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Overview
Parents are not including the kids in the census count which results in undercounting and underfunding in their neighborhood.
We developed a SENSUS game which children play to learn about the census so they can talk to their parents about it.
Partners: Brooklyn Public library, New School
Duration: Aug 2019 - Dec 2019
Team: Fas Lebbie , Heer Mehta
Role: Partnership and outreach, Systems, strategy, User research, Rapid prototyping, Visual design.
Methods: Systems, Service, Game and Participatory Design
Digital equity lab census workshop
Queens public library
Teens for change
Brooklyn public library
Census volunteer workshop
NYC Mayors census bureau
What's at stake ?
Americanprogress.org*
< 50 Million kids at risk of not counted for in NY state*.
160 Million
Fed funding
left untapped
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Fed funding
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Planning for infrastructure
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Research and advocacy
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Political representation
Census Bureau
Research &
Engagement
Detailed Case study
With the first digital decennial census happening in 2020 which brings in a variety of challenges and interconnected webwork of issues.
Our group identified that children were amongst the highest undercounted population among the hard to count demographic based on past census data.
"Children engaged in politics and civics engages their parents and which in turn engage the whole community."
Insight & Theory of change
After several reasons identified for undercounting of children from unstructured living conditions, unstructured living situations, young parents and so on, one of the major theme that tied them all together was unawareness to count them due to ignorance in advocacy in the campaigns.
Why a game
Games emulate complex systems in state of play.
Offer the opportunity for independent learning.
Games “make difficult subjects more accessible to young people”
Empower participants through play compared to other forms learning.
A card game-was more accessible, enabled conversations in the best, faster production.
Prototyping & Testing
Census situation cards with answers
Somewhat ok, needed simplification in rules.
Introducing roles to enable play
Failed: did not have enough dialogue about the census.
Exchange of identity as data points
Failed: Lacking the playful element
What is the card game ?
Reach
Adopted
The game was adopted by the Brooklyn Public Library and was going to be rolled out as part of the census efforts before the Pandemic hit the city.
Press
The game was also showcased as part of HIVE network in NYC around the theme of games for change and civic participation.
Published on new-school press blog.
