Waters Avenue Revitalization Project Savannah, GA
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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.
Skills :: Ethnography Contextual Research Interviewing Uncovering patterns Photography :: Erin E. Dora
Tools :: AEIOU framework Affinity Diagramming
1. The Situation 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.
2. Approach What was preventing momentum? What needed to be unlocked and set in motion?
Waters Avenue
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. 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 and shared insights. These methods fostered a growing understanding of the area. Only after developing this understanding were we prepared to create research questions. 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.
Familiarize & Observe
Inquire How does Savannah see Waters Avenue? How do outside businesses see Waters Avenue? How do adjacent neighborhoods see Waters Avenue? How do systems outside the community affect the culture? How do people maintain their life-styles? What is a day in the life? What is the connection between people and place? Where do people interact? Where is the community going?
3. Finding Patterns within the Data Focus Teams & Models Our initial research focus was on the areas of daily needs, family, neighborhood, churches, stakeholders, businesses, environment, and education. These categories ultimately evolved into:
Activities
What people are doing in their daily life
Environment Context that users live within
Interaction Connecting with people in the community
Objects Items or artifacts
Users
People involved in Waters Ave.
As part of the Environment and History team we created two separate models derived and developed out of the data collected within the cultural context. Each groups models eventually led to and supported insights developed by the class .
Wall the Wall While in the field we gathered user’s motivations, behaviors, likes, dislikes, frustrations, pain points, and anomalies. After we visualized them though models and we reorganized by affinity diagramming. 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.
4. Insights 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?
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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 commit in the area’s residents?
5. Opportunities/Impact Regaining 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.