Contextual Research of Community Gardens in Savannah
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Transcript of Contextual Research of Community Gardens in Savannah
1
SOULSfeed our
with moreSOULSTHANTHANfood
An ethnographic study on the Savanah’s Community Garden CultureFall 2013
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Introduction
The Team
Objective
Research Questions
Secondary Research
Primary Research
Insight Report
Conclusion
Apendix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
6
The Team 4
14
Objective 5
21
Research Questions 5
45
47
Secondary Research
Primary Research
Insight Report
Conclusion
Appendix
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INTRODUCTIONIntroducing gardens as a shared, communal concept is an emerging trend, especially in urban areas.These community gardens use their space efficiently by providing a location for many people to accomplish their goals by participating in nature-based activities. Communities have found the collaboration to be enriching and the creation of local food sources as beneficial to its members.
The City of Savannah contains many styles of community gardens and approved the Savannah Community Garden Initiative in July of 2012. Inspired by interest in using a vacant, city lot for a community garden, this program establishes a method for city residents to create a contract with the city to use its land for gardening purposes.
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Priscila MendozaMFA Design ManagementFavorite Vegetable/Fruit:
Avocado
Alice Li MFA Industrial Designt
Favorite Vegetable/Fruit:Carrot
Jorie BallumMA Design for Sustainability Favorite Vegetable/Fruit:Orange Bell Pepper
Farid SandeghiMFA Design ManagementFavorite Vegetable/Fruit:Cabbage
Han TianMFA Industrial DesignFavorite Vegetable/Fruit:Cauliflower
THE TEAMThe research team consists of graduate students from varying majors that attend the Savannah College of Art and Design.
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OBJECTIVE RESEARCH QUESTIONSThe objective of the research
is to understand the
community garden culture
of Savannah and to explore
the status of the Savannah
Community Garden Initiative.
The end goal of the project
is to form insights from
the research, discover
opportunities for the gardens,
and design solutions to
take advantage of those
opportunities.
What is the Community Garden culture in Savannah?
How do you evaluate a Community Garden?
What activities does a Community Garden involve?
What are the goals of a Community Garden?
How does the S.C.G.I. work? (policy-wise)
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SECONDARYSECONDARYresearch
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It was important to figure out
what components make up a
community garden and what
participating concepts make
the system work. Collecting
information about the outside
influences was also vital in
explaining the organization
of the gardens. With this
information, it was possible
to depict what exactly a
community garden is.
WHAT
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A “community” garden implies
multi-party involvement, so
mapping out the participants was
essential for understanding the
human aspect of a garden.
The parties that could be directly
or indirectly affected by the
garden’s success or failure were
labeled as ‘stakeholders’ and those
who stood to benefit directly from
the garden’s services were noted
as ‘beneficiaries.’ Documenting this
information provides an insight
into who the garden may impact
and to whom it is important.
WHO
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Plan for Starting a Community Garden
It is easy to observe a
community garden to see
how the different types of
collaborative efforts work,
but how did the gardens get
there in the first place? This
motivation to understand
the sprouting of the garden
structures led to discovering
a process full of many
considerations and areas for
unique circumstances to arise.
HOWGeneral
Establish Local Interest
Participants Organizations/Programs Sponsors/Supports Community Need 1
Plan Out Technical
Details
Secure land and leasing/ownership details Funding Liabilities Sunlight and water availability
2
EstablishManagement
Eligibility and roles of participants Budgeting/Payments Designate a “garden champion” Plan out strategies and education 3
Prepare theGarden
4Clean up the space and test the soil for contaminants and nutrients or build the raised bedsCreate a layout of the garden Determine the required materials for construction and maintenance Plan out the types of plants and care schedules
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Creating a community garden
under the SCGI requires a
specific method of planning
because using a city-owned
lot presents liabilities for the
city of Savannah. Decoding the
formal procedure was essential
for identifying key concerns
in the process and for looking
for city-resident interfacing
opportunities.
HOW IN SAVANNAH
Submit InitialApplication
1
Optional Steps
3
Review “Policy and User
Agreement”
Fill Out “Application
for Use”
Write “Letter of Intent”
Composting Plan
Type of Fencing
Qualifying Applications
If Applicable
Upon Approval
2Provide Further
Materials
Signed “Policy and User
Agreement ”
Evidence of Neighborhood
Support
Drawing of Proposed
Layout
List of Building Materials
Schedule of proposed
Fee
Signed FEMA Form
Prepare theGarden
4 Adhere toRules
Build!
