Increasing the level of Cultural Participation among Multicultural Groups: Research Proposal

Summary of research proposal

Expanding the capacity to increase cultural participation is not a new issue but its interconnection in the context of globalization is presenting complex challenges to arts and cultural organizations.  The research will focus on the multi-ethnic residents who live and work in the city’s diverse communities. Unlink existing models, this proposal views cultural diversity not as a problem to be controlled by top-down policies, but as an asset for the development of the local community. In view of that, our research hypothesizes that engaging multi-ethnic populations will more likely foster “cultural equity” as prerequisite for increasing public participation in cultural activities. The study will address different factors affecting the individual’s participation including:

1.Background, including socio-demographic and socio-cultural factors and past experience;

2.Perceptual, including personal beliefs and perceptions of social norms that lead to attitudes toward arts participation;

3.Practical, including factors that affect an individual’s intention or decision to participate;

Research questions

1.How people from different multicultural groups live in communities use the arts and other forms of creative effort to express their attachment to places?

2.What are the motivations behind individuals’ involvement in the arts?

3.Why some forms of participation are more popular than others?

4.Why do they participate in different ways? And why do they choose specific types of arts?

5.What are the community’s cultural resources and assets?

6.What shared cultural values support that community and its way of life?

Data collection methods:

1.User-Research – consists of observations targeted at understanding the end user. Unlike participatory observation, this method suggests a more detached perspective and more focused.

2.Secondary Research: Analysis of the existing manuscripts, including social and cultural research targeted at understanding the forces that affect the research topic. Usually, this involves some form of content analysis.

3.Photo/video ethnography – consists of video tapping or photographing specific activities in the user’s life.

4.In-depth interviews – informally interviewing the user in their environment.

5.Online survey – web-based survey instrument such as Zoomerang.

[Research Development Framework –Adapted from Charles Bezerra (2005) .Building Innovative Competencies]

Perceived benefits of the study

Findings from the research can be helpful in terms of suggesting initiatives that complement the existing arts and cultural infrastructure. By gaining a better understanding the complex factors affecting individual’s participation, the study will suggest how arts organizations can develop more targeted and, therefore, more effective strategies for encouraging participation.

[Benefits from the Arts Experience]

Adapted from Gifts of the Muse. RAND Corporation

Holistic Systematic Approach: A Framework For Designing Strategic Scenarios

This project was my final deliverable in DMGT 783 Design Futures: Trends, Foresight and Intuition. The course introduced the nature of trends, their verifiable causes, consequences, and implications. Through a series of projects and case studies, i have developed the thinking skills in identifying and framing trends that affect the design. The followings highlight main points i delivered in the final presentation.

Scenario Building

References such as The Scenario Building Handbook andThe Art of the Longview provide a basic structure forlearning to build scenarios. The linearity of identifyingtopics, translating them into forces and drivers,developing clusters, and then using matrices ofcertainty and uncertainty to plot scenarios is fool-proof, but we felt it was not an accurate representation ofreality. Our proposed scenario building tool utilizesthese same key factors, but places them on a dynamiccontinuum that illustrates the importance of unforeseen elements. 

As in any design research process, knowledge in theform of models and theories from behavioral sciencemust be integrated into the early part of design inquiry.We started by considering theory of motivation and thehierarchy of needs developed by Abraham Maslow. Weconsidered this theory because it offers someexplanation of people’s relative prioritization ofeconomic and community concerns. 

Maslow’s theory ofmotivation (1970), for example, describes a hierarchy ofneeds in which economic satisfaction could beconsidered a more basic need associated with survival,while community well-being and environmentalconcerns are higher needs related to association andthe quality of life. Applied to a society, it would suggesta similar hierarchy for collective concerns.

In social design, the ultimate goal of any design is toimprove the well being of individuals and the community. Within this in mind, our approach was attentive to build scenarios that focuses on meetingcommunity needs and responding to threats. In sodoing, we incorporated the conception of communitywell-being.

Understanding Social Ecology

The value of this concept can only be realized if it comesto be understood as inclusive of each of the followingthree focal areas, and of the complex relationshipsbetween them:People: individuals, families, groups, small businesses(including relationships)Socio-cultural institutional structures and processes:including pol i tics, social services, economics,corporations, religions, education, technology, mediaNature: environmental and ecological aspects.

Social Networks and Support Systems

Context shapes these relationships and is understood asa complex, dynamic set of factors, including socialcontext (social networks and support systems),historical context, cultural context, and institutional context.

Capitals in a Social Ecosystem

From a social ecology perspective, community’secosystem embraces hard infrastructure and softinfrastructure, which are represented by a dynamiccomplex of both fundamental and mobilized assets.It includes a full range of capitals from physicalinfrastructure, natural, economic to social, human andpolitical capitals.Mobilizing assets if not activated to address a particularproblem, remain foundational assets. Thus, they appearin both places in the diagram.Mobilizing assets, at whatever level (either soft or hardinfrastructure), contribute to the on-going process andstructure of community life, but also exist as attributesor conditions that can be called upon when thecommunity needs to respond to internal and externalstresses (threats).The dynamic between mobilized assets and fundamentalassets create the context for the scenario exercise.

Explanation of Framework

The framework is useful because it articulates all of thefactors that evoke the capacity of community’s wellbeing.The factors in the framework can be used in agenerative manner to determine the selection of futurescenarios for understanding current situations in Haitiand generating new ideas for design to change thatsituation. In conclusion, our approach provides a biggerpicture for developing a holistic and integrated model. Collectively, the constructs provide a framework withinwhich we defined the objectives and focused on specificaspects of community life. The constructs were used inreviewing other scenarios in various human, social,cultural, education and physical dimensions ofcommunity life.

Design Approach and Expertise

Design Approach

As design strategist I take advantage of my knowledge and appreciation for ethnographic research. I also use meta-design approach and multiple lenses to understand the big picture and to address what so-called ”wicked problems and social complexity.” I also consider innovative solutions scheme by focusing on people’s needs and desirability by designing systems and services capable of responding to human needs.

My collaborative design approach begins with an assessment analysis of each community under study. The method I use to explore problem solving involves contextual research with validation and iteration phases. I then synthesize these unique characteristics with broader criteria for economic, technological and social innovations.For each project, I collaborate with the design partners to create a design framework built upon clearly identified phases. This framework establishes the project’s direction and serves as a reference point throughout the project. The periodic evaluation of the outcomes ensures continuous growth and development. Finally, I use these findings plus the negative feedback loops to provide insights for necessary changes and modifications.

Design Expertise

• Conceptualizing creative design concepts
• Participatory design research and mapping
• Instruction design and curriculum planning
• Knowledge and idea visualization
• Design management
• Contextual research
• Process mapping and assessment
• Social design and community innovation
• Public participation and engagement strategy

To carry out a contextual research I integrate the many tools and techniques used in both the design world and the business world. The methodology incorporates empathy and deep user understanding, concept visualization and prototyping, and strategic business design. The design research process, as described by Thomas Lockwood, is not a linear process, but rather a framework for iteration that knits together user needs, powerful ideas, and enterprise success.