Background research and goal setting – Page 3

1) Cycle stakeholders forum

Our team consists of 4 members : Aymeric, Ellen, Isaac and Jordy. We are from different countries and have therefore different planning backgrounds which we think could be an advantage for us in this project since we can benefit from our differences and come up with a good solution to the project.

Digital civics is a way of coming up with a solution to a specific issue through understanding the needs and requirements of a set of users through working with them. Nowadays, people use technology in their everyday life and is the most common way to receive and distribute new information in an interactive way. This is also why digital civics has become so important over the last years and is an helpful tool to get people more engaged and more involved in important questions that involves them and the area they are living in. By talking to different stakeholders and other people through a contextual enquiry in the concerned area we would get a wider perspective on the issue which would probably make us come up with a better solution to the issue.

This project includes working with Newcastle cycling stakeholder forum in order to come up with some sort of solution of how to display and allow discussions of the ideas and the issues of the forum meetings. Our goals for the meeting with our client are to understand the functioning of the forum and gather a greater understanding of its members and their experience of cycling in the city, how it could be improved and the issues they face. During this client meeting, it is also important to comprehend our client’s favourable method of displaying the information. We also need to identify the users who are going to be involved in our project as we need to cater to their individual needs. For example some individuals may not have access or be familiar with new technologies.

A issue we could face while talking to the client is that we will only receive one person’s perspective on the issues raised. If we were able to get the chance to talk to different people from different groups of the forum and various areas around the city we would get a wider perspective of the actual issue which would give us a better chance to come up with the best solution for every part of the project, therefore resulting in a greater overall uptake in the numbers of our selected civic grouping using our project.

Week 1, NUDC: JRA neighbourhood engagement

Hi there,

We call ourselves Newcastle University’s Digital Civics or NUDC for short and are a group of four students: Frida, Ed, Sara and Catherine. Our project aims to help the Jesmond Residents Association (JRA) to gather a more widespread response from the public about how the area might evolve. As it is now, there is a program called Streets for people (or S4P) going on all over Newcastle which focuses on making the streets more amiable for walkers and especially cyclists. So far they’ve pinpointed some places in Jesmond that are in need of change due to a lot of traffic and unsafe conditions for cyclists and pedestrians. In these areas they have come up with possible solutions that they now want to know the residents’ opinions on. However, a lot of the residents in the area are unfamiliar with the program and how to share their opinion on plans. This is why the JRA choose to take part in this module, what they as clients want to receive is a digital solution to their problem. By modifying cycle lanes, roads and aiming to reducing traffic, they plan to create a more accessible, lively and safe green environment. Therefore, they need a product that can inform the locals on what the potential plans look like and also gather feedback from them together with other possible solutions, suggestions or ideas.

As a team, we need to deliver a prototype which is easy to understand, interactive and informative. One possible way to display our idea is via a storyboard. In order to carry this out, first we must research by speaking to stakeholders such as members of Streets for People, Jesmond Residents Association and the local community. This phase should be completed within the following couple of weeks.

In preparation for the upcoming meeting with our client, we all deconstructed the brief and brainstormed questions to bring forward as well as various ideas that might provide a solution to the issues raised. We made sure to consider what information he may or may not know as chair of the JRA. We even decided to ask him questions the brief answered for us to make sure that we had the correct perspective. For example, we planned to ask about challenges that Jesmond faces and what previous efforts had been attempted.

Walker Creative Neighbourhood Week 3: User Interviews

Reflection and Summary of the User Interviews

We have arranged two Users Interviews in Walker on 21st and 26th October respectively. On our first interview, we have met Alice McCreadie, project development worker in Worker’s Educational Association and the other two clients Will Benson, manager from Kids Kabin, a charity for children (primary school students) and Gerard New from Tyneside Outdoors, an outdoor youth work organisation which provides young people skills and opportunities. They encourage people to learn and build. The WEA project in Northumbria and Building Future East helps people who want to start a new business and act as a community directory in sharing of resources. On the second interview, we have met Bud Russell and Liz Coates from Worhoose, Francesca Maddison from Building Futures East.

