Alwayne Ritchie

Welcome

Welcome

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Content Introduction

TransLink

MetroLink

Tompkins Sq Park

Restaurant Revise

HandsforDetroit

Re:vive Toolkit

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Let’s soar to new heights.

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Hey there,My name is Alwayne Ritchie and I am a recent graduate from Parsons the New School of Design in New York City. My degree program in Design and Management has taught me the key processes involved in product development, ethnographic research and cre-ative strategy.

Through my degree studies, I learned key research, communication and visualization skills by analyzing consumers, conducting interviews, documenting behavior using photos and video, prototyping based on research findings, planning scenarios, ideat-ing, creating solutions graphically, and developing comprehensive strategies for major social issues through in-depth human centered design.

The skills and methodologies that I have taken from Parsons reinforce my desire to cre-ate comprehensive solutions for the world’s most complex problems. Reaching a solu-tion is a process that involves many stages of development. I am able to contribute across all stages because of my innate desire to help others, my skills, and my big imagi-nation.

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Transportation

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TransLinkDesign Research & Strategy10

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TransLink was a solution developed to provide an open-source community for public transportation users in New York City.

Based on an analysis of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s customer engagement, I identified ways in which social media and open-source software could be used to make travelling more efficient. We are constantly searching for new mediums in which to communicate with one another and coordinate when solving problems while discovering meaningful life experiences and relation-ships that facilitate our voice within the masses.

The goal of the TransLink project was to uncover unmet transit needs such as energy and cost-saving transportation, efficient way-finding, feedback networks, collaboration networks, and real-time accu-rate information from the MTA.

The process involved identifying the potential user groups that were particularly unhappy with the MTA service and create a solution for how the communication between the service provider and the user could become more streamlined. I considered the popular use of open-source software used by individuals to create social change and highlighted other examples of how open-source software was being used around the world by developers.

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The final solution is called TransLink which is directly related to communication links in the transporta-tion sector. It was developed as an open-source platform that allows people to reach their destinations cheaper, more efficiently and sustainably.

The platform is a combination of multiple Apps that provide multiple services such as user updates, GPS technology, alternative routes, pinpoints, and real-time data. Using qualitative and secondary re-search techniques, I found that MTA users value people generated content, social competition and status, more collaborations and connections, community driven insight, opportunity for more com-munication, and the ability to have a personal voice within a network.

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MetroLinkDesign Research & Strategy

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I was interested in how MTA commuters could receive real-time information on their public transportation and how that could be incorporated into their everyday spending habits.

The most effective way for tracking your travel patterns and spending would be to have an all-in-one card that was able to monitor your habits and relay that information to the user via a comprehensive online platform and mobile applications.

How could an all-in-one metro card and online platform translate to more efficient transportation?How can the MTA provide transparent information to its users?What are the benefits of incorporating a credit and transportation card?

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Through qualitative research, we learned that there are many other innovative transportation sys-tems around the world that use an all-in-one card for public transportation. However, these cards to not track spending habits and travel patterns, like the MetroLink concept does. Although the Metro-Link card has many more components than the London Oyster card does, for example, it is interesting to see that major cities around the world are thinking of more innovative ways to incorporate all of the different forms of transportation in their city.

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The time that the card is swiped is evaluated against the time that the train arrives to assess the efficiency of public transportation

A code on the card allows you to access your information on a web-based platform (could be a social media platform that compares your information to your friends)

Using your Metro card as an all-in-one tool for tracking your transportation patterns, spending habits, and general efficiency of public transportation

The metro card functions as a credit card and a method for using public transportation

The card tracks your spending by recording the types of places that you’ve made pur-chases (e.g. A restaurant, bar, retail store, etc)

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Social Environments

Tompkins Sq. ParkQualitative Research

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It is located in New York City’s East Village neighborhood between Avenue A and B from west to east and 10th street to 7th street from north to south. Within the park there are numerous areas that cater to the specific needs to people living in the neighborhood. For example, there are playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, a skate park and chess tables within the park. After an analysis of the playgrounds and Tompkins Square Park as a whole, I chose to conduct a qualitative interview in which I recorded the opinions of a person that lives in the East Village neighborhood and interacts with the Park often.

