THE CHALLENGE

 

As part of BEGIN (BEGIN - Blue Green Infrastructures through Social Innovation) project, we were approached at the RCA to understand the community around Broomfield park, in Enfield, and deliver a proposal to build resilience.

 

With a Service Design mindset and tools, we did an immersion with the local Friends Group, interviews with members of the Council and users of the park, to identify the social capital, their assets and stakeholders.

 

 

THE PROCESS 

 

To begin to understand the key players of such an extensive project, I developed a stakeholder map (image below). And to validated it, we did a workshop with a member of the Council, were I led the conversation and facilitation process.

 

After that, we interviewed the key players to understand their needs and concerns and using The Matrix of Power I could map out the main influencers in terms of influence and and power. By also introducing a new tool I learn from the Fluxonomy 4D, we were able not only to consider the physical and capital aspects of the park and the Local Authority but also the social and community values.

 

It was our understanding, then, that if we wanted to engage a broader public to take responsibility of the park, it was necessary, first, to create a sense of ownership and channels, both physical and digital, for them to contribute. Also, a new common vision and roles between the main stakeholders — the Council and the Friends Group — needed to be establish. 

 

We managed to do a prototype with the park users, through Urban activation activities, to learn who they are and what motivates them. Furthermore, we created a new manifesto for the Friends Group (which I gathered the recordings and edited) to increase their visibility, and a workshop with diverse departments from the Council to rethink their expectations and define new roles. The responses from all groups were very positive.