Non-Moving Violations: Advancing Equity among Low-Income, Minority Chicago Residents

The problem: compounding debit among the approximately 500,000 Chicagoans with unpaid tickets for non-moving violations and unpaid city stickers. A team of ID students found that many tickets are due to people forgetting about the tickets or not knowing the rules. Providing Chicagoans with easily digestible information — offering personalized suggestions, step-by-step navigation, and assistance with next steps — enables them to avoid penalties and future infractions either through digital tools or, for those who don’t have a cell phone, the option to address parking tickets at city gas stations. Part of a Fall 2019 Service Systems Workshop led by ID visiting industry professor Mark Jones, the project took place in partnership with the Office of the Chicago City Clerk, Anna M. Valencia, and was recognized as a finalist in the 2020 Fast Company Students Category of the Innovation by Design awards. Student team: Grace Hanford, Wanshan Wu, Janine Zhong.