The latest version of Google’s SketchUp software was released yesterday. Aside from having a cute name, the software has some great potential use in your non-profit toolbox.
For those that haven’t played with it, SketchUp is a three dimensional modeling program. That means you can create little virtual models of practically anything: a house, a train, a space station, a dinosaur. Well, it’s really geared towards mechanical things - my dinosaur comes out looking a little funky.
There are two aspects of SketchUp that make it stand out from your usual high-end, computer-aided-design, rocket scientist-friendly software. First, it’s not just designed for architects: anyone can get a handle on it pretty quickly. Second, you can share your designs, in a virtual Google Warehouse, for others to use - and you can place them in Google Earth. Build a virtual Eiffel tower, and place it in Paris. Or share it with others, and let them build an addition onto it - sacre bleu!
C'est magnifique!
So, although great fun for the Lego builder set, how could this tool be useful to a non-profit? One example can be found in the Sportables competition that Google and Architecture for Humanity launched back in June. They put out a call for designs for something called a sportable: “highly transportable and deployable play spaces that are sustainable infrastructure nodes.” In human-speak, that’s a pop-up facility to rent sports gear as well as a safe space for youth to play in. They are designed for tough urban areas, where opportunities to engage youth in a positive experience with sport might be few and far between. When the youth are done, the sportable could pack up and tuck away - or be carted off to the next location. In the end, the sportables competition created some great designs, and brought attention to both Architecture for Humanity, and issues of youth and sport.
Now, how could you use SketchUp? Here’s a couple of ideas…
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Comments
Come on, Channing!
Channing,
I love your posts. You're so active here in the community. Your stuff is great.
But...Sketch Up as a tool for a non-profit? Really?
My comment is -- sure, sketch up could be used by non-profits, but should it be used by non-profits? Perhaps in the future we'll all live in virtual world (that aren't as creapy or over-hyped as second life) and sketch up will be essential to every organization/person, but right now there are so many other things non-profits should do that offer measureable and meaningful value add to their mission.
I'm with you on most everything you've said on netsquared, but I can't go there on this one :)
Best,
Tyson, Founder COUPONGOOD Coupon Codes that Save Money and Change Lives
Sketch Up as a tool for non-profits? Come on, Channing!
You know, Tyson, I couldn't have asked for a more gentlemanly disagreement:) Thanks for posting your stance in such a thoughtful and positive way.
It's definitely important to consider whether a tool like Sketch-Up is helpful for *your* non-profit - clearly it's best when it's used as a way for people who aren't architects to talk about space design. If your organisation is Habitat for Humanity, for example, Sketch Up is a very appropriate tool to connect with your clients (and your donors! But I'm getting ahead of myself). In this context, you and I can agree it's not a creepy tool-choice at all - we aren't architects, but we have ideas about how we think our spaces should look and work, and it's good to help us articulate that. Obviously, the way Project Spectrum is using it is also client-appropriate - kids on the autism range think in pictures but have a tough time articulating what's in their heads to the non-spectrum community.
Now, the fun question is: at what other times in a non-profit do you need to externalize a space you can see in your head? We gave a bunch of ideas in that article - most of them center around using it as part of a visioning process.
I can also see it being used to get people engaged in active change - for example, a SketchUp based contest from an environmental foundation to redesign your city or house as a fantasy green space is a great way to play with ecological concepts you can (should, already do) apply to your real life. And what about protests on SketchUp (showing the city of your future unless your organisation intervenes?)
Whether this is useful or not for your particular work Tyson, I do absolutely agree with you on this: virtual tools are for visioning, but it has to be followed by practical work to realize that vision. Thanks again for the excellent comment and I hope we'll hear from you again! (like, when we do the article convincing everyone to hold their youth walk-in clinics on Second Life! I'm kidding. I think:))