9 May 2024 - Place Based Design - The possibilities

Based on our experience and expertise in Organisation Design, we were approached by the Civil Service OD&D Shared Expert Service In April 2022 to explore the following research question.

Is it possible to apply the values, principles, and approaches of traditional OD into the context of a place, and if so, how?

We employed the service of Louis Haycox, a business management graduate from the University of Liverpool to lead our research.

What follows is an extract from his executive summary and conclusions.

If you would like to read his full report please get in touch.

There indeed appears great consistencies. That is, inclusive, intelligent and intentional practices are all evident priorities in any approach to redesigning, redeveloping, and ultimately changing either an organisation, or a place. Place-based design focuses on meeting the actual needs of a community; all community stakeholders must therefore be involved to go beyond what may appear to be demanded at surface level.

Likewise with change in an organisational context, developing a shared purpose proves essential to this, supported by this inclusivity and representation.

Yet, is this really viable? Building a shared purpose in an environment whereby every individual is often working towards the same goal, i.e. organisational success, would be both logical and consistent. Throwing this idea into a community whereby perspectives and beliefs are incredibly diverse, influencing the individual needs of everybody across a community, then the development of ‘one’ vision becomesincreasingly challenging. Values and principles indicative of traditional organisational design and development are likely to apply to place-based design, and through representation and communication thisvery well may be viable in theory. Changing systems may be similar, but ultimately differs significantly by scale. Questions thus remain as to how changing an organisation could really replicate the development of a place, practically.

Conclusions

Is PBD too idealistic? Interviewees discussed the assumptions of how PBD is expected to occur, but will everyone actually want to be involved, or express their thoughts openly and honestly?

Core values of intelligent, inclusive and intentional practices remain consistent across both realms of OD and place; there are evidently key similarities in both approaches. Both traditional OD and PBD must be continual acts that look below the surface to uncover the actual needs of the target in question, whether that be a physical place or organisation. These strategies must both take a long term focus with consistent evaluative tweaks to ensure the improvements remain permanently. Yet, at the same time, PBD is likely to face much greater challenges than a generic organisation. To successfully change a place, is to meet the needs of all the stakeholders. Thus, changing a systemic place is done through developing a shared purpose and vision which proves challenging as naturally, perspectives are diverse and needs differ among all individuals within the community.

One specific interview introduced the role of infrastructure in place-based design. That is, the success andviability of PBD may itself be constrained by an area’s poor infrastructure, such as inefficient public transport.

One may say that this would be the sole reason to implement PBD, however further research may be well spent investigating the role of infrastructure in determining a place’s ability to redevelop, taking specific focus on factors such as insufficient transport links.

Additional recommendations from the report can be drawn:

Continue the academic exploration of Place-based Design, in conjunction with the OD Community that began in April 2022 began back in April 2022. Commencing in October 2023, this research will receive additional support by University of Liverpool MBA students. Working with the existing community of enquiry will bring fresh perspectives of the possibilities of OD in place, further supporting and challenging the concepts that have been touched upon, across this report.

Support the evolution of this community by sharing the relevant concepts and learning with the European OD communities of ODNE and EODF. Doing so may support the exploration of opportunities in other cities across Europe who have experiences to share, for cumulative benefits.

Share the concepts and learning with local strategic leaders. This should help to establish a community who have a given level of influence to shape and deliver the necessary, positive social outcomes

Explore the possibility of Place Based leadership development. Creating such learning opportunities for the place and potential leaders could enhance the application of impactful projects, and thus positive social outcomes.

Focus additional research on the actualities of visioning building in communities. This should move past the generic commonalities of ‘enhancing communication’ and ‘involving all stakeholders’ – how is a vision truly built on?

Places will never be perfect. Maybe that needs to be accepted. For anything to change, might those responsible take inspiration from Nike’s infamous slogan ‘Just Do It’? OD’s values and principles may applyto PBD, but that does not guarantee that the actual practice will be similar.

We hope that by igniting this conversation around the possibility of traditional OD influences on PBD strategies, further efforts in diagnosing the needs of communities can be propelled to make notable and long-lasting differences across the nation.

Louis Haycox, University of Liverpool , October 2023