COLLABORATIVE CAPITAL
Mapping the Gap between Pedagogy and Practice in Socially Conscious Design Shannon Arms - MLA Candidate 2014 Chair: Dr. Deni Ruggeri
The design profession’s commitment to create safe, healthy and happy places for all people has waxed and waned over many centuries in response to political, economic and social factors. After a brief hiatus during the post-modernism of the 1980s and early 90’s, the notion of socially conscious design has re-emerged amidst a changing climate, growing global population and widening wealth gap. Recent work addressing these demands has been called Public Interest Design (PID) and is rooted in the idea that designers have a responsibility to provide for the needs of all people in the face of these rapidly changing global conditions. This is an unfamiliar challenge for many designers, one that necessitates working with new clients in unexplored contexts. These demands extend beyond the boundaries of one discipline or the abilities of a single designer. All have roles to play in addressing these demands, however, many are left out of the conversation, most notably, landscape architects, a profession rooted in the pursuit to provide for people’s health and happiness within the public realm.
Literature has identified three critical obstacles to broad PID practice. First, the movement’s identity is unclear; second, avenues to participation are limited; and there is a gap in the knowledge and training necessary to effectively work with the “underserved” clients and unfamiliar communities PID engages. Interviews with eleven practitioners, educators and emerging professionals engaged in PID illuminate effective approaches to collaboration; in particular, drawing connections between skill sets needed by practitioners of PID and the unique contributions emerging landscape architecture professionals can make to fill those gaps. This project proposes a professional development “road map” to help emerging landscape architects self-identify their interests and suggest appropriate avenues for developing those strengths in design-based civic service.
Collaborative Capital seeks to identify the role(s) emerging landscape architecture professionals can play, based on their unique skills and experience, to address issues of identity, participation and knowledge in the practice of Public Interest Design (PID) as part of interdisciplinary teams.
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KEY DEFINITIONS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
COMMUNITY DESIGN
COLLABORATIVE CAPITAL
“Working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.” (Erlich, 2000)
“A movement focused on the creation and management of environments for people. This process promotes change to the built environment from neighborhood to regional scales, and aims to meet community needs through participatory decision-making at all levels.” (Association of Community Designers n.d.)
A neologism indicating the value added to a process or product as a result of strong partnerships.
DESIGN FOR GOOD
EMERGING PROFESSIONAL
“A platform to build and sustain the implementation of design thinking for social change that creates opportunities for designers to build their practice, their network, and their visibility. It recognizes the wide range of designers’ work and leadership in social change which benefits the world, country and communities.” (AIGA.com 2011)
Early career Landscape Architects licensed within the past 5 years, or still in school. (Watts, n.d)
HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN
“A process emphasizing observation, empathy, abstract thinking, proto-typing, and iteration through working directly with end users. Its goal is to create solutions that are desirable, feasible, and viable” (PID.com, n.d.)
PARTICIPATORY DESIGN HUMANITARIAN DESIGN “Working with individuals lacking basic human needs such as food, water, shelter, and safety, particularly in response to natural disasters, extreme/absolute poverty, and war-torn areas.” (PID.com , n.d.)
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“A diverse collection of principles and practices aimed at making technologies, tools, environments, businesses, and social institutions more responsive to human needs. Anchored by a central tenet to directly involve people in the co-design of things and technologies they use. (Participatory Design Conference, n.d.)
PLACEMAKING “The deliberate shaping of an environment to facilitate social interaction and improve a community’s quality of life.” (Silberberg, 2013)
PRO BONO
PUBLIC INTEREST DESIGN
SERVICE LEARNING
“Work undertaken for the public good without charge.” (Oxford Dictionary, n.d.)
“An approach to design that emphasizes the creation or redesign of products, environments, and systems, with a clear human-centered approach. It is often likened to the wellestablished fields of public interest law and public health.” (PID.com ,n.d.)
A method where students learn and develop through thoughtfully-organized activities conducted in a community to meet their needs. Integrated within curriculum at an institution of higher education and in partnership with a community service learning is intended to help foster civic responsibility. (Adler-Kassner, Crooks, and Watter, 1997)
SOCIAL IMPACT DESIGN “The practice of design for public good, especially in disadvantaged communities.“ (Design and Social Impact, 2013)
SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS DESIGN Design that focuses on primarily on social factors first but integrates economic and ecological concerns as they pertain to the health, happiness, and safety of people. Applied to product, industrial, graphic and environmental design disciplines.
