Research Methods and Structure

Beta post … for comment & revision

It is apparent that a proper management structure is paramount for this project and needs to go beyond simple task allocation. This structure requires flexibility to accommodate tasks with indeterminate time lengths and potential overlaps. Since the content sourcing may become drawn-out and monotonous, the management arrangement must also include tactics to guard against a drop in productivity. In recognition of this and in dialogue with Shelter Centre, the content sourcing process will be arranged thematically and kept on a tight leash with regards to time and resources. This aims to not only streamline the sourcing process and target quality entries more effectively, but also hopes to sustain high productivity and continual interest for the LP team.
Furthermore in order to coordinate the delivery of a useful end-product [for the shelter centre library] the sourcing of useful content needs to be programmed in parallel with components such as documentation, project inheritance and the development of a standard operating procedure. The team’s ‘project champion’ has the responsibility of coordinating the upcoming intensive content sourcing week. Feedback from Shelter Centre prior to project closure must be facilitated and so ensuring further space for project development.

Charting project components

After our initial meetings with Tom Corsellis, an increasing clarity to the component parts of the project was drawn up. A charting of our project deliverables was established, ranging from client base requirements to further project potential. The project components are chronologically ordered; ranging from original brief deliverables (see numbers 1, 2 et cetera of the project map) to our own particular aspirations for the Shelter Library with regards to content sourcing and the future implementation of this. The upper numbers represent more ambitious aims: for example areas of project inheritance that could possibly be implemented in future live projects or during future collaborations between Shelter Centre and student groups.

La Nuit Fondue

The team - willing and keen to experience the entire strata of humanitarian aid culture within the capital of the humanitarian aid world - dutifully partook in a taster of the local delicassey. Fondue, a rather 'open source' process of cheese consumption, brought the team together with various members of the Shelter Centre group in order to help develop the communication, discuss strategy and knock back a couple of pints of molten swiss cheese.

Team in Geneva!

Since arriving in Geneva on Monday evening, we have taken over a small area of the Shelter office. Aside from a visit to the Red Cross Museum and a taste of Geneva’s best fondue, we have spent the majority of our time working alongside Shelter conceptualizing our approach to the project. Being in direct contact with Tom Corsellis has enabled us to clarify our collective aims for the remainder of the project.
Sourcing relevant content for the Shelter Library has become one of our main priorities, whilst evaluating and documenting our processes. Being in Geneva and conversing with Tom has made us aware of an additional number of sources of information for the library, including the world’s current largest ‘physical’ shelter library (which comprises just three bookshelves in Tom’s office!) On this realisation, the broader significance of the project has dawned upon us. A major inefficiency in the humanitarian sector is lack of continuity between missions. Our effort is to create a memory for humanitarian shelter that can be used time and time again by the workers in the field.