Inspired designs from inspired conversations at TechJam
TechJam gave the Digital Team a chance to roll up our sleeves, bust out some colored pencils, and talk design.
Many members of the Digital Team and the Department of Innovation and Technology are active in the local tech community. However, we don’t get a lot of chances to take part in something together as a group. So, we jumped at the chance to join Boston TechJam 2018.
We brought most of our team to the event, as well as plenty of colored pencils, crayons, pens, markers, and cut outs of our “Boston B” logo. This hands on activity led to some really awesome conversations about design, user experience, and — of course — working in City government.
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Designing a unique 'B'
In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been using our Boston “B” logo everywhere we can, in both printed and digital material. We even reached out to the public to get their input on design ideas for holiday B logos. TechJam offered us another chance to break out the B to get the creative juices flowing for everyone in attendance.
Our B logo has a distinct font, color, and “Freedom Trail Red” underline that really makes it stand out. Our goal was to create something that is both warm and official. We want you to know, right away, that whatever you’re seeing and reading is coming from the City of Boston.
Living in Boston means different things for different people. So, we held a mini Boston “B” design competition at TechJam. Our participants took a blank Boston “B” and some supplies to add their personal touch to our logo. Each design was a creative look into what that person thinks of Boston.
The results
We were overwhelmed with the level of engagement from our little contest. In the end, we picked two winners but we were blown away by how many people took the time to participate.
Throughout the night, our logo competition led to some great conversations with our colleagues in the local tech industry. We were able to learn about some of the latest products being developed in Boston, and to also discuss the pain points we face as a smart City.
The best thing about TechJam was that we weren’t being pitched products. Our discussions with the designers and engineers in attendance mostly focused on how to create better, more intuitive products. User experience is always something we keep in mind whenever we create. It was exciting to hear that we’re not alone. While we weren’t being pitched products, we found that we were pitching our team. Working for the City is an opportunity to make an immediate difference where you live — it’s exciting, impactful, and the future is alive with possibilities.
By the way…
Being around so many talented folks at TechJam now leads us to a shameless plug: we’re hiring!
The City of Boston has tons of great opportunities, not just in data and technology. We have openings in finance, human resources, housing development, and much more. Whether you have years of experience or are just getting started, working in local government is a great way to serve your community.
Want to learn more? Email us at doit@boston.gov, or visit our Career Center page. Thanks again for joining us at TechJam 2018. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
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