Community Anchor
User Research in a Complex Civic System
Firm: Perkins&Will
Duration: 1.5yrs & ongoing
Problem
How could the City define a future vision for the Carver Museum that authentically reflected the values of Austin’s Black community—while remaining feasible, phased, and approvable within public-sector constraints?
Context & Constraints
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Historically marginalized community with deep sensitivity around representation
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Fixed public-sector budgets and governance requirements
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COVID-era limitations that restricted in-person engagement
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Uneven access to digital tools among community members
The success of this project depended as much on how decisions were made as on the final design outcome.
Users & Stakeholders
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Worked across seven primary stakeholder groups, including:
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Black artists and cultural practitioners
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Older community members
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Museum staff
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Civic and community leaders
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City of Austin staff
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Several participants lacked reliable internet access, requiring phone-based engagement.
Research & Inputs
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Online survey focused on user interaction & desires
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Stakeholder interviews and community listening sessions
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Phone-based outreach to ensure inclusive participation during COVID
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Parallel interviews with City staff to understand institutional goals and constraints
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Research focused on surfacing decision-relevant insights, not exhaustive documentation.
Decision Framework
Synthesized qualitative insights into a set of guiding principles that:
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Reflected lived community experience
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Aligned with City feasibility, funding, and approval constraints
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Provided a shared lens for evaluating design options
These principles were translated into phased architectural and programmatic strategies and communicated through clear, accessible visuals for non-technical audiences.
Tradeoffs
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Scope vs. Budget: Community needs exceeded initial funding assumptions. I worked with City staff to identify realistic phasing and alternative funding strategies rather than quietly reducing scope.
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Representation vs. Feasibility: Plain-language visuals were used to explain constraints clearly, preserving trust while setting expectations.
Outcomes
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Delivered a phased, research-driven expansion strategy
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Secured unanimous approval from community stakeholders and City Council
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Embedded accessibility as a foundational requirement
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Built long-term community trust through an inclusive, transparent process
