Need Identification & Analysis

Supporting files

Activities Canvas Template (p.11)

Required Materials

• Activities Canvas Template in A0 printed (or online version)
• Markers 

Tips and Limitations

• Each step needs to be dealt with individually
• Time management is important for this tool.
• In case of large group of participants, it is suggested to divide the group into smaller sub-groups, and assign one moderator per sub-group to lead the discussion (timing should be adjusted accordingly).

Instructions

1. The activity of the primary focus should be identified by group members.
2. The participants are asked to fill in the fields of the template, providing as much details as possible. This can help with defining the stakeholders that will work on it, the procedures and rules required for the activity, as well as the tools, the time frame and the expected outcomes.
3. A group discussion for a final reflection upon the collected ideas and consensus among the findings follows. 

Sources and References

UNALAB Toolkit

Supporting files

(Stakeholder) Importance/Influence Matrix template.

Required Materials

• (Stakeholder) Importance/Influence Matrix Template in A0 printed 9 (or online) version
• markers
• pens 
• post-its

Tips and limitations

Stakeholders may have power in a variety of ways. It is crucial to view every stakeholder from different perspectives.

Instructions

After identifying all the relevant stakeholders and noting them in post-its (one stakeholder per post-it), the participants are asked to place the 'post-its' in the grid, taking into account their importance and interest. The position that participants allocate to a stakeholder on the grid shows the actions that are needed to be taken with them. E.g. High power, highly interested people (Manage Closely): you must fully engage these people and make the greatest efforts to satisfy them.

Sources and references

• Mayers, J. (2005). Stakeholder power analysis. DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.22745.57446
• Mind Tools 

Required Materials

• Paper 
• Clipboard
• Pens/pencils/markers.

Tips and limitations

• This tool works especially well with kids
• There can be resistance to drawing 
• It requires multiple maps/ drawings to be able to draw conclusions
• There is a risk of bias that you might not be aware of as a researcher, recent experiences (e.g. hearing news about the beach), the location of making the drawing, the state of mind (e.g. being very busy) and things like weather conditions will influence how/ what the users/ stakeholders draw 

Instructions

1. Participants are asked to draw their perception of a specific space/ area. Note that there might be participants hesitant to get engaged in the process. Try to make them feel comfortable and be open, and don’t judge their drawings: it is no right or wrong in mental mapping.
2. After the drawing/ map has been made, specific questions can be asked by the facilitator(s) in order to clarify and better understand the perception of the user. 

Sources and references 

Downs, R. M., & Stea, D. (1973). Cognitive Maps and Spatial Behavior: Process and Products. In Image and Environments. Chicago: Aldine Publishing.

Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city (Vol. 11). MIT Press.

mentalmap.org

Required Materials

• Paper or a base map with key features or aerial photographs.
• A camera
• Guidance to control time
• Blackboard or whiteboard
• Clear agenda on topic for discussion.

Tips and limitations

• Participatory mapping should be combined with other methods, such as mental mapping, brainstorming, problem tree analysis, etc., to support the analysis.
• This tool is not useful for minor decisions.
• Use questions to motivate the participants to include more information.
• This tool is time-consuming, cost-effective and requires significant planning from the facilitators.
• Create dissonance and lead to conflicts between the involved stakeholders
• The larger the number of topics to be included, the more complex the maps will be. For this reason, it might be better to make several maps for each topic.

Instructions

1. The facilitators should clearly identify and communicate to the participants the objectives of the exercise and divide the participants into working groups. Those groups can be divided into demographic categories  (i.e. age, gender, working in the focus area, length of time living, etc.), so the maps may be different depending on the daily experiences of the participants.
2. Participants are then asked to draw the map (on paper, an existing map of the area with key features such as roads, rivers and settlements or aerial photographs); each working group is asked to come up with one preliminary map. In this step, all the participants should be encouraged by the facilitators to get actively engaged in the process.
3. Once the working groups are finished with their mapping, the maps should be copied, or photos of them should be taken, and the participants are invited to have a joint discussion with all the working groups, where each group present their result. 

Sources and references 

BiodivERsA

Supporting files

People Shadowing Template (p.55)

Required Materials

• Paper
• Pen/marker
• Camera/mobile phone

Tips and Limitations

• This tool should be used with 2 people: 1 person (or small group) that will perform the shadowing and one target person and allocate 1 day for facilitating it.
• In case you want your participants to follow their "target" closely, it is important to make sure that they have their permission to do so. Otherwise, they will have to observe the target from a distance. This possibility is dependent on the extent to which this would be socially accepted in the context within which the exercise will be facilitated. In any case, it is vital to respect the person’s space and make sure they are comfortable.

