art 481
Discussing the Methods of Communication in the Ballard Neighborhood
designer
erin m. murphy year
autumn 2012
ďŹ nal documentation
DESIGNING FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
research methods
art 481
research methods
page 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3...........Ballard and the Top Down Effect:
AUDIENCE
METHODOLOGY FINDINGS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSIONS
A Glimpse into the Inspiration 4...........Design Research Question 5...........Purpose: So What? 6...........Related Work 7-18........Research Methods 19-25.......Distilling the Conversation 26-30.......Discussion 33..........Appendix 34-47.......Transcriptions
PURPOSE art 481
research methods
page 3
INSPIRATION Urban development and planning techniques within recent years have made a significant transition from the sole creators of an environment to a role more central to a facilitator, informing design decisions based on priorities, feedback, and opinions of the public. Implementing structured methods through which participatory design is made possible is a central challenge within the field. How planners and designers evolve the most important social systems such as health care, urban structure, sustainability, and poverty relies in the interconnectedness of our information society and engagement of people.
Hence we also need to design processes that allow us to develop new patterns, understand new systems, and help new ideas scale to the point where they have impact. The inspiration for this research came from this interest in facilitating participatory design in a manner conducive to the neighborhood of Ballard. Engagement of the community on a level that allows ideas and opinions to spread means a design solution would be capable of interpreting the data from the people. With this notion, implementation of any facilitator of participatory design must be cognizant of the techniques through which a neighborhood communicates. The intent of this research is to understanding these methods of communication, what inspires people to speak out, and how such data could initiate better design and urban spaces.
DESIGN RESEARCH QUESTION art 481
research methods
page 4
RESEARCH QUESTION
How do Ballard residents express their opinions regarding neighborhood development? The goal of this research serves to understand implications for participatory design. Ideally it can help define the motivations of a community, and establish how a better dialogue with residents could direct new spaces for urban development and neighborhood planners.
PURPOSE art 481
research methods
page 5
WHY BALLARD? The neighborhood of Ballard recently experienced a 173% increase in population since 2009. It’s now standing at 37,021 people as of the latest poll for the year 2012. This number is expected to increase dramatically over the next year. Concerns are now surfacing on the overbuilding process that is taking the place of older restaurant structures, and vacant Ballard craftsmen spaces. With more residential apartments and condos filling in, the city will grow in number and diversity.
Ballard not only attracts residents with newly developed and available living arrangements. It maintains a distinct neighborhood vibe of cultural durability and community engagement. It strives to preserve it’s historical Scandinavian heritage via museums and art galleries, supports local business, and maintains a safe environment. It’s apparent that the planners of the neighborhood are maintaining a good rapport with residents, thus conducive to documenting and understanding the modes of communication.
research methods
BOTTOM UP URBANISM
RESPONSIBLE SOCIAL MEDIA
‘Bottom Up’ Public Intervention International Architecture Festival / eme3
Instead of simply donating as a form of community engagement, the NWF, Catchafire (professional chefs promoting causes to aid hunger efforts), InvisiblePeople.tv, Mom Bloggers for Social Good, and many other forms of social media are transcending the current trends and uses of social media. Using the web presence, blogosphere, and social networks as forms of marketing hardly motivates the individual to contribute time over money. These sites create a precedence for tactful social media practices where the story of a cause is articulated, and resources for the individual are available to guide projects within their area.
The project is studying and debating about the creation that comes from the grassroots, with initiatives generated through the civil society, fruit of the collaboration between different stakeholders. Enhancing the knowledge of the own neighborhood and strengthening links that facilitate citizen’s self-management. Neighborhood Matching Programs Seattle, WA Since the space of the matching program allows for funding and cooperation from the city, residents have a sort of freedom. These projects not only spur participatory design events, they also reflect what people want to see in their community. A matching program’s purpose within the urban fabric is not just to support community incentive; it can also be a tool for reflecting a neighborhood’s goals and values.
