Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of Service: 2015 Program Report by N Joslin

CONTENTS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 2

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3

About the Program Community Engagement Research Fellowship Intentions Participation Pro-Bono Legacy 2015 Schedule

Initial Studio Survey Request for Proposals Process Proposals Received/Selected Team Formation Selected Projects: A Neighborhood Strategy Arts Council of New Orleans Live Oak Wilderness Camp ReFresh Coalition Youth Rebuilding New Orleans

PROGRAM EVALUATION

3.1 Studio Survey 3.2 Partner surveys 3.3 KJ Method Evaluation 4

RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 Program Priorities 4.2 Role of the Research Fellow 4.3 Suggested Schedule 5

APPENDIX

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4

Initial program description and estimates 2015 Request for Proposals Studio Evaluation Survey Instrument Partner Evaluation Survey Instrument

UNDER SEPARATE COVER

Civic Pavilions Artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Council of New Orleans Live Oak Wilderness Camp (presentation document) Live Oak Wilderness Camp appendix ReFresh Project: Coalition Identity Retrofits Youth Rebuilding New Orleans St. Ann and N. White Street Master Plan

1 | PROGRAM OVERVIEW

PROGRAM OVERVIE W

1.1 About the Program

Eskew+Dumez+Ripple launched an annual firm initiative in January of 2015 that simultaneously strengthens its commitment to building community and honors the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Each MLK Day the firm donates the services of its entire staff to amplify the capacity of organizations working to better the New Orleans community. A short film was also composed to document the day and inform future iterations of the program (https://vimeo.com/124167198). The Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of Service is an opportunity to concentrate the skills and interests of the entire studio towards assisting larger ongoing efforts in our community. Through skills-based service members of the entire studio have an opportunity to learn from stakeholders about the issues their communities face and share their own expertise on how design may play a role in addressing them. Team members work with stakeholders from the partner organizations and communities they serve to identify the priority issues and collaborate on design interventions that may help achieve the outcomes they seek.

1.2 Community Engagement Research Fellowship

The theme of the 2014/2015 Research Fellowship was community engagement with a focus on tools and formats for designers to conduct meaningful public outreach around architectural and urban placemaking projects. The confluence of studio interests and the 2014/2015 Fellowship resulted in the creation of the Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of Service program. The day is intended to serve as a platform for professional engagement in the community as well as a platform for future Research Fellows to engage with members of the studio. The Day of Service was partially constructed as an opportunity for members of the studio to relate their professional expertise to identified community needs. It is also envisioned as a built-in testing ground for the Research Fellow to experiment with how their research can have a lasting impact on the way the studio operates. The time dedicated to planning and implementing the program serves as an infusion of resources for the Research Fellow and exposure of the studio to the Fellowship topic.

1.3 Intentions

This program is built on the foundation of skills-based service, which is an approach to community engagement that matches employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; workplace skills, expertise, and knowledge with community organizations to increase their impact. Skills based service helps community organizations expand their capacity and become more sustainable, while allowing employees an opportunity to build leadership skills and contribute to a cause that they believe in. Benefits for Eskew+Dumez+Ripple

Benefits for Community Organization

Talent Development Creative opportunities to do something outside of everyday work.

Increased Capacity Access to expertise outside of the typical volunteer or staff member.

Foster Firm Culture Opportunity to build-in community engagement through service.

Raise Awareness Design may strengthen an organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity in the community.

Build Relationships Develop new connections and recognition for doing high quality, engaged work.

Communicate a Mission Help to clearly express values and needs in order to access more resources.

1.4 Participation

40 out of the 50 employees participated in the 2015 Day of Service including administrative and business development staff 4 community organizations benefitted from pro-bono services 25 stakeholders from community organizations participated in the design process 4 project teams were formed with 8 - 14 members per team 9 cocaptains led the 4 teams and coordinated with their community partners 12 hours per team member on average was spent preparing for, participating in, and following up after the Day of Service.

1.5 Pro-Bono Legacy

Although Eskew+Dumez+Ripple has a long legacy of providing pro-bono services to the community there is a desire to be more intentional about the larger impact these services have on the community. The Day of Service is one part of this effort to use probono projects as an opportunity to build new relationships in the community and have a larger collective impact on the issues our community faces. By using approximately half of the studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual pro-bono hours on the Day of Service the firm intends to expand its reach in the community while reserving time throughout the year to further boost community efforts. Year

2015 Day of Service

Pro-Bono Hours

Estimated Total Annual Hours

% Pro-Bono

630

104,000

0.61%

2014 Total

1,408

104,000

1.35%

2013 Total

1,000

91,520

1.09%

2012 Total

1,071

97,760

1.10%

2011 Total

1,324

87,360

1.52%

2010 Total

1,008

87,360

1.15%

2009 Total

524

70,720

0.74%

2008 Total

255

66,560

0.38%

1.6 2015 Schedule

November 2014 1 2

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Program Planning Color Key

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Color intensity indicates major milestones and intensity of work required.

Orange colors indicate time spent in planning and evaluation and was primarily done by the Research Fellow. This time was logged as â&#x20AC;&#x153;researchâ&#x20AC;? in time sheets. Blue colors indicate time spent by the Research Fellow and project teams preparing for and following up on the Day of Service. This time was logged under the Day of Service project number in time sheets.

December 2014 7

9 10 11 12 13 Request for Proposals

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Project Selection 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Team Formation 28 29 30 31 January 2015 4

3 10 Project Planning

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Friday Forum 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 MLK Day of Service | Friday Forum 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Program Evaluation February 2015 3

7 Lunch & Learn Evaluation Presentation

9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Program Report Completion 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Program Planning In collaboration with Jose Alvarez and Sabeen Hasan, the 2015 Research Nov. 17 - Dec. 5, 2014 Fellow, Nicole Joslin, begins to design the goals of program within the Eskew+Dumez+Ripple firm culture and define the scope of the pro-bono services to be provided. Request for Proposals A Request for Proposals (RFP, refer to section 2.2 for the full RFP) is distributed Dec. 8 - Dec. 18, 2014 by e-mail to community organizations on December 8th and is open through December 18th. Eight project proposals are received (refer to section 2.3 for proposal summaries.)

Nicole, Sabeen, and Jose do an initial review of the proposals to evaluate their Dec. 19th, 2014 suitability for the Day of Service program. Each proposal is then summarized by Nicole and distributed to the entire studio for review. Full proposals are also posted in the studio for a few days leading up to the project vote. Studio members use this information to vote for their top two choices for the Day of Service.

Project Selection

Team Formation Teams are formed by the Nicole based on top project choices. Team cocaptains Dec. 22, 2014 - Jan. 2, 2105 are self-nominated. Project Planning All cocaptains meet with their community partners at least once to further refine Jan. 5 - Jan. 15, 2015 the project scope and expected deliverables. Depending on the type of project some teams make visits to their project site as a group prior to the Day of Service.

All project teams participate in a Friday Forum the week before the Day of Service Jan. 16, 2015 to get to know their community partner and their project needs. Stakeholders from all community partners are invited to meet with the full design team and participate in various data gathering activities facilitated by team cocaptains. Friday Forum

Team cocaptains manage the design process on the Day of Service. All teams Jan. 19, 2015 elect to invite various community stakeholders to participate in review sessions throughout the day. Some teams also elect to visit their project site together at some point throughout the day. Matt Kleinmann, the 3-month Community Engagement Research Fellow, participated in documenting the day through photography and film.

MLK Day of Service

Friday Forum Stakeholders are invited to an informal presentation and gallery viewing of the Jan. 23, 2015 completed projects. Each project package is pinned up and briefly presented by various team members. Complete project packages are also distributed to community partners at this time. Program Evaluation Online program evaluation surveys are composed and distributed by Nicole to Jan. 26 - Feb. 3, 2015 the studio and project partners. Data from the surveys are presented by Nicole at a Lunch & Learn on February 3rd. Nicole facilitates another evaluation activity based on the KJ Method also takes place at the Lunch & Learn in order to identify how the Day of Service translates to everyday work in the firm. Program Report A program report is produced by Nicole and reviewed by Sabeen and Jose to Feb. 4 - Feb. 20, 2015 inform planning for future Days of Service.

2 | PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

2.1 Initial Studio Survey

Studio members were surveyed when the program was first conceptualized to provide a deeper understanding of what people were most interested in doing on the Day of Service. The majority of survey respondents were interested in working on small scale projects, doing construction, or doing graphic design projects. People were most interested in working on projects that deal with the environment, blight, and education. Respondents were asked to describe the type of skills they were interested in contributing on the Day of Service. These open ended responses were then categorized into common themes. The skills that people were most interested in contributing dealt with social/relational (communication and programming), technical (code research and drawing production), and manual labor. The respondents who showed a strong interest in construction and manual labor also made it clear that they do not value the skillsbased component of the program.

