NCTech4Good

where tech meets social change

where tech meets social change

Using Design Sprints to Solve Meaningful Challenges

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Speaker: Kimberly Chang – A Design Sprint is a methodology for solving problems by designing, prototyping, and testing ideas with users. The process brings together stakeholders on a team to accomplish this work in just five days. Frequently it is applied to website design, but can also be used for improving any experience or interaction that your donor’s have with your organization.

Design sprints are particularly useful for non-profit organizations, who often don’t have the time and money to spend on large design teams for every project.

This session will include a case study on how Fidelity Charitable utilizes design sprints to create innovative solutions for our organization’s goals. Learn the pros and cons of design sprints and the basic structure for how to run one at your organization.

Kimberly Chang
Kimberly Chang is passionate about design strategy, thinking and execution. She is the Director of Web and Mobile Design at Fidelity Charitable, where she facilitates the design of new features and enhancements to multiple web platforms. She is energized by utilizing design to fulfill Fidelity Charitable's mission – to grow the American tradition of philanthropy by providing programs that make charitable giving accessible, simple, and effective.

Creative Crowdfunding

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Rebekah Miel, otherwise known as Durham’s Lunch Lady, has successfully crowdfunded almost $100k in less than a year for various causes including Durham’s School Lunch Debt Pay Down. Come find out some of her tips and tricks about how to run a successful campaign, how to keep donors engaged, and which tools help make the process go more smoothly. There will be practical tips, a handout of resources, and she’ll walk you through a successful case study. You’ll also learn how she translated her skills as a graphic designer and marketer into her role as a fundraiser.

Rebekah Miel
Rebekah Miel is that lone pair of headlights driving in the opposite direction during a hurricane evacuation. You’ll no longer find her sweating through a Tyvek suit in the lower 9th or eating curry in a refugee camp in Unawatuna, but that doesn’t mean she’s any less risk adverse. These days she’s balancing the death defying feat of raising twins with the act of listening hard for how to be a good citizen in her adopted hometown of Durham, NC. Her current job title is Creative Director of her own shop, Miel Design Studio where she spends most of her time trying to make beautiful sense out of a complex world. Ask her what that means, but don’t be surprised if the answer has something to do with books or school lunch.

Unconscious Bias in Technology Design

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User experience design is one approach to addressing the issues of unconscious bias often found in today’s technology. Unconscious bias is an often overlooked and undervalued aspect of UX design since the little details seem to be so minor to us, however these minor details can have large and lasting impacts. Designing a user experience without paying attention to unconscious biases is leaving out small changes that, in turn, alienate large demographics of people and shrink your client base. On the other hand, making these small changes could be just the kickstart your product needs to expand and catch on within other demographics. This presentation will detail how to identify and overcome unconscious bias in order to achieve the maximum client or consumer base possible.

Marcus Finley, Twitter: @marcusafinley, Instagram: @findigital
FIN. Digital
Concurrent Session

Speaker Bio
Marcus Finley is the CEO and Founder of FIN Digital, a full service application development firm in Washington DC. Marcus graduated from Florida State University where he majored in Mechanical Engineering and Public Administration. Marcus is a certified Scrum Master with expert knowledge of a number programming languages, user experience design and web/mobile application development. Marcus has managed over $3 million dollars of contracted technology development and strategy projects for with an average project budget of $200,000. In his professional roles he has provided technology strategies and user experiences to achieve client’s goals. He has help developed UX practices, lead a number of UX workshops with clients and guided companies with emerging needs of validating applications. He co-founded a Meetup called Color of Tech to bring together a diverse group of technology professionals to network and thrive.

What Nonprofits Can Learn from Charity: Water

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Charity: Water is a nonprofit with a mission to bring clean drinking water in developing countries. It is also a leader and innovator for using the web to promote their mission, build a large base of supporters, and fund their work. This talk will look at how Charity: Water uses design, storytelling, action campaigns, and user experience principles on the web to make their global efforts possible. Nonprofits of all sizes can learn from what Charity: Water is doing right to make their own efforts more effective.

Matt Pusateri
Flying Dog Creative

Speaker Bio
As an art director, designer, and writer, I have helped people tell stories and communicate ideas for more than two decades. I’ve helped hundreds of clients take complex ideas and messages and make them more clear, focused, and effective.

I have managed and consulted with teams in various organizations, facilitating meetings and improving internal communication. I’ve bridged gaps between editorial, policy, marketing, and web development teams; strengthened relationships between in-house creative teams and consultants; and helped editors, researchers, writers, and designers collaborate to make better content.

In addition to 20+ years professional experience in design and digital strategy, I have two MA degrees — one in communications, one in writing — which help me work with clients to write, edit, and improve web content.

NCTech4Good, an affiliate of NTEN and TechSoup’s NetSquared, is the local resource for nonprofit technology information. Join the sharing and networking at monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. usually at UNC-TV, and our annual conference, https://www.nct4g.org/. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @nctech4good, and with the hashtag #nct4g.