NextDoor.com Seattle, WA Nextdoor is a private social network for neighborhoods to market, advertise, and circulate tips and info. A few NextDoor platforms have been established and updated throughout the greater areas of Seattle, but Ballard’s NextDoor site, MyBallard, is the most updated and visited.
page 6
RELATED WORK art 481
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
page 7
METHODOLOGY 1_ Observational Walking Tours 2_ Documenting the Tools 3_ Personal Interviews
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
OBSERVING THE COMMUNITY page 8
1_ Observational Walking Tours
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
OBSERVING THE COMMUNITY page 9
1_ Observational Walking Tours
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
OBSERVATION FINDINGS Signage Everywhere They had bulletin boards, sandwich boards, and posters everywhere. To what extent people were using these forms of signage is subject for debate, it almost seemed more like the advertisements and concert poster ridden telephone poles dissolved into the aesthetic rather than called out important information.
page 10
1_
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
OBSERVATION FINDINGS Old Timey where Old Timey Never Was A marketing technique of many local Ballard business owners is the “old timey” aesthetic. The reuse of vacant business spaces for modern cafes and shops has been a recognizable success within the community, but incidentally the newer structures are less likely to be purchased with the absence of this old time flavor. Though the intention of preserving the Old Ballard culture suggests a community-wide push to preserve their older generation’s culture, it was reported by older Ballard residents that the newer buildings are now trying to just duplicate the aesthetic of these memorialized structures on newer buildings.
page 11
2_
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
OBSERVATION FINDINGS Permeation into Stores The diversity in store fronts and advertisement of merchandise meant a consistent flow of people into the local businesses. There was a significant distinction between the Old Ballard structures and New Ballard structures; the Old Ballard section felt more like a novelty rather than a practical location for local business.
page 12
3_
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
OBSERVATION FINDINGS Dogs. Everywhere. People were constantly leashed to a dog. The dog owners appeared to be the most friendly, and were more likely to start conversations than most other individuals.
page 13
4_
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
OBSERVATION FINDINGS Vacancy meets Suburban Lot of free space in Ballard. While stores and businesses close, the major suburban neighborhoods continue to fill up with people indicating that the surge of population growth in Ballard is due in part to its neighborhood setting and less to do on its industry.
page 14
5_
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
page 15
OBSERVATIONAL FINDINGS This qualitative observational research helped confirm but also question the descriptions of the Ballard neighborhood. While it was evident that Ballard was a bustling, walkable neighborhood with a rich local market and activity, it was also weathered, inundated with advertising, and torn between progressing a new identity and/or preserving an outdated, possibly inaccurate, past.
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
METHODOLOGY Documenting the Tools
page 16
2_
Community Centers Activities, after School programs, Support groups, clubs, and district councils, etc.
Neighborhood Service Center Activist events, district councils, neighborhood coordination, city lights drop off, hub for community based information.
Sandwich Boards Advertising for local business and restaurants, as well as cafes.
Bulletin Boards Advertising community events, local business promotions, business cards, and postering.
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
METHODOLOGY Documenting the Tools
page 17
2_
Telephone Polls Concert venues, propoganda, personal stickering.
Ballard News Tribune Local news and activities for the Ballard community.
MyBallard.com Updated blog and forum site for the local Ballard residents. An extension of NextDoor.com
District Councils Events organized by the city government used to circulate information on city development and collect resident opinion.
METHODOLOGY art 481
research methods
Interviewing Residents Process
total interviewed: 7
Diagram of Interviewed
City Planners Activists Residents
city planning: 1 activists: 2 residents: 4
* There were a significant number of individuals interested in this project and that I also had an opportunity to talk with, but for the sake of interviewing, I distilled the discussion to seven main people.
Selecting People to Interview Urban Planner / Neighborhood Coordinator An interview with a neighborhood coordinator enabled a close look into the relationship maintained between designer and community. The discussion would ideally reveal the amount of input planners were interested in receiving from residents and perhaps how they would initiate this conversation. Resident Activist Resident Activists maintain a dynamic role within the neighborhood of Ballard. They both live and interact with the additions provided by city planning and converse with others in similar positions; however, yet also inform local movements in developments in the area with their activism. A discussion with an activist enabled further examination of how much of a say residents actually have with the local government: do planners seek opinions, yet rarely implement them? Furthermore, their input would reveal how they incur support from individuals in the community, what tools they use to circulate information, and how residents often respond. Resident of Ballard An interview with a Resident would help gage how interested the community was in actually partaking in the development of their community.
page 18
3_
INTERVIEWING art 481
research methods
page 19
INTERVIEWING: FOCUS QUESTIONS With the growing number of people and apparent dialogue among community members and planners, the intent of the research identifies the tools and methods of communication utilized by residents. 1_ What encourages individuals to speak out? 2_ What are they talking about? 3_ What tools do they use to generate interest with their audience?