They stated that usually University students, Local Residents, International volunteers as well as parents of the children and youngsters who benefits from the organisations get involved in volunteering, some ex young-groups participants came back as volunteers but drop in and out occasionally. Students come more often but some may come for placements and experiences. They picture the motivation and the way they wanted to volunteer. However, most of the people only volunteer when they know how to deal with the project. Volunteers may lack of confidence when they experience barriers such as application forms. They are afraid of failure. Volunteers may participate in it because their families and friends have received the services before and they have had loyal to it. Parents who wanted to volunteer but haven’t been able to commit and not consistent. Problems with housing and children as well as financial stuff, utilities compulsory and debt. Students are more free and available. But the inconsistency of young person is a problem. They don’t based in the same place and maybe have issue to deal with and cannot arrive on time.

Our aim is to motivate and encourage more people to volunteer in the local area. Clients think that the best way to inspire and develop potential volunteers themselves is illustrating to them the benefits of the volunteering. Build up the strong of pride and unity in Walker. They often said that they want to bring the community together but none of them execute the idea. By offering more opportunities for people to share their resources, such as funds, can help achieving the social needs. People will be attracted to get on volunteering if they are sure that they can have reward and opportunities. However volunteers may come only for reward, such as for CV purpose.

In order to promote our initiative, setting up a webpage and encourage everyone to be on that, increase residents motivation to click on the link, also Get to advertise the organisation and their base through giving out handbooks. Most kids have phone nowadays. According to Will, he will use website for research but not Facebook. Most parents use Facebook but they don’t allow young people to use . School only admit Facebook for age 13+. Sometimes social media might not be an ideal platform for promotion. As we would like to encourage volunteers in a digital way, Internet access is more important as wifi limited throughout the area. The Pottery bank got a suite of computer to offer. The Local mapping idea with tag and present all the barriers, avoid hidden information will help people to know the base for volunteering, so to persuade them to volunteer easily. Other than network, handbook giving to door not run by company but well written might work. It has games, section with local communities group put up their news, spreading their group and organisation around the area. Finding help from local people through the handbook instead of from web found people from elsewhere. It also creates local identity, encourage people to start looking at it. Creating the handbook can be a social enterprising, strengthening social cohesion and awareness of what surround you.

In order to run the project smoothly, we need to encourage local businesses for social reinvestment. They have political investment, they want to invest in a project with good outcome and 100% productive, well prepared, best quality and best time. If these are all possible they will continue to support. We have also concerned about the role of local authorities, the clients suggest that they should have participation but they shouldn’t have a role in it. The initiative is acting for the community’s social health, the authorities should have responsibility to buy and share them as local residents don’t have money and expertise to do it.

Other than our proposed initiative, Building Future East has an education course for the benefit of young people in the area, formal education allows higher education for adult to get back into job.

In Conclusion, our clients looking towards the summer putting together a programme for a family to go in the website and the handbook. Summer holiday planner including activities for different ages, different opportunities for different days. Therefore, volunteers and participants can know whats coming on.

Blog 3 – Energy Dashboard

Summary of our user interview

On Wednesday 19th October in Cafe 1905 in Jesmond the team met up again with Client Tony and a recommended contact Steve Emsley to get his knowledge, insight and opinion on Renewable Energy and the Jesmond area as a whole for the benefit of our research for our design concept. After tea’s, coffee’s were all purchased and all formal introductions were done we asked Steve and Tony whether it was ok for us to audio record the interview for us to review after to ensure we had everything they both talked about, which they were both happy with.

We had our interview schedule ready with all the questions we wanted to ask Steve and following on from this are all the comments and advice that Steve and Tony gave to us from the questions we asked that we thought would be helpful in continuing on the process of this project.

