Season 1 - Idea Jam 9
Spotlight Business: Ambit https://ambit.community/?page=home
Ambit's Clickable Chapters:
Event Pictures
Event Deck
Problem StatementÂ
The central issue discussed during the Innovate MN Idea Jam revolves around the inadequacies of current social media platforms in fostering genuine, positive community engagement. Existing platforms are criticized for amplifying political polarization, exacerbating mental health crises, and being unreliable for local businesses seeking to connect with their communities. There is a disconnect between online interaction and real-life communities, leading to a loneliness crisis and ineffective business communications. The event aimed to brainstorm ways to build trust in digital communities, create a healthier online ecosystem, and reconnect users with their local areas.
Idea Jam Summary
Ambit approached the opportunity to collaborate with the Innovate MN community to address two key challenges: a) building trust in a new community-focused platform and b) designing effective ways for users to interact with local information.
The Innovate MN facilitator team discussed possible ways to present these issues to the Innovate community, leading to open creativity and brainstorming without preconceived ideas. For example, the broader question of how Ambit could build trust in its platform opens up ideation to verification processes, community moderation, and integration with local institutions. However, simply asking, "How can Ambit verify users?" would have likely only led to solutions focused on that one facet of a broader challenge area for the organization.
At the Innovate MN event, Ambit provided an overview of the organization to the Innovate community. The challenge was then broken down into two main topics for iterative ideation by participants: 1) Building Trust and 2) Information Design. Each of these is explained in the following paragraphs, along with an example solution for reference:
"Building Trust" focuses on ideas that could help users feel confident in the platform's reliability and authenticity. Implementing "observable, recognizable social/community behaviors" could foster trust by making user interactions more transparent and accountable.
"Information Design" explores how users want to interact with community information across different sectors. This was further divided into four categories: Government and politics, Local News and journalism, Local Businesses and Organizations, Events, Pop-ups, and Activities. An example solution here includes creating personalized maps featuring real-time local activities and services, allowing users to engage with their community easily.
Lastly, though these two idea areas are powerful, creating a thriving community platform likely entails connecting ideas across these areas. For example, implementing a robust verification system for local businesses could enhance trust while improving the quality of information presented to users.
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Innovate MN - Idea Jam 9 | Ambit | AI Analysis
Topic 1: Building Trust
Key Themes:
Transparency and Intent
Clear communication of platform goals and user expectations
Visible moderation and community standards
Verification and Credibility
Tiered verification for users, businesses, and community leaders
Integration with trusted local institutions
Community-Driven Content
Self-declared experts and local influencers
User-generated content with quality control measures
Real-World Connections
Emphasis on face-to-face meetups and local events
Bridging online interactions with offline community building
Innovative Topic 1 Ideas:
"Observable, recognizable social/community behaviors" to foster trust
Hyper-local moderation and community self-regulation
"Bulletin board concept" for timely, relevant local information
Integration of real-time, location-based features (e.g., "Gas Buddies" model)
Topic 2: Information Design
Key Themes:
Government & Politics:
Objective presentation of facts (who, what, where)
Clear sourcing and verification of information
Balance between data-driven content and community perspectives
Local News & Journalism:
Multi-format content delivery (text, video, chat threads)
Accessibility features (e.g., adjustable reading speeds, text readability)
Hyper-local reporting (e.g., "live in Eagan to report on Eagan")
Local Businesses & Organizations:
Verified business listings and real-time offers
Interactive maps for local services and events
Early access and rewards for platform users
Events, Pop-ups, and Activities:
Real-time event listings and maps
Personalized notifications for user interests
Tools for organizing spontaneous community gatherings
Innovative Ideas, What Stands Out, Insights, Implementation Ideas, and Key Challenges
Innovative Ideas:
"Personalized map" featuring real-time local activities and services
"Video shorts" for quick, engaging local content
Integration of food truck schedules and locations
"Buy Nothing" groups to encourage local sharing and community building
What Stands Out (Patterns)
Emphasis on Real-World Connections:
Facilitating face-to-face meetups and spontaneous gatherings
Bridging online interactions with offline community building
Focus on hyper-local content and events
Trust-Building Mechanisms:
Verification systems for users, businesses, and community leaders
Transparency in platform goals and operations
Community-driven moderation and self-regulation
Personalization vs. Community Focus:
Balancing personalized feeds with community-wide information
Allowing users to customize their experience while maintaining a sense of shared community
Multi-Format Content Delivery:
Offering various content types (text, video, chat threads)
Adapting to different user preferences and consumption habits
Integration of Real-Time, Location-Based Features:
Live maps for events, businesses, and services
Real-time updates for community activities
User Empowerment:
Enabling users to organize events and create content
Providing tools for community members to contribute to local information
Differentiation from Existing Platforms:
Clear communication of Ambit's unique value proposition
Focus on addressing shortcomings of current social media platforms
Accessibility and Inclusivity:
Ensuring the platform is usable by all community members
Addressing generational gaps in technology use
Balancing Information Quality with Open Participation:
Implementing fact-checking and moderation while encouraging diverse voices
Curating high-quality content without stifling community engagement
Key Insights and Recommendations
Trust-Building Mechanisms:
Implement a robust verification system for users and businesses
Develop clear community guidelines and moderation processes
Encourage face-to-face interactions to build real-world trust
Content Curation and Delivery:
Balance algorithmic curation with chronological feeds
Offer multiple content formats to cater to diverse user preferences
Ensure accessibility and readability for all user groups
Local Focus:
Prioritize hyper-local content and connections
Facilitate easy discovery of local events, businesses, and services
Encourage user-generated content from verified local sources
User Empowerment:
Provide customizable feeds and notification settings
Offer tools for users to organize and promote local events
Enable user-driven fact-checking and content moderation
Platform Differentiation:
Clearly communicate how Ambit differs from existing platforms
Focus on fostering genuine community connections
Emphasize the balance between online engagement and offline interactions
Implementation Ideas to Explore
Develop POCs (proof of concepts) that incorporate vital features identified during the Idea Jam alongside the main platform features
Conduct user testing to refine the user experience and interface
Establish partnerships with local businesses, organizations, and community leaders
Create a comprehensive trust and safety framework based on community input
Design an onboarding process that clearly communicates Ambit's unique value proposition
Create an empathy map, personas, and a service blueprint
Key Challenges and Considerations
Scalability in larger cities: "In cities that are too large, this could be cumbersome."
Generational gaps: "Mindful of generational gaps on how we consume data and news."
Data privacy and security: "Is my data SAFE?"
Differentiating from existing platforms: "How is Ambit different from other local apps/sites? (e.g., Nextdoor)"
Maintaining content quality: "Need Does it There has to be enough new info for me to check in each day like the daily paper."
Balancing personalization with community focus: "Personalized feet and notifications so I don't miss stuff" vs. "News for All the members of the community"
Ensuring inclusivity: "10 Coverage of locality for Story" and "BIPOC - owned, accessible"
Moderating user-generated content: "comments Not publicly listed, ensuring less opinions floating around."
Verifying information and sources: "Who owns the source of News story is from"
Encouraging real-world interactions while maintaining online engagement: "Enable face to face connections with neighbors - Spontaneous mappyhours - throw football"
Determining influential voices: "Who determines who can be influential? Nominated? High engagement?"
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