still be compensated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can leave at any time and I will still be compensated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can provide confidential feedback on my interview experience to the interviewer’s manager.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI must approve the use of any photos, audio, videos or anonymized quotes that are used publicly, whether on a website, on a blog, or in the press.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce a photo, video or quote has been published, I have the right to request it be taken down at any point in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can reach Simply Secure any time by emailing\n\u003ca href=\"mailto:contact@superbloom.design\"\u003econtact@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "people",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/people/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/people/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Philliph Drummond",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-09T14:07:04-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/philliph/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/philliph/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003ePhilliph is a creative technologist residing in the Bay Area, with their partner Annelisa, child Xinasa, and two cats, Mam and Pate. Recently, Philliph has been working with mostly not-for-profit startups across a range of challenges from IT streamlining, UX/Product coaching, and business process improvement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the past, they designed and managed internal systems for mid-sized NPOs in the social justice sector, approaching organizational infrastructure as permaculture, delivering IT trainings and technical support to organizers in the field.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "policy",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/policy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/policy/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Pooja Channaveerappa",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-11T08:55:28-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/pooja/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/pooja/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003ePooja is an aerospace and hardware design engineer dedicated to pushing the boundaries of sustainable innovation in both technology and entrepreneurship. She is one of the founding team members of Pocket Reform, a novel open hardware, modular, and customizable pocket computer. This project achieved a successful crowdfunding campaign in early 2023. She applied her expertise in user-centric design, rapid prototyping, and circular design in the early stages of developing this sustainable electronic device.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to her contributions to Pocket Reform, Pooja has been involved in the development of other sustainable consumer products, all designed to empower users by offering repairability and enhanced autonomy. She herself was a recipient of the Prototype Fund in 2017 while developing an open-source platform for sex education. Beyond product innovation, her expertise extends to hydraulic technologies for aerospace applications. Pooja is also an experienced facilitator and coach for product innovation and team development in both established corporations and young startups. She is committed to supporting user sovereignty in design and sustainable innovation with all her capacities.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "privacy",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/privacy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/privacy/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Raashi Saxena",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-06T17:33:43-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/raashi-saxena/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/raashi-saxena/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Rae McKelvey",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-11T17:15:33-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/rae/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/rae/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eRae is an expert in open source software development, security, and Internet architecture. She researches technical architecture design and its impact on usability, safety, and resilience. Her contributions are depended upon by at-risk users including human \u0026amp; environmental rights defenders, journalists, and civil society activists. Her background is in political sociology and data science, and she loves making weird musical art that touches funny bones. She is a maintainer of \u003ca href=\"http://decentpatterns.xyz/\"\u003eDecentralization Off the Shelf\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "remote",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/remote/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/remote/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "report",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/report/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/report/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "reports",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/reports/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/reports/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "research",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/research/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Research \u0026 Design",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-08T09:55:44-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/user-research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/user-research/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"user-research\"\u003eUser Research\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat do people need? What do they want? What can they use?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny project – whether it\u0026rsquo;s still a broad concept or whether it\u0026rsquo;s already a robust product with a large user base – needs\nto know the answer to these questions in order to have an impact.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe can help you uncover priorities, make sense of contradictory feedback, and articulate a clear design direction for\nyour project. At the end of each phase of our work together, we deliver a design synthesis report, with quotations,\nexamples, and concrete recommendations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur deep expertise in multiple methods for fieldwork helps us craft a custom research program to address your team\u0026rsquo;s\npriorities. We use a variety of methods, both in-person and remote, including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCognitive walkthroughs/think aloud protocols\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSemi-structured individual or group interviews\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurveys, questionnaires, card-sorting, and prioritization exercises\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeedback on low-fidelity prototypes, including paper\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiaries and prompted in situ studies\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorkshops, games, and activities for capturing structured feedback\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe keep the rights of all research participants front and center, using \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/sensitive-interviews\"\u003ethreat modeling techniques\u003c/a\u003e to ensure everyone is treated respectfully and ethically throughout the\nprocess. All our research uses a \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/participant-rights\"\u003eParticipant Bill of Rights\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor examples of our past work in this area, see our \u003ca href=\"\"\u003eMobile Messaging in NYC study\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://ontrustandtransparency.report\"\u003eOn Trust and Transparency\u003c/a\u003e, our research collaboration with \u003ca href=\"https://luminategroup.com\"\u003eLuminate\u003c/a\u003e around the nonprofit funding experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/assets/img/gridsync.jpg\" alt=\"Paper prototype of GridSync.\" width=\"750\" height=\"563\"\u003e\n\n\u003cem\u003eParticipant thinking aloud while going through screenshots of the onboarding process for encrypted storage solution\nGridSync.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"interaction-design\"\u003eInteraction Design\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce we\u0026rsquo;ve identified and prioritized what your technology needs to do, we work together on the design. Our process is\nhighly collaborative and iterative; we begin with rough sketches and move on to higher-fidelity digital tools, working\nclosely with you and conducting quick usability tests as we go. Getting feedback from your community is a priority for\nus, and we gladly share our design work as we go.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough we dream big, we have a pragmatic approach to design. Many groups we work with work under resource constraints,\nand often the best design is the one that can actually be implemented. We make design choices that make sense not just\nfor your end users, but also for your team and your development capacity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe can provide the deliverables that are most helpful to you. That might include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInformation architecture diagrams\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWireframes\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnnotated screenshots\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClick-through prototypes\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStyle guides\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVisual assets (logos, typography, color palettes, branding)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor examples of our recent work in this area, see our work on \u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/noscript-case-study\"\u003eNoScript\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are an educational nonprofit, and it\u0026rsquo;s important to our work that we share what we learn openly with the community.\nEven when the content of the project needs to remain private, we like to create open process resources, like the\ninterview guide in our \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/tree/master/Research\"\u003eresource library\u003c/a\u003e. We respect\nthat all teams and projects have different needs around confidentiality, and we will work with you to figure out what\nparts of our work together make the most sense to make public.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Reshama Shaikh",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-22T14:47:54+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/reshama-shaikh/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/reshama-shaikh/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eReshama Shaikh is a statistician, data scientist and open source advocate. She has more than 14 years experience as a biostatistician and over 10 years experience as a community manager. She holds a Masters in Statistics from Rutgers University and an MBA with a focus on business analytics, strategy and marketing from New York University Stern School of Business.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe began her statistical career at Educational Testing Service. She then worked for over 10 years as a biostatistician in the pharmaceutical industry at various companies including PPD, Merck, Thomas Jefferson University and Pfizer, covering Phase I through Phase 4 clinical trials. She also taught math, statistics and Rstats, and has given more than a dozen workshops on Using Git for Open Source for the community.