He is a retired social worker, has worked in environmental fields before, had written for the evening chronicle on green issues, has and still does many talks on energy saving and was involved in the transition newcastle campaign which ran till 2012.
Likes having a planet to live on.
Has done various talks on renewable energy and people came to his house to have a look at the energy system installed. Held a walk in session in Jesmond in 2012 at 1901 cafe where face to face conversations were had, had a strong interest from local people. People who wanted to engage did, it’s a slow process and very political. Tony also commented that political climate and financial constraint had a drop off in awareness of climate change from the government.
Fossil fuels to climate change are the serious problems which are also hard to understand not just renewables that people don’t understand, people don’t think of climate change as a problem. When doing his talks tries to present things in a simple way but it is a very complex subject so is difficult to convey in a simple way sometimes. Writes to newspapers to keep the subject alive. Stated renewables could be a way for people with money to find something to invest in as bank rates etc are no good. Tony also stated that good publicity was needed, that it needs to be made easier for understanding.
Steve shared his energy data in the evening chronicle, 20-30 articles. Thinks that existing users of renewable energy sharing their data is important for people to see that you can actually save/make energy, money etc. Stated as long as he was aware what was happening with his data he would be more than happy to share his data online, Tony also agreed. Steve also stated that larger companies who have financial power should be helping out with renewable energy. Tony commented saying that the local authority should lead by example using solar, double glazing etc. they aren’t doing enough.
Had a consistent level of production. 5 and a half years had solar panels now and very pleased, has now reached crossover point where Steve is now creating more than they’re putting in.
Doesn’t really have an opinion thinks they should all be going towards renewable energy. Will spend more time and effort getting his opinion and point of view across to the local people. Doesn’t believe that people can not afford it. Believes media has a role to play to raise awareness. Tony commented that it’s all about finding the cheapest company for their energy which is wrong, again mentioned that the government aren’t doing enough on the matter.
Peak oil has already been found, that’s why there are wars. Bears little relation with renewable energy. Saudi Arabia raised market prices. Carbon dioxide levels are disastrous, flooding, draughting, price of foods.
Based on questions 8 reaction, answers we skipped asking this question.
Hadn’t used an energy dashboard before, but would gladly put his energy data onto one and use it for beneficial purposes for the Jesmond area. Would be good to have comparative data on different types of energy levels. Energy performance certificates for homes are very important but seem to get pushed aside. Tony stated that city council do it for poverty, police for crime so their should be somewhere you can go for energy information, data, help etc.
Thought we’d cover a very good detail of work and was pleased we got to meet and wish us luck with our project and if we should need any further help just to reach out and ask.

After this interview with Steve and Tony and all their comments on the different subjects we had covered we felt we had a good basis of information which we can start to use to help us in the designing of our prototype. Again the word that has kept cropping up and did again was the words awareness and understanding which re iterates back to our goals at the start of the project which shows we’re on the right track.

Blog3 for Self-built housing

Blog 3 —Response of Interview

On the 21^st of October, our group met with Jerry Drake who is the member of West End Housing CO-OP. We asked a series of questions of her daily life and their organization, and then noted the key responses:

With her previous experiences she informed us that there is a lot of trouble regarding land and grants and she experienced many barriers during the process of self-built housing. She also struggled with finding available land that the government would provide to build on.
the West End Housing CO-OP are all equal members within their society and are all involved within their community as they all occupy the houses they own.
Before the housing co-op began to build, in the areas they were planning on doing so they vigorously asked the local community within that area. Finding out the local opinion and then questioning them how they felt it would affect them.
When the housing co-op began a regenerative project, Jerry said that the council were very helpful and supportive of projects like there’s. In addition, Newcastle council are interested in this form of project, along with Your Homes Newcastle owning the majority of the land available within the Newcastle.
Jerry made it clear that throughout the process that the West End Housing CO-OP went through to complete their self-build homes they had many issues along the way such as: time constraints on the planning side, financial issues for housing to rent, acquiring the land, the cost of self-build housing.
The housing co-op runs off a democratic model with every member as equal as the other. The co-op they run makes for a cheap living as they occupy their own properties they are their own landlords.

