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How might we foster an environment within the Midtown community to bring people together due to the effects of gentrification and poverty?
Define
Analysis
After learning about the course material and initial research into case studies (shown in black), we analyzed the collected data within our two areas of focus, which were gentrification and placemaking. The case studies and frameworks from secondary research were placed on a 2X2 matrix with the objective of analyzing them based on their level of feasibility and resilience. Our findings were as follows: Detroit, MI has shown the coexistence of good initiatives and bad consequences; Even organized communities may fail if goals are not established from the beginning (such as Wynwood neighborhood); Frameworks and organizations are a great way to organize and get positive results with a less painful process; Third parties buffer difficulties and add a new point of view.
We identified four ‘buckets’ when extracting insights from secondary research. Knowing the insights fall under these main categories allowed us to look for those aspects in Midtown. For example, we considered what the current physical spaces where people can interact are and how we can help incorporate those interactions in the neighborhood itself. Those conversations led us to structure four Design Principles. A diagram was created to visualize and understand how the frameworks and case studies were positioned within our buckets. The buckets are color coded and related to the Design Principles. That way, we were able to extract the main takeaways from secondary research and apply those learnings in brainstorming for the Midtown case study.
Affinity Mapping
After collecting the data through observations and semi-structured interviews we synthesized our findings. We utilized this process because it allows us to create likeness in the data, converting key findings into insights by creating clusters. It works as a bridge to analysis through its four phases differenced by the color of the sticky note which are as follows: Yellow- represented each key finding/data point from primary research; Blue- written in the voice of the user, each blue sticky note clusters a coherent set of data points that represent a statement or direction; Pink- also done in first person as the voice of the user, these clusters group the blue stickies and place them under one common theme; Green- summarizes the pink clusters and generates the final insights.
Insights
Discover
Problem Statement
Midtown in Savannah, Georgia is currently facing gentrification. Few effects of gentrification can be seen as lack of interaction between community members and level of acceptance of new members coming into the community to live.
Opportunity Statement
By fostering a more well-connected, friendly and resilient community in the midtown neighborhoods of Savannah, Georgia, there is an opportunity to encourage community members to not just overcome emerging urban complexities such as gentrification and poverty, but to also thrive in the face of them.
POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE
25.8%
MALE
1,313
FEMALE
1,412
FAMILY HOUSEHOLD
31.8%
MARRIED COUPLE HOUSEHOLDS
22%
MARRIED FAMILIES + CHILDREN
22.4%
SINGLE
MOTHER
HOUSEHOLDS
21.9%
Research
In the Discovery phase, our initial research included case studies, frameworks, and community outreach. This was followed by primary research methods including: observations- conducted through POEMS (People, Objects, Environment, Messages, Services); interviews- 17 individuals participated including Midtown residents and neighbors, City government, Local Businesses, Non-profits, and Cosmic Explorers; and deep community engagement which included attending weekly community meetings, participating in Monday Means Community (local event), and forming local partnerships.
Midtown
Sustainists
Play together! Learn together! Work together! The principles that guide the process of design can be used for something more than just the creation of products and services. Design can enable the long-term growth of societies by solving human-centric problems through a rejuvenation of social bonds. Designed as part of a 10-week Design Management course, Sustainable Practices in Design, we worked with the Midtown, Savannah community in creating a resiliency toolkit- a guide on how community members may further implement and grow solutions toward combating future gentrification. As designers, we acted as a catalyst that aids in the development of a more resilient community and built on what already existed, amplifying the best of what was already underway. Through participatory design, other solutions were: Neighborhood Pop-Up Park, Neighborhood Cleanups, and Community Voices.
TEAM: Alex Fogleman, Ashwini Iyer, Charithra Sathyanarayanan, Cristina Morejon, Hiba Abbas, Isabel Pena, Luisa Solano, Natalya Amirova, Neha Tadepalli, Slesha Dahake, Stephen Langford, Varun Prabhu
TIMELINE: March - May 2018
FIELDS: Contextual Research, Design Management, Participatory Design, Placemaking, Tactile Urbanism
Process
Our process followed a common design thinking framework- the Double Diamond. The design process of creating a solution for a problem can be chaotic at times, the Double Diamond helps guide us to define adaptive plans that respond well to new information and helped us work together to achieve real outcomes with the Midtown community.