Instructions

1. Participants are asked to define a  series of questions needed to be answered before starting the shadowing. These questions can be: Who is the person/group that needs to be followed? What to do when starting the shadowing in order to maximise the results? What kind of information are you looking for? What kind of information can and should be recorded? Create a template based on those questions, with all the required information that needs to be gathered.
2. The participants are asked to visit and accompany the target person in their natural environment.
3. The participants are asked to take notes and photos and fill in the template previously created (all the participants are asked to fill in the same template when performing their shadowing, so the final results and observations can be easily compared.

Sources and References

UNALAB Toolkit

Nesta.org (DIY Toolkit)

Supporting files

Persona Template

Required Materials

• Persona template in A0 printed (or online) version
• Paper
• Pens/markers.

Tips and Limitations

• Appearance: textual expressions or picture (preferably picture because it is memorable)
• Social Background: level of education or culture
• Make sure that it is clearly described the relationship/relevance of the person with the selected study area/topic/issue at hand. 
• Human beings, and characters, need to be described in a way that makes the person who uses the persona immediately envision a ‘real’ person (write it in the third person)
• Narrated description; a character-driven story
• Create an archetype; it builds on the idea that there are some basic human patterns, a number of combinations of characteristics that are common and can describe the user (i.e. archetypes as personality traits: extrovert-introvert, sensory-intuitive, thinking-feeling)
• Contain physiological, sociological and psychological dimensions; an indirect explanation of what motivates the character’s actions
• Psyche: understand the mind of the person
• Persona is mainly a representative of the collected data based on assumptions and knowledge about a specific user, so it cannot be supported on its own - it requires support at all levels.
• This tool cannot be used as a main tool for the design process, but it should be integrated and supported by other tools.
• It is a method under constant development and change
• The persona usually is a stereotypical and one-dimensional version of the user

Instructions

1. Participants are asked to collect data from various sources so they can start building the persona. This can also be asked and prepared by the participants beforehand.
2. Then, the participants are asked to form a hypothesis; build a general idea of the different users in the context, including their differences. They should support or reject the first assumptions about the differences between the users by comparing the existing knowledge with project participants and the hypothesis.
3. The participants are then asked to identify and have a final decision upon the number of the personas and describe them.
4. Then, the participants are asked to create scenarios that describe solutions. 
5. Later, participants should create scenarios that describe solutions.
6. The final results of the exercise are gathered in order to disseminate the personal for others for future use and revise with new information.

Sources and References

Adlln, T., & Prultt, J. (2010). The Essential Persona Lifecyde Your Guide to Building and Using Personas. Elsevier.

Supporting files

Practical Canvas Template

Required Materials

• Practical Canvas Template in A0 (or online) version
• Markers, pens.
• Post-its

Tips and Limitations

• If combined with Strategic Canvas, it is suggested to facilitate for 1.5h

Instructions

1. The Practical Canvas is distributed among the participants, who are asked to fill it in individually for all the required fields. The participants are asked to do so based on their knowledge, experience and capacities. 
2. A group discussion follows, comparing the different results from the participants for each of the Canvas fields one by one. At this stage, it is important to do a reality check based on the participants' suggestions about how the co-creation process can continue on realistic terms regarding budget, available tools etc. 

Sources and References

GoNano Project

Supporting files

Stakeholder Journey template

Required Materials

• Stakeholder Journey Template in A0, A1 printed (or online version) version
• Markers, pens
• Post-its

Tips and Limitations

• At each step along the way, identify the stakeholders' needs at that specific moment and the channel or touchpoint through which these are met.

Instructions

1. Stakeholders need to be identified before working on the stakeholder journey.
2. After identifying all the relevant stakeholders, noting them in post-its (one stakeholder per post-it) while discussing with the group, the activities that will be carried out with each stakeholder group or with each individual stakeholder are mapped in sequential order.
3. After having the activities, the needs of the stakeholders related to each activity are identified and mapped. Even if the canvas shows 4 spaces for activities and needs, you can map more than that.

Supporting files

Strategic Canvas Template

Required Materials

• Strategic Canvas Template in A0 (or online) version
• Markers, pens,
• Post-its

Tips and Limitations

• If combined with Practical Canvas, it is suggested to facilitate for 1.5h

Instructions

1. The Strategic Canvas is distributed among the participants, who are asked to fill it in individually for all the required fields. The participants are asked to do so based on their knowledge, experience and capacities. 
2. A group discussion follows, comparing results from the participants for each of the Canvas' fields one by one; the goal of the co-creation process, key stakeholders, ethical and legal issues, critical success factors, desired results (define the end goal), milestones (procedure), risks and contingencies (supporters and inhibitors of the end goal). 

Sources and References

GoNano Project

Supporting files

SWOT Analysis Miro Template

Required Materials

• SWOT Template (can also be done by drawing a cross on a large sheet of paper or by using tape on the floor/on the wall).
• Pens/pencils.
• Paper.

Tips and Limitations

• It may be useful to combine this tool with a non-spatial SWOT from the perspective of the project team, neighbourhood association, or group of stakeholders who have come together to engage on a specific urban issue.