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe founded Data Umbrella in 2019, a community to expand the participation of open source users and contributors in the data science space. Prior to that, she served in a key leadership role with Women in Machine Learning and Data Science for 5 years, expanding the community globally from 3 chapters to 100 and was the lead organizer for the New York City chapter of PyLadies, which is the third largest chapter worldwide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe is an \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/reshamas\"\u003eopen source contributor\u003c/a\u003e to a number of projects and on the teams for scikit-learn (the most popular python machine learning library) and PyMC (a probabilistic python programming language). \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReshama has written \u003ca href=\"https://reshamas.github.io/\"\u003enumerous community blogs\u003c/a\u003e, given \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmS2MRLicKc\u0026amp;list=PLBKcU7Ik-ir84cthbsQ_zU72sG-zUnEQn\"\u003epresentations and tutorials\u003c/a\u003e on data science, community and open source and mentored others in the community. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer community manager certifications include: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCSCCE Scientific Community Engagement Fundamentals (CEF)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGitHub DPG Open Source \u003ca href=\"https://github.blog/open-source/social-impact/just-launched-second-cohort-of-the-dpg-open-source-community-manager-program/\"\u003eCommunity Manager Program\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe has a wide range of skills and expertise including: statistics, data science, coding in Python and R, teaching, open source, strategy and community. Reshama is an experienced community manager, with expertise in open source, diverse and inclusive practices and working with global teams.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was awarded the \u003ca href=\"https://reshamas.github.io/on-receiving-2019-community-leadership-award-from-numfocus/\"\u003eCommunity Leadership Award from NumFOCUS in 2019\u003c/a\u003e, and became a \u003ca href=\"https://pyfound.blogspot.com/2022/07/announcing-python-software-foundation.html\"\u003ePython Software Foundation Fellow\u003c/a\u003e in 2022.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "responsibility",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/responsibility/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/responsibility/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "RightsCon",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-09-12T19:28:39+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/rightscon/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/community/events/rightscon/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Rocío Armillas Tiseyra",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-04-25T14:02:59+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/rocio-armillas-tiseyra/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/rocio-armillas-tiseyra/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/armillas-tiseyra/?ref=newdesigncongress.org\"\u003eRocío Armillas Tiseyra\u003c/a\u003e (she/they) is a Strategy and Fundraising Expert, who keenly navigates bureaucratic mazes and jargon–especially in conservative policy environments. Her experience includes technical assistance in urbanism and gender equality at the United Nations, funding climate innovation at EIT Climate-KIC, and at Bauhaus Earth, working in thought leadership and fundraising strategy. She co-edited \u003ca href=\"https://birkhauser.com/books/9783035627015\"\u003eReconstructing the Future: Cities as Carbon Sinks\u003c/a\u003e while working there. She holds an MSc in Development Economics and a BSc in Social Anthropology, both from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Romain Robert",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/romain/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/romain/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eRomain is qualified lawyer in Belgium and specialises in technology law. He worked in academia and national and EU institutions where he focused on data protection (GDPR). He was program director of noyb, an NGO focusing on the enforcement of data protection.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Sam Smith",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-07-22T14:53:44+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/sam-smith/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/sam-smith/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSam has been practicing as an open source intelligence (OSINT) investigator to aid in human rights and social justice organizations for almost 10 years. Previously he has worked as Research Director at Equality Labs and Black Core Security. He focuses on combating violent extremism, dis/misinformation campaigns, and cultural manipulation. Sam uses his broad breadth of knowledge about global extremism, as well as his skills in OSINT, and deep understanding of digital security to better serve marginalized and vulnerable communities, movement partners, thought leaders, and collaborators. When he is not conducting research, he is sharpening his digital security skills, expanding digital privacy, analyzing state/non-state/private surveillance capabilities, as well as leading training sessions on general digital security, opposition research, OSINT, and more. Sam’s work has been directly used by outlets like ProPublica, Political Research Associates, Right Wing Watch, and many other mainstream media sources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSam is currently Co-Founder and Research Director of Convocation Research and Design (CoRDs), a research, design, and art agency that combines human rights, technology, activism, advocacy, policy and design together to make complex technology more human readable.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Saptak S",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/saptak/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/saptak/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSaptak S. is a human rights centered web developer, focusing on usability, security, privacy and accessibility topics in web development. He works as a web development contractor. He is a contributor and maintainer of various different open source projects like \u003ca href=\"https://www.a11yproject.com/\"\u003eThe A11Y Project\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://onionshare.org/\"\u003eOnionShare\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://wagtail.org/\"\u003eWagtail\u003c/a\u003e. He is part of the Open Source Design core team. He is also the author of the \u003ca href=\"https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2022/security\"\u003eSecurity\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2022/accessibility\"\u003eAccessibility\u003c/a\u003e chapter of \u003ca href=\"https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2022/\"\u003eWeb Almanac 2022\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Sara “Scout” Sinclair Brody",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-12T16:26:21-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/scout/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/scout/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eScout has long been passionate about improving the usability of security tools. Her Computer Science doctoral dissertation, Access Control In and For The Real World, focused on the mis-integration of classic security mechanisms with modern human organizations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a Product Manager at Google, she worked on projects such as 2-step verification, the Android operating system, and uProxy. When not working directly on software, she enjoys dabbling in graphic design, fiber artistry, and woodworking.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Sarah Fox",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-08-09T16:28:45-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/sarah-fox/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/sarah-fox/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSarah Fox is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of California, San Diego in the Department of Communication and The Design Lab. Her research focuses on how technological artifacts challenge or propagate social exclusions, by examining existing systems and building alternatives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"project-name-care--iot\"\u003eProject name: Care \u0026amp; IoT\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"project-description\"\u003eProject description:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSarah extended her research program on infrastructures of care by examining\nhow Internet of Things (IoT) technologies — or, ubiquitous networked\nobjects imbued with computational capacity — are newly shaping intimate\nbodily experiences. Computing technologies for tracking the body are on the\nverge of being introduced broadly across public and private spheres and are\npoised to have unique and lasting effects on the privacy and autonomy of\nthose being sensed, as well as the responsibility of workers entrusted with\nhandling such data. For example, hygiene product manufacturers boast the\nability for new models of soap dispensers to track the number of times one\nwashes one’s hands during the day, correlating this information with\nemployee break records. By investigating such technologies as they are\nbeing newly deployed, Sarah seeks to engage what computing researchers Paul\nDourish and Genevieve Bell (2011) call the “mess” of ubiquitous computing\nas it unfolds — focusing on how these systems shape experiences on the\nground.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Schirin Lucie Richter",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/schirin-lucie-richter/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/schirin-lucie-richter/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSchirin Lucie Richter (MA London) formerly with IDEO is a trained anthropologist turned design strategist/service designer. As Senior Partner at healthcare design and development firm Future Medical Systems (\u003ca href=\"http://futuremedicalsystems.com/\"\u003efuturemedicalsystems.com\u003c/a\u003e) she leads complex-innovation programmes bringing systems-oriented designs to healthcare. She mentors a wide range of design and insights teams as well as leadership teams at all sizes of organizations across industries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe common theme in her work is bringing clarity to complexity and delighting the often neglected B2B users or disempowered groups in general such as patients, caregivers, administrators or field service engineers. Under her leadership and guidance, teams go through a creative problem-solving process to envision future scenarios involving products, services and brands where thoughtfully designed touchpoints offer meaningful experiences for varying stakeholders while achieving business success and being mindful about societal and planetary impact. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe holds multiple patents and contributed to work that received design awards. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe teaches Design Research and Strategy at various universities, such as Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford d.school, California College of the Arts in San Francisco, UC Berkeley, TU Munich and University of Applied Sciences Flensburg. She\u0026rsquo;s National Guest Lecturer at Stanford Clinical Research Excellence Center and in 2018 she co-authored Discovery Design: Design Thinking for Healthcare Improvement, a handbook for everyone who considers themselves a changemaker in healthcare. After 12 years in the San Francisco Bay Area with a stint in Shanghai beforehand, Schirin is back in Germany where she grew up and plans to shake things up in complex industries such as healthcare and beyond!\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Search",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-03T00:30:26-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/search/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/search/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp class=\"error message js-hidden\"\u003eYou must have Javascript enabled to use this function.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"search-loading status message hidden\"\u003eLoading search index…\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"search-input hidden\"\u003e\n  \n\n  \u003cform id=\"search-form\" class=\"search-form\" action=\"#\" method=\"post\" accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" role=\"search\"\u003e\n    \u003clabel for=\"query\" class=\"visually-hidden\"\u003eSearch\u003c/label\u003e\n    \u003cinput type=\"search\" id=\"query\" name=\"query\" class=\"search-text\" placeholder=\"search our resource library\" maxlength=\"128\"\u003e\n  \u003c/form\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"popular\"\u003e\n\n\n  \u003cspan class=\"popular-header\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003efrequently searched\u003c/span\u003e\n  \u003cul class=\"popular-keywords search-form tags\" aria-label=\"Popular searches\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"ux-research\"\u003eUX Research\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"foundations-of-design\"\u003eFoundations of Design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"how-to-security-privacy-and-transparency\"\u003eHow to Security Privacy and Transparency\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"open-source\"\u003eOpen Source\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" 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id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"security-privacy-and-transparency\"\u003eSecurity, Privacy, and Transparency\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"professional-knowledge-user-research\"\u003eProfessional Knowledge: User Research\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"human-centered-design\"\u003eHuman-centered Design\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"design-spots\"\u003eDesign Spots\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"internet-of-things\"\u003eInternet of Things\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"information-architecture\"\u003eInformation Architecture\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"digital-infrastructure\"\u003eDigital Infrastructure\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n    \u003cli id=\"popular-term\" role=\"listitem\"  tabindex=\"0\" \u003e\u003ca id=\"terms\" class=\"search-popular search-terms\"  data-query=\"big-tech\"\u003eBig Tech\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n    \n  \u003c/ul\u003e\n  \n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003csection class=\"search-results\" role=\"list\"\u003e\n\n\u003ctemplate\u003e\n  \u003carticle class=\"list-view card card--blog\" role=\"listitem\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"card__content\"\u003e\n      \u003cheader\u003e\n        \u003cdiv class=\"submitted\"\u003e\u003ctime class=\"created-date\"\u003eDate here\u003c/time\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n        \u003ch2 class=\"title\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#\"\u003eTitle here\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n      \u003c/header\u003e\n      \u003cp class=\"content description\" aria-role=\"Summary\"\u003eSummary here\n        \u003cp /\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/article\u003e\n\u003c/template\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Secure Communications",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-11-09T14:01:58-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/secure-communications/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/secure-communications/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Secure Communications",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/secure-communications/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/secure-communications/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "secure UX",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/secure-ux/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/secure-ux/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "security",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/security/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/security/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Security and Privacy",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/security-and-privacy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/security-and-privacy/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Sign up",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2022-09-09T04:58:13-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/sign-up/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/sign-up/",
            "content_html": "\n\u003cdiv class=\"page\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"container\"\u003e\n        \u003ch1\u003eEnter your email address to sign up for our newsletter\u003c/h1\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\"\u003evar pleaseEnter = \"\"; \u003c/script\u003e\n    \u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\"\nsrc=\"https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.5.2/jquery.min.js\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\"\nsrc=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/phplist/phplist-subscribe-0.2.min.js\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"phplistsubscriberesult\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cform\naction=\"https://simsec.hosted.phplist.com/lists/?p=subscribe\u0026id=1\"\nmethod=\"post\" id=\"phplistsubscribeform\"\u003e \u003cinput type=\"text\" name=\"email\"\nvalue=\"\" id=\"emailaddress\" /\u003e \u003cbutton type=\"submit\"\nid=\"phplistsubscribe\"\u003eSubscribe\u003c/button\u003e \u003c/form\u003e\n\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Soraya Okuda",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/soraya/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/soraya/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSoraya Okuda is a designer passionate about educational access. Soraya is excited to support efforts in conveying technical concepts to beginners, creating accessible materials for at-risk and under-resourced groups, and building free security and privacy tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Stephanie Morillo",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/stephanie-morillo/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/stephanie-morillo/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eStephanie Morillo is a product manager and content strategist. She specializes in content strategy, developer marketing, and technical writing. She has written and delivered talks around the importance of content in the user experience, developer relations, the role of content strategy in open source, and marketing for software developers. Her work has appeared in various publications, and she has also served as an editor for titles published by O\u0026rsquo;Reilly Media and CRC Press.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Straight Talk: Surveillance and Mobile Messaging in NYC",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-08T16:07:38-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/nyc-study/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/nyc-study/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"lived-surveillance-in-new-york\"\u003eLived Surveillance in New York\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn December 2015, we talked with twelve New Yorkers from Harlem and Brownsville, meeting with people in libraries, offices, restaurants, and homes. We spent an hour listening to each participant talk about how they currently message, their privacy concerns and security practices, and their opinions on secure messaging. These conversations provided insights into how to design secure communication tools for a mass audience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur findings indicate a significant gap between the priorities of the low-income African-Americans in our study and much of the security and privacy community, both academic and industrial. This report shares how social, economic, and technical systems shape priorities for secure communication among our participants. Against a backdrop of inevitable surveillance, participants shared their concerns about physical device security, particularly shoulder surfing, negative consequences of family-plan group billing arrangements giving unwanted access, and renter’s mindset that the handset is controlled by an adversarial carrier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"outcomes\"\u003eOutcomes\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/learning/blog/straight-talk\"\u003eBlog post\u003c/a\u003e with emerging findings.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgTechReport.pdf\"\u003eTech Report\u003c/a\u003e: Straight Talk: New Yorkers on Mobile Messaging and Implications for Privacy.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Talks-and-Slides/2016/IFF-%20Lived%20Surveillance.pdf\"\u003eInternet Freedom Festival 2016 presentation\u003c/a\u003e: Lived Surveillance in NYC: Design Implications for Mobile Messaging.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/Elliott-EverydaySurveillance-Shortened.pdf\"\u003eEveryday Surveillance Workshop at CHI 2016\u003c/a\u003e: Design Implications of Lived Surveillance in New York.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Talks-and-Slides/2016/HotPETS-2016-paper.pdf\"\u003eHotPETS 2016 paper\u003c/a\u003e: Respecting Participants in Privacy-Related User Studies: A Case Study of Mobile Messaging by Low-Income New Yorkers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Talks-and-Slides/2016/AmeElliott-NYCStudy.pdf\"\u003eUsenix Security 2016 invited presentation\u003c/a\u003e: Privacy and Threat in Practice: Mobile Messaging by Low-Income New Yorkers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Stuart Schecter",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/stuart/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/stuart/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eStuart Schechter has researched computer security, human behavior, and occasionally gotten lost in such distant topics as computer architecture and research ethics. He is currently leading a small start-up, under the assumption that it’s hard to cause much harm to a venture that is already statistically expected to fail.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Sumana Harihareswara",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/sumana/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/sumana/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSumana Harihareswara is a project manager, programmer, and standup\ncomedian who leads a consultancy to help open source projects level up.\nShe led the rollout of the new PyPI.org, and has worked on Zulip, HTTPS\nEverywhere, Mailman, MediaWiki, and several other open source projects.