What do you want to do on the Day of Service?

Types of projects

Small Scale Project

Administered Monday December 8, 2014 through Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Construction

31 respondents total (out of 50 employees)

Graphic Design

5 minutes average time spent per respondent

Organization Programming Large scale project Systems/Strategic Planning Urban Design/Planning 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Skills

Community Issues

Social/Relational

Environment

Technical

Blight

Manual Labor

Education Transportation Access

Not a Factor Economic Development Management Unsure 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Health Crime & Safety 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

2.2 Request for Proposals

Eligibility

Selection Criteria

An informal Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued through e-mail to representatives from several organization in the city. The RFP included the following information. A full copy of the information provided in the Request for Proposals is available in the Appendix section 5.2. Applicant must be based regionally. Must be a specific design project that addresses a stated local need. The project must serve the mission of the organization applying. Projects will be selected based on the following criteria: Project Viability

Is it feasible to meet the project’s needs within the identified time frame?

Organizational Capacity

Is there a clear plan of action after initial design services are provided?

Identified Need

Is there a clear connection between the project’s impact on the organization and the identified need?

Organization’s Mission

Does the proposed project meet the mission of the partner organization and does it have support from those who will be impacted?

Project Information

Name of the Organization: Name of the project you are requesting services for: Contact person: Phone number & E-mail address:

Executive Summary

Please provide a brief summary of your project and the need it fills in your community.

Organization Description

Project Description

Describe the work of your organization and how this project helps the organization achieve its mission. Describe the project for which you are seeking pro bono design services. Where is the project located? Does your organization have control of the project site? What led your organization to identify this project as a need in your community? What work products does your organization anticipate receiving from this process? What will be the next step after our services are complete? What are the critical benchmarks you hope to achieve with this project? How will success of the project be evaluated?

Community Description

Describe the community your organization serves. Who are your community and project partners and stakeholders? How does this project compliment other community efforts? How has or how will this project gain community support? What stakeholders do you anticipate will participate in this design process and what will their role be?

2.3 Proposals Received

A total of 8 project proposals were received. The following are summaries of the proposals received. The projects with the symbol were selected by a studio vote to pursue on the Day of Service.

ReFresh Coalition: Branding & prototyping of the ReFresh project lobby & exterior seating area to support whole community health.

The ReFresh Project is a Community Health Hub that delivers fresh food access, culinary and nutrition education, youth and workforce development, and community development to the underserved neighborhoods along Broad Street. The design challenge is to address the lack of a physical presence of the ReFresh identity and identify clear ways for the community to engage the total health concept. Help them prototype an idea for signage or way finding that can help people connect to the space as ReFresh and communicate the diversity of partners and activities.

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans: Redevelopment of blighted property in Bayou St. John to support youth education and community resilience.

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans is engaged in the rebuilding of the New Orleans region, with a special focus on education. The YRNO team executes a mission focused on sustainable recovery and community resilience through youth empowerment. YRNO is proposing a unique opportunity to assist in the redesign of a traditional New Orleans block. YRNO recently acquired three structures and two vacant lots on one block, all of which were blighted. They have begun deconstruction and seek experience and professional guidance to rebuild in a smart, sustainable and efficient way, maximizing the value of the properties to the community.

Arts Council of New Orleans: Civic Museums Project concept development to support creative community conversations.

Civic Museums Project by the Arts Council of New Orleans is a program designed to create a neighborhood network of creative galleries with the primary intent of driving conversations around the needs of community. These spaces will act to build an appreciation of public spaces as creative conservatories for culture and history, while providing opportunities to collect data for neighborhood improvement. The Arts Council is seeking assistance with developing program diagrams, a conceptual floor plan, conceptual renderings, and a conceptual master plan for up to eight networked museums placed strategically within a community based on a given programmatic need.

Backyard Gardeners Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guerilla Garden: Movie screening area to strengthen existing programming.

The Backyard Gardeners Network is a Lower 9th Ward based nonprofit organization whose mission is to sustain and strengthen the historically selfsufficient and deeply rooted community of the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, LA using our own food growing traditions as a platform to build community, revitalize the neighborhood and preserve our cultural heritage. We currently manage two community gardens in the Lower 9th Ward, the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden and the Guerrilla Garden, and are spearheading the development of the Ernst Garden Resource Center. The project weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to invite Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to provide design services for is a movie screening area in the Guerrilla Garden in order to enhance our current programming with regular movie screenings. We want our community, from the most experienced backyard gardeners to those who may have never set foot in such a space otherwise, to have a place and to learn/grow together.

New Orleans Master Crafts Guild: Design a series of activities to identify promising apprentices to keep building arts alive.

The New Orleans Master Crafts Guild seeks creative ways to evaluate the aptitude, attitude and motivation of aspirants seeking admission into its New Orleans Traditional Building Trades Apprenticeship Program. During Juneteenth 2015, the Guild will hold its inaugural Masters of the Building Arts-New Orleans celebration culminating in an interactive challenge which participants may be guaranteed preferred admissions into the apprenticeship training program. Can Eskew+Dumez+Ripple design a series of activities that challenge individuals, working alone and as a team, to fashion mundane materials into New Orleans architectural elements and, at once, indicate which individuals have what it takes to become true master craftsmen of the traditional building trades?

Broadmoor Learning Garden: Support childhood development by developing a plan and budget for the garden to secure funding.

Located on the green space adjacent to the Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center, the Broadmoor Learning Garden will serve as a core piece of the early childhood experience and family engagement for the area. The BLG will consist of a series of outdoor interactive learning stations for parents and young children to learn and play together. The BLG will also link visitors to the anchor services within Broadmoor at the school, library and community centerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with developmentally appropriate school readiness as the over arching goal. A community task force made up of early childhood educators, parents and neighborhood stakeholders have held various planning sessions to design the vision and framework for the BLG. At this point in the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development, our team is in need of a professional plan and budget that we can use to secure funding for the project.

Live Oak Wilderness Camp: Design a durable temporary camp facility to connect and empower diverse cohorts of future leaders.

With 19,000 kids who attend these non-public schools and 45,000 who attend public school, there are significantly fewer ways in which high-performing young leaders in that school system connect with high-performing peers in public schools. We aim to change that by leveraging summer camp as the medium in which to connect kids in diverse cohorts and thereby break down barriers, all while ensuring that each camper is having tons of fun while they grow in their leadership skills. The project offers the opportunity to envision a temporary facility with a low cost-per-square foot on a large tract of donated land in Ocean Springs, MS. The program will allow the firm to design an innovative and flexible set of temporary facilities including bunkhouses, an indoor camp center, and an exterior camp space that could be constructed on a rapid time line for our Summer 2015 camp.

Propeller: Redesign of common space to be more conducive to collaboration for social innovation.

Propeller is dedicated to supporting social innovation in New Orleans by incubating early-stage ventures that have the potential to solve our cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most pressing issues. Propeller seeks to re-envision the common areas of their co-working space to be more aligned with their mission to build community, foster innovation, and encourage peer learning. Their challenge is to create the most flexible space possible within a limited budget and time frame. They are specifically seeking feedback on the current use of the common spaces, recommendations for short-term and long-term solutions, renderings and specifications for those recommendations, and an implementation plan that they can carry out over the next year.

2.4 Team Composition

Each member of the studio was asked to designate their first and second choice project that they would like to work on. Once the projects with the most votes were identified the teams were composed of those who voted for the project as their first or second choice. Those who voted for projects that were not selected were contacted individually to identify what project they would like to work on. Each team had at least one principal and most had non-architectural staff members. All members of the staff were encouraged to participate. Two to three cocaptains were self nominated to lead their individual teams. Staff currently in leadership positions in the firm were ineligible for the cocaptain position. Cocaptains arranged to meet with their community partner prior to the Day of Service to clarify the project scope and identify expected deliverables. The cocaptains were provided this breakdown of their expected duties: Identify project deliverables

Meet with project partner to identify specific project parameters and expected deliverables at the end of the day.

Set the team schedule

Identify the most appropriate teaming structure for the Day of Service to complete the expected deliverables.

Do background research

Track down the background information needed for the team to fully understand the project and complete the expected deliverables.

Involve stakeholders

Determine what stakeholders need to be involved and what information the team needs from them.

2.5 Selected Projects: A Neighborhood Strategy

The projects selected were largely concentrating on impacting a specific area of the city through education, arts, and community health programs. The Arts Council proposal focused on an area that stretches across the Bayou St. John and Mid-City neighborhoods as the site for the inaugural Civic Pavilion, which hopes to provide a platform for creative discussions about the future of the city. The Live Oak Wilderness Camp pulls students from schools across the city, including three located within the same area as the other projects. The camp seeks to expand studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; social networks and leadership capacities in hopes of improving the future political environment of the city. The ReFresh Project serves as a community health hub delivering fresh food access, culinary and nutrition education, youth and workforce development, and community development to the underserved neighborhoods along Broad Street. Youth Rebuilding New Orleans is making its largest investment to date in the Bayou St. John neighborhood to preserve affordable housing for local teachers and empower youth to contribute to the rebuilding of the city.