After this interview with Jerry, we found that the suitation of self- build housing is not as good as the other housings (like socail housing).Self-built housing is not the mainsteam housing in UK and most of the public are not familiar with this new type of housing. So we thought that engaging more people to have their own self-built housing can improve the current environment. In the next step, we try to create a new website for the West End Housing Co-op, because we found that the current website is not useful for the public to understand the process of self-built housing clearly. Therefore, in the new website we will provide more links for the public to contact with the Co-op. Also, we will try to create a bridge for both the experts and non-experts to join and cooperate in the design process of self-built housing.

air quality group Week 4

Project Goals:

The initial project goals where;

‘A Newcastle university urban planning focused bottom up campaign initiative to increase user and community awareness of air quality control cantered on Gosforth high street. Working with the users on easy and effective forms of interpreting the data supplied by the air quality monitors situated along the high street, making the data accessible to everybody with the goal of increasing community awareness and support for self-managed air quality control through community projects.’

The Goals have mainly stayed the same as initially outlined, however, we have also reflected on our interviews and the progression in our designs in which have both led to the incorporation of further goals. These include a focus on smart technologies to present data interactively as well as improving the air pollution levels through new material innovations. Another goal we have added is the need for a community behavioural change from the current passive users to a more active user base improving interaction in air quality activism this was formed reflecting on Peter McDonalds interview. Reflecting on our interview with Duncan we decided to add to our project goals in relation to local business interaction and inclusion within our plans.

Examples

Augmented Reality

– Using AR to visualise something, in our case it would be air pollution. We selected this as it could help us engage with younger audiences.

Air Quality App – Breezometer

– This app gives the user real-time information about air pollution across 27 countries. Furthermore, the app gives location-specific notification at times of bad air quality. We selected

Pollution Control Board – Eloor, India

– Large public display that shows real-time air pollution levels. We selected this as it can be shown to everyone on the high street.

Air Pollution Cladding

– Two types, one that cleans the air around it and another that changes colour depending on the current level of air pollution

Clever bus shelter advertising

– A bus shelter that has an interactive display using smart technologies.

Peter McDonald and Duncan Young Interview Reflection week 3

We had an interview with Peter McDonald and got a lot of background information about Gosforth high street and the air quality concerns. The main thing Peter wanted to change is increasing the public awareness of air quality and community activity. The council and people who live there have already taken some actions to improve the air quality, a local council plan was implemented called The Air Quality Action Plan carried out in 2011, However, Peter believes it is not effective as nothing has really changed in the area. There are still 96 bus routes on the high street which is one of the main causes of air pollution and are still not controlled. Ten air quality monitors are situated along the high street and they gather useful data but the data is not easy to access and understand and is therefore largely ignored by the local community. Peter hopes that less people will drive their cars everywhere and walk their children to school if the data is made easily interruptible for the users. They have a Facebook account and people can leave their comments. It is good for them to know what the residents think about but there are not enough people passionate about their community air pollution levels, therefore peter believes a behavioral change needs to be implemented with the local community to increase user activity. Display boards are the best idea for them because it is easily accessible for everyone who passes along the street and easy to understand for children, adults and the old. To some degree, the goal is to make more people realize the importance of air quality activism.

Duncan Young Interview Reflection

1. What is your Role within Gosforth high street?

Duncan stated that as well as being a business owner he was also a resident on the high street and a member of the trader’s association

He also discussed the existence of the trader’s association but said it was limited by the fact that only the independent business got involved.

2. What challenges do you feel Gosforth high street faces?

He said congestion was a huge problem on the high street especially at peak times. He wasn’t really sure on how to solve this personally but one idea he thought of was to divert the limited stop X bus routes via Cowgate instead of the high street. I personally felt this was a bit of nimbyism as the bus would just be blighting the residents of Cowgate instead. He also showed us the local council’s red route plan that local shops fought off despite it potentially reducing congestion on the high street as it would have stopped customers/delivery’s stopping on the high street.

