%Satyajit Das% | %interaction design%

Citizen Speaks – a service blueprint

Citizen Speaks is service layer for the Post Gazette that invites readers to speak up online, in person, and in print to engage in new ways of experiencing and sharing news.

(View Presentation in PDF | Service blueprint in PDF)

Hunt Statement: To discover gaps in daily rituals of students in order to create a news platform that facilitates dialogue toward moral discovery. Our initial goal was to take people from online, individual action to an offline, face-to-face dialogue and make it mean something to them.

Role: contributed in concept generation, design methods and service blueprint in “Future of News” project for Service Design, School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University. Other team members are Sarah Phares, James Liu, John Kim and Alex Laskaris (School of Design).

Done for: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA.

Duration: Two Months

Tasks: Brainstorming, Activity Diagram, Journal keeping, Directed-Storytelling, Collage Activity, Surveys, Persona & Scenario, wireframing, hi fidelity screen, Service Blueprint design, Photo-Sketch.

Design Methodology

Brainstorming

Research methods and Key findings

1. Surveys – 90+ responses; Gather General Patterns

The survey results were not a surprise and in-line with our understanding of the usage pattern.
98% of those surveyed got their news from computers, no one reads the Post Gazette and interests are in National news rather
than Local.

2. Journals – 5 participants; Daily account of Rituals

People are mostly ‘ALONE’ while reading news

Primary sources: – website NYTIMES/ iphones and emails

HEADLINES
Pittsburgh: comfortably Numb?
Pittsburgh: the Good, Bad and Ugly. Formal education is for living, self education / awareness for fortune

3. Directed Storytelling – 5 participants; deep exploration into meaning of news

People are lonely, news attempts to fill a void

News is interesting because of the source, how it affects network

People interested in self-reflection what their news habits reveal

Context affects impact

“I don’t have much lively discussions anymore.”
“My only interest in the news is cursory Is it interesting to me? You know? I never actually feel affected.”
“I used to enjoy news earlier while eating my dinner with family now I have lost that craze as its available all the time and all
the forms.”

4. Collage activity – 5 participants; reflection on past, present, and future rituals

Difficult to sense an overview of a typical day.

Participants mostly reflected on special rituals outside of Pittsburgh.

Life in Pittsburgh as a “layover” for bigger, better things.

Desire to escape from school work/stress.

News accessed through the web as a source of killing time.

Deliverables

Research showed that students tend to overlook print and local sources and often view their time in Pittsburgh as a “layover.” Citizen Speaks provides present and future value for students as well as a sustainable model for the Post Gazette.

Fig 4: Concept Drawing

Readers express opinions through an online feedback channel, discuss trending topics at monthly events, and may write guest columns. We have the concept of Citizen Pass that tracks activity which leads to accreditation, allowing for growth, reflection, validation, and greater involvement.