Connected Kids: Designing Database Software for Web-Based Information Dissemination to Multiple Audiences.

Connected Kids (CK) is a web-accessible database application whose purpose is to disseminate information about activities and resources for youth in Troy, NY (hometown of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and surrounding Rensselaer County. Our principal partner in the design and implementation of this community information system has been Troy City Government, which has provided cost-sharing, direct support, and leadership in advocating for the project. Other partners in this project are approximately 20 not-for-profit and government organizations that provide recreational activities for youth, arts and cultural education, and a variety of social and employment services. Representatives of these organizations have been involved in focus groups discussions to consider the initial direction of the project, participatory design with respect to the design of most functionalities, usability testing of data input pages, and now actual data input. We have also involved middle and high school students, parents, and teachers and social support personnel in focus group discussions about the project in an effort to design system functionalities from multiple perspectives. A working prototype of the system now operates reliably and we hope to go live with it in the very near future.