Offerings
Logistics
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Cultural Design Marathons can be conducted virtually or in person.
Virtual Marathons are typically conducted via Zoom with assistance from an online whiteboard service called Miro.
In-person Marathons are conducted in well-lit spaces with ample table and wall space. Participants begin the Marathon sitting in a semi-circle, and transition to group work at tables. Throughout the Marathon, participants do regularly informal presentations to the entire group.
Both Virtual and In-Person Marathons require good internet connections to facilitate the background research and concept generation portions of the Marathon.
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Cultural Design Marathons can be conducted with age groups 13+
Though mixed age groups can be facilitated, typically participants are all within the same 4-year age group.
Marathons have most often been conducted with high school - undergraduate students, they have been proved to be beneficial for adult groups as well.
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Marathons can be conducted in one-off sessions ranging from 4 hours - 8 hours long or in longer-term engagements including 5-day events, events that take place once a week over the course of 6-8 weeks and semester-long engagements
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Cultural Design Marathons can be developed around a variety of topics including (but not limited to): diversity and inclusion, computer science, community engagement, history, and theatre.
Marathons can be tailored to meet the needs of your organization or group!
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Pricing depends on the format of the event, the age groups, and the size of the group to be participating. To inquire about hosting a marathon of your own, fill out the form below or email chanel@beebearts.com
Menu of Services
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Description: Problem Scoping is the crucial initial step in the Cultural Design Marathon. It involves understanding the context, stakeholders, and the problem to be addressed.
Activities: Problem Identification and Development of Problem Statement
Inputs: Client's social problem or challenge.
Outputs: Clear problem identification, refined problem statement, relevant background research.
Example: If a client is an organization working on improving access to education in underprivileged communities, the Problem Scoping service will help them define the specific challenges, stakeholders involved, and the most critical areas to address.
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Description: These consulting services build upon the problem-scoping phase and are crucial for refining and prioritizing solutions that align with the community partners' and stakeholders' needs and voices in the Cultural Design Marathon.
Activities: Conducting in-depth research to understand the problem's context, historical perspective, and the experiences of the affected community. Problem Statement Refinement.
Inputs: Problem statement, client's objectives, stakeholder input.
Outputs: A comprehensive background research report with insights, data, and a refined understanding of the problem's context.
Example: For the education access problem, this service might involve researching the history of education in underprivileged communities, the role of parental involvement, and success stories from similar initiatives.
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Description: Brainstorming and generating a wide range of potential solutions to address the problem statement.
Inputs: Research data, criteria, and constraints.
Outputs: A list of at least 20 potential solutions to the problem.
Example: For the education access challenge, concept generation might yield ideas such as creating community learning centers, launching parental engagement programs, or developing digital resources for students.
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Description: Evaluating and prioritizing the list of potential solutions to focus on the most promising ideas.
Inputs: List of potential solutions, pros and cons analysis.
Outputs: A reduced and prioritized list of concepts highlighting the most feasible and impactful solutions.
Example: After concept reduction, the client may decide to prioritize community learning centers and parental engagement programs as the primary strategies to address the problem.
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Description: These modeling and testing services are pivotal in the Cultural Design Marathon, as they enable the community partners and stakeholders to engage with and assess potential solutions in a tangible and practical manner, ensuring that their needs and voices are integrated into the design process.
Activities: Translating the refined concepts into tangible models that provide a visual representation of potential solutions. Conceptual and Physical Models + Testing Services.
Inputs: Prioritized concepts, data, and available resources.
Outputs: Conceptual and physical models that allow stakeholders to visualize the proposed solutions.
Example: This service would involve developing blueprints or digital representations of the centers' design and functionality for the selected solution of creating community learning centers.