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01: TIMELINE OF SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS DESIGN This Figure shows thinkers, events, publications and practices significant to the development of PID as a current trend. This could be considered the “shoulders” that PID stands on and is exemplified by efforts within the design community to advocate for the equitable access of high-quality design for all people.
SCALE OF IMPACT
Information was sourced from the Public Interest Design Blog historical time line, the book Expanding Architecture, and personal references.
1875
1900
CIVIL WAR
1925 WW I
1919-1933 BAUHAUS 1857-1890
FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED
PROGRAMS/ ORGANIZATIONS
PRACTITIONERS
EVENTS
LITERATURE/ MEDIA
HISTORICAL EV
1990
1850
2014
CONTEMPORARY “PUBLIC INTEREST DESIGN” MOVEMENT
1950 WW II
1975 VIETNAM WAR
ARCHITECTURE WITHOUT ARCHITECTS NY MoMa Whitney M. Young Jr. 1954-1969 JANE JACOBS AIA KEYNOTE 1928-1969 CONGRES INTERNATIONALE D’ARCHITECTURE MODERNE 1977
VENTS
2000
1981
ARCHITECTS/DESIGNERS /PLANNERS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY DESIGN
LOEB FELLOWSHIP Harvard University 1949-2005
LAWRENCE HALPRIN 1975
RANDY HESTER
ARCHITECTS RENEWAL COMMITTEE -Harlem ARNSTIEN: A Ladder of Citizen FREIRE: Pedagogy Participation of the Opressed
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02: THE GROWING PID MOVEMENT The strength of the PID movement has been growing louder over the past five years. This is due to a multi-faceted interest in the idea of good design for all has infiltrated areas of practice, inspired international events, prompted the creation of many books, articles and videos and given the foundation to ground-breaking new design practices and programs.
SCALE OF IMPACT
Information was sourced from the Public Interest Design Blog historical time line, the book Expanding Architecture, and personal references.
1990
1995 Design Corps Rural Studio at Auburn
Community Design Primer HESTER
Detroit Collaborative Design Center
2000 Harris/ Butterfly House
BaSiC Initiative
Proceed and Be Bold: OPPENHEIMER-DEAN
Structures for Inclusion
Philadelphia Community Design Center Howard S. Wright Community Design
Glass Chapel Design Without Borders
Architecture for Humanity People in the Landscape LAWSON
PRACTICES PROGRAMS
PROJECTS
EVENTS
LITERATURE/ MEDIA
WHERE LANDSCAPE ISN’T MENTIONED
1990
1850
2005 Rural Studio: OPPENHEIMER-DEAN
20K House
1% For University-Community Partnerships - PEARSON Architecture Interbay P-Patch Public Architecture SEED Network Village Homes Urban Open Space- FRANCIS
HOOD Design City Bountiful LAWSON
2014
2010 Urban Build Gulf Coast Community Design Studio
Design Like you Give a Damn STOHR/SINCLAIR
Congo Street Initiative
Design for the other 90% Expanding Architecture BELL/WAKEFORD/ BADANES/FELDMAN
The Public Dialogue Bridging the Gap BIZIOS/WAKEFORD
Citizen PID Architect Website PERKINS + WILL Social MASS Power of Pro Bono Responsibility Initiative Design Group CARY/CARTER/ Butaro PETERSON Tulane City Design for Social Hospital Center Small Scale, Impact Workshop Make it Right, Big Change IDEO.org New Orleans PARKing Day Greening D-REV
Hippo Roller Project H Design for America
Cities HOU
2014 Design Like you Give a Damn 2 STOHR/SINCLAIR WISDOM FROM THE FIELD: Public Interest Design in Architecture Building for Change: If You Build It ARCHITECTURAL RECORD STUDIO H Future Practice:Design for Social RORY HYDE Impact Guide IDEO
Rust to Green
PID Global Design Access Design Future Summit Student Forum Clean Conscious, PID Week Design for Dirty Hands Impact AKRON Social Impact Design Summit Boys & Girls Club
Insurgent Public Spaces HOU
Service Learning at PSU in Planning & Design- DOBOL
Design for ecological democracy HESTER
Center for PID
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TOWARDS COLLABORATIVE CAPITAL
