Stage 1 of 7
Methodology
Stage 1
Assemble the Design Team + Set Your Intentions
Purpose of this stage
Identify who is involved in investigating and designing urban change, and make power balances and assumptions visible before the work begins.
The people involved at the beginning of a project will shape every decision that follows. A diverse team is more likely to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges and create places that work well for a wider range of people.
Your team doesn’t need to include someone from every background or profession. However, the broader the mix of experiences, skills and perspectives, the less likely you are to overlook important voices or unintentionally design for only one group of people.
Good regeneration isn’t about everyone agreeing—it is about ensuring different perspectives are heard before decisions are made.
1
Framework or tool used
Design Team Prompts
Optional: Intention-Setting Worksheet to agree on shared goals and ways of working.
Use the prompt boxes below to check your team for who is missing and possible power imbalances or blind spots:
People
List everyone currently involved.
Power
Who holds inherent positions of power?
Roles
Professional expertise + lived experience.
Missing Voices
Who is absent or under-represented?
Final check
Is this team representative enough to design for everyone who uses this place?
Downloadable worksheet
Intention-setting worksheet
Reflection questions
1.
Who is involved in shaping this project?
2.
Who will be most affected by the outcome? Are they represented in the team?
3.
Whose voices are currently missing?
4.
Are local people helping to make decisions, or only being consulted once ideas have been developed?
5.
Does your team represent different ages, cultures, abilities and lived experiences?
6.
Is there a balance between professional expertise and local knowledge?
7.
If everyone in the room agrees immediately, what perspectives might be absent?
Theory & References