City Park Key

Arts Council of New Orleans site

Fairgrounds

Live Oak Wilderness Camp schools ReFresh Project Youth Rebuilding New Orleans site

Seventh Ward Bayou Bayo Ba y u St. yo St . JJohn

Mid-City

Treme-Lafitte

Tulane-Gravier

2.6 Arts Council of New Orleans About the Organization

The Arts Council New Orleans’ mission is to support and expand opportunities for diverse artistic expression and bring the community together in celebration of our rich, multicultural heritage. We operate in three conceptual areas and measure the success of the organization through the people we serve, the places we impact, and the artists we invest in. Our aim is to inspire and connect by supporting participatory arts, youth arts education, and social events that create lasting impact in communities. We look to invest in the city’s cultural assets by growing the capacity and capability of local artists and organizations while seeking markets and exchange opportunities. Finally, and most connected to the civic pavilions program, the arts council places an emphasis on design solutions that heighten the public awareness of the built environment. The civic pavilions project will connect all facets of this mission and serve to disperse the impact of design throughout the New Orleans community.

Initial Project Proposal

Civic pavilions program is designed to create a neighborhood network of creative galleries with the primary intent to drive conversations around the needs of community. These spaces will act to build an appreciation of public spaces as creative conservatories for culture and history while providing opportunities to collect pertinent data for neighborhood improvement. Each pavilion will serve to showcase New Orleans artists, preserve and/or memorialize the artistic, intellectual, and general cultural aspects that define our New Orleans neighborhoods.

Design Team Proposal

Each pavilion is designed to mimic the structure of a traditional New Orleans shotgun house. While the structure is shown with open sides, permanent walls are able to be added according to the needs of each site and progression of programming. The benefit of this malleability is that each pavilion can adapt to specific sites and needs of the community; for example, in the neutral ground, this openness allows each structure to draw attention from all sides, whether for a performance from a partner organization or simply as a community gathering space. The common condition of an in fill lot between two houses could be closed off to allow the privacy that other organizations require. Each structure also contains a front porch and stoop to create built-in seating in order to encourage the neighbors to use the space even when there is no planned event. In order to allow the space to be used in a variety of ways and to accommodate an array of needs, simple cube boxes were designed to allow for each pavilion to adapt to the needs of a particular event, site, and neighborhood. These boxes can be assembled together to provide shelves, seating, storage, and a more temporary wall system. With the cubes, each group entering the space will be able to arrange the pavilion in the way that would best suit their needs without requiring a bevy of outside equipment. More complicated systems were debated, but many would require a member of the Arts Council to be present in order to structure the space. This modular system offers a countless number of arrangements that can be tailored to best suit each neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, without constant supervision by Arts Council staff.

Infill Lot Site Condition

Open Space Site Condition

Neutral Ground Site Condition

Possible partition configurations

Possible cube configurations

2.7 Live Oak Wilderness Camp About the Organization

Live Oak Wilderness Camp is an innovative summer camp and youth leadership development program that connects and empowers diverse cohorts of New Orleans’ most outstanding kids. We select student leaders ages 10-12 who have been nominated by teachers and principals from schools across New Orleans to participate in a year-long leadership development cohort that kicks off with 10 days at summer camp, together alongside other amazing kids from across New Orleans’ public, private, parochial, and independent school systems. We believe that a summer camp packed with fun, adventure, and leadership development experiences alongside great coaches – many of whom are current teachers from across New Orleans – is the ideal new way to build connections and networks amongst our community’s future leaders.

Initial Project Proposal

Live Oak recently offered its first two Live Oak Camp pilots at a donated facility in Pearl River, Louisiana. Unfortunately, the site is not a viable option for the summer 2015 camp, and Live Oak has been looking furiously for a viable site that can be built out or retrofitted to function as a camp. The purchase of land and the development of permanent camp facilities on that land is part of Live Oak’s three year business plan. For the immediate term this project will steer the process for designing and building a low-cost, high-durability, and extremely flexible camp that then allows Live Oak to capitalize on 120 acres of donated land in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The project offers the opportunity for Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to dream into what a temporary facility with a low cost-per-square foot could look like were it to be constructed on a large tract of available land in Ocean Springs, MS.

Design Team Proposal

The design team composed a visioning package and a digital appendix for use in building support for the camp and accessing additional resources for its facilities. The visioning package graphically communicates the campâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall strategy in achieving its mission. This package is intended to help tell the story of the camp and its vision for the future to get parents and kids excited about attending. These items will also serve as fund-raising material and may help secure a donated site and materials. The digital appendix includes a larger array of graphic support and precedents for the main elements of the camp: Building Components, Campfire, and Site Planning. Each of these sections provides deeper explorations of different elements that may be included in future presentations or grant packages to support Live Oakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission.

Live Oak Wilderness Camp Visioning Package

BEING MY BEST SELF ALWAYS

TAKING SMART RISKS & LEARNING FROM THEM

EXPLORING THE WORLD AROUND ME SERVING OTHERS

CONTINUING RELATIONSHIPS

Building Components Plinth

Plinth + Roof

Plinth + Roof + Mass

Cabin

Activities Shelter

Community Hall

Live Oak Wilderness Camp Expansion Plan 2015 Vision Plan

Cabin Activities Shelter Community Hall

5-Year Plan

10-Year Plan

2.8 ReFresh Coalition About the Organization

Beginning 18 months prior to the Grand Opening of the ReFresh Project, the lead organization, Broad Community Connections, started convening the ReFresh Coalition. The Coalition includes all eight on-site tenant-partners, as well as over 30 additional partners working in related fields. Coalition members range from large food and public health institutions like Second Harvest Food Bank, Share Our Strength, the Louisiana Public Health Institute, and the Tulane Prevention Research Center, to smaller gardening, health, and community organizations and individuals. The purpose of the group is both to create joint programming to support the respective goals and programs of the various members of the coalition, but also to help create a two-way conversation with the various communities that the ReFresh Coalition partners serve in order to create better programs and better serve the community.

Initial Project Proposal

The ReFresh Project is a Community Health Hub that delivers fresh food access, culinary and nutrition education, youth and workforce development, and community development to the underserved neighborhoods along Broad Street. The design challenge is to address the lack of a physical presence of the ReFresh identity and identify clear ways for the community to engage in the total health concept. The Coalition is interested in prototyping ideas for signage or wayfinding that can help people connect to the space as ReFresh and communicate the diversity of partners and activities.

Design Team Proposal

Now that the building is operational and the partners are in place, the ReFresh Coalition is ready to move to the next stage of developing a successful health hub: moving beyond the act of collocation to the integration of services and branding into a total health experience. One of the major barriers for the Coalition is its lack of identity as a cohesive group and presence in the physical ReFresh Project building. Members of the ReFresh Coalition teamed up with a Day of Service design team at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to develop schemes that address the way finding and identity issues in the public spaces of the ReFresh Project. The design team’s proposal includes strategies for the exterior public spaces, the roof top area, and the interior entry lobby. The team identified several issues with the current space in communicating the Coalition’s identity and proposed a series of design solutions in response. The exterior proposals include enhanced pedestrian access, multi-directional artistic blade signage at the street edge, and re-branding of the building’s main signage components. Rooftop retrofits proposed include reclaiming parking spaces for a trellised outdoor patio and murals to activate the space. Interior lobby proposals include two design options for a kiosk and creative brochure rack to serve as a ‘home-base’ for future outreach navigators the Coalition is hiring.