DESIGN AND THE COMMON GOOD Humanity faces an unprecedented suite of challenges. Wealth inequity, volatile and failing ecological systems, and a rapidly growing global population put enormous pressure on economic, social and natural systems to continue meeting the basic needs of all people. How can designers help to mitigate the inevitable impacts of these changes? In a 2013 address to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Convention, architect Billie Tsien said “…what unites us as a profession is to be of service” (Tsien quoted in Rosenfield,K. 2013 para 4.) Some designers might ask, so what? In the 1980s and early 90s, many designers eschewed their civic responsibilities in favor of aesthetic explorations. Threads of that aversion still exist for many who believe socially conscious design inhibits their creativity (Peterson, 2008.) However, business savvy practitioners see that global changes are creating new opportunities and opening new client markets in socially conscious design. Given this, why don’t we see more socially conscious design practiced? “We may continue to see a trickle of fantastic public interest design projects, but addressing the bigger social challenges of our time will require breaking from the usual way that designers have long worked: serving the needs of private individuals, as a doctor would a single patient. Instead, we need to start considering the needs of entire populations, especially those who can’t afford to pay.” (Cary, 2012, para 8.) In 1999, rapper Ice-T sang, “don’t hate the playa, hate the game (Ice-T, 1999.)” Though the “playas” and the “game” he was referring to are quite different than those that apply to designers, the sentiment is the same; individual designers are not the issue, the structure of dominant practice prevents many designers from directing their noble intentions in a clear, collaborative and financially rewarding way. A 2013 survey found that 81% of design professionals were interested in improving the quality of life for communities (Feldman, Palleroni, Perkes, and Bell. 2013.)
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OVERVIEW OF METHODS AND OUTCOMES Literature revealed three critical obstacles to broader PID practice. First, the movement identity is unclear; second, avenues to participation are limited; and lastly, there is a gap in the knowledge necessary to navigate these unfamiliar type of practice. Architects are the most visible proponents of design for the public interest, but possess only part of the broad skill set necessary to effect meaningful improvements to the built environment (Perkes, 2011.) Meaningful transformation requires the design education include expanded skill building in community design, business management, leadership and collaboration, and also demands the design professions to include a broader range of disciplines in more frequent collaboration. “The key question isn’t just ‘How do I plug in?’ There’s a structural problem that makes this kind of work very hard to do… (Aeschebacher quoted in Weber, 2013, para 22) While it would be difficult to address deep structural changes to professional practice in the course of one master’s project, contributions intended to address gaps are possible.
The study consisted of semi-structured interviews with eleven practitioners, educators and emerging professionals from architecture, landscape architecture and planning who are engaged in PID. Interviews were intended to illuminate effective approaches to collaboration. Particular emphasis was given to making connections between skill sets needed by practitioners of PID and the unique contributions emerging landscape architecture professionals can make to closing those gaps. OUTCOMES; FINAL TOOL SUMMARY : Interviews informed the creation of a tool to help emerging landscape architects become more aware of their skills and interests and suggest avenues to develop them. A “road-map” will help identify satisfying opportunities for developing young designers skills set during education and early practice.
This project, Collaborative Capital, seeks to answer the question: What role(s) should emerging landscape architects play, based on their unique skills and experience, to address issues of identity, participation and knowledge in the practice of PID as part of interdisciplinary teams? This project also asks : 1. To what degree are claims in the literature about gaps in practice true? 2. How can collaboration be most effectively facilitated in socially conscious design projects? 3. How is one’s role in collaborative relationships related to their individual skill sets? 4. How are academic and professional experiences related to the development of particular skill sets?
