Hello World Labs

Hello World Labs

We help solve the world's biggest problems using data, behavior change and game design

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What we do

Hello World Labs is a network of world-class experts in software development, environmental data, sensor hardware, and behavior-change design. We are available for hire on a project basis and we also create our own in-house apps and creative projects. We specialize in creating projects that bridge the gap between "talking" about change and creating real change you can measure with numbers.

Our key skills include:

Our network

Do you want to draw on the most brilliant minds in environmental change for your cause? We specialize in building networks of advisors, consultants, and contractors with the very best skills in the game. We can help you get advice from people at universities such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT and deep computer thinkers from Google.

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How we can help you

We can work with your organization through our 10-step design process to unveil the missing links in your design and technology needs. We can scope a project for you and piece together a world-class team of consultants and freelancers to make a beautiful project that really does help you change the world.

GET STARTED WITH A DESIGN SPRINT

Our 10 step design process

#1 Data First

“You can achieve amazing progress if you set a clear goal and find a measure that will drive progress toward that goal. This may seem pretty basic, but it is amazing to me how often it is not done and how hard it is to get right.”
- Bill Gates, Annual Address 2013

The first step in solving a problem is to understand it deeply. We start every solution by capturing the data as real-time as possible.

#2 Goals as real world metrics

All journeys need a destination. The next step is to create a quantitative goal. The goal is developed from a meaningful metric that most clearly indicates the problem is 'solved'. Meaningful metrics might be goals such as 'to reduce waste to 100 kg per person per year' or 'reduce gasoline usage to 50 gallons per year'.

#3 Visualize the future

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

- Antoine de Saint Exupéry, writer and aviator.

The secret ingredient of great leaders is vision. What will the world look like when this problem is solved? How will it work? What systems will it use? How beautiful could it be? We illustrate how this world will look, function and feel. The visualization becomes the guiding star that inspired the journey of change.

#4 / #5 Idea Storm & Evaluation

Harvest ideas from looking deep into your data. How do we get from here to there? Once the data is collected and the metric goal is established. We use the data (where we are now) and visualization (where we want to go) as the primary compass.

This is where we unleash our imagination to brainstorm a cauldron of ideas solve the problem.

#6 Look at policy and the whole system for change

A problem usually requires government policy in order to reach its full potential for getting solved. We map out which policies would be most effective at solving the problem and what style of campaign is needed to have the highest potential of the policy being approved into law. Use data viz to support policy change.

#7 Behavior Mapping & Change

Once we have the data, we can isolate what behaviors need to be created, removed or enhanced in order to achieve the goal and then develop behavior change programs. The feedback of the data back to people is an essential component in motivating real change.

#8 Game design

Saving the world should be fun, right? We implement game and motivational design features into the project to encourage the key behaviors that need to be changed to successfully solve the problem. Adding social competition and emotional rewards truly ignites the process of change.

#9 Tribes & Evangelists

All change is driven by powerful cultural movements. But all ideologies were once created. We use branding, media and social marketing to build passionately motivated tribes and evangelists who drive waves of change through their communities.

#10 Technology

Once the problem has been thoroughly assessed, we can determine what technology projects can be created to facilitate the achievement of the goal.

We create apps, games, data APIs and websites that the community needs to harness the drive we all have to solve the world's greatest problems - and make it fun.

Concept Design

Ideas that will help you make real and measurable change. We can build them for you.

HEAT ISLAND MINI CITY

ESCAPADE COOLING SCARF

THE GREEN COCOON

THE CIVIC SPECTRUM

ENERGY LEADERBOARD

SPECTRUM DISPLAY

NEST FAMILY CO-LIVING

V-SCORE APP

FACEBOOK ENERGY THERMOMETER

ENERGY BILLBOARD

URBAN CANOPY

WATER ORACLE

ECO-U GREEN WALL URINAL

APPAREL ECO-LABEL

GARDEN CITY AUGMENTED REALITY APP

ZEROWASTIFY

SLUG ZERO GAME

RIVERZILLA

THE BEEHIVE

EMBODIED ENERGY WALL CHART

PUBLIC AIR QUALITY DISPLAYS

Our apps

We focus on three powerful techniques in environmental change: public disclosure of data, social comparison, and color grading. We have developed several apps for different causes based on these techniques.

Zerowastify

Helping cities reach zero waste by providing their communities with personalized waste reports and tips.

Vscore

Increasing the ratio of plant to animal foods on menus.

Urban Dashboard

Improving air quality with public facing air quality screens that inspire civic action.

Urban Canopy

Increasing green roof cover in cities using maps and thermal imagery.

Spectrum

Increasing urban energy efficiency with public disclosure of building energy usage.

Clients

We build projects for universities, governments, non-profits, and social-change startups.

Portfolio

Look at the beautiful things we've done

SEE FOLIO

What people are saying

"As well as being a gifted designer, Katie took us through a behavior-mapping exercise where we unveiled many missing links in the whole strategy of the business. She turned the behavior map into a design that was very beautiful and took the user into important places we had not thought of before."
- Rebecca Skinner PhD, Urban Dashboard

"The team at Hello World Labs creatively enhanced our initial vision for the project and really came up with something beautiful. We are very excited about our project!"
- University of Santa Cruz

"Katie is a talented systems thinker."
- Tito Jankowski, Co-Founder, Impossible Labs

Got a big challenge? Let's set up a conversation

If you want to really change the world, we really want to talk!

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