2018 Annual WASLA Conference

Motif Seattle, March 16, 2018

 

 

4:15 - 5:15 pm
Public Engagement: Leveraging Technology to get to What Matters Most

Description:

Nearly nine-in-ten Americans are online, three-quarters of Americans own a smartphone (64% of lower income Americans own a smartphone), and seven-in-ten Americans use social media. Technology use is one of the greatest common denominators between cultures, race, class, age and gender. Leveraging technology in participatory design as powerful tools to create an inclusive public engagement, reveal diversity of opinions, and give voice to the silent majority. Through the lens of a recent GGLO public park project in Boise, Idaho, we will explore how to incorporate technology into a multi-channel approach to leverage the expertise of the stakeholders, uncover the neighborhood sense of identity, and build social capital and greater community consensus around a beloved and contested Historic Farm.

Lead Speaker:

Christine Harrington, ASLA, LEED BD+C

Speaker Bios:

Christine Harrington, ASLA, LEED BD+C, Senior Associate, GGLO
Christine has spent a decade designing parks, civic spaces, and educational campuses. Christine's experience in public art, through design and construction, has built her working knowledge of transforming common materials into inspirational spaces, allowing her to champion sustainable and creative ideas. She brings extensive experience in the public design process, working with multicultural and multigenerational groups to build consensus.

Jennifer Tomlinson, City of Boise Parks Superintendent, City of Boise Parks and Recreation
Until Jennifer had kids, she didn't realize the absolute necessity of having someplace awesome to take small humans to run out their boundless energy, leading to a deep appreciation for all things Parks and Recreation. She has undergraduate degrees from the University of Texas at San Antonio in Political Science and Hawaii Pacific University in Applied Sociology and a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado

Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the Principles of Public Engagement.
  • Learn how to incorporate technology into a multi-channel approach of public engagement.
  • Acquire a basic understanding of digital public engagement tools.
  • Apply lessons learned from presented case study.