Erin E. Dora: An Example of Work

Let’s talk about Design.

Examples of work: Erin E. Dora

I have had some amazing opportunities as an Interior Designer, as well as a respectable amount of responsibility.... but something was always missing. I found myself asking a perpetual series of questions, mainly starting with ‘why?’.

Why are we designing this way? What’s the meaning? What are the grounds for this concept? Is this really what the user needs? Where is the evidence?

To find these answers I sought out a graduate degree in Interior Design. I took courses to enhance my understanding of theory, cultural philosophy, and the behavioral sciences. These directions have greatly added to but have not fully completed the void I felt. I then decided to pursue a degree in Design Management. Upon my first class I instantly began to breathe easier as a designer, for I felt, here now are the tools to guide my designs with evidence and conviction. Through this degree I have been introduced to

Ethnography, Service Design, User Experience Design, Design for Sustainability, Brand Innovation, and Design Strategy. harness complex problems, expand the context, re-frame the problem, and explore ulterior angles in the search to redefine and solve through design.

Design Management has also offered me ways to

I am still very passionate about architecture and design. My passion is what did the pushing. It’s what has led me to explore, seek out, stretch, and diversify. I now approach solutions from a different angle, from a different viewpoint, one that helps to evaluate in meaninful and insightful ways, informing decision making, and by answering my above questions, giving directed permission to go forward, and design.

Seeking: Where I can:

An internship in User Research or Design Strategy Work in a collaborative culture within a group of professionals from a range of disciplines.

Learn from methodologies that will guide designs with evidence and conviction.

Experience bringing the intangibles of brand, corporate identity, and user needs into a tangible, built environment.

Be involved and contribute to innovation and creativity in real time where I will internalize and qualify my education.

Work in an environment that values my same belief in searching for the appropriate questions, to find the appropriate problems, for the appropriate solutions.

Internship Odell Associates Dallas, Texas

Internship Diversified Design Baton Rouge, LA

Junior Designer HKS Inc. Dallas, Texas

Dallas, Texas

Internship HKS Inc. Dallas, Texas Louisiana State University Bachelor of Interior Design May 2005

2000

2001

Italy Study Abroad Summer 2003

2002

2003

Contract Designer Plan_B Dallas, Texas

2004

2005

2006

Travel!

You Are Here.

Future!

Argentina Internship!

Savannah College of Art and Design M.A. Candidate Interior Design M.A. Candidate Design Management

Hawaii “There’s got to be more than this boat I’m in.”

2007

University of Colorado at Denver (UCD) School of Architecture and Planning

Denver Service Industry and art scene

2008

2009

2010

“We often think that when we have completed our study of one we know all about two because two is one and one.

We forget that we still have to make a study of ‘and’ “.

- A. Eddington

2011

2012

2013

Let’s talk about Design.

In the past two years of my duel-masters pursuit in Design Management and Interior Design, I have been involved with many projects that pertain to human centered design thinking

and contextual research.

This is a small sampling of my graduate work.

1]

Ethnographic Revitalization

2]

Reframing the Drive-Thru (coming soon)

3]

Semiotics in Interiors

“No design can exist in isolation. It is always related, sometimes in very complex ways to an entire constellation of influencing situations and attitudes.�

- George Nelson

An Ethnographic Revitalization Inspired by the city of Savannah’s efforts to revitalize the Waters Avenue corridor and the seeds of change already present in the community, our class was uniquely positioned to undertake this project. As the first group to enter the project using ethnographic methods, we sought to bring fresh perspective to efforts already underway on Waters, through a grounded understanding of the multifaceted elements of the community.

A primary motivation for our research was the hope that our findings would be passed on to additional parties who would then contribute to and complete the synthesis and design phases. A secondary motivation for our research was the opportunity to present our findings at the Ethos Conference in April 2012.

1. What’s the key?

2. Dive In

Although there were already internal efforts within the community and exterior efforts from the city, the Revitalization project was not noticeably progressing. Despite the interests involved the initiative was frustratingly chained back from forward movement. What was preventing the momentum? What needed to be unlocked and set in motion?

We began this project by performing intensive secondary research and practicing methods of community observation.

During the first two weeks we gained an understanding of what had been published, discussed, and documented prior to our involvement. Concurrently, we visited a variety of sites around Savannah for specified time periods to practice and build our skills as ethnographic researchers. In meeting sessions between our observations and research, we refined the project’s scope and research categories.

3. Familiarize (dive deeper) Waters Avenue

In order to develop a set of research questions that holistically defined our scope, we first familiarized ourselves with the culture of Waters Avenue. We compiled secondary research, observed the area, performed interviews with Waters Avenue residents and business owners, and collected data This data was then organized onto secions of wall or “buckets” and the class shared interesting findings as we went. These methods fostered a growing understanding of the area. Only after developing this understanding were we prepared to create research questions.