Visible Community Events Calendar

Building Signage Reconfiguration

Multi-Directional Blade Signage

Prominent ReFresh Project signage

Wayfinding Signage

Lobby Kiosk Scheme A LIBERTY’S KITCHEN ENTRY

KIOSK TO DOCK AGAINST WALL WHEN NOT IN USE

MOVABLE KIOSK

CEILING FEATURE ABOVE WHOLE FOODS ENTRY

FLOOR PLAN

RENDERING

Lobby Kiosk Scheme B LIBERTY’S KITCHEN ENTRY

SIGNAGE BROCHURE DISPLAY WALL

MOVABLE KIOSK

CEILING FEATURE ABOVE WHOLE FOODS ENTRY

FLOOR PLAN (Kiosk in use)

LIBERTY’S KITCHEN ENTRY

MOVABLE KIOSK RECESSED INTO WALL UNIT

RENDERING (Kiosk in use)

BROCHURE DISPLAY WALL

PROJECTION SCREEN

FLOOR PLAN (Kiosk not in use)

RENDERING (Kiosk not in use)

BROCHURE DISPLAY WALL IN WEATHERED RECLAIMED WOOD TO MATCH CEILING FEATURE SIGNAGE OR PROJECTION SCREEN 12” DEEP MOVEABLE KIOSK IN RECLAIMED WOOD SLATS/ QUATREFOIL PERF METAL TO MATCH CEILING FEATURE BROCHURE DISPLAY WALL CONCEPT

DETAIL (Kiosk in use)

2.9 Youth Rebuilding New Orleans About the Organization

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans is one of a kind among non-profit volunteer organizations. New Orleans youth created us, we’re organized by youth, and our efforts are directed at bettering the lives of our city’s youth. Many young people who wanted to volunteer to help rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina were turned away by other non-profits because of the liability associated with reconstruction work. Instead of accepting this rejection, a committed group of teenagers decided they would find a way to help the New Orleans community recover. We know that when it comes to volunteer organizations, New Orleans is not lacking, but our devotion to young people and education sets us apart. Although we have grown exponentially from the initial days following Hurricane Katrina, our vision and founding principles have remained the same. Our mission is to reduce blight by rebuilding distressed and foreclosed homes while engaging local youth in the recovery and rebirth of the New Orleans area.

Initial Project Proposal

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans recently purchased five properties at the corner of North White and St. Ann Street in the Bayou St. John neighborhood, all in various states of disrepair. They represent a true cross-section of New Orleans—with an old corner store, a back-front double that sits on a unique flag lot, an old commercial structure once occupied by a mechanic shop and two adjacent vacant lots across the street. The corner of North White and St. Ann is similar to many places in present-day New Orleans. The goal is to turn the blighted properties into a cohesive tract. Youth Rebuilding New Orleans needs the help of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to design a plan for the properties that maximizes their inherent value and contributes to the mission of the organization. It could be through a variety of ways: architectural renderings, color and design pallets, floor plans, technical expertise or a sustainability review.

Design Team Proposal

The design team and Youth Rebuilding New Orleans stakeholders collaborated to inform the redevelopment of five blighted properties on the corner of St. Ann Street and N. White Street to contribute to the recovery and resilience of the community. Three of the five properties contain structures in various states of extreme disrepair and the remaining two are currently vacant. After researching and engaging with neighbors and Youth Rebuilding New Orleans staff and volunteers, the design team developed multiple scenarios that may serve the needs of the organization and community. The team broke into smaller groups to produce several design options for each of the five properties. Proposals included single family housing with rental income units, bunk houses for Youth Rebuilding New Orleans volunteers, public spaces, and commercial uses.

Neighborhood Survey

Personas

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans volunteers administered a door to door survey of neighbors within 3 blocks of the properties over the course of one week leading up to the Day of Service. The survey asked specific questions about what neighbors would like to see developed on the vacant lots and rebuilt on the blighted properties. The survey revealed a strong desire for more single family or two-family homes in the neighborhood and open play space for children.

A persona is a character description of a fictitious person based on data about different stakeholder groups. The team developed personas representing a teacher homeowner, long-term neighbor, organization staff, and a youth volunteer to help guide design solutions based on the needs of these stakeholders. Through these descriptions the design team was able to better understand various relevant perspectives to inform the design process.

What types of new buildings are needed?

Most Important

Very Important

Important

Neutral

Least Important

Not needed

Community Center Corner Store Restaurant Coffee shop OfĆ&#x201A;ce Space Single family/ Two-family home 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

4.2 2751 St. Ann Street (garage)

The lot with the garage structure and the existing apartment had several challenges associated with it that called for a unique design approach. The team’s suggestion is to demolish the concrete block structure allowing certain remnants to exist as memories of the previous life of the site. The lot would continue to hold its place on the street with a newly activated storefront. Inside the site boundary a new “pole barn” structure could be erected that would contain a flex space that could serve as a bunk house. Also within the new structure dual shower rooms would be provided. The space between the new structure and the existing apartment would provide an outdoor gathering space. The team also developed a set of plans that shows what could be done if at some point the structures were to be converted to residential use and sold. OPTION 1: Volunteer Housing

Storage

Flex/Bunk Room

Courtyard Storage

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

Toilet

Shower Kitchen

Shower

Dining

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

OPTION 2: Single Family

Bedroom Storage

Kitchen Bath

Bedroom

Bath

Storage

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

Closet

Living

4.3 2753 St. Ann Street

Described as the jewel of the Youth Rebuilding New Orleans properties, this century old shot gun will provide a beautiful, yet affordable home for a deserving teacher. The house’s siting on the 30’ x 100’ lot provides a generous side yard with off street parking, a luxury in the Bayou St. John neighborhood. The design team developed two design options for 2753 St. Ann Street. The first option is a single family home with three bedrooms and two baths. The second option is multi-family with two bedrooms and one bath in the front with a studio apartment in the rear. Both design options maintain the integrity of the historic shot gun while providing a modern functional floor plan. The addition of a side hall under a portion of the existing roof overhang not only provides privacy for the bedrooms, but also creates a second entry into the kitchen from the driveway.

OPTION 1: Single Family

Bath

Kitchen

Bath

Living

Master Suite

Bedroom

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

OPTION 2: Two Bedroom with Studio Apartment

Studio Apartment

Bath

Kitchen Living Bedroom

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

Bedroom

3 | PROGRAM EVALUATION

PROGRAM E VALUATION

3.1 Studio Survey

An online survey was distributed to the staff of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple on Monday January 26th, 2015 asking for feedback about their Day of Service experience. The survey was open for three days and collected 40 responses, 36 of which were from people who participated in the program. Most of the respondents had been working for the firm between 1-5 years and were not currently in leadership positions. Between 6 and 12 members of each project team participated in the survey. Most of those who did not participate in the program cited work and personal conflicts. One respondent said they did not participate because they were not interested in the projects and the work being done.

What do you hope comes from the Day of Service project you participated in?

Respondents were asked to write a short answer response to this question. Their responses were then coded by the Research Fellow into themes that they tended to represent. Most respondents said they hoped what was produced would be useful to the organization in achieving its goals and supporting its mission. People also said they hoped to build long-term connections with the organizations that could lead to more volunteer opportunities or paid work in the future. Paid Work

Useful for Implementation

A billable project. Build Relationships

Team bonding Long-term relationship

Clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems are addressed

53%

10%

Suggestions are implemented Inspired to consider more possibilities

Future engagement Contribute to Mission

Advance the idea

30%

Serve program needs Establish the organization

Did you learn anything new from the Day of Service?

A majority of the respondents said they learned something new about the community and their peers through their participation in the Day of Service.

76%

Yes, about the community

59%

Yes, about my peers

32%

Yes, about myself Yes, about Eskew+Dumez+Ripple

26%

Yes, a new skill

12%

How prepared did you feel to participate in the Day of Service?

A total of 82% of respondents said they felt either somewhat or very prepared to participate in the Day of Service. Comments from respondents indicated that the multiple team meetings and Friday Forum activity before the Day of Service helped the feel more prepared. Those who did not feel prepared cited discrepancies within their community organization and between team members as complicating factors. Even those who felt sufficiently prepared still expressed a desire to have more time with the community stakeholders prior to the Day of Service to further refine the project goals. Overall, getting more clarity up front from the partner organization on what they are expecting would help participants to feel better prepared.

19%

not

38%

very

Lack of time with client Unfamiliar tasks Flimsy scope definition

44%

somewhat

How clear was your task for the Day of Service?

About 66% of respondents said their task for the Day of Service was either somewhat or very clear. Again, respondents cited discrepancies within the community organization and project team about the ultimate goals of the project. This made it difficult to come to agreement on what should be produced by the design team. Many respondents said that it was only after working together for a few hours on the Day of Service that they finally understood the goals of their project.

33%

not

very

Lack of client direction Face-to-face time with client Prior problem definition

33%

somewhat

Was this experience valuable for your daily work at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple?

Despite the difficulties encountered by the project teams in feeling prepared and clarifying tasks, a majority of the studio felt the experience was valuable. Respondents appreciated the opportunity to work with people they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t normally work with and exercise skills they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t normally use.

12% not

Team building

30%

somewhat

What skills did you use while working on your Day of Service project?

58% very

Prioritize design quality Refine design process

Respondents were asked in a short answer question to describe the skills they used while working on their Day of Service Project. A majority of responses spoke of using critical design thinking for creative problem solving tasks as well as using technical skills such as computer programs and code research. Several respondents spoke of communication skills such as listening and representation as well as extensive collaboration with clients and team members.

53%

Critical Design Thinking

50%

Technical

47%

Communication

30%

Collaboration

23%

Leadership

Were these skills you use in your daily work or would like to use more in your daily work at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple?

