In 2015, thoughtbot Denver launched Cultivate Colorado: a competition granting a local organization the opportunity to partner with us pro-bono to design and build a product dedicated to solving a social or environmental issue. Cultivate Colorado was thoughtbot’s way of expressing gratitude to our community, and an opportunity for us to use our skills to help further a cause defined by a local organization doing good work in our community and beyond.
After reviewing over 40 applications from organizations around the state seeking an opportunity to build something that would make a difference in our community, thoughtbot partnered with Colorado Open Lands to launch Conserved Colorado: an online directory for goods and services offered by Colorado conserved land owners direct to consumers.
Thanks to a wealth of information that Colorado Open Lands had collected over the years, and with input from several conserved land owners themselves, the resulting directory is now one of the most accessible methods of learning about and obtaining local goods and services from ranchers, farmers, and conserved land owners all across the state.
The Process
At the outset of the project, thoughtbot worked closely with Colorado Open Lands to conduct a Product Design Sprint in an effort to clearly define the problem that Conserved Colorado would aim to solve: eliminating any barriers between mindful consumers and the goods and services that conserved land owners in Colorado provide.
In addition, interviews with consumers and conserved land owners themselves proved to be a key part of the process early on, providing us with invaluable insight into their needs and concerns. This insight allowed us to create an accessible and useful platform for both land owners and consumers alike.
Conserved Colorado, the resulting online directory, serves a dual purpose: to provide information about the goods and services that conserved land owners offer direct to consumers, and to educate the larger audience about the importance of conserved land in the state and beyond. Throughout the project, thoughtbot was gifted with several opportunities to witness first-hand the impact of Colorado Open Lands’ and conserved land owners’ work, and the bountiful relationship they aim to foster with mindful consumers in our community. We’re proud and happy to have had a hand in furthering the work of Colorado Open Lands in partnership with conserved land owners across our beautiful state.
