USING DIGITAL TOOLS TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES

Virtual Meets Reality is a study all about bringing neighbors in suburban communities closer together by leveraging an abundance of new Web-based technologies. This research is inspired by the increasing dissatisfaction with suburban lifestyles in cities around the United States and the need to offer solutions that mitigate the negative effects of social isolation associated with these communities. Opportunities presented in new Web technologies are therefore explored and developed into a framework that suburbs can use to quickly and easily establish online networks. This study contains a comprehensive literature review as well as an applied project that is divided into three key components: end-user field research and analysis, documentation of the iterative design process, and implementation/user feedback.

The literature review outlines the history of suburban communities in the United States with a focus on Phoenix, Arizona. Research describing the negative social, economic, and ecological effects of suburbia is described, as well as methods for curtailing these issues in existing neighborhoods. A variety of Web-based communities are also presented in the literature review, and case studies of neighborhoods using some of these tools to improve the quality of life are outlined as well.

The full project documentation can be downloaded HERE.

This research is based on the notion that a vibrant Web community – pooling people, talents, culture, and knowledge – can increase neighborhood cohesion and quality of life in many ways. This concept, however, is just one element in a kit-of-parts; there are hundreds of ways neighborhoods can spark a new sense of togetherness, many of which are also explored in this study.

QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THIS STUDY

• What kinds of interactions currently take place in suburban communities?
• What interventions can help facilitate those interactions?
• Who lives in these communities and do they indeed want more communication with neighbors?
• How can the Internet be used to facilitate face-to-face interaction in suburban communities?
• How are innovative neighborhoods already using digital tools to enhance their quality of life?
• In what ways have historic development patterns in the Phoenix metropolitan area contributed to the current state of social disconnect in neighborhoods?

S. Farmer Ave in Tempe (SoFa), Arizona is a popular transit corridor and the epicenter of two historic suburban neighborhoods near Arizona State University. The street contains a mix of single family homes and some higher density infill, making it an ideal site for this study because of its heterogeneous composition.

The purpose of field research is to better understand how people engage with one another along S. Farmer Ave. How to they describe their own community? Do they communicate with neighbors and if so – what is the nature of that interaction? This portion of the study was broken into two parts:

1. Survey: a 15-question survey was mailed to 181 residents.
2. Interview: 4 hours of interviews were conducted with residents at the street’s weekend farmer’s market.

Surveys sent to residents along S. Farmer Ave (yellow). Interviews held at weekend farmer’s market (pink).

Responses to surveys and interviews revealed that the two primary indicators of a person’s active participation in the neighborhood were 1) the number of years that person lived on the street and 2) their level of social engagement with other neighbors. Taking these and other key indicators from field research into consideration, a map of four main neighbor typologies was developed (see right).

Though these typologies were developed using data collected from residents on S. Farmer Ave, they can be applied to other suburban communities as well. For example, in a diverse and pedestrian-friendly community like S. Farmer Ave, there is a more even distribution of each type of neighbor. Neighborhoods that are less walkable and more homogeneous, however, tend to have higher concentrations of Shut-ins and Touch-and-goers.

Each typology is explained in greater detail below.

The Touch and Go resident is typically a young renter enrolled at the university located less than a half-mile to the east. Because they usually rent apartments with relatively short leases and fulfill most of their social needs at school, their ties to the community are minimal.

Homeowners and renters who have lived on the street for several years will likely never get to know Touch and Go residents personally, but will see them walking or biking to the University campus quite often. Because this type of resident has minimal interest in the goings on of the community along S Farmer Ave, their likelihood to actively participate in a Web community dedicated to the neighborhood is low.

Scenesters, like Touch and Go residents, do not typically live on the street for very long. Where they differ is in their desire to engage with the neighborhood community. Touch and Go residents typically move to the street solely because of its proximity to the university campus or affordable leases. Scenesters, however, are often drawn to the neighborhood’s active and creative lifestyle.

Residents of this group like to engage with local culture and may get involved with one of the many biking activist groups, frequent the local farmer’s market, attend community events, and actively engage with neighbors. The Scenester would therefore likely use a neighborhood Web community, but perhaps more as a reader seeking information about local events and news than as a contributor.

Shut-ins tend not to get deeply involved with their neighbors. They are typically homeowners with roots or long-term interests in the community. They may not always participate in the annual potluck or engage with neighbors on the street, but these residents can be vocal in the community when changes occur that have a perceived impact on their property or privacy. Shut Ins, therefore, might occasionally participate in a neighborhood Web community by reacting to development projects or voicing concerns and opinions.

Rooted Visionaries are the neighborhood’s movers and shakers. They are long-term residents that serve in the neighborhood association, spearhead community events and development projects, and sit on the front porch to chat with neighbors as they pass by.

Rooted Visionaries sometimes butt heads with Shut-ins who can take offense when projects or changes in the community are proposed. Because this group highly values their community and its cultural and physical characteristics, they should be closely consulted when designing a Web community. If executed to their liking, Rooted Visionaries will almost certainly become key contributors.

If bringing a neighborhood closer together using the Web is the ultimate goal of this project, involving the neighborhood’s Rooted Visionaries in the design process is an integral step along the way. After collaborating with residents at neighborhood association meetings, a comprehensive social media plan was developed. This plan combined existing tools like the community’s Facebook group with a new, more personalized Web space called SoFa-Connect.org.

Both Web communities have pros and cons. Facebook has the advantage of an enormous built-in community, but offers very little customization of the user experience. SoFa-Connect.org has a unique URL and personalized touches to make it look and feel more like the neighborhood it represents, but does not have the built-in membership of Facebook and requires its own user registration – a common drop-off point for browsers of any member-oriented website.

The two sites working in tandem, however, have had great success in raising awareness of community events, served as discussion boards for neighborhood projects, and have stimulated conversation amongst neighbors.