Capacity Needs Assessment Maps of Place/Space Assets Agenda for 2/12/09

We are here 2/10 Chapter 5 all (skim samples) Set time over next two weeks to collect data. 2/12 Chapter 4 (skim samples) Homework map the space of the organization; conduct interviews/observations Due 2/17 Survey: Case Study Due 2/19 Chapter 6 (skim samples) Homework: compile organization’s structure, capacities and needs; continue data collection Due 2/24 Read model asset papers: genre analysis: Due 2/26 Compile paper sections design paper template together, assign sections to write T: 3/3 Capacity Needs Paper draft due TH: 3/5 Capacity Needs final due, transition to proposals

Agenda Assessing Interview Questions Introduction to data collection tools, cont.’ –Observations of Place/Space Develop further guides for observation Homework

Interview Questions 1.Open and closed questions 2.Limited in scope: balanced between bounded and freely ranging 3.Allow for follow up 4.Can have pre-amble: “I’ve noticed x about the resources here, is that accurate? If so, then 5.Should not leading (supplying an answer in the question)

TIC: Assets/Capitals Assets * Web Presence * Informational Video * Documentation * Brochure (Print) Advertisement * Current Tenants * Government Relationship Capitals * Offices & Cubicles * Large Vacant Space * Business Advising * Technology Resources * Web Space for Advertising * In House Tech Business Resources * Networking complex

TIC: Interview Questions Linkages * Who provides who with what resources (tenants or TIC)? * How is the TIC linked to government objectives? * How are tenants related to MSU? * What technologies specifically does the TIC have access to? * What assets are bringing tenants to the TIC?

TIC: Interview Questions Questions for Tenants * How did you hear about the TIC? * What resources are most valuable to you at the TIC? * Tax incentives? * What is your goal for when you leave TIC?

TIC: Interview Questions Questions for TIC project managers * How much of operating cost is from the City of East Lansing? * How much of operating cost is from in house profits? * Toward which communities are TIC ads aimed? * What are the future plans for the TIC? Expansion? * How much interest does MSU have in the TIC?

You Vote Questions * Who else works with YouVote? * What structure of the organization? * Who is "in charge"? * How involved are the other organization members going to be in the restructuring and redesigning of the website? * Right now, what web development skills do YouVote employees have if any? * What type of technology does YouVote have at its disposal? * What do you look for in student worker/intern? Politically active?

You Vote Questions * What are the duties of the student workers/interns? Work solely on website or do other stuff? * Who else will be working on this website in the future? How best can we prepare the instructional materials that will suit their needs and current knowledge. * Do you have information or feedback from students on the website? * What to your knowledge, what is the most important feature of the website to students? * Why do you think YouVote is important? * have you been with YouVote since the beginning? * How did it get formed and why?

Asset Independence 1. What is the relationship between AIC and community partners? Is it strictly monetary? What other roles do they play? 2. Who would you consider to be the lead person in the organization? 3. How many clients does AIC serve? What is your maximum capacity?

Asset Independence 4. What is the ultimate goal of AIC? To gain partners, obtain more money, stand alone? 5. What are the physical capacities of your facilities? How do you get free tax service sites in each of the communities? 6. Is AIC a vehicle for free tax service? A host a channel for the public?

Asset Independence 7. What is an asset building tool? (stated in the mission statement) 8. Is AIC active 365 days? Are materials carried over into the next season? 9. How are volunteers obtained, retained and classified?

Taken Together What makes for a good interview question?

Observations of Place Why might mapping a place be helpful for professional writers who seek to write in the public interest?

5 levels where capacity can be built Individual Team Organization or institutional Community System

Place Mapping for Professional Writers Resource Identification: Mapping allows us to identify the physical and natural resources that can be utilized to support development initiatives, processes, and products.

Place Mapping for Professional Writers Foundation for Strategic Planning and Implementation: Asset mapping can either lay the foundation for development of a new strategic plan, enable the realignment of existing efforts and/ or lead to useful documents.

Place Mapping for Professional Writers Deepens Our Understanding of Key Systems and Linkages: A comprehensive place map leads to a deeper understanding of the ways in which activities within our organization situate, resonate, and mutually sustain activites that are unfolding at adjacent organizations & institutions, & governmental systems.

Place Mapping for Professional Writers Catalyst for Partnership: Place mapping aggregates the resources and infrastructures possessed in one place and makes it available to others who may conceive of new ways to leverage the assets. A visual resource map, prepared as part of the mapping process, can help demonstrate to stakeholders that they work within a networked sets of “organizations.” As stakeholders see common interests and needs, they may be inspired to strengthen or form partnerships.

Place Mapping for Professional Writers Helps identify points for data collection Because maps strive to overview physical, organizational, and structural linkages at many levels they help us identify: What we need to know about how work activities unfold Between whom What tools may be best used to observe or document this activity and these resources

Place Mapping for Professional Writers Helps identify points for data collection, cont.’ Observations: + observe activities unfolding in a workplace + document what resources are used to support this activity + make visible infrastructures that support this work + reveals possible work partnerships

Activity Compile Your Place Maps –Create one visual map the space of the organization –Note what kinds of physical and infrastructural resources are present in this space –Note the ways in which the space situates vis-à- vis related units, organizations, businesses, etc –What resources are present or are nearby that could be tapped into? –What questions does this map lead you to ask?

Homework Begin interviews/observations Case Study: Building Partnerships for Youth –read the home, intro, and who we are of the building partnerships for youth site: Read the surveys on Angel from the BPY site and 1. Select one you would like to revise; 2. Change the language to reflect your group’s needs