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MAPPING THE GAPS RESEARCH QUESTION What role(s) should emerging landscape architects play, based on their unique skills and experience, to address issues of identity, participation and knowledge in the practice of PID as part of interdisciplinary teams? SAMPLING
RESEARCH METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS
The research question was investigated through a survey of perceptions, experiences and values of environmental designers who self-identify as participants of socially conscious design or are members in organizations identified as having a socially conscious design focus. Within that field, there were three target page groups: • Emerging professionals – students currently pursuing degrees in design or professionals who have graduated less than five years ago. • Educators – individuals currently teaching or doing research within a design program at a two or four year academic institution. Educators whose primary work involves outreach-based education to non-designers also falls into this category. • Practitioners – design professionals who have been working for more than five years in an design firm, fellowship, internship program, or nonprofit with a design focus and dealing primarily with a client (whether an individual, organization or a community.)
Semi-structured interviews were recorded using audio-only Skype calls and annotated during by the interviewer to ensure accurate records of the conversations. Key quotes and comments were highlighted. Interview questions were intended to gather the following types of information: 1. The degree to which claims in the literature about gaps in practice are supported by the interviewees 2. The correlation between a self-assessment of one’s role in collaborative relationships and their individual skill sets (see note on “Self identification” next page) 3. Relationships between particular academic and professional experiences and skill sets and skill-building activities. 4. Understand the unique contributions emerging professionals and landscape architects are well-suited to make as part of collaborative teams. 5. Best practices for collaboration in socially conscious design projects.
Eleven interview participants were identified through a combination of literature review, professional references and personal social networks. There is some degree of bias in the pool towards designers located in the Northwest since it’s largely a convenience sample. Participants were selected across a broad spectrum of the profession in order to make generalized results from a small sample pool. In addition to a diversity of professional experiences, interviewees have diverse disciplinary backgrounds including architecture, landscape architecture, fine arts, science and planning.
04 04
Results from 15 questions
CODING Using a discourse analysis approach, the interview results were coded in three ways so as to identify commonalities, anomalies, and defining features within the sample pool. In some cases participants may have identified with more than one category – for instance a professional who practices and also teaches may be coded as both an “educator” and “practitioner.”
Sorted into....
1. PROFESSIONAL STAGE (see previous page for descriptors) • Emerging Professional • Educator • Practitioner
3. SELF Identification: Participants were asked to self identify with one or more of the following roles* they most often play in collaborative relationships • SPECIALIST: Primarily works with those from the same discipline • CONNECTOR: Works with other design/planning professionals such as Landscape Architects, Architects, Planners, Engineers • BRIDGER: Often collaborates with professionals outside of the design profession such as scientists, developers, entrepreneurs, politicians, artists and/or educators • ENGAGER: Work largely involves interfacing with groups affiliated by a shared mission rather than professional discipline and could include non-profits, communities, or organizations *Roles were generated as a result of reviewing literature from Socially Conscious design, strengths-based psychology and business management. These were indicative of modes of practice and helpful in guiding interviews
CODING CATEGORIES
2. DISCIPLINE: Interviewees were coded by the character of the work they do currently, rather than their degrees or past work. • Landscape Architecture • Architecture • Planning
INFORMATION TYPES
03: DATA CODING DIAGRAM Information was collected across all 15 questions, then sorted based into six different types of information about Roles played, Skills, value of Landscape Architects, value of Emerging Professionals, desired Impact and Challenges in practice. This sorted information was then coded in the three ways to the left
05
male female
There is a slight bias towards women - which is likely inconsistent with the broader profession emerg. professional practitioner educator
Professional roles are represented relatively evenly. * Size of circle is representative of the number of respondents from that geographic area
planner architect landscape architect
The under-representation of planning individuals is an opportunity for future inquiry
04: SAMPLE STATISTICS Interviewees were selected to be represent of a spectrum of gender, professional role, discipline and geographic locations. Particularly in the areas of gender and geographic location the sample pool may be inconsistent with the entire design profession.
Interviewees were in some cases counted multiple times within each coding category. For example, a professional may practice and also be an adjunct professor, in this case they would be counted as both an “educator” and “practitioner.” For more information on how individual interviewees were sorted see Figure 10 page 07.
