The CUTGroup is a community of over 1,000 residents in Chicago and all of Cook County who get paid to test websites and apps to help create better technology. In Chicago, we have reached people from all over the city– all 50 wards, all 77 community areas. We continue to do outreach in Cook County to grow our diverse group of testers.
The premise is simple:
- Fill out a CUTGroup profile and sign up to be a tester, and we’ll send you a $5 VISA gift card
- If and when you are chosen for a test, you get paid a $20 VISA gift card
This is a flagship Smart Chicago program to establish sustained, meaningful collaboration with residents around data and technology.
The CUTGroup has generated lots of interest from other people interested in civic innovation across the country. Colleagues in Oakland and Chattanooga have started CUTGroup programs there. We wanted to write down our processes so that others could learn from our experiences. Once we did that, we realized we had a book, so we put it here. Download the book for free or pre-order a copy at Amazon.
The CUTGroup is supported by The Chicago Community Trust, the MacArthur Foundation, and now, the Knight Foundation.