Citizen Experience Lab:

A Platform for Citizen Centric Innovation

What if we transform citizens into the chief architects and designers of their own communities? What if we enable citizens to self-organize in purposeful networks? What if these citizen networks partnered with willing institutions across the public and private sectors? Could we transform a community, a state into an innovation hotspot? Could we deliver on a promise for economic and community development?

The Citizen Lab will focus on understanding the mechanics of self-organizing, purposeful networks. How we can fuel community and economic development by unleashing people’s passion towards common goals? Our work utilizes the BIF tool box of collaboration, information sharing, and active engagement.

Introducing Random Collisions Rhode Island

The killer trend is self-organizing purposeful networks. We believe Rhode Island can position itself as a unique place for innovation at scale. A place where it is easier to get ideas off of the whiteboard and in to the real world. Being small turns out to be a real advantage when society needs to model transformational change. If we wait for institutions (public or private) to lead the way we will be waiting a very long time. New economic and social solutions are going to come from purposeful networks of citizens self-organized to catalyze and make it happen. Why not start in Rhode Island and shine a big storytelling light on the entire experience so we create a two-way connection to like minded souls around the world?

We're introducing Random Collisions RI because...

  • to get better faster, we must enable random collisions of unusual suspects
  • the gold is in the grey areas between us
  • we need sandboxes to explore new models and systems
  • Rhode Island is a compelling test bed
  • together we can design a better future

Starter Projects

  • Innovation Story Studio – Capturing the powerful stories of change and inspiration to organize networks.
  • Participatory Design Studios – Engaging citizens in the design solutions for education, healthcare, economic and community development. How might students design a 21st century education experience? How might we enable more people to live and act entrepreneurially? How might we move from sick care to a broader system of health and well being?
  • Random Collisions – A four part series pairing two local unusual suspects to inspire and catalyze a community conversation about purposeful networks and innovation at scale.
  • Collaborative Platform – Transforming conversation into action between events and projects with an online platform designed to enable community engagement.

Come on in. The water is fine.

Citizen Lab News

  • We're hiring - Patient Experience Lab Director and Citizen Experience Lab Director

    Team BIF is on a roll and has accomplished a great deal in the last few years. We are seeking experienced leaders who share our passion for human centered design and business model innovation in the healthcare and government/civic engagement arenas. We are excited to expand our journey and are seeking transformation artists to help lead the way.

  • SideraWorks And BIF Announce “The Social Community”

    BIF and SideraWorks will partner on a year-long social community project, culminating in a workshop on September 20, 2013 immediately following the Summit. We are delighted to be partnering with SideraWorks cofounders, Amber Naslund and Matt Ridings - on whom we've had big #innocrushes for some time.

  • Join the Conversation!

    If you're interested in being part of an organic conversation and project to explore the "how" of enabling purposeful networks in the small real world of Rhode Island, please contact Eli Stefanski

  • BIF Announces Random Collisions Rhode Island

    In November, the Citizen Experience Lab is launching its Random Collision Series. Through this four part series, we will pair "unusual suspects" in conversation and storytelling. Our goal is to understand where and how "different" comes together, identify where we can unleash our collective capabilities in new and different ways, and focus on how we can better organize for change.

Recent Experience Labs Work