INTERVIEWING art 481
37,021
Ballard Residents
700
Ballard Residents on District Council Listserve
52
Ballard Residents attend the District Council
District Council Reg _White _Male _Homeowners _Middle class
INTERVIEWING: CITY PLANNING / NEIGHBORHOOD COORDINATOR page 20
Numbers of the Disengaged
research methods
+40 year residency in Ballard Family, homeowner Method of Communication
_District Council Meetings _Networking with Stakeholders
Concern for Community
Disengaged population; with low income housing, newcomers to Ballard. Wants to know how to get those individuals engaged. He doesn’t want people to feel demoralized who suddenly realize they’re in the middle of a development initiative and are being displaced from their living arrangements. Engagement How can participation be encouraged? Distribution of Information Relying on others to communicate the importance of a recent community activity. Visibility Too often people don’t know who’s making the big decisions. Activating a significant presence in the community has the potential to combat this.
Quotes from Interview
“The real concern is for the great unwashed-- the disengaged.” (2) “The people who are talking are the people whose opinions count for a small percentage of Ballard.” (56) “The councils are meant to be a vehicle to gain public interest and to communicate an interest in the public.” (23)
INTERVIEWING art 481
research methods
INTERVIEWING: RESIDENT ACTIVIST
Method of Communication
Resident Perspectives
_Signage throughout community _Networking with neighbors
Mention of Neighbors
Never
Best Friends
Gentrification
Negative Change
Positive Change
Local Government
Not Involved
Tools for Communitcation Neighborhood Network MyBallard.com Signage in Community Bulletin Boards Block Parties Community Centers Churches
Very Involved
Concern for Community
City planning and the individuals in the local government are more concerned with advertising Ballard’s pleasant character and condo market. They’re concerned that the deeper issues of the community are not being acknowledged and thus need to be brought to the attention of planning for action. Underrepresented Her perspective in the community could help articulate which areas of development need actual improvement in a way that the individuals of the affected area never could. Conceptualization of Problems She doesn’t entirely believe planers are intentionally overlooking these issues, they just lack exposure and lack the experience of the planning repercussions.
Quotes from Interview
“I’m working with people face to face, learning their stories, and spreading information.” (5) “Planners and coordinators are missing the issues in the neighborhood from their view.” (110) “Emails, print, fliers, councils... so I exhaust every method to notify all demographics” (71)
page 21
ACTIVIST #1: District Council Member, +10 residency, family + home
INTERVIEWING art 481
INTERVIEWING: RESIDENT ACTIVIST
Resident Perspectives
Best Friends
Gentrification
Negative Change
Method of Communication
_Signage throughout community _Cold calls to network
Positive Change
Concern for Community Local Government
Not Involved
Tools for Communitcation Neighborhood Network MyBallard.com Signage in Community Bulletin Boards Block Parties Community Centers Churches
Very Involved
Since the city is so big, people feel disengaged because no one ever approaches them on the subject matter of their opinions. There is no visibility of figures within the community who can help or how an individual might voice a concern, so people opt to not care. Self-Managed She moved to Ballard and just got involved. People who want to make a difference are very well receptive in the eyes of community leaders. Personal Interaction She operates on a personal, face to face level. In a city like Ballard where there is almost too much minutia in advertising, it might one of the best forms of communications that intimates a value in the other person’s perspective.
page 22
ACTIVIST #2: District Council member, +10 residency, family + home
Mention of Neighbors
Never
research methods
Quotes from Interview
“My first community activity was moving to Ballard. From there I got active” (42) “We have the internet now, but I still do old school.” (65)
INTERVIEWING art 481
research methods
Residents
Resident Perspectives
Method of Communication
_Neighbor Network _Texting
Mention of Neighbors
Never
Best Friends
Gentrification
Negative Change
Positive Change
Concern for Community
Loosely concerned for others. He manages a smaller area of Ballard in a sense. His concern is with being with his family, and helping neighbors…and less about the activity of the community as a whole. Not one to talk an activist approach to the neighborhood.
Local Government
Agency Not Involved
Tools for Communitcation Neighborhood Network MyBallard.com Signage in Community Block Parties
Very Involved
He’s an instigator for positive change within his circle of neighbors and friends. He values the city of Ballard for supporting him.
