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sana rao studio
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Dinner Calling is a service that seeks to promote open and active conversations through the organization of monthly dinners.

The research spanned 4 weeks with us using different kinds of research methods like sending out cultural probe kits, interviews, secondary research. Synthesizing the research finding was the key point in the progress as it shifted our hypothesis going into the research- which we then reframed to align with the key findings. After a marathon concept and ideation session 3 ideas were detailed out to purse further and then narrowed down to the one which seemed most promising.

By first focusing on independent workers, it hopes to create a space for feedback and new ideas. Based on our research, the ideas presented in this service hope to promote self-awareness, a sense of commitment to one's purpose, and also promote socializing as a positive and necessary component of one's life. As a service, Dinner Calling defines a successful conversation differently. In a healthy relationship model you care about the other person’s thoughts and concerns as much as you do your own. This relationship model gives value to both parties and is the true intention of the service. That said, if someone wants to pitch an idea, and the other person wants and values that approach, the relationship is positive. If another relationship values conversation about social change and wants to keep discussing and sharing ideas, that relationship will also work.

Dinner Calling breaks down to 5 distinct stages:

Signup
Most of the users of our service come via invitation. Once invited, a potential member can come in and set up their profile. Curator then conducts a phone interview , if the curator finds the applicant a fit he is invited to a complimentary dinner. 8-10 members are then sent a dinner invitation specifying the date and time of the meal, and a small amount of information on each invitee.

Dinner curation
Information from the responses to the dinner invitation are processed by the Dinner Calling web service into a database accessible by Curators. Each curator will create two groups of four from the initial 8-10 and send each group a confirmation email the following week.

Dinner
One member from each dinner is elected the Secret Leader. The Secret Leader's job is to keep the conversation moving without dominating it. No other members are aware of who the leader is.

Feedback and Reflection
Feedback is one of the the most valuable components of Dinner Calling. In order to be maintain membership, each user must contribute to the community by submitting feedback. Feedback written for a fellow member can be sent to LinkedIn as an endorsement. This feedback is collected and processed by the Dinner Calling web service

Service Intent:
1. To redefine networking (meeting new people, sharing ideas...)
2. To create opportunities for new relationships between invitees
3. To create opportunities for conversation between invitees

Metrics of Success:
A dinner will be considered a success if each member achieves one of the following:
1. Makes one new contact
2. Comes across one idea that inspires them
3. To become a new contact for someone else
4. To offer one idea that inspires

© sana rao