1. Summarize the problem you set out to solve. What was the challenge posed to you? Did it get you excited and why?

The Contemporary Issues Forum reinvigorates the philosophical roots of liberty through the opinions and debates that typify democracy, America, and the Jewish-American experience. Visitors entering the gallery encounter a table stocked with three types of custom cards that are color coded and labeled with either “Yes”, “No”, or “Um”. After reading the four walls that each present a different question, visitors write their responses on cards, have their cards quickly scanned and then post their cards to the wall. The questions are programmed regularly and range from, “Should the government regulate where houses of worship are built?” to “Are Jews White?” to “Is intermarriage a significant threat to religious communities?”

The cards, through a “low-tech” approach (by default of color code), display the dominant opinion as related to each question. Not to leave technology by the wayside - the scanned card images are simultaneously shuttled to an online microsite (cif.nmajh.org) where visitors can later see their cards, see other opinions and continue the debate. Lastly, video is captured of the visitors posting their cards and then re-projected as an attract loop not only to help demonstrate the function of the gallery but to create an association of responsibility by linking an image of the visitors who posted the opinion with the opinion itself.

2. What point of view did you bring to the challenge? Was there anything additional that you wanted to achieve with this project or bring to this project that was not part of the original brief?

In conceptualizing what this project should be, it was important to us that it encourage visitors to engage in discussion with others about issues of vital importance. Giving the visitors the ability to document their feelings and insights on hot-button topics was essential, as was providing a platform for people with both similar and opposite points of view to begin a dialogue with one another.

3. When designing this project, whose interests did you consider? (Discuss various stakeholders, audiences, retailing, manufacturing, assembly, distribution, etc., for example.)

This installation helps the National Museum of American Jewish History collect, organize and put to good use the information that is contributed by visitors. A custom Content Management System allows museum curators and administrators to update the questions, monitor the responses and review the information gathered to continue to build the museum’s education and curatorial programs. This process of gathering thoughts and opinions helps carry the content of the museum into the future and into the next realm of public dialogue.

4. Describe the rigor that informed your design. (Research, ethnography, subject matter experts, materials exploration, technology, iteration, testing, etc., as applicable.) If this was a strictly research or strategy project, please provide more detail here.

Not applicable.

5. What is the social value of your design? (Gladdening, educational, economic, paradigm-shifting, sustainable, labor-mindful, environmental, cultural, etc.) How does it earn its keep in the world?

See answers to questions 1 and 2.

6. If you could have done one thing differently with the project, what would you have changed?

Not applicable.