Covid-19: Helping people fight the pandemic

Covid-19. Covid19. Yes, we know you’re already tired of reading about it and you only want this to finish.

Like many people around the world, we’re worried about the whole COVID-19 pandemic.

We understand the different problems that this brings for all people, no matter where in the world they are.

We have seen different situations these days, which have to do with different dimensions of the problem. Whether from the relational problem or from the economic perspective, as well as many other variables that touch us differently according to our specificities.

Also, as UXD experts, we have a holistic vision that makes us see different edges of the problems at the same time. What some might perhaps call a “career bias” is our routine.

And in situations like this one of COVID-19, this vision of “the whole at the same time as the sum of the parts” makes us see different types of problems.

And of course we want to help in any way we can. Which are not many, of course. But it’s more than just sitting around waiting for everything to happen.

We’re not the kind of people that observes and just stands still. We’re used to observation and research. That’s correct. But we use the data and insights from such observation to create actionable experiences.

We see how this pandemic disease is growing. We see the data and projections. And we KNOW we must do something. No matter how little it is.

Additionally, we’re convinced that we need to give back to the community. We always did, we always will.

However, we also came to the conclusion that such community is not local anymore. Now, we live in a global village. Therefore, efforts have to be multiplied.

There’s a lot of people to help. There’s a lot of situations where our aid is needed, or where we can add our little grain of sand.

The good news is that there is a lot of people willing to help as well. We are not naive, but we’re not as pessimistic as other people.

And in the end, we create User Experiences. We live to design user experiences. And what experience can be superior to improving people’s lives in a time of such fear and anxiety?

That’s the whole idea of being a User Experience Designer (or UXD, as you will see mentioned in this article for short). If we can’t improve people’s (users) life… what’s the point of it all?

For these reasons, we have developed a series of aid policies for this stage of COVID-19. These policies, as corresponds to any UXD process, are not final. Quite the opposite, they are constantly changing and evolving, so they may differ according to when they are read.

Some of these support policies during the mandatory quarantine of COVID-19 have already started, and are as follows:

COVID-19 aid policies from a UXD perspective

Global initiatives

1. We have launched a call for global brainstorming to generate ideas for this stage and the one immediately after. The same was done from Facebook, where initially a certain number of ideas were poured, which will be added to a global help site currently in development.
2. Our data analysis group is developing Data Learning tasks to identify potential opportunities and conflicts in different areas of Latin America fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic.
3. We have offered our government any necessary help to the best of our ability. We make the same offer to other governments and NGOs

Economic Initiatives

1. We have hired (and will continue to hire) professionals to work remotely to help in some way those who see their sources of income cut.
2. We offer any person or company that wants to hire our services a 20% discount, without questions. You just need to mention “Covid-19 Aid” in the contact form.
3. In the same way, we are donating 10% of current income to a fund to help people without work and in situations of economic need.

Health initiatives

1. Within the same theme, we are working with RedEA to create a sensory app for autistic people
2. We are working independently on an accessibility application to help people with disabilities to improve their contact with the outside world during Covid-19 stage and thereafter.
3. As a Psychology PhD, Dr. Mariana Arismendi (our Head of Research and partner at Dorve UX) is providing free psychological support in our country

We need help

We need help. And when we say we need help, we don’t mean us at Dorve UX. On the contrary, we speak of everyone, of each of the people in our globalized society.

And of the enormous potential that as a globalized society we have to generate creative ideas. Ideas for a pandemic like COVID-19, but also to generate experiences that exceed us. Well-being experiences, of doing things better. Experiences that give impetus to larger proposals, to superior ideas.

And for that we need help. From everyone. To every one. To be a small engine of change that, when added together, will become a mass of giant possitive changes.

For those who want to talk, comment or simply find out how to join these initiatives, we will publish this article on Facebook so that the information is public. Those who want to join, should only express it in said post and we will get in touch.

Update May 4: Due to a an unprecedented response from many people willing to help, we can’t answer immediately. However, be sure we read all messages

Fabio Devin

Fabio is Bachelor in Marketing, Master in Human Computer Interaction and a UX Evangelist.

He worked for some of the biggest companies in the world. As such, he has developed entire systems and businesses for clients of all sizes.