Plan for Starting a Community GardenIn Savannah
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To understand when
community gardens are
implemented, both historical
and cultural perspectives
were explored. Apart from
individual or group interest,
certain sets of circumstances
and events lead to the
development of gardens,
making the universal themes
of the process apparent.
WHEN
1890
1900
1920
1930
1940
1970
20102000
WWI & WWII
ECONOMICAL CRISIS
BEAUTIFUL CITY MOVEMENT
ECONOMICAL & SOCIAL CRISIS
WAR & VICTORY GARDEN CAMPAINGS
ENVIRONMENTAL AWAKENING
ECONOMICAL CRISIS
ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
FOOD SUPPLY SCARCITY
INCREASE IN COMMUNITY GARDENS DECREASE COMMUNITY GARDENS
ECONOMY SO
CIE
TY
EN
VIR
ON
ME
NT
POLITICS
FOOD ACCESSIBILITY
GREEN INITIATIVE
UNEMPLOYMENT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
INTEREST IN COMMUNITY GARDENING
- +
++ +
+ +
+
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As users experience gardens
in different ways, a map of
the potential motivations for
participating in community
gardening was generated
from reviews and case
studies of various gardens.
The collection of activities
associated with the gardens
frames the ideal garden
situation and serves as
a comparative tool for
evaluating and defining
actual gardens later on.
WHYRehabilitation
Healthy
OrganicProduce
GoodNutrition
FoodAccessibility
Social Programs
SavingMoney
Recreation
Green SpaceIncrease
Education
Volunteering
BuildingCommunity
NeighborhoodAppearance
CommunityImprovement
SelfEmpowerment
Exercising Learning Skills
Community Collaborating
Gardening
Sharing
Socializing
EatingProduce
Enjoy Nature
Throwing Events
B E N E F I T S
B E N E F I T S
CommunityGardens
B E N E F I T S
A C T I V I T I E S
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It was imperative to delve
into the characteristics of
Savannah that potentially
play roles in starting gardens.
This grasp of the context
of the culture and specific
trends could unlock potential
opportunities for design
intervention as well as gauge
the perception of community
gardens in the area.
WHY SAVANNAH SAVANNAH COMMUNITYGARDEN INITIATIVE
GARDEN TRADITION VACANT LOTS
SquaresUrban PlanningTourism
5.3 % of totalparcels are vacantFEMA program(flooding areas)
CRIME RATE
Violent crime rategenerally higherthan nationalaverage
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P R I M A R YresearchP R I M A R Y
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To understand the culture and context of community gardening in savannah, the research team went out into the community to obtain first-hand experiences and gather personal knowledge from the residents of savannah.
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OBSERVAT
ION
SELF REPOR
T
INTERVIEW
The primary research data was collected using combinations of observational techniques, self-reporting by garden participants, and structured interviews of people with different relationships to community gardens.
Observation activities: side-line examinations of the gardens, shadowing sessions of the garden participants, and informal conversations
Self-reporting activities: expressive activities, creative projects, and micro-journaling
Interviewing activities: guided conversations that focused on answering the research questions.
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Individuals
City
Property Taxes
Vacant Lots
ContaminationRaised beds
Regulations
Permanent Structures
FEMA
Compost
pays
for
set’s up
ask for land to
can become
cont
rib
ute
and
tak
e
Institutions
are owned by
can be part of
mig
ht have
causes
are prohibited
prohibited
cont
rol requires
should be
set’s up
leads to the use of
requ
ires
sources
require
can provid
e
goes to
goes to
requ
ires
can
ben
efit
$ Resources
Volunteers
Plants & Seeds
Soil
Tools
Grants
Donations Community
Purchasing
Food
Needy
Professionals
Garden lovers
Student
Organic
Seniors
Supplies
Chemicals
In the research
process, concepts
and relationships
are brainstormed
and explored.
Illustrating the
system of community
gardening led to
a visualization
and exploration of
relationships, which
helped to accentuate
the areas of the map
that required further
inspection.
SYSTEMS MAP
“The vacant lot was full of weeds... so I said, let’s do it! let’s turn it into a community garden!”