The first phase of the Double Diamond included the discover and define phases in which our opportunity statement, secondary & primary research, analysis and defining our spaces for concept development has taken place. This phase helped us arrive at concept development through thorough research (both secondary and primary; applying various methods like observations, case studies, ethnographic interviews, etc.) to understand the Midtown community in Savannah. We developed insights from the research through the process of affinitization which helped us focus our concept ideation phase.
The second phase of the Double Diamond consisted of develop and deliver, which focused on developing our final concepts after multiple feedback sessions from stakeholders and the re-iteration of the concepts to deliver for the Midtown community through planning, prototyping and the implementation of our concepts.
Develop
Ideation
Based on the observation and the affinitization process, we had a number of interesting concepts in mind. To limit these ideas, we went through different stages after the analysis. We started with Crazy 8s- a core sprint method and fast sketching exercise that challenges people to sketch 8 ideas in 8 minutes The goal is to generate a wide variety of solutions that challenge our ideations. We took our affinitization insights, 67 clusters in total, and came up with three concepts for each. After generating hundreds of great ideas, we started clustering commonalities between them and themed them into categories to vote, depending on:
How is it related to midtown and the insight the team has?
How and to when extend its going to affect the community?
Can it be prototyped with our time limitations?
Stakeholder Engagement
In day one we invited different players of Midtown and started to share our results of secondary, primary research and introduced our final concept for the guests to vote so we can take them to the next stage. Our audience/ guests voted for media tool, neighborhood clean ups and board voices with arts and canvases boards. As some of their feedback to support our ideas were:
“We want to have good sidewalks, but not in front of my house”
“Not only physical displacement, but also cultural innovation”
"There are two business centers in Midtown already but you could bring all these existing incubators to work together"
“Scavenger hunt for community voices (group these two ideas together)”
"Learn together is a great concept"
“If people don’t get comfortable using the tools you give them they could start feeling monetized and getting taken advantage of"
In day two the attendee’s experienced our ideations locally with the community at the green house in midtown that was really important for us to show them the reality of the experience, one of the things happened there, that same people who attended the first presentation changed their voting after this experience. Our audience/ guests voted for pop-up park, neighborhood clean ups and community voices board. As some of their feedback to support our ideas were:
“There are not many opportunities for business entrepreneurs”
“Midtown’s history is rich... How to bring generations together?”
“Engaging adult’s scavenger hunt?”
We consolidated the votes casted by the community members for various concepts. The top 3 concepts with the highest ranking were picked for the next stage of refinement- Community Voices, Neighborhood Cleanups, and a Pop-Up Park. The concepts were further defined based on their feasibility and practicality. The whole team was split into 3 sub-teams and each sub-team picked a concept and worked towards its implementation. When we worked towards its implementation, we reached out to people who would be able to help us further while it was in its development stage. We then wanted to test the concepts, which were developed. Thus, we planned to implement two of our concepts (community voices and pop-up park) with a Block Party event which was organized by the new association members of the Midtown community.
Deliver
Execution
Play together! Learn together! Work together! A pop-up park allows community members from across Midtown to come together in a place of relaxation and recreation. It allows the community to engage with one another in a positive mindset, encourage individuals to express themselves, build a stronger sense of trust and interconnectedness, and lastly improve Midtown security. Toolkits were also delivered to community members as well as other stakeholders, including local government and organizations. The toolkit serves as a guide for the key stakeholders of Midtown, allowing them to implement their solutions step-by-step in the future. All of our efforts were to contribute in accelerating trust amongst the community as well as with the city.
Deliverable
Play together! Learn together! Work together! A pop-up park allows community members from across Midtown to come together in a place of relaxation and recreation.
It allows the community to engage with one another in a positive mindset, encourage individuals to express themselves, build a stronger sense of trust and interconnectedness, and lastly improve Midtown security.
Toolkits were also delivered to community members as well as other stakeholders, including local government and organizations. The toolkit serves as a guide for the key stakeholders of Midtown, allowing them to implement their solutions step-by-step in the future. All of our efforts were to contribute in accelerating trust amongst the community as well as with the city.
View our Toolkit