Engage + Understand
This phase is about listening and learning—creating meaningful opportunities for the people who know, use, invest in, and experience a place to contribute to what comes next.
Through multiple modes of insight-gathering, we build an understanding of project vision and goals, user needs, space requirements, and what success looks like.
The goal isn't simply to collect information. It's to create a process where people know their perspective matters—where they can say, “I feel heard.”
EXPECTED OUTCOMES:
A shared understanding of current conditions and context
Human insights, needs, and lived experiences
Identified opportunities and aspirations
Clear inputs to guide strategy and decision-making
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Exploring the organizational, cultural, geographic, and community context surrounding a project to understand the factors shaping the place and its people
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Drawing from existing research, case studies, emerging trends, and relevant place-type insights to inform decisions and expand what’s possible.
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Tailored end-user surveys designed to gather insights on the current experience and uncover needs, preferences, and opportunities for future improvements.
Output: A synthesized report out of results, highlighting key insights
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Facilitated discussions with a cross-section of end users or key individuals, designed to gather in-depth insights into experiences, perspectives, and needs—beyond that of survey data. They can be conducted in person or virtually.
Output: A structured report capturing emerging themes, distinct needs and opportunities, and key user sentiments—translating discussion into actionable direction.
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A structured, manual, observation-based study conducted across multiple days and timeframes to understand how and how much spaces are being used.
Output: A detailed report providing summarized utilization data and patterns to inform future planning.