\nRecently she has managed improvements to pip\u0026rsquo;s dependency resolver and\nuser experience, coached and trained maintainers in management skills,\nand expedited the release of new versions of pipenv and autoconf. She\u0026rsquo;s\nworking on a book to teach what she\u0026rsquo;s learned about rejuvenating legacy\nopen source projects. She earned an Open Source Citizen Award in 2011\nand a Google Open Source Peer Bonus in 2018, and participated in Recurse Center in 2013 and 2014. She lives in New York City and founded\nChangeset Consulting in 2015.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Support us",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-11-28T01:00:09-05:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/support-us/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/support-us/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "surveillance",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/surveillance/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/surveillance/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Susan Kennedy",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-25T16:27:27-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/susan/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/susan/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eSusan Kennedy is a librarian-by-training who wrangles projects big and small. Using participatory design and facilitation, she researches how we can make tech better, with recent projects in open source sustainability, funder advocacy, digital equity and inclusion, mobile surveillance, and platform transparency. She has also co-authored multiple articles and reports on subjects such as library broadband measurement and digital equity ecosystems. Susan has an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons University where she focused on ethical technology and social informatics.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "sustainability",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/sustainability/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/sustainability/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Tanya O'Carroll",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tanya-ocarroll/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tanya-ocarroll/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Tara Kelly",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T03:57:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tara-kelly/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tara-kelly/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eTara Kelly is a journalist, media consultant and e-learning producer. She has over 10 years of experience working on Internet Freedom and digital rights issues for not-for-profits. Most recently, Tara led and produced courses for the Advocacy Assembly Shutdown Academy, an e-learning experience designed to train journalists, advocates, and human rights defenders on Internet Shutdowns. She also served as the data editor for the European Journalism Centre, where she hosted two podcasts on data journalism and media innovation. Previously, she worked as a journalist for The Huffington Post, TIME Magazine and CNN International. Her articles have also appeared in the Financial Times Magazine, Poynter.org and France24.com. She has experience in strategic communications, podcasting, digital media and data storytelling.Tara holds a BA in Political Science from Duquesne University and an MA in International Conflict Analysis from the University of Kent at Canterbury, Brussels School of International Studies. Most recently, she earned a postgraduate degree in Data Journalism from University College Dublin. She is currently enrolled at City St George\u0026rsquo;s, University of London, completing her Graduate Diploma in Law.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Tara Tarakiyee",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-01T03:57:52-04:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tara-tarakiyee/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tara-tarakiyee/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eTara is a public interest technologist, and a free and open source software advocate, and a longtime believer in the transformational potential of information technology as an enabler of human rights and to liberate societies from systemic oppressions. At the Jordan Open Source Association and the Association for Progressive Communications, they\u0026rsquo;ve worked to help support individuals, groups and communities working on human rights online and free and open source software build their capacity to work safely online. At the Open Technology Fund, they\u0026rsquo;ve helped essential and cutting edge open source internet freedom projects gain access to much needed resources and funding to do what they do best. They currently work as a technologist at \u003ca href=\"http://techcultivation.org/\"\u003etechcultivation.org\u003c/a\u003e, and enjoy investigating how far they can push the limits of home-cooked comfort food.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "technical infrastructure",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/technical-infrastructure/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/technical-infrastructure/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Templates and Resources",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-08T10:08:53-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/templates/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/templates/",
            "content_html": "\u003ch2 id=\"workshop-materials\"\u003eWorkshop Materials\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgScreener.pdf\"\u003eTrustworthy IoT Toolkit\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/research%20tools/app_feedback_gathering.pdf\"\u003eUser Feedback Activities\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"fieldwork-materials\"\u003eFieldwork Materials\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgScreener.pdf\"\u003eExample Screener\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgModelRelease.pdf\"\u003eModel Release\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgParticipantBillofRights.pdf\"\u003eParticipant Bill of Rights\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/simplysecure/resources/blob/master/Research/2015_NYC_Mobile_Messaging/NYCMobMsgConsentForm.pdf\"\u003eResearch Consent Form\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"style-guides\"\u003eStyle Guides\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/style-guide-v1.pdf\"\u003eSimply Secure Style Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/resources/tor-style-guide-v1.3.pdf\"\u003eTor Project Style Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "testing",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/testing/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/testing/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Thomas Oberndörfer",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-06T17:33:43-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/thomas-oberndorfer/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/thomas-oberndorfer/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Tiffany Ou",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tiffany/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tiffany/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eTiffany is a freelance designer, currently residing in Los Angeles, California and specializing in information architecture, brand identities, and multi-platform design and production. Aside from a couple corporate clients, her current work mostly revolves around the blockchain and distributed technology space. She’s a huge proponent of open source technology and design and is passionate about supporting projects that promote internet freedom, security and education.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Tin Geber",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2025-04-25T14:02:09+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tin-geber/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tin-geber/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eCreative strategist, practitioner and technologist. Experienced in human-centered program/service design, development, implementation, and learning.  Focused on supporting social change organizations to make the most of data and technology. Tin is founder of \u003ca href=\"https://draftlab.org/\"\u003eDraftlab\u003c/a\u003e, a creative design/development consultancy for social good champions. Previously, he was managing director of \u003ca href=\"https://greenhost.net/\"\u003eGreenhost\u003c/a\u003e; social innovation specialist for \u003ca href=\"https://hivos.org/\"\u003eHivos\u003c/a\u003e; and design and tech lead for \u003ca href=\"https://www.theengineroom.org/\"\u003eThe Engine Room\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTin’s passion is improving people’s relationship with technology through better tools, activism, art, and education. His mixed bag of skills gives him an eye for patterns and systems. He made role-playing games for activists, microtasking platforms for human rights, sonic art installations on online abuse, needy Twitter artist bots, and scarves with LEDs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTin has a BA in Media Sciences, and an \u003ca href=\"http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-computational-arts/\"\u003eMA in Computational Arts\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "toolkit",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/toolkit/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/toolkit/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Tori Boeck",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-11-07T23:00:27Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tori-boeck/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/tori-boeck/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eVictoria (Tori) Boeck is an expert on open data, data sharing and government data (specifically in Germany). Currently she is a technical consultant at IBM iX working with public sector clients. Previously she was a Transformation Manager at CityLAB Berlin, a public innovation lab funded by the Berlin Senate Chancellery and run by the Technologiestiftung Berlin. There she worked with the Berlin city government on topics including open data, open source, and digital innovation. She holds a Masters of Public Policy from the Hertie School.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "transparency",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/transparency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/transparency/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "trust",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/trust/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/trust/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Trust and Transparency",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/trust-and-transparency/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/trust-and-transparency/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "ui",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ui/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ui/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-12T09:46:24-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/2017-workshop/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/2017-workshop/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/2017-header-web.png\"\nalt=\"Underexposed Workshop Header Image\"/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e About the workshop\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the technology industry strives to build intelligence through data, what does it mean for a \"smart\" system to be not just technically reliable or theoretically accurate, but trustworthy in practice?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, at a time where being first-to-market seems to outweigh ethical considerations, how can designers, researchers, and technologists incorporate goals such as privacy, security, and transparency into their work? What barriers do they face in designing such massively complex systems, what successful strategies are they employing today, and what work do we need for the future? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderexposed brings together design and technology practitioners to have hard conversations at the intersection of human-centered thinking, ethics, and computing. This year the event will also feature an open evening session for members of the public to join in the conversation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/underexposed/2017-salon/\"\u003eLearn more about the public salon\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop portion of the event is by invitation only and is at capacity. If you are a designer, a technologist, or a researcher working on issues of human-centered privacy and security and are seeking an invitation, please reach out to underexposed@superbloom.design.\n\u003cp\u003e\n10am-5pm\n\u003cbr\u003eThursday, November 9th 2017\n\u003cbr\u003eWe Are All In Coworking\n\u003cbr\u003eTorstr. 177\n\u003cbr\u003e10115 Berlin, Germany\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePartners, supporters, and friends\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"flex-grid-row\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"flex-grid-col partner-box\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-ford.png\"\n        alt=\"\" height=\"150\" width=\"150\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003eFord Foundation\u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"flex-grid-col partner-box\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-mozilla.png\"\n        alt=\"\" height=\"150\" width=\"150\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003eMozilla Foundation\u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"flex-grid-col partner-box\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-if.png\"\n        alt=\"\" height=\"150\" width=\"150\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003eProjects By If\u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"flex-grid-col partner-box\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-prototype-fund.png\"\n        alt=\"\" height=\"150\" width=\"150\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003ePrototype Fund\u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"flex-grid-col partner-box\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-things-con.png\"\n        alt=\"\" height=\"150\" width=\"150\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003eThings Con\u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"flex-grid-col partner-box\"\u003e\n        \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-least-authority.png\"\n        alt=\"\" height=\"150\" width=\"150\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003eLeast Authority\u003c/p\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"conduct\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are committed to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarassment includes but is not limited to offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the workshop organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning or expelling the offender.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact Scout or Ame, who will introduce themselves at the start of the workshop. We will work with you to take appropriate action, up to and including contacting venue security or local law enforcement if necessary. We value your attendance and want you to feel safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe expect participants to follow these rules at the workshop and associated events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"contact\"\u003eContact\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions? Concerns? Contact us at underexposed@superbloom.design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLearn more about last year's \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/underexposed-2016\"\u003eUnderexposed 2016\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed 2015",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-14T10:30:07-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/underexposed-2015/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/underexposed-2015/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/header_large_date.png\" alt=\"Underexposed Workshop Header Image\" width=\"750\" height=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlease note: this iteration of Underexposed has passed. Please see the main \u003ca href=\"/underexposed\"\u003eUnderexposed page\u003c/a\u003e to learn about the most recent iteration.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#logistics\"\u003eBasic Logistics\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"#agenda\"\u003eAgenda\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"#travel\"\u003eLodging \u0026amp; Travel\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"#conduct\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"#contact\"\u003eContact\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderexposed is an invitation-only workshop that celebrates the role of design in meeting the privacy needs of a broad audience. Building on a foundation of technical and operational realities, this workshop will explore emerging best practices for creating a new generation of useful, usable, and delightful user interfaces. Through invited talks and round-table discussion, we will chart a vision of the grand challenges and opportunities in user experience (UX) for secure communication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"basic-logistics\"\u003eBasic Logistics\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"date-and-time\"\u003eDate and Time\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9am-5pm on Thursday, October 15th\u003cbr\u003e\nFollowed by a happy hour\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"location\"\u003eLocation\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e185 Berry Street\u003cbr\u003e\nLobby 3, 5th Floor\u003cbr\u003e\nSan Francisco, CA 94107\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThanks to Dropbox for donating space for the event!\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3153.5856845551803!2d-122.39161670000001!3d37.77631190000002!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x808580889bc8761f%3A0x36b753cc3d2f0afb!2sDropbox+Inc.!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1443624731677\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"agenda\"\u003eAgenda\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is a rough outline of the day; more details to follow.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9:00 – Underexposed begins\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe start get started over a light breakfast. Our morning sessions are designed to set a shared vocabulary and frame of reference as we share stories as a global community working at the intersection of UX and security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e12:15-1:15 – Lunch served on site\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur afternoon sessions prioritize specific obstacles to effective collaboration between UX designers, researchers, security experts, and developers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5:00 – Official program ends and happy hour begins\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"lodging--travel\"\u003eLodging \u0026amp; Travel\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"hotel\"\u003eHotel\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have reserved a block of rooms at the Courtyard San Francisco Downtown. If you are joining us from out of town, we encourage you to book a room there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCourtyard San Francisco Downtown\u003cbr\u003e\n299 2nd Street\u003cbr\u003e\nSan Francisco, CA 94105\u003cbr\u003e\nPhone: 1-415-947-0700\u003cbr\u003e\nRoom block name: CTM/Underexposed\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"to-and-from-the-workshop\"\u003eTo and from the workshop\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e185 Berry Street is an 18-minute walk or a 10-minute bus ride (#10 to 3rd \u0026amp; Townsend, $2.25 exact change) from the hotel. The Caltrain 4th and King St. Station (which is the northern terminus of the Caltrain line) is a block away from 185 Berry, as are MUNI T and N stops.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenerally speaking, San Francisco has a variety of public-transport options, so we encourage you to check \u003ca href=\"http://maps.google.com\"\u003eGoogle Maps\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://511.org/transit\"\u003e511.org\u003c/a\u003e or a similar service to figure out your best options.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, walking along The Embarcadero toward the Ferry Building has beautiful views of the Bay, so if the weather is dry (which it should be), consider taking a stroll.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"airport\"\u003eAirport\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSan Francisco International Airport (SFO) is your best bet if you\u0026rsquo;re coming in from out of town. There are a variety of public-transport options for getting to and from the airport, including BART and ride-sharing apps. Don\u0026rsquo;t hesitate to reach out if you want to talk them through.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"code-of-conduct\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are committed to providing a harassment-free workshop experience for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarassment includes but is not limited to offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the workshop organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning or expelling the offender.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact Scout or Ame, who will introduce themselves at the start of the workshop. We will work with you to take appropriate action, up to and including contacting venue security or local law enforcement if necessary. We value your attendance and want you to feel safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe expect participants to follow these rules at the workshop and associated social events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"contact\"\u003eContact\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions? Concerns? Contact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:underexposed@superbloom.design\"\u003eunderexposed@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed 2016",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-12T09:46:24-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/underexposed-2016/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/underexposed-2016/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/2016-header-subtitle-web.png\"\nalt=\"Underexposed Workshop Header Image\"/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlease note: this iteration of Underexposed has passed. Please see the main \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/underexposed/\"\u003eUnderexposed page\u003c/a\u003e to learn about the most recent iteration.\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003ca href=\"#logistics\"\u003eBasic Logistics\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"#agenda\"\u003eAgenda\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca\nhref=\"#travel\"\u003eLodging \u0026 Travel\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"#conduct\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/a\u003e |\n\u003ca href=\"#contact\"\u003eContact\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo algorithms rule our lives?