THE TEJIDO PROCESS

Although our design process varies according to the nature of the project and our client’s needs, we have developed a general approach to idea generation and development based on study of methods employed by exceptional firms throughout the world.

Data Collection & Analysis: in the initial phases, we often begin with shared team data collection and analysis duties. We involve ourselves in primarily three forms of data collection and analysis: (note: we encourage the generation of design and planning ideas during this initial phase in parallel with data collection and analysis tasks).

Case study analysis: this portion of our process is absolutely critical to effective communication with our clients. Our case study analysis is exhaustive and dedicated to the generation of design implications resulting from our review of other projects relevant to our own. As our clients witness the successes and failures of other relevant projects around the world they gain confidence in feasibility of their own project and in their designer. We have assembled a very large digital library of design and planning case studies, and continue to develop new ones with each project.

User group analysis: In this portion of our process we use structured interviews and likert scale questionnaires to sample the opinion of our clients. The data collected is often analyzed with basic descriptive statistics, but we have also used ANOVA and multiple regression analysis to examine and develop increasingly complex design implications. We most often survey a range of user groups: youth and teens, business owners, general citizenry, the elderly, etc. We also will frequently interview individuals with specialized knowledge in an array of fields: education, planning, ecology, development, local politics, history, etc. Our structured interviews ask diverse arrays of individuals the same set of questions. It is often very useful to then compare their responses for points of commonality and divergence.

Contextual and site specific inventory and analysis: during this phase of inventory and analysis we spend a great deal of time on and around the site as non-participant and participant observers. Some methods we employ approximate those of ethnographers and are qualitative in nature. While others are quite factual and employ low inference descriptor variables. We begin with a large scale contextual analysis – looking for key factors surrounding the site that may influence our design decisions within the site. This may involve detailed analysis of aerial photographs and G.I.S. data. We also photograph the entire site and surrounding urban and natural contexts – looking for existing positive design features unique to the site as well as problem areas in need of attention.

As a summary task of this phase, all participant data collection teams make detailed presentations of their findings to all other participants. In this manner information is disseminated to all participants and collective design synthesis can begin. These presentations include extensive review of all design precepts generated during the collection and analysis phases. As mentioned, our process encourages design activity throughout data collection and analysis. One general guideline we use is that analysis of fact is incomplete without discussion of the design implications generated by the existence of said fact. These implications are discussed, developed, and faithfully recorded for future synthesis activities.

CONCEPT GENERATION

This phase asks that each individual attempt to synthesize issues uncovered in our analysis into cohesive planning and design concepts. The individual concepts are reviewed in exhaustive design synthesis sessions. Focus is maintained on idea-building activities where reviewers are charged with the task of making each concept “better”. Clients are fully involved during these “creation” sessions.

The best ideas are recorded, and in subsequent group and individual charette sessions, they are synthesized into 2 or 3 optimum solutions. At this point client review is once again paramount, and alternative concepts are presented in three dimensional detail, including story board sketches, models, and computerized “walk-throughs”. We are interested in formative not summative feedback. We have found that client feedback is more lucid and fluent when they are presented with a series of easily understandable images and models rather than two-dimensional plans.

IMAGE BOARDS

We also use a device we call image boards to elicit response from our clients. These are a series of 20x30 boards containing images (photographs and drawings) taken from projects in our case study analysis as well as, generated by our designers. These images might discuss design options ranging from building and plant materials to spatial experiences or urban lighting options. We find that are clients feel more comfortable speaking of these actual images from other projects. Their response allows us to gain insight into their predispositions. We use their responses as jumping off points where, hopefully, we will create, combine and develop ideas on to the next level.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

During this phase team members are asked to divide themselves into concept development teams according to their personal philosophical alignments with the alternative concepts at hand. Each of the alternatives will then receive additional attention. Prototypical focus areas located within the planning concept will be identified and developed in greater detail. Ideas from these focus areas may have application to other areas contained within the concept. At any point when idea generation seems to grow stale we might jump into more individual or group charette activities. At other times, we might revisit data collection and analysis phases to better inform our process through the collection of new information or the analysis of old data through new eyes. Internal / external reviews are exhaustive and involved during this period. It is critical that participants have mastered small group dynamics by this stage in the process. Respect and positive idea building are the tools of choice during these potentially contentious design tasks.

PRODUCTS

We will usually deliver a series of web-based digital presentations and boards to our clients along with a comprehensive master planning document. Our clients are most often without financial resource, and will then use the document and boards as marketing tools in their attempts to solicit Federal, State, and private funding. We include a chapter in each document that covers marketing strategies and sources of funding relevant to our clients and the future of the project. These master planning documents are thorough and go to great length to establish positive correlation between data collected and data implemented into the design. Origins of design ideas are traced to their source and relevance to the project is explained in some depth. This can be accomplished graphically and verbally. This, in turn, helps establish credibility in our design decision process; to ourselves, to our clients, and eventually to potential investors.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

Our approach to phasing is that we usually avoid chronological approaches to phasing and focus our energy on developing situational matrices for our clients. This type of phasing is based upon occurrences in the economy, demographics, or environmental contexts of the project, i.e. interest rates, new housing starts, environmental regulations, etc. We develop discreet development packages for our clients, and we call these modules of development. Given the appropriate political and economic environment, any one of these modules can be implemented independently from the others.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

We have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to explore and at times, develop new methods of design and presentation. We have found that above all else, the process should remain fun. This usually means full opportunity to participate and share ideas in a respectful and energetic learning environment. Collaborative design can be a miserable experience, or it can be delightful. We believe that enthusiasm for the material, the process, and the people involved in design enables us to effectively build learning environments where ideas flow freely, unimpeded by excessively harsh criticism, and where the advantages of collaboration are consistently apparent. In this context enthusiasm can become motivational, and could be described as an enabling process where teachers and students listen, question, reflect, empathize, and advise in sincere, non-manipulative manners. They look for strengths and possibilities rather than core-defects and inevitabilities.

On any given day and circumstance, what we have said here will be modified, augmented and diminished. The value of flexible thinking and teaching strategies is therefore apparent. Some of the phenomena we have been speaking of are certainly learnable if the motivation to learn them is alive within an individual. Respect, sincerity, enthusiasm, and adaptability are difficult commodities to fake, and in this sense, the personal caliber of the people involved in collaborative efforts takes precedence over their academic competence. We have found that philosophical, personal, and professional disparity becomes decipherable and even advantageous in most respectful and trusting environments. There are, of course, limitless fine-tuning moves that design programs can make to enhance their teaching, and learning environments. Due to the limited format here, we have chosen to speak of what we believe to be fundamental requisites to effective learning and working environments.