The focus of this project is on the social implications of the playgrounds within Tompkins Square Park and how the forces outside of the playground affect the inhabitants within.

Bennett, 21Student | East Village Resident | Millenial

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AR: How would you define safety in a park?

INT: I think that nowadays parks are relatively safe in the daytime hours, evening hours. I think when you get to like 12 AM it can get sketchy, but I think they’ve done a good job. Its cool. AR: Keeping your definition of safety in mind, do you feel more or less safe walking past the play-grounds in Tompkins Sq Park?

INT: I think that the playgrounds are in the right part of the park, so anybody that walks through the park everyday knows the different delegations of the park (hangouts in the park) the playgrounds are usually in the places that are socially safe and that seem like good places for playgrounds.

AR: Ok, great. So have you ever felt unsafe in any other parts of the park?

INT: No. But I would say that if one were to feel unsafe, the place to be would be the 7th and Avenue A street entrance where the chess tables are in that neck of the woods of the park

AR: What is your definition of danger or the opposite of safety in Tompkins?

BW: Hmm… Opening your mouth at the wrong time. I think in Tompkins as well as many other areas in New York, if you are just respectable and mind your own business you’re relatively safe. In any environment there’s always the occasional variable that comes into play where somebody robs you and its two separate entities and that’s just like tough luck. But, Tompkins, I mean, it seems safe. Knock on wood.

AR: So basically in Tompkins, if you watch what you say and don’t do anything stupid you’ll be fine?

INT: I don’t instinctively avoid the chess area of the Park. Like, it doesn’t even occur to me not to go there, I just don’t. I’ll walk into 9th street, which is where I think most people walk in. I’ll walk through the little skate park, which is where most of the kids are.

AR: So the chess area of the Park would be the area that you believe creates a dangerous or unsafe atmosphere?

INT: Yes. But, I don’t necessarily think that it’s a bad thing. You know, where talking about a park in New York City that has come a long way in the last 30 to 20 years.

AR: Ok, so do you think safety in the Tompkins Park is subjective?WWINT: Yeah, sure. Well subjective is an interesting word. Its not about safety its about comfort and once you know the park it doesn’t take long to be totally comfortable. There’s a good com-munity around the park and there is a bad little niche in the park, but it’s a niche and it’s not even that dangerous walking through there.

Excerts from my interview with Bennett

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The two maps displayed provides a visual of particu-lar high-risk areas of the park based on observation, as well as the levels of activity in each playground within the park. The observations were done over a period of hours to provide a concrete set of data that could be used for more interpretation.

Restaurant ReviseQualitative Research

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Its aim was to offer local small business owners in the food service industry within New York City a man-ageable, realistic solution to reduce and manage food waste. Our goal is to provide a solution that em-powers them to actively participate in the reduction and management of food waste while limiting dis-ruption of their day to day operations and functions.

Restaurant Revise is a social enterprise focusing on creating an innovative solu-tion for individual (non-chain/franchise), New York City based restaurants deal-ing with food waste and management.

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Provides incentive—must save or make restaurant money. Our research showed that profit and revenue were the driving forces for restaurants and that all own-ers that participated in our survey and fact finding indicated that potential to make or save money would be the main reason they would explore food waste management opportunities.

Helps set up pre-consumer best practices without disrupting daily operations—if a significant change in management or practice must be implemented many owners and managers will shy away from exploring the option no matter how enticing. The solution should be feasible and able to be integrated into existing standard method of operation.

Doesn’t sacrifice or disrupt profit making—the core concepts of a restaurant are to serve food and make money. The solution should not reduce either of those.

The solution should be easy to use and customizable/scalable to meet the need of individual restaurants—with the vast amount of information scattered, the so-lution should allow for owners and managers to easily navigate and understand the resources designed to help them. The information is out there, the resources exist, finding them is the issue. The solution should address this barrier.

Creates a sense of belonging, accountability and community in the small restaurant community—the solution should provide restaurant owners and managers a connection to other similar businesses to accommodate a free flowing exchange of ideas and best practices. An open forum will ideally create opportunity to brainstorm and share ideas that support better business and green practices.