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTechnologists must strive to understand the needs, wants, and perceptions of\nreal users as part of the process of building useful, usable products. As\ntechnology becomes ever-more intertwined with our daily lives, many users are\nsurprised to find that their chat programs, online shoe stores, and even their\n“smart” lightbulbs are aggregating data on their actions and behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of this data-gathering is well-intentioned. Many technology companies use data to perform user research, learn about people’s needs, and improve their products accordingly. But as instrumented systems become the norm and the value of data grows, we must also ask: how does this information-gathering impact our sense of privacy, security, and well-being? In an era of increasing data complexity, where information seems to sift across boundaries in unexpected ways – both through intentional action and unintentional breaches – what does it mean for a technology to respect its users? \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderexposed is a workshop that brings together designers, user-experience researchers, and technologists to have hard conversations at the intersection of human-centered design, ethics, and computing. This year the event will focus on the data and algorithms that are coming to permeate all aspects of our daily lives, such as:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChatbots and learning chat clients\n\u003cli\u003ePredictive recommendations for music, bars, and blind dates\n\u003cli\u003eLocation-based ad targeting\n\u003cli\u003eFinancial scoring systems for employment and credit\n\u003cli\u003eStream filters and filter bubbles\n\u003cli\u003eGenetic matching and medical diagnosis\n\u003cli\u003ePredictive policing and algorithmic sentencing\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell-intentioned innovations in these and other domains may have scary consequences. Designers and user researchers must play a critical role in empowering users to both understand and participate in the data-driven decisions that surround them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt this workshop we will explore new trends, critique example solutions, and identify hard unsolved problems. We welcome designers, user-experience researchers, technologists, and program/product managers to share their experiences, designs, solutions, and challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop is open in that all are welcome to propose talks or apply to attend, but limited in that we can only accept a small number of participants. Stay tuned for more details on the proposal process, or email underexposed@superbloom.design to be notified when the call for proposals is open.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"logistics\"\u003eBasic Logistics\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDate and Time\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n9am-5pm\n\u003cbr\u003eNovember 11, 2016\n\u003cbr\u003eFollowed by a happy hour\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eLocation\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nIXDS\n\u003cbr\u003ePaul-Lincke-Ufer 39-40\n\u003cbr\u003e10999 Berlin, Germany\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThanks to IXDS for donating space for the event!\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d9716.098970409856!2d13.4225691!3d52.4967917!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0x20828871b13e9cad!2sIXDS!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1473785861651\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"agenda\"\u003eAgenda\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is a rough outline of the day; more details to follow.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9:00 – Underexposed begins\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe start get started over a light breakfast. Our morning sessions are designed to set a shared vocabulary and frame of reference as we share stories as a global community working on thorny issues such as security, privacy, and transparency in the era of algorithms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e12:15-1:15 – Lunch served on site\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur afternoon sessions continue the work from the morning, and explore new themes brought forth by presenters.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5:00 – Official program ends and happy hour begins\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"travel\"\u003eLodging \u0026 Travel\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore details to come.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"conduct\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are committed to providing a harassment-free workshop experience for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarassment includes but is not limited to offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the workshop organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning or expelling the offender.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact Scout or Ame, who will introduce themselves at the start of the workshop. We will work with you to take appropriate action, up to and including contacting venue security or local law enforcement if necessary. We value your attendance and want you to feel safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe expect participants to follow these rules at the workshop and associated social events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"contact\"\u003eContact\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions? Concerns? Contact us at underexposed@superbloom.design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLearn more about \u003ca href=\"https://superbloom.design/underexposed/underexposed-2015/\"\u003eUnderexposed 2015\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed 2017",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-14T11:13:23-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/2017-salon/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/2017-salon/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/underexposed-header-gray.png\" alt=\"Underexposed Header Image\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you use a smart gadget or give your data to the cloud, how do you know it\u0026rsquo;s trustworthy? In an era where our home appliances have joined the Internet of Things and our every action is being analyzed by an artificial intelligence, what role does design play in making sure these devices behave ethically?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin designers, hackers, makers, and thinkers in considering this and other issues at the intersection of design and trust. This year Underexposed features an evening salon, which is open to the public, in addition to a day-long invitational workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/2017-salon-header.png\" alt=\"Underexposed Salon: Trust \u0026amp; Design\"\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"about-the-salon\"\u003eAbout the Salon\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNovember 8th, 2017, 7-9pm, doors open at 6:30pm\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMozilla Offices on the Banks of the Spree\u003cbr\u003e\nSchlesische Straße 27\u003cbr\u003e\nGebäude 3, 3. Obergeschoss\u003cbr\u003e\n10997 Berlin Germany\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://pretix.eu/simplysecure/underexposed/\"\u003eRegister here\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCo-hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://projectsbyif.com/\"\u003eIF\u003c/a\u003e as part of their Trust \u0026amp; Design \u003ca href=\"https://trustanddesign.projectsbyif.com/\"\u003emeetup series\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"salon-panelists-include\"\u003eSalon panelists include\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sarah.gold/\"\u003eSarah Gold\u003c/a\u003e: Trust and Design\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nSarah is a designer interested in privacy, security, and networks in the public domain. She founded IF in 2015 to work on ambitious projects involving accountability, machine learning, and digital rights. A NESTA New Radical and Forbes 30 under 30 awardee, Sarah sits on the practitioner panel for the Research Institute in the Science of Cyber Security. Sarah will be talking about their work building tools to help teams make better decisions about consent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.cennydd.com/\"\u003eCennydd Bowles\u003c/a\u003e: The Shadows of Data\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nCennydd is a London-based designer and writer focusing on the ethics of future technologies. He has worked with companies including Twitter, Samsung, and the BBC, and is a popular speaker at technology and design events worldwide. His second book \u0026lsquo;Future Ethics\u0026rsquo; will be released in 2018. The Shadows of Data: The data-driven economy is here to stay. Datafication is in the ideological ascendancy, and the promises of an artificially intelligent world will require us to share our intimate secrets. Algorithmic decisions will increasingly be tied to our data shadows. In a landscape of black-box obfuscation, diminished user agency, and diluted moral responsibility, can designers be sure they are empowering rather than disenfranchising?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.socialcooling.com\"\u003eTijmen Schep\u003c/a\u003e: Social Cooling – Communicating the Why of Privacy Design\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nTijmen is a technology critic and privacy designer. As a critic, he works on the question of how to increase audience demand for privacy-enhancing technologies, which has become focused on the concept of \u0026ldquo;social cooling,\u0026rdquo; the data version of global warming. As a privacy designer, he explores cloudless alternatives to popular smart products. His book \u003cem\u003eDesign My Privacy\u003c/em\u003e is used by design schools across the Netherlands. He also helped found the critical \u0026ldquo;ubicomp design\u0026rdquo; course at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, and through the SETUP medialab was a driving force behind several humorous design fictions that explore the darker side of the Internet of Things.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"invitation-only-workshop\"\u003eInvitation-Only Workshop\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpace at the workshop is limited, and we are at capacity. If you are interested in attending but don\u0026rsquo;t already have an invitation, please contact us. \u003ca href=\"/underexposed/2017-workshop\"\u003eLearn more\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"partners-supporters-and-friends\"\u003ePartners, supporters, and friends\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-ford.png\" alt=\"Ford Foundation\"\u003e\n Ford Foundation\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-mozilla.png\" alt=\"Mozilla Foundation\"\u003e\n Mozilla Foundation\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-if.png\" alt=\"Projects By IF\"\u003e\n Projects By IF\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-prototype-fund.png\" alt=\"Prototype Fund\"\u003e\n Prototype Fund\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-things-con.png\" alt=\"Things Con\"\u003e\n Things Con\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-least-authority.png\" alt=\"Least Authority\"\u003e\n Least Authority\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.meetup.com/Behavior-Emotion-Design/\"\u003e\n\u003cimg class=\"image\" src=\"/underexposed/assets/logo-bed.png\" alt=\"BED Meetup\"\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e BED Meetup\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is a not-for-profit organization and relies on support from the public to hold events like Underexposed. If you would like to support this event and our other work, please consider making a donation via PayPal or by contacting us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:donations@superbloom.design\"\u003edonations@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick\u0026amp;hosted_button_id=Z7NMFLAKDRGRA\"\u003eDonate via PayPal\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"code-of-conduct\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are committed to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarassment includes but is not limited to offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the workshop organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning or expelling the offender.