Michael Adams
What did you explore in your residency?
I set out to build civic tech and then test whether it's as important and valuable as I believe it to be. Governing is a process that spans more than just government, and the entire civic ecosystem lacks the tools necessary to govern well in a complex world. I've been working on this project for a while, so the main task for the Residency was to zoom out and try to understand the bigger picture of where this could go and how I might get there.
GovGraph
A new type of civic tech
Key insights and learnings
I learned a lot about what it takes to bring a project like mine fully into the world. The Residency, and the broader Interact ecosystem, was filled with accomplished builders of all sorts. I accumulated a surprising and incredibly helpful array of operational insights and intuitions. It was just what I needed, right as I needed it - I believe that participating in the Residency meaningfully increased my chances of success.
What's next?
Start a company, fundraise, and make government work better!
Favorite memory from the Residency
There were many individual moments of delight, but perhaps my favorite collection of memories is from our mid-afternoon coffee walks. The weather in the Mission was beautiful throughout the Residency, and I greatly enjoyed taking a short walk with my pals and chatting about our respective projects over a coffee.
How has Interact shaped your relationship to technology?
My experiences during the Residency shaped my perception of the people in technology and the process by which new technologies are brought into the world. It was useful to spend time with people who have successfully walked the path I hope to follow, and it was pleasant because Interact has done a good job at selecting for genuinely good and earnest people.
About Michael
Michael Adams wants self-governing civilization to survive and flourish in the age of complexity. He uses AI to process government data and builds software to make government more legible. An engineer and teacher, he also runs How SF Gov Works, a civics class helping citizens better navigate (and maybe enjoy!) these civic systems.
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