4. Ask Away Research Prompts: What do we need to know? What are we looking for? What information is important to our project? What questions do we need to ask in order to holistically understand the area?

After deriving an initial set of questions in small groups, we met and assessed all of the resulting questions. More brainstorming ensued and we were left with one holistic, in-depth set of research questions to guide the project.

What is the ideal situation for the community?

How do adjacent neighborhoods see Waters Avenue?

What is a day in the life?

How do outside businesses see Waters Avenue?

Where do people interact?

How does Savannah see Waters Avenue?

What is the connection between people and place?

Where is the community going?

How do people maintain their life-styles?

How do systems outside the community affect the culture?

7. Finding the Keys.

After writing our individual project insight papers we compiled and converged all that emerged from our 10 weeks of intense research and data-filled walls into four major class “Insights” and related “How might we’s?”

1. The Community is neglected, frustrated, and burned out.

How might we: Instill faith and inspiration back into the skeptic, the disheartened, and exhausted? Rekindle and focus the energy of committed long time residents?

2. Accountability does not exist.

How might we: Break down the walls between government and constituents? Make the priorities of the community a priority in government? Break down the perception of Waters Avenue into measurable goals?

3. There are disconnects.

How might we: Deconstruct preconceive notions preventing unification? Break down the barriers preventing holistic community action? Create a platform for discussion with a shared language and interest?

4. The positives are not being celebrated.

How might we: Amplify successes instead of focusing on problems?

Instigate future change by utilizing present structure? Change the meaning of Waters Avenue? Foster pride and commited in the area’s residents?

Waters Avenue

5. F

Our ini daily n stakeho and ed evolved

Ac

Wh

Int

Co

6. Walk the Wall While in the field we gathered user’s motivations, behaviors, likes, dislikes, frustrations, pain points, and anomalies.

After we visualized them though group models and we reorganized by affinity diagramming, the real magic started to happen. Breakdowns and patterns emerged when we “walked the wall” and insights into their community and outside systems came to the surface and “spoke” to us.

En

Co

Ob

Item

Us

Peo

As part we crea develo the cu eventu develo

(Re)gaining Momentum Success was measured by communicating our findings to stakeholders across multiple disciplines. We held presentations helping two specific stakeholders, the community members of Waters Avenue and the City of Savannah officials, to understand a systematic problem of pain points as well as positive areas to lift up and highlight. We brought different viewpoints to the project but the highest measure of success was in connecting the community itself and handing off the tools in which they together can push Waters Avenue forward.

Focusing In

itial research focus was on the areas of needs, family, neighborhood, churches, olders, businesses, environment, ducation. These categories ultimately d into:

ctivities

The Environment of Waters Ave

neighborhood business illicit, illegal environment

onnecting with people in the community

ex

ontext that users live within

po

sel

ge

r sy

easily accessible

there is really nothing there. my friends all moved away for better school systems, safer neighborhoods, less threats I see 3x the

garbage on Waters than here [side sts.]

capitalism

takeout restaurant

backyard gardens

exposelar

and it [garbage] will just sit there

non-evaluative statements about the infrastructure or nature of the environment

physical representations of care

public-facing indicators of upkeep or effort, e.g., mown grass, flower pots, cracked house paint

sentiments

evaluative statements that may or may not have a basis in fact that represent the hopes or opinionsof an individual

$190k house

landlords may not be maintaining their property section 8’ers don’t really care about the home you can tell there is improvement by the facades. you can tell when a house has boards on the windows, or broken windows, or no windows at all

all the streets around waters ave have the real big houses. and you can see the development coming through the bricks and mortar here. street by street by street. are everything architecturally speaking, fort knox because you can get everything from we’ve got a wall mission, victorian, all kinds of & a barricade different, shotgun, i meanjust go down, zigzag quality old houses any direction nice buildings won’t necessarily help. they’ll be depleted in a few years anyways

broken windows

abandoned and neglected buildings

preservation...every single structure you will...understand what and how they meant to somebody. they’ll tell you. she cried, she couldn’t walk

gang house dilapidated homes vacant houses is just an invitation for squatters...but if it’s vacant & it looks like nobody really cares, then yeah, it could be a problem

find someone decent to rent to? won’t get as much money

historic district approved house colors

ity

facts

mayor johnson owned the house, its an empty lot now

you just passed a crack house

or

manifest authority

physical manifestations of authority being exercised or neglected, e.g., a street light bulb being blown and not replaced

improved the appearance of the area We had an effect on the color pallate, yeah. A lot of trees out front & kind of landscaping

th

tangible and intangible representations of systems, like capitalism, that are outside the control of the area

in my view, the impetus to waters ave is that shopping centers...there are grocery stores...other stake holders that would come to the table

plants on the street

au

expose larger systems

and people don’t care

need more little parks... where you can eat, enjoy

waters avenue

systems

green spaces

public or private green space- e.g., parks

rity tho tau ifes manthe garbage is everywhere...

