Unbearable lightness of open management

[Birgitt Williams]

Jennifer,
thank you for your excellent summary of key points in an urban design
charette. I have participated in a number of them in the past and know them
to be highly participative and an attempt at a democratic process. I am keen
to know if you facilitate charettes and if you have incorporated short OST
meetings into them.

Blessings,

Birgitt





-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of
Jennifer Hurley
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 5:56 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Unbearable lightness of open management


On 1/16/04:

> "Unbearable lightness of open management"- 10 most open methods of
> innovating
> 1 open space
> 2 email (fully developed use of virtual teams, practice communities,
> personal networks)
> 3 grounded theory (being an iterative opinion research method which
> starts with a blank canvass rather than conventional wisdom on issue of
> inquiry)
> 4 storytelling as iterative process in systemising communal energy,
> emotional participation
> -survey what's our greatest story
> -see if people really participate in it
> -see what change it systemically connects with
>
> sincerely
> Chris Macrae, wcbn007 at easynet.co.uk, www.valuetrue.com
> <http://www.valuetrue.com/>  2004 Year of Transparency

One other "open" process in planning and community development is the urban
design charrette.  A charrette is an intense, multi-disciplinary, week-long
design workshop that has several feedback loops of input from stakeholders
and the wider community.   Here are some key features (from the NCI
website):

***
Work collaboratively
Working collaboratively helps to create a long-lived plan based on each
individual¹s unique contributions.

 Design cross-functionally
Multi-disciplinary teams work concurrently to build a feasible solution to
community development problems from the onset of the Charrette. Design
illustrates the complexity of the problem and can be used to resolve
conflict by proposing previously unexplored solutions that represent win/win
outcomes

 Compress work sessions
Time compression facilitates creative problem-solving by accelerating
decision-making and reducing unconstructive negotiation tactics.

 Communicate in short feedback loops
Regular stakeholder reviews quickly build trust in the process and foster
true understanding and support of the product.

 Study the details and the whole
Lasting agreement is based on a fully informed dialog.

 Use design to achieve a shared vision and create holistic solutions
Design illustrates the complexity of the problem and can be used to resolve
conflict by proposing previously unexplored solutions that represent win/win
outcomes.

 Include a Charrette that lasts at least 4 to 7 consecutive days
Four days are required to accommodate three feedback loops, scheduled at
least a day apart. Three loops are the minimum required to facilitate a
change in participants¹ perceptions and positions.

 Hold the Charrette on site
Working on site fosters participants¹ understanding of local values and
traditions and provides easy access to stakeholders and information. There
is no substitute for sustained personal contact with stakeholders.

 Produce a buildable plan
The success of a community¹s work to plan and build together depends on
implementation tools such as codes and regulating plans. Plans that sit on
the shelf contribute only to citizen apathy. When the goal of a project is a
buildable plan from the beginning, it encourages the involvement of those
important to implementation.
***

For more information about charrettes, see these websites:
National Charrette Institute:   http://www.charretteinstitute.org/
Charrette Center:   http://www.charrettecenter.net

If you have specific questions, I might be able to answer them.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Hurley
-------------------------------
Hurley~Franks and Associates
Planning & Urban Design

1429 Walnut St., Ste. 601
Philadelphia, PA 19102

P: 215-988-9440
JLHurley at HFAdesign.com
http://www.hfadesign.com

Association for the New Urbanism in PennsylvaniA (ANUPA)
http://www.anupa.org

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