06
specialist connector bridger engager
The inclusion of non-PID professionals in future studies may lead to more even representation in self identification roles
QUICK RESULTS about the ROLES:
• All landscape architects self identified as “connectors” • Four of the five architects identified as “engagers” • Planners identified as both “connectors” and “engagers” this implies that they may be well suited to interface between the two disciplines. NOTE that the sample of planners was only two individuals and therefore less reliable as a generalizable sample. • All those who identified as “bridgers” were educators • Educators and Emerging Professionals emphasized roles in “Problem Framing” ( 10 and 8 times respectively) more strongly than Practitioners (5 times.) Overall, interviewees identified themselves as “connector” and “engager” more than “specialist” or “bridger.” This suggests that PID designers are more likely to spend the bulk of their time collaborating with other design disciplines or community groups aligned by a shared mission.
Engager (7)
Bridger (4)
Connector (7)
Specialist (4)
Planning (2)
Architecture (5)
Landscape Architecture (5)
Practitioner (5)
Educator (5)
Emerging Professional (5)
While this study’s sample size is too small to make broad generalizations about the roles that Public Interest Designers play or how those roles are distinct from “traditional” designers. There are some interesting findings that suggest the value that different design disciplines may have in PID projects and are worth further exploration.
INTERVIEWEE
ROLES AND IDENTITY
A B C D E F G H I J K
10: IDENTIFICATION INVENTORY shows how each interviewee was coded based on professional role, discipline and self identification category. This information was used in the over-arching conclusions in the “quick results” above.
07
Ep
Ed
Pr
LA
AR
PL
S
C
B
E
Project Manager
12
Teacher
10
Advocate
7
Translator
7
Contextualizer
6 11 : TOP 5 ROLES PLAYED
WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT ROLES AND IDENTITY The most common roles interviewees played were Project Manager, Teacher, Advocate, Translator, and Contextualizer (see Figure 11.) In comparison to “traditional” design the Project Manager, Contextualizer and Translator aren’t surprising, all designers are likely to investigate the forces acting on their designs and to manage the process of executing that design, regardless of whether they identify as a PID practitioner or not. There was a high proportion of interviewees who had been educators. Interviewees mentioned seven separate instances in which they personally took extra initiative in order to support a project, acting as its “advocate.” Designers are not generally trained to play these roles, however, it’s clear they are important parts of PID practice. This implies that these professionals see themselves as educators and activists in addition to designers and that this multi-faceted identity contributes to the strong partnerships and shared learning that PID practitioners say is critical to successful practice.
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TOTAL
“...community capacity building is integrated into the way we design the process, it’s not just getting people’s input in a design project to make the design work better, but how can the community learn from this process so they become much more informed and capable next time. How can you create some sort of opportunity that allows an organization in the community to grow through a particular project?” - Jeff Hou
Engager (7)
Bridger (4)
Connector (7)
Specialist (4)
Planning (2)
Architecture (5)
Landscape Architecture (5)
Practitioner (5)
Educator (5)
Emerging Professional (5)
19: ROLES AND SKILLS OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
TOTAL
ROLE Integrator
2
Strategist
5
Facilitator/Coordinator
6
SKILLS Site-Scale Thinking Understands function of public spaces
4 8 6
Understands materials of public spaces
5 9 3
Cross-Scale Thinking Broad Project Understanding Sense of responsibility Ability to integrate human/ecological/economic factors
6
Translating between disciplines
2
Coordination
4 KEY:
2
3
4
5
6+
less than 2 votes were omitted
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VALUE OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS SELF IDENTIFIED ROLES & SKILLS - see Figure 19, unless otherwise noted Landscape architects self-identified with roles as connectors (5 out of 5 interviewees, see figure 10) and as facilitator/coordinators (6 of 6.*) They also identified as strategists (for 3 of 6,) a role that emerged from this questions set and did not correlate directly with roles stated earlier in the study. “Strategist” was broadly described as the ability to understand project contexts and develop an approach to completing it. They defined their own skill set by a knowledge of the materials (2 of 5) and function (4 of 9) of public spaces. However, they put stronger emphasis on their ability to think across scales (3 of 6,) Integrate human/natural and economic forces (4 of 6) and bring a broad approach to projects teams (6 of 10.) In particular, the broad project approach addresses a need identified by other practitioners as suggested by Dan Hill; “…for most architects, a thorough recalibration of their craft would be required to warrant their involvement in more meaningful aspects of city-making, beyond building” (Hill, 2012, p10.)
