In this phase of the project we collaborate around research needed if we are to develop proposals for interneventions, improvements, or design new concepts/products/services rooted in people’s everyday realities, needs, and lifestyles. Each participant does their own research on a care-related topic of their choosing, and explores what others already are doing or have done. Everyone shares their results here and we do a round of gathering feedback/input online. This enables everyone to make well-informed decisions to shape their steps forward. This is the first of two research tasks.
All over Europe and beyond people are building a new world together. Amazing projects demonstrate hope for the future and visions of the world which is possible when we work together. In Cairo, residents brought along bulldozers and just started building their wikicity. In the United States a 16 year old boy who couldn’t afford braces just went ahead and 3-d printed his own orthodontics. In another part of the world a concerned parent got tired of the constant worrying about whether their diabetic four year old son’s blood sugar levels are ok, so they hacked the diabetes monitor’s software code and wrote a simple program that transmitted the monitoring data to an online spreadsheet he could view on a Web browser or mobile phone. Their actions are now part of an entire open source ecosystem, from sensors to apps to insulin, emerging from patients. Many people living their dreams together are changing their corner of the world, one small intiative at a time.
In this challenge we conduct research to discover what is already out there and what is needed by existing projects/places/products/services and the people they serve. In doing this collaboratively we increase our collective knowledge. We also encourage peers to acknowledge one another’s good work and build on it, rather than waste resources duplicating or competing with existing initatives. The focus of our research efforts in the context of OpenCare are initiatives that exist at the intersections of care, communities and open science and technologies that allow anyone to make and modify the things they want…without needing permission.
What do we mean by OpenCare? Seen from here the definition of Care is nurturing interactions between humans; the open part is about fluidity in the roles and relationships of the humans involved. Food cultures, cultural practices, the artefacts we use and the ways in which we use them etc; the field is broad and you are free to look in whatever direction that engages you.
The Challenge: Produce case studies on existing initiatives, interventions, products, or services that are relevant to your care-related challenge or question.
How to complete this challenge:
- Identify interesting or relevang Groups, Projects, Places, Products, Technologies, Tools, Services or Infrastructures.
- Interview their protagonists using this interview framework. We recommend you make an extra effort to capture each interview on video so you have footage that you can re-use/remix for later steps if you want (e.g. putting together crowdfunding campaigns).
- Map the flow of information, reosurces, attention and trust in the ecosystem of which they are a part.
- Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that either the project faces from its environment, or that the environment faces from the project.
- Present your results in a text with visual material..
- Upload your results using the "add my story" button below or email them to noemi@edgeryders.eu
What makes a good Case Study? Content Guidelines:
Focus on methodology, actions, motivations and insights. Look at this interview, this story as well as this one to get an idea of what we are looking for. If you want to attract help and support from othr participants, then we suggest that you adopt a working-out-loud approach. This means opening your working process and reflections to others at regular intervals. We run weekly google hangouts every Monday at 16:30 CET where you can connect with, and ask for help from, other participants. You ar very welcome to join whenever you like. For more information email noemi@edgeryders.eu or tweet @edgeryders