Quotes from Interview
“I just text ‘porch beer’ and my neighbors gather to chat and spend time together”(32) “You don’t have to go very far in a community like Ballard, it has everything already!”(112) “Residents are comfortable with our neighbors. We help one another on our block, we take care of our parks...” (64)
page 23
Resident #1: Student, +10 years in Ballard, wife + home
INTERVIEWING art 481
research methods
Residents
Resident Perspectives
Method of Communication
Quotes from Interview
Concern for Community
“We were very intentional about getting out in the community when we moved here.”(17)
Investment and Priorities
“[On District Councils] you know I don’t know if I’d even go... they don’t really advertise the discussion.”(81)
_Neighbor Network
Mention of Neighbors
Never
Best Friends
Gentrification
Negative Change
Positive Change
Local Government
Not Involved
Tools for Communitcation Neighbors MyBallard.com Bars, Social Spaces
Very Involved
He mentioned some of the advocation for social good, such as the homeless and the condo growth. He’s concerned for people, and if he were approached to be involved, he would probably oblige, but his investment level is limited.
He is in school, much like the other resident however in the course of one year, he has developed a stronger connection to his community, thus developing some weight to his future decision of moving. His opinions fluctuate with his level of investment which is understandable as a student.
“I frequent MyBallard.com, it keeps me up to date. There’s a distinct collective voice in Ballard.” (130)
page 24
Resident #2: Student, +1 years in Ballard, wife + apartment
INTERVIEWING art 481
research methods
Residents
Resident Perspectives
Method of Communication
_Connections from school _Business
Mention of Neighbors 2 1 Best Friends
Never
Resident #3: He doesn’t have enough exposure to the community to form an adequate opinion.
Gentrification 2
1
Negative Change
Positive Change
Local Government 12 Not Involved
Concern for Community
Very Involved
Resident #4: He’s more jaded than anything else. His shop is being closed due to rezoning. He’s upset with the city for basically rezoning without any notification prior to him signing the lease. He’s an example of the Ballard residents who become demoralized due to miscommunication. Investment and Priorities
Tools for Communitcation Business related clients (#2) [No other forms mentioned]
Resident #3: He is in school, he’s moved to Ballard recently. He’s not likely to share opinions on the matter of the community because he has yet to develop an opinion or a sense of ownership within the area. Planning Priorities Resident #4: This individual placed a rather dark shadow on the ideal situation for planning and development in the city of Ballard. Some people are disengaged, and they’re content with that.
Quotes from Interview
“Well the old culture is disappearing pretty quickly.”(3) -Resident #4 “I’d be happy to live here long term, but I don’t know where school will take me.”(112) -Resident #3
page 25
Resident #3: Student, 3 months in Ballard, single living Resident #4: 2 years in Ballard, business, family + home
TRANSLATING art 481
research methods
WHAT I FOUND: How do residents of Ballard communicate? _They value the human interaction of meeting with neighbors and familiar faces vs. the isolation of other urban environments. _When invested in their community they engage in self driven activities within their circle of neighbors. _They are motivated by communal activity; if people they know are involved in an activity, they too will feel he need to take part.
page 26
DISTILLING THE CONVERSATION:
TRANSLATING art 481
research methods
THEMES FROM THE INTERVIEWS
Visibility was a common element addressed throughout the interviews. From the city planning sector, the district councils were assembled by the planners network of people within a list serve. The list serve was composed of individuals who knew of the planner, were confident that they had a perspective to contribute, and trusted that their input could actually be implemented in the process of development. With the planner, his visibility in the community assured people that the district council was a credible vehicle for addressing local issues, therefore, they were more inclined to partake. For the activists, often times they didn’t have initial support from the community. They had to build a presence and identity within the community not just for support of their cause, but to also establish that they valued the participations of residents. Residents notes that they didn’t have access to resources. They expressed a feeling of being overwhelmed by all the possible outlets for advertising. Visibility within the context of Ballard meant creating a figure that could be trusted to acknowledge a concern and apply a subsequent action. A potential design direction could look into this idea of visibility within the community and how important stakeholders and resources could be pronounced in the city of Ballard.