“The garden is organic in the sense of we don’t use that much chemicals, but we are not certified organic.”
“Gardening is a team”
-Barbara E., Garden Manager
Ben L. Garden Manager
Francis A. Garden Manager
“There has been one hundred years of decomposing musket balls and cannon balls in the soil – it’s dreadful!”
-Victoria C., Landscape Designer
“Buying quality soil was the best choice SCAD made. It covers a lot of sins.”
-Ben B., SCAD Gardener
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The primary research was
sorted and consolidated
on an Affinity Wall, which
is a tool to cluster data
together to form insights
from the resulting themes.
Overarching trends
surfaced from the multiple
layers of data clustering
and helped the team
identify opportunities for
improvement with design.
AFFINITY WALL
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I. DEEP SATISFACTION
• Community gardening helps us explore personal and deeps connections
• Gardening offers benefits more meaningful than food
II. LEARNING AND ADAPTING
• We adapt to the local gardening circumstances and needs
• Our interpretation of “organic” is unclear and challenging
• Our gardens are works in progress
III. CLEAR COMMUNICATION
• We are aware of some methods of communication, but we could use them more
• Ownership is not always well defined in our gardens and may cause issues
IV. CITY RELATIONS
• We like the SCGI, but we would like more help/support or a better understanding of
• A better explanation of policies would benefit us
V. SPREAD INSPIRATION
• We are highly motivated and we act upon that (garden starters)
• Sometimes we struggle to maintain consistent man power
VI. PART IN CULTURE
• Community gardening allows us to extend our “home space” enjoyment to outside
• Gardeners find each other because it is a unique culture
VII. REACHING OUT
• We like our food to contribute to the community• Community gardening can allow us to create
city-wide synergies and networks from effectively their involvement space in the neighborhood help sources
VIII. HIERARCHY LEARNING
• Our methods of governing our gardens is a balance between structure and flexibility
• We need to work on spreading our knowledge and leadership skills
IX. PERSONAL SACRIFICES
• We also devote our money to gardening • Gardening requires a large investment of our
spare time• Community Outreach• Gardening fosters our community development• Our gardens impact uninvolved people too
Data was clustered into
groups, which formed
categories, and presented
universal topics for community
gardening. The approach
allowed for an objective view
of the gathered research
and presented the team
with subject spaces to form
insights in.
UNIVERSAL TOPICS
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I N S I G H TreportI N S I G H T
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From the data-inspired, universal topics, the team noticed insights that presented opportunities for change. Specific avenues were considered in each and the team formed design ideas to bring those possibilities to life. Each insight is described, explored, and followed by its corresponding data.
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Insight
.DESIGN IDEAS.
HOW MIGHT WE
The act of gardening offers
more opportunities than just
creating food. The beauty,
community, sharing, and
learning enrich lives and
bring a sense of joy.
• Develop networks for help?• Find a way to provide food to the needy?• Promote enjoying nature?• Use gardens as expression spaces?• Promote starting meaningful relationship?
• Promote physical health?
FEED OUR
WITH MORE
FOOD
SOULSTHAN
1. Directory of the garden managers with garden masters.
2. Inviting schools to have activities on the community garden (such as games).
3. Organize weekly yoga tour.
OPPORTUNITIESthere is an opportunity to:Foster meaningful growth on a community and personal level
1
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OPPORTUNITIES
HOW MIGHT WE
Savannah has its own unique
climate,weather,health
standards and soil issues,
and it it vital for gardeners
to understand them
and work within those
constrains.
there is an opportunity to:Develop an information bank about local gardening
• Connect knowledgeable people with novices?
• Recognize knowlegeable people? • Teach gardeners to thrive in the local
situation?• Have an active community garden
culture all year long?
LANGUAGELOCAL LAW
of the
1. Savannah community garden manual.
2. Provide information on how to prepare or use the seasonal food.
3. Gardening tourism opportunity.4. Welcome kit with local gardening
tips and local plants.
Insight
.DESIGN IDEAS.
2
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OPPORTUNITIESTALKWALK
there is an opportunity to:Make each garden’s regulations or desires explicit and visible
• Express the garden to participants and outsiders?
• Develop sustainable systems to run the gardens?
• Communicate and share garden news?