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact Scout or Ame, who will introduce themselves at the start of the workshop. We will work with you to take appropriate action, up to and including contacting venue security or local law enforcement if necessary. We value your attendance and want you to feel safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe expect participants to follow these rules at the workshop and associated events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"contact\"\u003eContact\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions? Concerns? Contact us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:underexposed@superbloom.design\"\u003eunderexposed@superbloom.design\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRope bridge image \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en\"\u003eCC\u003c/a\u003e-licensed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/people/62787780@N06\"\u003eJohn5199\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Underexposed Machine Ethics",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-12-14T11:13:23-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/2018-meetup/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/underexposed/2018-meetup/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/underexposed/assets/underexposed-machine.jpg\"\nalt=\"Underexposed Header Image\"/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlgorithms affect almost every aspect of daily life, from self-driving cars to predictive policing to banking to even something as benign as movie recommendations. But, how do we question these systems, how do we think about ethical intervention and ethical standards for algorithms in our daily lives? This talk, with invited speakers Maya Indira Ganesh, Adam Harvey and Caroline Sinders, focuses critically on how to create ethical standards for machine learning, from artistic work examples to analysis of current systems to better ways to work with data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeakers include \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://carolinesinders.com/\"\u003eCaroline Sinders\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://bodyofwork.in/\"\u003eMaya Indira Ganesh\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://ahprojects.com/\"\u003eAdam Harvey\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.meetup.com/Underexposed-Trust-and-Design/events/249193295/\" class=\"button button--secondary read-more\"\u003eSignup here\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCo-hosted by \u003ca href=\"http://www.thoughtworks.com/\"\u003eThoughtWorks Berlin\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimply Secure is a not-for-profit organization and relies on support from the public to hold events like Underexposed. If you would like to support this event and our other work, please consider making a donation via PayPal or by contacting us at donations@superbloom.design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cform action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\"\u003e\n\u003cinput type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\"\u003e\n\u003cinput type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"Z7NMFLAKDRGRA\"\u003e\n\u003cinput type=\"image\" src=\"https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif\" border=\"0\" name=\"submit\" alt=\"Donate via PayPal\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003c/form\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"conduct\"\u003eCode of Conduct\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are committed to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarassment includes but is not limited to offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the workshop organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning or expelling the offender.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact Scout or Ame, who will introduce themselves at the start of the workshop. We will work with you to take appropriate action, up to and including contacting venue security or local law enforcement if necessary. We value your attendance and want you to feel safe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe expect participants to follow these rules at the workshop and associated events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"contact\"\u003eContact\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions? Concerns? Contact us at underexposed@superbloom.design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhoto \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en\"\u003eCC\u003c/a\u003e-licensed by Igor Ovsyannykov.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Unlock the Future of Civic Tech 🚀",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-13T16:27:59-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/civictech/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/civictech/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eDiscover the innovations shaping our cities, governments, and communities. Civic tech is more than just a buzzword—it\u0026rsquo;s the key to a brighter, smarter, and more connected future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStay Ahead with Our Exclusive Updates\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDon\u0026rsquo;t miss out on the latest breakthroughs, trends, and product launches. By signing up for our newsletter, you’ll be at the forefront of the field.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"-why-join-our-community\"\u003e✨ Why Join Our Community?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExclusive Access  🎉:\u003c/strong\u003e Be the first to hear about the latest product launches and civic tech solutions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInsightful Analysis 💡 :\u003c/strong\u003e Dive deep into the trends and technologies making waves in the industry.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGlobal Perspective 🌐 :\u003c/strong\u003e Understand the impact of civic tech around the world.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"join-the-movement-shape-the-future\"\u003eJoin the Movement. Shape the Future.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBe part of the community that’s paving the way for a more inclusive, transparent, and technologically advanced society.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e👉 \u003cstrong\u003eSign Up Now\u003c/strong\u003e and let the world of civic tech unfold in your inbox! 💌\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"mc_embed_shell\"\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv id=\"mc_embed_signup\"\u003e\n    \u003cform\n      action=\"https://guide.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=cdb853c4847acff0d0a09460d\u0026amp;id=ca5a70438b\u0026amp;f_id=00ae91e4f0\"\n      method=\"post\" id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" name=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" class=\"validate\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv id=\"mc_embed_signup_scroll\"\u003e\n        \u003ch4\u003eGet updates\u003c/h4\u003e\n        \u003cdiv class=\"indicates-required\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e indicates required\u003c/div\u003e\n        \u003cdiv class=\"mc-field-group\"\u003e\u003clabel for=\"mce-EMAIL\"\u003eEmail Address \u003cspan class=\"asterisk\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/label\u003e\u003cinput\n            type=\"email\" name=\"EMAIL\" class=\"required email\" id=\"mce-EMAIL\" required=\"\" value=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\n            id=\"mce-EMAIL-HELPERTEXT\" class=\"helper_text\"\u003eUnsubscribe at any time\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n        \u003cdiv id=\"transition: all 0.23s ease-in-out 0s;\" class=\"clear\"\u003e\n          \u003cdiv class=\"response\" id=\"mce-error-response\" style=\"display: none;\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n          \u003cdiv class=\"response\" id=\"mce-success-response\" style=\"display: none;\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n        \u003c/div\u003e\n        \u003cdiv aria-hidden=\"true\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -5000px;\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"text\"\n            name=\"b_cdb853c4847acff0d0a09460d_ca5a70438b\" tabindex=\"-1\" value=\"\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n        \u003cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"submit\" name=\"subscribe\" id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe\" class=\"button\"\n            value=\"Subscribe\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n    \u003c/form\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"//s3.amazonaws.com/downloads.mailchimp.com/js/mc-validate.js\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\n  \u003cscript\n    type=\"text/javascript\"\u003e(function ($) { window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array(); fnames[0] = 'EMAIL'; ftypes[0] = 'email'; }(jQuery)); var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);\u003c/script\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"explore-the-civic-tech-field-guide\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://civictech.guide/\"\u003eExplore the Civic Tech Field Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h5\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "usability",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/usability/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/usability/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Usable Security Review",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-08T10:08:53-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/work/usable-security-audit/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/work/usable-security-audit/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eA Usable Security Review is a report to help a software team make its tool more usable and useful for its target users,\nwhile at a minimum helping preserve – and ideally enhancing – privacy and security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe work closely with technical teams to craft an individual research plan that answers their questions and meets their\nneeds. However, this isn\u0026rsquo;t a security audit of your code - we evaluate privacy and security through the lens of user\nexperience and usability. We analyze what users see and do, so that we can make targeted recommendations for\nimprovements. A Usable Security Review is a complement to, not a replacement for, a comprehensive security audit of your\ncode.