Drink Tank: A Recreational Think Tank

OUr Design challenge

How can we build something a tool that is useful, trusted and totally cutting edge?

Community activation + creative contributions

I founded Drink Tank (a "recreational think tank") with Kate Garmey in 2014. Our goal was to create a space where  it was possible to use one's creative talents to make a positive community impact in a while connecting with other people looking to do the same -- all in the course of one evening.

For our first event, we asked people bring an idea for how to make Chicago better, along with a willingness to be open to new ideas and, perhaps, a six pack of their favorite beer. With our facilitation, groups were formed, design thinking strategies were employed, new solutions were discussed, and a good time was had by all. At the end of the night, people told us how lucky they felt to have been invited. This was flattering, but exclusivity wasn't the goal; more than anything, we'd wanted to make a place where people felt welcomed to share their ideas and left reassured that their talents and collaborative instincts could make things better.