Respondents were then asked if these were skills that they use in their daily work and if they would like to use them more in their daily work. Respondents expressed interest in wanting to participate in more collaborative design processes in their daily work. Already use daily

Would like to use more Yes, all of them

65%

55% Some of them

29%

32% No, none of them

6% 10%

What organizations were you already aware of and which ones would you like to continue working with?

Respondents were asked to identify the organizations we worked with on the Day of Service that they were already aware of and ones they would like the firm develop a continued relationship with. Though the Live Oak Wilderness Camp was the least familiar organization, respondents expressed the most interest in continuing to work with them in the future. Art’s Council of New Orleans Live Oak Wilderness Camp

65%

Already aware of

41% 12%

ReFresh Coalition

32%

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans

32%

None

Would you participate in the Day of Service again in the future?

35%

Continue working with

41% 24% 26% 26%

Despite the difficulties in finding time to properly prepare for participating and in clarifying project needs, 97% percent of respondents said they would consider participating in the Day of Service again in the future. Needs greater focus on design rigor. Concerns about group dynamic & time commitment.

3% no

18%

maybe

Great exposure and disruption to the comfort of your daily inertia. It’s a personal priority to be engaged, involved, and volunteer. I think it’s the job of architects to help improve the communities they are involved with.

78% yes

What change would most improve the Day of Service in the future?

When asked what would most improve their experience in the Day of Service, respondents expressed a need to more clearly define project goals and deliverables. Several respondents also desired having more time to meet with clients and team members to prepare before the Day of Service as well as more time allotted to production and follow up. Some expressed concern over how efficient the management of their team was and suggested having more experienced project managers in the future. A few respondents requested greater variety in project tasks such as hands-on and non â&#x20AC;&#x153;architecturalâ&#x20AC;? work. Clearer project goals

52%

Time to prepare and produce

48%

Team management Project variety

What about the Day of Service would you keep the same in the future?

29% 24%

When asked what they would keep the same in the future most respondents said they would keep the cocaptain structure in place in order to support emerging leaders in the firm. The same respondents also said they appreciated having multiple team meetings and the Friday Forum before the Day of Service to get to know their community organization a little better and have a clearer idea of what was needed, though previous responses indicate that this aspect of the program still needs to be strengthened. Respondents enjoyed the project variety and being able to choose which project to participate in. People also recognized the positive aspect of getting to know organizations working in the community and contributing their professional expertise to a good cause. Team management

60% 47%

Project variety Community connection Skills-based

27% 20%

3.2 Partner Survey

Value of design and working with design professionals

An online survey was distributed to individuals from the Day of Service partner community organizations on Wednesday January 28th, 2015 asking for feedback about their Day of Service experience. The survey was open for five days and collected 12 responses. There was at least one respondent from each participating organization. Their role in the participating organization included everything form volunteer to staff to leadership. The majority of respondents have been involved with their organization for less than one year. All respondents said they heard about the opportunity to participate through word of mouth from friends and colleagues.

Respondents were asked a series of questions about their past experiences working with designers and exposure to how design relates to their organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission. The majority of respondents had not heard of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple before and had not worked with a designer before. All respondents said that they see design as being valuable to their organization. When asked if their experience with the Day of Service influenced their perspective on the value of design, most respondents said that the experience impacted how they thought about the process of achieving their mission. Respondents also saw the value of design in helping their organization grow to better serve the community. A few respondents also expressed appreciation for the fact that their design team was so approachable and collaborative. Had you heard of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple before?

42% yes

58% no

Had you worked with a design professional before?

42% yes

58% no 58%

Do you see design as being valuable to your organization?

100% yes I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the true value of design till going through this process. 100% agree that design is critical, and the day of service reinforced this to me. The value of design has increased drastically in my book after seeing what Eskew+Dumez+Ripple was able to design. Not just the importance [of design] but how we can take small steps to think critically about our stakeholders in various ways. It was definitely insightful to view the design process and how a vision can be realized with help from professional designers.

What statement best describes your participation in the Day of Service?

Respondents were asked to describe their participation in the design process and were provided with choices that aligned with the four levels of engagement introduced and discussed throughout the Community Engagement Research Fellowship. The highest level, collaboration, is the ultimate goal for a quality engagement experience. Half of respondents said that their experience aligned with the collaborative statement the best and a little less than half said they were involved in the process. This shows that the design teams were successful in engaging stakeholders from the community organizations in the design process. As stated previously this highly engaging process has influenced how participants view the value of design and the design process in achieving their organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission. Collaborate

Stakeholders 4 are partners in the process

Involve Stakeholders are engaged throughout.

Consult Stakeholder input is considered.

Inform Stakeholders know what is happening.

What statement best describes how the process and products from the day met your expectations?

I collaborated in decision-making that influenced the work produced.

50%

I was involved in discussions that may have influenced the work produced.

42%

I was consulted on work produced by the design team to provide select input.

I was informed of the work being produced by the design team.

Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that their expectations were either met or exceeded. Again, most respondents cited their highly collaborative experience with the design team as one of the reasons their expectations were exceeded. Expectations Met

The content produced was excellent, but a more iterative process over a longer period of time might be more productive. 17%

Expectations Exceeded

The final work product was exceptional, and of the type of quality that would have cost an organization like ours thousands of dollars typically.

83%

You all treated us like peers and made our experience extremely positive and fulfilling.

You engaged us with questions, corresponded professionally, and ensured that we were clear on what was happening.

What is the likelihood that your organization would ...

Respondents were asked a series of questions about the likelihood that they themselves would or if they would recommend someone else participate in another Day of Service or hire Eskew+Dumez+Ripple in the future. All respondents said they would recommend someone else participate or hire the firm in the future. Those who were unsure if they would participate in the Day of Service again questioned if they would be eligible for a second time and if they would have a project to work on in the future. Those who were unsure if they would hire the firm in the future had doubts that their organization would be in a financial position to afford professional design service.

... participate in the Day of Service again in the future?

92%

... recommend someone else participate in the Day of Service in the future? ... hire Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to provide architecture and/ or planning services in the future? ... recommend someone else hire Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to provide architecture and/or planning services?

very

100% very

58%

42%

very

somewhat

100% very

As a 501(c)3, it would be difficult for our organization to afford non-pro bono hours from Eskew+Dumez+Ripple. However, we valued their work highly, and certainly would employ them if money wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a factor. You did such a great job of actually listening to and producing things that met our needs!

What change would most improve the Day of Service in the future?

Partners from community organizations also agreed that more time to prepare and refine the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals would improve the Day of Service experience. Respondents also requested that the process be more iterative in the future with more opportunities to work with the design team to refine the deliverables produced. One respondent suggested that smaller team sizes might make the process run more smoothly and another requested that the opportunity be more widely advertised in the future so that more organizations could participate.

43%

Time to prepare More iterative process

What about the Day of Service would you keep the same in the future?

29%

Team management

14%

Promotion

14%

Partners from community organizations largely appreciated the team structure, leadership, and frequency of meetings in preparation for the Day of Service, though many said in previous responses that this could still be improved. Many respondents spoke of the positive attitude, empathy, and energy they saw in their design team. These attitudes were conducive to the collaborative atmosphere of the process. Team management Energy

63% 38%

3.3 KJ Method Evaluation

The studio participated in an exercise directed by the Community Engagement Research Fellow to express their thoughts about the Day of Service and how it may impact everyday practice at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple. The KJ Method was used to get to group consensus on priorities in response to a question posed to the group. The KJ Method is a universal design strategy in which multiple perspectives can be included democratically through participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; silent collaboration. 1.

First, participants were asked to freely write responses to a question on post-it notes, putting each idea on a separate note.

Next, participants were directed to post their answers on the wall and read what others have posted. Participants were then asked to begin grouping similar ideas. As sets started to emerge they were asked to move the sets to a different portion of the wall and continue adding similar ideas. This was done in silence in order to prevent one perspective from dominating the â&#x20AC;&#x153;conversationâ&#x20AC;? and encourage everyone to express their opinions.

Once larger sets began to form, participants were asked to write down what they thought the name of the set should be on a different color post-it note. Some groups were given multiple names if participants disagreed on what the larger theme was.

Once all the groups were named, participants were asked to write down the three they think best answer the question on a scratch piece of paper. They were then asked to draw ‘x’s on the names they chose and rank them on a scale of one to three. Their first choice got three ‘x’s, second choice two ‘x’s, and third choice one ‘x’.

The themes which received the most votes were then moved to another portion of the wall and ranked from first to last.

The group was then invited to discuss (out loud) the highest ranked groups and if there were any that shared common themes. Some groups were combined and their scores added together to move them higher up the list.

In the end, the group identified their collective top priorities, while having the opportunity to individually express their opinions and participate in the decision-making process.

How can the Day of Service inform engagement in our everyday practice?

