Making Solutions Visible: Facilitating Housing Equality through Interface Design

Abstract

Purpose:Drawing from research on the role of digital interfaces in sociopolitical change (Selfe & Selfe, 1994; Sano-Franchini, 2018; Hallinan et al., 2022), this article identifies how, in the wake of an ongoing public health crisis, one homelessness advocacy organization leveraged their website to reflect and facilitate a shift in priorities and practices. This article addresses two questions: • In what ways are organizational values emergent, mediated, and reimagined through interface design? • How can practitioners enact ethical design decisions in their work to 1) make solutions-oriented impact visible and 2) help users achieve action and social-justice oriented goals? Method:To answer these questions, we draw from an extended case study from Lex End Homelessness (LEH), a homelessness prevention and intervention initiative based out of Lexington, KY, USA. Since its launch, LEH has moved from dispelling harmful myths about homelessness to ideological conversations about homelessness causes and potential solutions (Kalodner-Martin, 2022). As a result, the website, given its public- facing nature, is being rebuilt to reflect LEH's transition. Results: Results demonstrate that the LEH's website interface reflected changes in the organizational priorities, the ideological context, and local needs, specifically regarding supporting understanding, emphasizing, and acting to end homelessness. Conclusion: As an ongoing project, we conclude our article outlining next steps in the interface redesign.