24. Organize a fair maker-market application process

The brief

Design the operating process for a fictional neighborhood maker market with 60 tables and 120 applications. Organizers need a consistent way to review applications, offer places and handle cancellations. Use a checklist, table or written workflow; a new software system is optional.

• Two coordinators have 18 combined hours over three weeks for reviewing, contacting applicants and preparing the final list.
• Some applications are incomplete or duplicated; applicants can reply by email or phone.
• Selection must follow published event-fit criteria. A declined offer frees a table, and late cancellations currently disappear into personal inboxes.

Constraints

Coordinator time≤ 18 staff-hours

Declare the total coordinator-hours required; include follow-up and cancellation handling.

Table capacity≤ 60 tables

Declare the maximum number of simultaneously confirmed table offers.

Consistent selection

Use event-fit criteria published before review; do not rely on personal connections or unrelated personal characteristics.

Decision trail

Maintain a minimal record of status, decision reason and next owner without publishing private contact details.

What to cover

1. 01

   Statuses and ownership

   Define intake, duplicate checking, incomplete follow-up, review, offer, confirmation and waitlist handoffs.

2. 02

   Work plan

   Estimate time per activity and reserve some capacity for exceptions; explain what to simplify if the estimate exceeds 18 hours.

3. 03

   Exception walkthrough

   Trace a duplicate application, an offer with no reply and a cancellation after the final list is sent.

4. 04

   Quality and communication

   Give a sample applicant update, a decision-check method and a signal that the process needs intervention.

Worked designs

No worked design has been published for this brief yet. You can start an attempt and share your approach in the discussion.

Review rubric

AI feedback uses these criteria. Scores are practice feedback.