Community gardens
involve a lot of people so
communication about rules,
ownership and collaboration
should be established
and maintained in an
approachable manner.
WITH ME
WITH ME 1. Create artwork showing the ripe versions of plants and proper garden etiquette.
2. Develop universal signage to show garden’s regulations.
3. For network communication, try a photo contest and monthly activity competition with prizes.
4. Have a posting board in local garden shops to share news and show products in action.
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
1
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OPPORTUNITIES
CITY HALLTO BRAWL
there is an opportunity to:Clearly communicate the city’s involvement and role in the program
• Promote and advertise the initiative more?
• Introduce user’s feedback into the policy?
• Explain the reasons behind the policy limitations?
• Cooperate with other city programs?
The city of Savannah
set up the SCGI in order
to make dreams come
true, so eliminating any
negative feelings or
misunderstandings
is a must.
ISN’T LOOKING
1. Awareness campaign for the
program.
2. Create an infographic that
illustrates the city relationship
during the application process that
shows who to contact for what and
when you can expect help.
3. Create a safety bulletin that
describes the concerns behind all
of the regulations.
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
1
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OPPORTUNITIES
There are highly motivated
people and people with
wavering interest involved
in community gardens;
finding a balance or
transfering that spirit
would be helpful.
COULDSPREAD
there is an opportunity to:Share knowledge and keep volunteers enthusiastic
• Spread planting knowledge?• Recruit and retain volunteers?
• Spread enthusiasm?
IF INSPIRATION
LIKE GERMS 1. Reward system.
2. Set up a program to teach
gardening basics as they pertain to
certain interest groups.
3. Exchange groups of volunteers –
help at the book drive or for a race
to get help at a garden day event
– and promote both groups at each
event.
Insight
Community gardens
involve a lot of people so
communication about rules,
ownership and collaboration
should be established
and maintained in an
approachable manner.
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
1
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OPPORTUNITIES
ARE ALLFRIENDS
there is an opportunity to:Get to know your community
• Involve the neighbors?• Network with other gardens? • Be able to develop the culture in
Savannah further?
WE
HERE
Gardening is its own
culture and it brings people
together in their common
interests and enjoyments.
Public gardens make it
easier for people to find
each other.
1. App or website for network to
involve neighbors to be aware of
location of each community garden.
2. Facebook page to communication
in better way.
3. Create a “Garden Tour” event
program to swing by each garden
or have every weekend celebrate
each garden.
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
2
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OPPORTUNITIES
The produce from
and functions of the
garden can be linked
to outside community
organizations to benefit
both parties.
STARTSHAND
there is an opportunity to:Connect resource and idea stream through gardening
• Get familiar with community resources?
• Take advantafe of the social benefits of gardening?
• Promote tool sharing?• Take advantage of other people’s
extra stuff?• Offer access to professional aid?
AND WE WILL
REACH FOR THE
THEM TO YOU
1. Create SCGI discount card.
2. Post the needs of the garden
(tools, soil, man power, seeds, etc.)
and offer things in exchange.
3. Produce swap – bring an item and
get a vegetable.4. Student design contests to make
project plans and then reward students with recommendation letters or proof of experience.
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
1
37
OPPORTUNITIES
Some gardeners have a
lot of knowledge, some
have a lot of leadership
skills, and every garden
needs those.
SHARINGCARING
there is an opportunity to:Establish a mentorship culture
• Pass along gardening tips?• Collect knowledge in a tangible form? • Motive people to share their skills and
knowledge?• Foster leadership training?• Make gardening in Savannah more
approachable?
BRAIN
OF GARDEN
1. Mentor starter for beginners.
2. Organization of workshops by the
City of Savannah or SUGA.
3. Starter kit for beginners. 4. Time capsule project – capture the
garden culture, add from past, save for future.
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
2
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OPPORTUNITIES
Community gardeners
invest a lot of their time and
money into gardens that
they share with the other
workers, neighbors, etc.,
and they may not expect
something back, but they
might not mind!
SHAREWEAR
there is an opportunity to:Share the effort and cost associated with gardening.
• Attract sponsors?• Assign available help to needy
gardens?• Attract volunteers that are needed?
• Distribute the responsibility?
THE
1. Weakly brain sharing meeting to
share the ideas and talent.
