“Quick Win”

Day 1 of being in Santa Cruz, Calif.
The maps around city hall are confusing, out of date, and the display cases are fogged up:

City’s website is no better:

CfA January training: “Look for quick wins.”

I make a google map with all the city offices and their hours. I also draw a printable vector map of where the buildings are located.

CfA January training: “Find a city ally who can champion your project.”

Crystal Birns, city arts program manager for Santa Cruz is excited to help. She tells me what information to keep in / take out of the City Hall map.

I measure the display boxes and design a map of the City Hall building and its Annex.

Crystal drinks San Pellegrino like it’s water. I learn this while teaching her Adobe Illustrator. After four lunches she has the skills needed to update the maps on her own.

Crystal sends the map around to the city departments. I make changes based on their feedback and the map is sent around again.

And again. And again.

And again.

I tell Crystal I am fine with what ever they decide, but I need to move on. I will not be hurt if my icons or type size are changed. I leave it in her hands.

CfA January training: “Be patient. Government turns like a battleship.”

Month 7 of fellowship
Crystal emails me a link. The city website has been updated with the google map and printable PDF.

Month 8 of fellowship
Crystal sends me photos of the four new campus maps:

Hang Ten Crystal!

Questions? Comments? Hit us up @codeforamerica.

Original post