“ ... I have this feeling that landscape architects are generally more holistic and less egotistical than architects, that they see a bigger picture. I also think landscape architects have a different approach to design as a system... as an ecosystem, as an aesthetic statement... how you’re shaping the interactions of a city. You could argue that architects do that also, but I think they do it in a much more myopic way.” - Emily Pilloton EMPHASIZED SKILLS Landscape architects emphasized the following skills as valuable in design practice, again, these do not necessarily mean that they possessed them, only that they noted their importance. Strategic engagement (13 of 27,) Coordination (12 of 20,) and Project Contextualization (9 of 22,) Verbal Presentation (7 of 11) and Digital Software ( 7 of 13,) were all stressed. However, landscape architects were responsible for more than 2/3 of the counts in the case of Listening (5 of 7,) implying that perhaps they value this skill more strongly than other disciplines.
ROLES TO PLAY, SKILLS TO CONTRIBUTE “ ... it puts landscape architects in a really important position in the future, in collaborative projects, or interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary projects as coordinators; people that might not know everything about everything, but know enough about everything to push, connect people to make the right decision, or the best informed decision. “ - Nick Drummond PEER IDENTIFICATION OF ROLES AND SKILLS see Figure 19 Architects and planners defined Landscape Architects’ role as strategists (3 of 6,) that contributed a knowledge of the function ( 3 of 9) and materials ( 3 of 6) of public space. Peer groups also acknowledged an ability to think across scales (3 of 6) which is related to the “broad project understanding” that landscape architects self-identified.
* count ratios are represented in the following way; the first number represents the number of time the particular demographic noted the topic, the second number is the total instances the topic was mentioned by any group in that coding category.
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Landscape architects demonstrate a very high potential to perform roles as strategists in “Problem Framer,” due to their ability to contextualize projects and think across scales. Additionally, as one might expect, they also poses a high potential in “Designer/Developer” roles, with a particularly strong emphasis on knowledge of the materials and function of public spaces - this skill set is unique to landscape architects and is a defining aspect of their value to a project team. There is moderate potential for landscape architects to act as “Coordinators,” though this ability was broadly identified from within the discipline it suggests that either 1) disciplines are not aware of this potential or 2) do not value it. The emphasis on skills in listening and verbal presentation indicates possible potential for roles as “Collaborator,” and is supported by the correlation between Landscape Architects and their unanimous self-identification with the “Connector” category. Connectors strongly emphasized “Collaborator” skills (see Figure 08,) reinforcing the hypothesis that landscape architects have potential to be good facilitators of interpersonal relationships on project teams.
ON COLLABORATION unfamiliarity
22: CHALLENGES TO COLLABORATION 17 of 36 answers to the question “What are the biggest challenges to effective collaboration?” touched on issues of ego, respect and reliability. Unprofessionalism was indirectly addressed in the literature review, however this discrepancy suggests that further investigation is necessary to understand the impacts unprofessionalism has on constructive, collective working relationships (Thompson, 2013.) Many interviewees noted that effective collaboration happens over long periods of time and with significant effort to build trust and develop shared goals. Developing this type of relationship requires an understanding of each individuals’ skills, and motivations, and a respect for the unique contributions each team member can make. Investing the time and patience to understand and respect all participants can pay off in the form of a more satisfying working relationship and a better end result. “ ...we all knew that we could uniquely contribute to the process, and that none of us could do what the other was doing as well as the other could and we celebrated our different perspectives.” - Emi Day
decision-making compromise
perfectionism time & patience
motivating others
unprofessionalism (ego, unreliability)
Professionalism and best practices in collaboration are not emphasized in design school (Breddels, 2012. Young, 2012.) This document touches on these topics, but further study to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges to collaboration would suggest how academic institutions could modify class structure/ format to teach students to think in interdisciplinary ways and act across interdisciplinary boundaries.