Participants were asked to respond to the question “How can the Day of Service inform engagement in our everyday practice?” Internal After going through the KJ Method participants came to three overall themes for how the Day of Service could impact Participation everyday practice. First, by refining internal Process design processes such as how teams work Time together and how time in managed. Second, Humility by building more literacy and empathy about what is happening in the community and Empathy how to engage outside stakeholders. Third, by balancing between these internal and external goals with humility. External

The categories that emerged within these themes are described in the chart below. Comments about participation generally spoke of a sense of camaraderie and high levels of collaboration and team work within the design team and with stakeholders. Participants identified an opportunity in learning new skills and design strategies that may improve the firm’s everyday design process. Time management was also a value identified in relation to understanding the limits of the design team to realistically meet certain demands. Comments about empathy spoke of a desire to improve community ties and better understand local perspectives. Participants also expressed a need for more awareness within the office of needs in the community. Comments within the humility category spoke of opportunities to focus on collective goals and manage expectations.

Camaraderie

32%

Collaboration

10%

Teamwork

58%

Participation

Humility

20% 34% Empathy

17% Exploration

83% Awareness

33% 10% Design 2% Process Time Management

22% “A”rchitecture 11%

New strategies

Skill building

67%

4 | RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 Program Priorities

Studio Engagement

The following are priorities identified by members of the studio and community partners through surveys and individual interviews that should be considered in future iterations of the Day of Service. Maintain cocaptain structure that supports emerging leaders The Day of Service is widely seen as an important opportunity for emerging leaders in the firm to gain experience leading a team and recognition for their contribution to the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. Provide multiple project options Members of the studio appreciated having multiple types of projects to choose from, but some people also expressed a desire for a greater variety of skills required in the projects. Since the entire staff is encouraged to participate there is a need for more non-architectural tasks for everyone to feel like they are able to contribute to the team. Empower studio members to participate in project selection Several members of the studio expressed appreciation that they were so integral to the project selection process. Involving everyone at some level in selecting the projects ensures that there is buy in from those who will be doing the work and makes the overall process more engaging. This also offers an opportunity to explore the studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interests and values when it comes to doing community-based work.

Partner Relations

Improve Request for Proposals process to get more specific project information early Both members of the studio and community partner organizations expressed a need for greater project scope clarity earlier on in the process. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is one opportunity to solicit specific information from the start and achieve clarity faster. The RFP should be modified as the goals for the Day of Service are refined to get at the most helpful information for evaluating project opportunities. Vet organizational capacity before project selection Use the RFP process to evaluate the ability of the potential partner organization to collaborate with the design team. This effort is essential to the success of the Day of Service and the usefulness of the work produced. The RFP process should also be used to evaluate if the organization is truly in a good place to use the work the design team will produce. The organization should be prepared to move forward with the project after the Day of Service deliverables are complete. Meet with selected community partners early on to identify expectations Many community organizations have never worked with a designer before, so it is important that the Research Fellow and members from the design team make time to meet with their community partners early on. This will help everyone understand what the project goals are and manage expectations on both sides.

4.2 Role of the Research Fellow

The Day of Service is an opportunity for the Research Fellow to engage the studio and the New Orleans community in the topic they are investigating. While it can be difficult to mix the worlds of research, practice, and community life, their intersections are often where the most long-lasting impacts occur. The Day of Service is envisioned as a built-in mechanism for the Research Fellow to gather evidence about their topic from the community while demonstrating the topic’s relevance to the studio. The Research Fellow is expected to work with members of the studio to plan for and execute the Day of Service annually and memorialize the experience in a report for future Research Fellows to learn from. The following sections are intended to help guide future Research Fellows through the process based on what occurred in the inaugural 2015 program. The structure of the program may be adjusted according to the fellowship topic, studio interests, and events in the city.

4.3 Suggested Schedule

June

July

August

Review Previous Years September

October

November

Request Additional

Select Project(s)

Program Planning Distribute RFP

Information December

January

February

Form Team(s) & Define Project Scope

Program Report MLK Day of Service Program Evaluation

March

Color Key

Color intensity indicates major milestones and intensity of work required.

April

Orange colors indicate time spent planning and evaluating the program. This is primarily done by the Research Fellow and is logged as “research”.

May

Blue colors indicate time logged to the project number by the Research Fellow and project teams preparing for and following up on the Day of Service.

As years go by and more Days of Service occur, incoming Research Fellows will have a Mid- to Late-August wealth of information at their disposal about how the program has been implemented in the past and the lessons learned along the way. The Research Fellow should spend time reviewing past program reports, talking with key staff members involved in planning for previous years, and speaking with past fellows if they are available in order to gain a deeper understanding of the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy.

Review Previous Years

Part of the intentions behind the Day of Service is to foster the work of the Research Early- to Mid-September Fellow and engage the entire studio in the topic. After reviewing years past, the Research Fellow should spend time relating this information to their topic and modifying the program as necessary to better serve their research needs. A teaming strategy should also be determined at this point, though it may change depending on the types of project proposals received. The Research Fellow may determine whether it is more appropriate to take on multiple projects with separate design teams or take on one project with multiple design teams. This will depend on the goals of the program and the topic of the fellowship. Program Planning

Request for Proposals In order to allow for ample review and preparation time, the RFP should be distributed Mid-September to Mid-October no later than mid-September. The RFP should be modified to suit the intentions of the current Research Fellowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s topic and desired engagement with the studio. The RFP should be distributed widely through diverse media outlets including those typically accessed by community organizations in the city. Distribution should be coordinated with the marketing department. The RFP should be open for approximately four weeks to allow enough time for organizations to compose a quality proposal. Additional Information After the RFP period has expired, the Research Fellow and select studio members Mid-October to Mid-November should do an initial review of the proposals received. Proposals that obviously do not fit in with what the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intentions are should be eliminated from consideration. After this initial review there may be proposals that require more information for reviewers to fully understand its suitability for the program. Reviewers are encouraged to document their questions and coordinate a follow up request for information from the organization applying. Select Project(s) By mid-November reviewers should have a short list of proposals that can be shared Mid- to Late-November with the entire studio. Members of the studio should be given enough time to browse the proposals in order to better inform their project selections. The project(s) should be selected by a group voting method so that everyone in the studio has a voice in the selection process.

The teaming strategy identified previously may need to be adjusted depending on the Early December amount and type of projects selected. Studio members will likely be more enthusiastic about the project if they have some say in what project and/or teams they are on. Team leaders should also be identified once teams are formed. These leaders will be responsible for helping the Research Fellow coordinate with community partners and the design team to further define the project scope and execute the Day of Service. It is also desirable that the team leaders are members of the studio who are not currently Principals or Associates in the firm.

Form Project Team(s)

Define Project Scope The Research Fellow and team leaders should schedule site visits and meetings with December to Mid-January their community partner in order to have a better understanding of the project scope. This should mimic the Project Definition phase of a typical project in the office where consensus on the parameters and expectations of the project is achieved. The more clarity that is achieved early on the more productive the Day of Service will be. It may also be necessary for team leaders to do some background research in order further understand the project scope. This information should be shared with the rest of the team as needed leading up to the Day of Service.

The 2015 program featured a Friday Forum the week before the Day of Service where each design team met with their community partners to discuss the project scope and stakeholder expectations. It may be helpful in the future to have multiple occasions where the project team meets with stakeholders prior to the Day of Service in order to gain a deeper understanding of their needs. Depending on the type of project, the Research Fellow may also consider constructing a Memorandum of Understanding between Eskew+Dumez+Ripple and the community organization. This will help the team set expectations for future work and limit the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liability. MLK Day of Service Team leaders will be primarily responsible for planning out the day and guiding their 3rd Monday in January team towards producing the agreed upon deliverables. Depending on the project and stakeholders involved it may be helpful to schedule a design review at some point in the day. In the 2015 Day of Service community partners were invited to join their teams for lunch and discuss the progress made throughout the morning.

The primary responsibility of the Research Fellow is documenting the day and assisting team leaders in keeping teams on track. In the 2015 Day of Service the three-month Community Engagement Research Fellow, Matt Kleinmann, was brought in to film interviews with team members and compose a short video about the event. This documentation should be coordinated with the marketing department. Solicit Feedback The Research Fellow should design and administer an evaluation survey for members Late-January to Early-February of the studio and community partners to provide feedback about their experience. The survey should evaluate how closely the program met its goals and the quality of the experience from the studio and communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of view. This information will be valuable for planning future Days of Service. There may also be other evaluation mechanisms the Research Fellow may wish to undertake depending on their research interests.

The Research Fellow should compile the entire Day of Service experience in a February report to help plan future Days of Service. This report should be distributed to the entire studio and community partners and be made publicly available through the Eskew+Dumez+Ripple website.

Program Report

5 | APPENDIX

APPENDIX

5.1 Initial program description and estimates

How might we work together to design better outcomes for our communities?

