Presented at the ASLA National Meeting by Zach Flanders (BNIM), Nick Bowden (MindMixer), and Nicole Crutchfield (City of Fargo)

1. ASLA Annual Meeting 2012
Social Media and Crowdsourcing
in Planning and Design
Phoenix, AZ | 30 September 2012
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2. Presenters:
Nick Bowden, AICP
Nicole Crutchfield, AICP, ASLA
Zach Flanders, AICP
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3. Learning Objectives
1. Learn the benefits and potential pitfalls of social media and
crowdsourcing and the essential elements of a successful social media
and crowdsourcing strategy
2. Learn how to leverage social media and crowdsourcing to enhance
public participation in the planning process.
3. Learn how to incorporate public input collected through
crowdsourcing into the final plan.
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4. 1. Why Social Media and Crowdsourcing?
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5. What is Social Media?
 People having conversations online...
Photo Credit: Shutterstock ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 5

6. What is Crowdsourcing?
…And creating real products, services, and urban spaces together.
Photo Credit (right): Peter Bishop ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 6

7. Why Should Designers Care?
 “The Crowd” is the smartest person in the room.
 Listening to “The Crowd” will make the end product better.
 “The Crowd” just might be able to “get it done” when everyone
else fails.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 7

8. Why #online?
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9. 950
million people on facebook
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10. 61.7%
of U.S. residents over 14 on
facebook…
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11. 53%
of adults 65+ are active online…
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12. 62% of low-income (<$30K / year)
households have internet access in
the home…
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13. 61%
of rural households have internet
access in the home…
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14. 55%
U.S. adults go online using their cell
phone…
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15. 88%
U.S. households with texting
capabilities
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16. 75%
14-20 year olds who have their own
cell phone
1 in 3 of them send more than 100
texts per day
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17. 11.4%
U.S. adults that attend a public
meeting each year
48% of U.S. adults have never
attended a public meeting
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18. #starts
#plan for the #party
citizens feel #empowered
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19. #thrives
#invite citizens
participation is #affirmed
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20. #sustains
be a #good #host
#act #together
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21. #cities
Online engagement starts when cities
plan for an idea party. It thrives when
cities invite citizens. It sustains when
cities are a good host.
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22. 2. How to use Social Media and
Crowdsourcing in Planning and Design
Projects
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23. The “Public Feedback” Model
Client Designer Public Product
“This is What I Want” “OK” “Any Feedback?” “Done!”
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24. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
Public
“I know what my
community needs!”
Product Designer Client
Always Improving, “Awesome, I think it could
Release Often and Early. work like this, and have
you thought of this?”
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25. Results
 Better Product
 Happier Client
 Happier Citizens
 On Time, On Budget
 A Better World for Everyone
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26. Why is this not Happening More?
 Fear
 Lack of Know-How
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27. Facebook
Twitter
Tumblr
Wordpress
MindMixer
Youtube
Survey Monkey
Slideshare
Issuu ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 27

28. Conversation, Ideas, a Getting Your Message
nd Feedback Out
Facebook Wordpress
Twitter Youtube
MindMixer Slideshare
Tumblr Issuu
Survey Monkey Tumblr
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29. 3. Case Study: Go2030 - City of Fargo
Comprehensive Plan
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30. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
+EECBG, energy strategy
+Visioning Public
+Unique
+BNIM
“I know what my 1. +MindMixer
community needs!”
+SRF
+AE2S
Product Designer Client
Always Improving, “Awesome, I think it could
Release Often and Early. work like this, and have
you thought of this?”
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31. ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 31

32. MindMixer
Speaker Series
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33. MindMixer
Introduction of Topics
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34. Facebook
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35. Twitter
#GO2030
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36. Public Workshops
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37. What We Heard
Leading Ideas from Housing Leading Ideas from Land Use
and Neighborhoods: and Urban Design:
Leading Ideas from Healthy Food
and Healthy Lifestyles
Leading Ideas from
Transportation and Infrastructure:
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38. MindMixer
Speaker Series
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39. Feedback Loop
Topic/Idea
Initiatives
Prioritizing
Voting
Affirming
Excitement breeds excitement
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40. Survey Respondents
Survey Monkey
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41. Business Survey Results

42. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
Public
“I know what my
community needs!”
Product Designer Client
Always Improving, “Awesome, I think it could
Release Often and Early.
2. work like this, and have
you thought of this?”
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43. Always
Improving,
Release Often
and Early.
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44. Issuu
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45. Slideshare
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46. Facebook
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47. Youtube
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48. Wordpress
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49. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
Public
3. “I know what my
community needs!”
Product Designer Client
Always “Awesome, I think it could
Improving, Release work like this, and have
Often and Early. you thought of this?”
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50. ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 50

51. Successes to Replicate
 Energy kick started the process and carried city leader support at the go
 Surprise! A new generation of participants
 Created support from the grassroots and will aid in implementation
 Amplifies local voices and experts
 Knowledge is shared
 Transparency and fluidity in conversation
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52. Go2030: Fargo Comprehensive Plan - Stats
 MindMixer • Wordpress  Facebook
8,494 8,617 117
unique visitors unique visitors Likes
467 31,074  Youtube
original ideas Pageviews
2,110 1,112
views
comments
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53. Being a good host….
 Continue the conversation …. tap into the energy
 Meeting expectations, listen and mean it
 Stay current with materials, items can become tired
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54. Online community + deep
conversation and sharing
knowledge + citizen ownership
+ commissioner enthusiasm
= implementation and change
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55. 3. Case Study: Tuscaloosa Forward – A
Strategic Community Plan to
Renew and Rebuild
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56. Name of Project | Date | 56

57. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
Public
“I know what my 1.
community needs!”
Product Designer Client
Always “Awesome, I think it could
Improving, Release work like this, and have
Often and Early. you thought of this?”
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58. Twitter
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59. MindMixer
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60. Facebook
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61. Public Workshops
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62. “The walking/biking
issues appear to be a
recurring theme. Let‟s
hope the city
administration/planners
really heed this call.”
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63. “I think an emphasis on
parks, recreation, walkable
communities and bike paths
have the potential to
transform the community in
a way that promotes activity
and fitness.”
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64. “The problem with the parks in
Tuscaloosa is that they often aren‟t
connected to anything and there isn‟t
a network of paths and trails that
connect the parks to neighborhoods.
Such an idea of „connecting‟ area
parks would be transformational, as
right now you have to drive to any of
Tuscaloosa‟s parks – even if you live
right downtown!”
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65. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
Public
“I know what my
community needs!”
Product Designer Client
Always Improving, “Awesome, I think it could
Release Often and Early.
2. work like this, and have
you thought of this?”
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66. ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 66

67. Issuu
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68. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
Public
3. “I know what my
community needs!”
Product Designer Client
Always Improving, “Awesome, I think it could
Release Often and Early. work like this, and have
you thought of this?”
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69. Wordpress
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70. Facebook
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71. Newspaper
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72. The Iterative Designer/Citizen/Client Mind-Meld Model
Public
“I know what my 1.
community needs!”
Product Designer Client
Always Improving, “Awesome, I think it could
Release Often and Early. work like this, and have
you thought of this?”
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73. MindMixer
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74. ASLA National Meeting | 30 September 2012 | 74

75. Success to Replicate
 Connecting with “old media”
 Transitioning after consultant goes home
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76. Stats
 Mindmixer  Wordpress  Facebook
300+ 33,882 283
original ideas unique visitors likes
40,000+ 123,847
Unique visitors pageviews
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77. 4. What‟s Next?
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78. DIY Crowdsourced Urbanism
policy? activism? implementation?
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79. DIY Crowdsourced Urbanism
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80. DIY Crowdsourced Urbanism
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81. Betterblockkc.tumblr.com

83. neighbor.ly/betterblockkc

84. The American Society of Landscape Architects is a
Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects
Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion
of this program will be reported to CES Records for AIA
members. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA members
are available on request.
This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing
professional education. As such, it does not include content
that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or
endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any
method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing
in any material or product. Questions related to specific
materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the
conclusion of this presentation.
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85. Copyright Materials
This presentation is protected by US and
International Copyright laws.
Reproduction, distribution, display and use of the
presentation without written permission of the
speaker is prohibited.
© The American Society of Landscape Architects
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86. Learning Objectives
1. Learn the benefits and potential pitfalls of social media and
crowdsourcing and the essential elements of a successful social
media and crowdsourcing strategy
2. Learn how to leverage social media and crowdsourcing to enhance
public participation in the planning process.
3. Learn how to incorporate public input collected through
crowdsourcing into the final plan.
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87. Q&A
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