HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF DESIGN • CORE PLANNING STUDIO
A NEW CLIMATE STORY • APR ’17 • 1 MO Research on East Boston’s vulnerabilities to climate change and JHQWULˋFDWLRQ UHYHDOHG WKDW DQ\ FOLPDWH DGDSWDWLRQ VWUDWHJ\ IRU WKLV diverse, working-class neighborhood would demand thoughtful communications. This project presented a framework and set of deliverables to bring residents along the journey toward resilience. Community Engagement Analysis, Behavioral Research, Copywriting, Graphic Design, Web Design
Climate change has a communication problem. Here’s what we can do about it. The climate is changing! Al k lae] ^gj gmj [geem% falq lg [ge] lg_]l`]j Yf\ Y\Yhl ^gj l`] dgf_ l]je&
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THE CHALLENGE
adaptat ion! sustainability! ange! resilience mate ch cli !
Meet Lisa. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an outreach EQQTFKPCVQT HQT C NQECN PQP RTQÇ© V
Those communicating the impacts of climate change struggle to get through to locals, creating major hurdles to effective adaptation efforts
Meet Juan. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a local resident with a steady job and two kids.
Lisa heads to Juanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house to get him on board for a new resilience program.
She excitedly tells him about the threat of sea-level rise and the need to act.
But by the time she engages him, he starts to lose interest ...
... and pretty soon, he heads off to another appointment. Why the disconnect?
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Tie it to everday, priority issues.
Tell an accessible, human story.
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Basement Flood-Readiness
MA> AHP Invoke positive, visual, even humorous tactics
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DIY Home Fixes Carpooling to Work $$$$$
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MA> PA>K> Meet people where they are â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in person and online
Rain Gardens Surface Painting
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ambitious Bioswales
Public Realm was the most-cited medium priority
for the community
for the children
for our pockets
Catchment Basins
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Landscaped Parklets Car-Free Days
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THE OPPORTUNITY Listening to community interests, telling a story that speaks to their values, and mapping their LQWHUHVWV WR UHVLOLHQW VWUDWHJLHV FRXOG Ë&#x2039;OO WKH JDS
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Temporary Tree Plantings
Natural Systems was the most-cited low priority
Curb Extension
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Solar Panel Installations Evacuation Planning
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Clean Energy Adoption
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What would Juan want to hear about?
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What would Christina want to hear about?
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Flood-Proof Storefronts
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aspirational
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Permeable Surface Program $$$$$
Floodable Play Spaces
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Permanent Tree Plantings
What would Phil want to hear about?
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What would Nico want to hear about?
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THE APPROACH Developing a set of illustrative deliverables (see next page) for different personas helped bring effective climate communications strategies to life