Melody Kramer




Improving Marriage Slightly

02 May 2015




Yesterday A and I went to the DC Courthouse to get our marriage license because we’re getting married in July. The process took an hour and involved a lot of waiting.

While we were waiting, I did some thinking.

Getting married is probably one of the happiest reasons to enter a courthouse. (The others, I think, are adoption and citizenship.)

In the waiting area, what if the city of DC provided:

  1. voter registration forms

  2. information about tax benefits for first-time homebuyers

  3. reminders to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

  4. information about other city services

  5. the ability to user-test new city websites (related: better jury duty ideas.)

  6. information about obtaining a library card and services the library offers people

The city has SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY to connect with people who are visiting the courthouse a) by choice and b) for a really happy reason! It’s a time when other information can also be disseminated.

What would you design for a marriage license waiting area?


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