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-a-usable-security-review-includes\"\u003eWhat a Usable Security Review Includes\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstanding who are the tool’s desired, likely, and/or actual users (or “target” users)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstanding relevant threats (threats users are likely to face, threats that the tool seeks to mitigate, and threats\nthat the tool cannot mitigate against, but that users might expect it to)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnalyzing the tool’s user experience heuristically (through an expert review)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnalyzing the tool’s user experience empirically (through user studies)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaking actionable recommendations to the software team to help them improve the tool’s design in response to review\nand study results\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"phases-and-outputs\"\u003ePhases and Outputs\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"phase-1-understanding-the-background\"\u003ePhase 1: Understanding the Background\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first phase is to understand your tool\u0026rsquo;s background goals. This includes identifying the tool’s target users and its\nthreat model. It also includes understanding the tool’s position in its competitive landscape and the development team’s\npriorities for UX improvement. Our steps are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdentifying target users\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScoping threats\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBenchmarking and competitive analysis\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvaluation priorities\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"phase-2-heuristic-evaluation-expert-review\"\u003ePhase 2: Heuristic Evaluation (expert review)\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs well as experience in UX best practices, our evaluators understand the relevant security/privacy design patterns and\ntheir common pitfalls. This expertise, and the ability to review the app in the context of background information about\nthe team\u0026rsquo;s and target users’ threat models, is what distinguishes a usable security review from a traditional UX review.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"phase-3-empirical-evaluation\"\u003ePhase 3: Empirical Evaluation\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA key step in evaluating and improving a user experience is to put it in front of real users. Based on the questions the\nsoftware development team wants to answer, Simply Secure selects appropriate usability testing techniques. In a Usable\nSecurity Review, our goal is to determine whether users accurately understand the threat model, and whether they can\nperform key security-related tasks with comprehension. For example, it’s not enough for a user to be able to\nsuccessfully generate a key if she does not understand what that key is for or how she should manage it in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUsability methods may include:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCognitive walkthroughs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSemi-structured or group interviews\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTask analysis\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiary / prompted in situ studies\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurveys or questionnaires\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLearn more in a report about our \u003ca href=\"/resources/techreports/InitialUsableSecurityAuditMethodology.pdf\"\u003eUsable Security Audit\nMethodology\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "user research",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/user-research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/user-research/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "User Research",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/user-research/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/user-research/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "user testing",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/user-testing/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/user-testing/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "ux",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ux/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/ux/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "UX Design",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/topics/ux-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/topics/ux-design/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "UX Patterns",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-18T17:54:18-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/ux-patterns/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/learning/collections/ux-patterns/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Valentina Pavel",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/valentina/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/valentina/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eValentina Pavel is a legal adviser and a digital rights advocate focusing on privacy, freedom of speech and open culture. Currently she is a Mozilla Fellow, working with Privacy International as host organization, exploring concentration of corporate power or “digital feudalism” and the implications for privacy and data protection. Most recent work focuses on third party tracking.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Vanessa Rhinesmith",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-09-06T13:26:01+05:30",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/vanessa/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/vanessa/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eVanessa Wrenn Rhinesmith (she/her/hers) is the Executive Director of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.c2i2.ucla.edu/\"\u003eUCLA Center for Critical Initiative (C2i2)\u003c/a\u003e where she also oversees the Minderoo Initiative on Technology and Power. Vanessa brings over 15 years of project, program, and strategy experience working with non profits, higher education institutions, and social entrepreneurs. She takes an approach to work that is rooted in critical inquiry, collaboration, and trust.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVanessa started her journey as a social worker in Chicago, Illinois before transitioning to work centered in purpose, community, and care in relation to intersectional feminism, harm reduction, and technology and society. Vanessa received her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Simmons School of Management (Massachusetts) with a focus on women* and org behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVanessa continues to explore feminist approaches to cyber security and international relations; the role of history, narrative, and power in the creation of sex trafficking policies. She is currently cultivating a care network with and for women-identifying and gender nonconforming folx experiencing online and other forms of harassment in STEM. Vanessa has spoken at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Simmons University, Harvard Kennedy School, South by Southwest (SXSW), the Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTEN), and more. Vanessa speaks, and facilitates conversations, on a variety of topics that include intersectional feminist approaches to data and digital technology; activism, advocacy, and stewardship; and community engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVanessa is also the Event Producer of the Community Informatics Research Network (CIRN), annual research conference, and Review Editor for the Journal of Community Informatics (JoCI). She lives with her husband, child (they/them), and two cats. In her (little) free time, you’ll find her running, reading graphic novels, or scuba diving (post-pandemic).\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Veszna Wessenauer",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-10-04T13:23:15-07:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/veszna/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/veszna/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eVeszna is a human rights researcher by training, and has special interest in building a just digital future. She earned her MA in Human Rights from Central European University in Hungary and has worked with various NGOs and think tanks across the globe, including Democracy Reporting International, Political Capital, Global Voices, EU-Russia Civil Society Forum.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore joining Superbloom, Veszna worked for almost four years at Ranking Digital Rights as a program manager. She was responsible for the production of RDR Rankings and she also supported the process of developing new indicators addressing algorithmic systems and targeted advertising.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn her downtime, she is with her son, helps build the Hungarian solidarity economy movement, and creates mixtapes for friends under her not-so-serious DJ alias, Venuscontroller. She is also a festival coordinator at UH Fest, a small music festival focusing on adventurous music.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe is based in Budapest, Hungary.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "Victory Brown",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-01-23T22:41:38Z",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/victory/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/victory/",
            "content_html": "\u003cp\u003eAs a UX designer, Brown has worked on a variety of projects to improve user experience and usability in health tech, fintech, and even blockchain. She is passionate about content design advocacy, user-centered design, and open source. She is the community manager for the open source design Africa chapter and the founder of Dezignhers - a network of women inspired by design in her hometown in Nigeria.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen she is not designing or advocating for open source, she writes content for web3 products and helps projects draft content that converts users. She is also a lover of communities, and is creative with community engagement strategies and social media engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\n"
        },
        {
            "title": "video",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/video/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/video/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "visual",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/visual/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/visual/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "visual design",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/visual-design/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/visual-design/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "website",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/website/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/website/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Wendy Seltzer",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/wendy/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/wendy/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "workshop",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/tags/workshop/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/tags/workshop/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Wrangelfilm",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-08-24T12:23:59+01:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/wrangelfilm/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/wrangelfilm/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "Yasmina López Lluch",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2023-02-28T18:44:56-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/yasmina/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/about/people/yasmina/",
            "content_html": ""
        },
        {
            "title": "zine",
            "date_published": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "date_modified": "2024-12-16T15:07:13-08:00",
            "id": "https://superbloom.design/formats/zine/",
            "url": "https://superbloom.design/formats/zine/",
            "content_html": ""
        }
        ]
}