About the Program

As part of Eskew+Dumez+Rippleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to building community the firm is implementing a skills-based service program to benefit community organizations in the southern Louisiana region. This program seeks to support leaders within our practice and community in impacting social problems through design excellence. Each year the program makes the entire Eskew+Dumez+Ripple staff available for one work day to a community focused initiative. Through this design-marathon stakeholders participate in a collaborative design process tailored to their particular design challenge. This exchange of knowledge benefits Eskew+Dumez+Ripple in constructing a deeper understanding of community needs and benefits the partner organization in further realizing their mission through design excellence.

Benefits to Eskew+Dumez+Ripple

Talent Development Skills-based volunteering provides new creative opportunities that foster leadership and innovative thinking that is directly transferable to everyday practice. In fact, skillsbased volunteers are 142% more likely to report job-related skills-gains than traditional volunteers according to a 2012 True Impact study. Culture Working in the interest of the community has been part of the Eskew+Dumez+Ripple ethic since its conception. Institutionalizing a framework for intentionality enables this culture to further permeate the firm and its relationship to the communities it participates in. Business Development Fostering new relationships with organizations and individuals in the community that share in an ethic of service and civic engagement will likely lead to future project opportunities.

Benefits to the Organization

Increased Capacity Access to the skills of talented designers can help an organization evolve to deliver more services to more people. Raise Awareness Design can bring greater awareness to your cause by amplifying your identity and generating more support in the community. Communicate your Mission Design can help you strategically express the values of your organization to access more resources.

Expectations

By participating in this program a community organization will receive an estimated $40,000 worth of design services free of charge. The scope of services provided will be tailored to the proposed project. In addition to being available on the day of service, representatives from the partner organization and stakeholder representatives are expected to be available to meet prior to the day of service for a total of approximately 4 hours to further define the project scope and expected deliverables. The organization is also expected to give a brief presentation about their work to Eskew+Dumez+Ripple staff prior to the day of service. This will help ensure everyone involved benefits to the fullest extent possible. Following the service day Eskew+Dumez+Ripple staff will follow up with the organization to provide documentation of the agreed upon deliverables and solicit feedback to evaluate the process for future installments.

Process

Calendar

The process for selecting projects and implementing the program will be thoroughly participatory. The entire Eskew+Dumez+Ripple staff will take part in selecting the organizations they would like to work with and stakeholders from the organizations will take part in defining the project scope and designing the deliverables. A final report will document the project, process, and impacts as well as provide recommendations for improving the program. June

July

August Review previous

Fellows start

year & ident ify program theme

September

October

November Select project

Solicit application through RFP

Notify selected

December

January

February Provide deliverable s

deliverable s Day of Service

Solicit feedback

March Report on

April

May

Share results

process

Selection Criteria

Project Viability Is it feasible to meet the project’s needs within the identified time frame? Is the proposed project developed enough to have a clear understanding of what is needed from a design team? Organizational Capacity Does the organization applying have the skills and resources necessary to move forward with the project? Is there a clear plan of action after initial design services are provided? Does the organization have a grasp of the impacts the proposed project will have on their day-to-day operation? Organization’s Track Record Does the organization have a history of managing projects and programs well? Have they taken on a similar scale project in the past? Are there past partners of the organization that can speak to their ability to implement a project? Identified Need Does the proposed project meet a need in the community? Is there a clear connection between how the project will impact the organization’s operation and what the community need is? Organization’s Mission Does the proposed project meet the mission of the partner organization? Does the project have the support of everyone involved with the organization (staff, board, members, recipients of services, and other stakeholders)?

Additional Resources

Pro bono week: http://www.probonoweek.org/ Createathon: http://createathon.org/ A Billion + Change: http://www.abillionpluschange.org/ League of Intrapreneurs: http://www.leagueofintrapreneurs.com/ SustainAbility: http://www.sustainability.com/ True Impact: http://www.trueimpact.com/ The One Percent: http://www.theonepercent.org/ SEED Network Evaluator: http://www.seednetwork.org/evaluator/

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Eligibility

Applicant must be based regionally. Must be a specific design project that addresses a stated local need. The project must serve the mission of the organization applying.

Project Information

Name of the Organization: Name of the project you are requesting services for: Contact person: Phone number & E-mail address:

Executive Summary

Please provide a brief summary of your project and the need it fills in your community. (250 words maximum) Please answer the following questions in a project narrative organized according to these sections.

Organization Description

Project Description

Community

Supporting Material

Describe the work of your organization. What are your organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major accomplishments in the past 3 years? How does this project help the organization achieve its mission? Has the organization undertaken a project of this size or scope previously? If so, please describe. Is the organization a 501(c)3 or under fiscal sponsorship? Describe the project for which you are seeking pro bono design services. Where is the project located? Does your organization have control of the project site? What led your organization to identify this project as a need in your community? What work products does your organization anticipate receiving from this process? What is the time line for the project? What will be the next step after our services are complete? How will success of the project be evaluated? What are the critical benchmarks your hope to achieve with this project? Describe the community your organization serves. How does this project fit with other community efforts? How has or how will this project gain community support? Who are your community and project partners and stakeholders? What stakeholders do you anticipate will participate in this design process and what will their role be? Please provide two letters of support from groups you have worked with or who are familiar with your work.

PROGRAM EVALUATION For Eskew+Dumez+Ripple Addressing Issues with Design

What was the highest priority issue that the design project addresses? How was this issue identified as a priority? Describe the design and how it is a response to the priority issue identified. Describe the ways in which stakeholders were involved in the design process including the participation time line and the type of input that was sought. How is the project’s success defined and impacts measured relative to the issue identified? What are the critical benchmarks for success or failure of the project?

Fostering Internal Development

What skills did participating staff members employ in this project? Please elaborate if these are new skills that are not called upon regularly in the employee’s daily work. Did staff members learn something new about a need in the community? Please describe. Is there a desire to continue being involved with the partner organization or working on the issue identified? If so, in what capacity?

For partner organizations Addressing Issues with Design

What was the highest priority issue that the design project addresses? How was this issue identified as a priority? Describe the design and how it is a response to the priority issue identified. Describe the ways in which your organization and its stakeholders were involved in the design process. How is the project’s success defined and impacts measured relative to the issue identified? What are the critical benchmarks for success or failure of the project?

Fostering Internal Development

What skills did participating staff members and stakeholders employ in this project? Please elaborate if these are new skills that are not called upon regularly in the employee’s daily work or stakeholder’s daily interaction with the organization. Did staff members and stakeholders learn something new about the design process? Please describe. Is there a desire to continue participating in a design process to further develop the project? If so, in what capacity?

PROGRAM BUDGET Estimated Annual Budget

Task Identify program theme & prepare RFP

People/Hours research fellow/24 hours

Cost* $480

Solicit applications

research fellow/16 hours

$320

Project selection process

research fellow/16 hours; all staff, 40 people/1 hour

Notification of selected proposals

research fellow/4 hours

Define project scope & deliverables Day of Service

research fellow/16 hours; 8 staff (2/project avg.)/4 hours research fellow/16 hours; 40 staff/8 hours

Provide final deliverables

Total research fellow:

research fellow/4 hours; 8 staff (2/project avg.)/4 hours research fellow/8 hours research fellow/24 hours; 4 staff (1/project avg.)/2 hours research fellow/5 hours; 4 staff (1/project avg.)/2 hours 133

Total staff:

440

$44,000

Total:

573

$46,660

Solicit feedback Report on process Share results

$4,320 $80 $ 3,520 $32,320 $3,280 $160 $1,280 $ 900 $2,660

* estimated employee rate is $100/hour, estimated research fellow rate is $20/hour

Comparison

Year

Day of Service 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

Pro-bono hours

Estimated cost

% of annual hours

573 1,408 1,000 1,071 1,324 1,008 524 255

$46,660 $140,800 $100,000 $107,100 $132,400 $100,800 $52,375 $25,450

0.55% 1.35% 1.09% 1.10% 1.52% 1.15% 0.74% 0.38%

5.2 2015 Request for proposals How might we work together to design better outcomes for our communities? What

As part of Eskew+Dumez+Rippleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to building community the firm is implementing a skills-based service program to benefit community organizations in the New Orleans region. This program seeks to support leaders within our practice and community in impacting social problems through design excellence. Each year the program makes the entire EDR staff available for one work day, a value of approximately $40,000, to community focused initiatives. Through this designmarathon stakeholders participate in a collaborative design process tailored to their particular design challenge. This exchange of knowledge benefits EDR in constructing a deeper understanding of community needs and benefits the partner organization in further realizing their mission through design excellence.

