Invitation to Participate: Civic Design & Democracy Conversations
“How To Make Change Through Government” infographic created by Deepthi Welaratna, Paula Rogers, and Kiersten Nash
At Tiny Little Cosmos, we are exploring how professionals working at the intersection of design, civic engagement, and technology navigate the complex decisions that shape our democratic systems.
I’m Deepthi Welaratna, founder of Tiny Little Cosmos and a strategist/researcher in this field. Over the years, I’ve led projects supporting civic innovation and studied how professionals manage ethical dilemmas, funding challenges, and governance decisions in their work. Now, I’m conducting a qualitative study to capture the experiences, hopes, and concerns of people working in civic design and technology today.
What This Study Explores
Through one-hour, in-depth conversations, we’ll touch on topics such as:
Daily decision-making practices in civic design and technology
Ethical dilemmas and frameworks for responsibility
Funding and infrastructure challenges
The role of emerging technologies, including AI, in civic engagement
Personal hopes and concerns for the future of the field and democracy
Why Your Voice Matters
This project aims to surface diverse perspectives from people actively shaping civic systems. The insights gathered will be published on the Tiny Little Cosmos website and shared via social media to inform the wider community. Participants can choose whether they are quoted by name or remain anonymous.
How to Participate
If you are a professional working at the intersection of design, civic engagement, or technology and would like to participate, please contact me directly. I review all potential participants to ensure a thoughtful and diverse range of perspectives.
Your experience and insight could help illuminate the challenges and opportunities in the field, contributing to a richer understanding of the work being done to support democracy in the modern world.