3. Do you know how most of customers currently travel to the Gosforth high st?

He stated that most of his own customers drove to Gosforth High St, he then showed us a survey from 2011 of high street users.

The majority of respondents arrived by car:

66% car

16% bus

6% cycle

29% foot

This was particularly useful as really demonstrated how local shops are dependent on the traffic.

4. How do local shops on the high street feel about the Air pollution?

He said that local shops are concerned but are stuck with the problem that they need the traffic as well. He also said the larger chain shops were not allowed to get involved due to head office therefore their feeling is not known.

5. Do the businesses have an existing plan concerning the high street in general?

They did not have a plan.

6. Are you aware of the Urban observatory data available online at http://uoweb1.ncl.ac.uk/ that shows real time data from the 10 air pollution sensors on Gosforth high street?

He said he was aware there was some pollution sensors but was not aware there was 10 of them and that the data was available online. I found this interesting as you’d of thought somebody based on the high street would be aware of theses sensors.

7. Given the choice of a Smartphone App, Interactive Display on the high street, Emails, Website, Newspaper or any ideas of your own. Which would most likely engage you with air pollution is Gosforth High St.

He said something as simple a leaflet to inform his would work. He then said big token acts are very good but if the resident’s/shop owners don’t know what there about then there pointless. I took away from this statement that whatever we propose must be simple to engage people and be well-advertised so people know what it actually is.

He then ended the interview by saying the problem for business is they need to save the high street without killing it.

interview schedule for air quality 2

Week 2

Interview Questions – Duncan

Introduction

Thank you for your time Duncan, we are second-year students at Newcastle University who are currently looking at air pollution on Gosforth high street. We understand you are the managing director of Sanderson young estate agents which has a branch on Gosforth High St.

1. What is your Role within Gosforth high street?

-How do businesses and shops currently talk to each other? (Is there a traders association?)

– Do businesses and shops (or trader’s association) currently talk to any other groups in Gosforth e.g. Space ?

2. What challenges do you feel Gosforth high street faces?

-How do you personally think these issues should be solved?

3. Do you know how most of customers currently travel to the Gosforth high st?

-Do you feel that is reprehensive for most businesses on the high street?

4. How do local shops on the high street feel about the Air pollution?

-How would local shops feel about a reduction the car traffic to achieve lower air pollution?

5. Do the businesses have an existing plan concerning the high street in general?

– If yes, does this plan mention air pollution?

6. Are you aware of the Urban observatory data available online at http://uoweb1.ncl.ac.uk/ that shows real-time data from the 10 air pollution sensors on Gosforth high street?

– If yes, do you ever look at these sensors ?

Young People Engagement – Week 4

Following the interview with the user representatives and planners from North Tyneside Council, our project partner, we have been invited to go on a site visit in Murton, where the site concerned was.

When we reached the site, we were given some maps printed in diﬀerent scales. These maps certainly helped us to have a broader view of Murton. Situated about 15 minutes away from the Quadrant, which was the North Tyneside Council’s oﬃces, it was a small village consisted mainly of houses, with a few services to complement. Residents and visitors could only access the site through a winding yet narrow road. At the heart of the site were some moors and farmlands, which was fascinatingly refreshing, given that the site was in the central part of North Tyneside. Although, as we were told, some of the land there were privately owned, it was well used by the public. It was morning when we went there, some joggers were seen, with a few others walking their dogs.

log4 log3 Please allow us to show oﬀ our photography skills for a minute… #nofilter

Obviously it would be a shame to have to build on such a lovely site with extensive public, green spaces, the planners reassured us that green spaces would take up 50% of the whole development area. However, the challenging bit was that the current residents chose to live there because of its proximity to the city centre as well as the amount of green space it currently oﬀered, which were something that would be impossible to compensate if the project got the go-ahead. In fact, the residents were already voicing out their objection to the development by putting up “save our green belt” and “no build” signage at the site.