y manifestauthorit subconsciously

e st

buildings; either homes or business

s

nif

home&away

big huge ugly, ugly planters = garbage cans

gersystem

ma

common structures public spaces and buildings

ms st e r sy ge [if] Waters Ave ar was more attractive it would probably entice selpeople o to come with p ex more ideas

place for young people

exposelarger

neighborhood business

businesses as physical structures or ideas

I’m always amazed by the juxtaposition of beauty and blight

rose plants older than all of us

green truck [restaurant] doing a million dollars a year

everybody needs to go one block, clean, then the next

people don’t have what they need burned house not demolished‘this is savannah: save it all!’ no regular street sweeping compared to downtown and ardsley park if a lightbulb goes out on Jones St., they’re there in 2 seconds. In here, three years if they put a street light on. And three shootings recycling not picked under that street light up in 3 weeks 2nd, 3rd & 4th teir neighborhoods...don’t get the same attention as Jones & cans & bottles Charlton streets. we don’t get the on the road same trashcans or lights

glossary

I’m going on my 4th year of owning the restaurant

Bars and Bars and Bars

ms

ople involved in Waters Ave.

their chicken is so good. oh my god. it’s like a black woman is in the kitchen, but she’s not.

st e

structures common

ms or artifacts

sers

no services. no nothing.

business- [rosette’s lounge], but school philosophy is that I would never everybody going to college. it can’t be waters ave doesn’t that’s not true. have anything to zero tolerance for attract businesses here demolition = such potential loss of character reminded us of new york neighborhoods I’ve been on the eastside for life I see beautiful things and other people are like, no area known not ideal locationfor crime depressed neighborhood and residential

spaces green

ar

bjects

savannah:

So we were kind of hesitant on leavif you walk in the door “they backwards” ing. However, we still had the option you have a purpose for without waters avenue, of trying to find other places. So the being here the word slum comes to other places we found didn’t have mind...it’s not right...the adequate privacy- the building businesses need to be was terrible, and the rent might more attractive, have a people that live here don’t deserve it have been too high, so we defacelift & people will want it’s not a cided to hold out as long as pos- to come to waters ave legitimate my mom goes in there sible

37th st. was centrally located there ain’t no white people breaking their geographically to the necks to come to savannah metro waters ave well, this is waters ave New York is too fast. white flight issue business owners forced Chicago is too cold. the building was terrible to finance revitalization and the rent might have been Savannah is just right. if you feel afraid, then too high, so we decided to hold you’ll be afraid. but deconstruction it all depends out as long as possible barber shops of a city to talk for hours current geographical regenerate jobs The section from Victory Drive, sustainability and preservation are system is isolating widen the street you know, all the way down to one...reconstruct the neighborhoods. make more room Henry & Anderson St. has such that’s why this is a community potential...if you go up north of Victory, just the opposite direction, there are a evolution of an area couple of commercial buildings that waters ave was a have great spaces. victim of integration work not on the deconstruction & other side of the universe drug reconstruction community changed activity from having a lot of zoning = killer of sustainability & mixed use bars & clubs around

nvironment

t of the Environment and History team eated two separate models derived and oped out of the data collected within ultural context. Each groups models ually led to and supported insights oped by the class .

clubs moved outbusinesses having a hard time succeeding in their place

private white schools don’t want government to get involved, somehow causing increasing racial imbalance

former black community lost to malls & newly integrated areas

rity

teraction

manifestautho

hat people are doing in their daily life

we had big houses. and that’s what drew people. and that’s the same thing about waters ave corridor ...2/3 story houses...you can develop into very good properties

we selected this property fining home owners whose for several reasons, one is houses don’t meet code the...price was right which is obviously the bottom line for anyone looking for a property, and it offered us the ability to do what we wanted with the property because the property was condemned at that time

home& away

legend

FACTS PHYSICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CARE SENTIMENTS

Individual voices, together, told the whole story.

Individual people together, can make sure that it is heard.

Semiotics in Interiors

“Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it, too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.�

- Diane Sawyer

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Erin E. Dora cell email web

469.955.3939 erin.e.dora@gmail.com http://issuu.com/erindora/docs/exampleofwork

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