Design Open Mic recently hit the road again as part of our traveling open mic series and as an integral programmatic element of Design Like You Give a Damn: LIVE! An overwhelming majority of those attending our annual humanitarian design conference ranked the Design Open Mic as one of their favorite aspects to the weekend forum.

The back-to-back seven minute presentation format, similar in style to Pecha Kucha - or 20 seconds per 20 slides - kept the audience engaged and the presenters on their toes. This year we had more than three dozen presentations throughout the day on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2011. Those attending the conference could choose to listen to the panel discussions or watch the Design Open Mic. There wasn't a dull moment (check out the video if you don't believe us).

Winners were chosen by our Design Open Mic curators based on a number of criteria, including:

* Vision - "I believe this and want to do it."
* Community - "Will people use it?"
* Plan - "I understand this."
* Manifests - "I have the materials and skills to do this."
* Budget - "I can afford this."
* Analysis - "This is what the problem is, why it is important;" Metrics!

At the close of the forum, the winners were presented with prizes, courtesy of our event sponsors. Eric Ho, who won First Prize, said, "The Design Open Mic was a tremendous opportunity to learn about a diverse number of fellow humanitarian projects. By putting all the great ideas and people in the same room within a short period of time, it also heightened the sense of a community supportive of each other and conveyed an encouraging message - anyone having ideas with good social causes can and should make the steps to achieve them!" Of course, all of the presentations imparted valuable knowledge to the growing field of humanitarian design. The presenters informed an audience hungry to learn how innovative, grassroots design can help communities in need both here and around the world.

Download the winning presentations below by clicking the images and stay tuned for more weekly Design Open Mic updates and highlights from our occasional traveling open mic series.

First Place
Project Ground Up - $300 House
By Eric Ho

Second Place
Urban Impulse - Monterey, Mexico
By Pedro Pacheco

Thanks to all the Design Open Mic presenters for making Design Like You Give a Damn: LIVE! 2011 a dynamic event. And with gratitude to Pablo Mayrgundter, Elizabeth Han and Alix Ogilvie for their hard work and energy to keep the open mic flowing smoothly.