Methodology This fieldwork was built upon the desire to “build critical self-awareness of the role of the urban practitioner in challenging environments” (NTNU, 2019). The process followed in pursuit of this objective was far from linear but instead, mostly cyclical, a rotation from divergent and messy phases to structured and convergent phases. Multiple frameworks and theories were utilized throughout the fieldwork to ensure the data collection, situational analysis and ideation phases were grounded in theory related to more human-centered, bottom-up planning approaches.
“Our approach to the fieldwork was far removed from that of a traditional planning exercise, which has failed our communities in the past. We wanted not to plan for people, but to be facilitators of communication and the resources which are needed to improve people’s lives.” -Student Throughout this cyclical process, one method would inform the other while issues and solutions were reassessed continuously. Drawing upon numerous different methods from IDEO’s The Fieldwork Guide to Human-Centered Design (2015) and university lectures, we took an explorative and participatory approach to data collection. Feedback from the community along this process was also crucial to the participatory approach for maximum community engagement. 8
Due to the complexities involved in working with the communities over a short period of time, a structured and rational approach was applied to the fieldwork. The fieldwork methodology followed the framework of the Principles of Design Thinking (Miller, Benjamin, 2017), where five different phases were used to shape data collection, situational analysis and ideation and how interactions with the communities. To ensure the fieldwork was directed under a humancentered approach, the core of the research was conducted under participatory research methods. These methods were informed from a broad review of literature and Urban Ecological Planning practises discussed in lectures. These participatory research methods aim to be more inclusive by including marginalized communities and other stakeholders that aren’t typically represented in traditional planning processes. Students had to be creative in the development of these methods to overcome certain barriers such as language. Some of the participatory research methods utilized in this report include, but are not limited to:
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Semi-Structured and Interviews: Used as a way for students to learn more about their areas and as a means of sensitizing stakeholders to the presence of the students in their respective areas. This method also served as a way for the student teams to build up “social capital” in their respective areas. Image Exercises: Used to capture feelings about certain areas. Included the use of diagrams, images, and emojis as a way to overcome the language barrier. Drawing Exercises: Used as a way to include children and to capture their insights. This also helped to build trust and a deeper relationship with the students as researchers. Transact Walks: Self-guided or community guided walks through sites to observe as a participant.