Bolsters and promotes business and potential revenue—actively participating with the solution should not only help restaurants save/make money but it should lend to the betterment of the restaurant’s reputation and public image.

Design Principles of Restaurant Revise

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Urban Planning

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HandsforDetroitQualitative Research

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With the mass abandonment and deregulation of urban areas in Detroit, an efficient system for urban farming that utilizes planning, nutrition education within schools, and job creation in underdeveloped neighborhoods is necessary for the reformation of the city’s primary hub and outlying areas.

Based on this need, I helped to theoretically develop a Detroit-based non-profit organization whose goal is to utilize abandoned factories for the purpose of agricultural development and sustainability in the downtown Detroit, Michigan metro area.

Revenue ModelWhat is a non-profit organization? | No funds go to owners & shareholders | 70% of funds to the community | 30% main-tain’s the upkeep of our farms

Job Creation ModelNo middlemen involved in growth & sale of food | Small farms produce more | Income used for local economic growth | No large enterprises

Education ProgramsAssociation with local school system | After school programs from 3-6pm | Helps working parents | Personal farms for children | Cooking classes |

Factory AcquisitionCleaning abandoned factroies | No need for pesticides | Indoor efforts of Hydorphonics | Divides specific crops

Nutritional ValuesComplete food transparency | Community awareness | Healthy foodto undernourished families | New crops promote nutrition values

Farmer’s MarketTriple Bottom Line method >> Farmers sell directly to consumersConsumers gain access to fresh, local produce >> Community growthEBT Machine usage >> Detroit Health Bucks

AccessibilityHandsforDetroit Bus system | Transports community to farmer’s market | After school transport for children | Funded trucking system that connects farms

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Strengths: Creates jobs, educates youth, provides accessible healthy foods, promotes unity

Weaknesses: Transporting crops, maintaining connectedness between farms

Opportunities: Build city morale, educate youth about nutrition, boost Detroit’s economy, and create a cultural center

Threats: Competition from other farms, poor soil conditionsz

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Re:vive Detroit ToolkitQualitative Research

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GoalTo create a way to revive urban spaces, small and large, through utilizing natu-ral resources and agriculture development, to empower communities and show them that they have the capability to change their own surroundings, and to create a systemic method that can spark long-term change, a sustainable busi-ness model

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Re:vive ToolkitThe firm acts a non-profit organization consulting and managing groups or individuals who wish to revive an abandoned or under-utilized sector of their community

We empower, enable, and teach them how to form sustainable design solutions that will keep on growing long after we are gone

By using the re:vive toolkit users can develop solutions on their own- anywhere in the world. For larger projects re:vive can assist in managing projects and sourcing external financing through grants and larger organizations.

By using design processes and methods combined with steps to develop sustainable agriculture solutions, we created an easy-to-use and easy-to-read guide of how to revive abandoned spaces.

These can either be used on their own or with the guidance of the firm.

Seven steps in the toolkit:

Analyze/assess environmentIdentify problemDiscover desiresBrainstorm and prototypeinform/Raise awarenessCreate and deliverTrain for the future

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The Re:vive toolkit includes a set of cards that gives organizations a series of steps to take in order to first identify a problem, prototype and deliver a solution.

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This diagram should be used by organizations to assess their company, which in turn will lead them to a solution. Organizations identify their type and decipher which actions need to be taken. The three color-coded options are (1) immediate action needs to be taken, (2) the issue is balanced enough, and (3) there are a lack of available resources.

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Thank you.42

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917-734-2879

alwayne.ritchie@gmail.com

@alwayneritchie

To contact Alwayne Ritchie...

www.linkedin.com/in/alwayneritchie

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TransLinkCostina Iordache

MetroLinkJamie ChangStephanie Soto

Tompkins Sq ParkRyan Burgam

Restaurant ReviseLeila KarkiaOlga ShatilovaTina Baboyan

HandsforDetroitCinthia AzevedoMargaux HaldimannAnna Kim

Re:vive ToolkitJenna MelnykJim Chen

Group Members