2. Create a sponsorship program
where people can contribute money
or supplies and receive updates on
programs and charity activities.
3. Post a swap board to trade excess
volunteers, tools, produce etc for
things your garden needs.
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
1
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OPPORTUNITIES
Gardens in the
neighborhood bring
people together to
either directly interact
or enjoy the same
things from afar.
SEEDSLOVE
there is an opportunity to:Have widerspread interaction within a community
• Increase community awareness of the garden?
• Develop varying levels of participation?• Communicate exstence of the garden?• Promote the garden as a social space for
the community?
SOW
OF
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
1
1. Create a “Garden Tour” event
program to swing by each garden.
2. Ask neighbors that surround the
garden to take a picture of their
view of it from their window and
make a photo display that shows
the surrounding view.
3. Host local art shows in the
gardens or picnics, music lessons.
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OPPORTUNITIES
The gardens are all
works in progress and
communication and
celebration of that
varies.
CAUTION!there is an opportunity to:Express and contribute to the continuing garden development
• Communicate the status of garden projects to outsiders?
• Collect community ideas for garden development?
• Connect with outside help to ahieve garden goals?
• Spread encouragement for finishing
projects?
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
1. Visual timelines that document
garden progress with pictures.
2. Post representations of goals so it
is visible to the public and people
may walk by and be able to help.
3. “Garden dreams” board in a shop
or café to get people thinking
about the projects and pique their
curiosity/helping.
Insight
HOW MIGHT WE
.DESIGN IDEAS.
1
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The contextual research and data
management processes employed in
this project identified key components
in the community garden culture of
Savannah, as well as in the status of the
Savannah Community Garden Initiative.
The insights formed helped identify
opportunities for positive change in the
system and the team addressed these
prospects with potential design ideas
that adhere to the perceived context
and attempt to bolster the success of
the gardens.
CONCLUSIONS
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THE COMMUNITY GARDENING CULTURE OF SAVANNAH IS UNIQUE TO THE
CITY’S CIRCUMSTANCES AND REFLECTS ITS RESIDENTS’ AMBITIONS.
THE SAVANNAH COMMUNITY GARDEN INITIATIVE PLAYS AN AUXILIARY
ROLE IN THIS CULTURE AND HAS POTENTIAL FOR A LARGER IMPACT.
DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INDIVIDUAL
GARDENS COULD BENEFIT BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE INVOLVEMENT.
INFORMATION ON GARDENING, MANAGEMENT, POLICY, AND BENEFITS
IS A NECESSARY COMPONENT IN COMMUNITY GARDENING FUNCTIONALITY.
THE BENEFITS AND EFFECTS OF COMMUNITY GARDENING HAVE A
REPUTABLE AND POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON THE COMMUNITY.
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A P P E N D I Xthe processA P P E N D I X
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Secondary Research
1. Visit to Georgia’s Historical Society
2. Concept, Flow, and Process Maps
3. Structuring our data for midterm presentation
4. Five W’s for synthesizing and presenting our secondary research
1 2 3
43 3
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Observation
Shadowing sessions
1. SCAD
2. Tybee Island
3. Moses Jackson
Advancement
Center
4. MetroStart
5. StarFish
6. Growing Edge
1 2
4 5 6
3
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War walls from observations
Observation
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Initial Synthesis on observations
1. Actor Network Map
2. Research Question exercise
Synthesis
1
1
2
2
2 2
2
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Designing and Testing our probes.
1. Food Day Cultural
Probe’s Sketches
2. Food Day Brochure
3. Our Probes in
action!
Cultural Probes
1
2
2 2 2
1 3 3
3 3 3
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Interviews
1. Carol Greenberg (Midtown Miracle Community
Garden)
2. Cody Simpson,
Kelsie Flanagan
(SCAD Community
Garden)
3. Francis Allen (StarFish Community Garden)
4. Ben Ligenfelter (Jackson Mosses Advacement Center’s Garden)
1 2
3 4
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1. Making sense of chaos.
• Clustering 1 (From yellow to blue)
• Clustering 2 (From blue to pink)
• Clustering 3 (From pink to green)
2. Identifying Insights
3. Coffee helps!
AffinityProcess
1 1 1
1
1 1
1
1
2 3
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Methods of Contextual Research | IDUS-711-02 | Prof. Sara Johnson | Fall 2013