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Design Thinking
Good morning!
As we wrap up Q3, I’m thrilled to share that we’ve reached some incredible milestones together. Now, we’re gearing up for an even more dynamic Q4, with ambitious goals set to enhance our service offerings and provide even more value to you. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to innovate and grow, ensuring that we’re meeting your needs every step of the way!
— Lucas Robinson, Founder & CEO at BudgetMailboxes.com
🎯 This Week’s Strategy:
Design Thinking
🛠️ Boardroom Brief:
Developer Leverages Builder’s Remedy for 127 Affordable Units in Carmel
Strategy
🎯 Design Thinking
Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that integrates the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success. This process helps builders and developers creatively solve problems by focusing on empathy, collaboration, and experimentation. By understanding the end-users' needs and iteratively refining solutions, Design Thinking enables teams to develop more effective and innovative outcomes.
Implementing Design Thinking in Your Projects
Empathize: Understand the User’s Needs Begin by gaining a deep understanding of the people you're designing for. In the construction and development industry, this might involve interviews with stakeholders, observations of how people interact with spaces, and gathering feedback from potential end-users. For example, if you're working on a residential project, spend time with future occupants to understand their daily routines, pain points, and preferences.
Define: Frame the Problem Use the insights gathered in the empathy phase to clearly define the problem. A well-defined problem statement will guide your team’s efforts and ensure you are focused on solving the right issue. For instance, if your research shows that tenants struggle with insufficient storage, your problem statement might be, “How might we design storage solutions that maximize space without compromising aesthetics?”
Ideate: Generate Creative Solutions Encourage brainstorming sessions where team members can freely share ideas without judgment. Focus on generating a wide variety of solutions, and explore unconventional approaches. For a building project, this might mean looking at modular storage designs, multifunctional furniture, or smart home solutions that adapt to the occupant's needs.
Prototype: Build to Think Turn your ideas into tangible prototypes. These don’t have to be fully finished products; the goal is to create something you can test and learn from. For construction projects, prototypes might include scale models, 3D-printed components, or even virtual simulations. This allows you to quickly test concepts and iterate based on feedback.
Test: Get Feedback and Refine Share your prototype with real users and gather their feedback. This is where you’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and where improvements can be made. In development, you might invite future tenants or end-users to interact with your prototype, then use their feedback to make adjustments. This iterative process helps ensure the final solution truly meets user needs.
Implementation Tips
Involve a Diverse Team: A variety of perspectives will lead to more innovative solutions. Include team members from different disciplines—architects, designers, engineers, and marketing experts—to ensure all aspects of the project are considered.
Create a Safe Space for Experimentation: Encourage your team to take risks and explore unconventional ideas. Design Thinking thrives in environments where failure is seen as a learning opportunity.
Use Digital Tools for Prototyping: Take advantage of digital tools like BIM (Building Information Modeling) software, AR/VR simulations, or digital sketches to quickly create and test prototypes. These tools make it easier to visualize concepts and share them with stakeholders.
Engage Stakeholders Throughout: Regularly involve stakeholders in the process, from empathizing to testing. Their ongoing feedback will keep your project aligned with end-user needs and expectations.
By applying Design Thinking, you can approach challenges from a user-centered perspective, leading to more innovative and effective solutions. This strategy not only helps create spaces that are functional and aesthetically pleasing but also ensures that they truly meet the needs of those who will use them.
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Boardroom Brief
Developer Leverages Builder’s Remedy for 127 Affordable Units in Carmel
A new affordable housing project is underway in unincorporated Carmel, where developer Jeff Damavandi has proposed converting a 94-year-old, now-vacant hospital and adjacent cottages into a 127-unit housing development under California’s builder’s remedy law. This move comes as Monterey County grapples with a state mandate to plan for over 3,300 new housing units by 2031, particularly in very low- to moderate-income categories. While the plan aims to alleviate housing pressures, it has stirred local opposition. Neighboring residents worry about increased density and the potential for up to 180 units due to a possible density bonus. Despite community concerns, the project may advance as the county’s missed deadlines on its state-certified housing element limit its ability to block the proposal. The County Department of Housing and Community Development is reviewing the project, noting that repurposing the historic hospital, rather than demolishing it, aligns with the builder’s current plans.