“ We have a duty as a team to put our best foot forward, set aside this personal issue so that we can make this together. “ - Jennifer Ng 11
23: FACILITATING COLLABORATION
knowing others’ strengths knowing your strengths professionalism a shared goal
positive reinforcement speaking the right “language”
clear delegation worked together before
When asked “how do you facilitate effective collaboration?” interviewees widely agreed that it was important to understand other’s perspectives, motivations and skills (27 counts.) This correlates to skills in the “Collaborator” and “Coordinator” roles, specifically strategic engagement, individual skills assessment, listening and compromise (figure 08 on page 17). Additionally, skills in trust-building, listening, compromise, and appropriate language use were emphasized by interviewees and noted as important to good collaboration. Skills in effective collaboration are closely related to the challenges shown in Figure 06, in particular ego and relationship-building. This suggests that greater study of how to effectively collaborate plays an important role in more effective PID practice. In partnership with Figure 22 this chart could be used to help educators and practitioners cultivate positive collaborative environments and alludes to the skills needed to operate in them.
“ It was about relinquishing control, saying ‘you’re going bring something more to the table than I can with this, I can’t do everything, you can’t do everything, how are we going fill each others needs to ultimately create a better project?’ ” - Nick Drummond 12
CONCLUSIONS LESSONS ABOUT COLLABORATIVE CAPITAL Collaborative Capital is intended to illuminate the role that emerging landscape architects can play, based on their unique strengths and experiences, to address issues of identity, participation and knowledge on interdisciplinary teams practicing PID. The findings will help young professionals identify their own potential and provide the resources necessary to pursue appropriate professional development avenues. Additionally the study sought to answer the following questions: 1. To what degree are claims in the literature about gaps in practice true? 2. How can collaboration be most effectively facilitated in socially conscious design projects? 3. How is one’s role in collaborative relationships related to their individual skill sets? 4. How are academic and professional experiences related to the development of particular skill sets? While the study methods and time constraints have impacted the reliability and applicability of the results, there were many good findings in relation to each of these questions: To what degree are claims in the literature about gaps practice true? Asking interviewees what challenges and gaps in skills they experience in their own professional practice suggested that rather than the broad, systemic issues of identity and accessibility, the largest challenges and gaps to everyday practice are resource acquisition, community design methods (Figure 06 and Figure 18) Verbal Presentation ability and an entrepreneurial attitude to seeking projects (Figure 18.) This does not mean that the obstacles of mistaken identity, insufficient knowledge and unclear paths to participation do not exist, but rather suggests that there may be a discrepancy between what practitioners and researchers/writers perceive as barriers to wider practice of PID.
How can collaboration be most effectively facilitated in socially conscious design projects? It was suggested that being professional, time, trust and an understanding of individuals’ skills, motivations and knowledge are the most critical elements to effective collaboration. (Figures 22 and 23.) Essentially, good collaborations are the result of good partnership built on mutual respect, and shared values and expectations. “ …you develop a relationship, you know each other more, so you don’t have to restart the relationship every time you start a project, there is a certain level of trust that you develop over time and some understanding of the issues and personalities. A long term commitment comes with those type of advantages”- Jeff Hou
How is one’s role in collaborative relationships related to their individual skill sets? Landscape Architects and Emerging Professionals were the focus of this question. The relationship between skill set and role in collaborative relationship is dependent on who is assessing the skill set – the potential strength of a demographic to play a particular role is stronger when it is identified by that group and agreed upon by their peers. The document grouped skills sets together under the broad “roles” that might commonly deploy those skills in their job responsibilities. These roles were developed by the author and not tested in practice, so, while they are useful conceptual tools, their applicability to actual practice is uncertain. Based on the methods , emerging landscape architecture professionals would be well-suited to roles as Problem Framers because of their skills in contextualization, ability to integrate broad and complex project factors and their social savvy.) Mature professionals’ skills in facilitation and strategic engagement that could make them successful Coordinators. Emerging professionals and landscape architects also have potential as Collaborators due to an emphasis on listening, presentation, and compromise.