Despite the adverse comments made by the residents, the user representatives, who also went on this trip and were locals of North Tyneside, showed their understanding as to why the development was needed. They recognised the increasing number of people moving to North Tyneside, which caused some housing problem to the area and they agreed that personal interests should have a lesser priority than the general public’s. Moreover, they had noticed the lack of leisure facilities in the area. Indeed, the major public facilities in the area were only hospitals and schools.

Area hatched with green Sharpies was the moor and farmland, whereas the orange dotted line in the middle was the proposed north-south link road, an extension of the current access road.

During the course, the user representatives showed their eﬀorts to balance the beneﬁts of diﬀerent stakeholders and strong critical thinking. They were also keen on seeing new developments in the area and embracing changes. Some of the suggestions they made regarding the development were undoubtedly valuable and very much viable to the Council and developers. Back into our oﬃce in Newcastle, we are going to come up with some ideas to help these suggestions to get across very soon…

Young Planners Engagement – Week 3

After the first two weeks of setting our goals, meeting our client for the first time, working out the links between stakeholders and getting prepared for an interview, it was time to get the project really moving in a direction which we were all happy and comfortable with.

On the 19th October, the group went to meet 3 members of the Youth Council alongside their mentor. We had taken aboard comments and advice about the questions we were going to ask so we were confident with what we had prepared. We opened the meeting by asking if it was ok to audio record to make sure we had all the information we needed and didn’t miss anything if we wanted to go back and check details. Each member of the group introduced ourselves and we started off by talking to the members of the Youth Council about the plot of land in Murton and what they felt was needed in the future for the area to strive, looking at a map showing North Tyneside and the existing services. The user representatives were very aware on the matter of green space and keeping it protected as much as possible. They also commented on the existing road systems and how they thought some new roads connecting Murton to Monkseaton would be beneficial as the new houses that the developers are planning to build will need road links to help tie together the new built homes and services. Leisure centres and swimming pools were talked about briefly to give the community some recreational use as there are no existing establishments in close proximity. The other topic mentioned was ‘allotments’ and the high demand in North Tyneside for the spaces. As it was commented that the community members wanting an allotment would have to wait several years on the waiting list, so looking to include these would be a massive positive for the community.

The meeting progressed really well and it flowed naturally, we tried to work from our question structure and linked it making it more personal to the clients. The user representatives started telling us about their roles and how they got into it. It was really beneficial as we learnt how it was all voluntary and due to an interest in helping their community and the rewarding feeling they all got. Something we felt was an important issue, was that the Youth Council felt unheard and didn’t have a voice when involved with the developers. We asked about their communication and were informed about the lack of it and how they never engaged with the youth council. The interview then naturally developed through talking about communication to how the use of modern technology affects our lives and how they used it and what did they use it for. It was the turning point in the interview as we started talking about how reliant on phones and technology people are nowadays. It was a key comment about how each of the user representatives all agreed that young people would be more involved in planning and the process it goes through if it was communicated easily through technology and smartphones. It was the confirmation we needed to know that the clients were on the same page as us.

After discussing various ways to get young people more involved with the use of technology, a couple of ideas arose. For example, it was mentioned about QR codes and how it would be easier for someone to just scan in the code to read the information later in their own time rather than stand on a street in the cold trying to read a piece of paper, in which we all agreed it was a much more efficient way to deliver information. This followed on with discussions about the engagement levels and making a product that was quick and easy to use, that could be visually pleasing and straightforward to make choices and voice your opinions.

We were really happy with what we had learnt in the interview and just how aware these young planners were. It was very beneficial and each of us took a lot away from the meeting with multiple ideas about how we are going to move forward and start to think about possibilities of technological products to make the young people of North Tyneside more involved in the planning process.