When Politicians "Flood the Zone": A Template for Brainstorming AI Solutions to Information Overload

There has been a tsunami of news since President Donald Trump’s inauguration for his second term. Each day brings a flurry of executive orders, press statements and actions that launch, radically transform or cancel government policies. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is taking a chainsaw to the federal government, slashing programs, laying off thousands of public service workers and reshaping the foundations of civic life. 

So much news is happening every minute of every day that even journalists are having trouble keeping up. The rapid-fire pace of news is part of a strategy aimed at disorienting and overwhelming anyone who tries to keep pace, and where the media itself is considered the “enemy.” The intended result is to generate feelings of fatigue and disengagement among those who challenge such policies, making it difficult to figure out what’s going on.

Journalism is supposed to help citizens sort through the noise, and this is more needed than ever in times like this. And new technologies like generative AI could help create new products that give more personalized context and background for people to process complex information in digestible formats. 

To help  consider what new products to create, Hacks/Hackers prototyped a workshop that could  be offered in any newsroom. We initially ran it with small breakout groups of 3-4 people, and we’re sharing the worksheets here for anyone to use.

Newsroom-ready template for brainstorming AI solutions to information overload

Some newsrooms have created products in response to the flood of news. For example, The Washington Post has an interactive “Trump Tracker” featuring real-time updates organized by topic, while The New York Times has a similar tool that monitors the President’s agenda each day. Vox produces a “Log Off” newsletter based on  the idea that people just want something concise to keep aware of what’s happening.

Workshop Approach: Developing AI-Powered Solutions

Our "Flood the Zone" workshop prototype engaged participants in a structured brainstorming session to design AI solutions for tackling information overload. We designed a fast-paced, collaborative workshop divided into three main exercises, each building on the previous one:

1. Defining Personas: Participants identify different types of news consumers, their habits, challenges, and motivations for staying informed.
2. Problem Definition: Using the "How might we" framework, participants define specific challenges and goals for AI-driven solutions.
3. Solution Design: Teams develop a mini product requirements document outlining key features, user flow, AI capabilities, and ethical considerations.

The workshop provided a focused opportunity to explore how AI can empower individuals to stay informed without succumbing to news fatigue. By filtering out distractions, identifying key trends and personalizing content, AI-driven tools can help rebuild trust in information and encourage meaningful civic engagement. 

Sample Solutions From the Workshop

The workshop generated several thoughtful approaches to using AI to combat information overload:

1. A "Context Bot" - An interactive search tool allowing readers to ask questions about news articles, helping them understand background and context for complex stories.
2. A Personalized News Impact Tracker - A tool that shows users how policy changes specifically affect their local community based on zip code and demographic information.
3. A Conversational News Partner - Described as "ChatGPT meets Siri," this solution would work alongside TV news broadcasts to answer viewers' questions about stories in real-time.
4. A Trust-Building Information Mediator - A neutral tool helping users verify information without the embarrassment of questioning family members or friends who share news with them.

Key Takeaways for Workshop Design

For organizations interested in running similar sessions, here are some elements that made our workshop effective:

1. Tight timeboxing - The 90-minute format with clear time limits for each exercise kept energy high and forced creative thinking.
2. Small breakout groups - Groups of 3-4 participants ensured everyone could contribute meaningfully.
3. Structured worksheets - Our template guided participants while keeping discussions focused on a specific problem.
4. Persona-first approach - Starting with user needs rather than technological capabilities led to more practical, human-centered solutions.
5. Quick share-backs - Brief presentations after each exercise helped groups refine their thinking and learn from others.

With information overload likely to remain a persistent challenge, we hope more organizations will experiment with similar exercises to develop innovative approaches that help citizens stay meaningfully informed.

Download the workshop template here:

TEMPLATE “Flood the Zone” Workshop Worksheets - Hacks/Hackers - March 2025