When

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 19th, 2015

Where Who

Why

How

Eskew+Dumez+Ripple studio &/or community partner space We are contacting several potential partners to participate in the 2015 Day of Service. The studio will decide together which opportunities to pursue and selected partners will be notified on December 22, 2014. Benefits for EDR

Benefits for partners

Talent Development Skills-based volunteers report more job-related skills-gains.

Increased Capacity Talented designers help deliver more services to more people.

Culture Intentionality for pro-bono services as an ongoing EDR ethic.

Raise Awareness Design can amplify identity and generate more support.

Build Relationships Foster new relationships with civically-engaged peers.

Communicate a Mission Strategically express values to help access more resources.

Two to four projects will be selected according to the interests expressed by the studio. Each project will have a team of 5-10 designers dedicated to it on the day of service. Each team will have a project lead coordinating scope definition, identifying deliverables, and following up after the Day of Service. Team members and their community partner will participate in one planning meeting during the week of January 5th-9 th, 2015 to further identify the project scope and deliverables. On the Day of Service the team will structure their work flow around the agreed upon project scope and deliverables. Following the Day of Service the team will provide the project partner with the deliverables identified. The project team and partners will also be asked to participate in a follow-up survey to evaluate the experience and impact of the day.

Important Dates

December 8-17, 2014 December 22, 2014 January 5-9, 2015 January 19, 2015 January 26-30, 2015 February 2-6, 2015

Solicit project proposals for consideration Notify selected partners Project planning meeting Day of Service Provide final deliverables Participate in project evaluation survey 62

Eligibility

Selection Criteria

Applicant must be based regionally. Must be a specific design project that addresses a stated local need. The project must serve the mission of the organization applying. Projects will be selected based on the following criteria: Is it feasible to meet the project’s needs within the Project Viability identified timeframe? Organizational Capacity

Is there a clear plan of action after initial design services are provided?

Identified Need

Is there a clear connection between the project’s impact on the organization and the identified need?

Organization’s Mission

Does the proposed project meet the mission of the partner organization and does it have support from those who will be impacted?

Project Information

Name of the Organization: Name of the project you are requesting services for: Contact person: Phone number & Email address:

Executive Summary

Please provide a brief summary of your project and the need it fills in your community.

Organization Description

Describe the work of your organization and how this project helps the organization achieve its mission.

Project Description

Describe the project for which you are seeking pro bono design services. Where is the project located? Does your organization have control of the project site? What led your organization to identify this project as a need in your community? What work products does your organization anticipate receiving from this process? What will be the next step after our services are complete? What are the critical benchmarks you hope to achieve with this project? How will success of the project be evaluated?

Community Description

Please provide your project proposal to Nicole Joslin, njoslin@eskewdumezripple.com, by December 17, 2014 for

5.3 Studio Evaluation Survey Instrument Day of Service Evaluation

The following survey was administered through the online survey tool Survey Monkey. * Indicates questions that required an answer to complete the survey Thank you for helping us evaluate the 2015 Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of Service. Your answers to this survey will remain anonymous and will only be used to inform planning for future events. Please contact Nicole Joslin (njoslin@eskewdumezripple.com) if you have any questions about this survey or about the Day of Service.

*Q1

Did you participate in the 2015 Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of Service? • Yes • No (If answer is Yes, respondent is forwarded to Q2. If answer is No, respondent is forwarded to Q4.)

*Q2

What project did you participate in? • Live Oak Wilderness Camp • Youth Rebuilding New Orleans • Arts Council of New Orleans, Civic Pavilions • ReFresh Project

What do you hope comes from the project you participated in? (Short answer text box)

*Q4

Why did you not participate? • Work conflict • Personal conflict • Not interested in the projects • Not interested in the type of work being done Other (please specify)

*Q5

How prepared did you feel to participate in the Day of Service? • Very prepared • Somewhat prepared • Not prepared • Not applicable Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q6

How clear was your task for the Day of Service? • Very clear • Somewhat clear • Not clear • Not applicable Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q7

Was this experience valuable for your daily work at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? • Very valuable • Somewhat valuable • Not valuable • Not applicable Why or why not? (Short answer text box)

*Q8

What skills did you use while working on your Day of Service project? (Short answer text box)

*Q9

Were these skills you use in your daily work at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? • Yes, all of them • Some of them • No, none of them Which ones? (Short answer text box)

*Q10

Are any of the skills ones you would like to use more in your daily work at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? • Yes, all of them • Some of them • No, none of them Which ones? (Short answer text box)

*Q11

Were you already aware of the organizations we partnered with for the Day of Service? (you may select multiple answers) • Yes, Live Oak Wilderness Camp • Yes, Youth Rebuilding New Orleans • Yes, Arts Council of New Orleans • Yes, ReFresh Coalition • No Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q12

Would you like to continue working with any of the community partners from the Day of Service even if you did not participate in their project? (you may select multiple answers) • Yes, Live Oak Wilderness Camp • Yes, Youth Rebuilding New Orleans • Yes, Arts Council of New Orleans • Yes, ReFresh Coalition • No Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q13

Did you learn anything new from the Day of Service? (you may select multiple answers) • Yes, I learned something new about the community • Yes, I learned something new about Eskew+Dumez+Ripple • Yes, I learned something new about my peers • Yes, I learned something new about myself • Yes, I learned a new skill • No, I did not learn anything new Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q14

Would you participate in the Day of Service in the future? • Yes • No • Maybe Why or why not? (Short answer text box)

Q15

What change would most improve the Day of Service in the future? (Short answer text box)

Q16

What about the Day of Service would you keep the same in the future? (Short answer text box)

*Q17

Are you currently in a leadership position at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? (Associate or Principal) • Yes • No

*Q18

How long have you worked at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? • Less than 1 year • 1-5 years • 5-10 years • 10-15 years • Over 15 years

Q19

Do you have anything else you would like to share about your Day of Service experience?

5.4 Partner Evaluation Survey Instrument

The following survey was administered through the online survey tool Survey Monkey. * Indicates questions that required an answer to complete the survey

Day of Service Partner Survey

Thank you for helping us evaluate the 2015 Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of Service. Your answers to this survey will remain anonymous and will only be used to inform planning for future events. Please contact Nicole Joslin (njoslin@eskewdumezripple.com) if you have any questions about this survey or about the Day of Service.

*Q1

What organization are you affiliated with that participated in the 2015 Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of Service? • Live Oak Wilderness Camp • Youth Rebuilding New Orleans • Arts Council of New Orleans • ReFresh Coalition

*Q2

What is your current role in the organization that participated in the 2015 Eskew+Dumez+Ripple MLK Day of service? • Leadership • Management • Staff • Volunteer • Community Partner • Service Recipient • Other (please specify) ______________

*Q3

How long have you been involved with the organization? • Less than 1 year • 1-5 years • 6-10 years • 11-15 years • Over 15 years

*Q4

How did you find out about the Day of Service opportunity? (Short answer text box)

*Q5

What statement best describes your participation in the Day of Service? • I was not involved in the Day of Service. • I was informed of the work being produced by the design team. • I consulted on work produced by the design team to provide input on particular items. • I was involved in design discussions that may or may not have influenced the work produced. • I collaborated in decision making that influenced the work produced. Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q6

What statement best describes how the process and products from the day met your expectations? • My expectations were exceeded • My expectations were met • Some of my expectations were met • None of my expectations were met Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

What change would most improve the Day of Service in the future? (Short answer text box)

What about the Day of Service would you keep the same in the future? (Short answer text box)

*Q9

Were you aware of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple prior to your involvement in the 2015 Day of Service? • Yes • No If yes, what did you know about us? (Short answer text box)

*Q10

Have you worked with a design professional previously, either with your current organization or under other circumstances? • Yes • No If yes, please describe how this experience compares to your previous experience. (Short answer text box)

*Q11

Do you see design services as being valuable to the organization you are involved in? • Yes, design is important to this organization achieving its mission. • Maybe, I’m not sure I see the value of design to this organization. • No, design does not influence this organization’s ability to achieve its mission. Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q12

Has your experience working with Eskew+Dumez+Ripple influenced your opinion about the value of design or design professionals in achieving your organization’s vision for the community? (Short answer text box)

*Q13

What is the likelihood that your organization would participate in future Days of Service with Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? • Very likely • Somewhat likely • Somewhat unlikely • Very unlikely Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q14

What is the likelihood that you would recommend someone else participate in future Days of Service with Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? • Very likely • Somewhat likely • Somewhat unlikely • Very unlikely Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q15

What is the likelihood that your organization would hire Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to provide architectural and/or planning services in the future? • Very likely • Somewhat likely • Somewhat unlikely • Very unlikely Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

*Q16

What is the likelihood that you would recommend someone else hire Eskew+Dumez Ripple to provide architectural and/or planning services in the future? • Very likely • Somewhat likely • Somewhat unlikely • Very unlikely Do you have any comments you would like to share? (Short answer text box)

Q17

Do you have anything else you would like to share about your Day of Service experience? (Short answer text box)