Instructions

1. Participants are asked to identify a specific area and a broad issue of concern.
2. Later, participants should identify and map the positive and negative characteristics that are present in the focus area in relation to the issue of concern (you can start by making drawings and writing keywords on cards, but eventually, you should map).
3. Participants are then asked to find the positive and negative developments in the (external) environment and decide how and where those developments might affect the area in relation to the issue of concern (you can start by making drawings and writing keywords on cards, but eventually, you should map.
4. Finally, participants are asked to discuss the findings: which areas are more vulnerable/provide more opportunities; what are the most important elements identified... And does this influence how you look at and/ or define the issue to be addressed?

Sources and References

Parsons, N. (2018). What Is a SWOT Analysis, and How to Do It Right (With Examples). LivePlan

Required Materials

• Base maps
• Sketchbooks
• Markers
• Cameras/recording devices

Tips and Limitations

• Transect walks should be planned with diverse social groups of stakeholders.

• A route should have diverse characteristics.

• The route might be based on a map produced earlier in the desk study phase

• Active participation is required for the effective use of this tool

• This tool can be biased. Having your attention directed towards biasses in the walk can create opportunities for researching power relationships inside the community

• The facilitator should empower the community members to lead the walk instead of themselves taking the lead. This way, the stakeholders' perspective can be seen in the way they address the area itself.

• This tool can be susceptible to interview and selection biases.

• Being a field study, it can be intense, demanding a lot of presence from the researchers.

Instructions

1. Participants (local stakeholders) are asked to decide on a route for the transect walk, guided by the facilitators. In the case of a large group of participants, smaller working groups are suggested to be created, each of which will focus on a different route.
2. The group of participants, or each working group, will then be asked to internally assign responsibilities for what specific information each participant will have to document during the walk. 
3. The facilitating team, during the walks, should focus on discovering problems and opportunities related to what they see and hear from the participants, taking notes upon emerging contrasts and changes.
4. After the end of the walk,  participants are asked to draw a diagram of the collected information.
5. In the case of working groups, a group reflection is suggested at the end of the activity. 

Sources and References

Hemmersam, P., & Morrison, A. (2016). Place Mapping – transect walks in Arctic urban landscapes. SPOOL, 3(1), 23-36. doi:10.7480/spool.2016.1.1392

USAID. (2010). Using Rapid Appraisal Methods. Performance Monitoring & Evaluation Tips.

CatComm.org

Supporting files

User Persona Template

Required Materials

• User Personas Template in A0 printed (or online) version.
• Markers, pens.
• Post-its

Tips and Limitations

• Multiple personas can be focused on. However, this also implies more time and effort spent on every persona individually. Each persona needs exercises. It’s often better to start with one, build and test a solution, and then start focusing on expanding your market.

Instructions

1. Stakeholders discuss in the group(s) what is the kind of persona that is relevant for your scope. A person can be considered an average person of a group of people that belong to your target group.
2. Each person in the group(s) is asked to fill in the template Individually fill in the User Personas template and all the required tabs. It is important for every participant to note down any element of the template that they are not sure about for further discussion with the facilitators and the rest of the group.
3. All the User Personas are presented, and the group(s) decides on which persona will act as a starting point.
4. A final reflection/group discussion is facilitated at the end about any issues that are still unknown about the selected persona and need to be covered/found out. 

Sources and References

UNALAB Toolkit

Supporting files

Value proposition Template

Required Materials

• Value Proposition Canvas Template in A0 printed (or online) version.
• Markers, pens
• Post-its 

Tips and Limitations

• It is important to ask enough “Why’s” during the brainstorming in order to obtain as much information as possible. Also important is to reach a high level of empathy with the customer in order to truly understand their motivations and needs.

• Use the tool to design, test, and iterate your value proposition until you figure out what resonates with customers.

Instructions

1. The Value proposition canvas is developed. It is suggested to structure this Canvas based on two core sections: Customer/User segment and Value Proposition.
2. The Canvas should be adapted for the users/participants, who are then asked to fill it in individually.
3. For the Customer/User segment, the users/participants are asked to reflect on the following: a. Jobs/tasks needed to fulfil their work, b. Pains (costs) and the difficulties that users/participants encounter when doing their work, c. Gains (advantages) and the positive results that users/participants wish to obtain after doing their work.
4. For the Value Proposition section, a list of the products or services that could be potentially developed should be structured by the facilitators and the group(s).
5. The users/participants are asked to identify the ways in which the listed products/services can act as "Pain relievers" and/or "Gain creators" for their previously noted Pains and Gains.
6. A final reflection/group discussion is facilitated at the end, reflecting on the findings and establishing a clear linkage between the needs of the users/participants and the ways that the proposed product/design is capable of relieving Pains and creating Gains.

Sources and References

UNALAB Toolkit