page 27
1_ Visibility in the Community
TRANSLATING art 481
research methods
THEMES FROM THE INTERVIEWS
The planner recognized that he was missing a crucial percentage of individuals who needed to know what was going on in the councils. The activists tried to combat feelings of the disengaged by spending more time out in the community, making personal connections with these individuals. Residents articulated that their past activities of engaging in community efforts were motivated by neighbors or friends approaching them for their unique perspective or opinion on the cause. Another design recommendation that could explore the methods through which the city of Ballard could engage citizens who are otherwise discontent or unable to contribute their opinion regularly. Furthermore, this exploration could help facilitate the methods of circulating information adequately so that people actually feel well informed.
page 28
2_ The Disengaged
TRANSLATING art 481
research methods
THEMES FROM THE INTERVIEWS
Relevance to the individual would involve making information explicit on commitment and time. City councils don’t fit with the schedules of everyone. Furthermore, you have to be on a list serve in order to receive the information. Activists mentioned how more success in generating public interest was when they accommodated people’s time and talents. If they need a space to be organized, the activist would contact the people specifically who were equipped to take on the challenge, rather then send out an arbitrary message to individuals on a list serve. The city of Ballard is inundated with forms of signage and methods through which to garner community participation. For people willing to sift through the minutia, these methods might be comprehendible, but for many people, this is often where disengagement sets in.
page 29
3_ Relevance to the Individual
TRANSLATING art 481
research methods
THEMES FROM THE INTERVIEWS
A design recommendation could articulate a form of accurate representation of a population. A clear example would be the recent events with the homeless weigh station. Developers want to develop a station that allows the homeless to clean up and get meals. Ballard perceived this to be useful on the neighborhood planning side, but to maintain its visibility they planned to place it near Sun Set Hill. This obscure location is the central hub of suburban activity in Ballard, a location few if any homeless individuals frequent. This was an apparent misdirection recognized by the activist of the Ballard Food Bank. She was able to articulate to planners that this sort of development would be ineffective in helping homeless people considering its misplacement in the infrastructure of the city. Currently, the project is stalled. Because she is immersed in the sort of subculture of the homeless in Seattle, her observations help in accurately representing the population and behaviors of said population. This interaction serves as a powerful tool for future urban planning efforts. The activist is currently in the process of working with planners to reconsider the zone for development. Behavior of a population is difficult to quantify and apply to urban planning decisions. A design recommendation could further explore how to communicate these complex problems within a community.
page 30
4_ Interpreted Information per Demographic
CONCLUSION + RECOMMENDATIONS art 481
research methods
Experience Local News An interactive hub for local events
Ballard has empty, vacant spaces throughout the community. Such spaces could accommodate a local exhibition or pop-up exhibition initiative where local gallery curators, artists, or installation artists could develop a gallery for local news. Essentially, this would be a gallery of stories, promoting awareness and circulating information. The gallery format would perhaps entice more of the individuals who would otherwise scoff at the district council efforts. It would only present local events and news, and would be regularly updated.
Council Restructure
Garnering more interest and participation This recommendation would be more of an experimental, perhaps design inspiring, initiative. The structure of the District Council, circulation of email invitations, and documentation of public opinion all contribute to the success and shortcomings of this vehicle for community participation. Perhaps a redesign of this system could instigate a more interested following. Unfortunately the district councils had already passed their date of assembly by the time this research went underway. Actually being present in these meetings could potentially generate more spaces for examination and design.
page 31
RECOMMENDATIONS:
CONCLUSION + RECOMMENDATIONS art 481
research methods
Agents within the Neighborhoods A familiar face for representation
What was evident in the research however was the connections to neighbors was far stronger than the connection to the rest of the community for most of the residents interviewed. The familiarity, friendship, and close proximity contributed to the interest in being apart of the neighborhood. Perhaps this interaction can be used as a template for implementation of other smaller efforts within the low income housing districts or smaller disengaged neighborhoods.
Dog Park
Engaging the community and their dogs Virtually everyone in Ballard owns a dog. Providing a space for neighbors and residents to bring their dogs, start conversation, and spend time together may instigate an improvement in community wide engagement.
page 32
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPENDIX art 481
research methods
page 33
APPENDIX Data in Physical Form Transcriptions
APPENDIX art 481
The motivations, concerns, and community effort, were organized for each interview with the participants. This helped visualize how involved participants were in their area and what motivated these actions.
page 34
Data in Physical Form
research methods
APPENDIX art 481
The following is a glimpse into some of the previous background research that took place in preparation for my research question.
page 34
Early Iterations
research methods