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“We are not specialists in any one field; civil, architecture, landscape arch, geo-tech, structural but we’re also not specialists in any one field of landscape architecture planting, irrigation, grading, details. It’s about knowing how to ask the right questions and how to evaluate the drawings you’re getting and effectively manage your consultants. Especially when you’re prime, a lot of your work is not in design or production it’s in managing your team, I think that as the leader of that team it is your responsibility to treat everyone with respect.”- Jennifer Ng
How are academic and professional experiences related to the development of particular skill sets? Literature suggests the need for a new paradigm in design education, the modification of curriculum and a greater emphasis on community-based projects. However, the profession and the academy will change slowly – they are huge institutions bound by countless regulations and impacted by politics that cause them to lumber, rather than race, towards change. However, individual students, are nimble. Students are at the center of their own learning and they have the ability to proactively seek problems and opportunities to better equip themselves to make change, however they choose. Essentially, this document advocates that young designers become an entrepreneurs of their own education. School is a perfect time to start practicing, experimenting with how you’re going to set up a project. In the workplace, you need a mentor, because everyone else is focused on the client or the project, not on you.” – Emi Day
APPLICABILITY SAMPLE The sample was small in size, 11 interviewees and consisted of a disproportionate number of Planners (2) compared to Architects (5) and Landscape Architects (5.) Additionally, the sample was biased towards women (7 of 11) and designers in Northwest or West Coast (9 of 11.) Lastly the sample did not include any engineers, product designers, or graphic designers. DISCUSSION OF THE METHODS Questions were broad and open-ended, this lead to many topic being addressed on multiple occasions across questions. There was also many instances when interviewees when were asked to self-identify as “specialist.” “connector,” “bridger,” or “engager,” that they disagreed the categories or believed they fell into more than one. For this reason, these categories should be rethought before applied to other studies. Time constraints limited the reliability of results. In some instances a particularly important topic was mentioned by all but one coding category and it was difficult to determine if that group did not value that skill or simply did not think to mention it. Conducting a second set of clarifying questions could have resolved some of these ambiguities. LIMITATION OF THE DATA ANALYSIS Only hand-written notes and annotations of interviews were taken, this is a less accurate and comprehensive method than textual analysis software or similar. LIMITATIONS OF THE TOOLS The usefulness of this document requires young practitioners to engage in honest self-reflection and take a proactive approach to their own professional development that some early education designers may not have developed yet.
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FURTHER STUDY NEEDED ROLE OF OTHER DISCIPLINES: To truly build collaborative capital requires the study of all disciplines value - in particular planners, architects, interior architects, real estate developers and engineers. It also implies the need for increased understanding about the role of allied profession such as business, non-profit management, realestate & development, construction, art, ecology and anthropology. PEDAGOGICAL CHANGE This study proposes that students take initiative to seek out and pursue educational avenues appropriate to their skills and interests. This approach is likely to be undertaken by only a select portion of student populations. A more in-depth analysis of organized training and education opportunities within academia (curricular and non-curricular) and outside (internships, fellowships, volunteering, CDCs) is necessary. This will be a useful tool for young professionals and illuminate gaps in existing skill-building experiences and suggest opportunities for the academy to supplement those. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PID: Financial contexts are a significant barrier to all projects, but especially PID projects. Increased understanding of the financial opportunities that PID presents will help to assess the movements’ viability as an alternative to traditional practice. Answering questions such as, what role do nonprofits play in the spread PID? Do current compensation models support PID practice? What is the financial value of marketing and visibility? How will civic-minded young professionals deal with the choice between highpaying traditional jobs and lower-paying PID jobs?
“ We all do better when the people around us are doing better.” - Nathan Poel
“I think it’s a different currency, you have to change the way you measure what you do... it’s a matter of the way you look at it and the metrics you’re using to evaluate your own success” - Emily Pilloton
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ABOUT SHANNON Shannon is pursuing a MLA from the University of Oregon (UO). In 2011 she received her bachelor’s degree in Architecture, also from the UO. Shannon’s approach is driven by a belief that designers have a responsibility to positively change people’s lives. Her interests center on the value of entrepreneurship, and civic engagement in the process of executing a collective design visions from concept through construction. During her undergraduate studies she was a Project Manager and Student Director of community design-build organization, designBridge. Currently, Shannon co-leads the multi-disciplinary student group CASL (Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Living) through strategic planning efforts and collaborates with others to create learning opportunities that connect university students with the community through sustainable lifestyle education. Now in her final year, Shannon is developing her Master’s Project, “Collaborative Capital,” in hopes that it will illuminate opportunities for proactive, civic-minded young professionals to pursue their passions and make positive change. shannon.arms@gmail.com
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