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INTEGRATION

-bringing it all together-

Needs - Systems - Elements

A.L.P.

Out of my oberservations & reflections so far I identified some clear needs (also known as functions) that this design must fulfill. Initially I sorted them into 'Need to's', 'Want to's', and 'Could do's'.

This gave me a list of about 14 functions.

On reading through Aranya's 'Permaculture Design' I learned that these goals were too vague. I also realised that this had been a problem with some of my previous designs. So I began to clarify the needs  using the idea of 'SMART' goals. 

 

Specific

Measurable

Agreed on

Realistic

Time bound

 

 

I needed more information for this so it took me back to to the 'Reflection' anchor point where I explored a skills analysis, and an Inputs & Outputs analysis of the current situation.

 

At this stage I also did a PNI analysis of my previous ALP to learn some lessons! This informed the needs too.

 

I grouped the needs to make things abit more manageable.

 

So after quite alot - no really -alot! of scribbling & colour coding I eventually ended up with 4 main needs to the design, 2 of which had 'sub-functions' within them.

 

So, The needs of the design are:

 

  1. To Satisfy the Diploma Criteria

  • 5 designs

    • Showing design skills

    • Applying Permaculture in my own life

    • Applying Permaculture in my work & projects

  • Present my work

    • On my website

    • Plus other pages eg:designers CV

  • Inspire & Help Others

  • Offer Relevant Learning

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​2. To Support my other Priorities

  • Health

  • Farm & Garden

  • Family

  • Myself

  • ('livelihood')

 

3. To Motivate Me

 

4. To Be Time Efficient

  • Phase 1*

    • Tutorial March 19th

  • Phase 2

    • Portfolio Complete July 31st

  • Accreditation

    • August/September

  • Time available for design & documentation: Flexible but around 1.5 day/week, 10-15 hr/week.

 

*Timeframe 'tweaked' due to other events... see 'action' anchor point for further details on this.

 

 

 

 

Design For Change

The most intricate part of the design web!

The next step was to begin brainstorming possible systems & elements which could fulfil these functions.

Cue more mind maps!!

 

 

 

 

I then consulted Aranya's book & decided to clarify which of the many ideas were actually systems & which were more like elements (some were both!) I created a simple grid which showed me a list of all the ideas, as well as how many of the functions each idea could fulfill. I could then prioritise those systems which supported at least 3 functions & make sure that each system was supported by at least three elements.

I then further classified all of this into structure & content. For example; 'web patern', 'modular plan' & 'short term planning' are all structure ralated whereas  the individual designs , site visits, & practical skills form te content of the design.

 

It all took quite a bit of colouring in & figuring out! It could have been somewhat clearer if I had used the computer for drawing graphs etc but I find sometimes that pen & paper gives me more free reign.... (that's possibly because my IT skills are basic)

Meanwhile I was continuing to read Ben Falk's 'The resilient farm & Homestead'  in which he explains:

 

"The ideal design for a site is never static and is always constantly evolving according to changing variables"

 

This is definately key for me to keep in mind, sometimes I feel that I am limited by all the changing variables & as such I never get to a design, things are just so unpredictable!

In addition, the 'Action' often seems to need to begin before I am finished the design! so I need to remember that the designers job is never done, and it's ok to not have a polished design before I start making changes, sure many aspects would need to be finalised before acting on, say of I was building a house but in real life I have found that 'things come up' SO often that it is imperative to be able to act & change & not become baffled by the unkown unknowns... This is why I began to give the scatter pattern more consideration at this point.

Limiting Factor: Imagination & Information of the Designer

At this point I was feeling quite tired & bogged down so I needed some help! I asked Danny, my boyfriend (a  listed resource!) to give some input. Together we dreamed up more ways (elements) of potentially supporting each system.

This was really helpfull, I got another perspective and lots of new ideas from someone who is within the sphere of influence of the design! Collaboration....

 

I also realised that I had not really explored the whole relationship of functions systems & elements fully in any of my previous designs, I feel I have learnt alot about this area of the design process in this design.

Choosing Systems & Elements

 

Having prioritised those systems which fullfill the most functions & those elements which can support the most systems.... I revisted Aranya's book to get some support around how else I should choose which of the many ideas I would include in the plan.

I decided to consider my ideas in terms of:

 

  • If/How they support the three permaculture ethics

  • Heirearchy of resource use & Spiral of intervention: which ideas create the maximum effect from the least intervention, and which would increase my resources?

  • Time & Budget: Which propopsals can be acheived within the time scale & finances available?

  • Inputs & Outputs: How do the proposals compare with the inputts & outputs analysis I explored earlier on in the 'Reflection' stage.

  • Wild design & Visioning: Any more magical ideas yet to emerge?!

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Based on these musings certain elements stood out as being most important, 

So it seems like I need to leave plenty of space for changes to occur, for flexibility, for unknown unknowns, for other ideas & possibliites which will likely emerge, so as things can adapt to changing circumstances without having to abandon the whole thing. This reminds me of the study of soil on a PDC, the space between the particles is the biggest thing!

 

And this all leads to....

Resources that Increase by moderate use are the one's I most want to rely on! I also need to be aware of those which are unnaffected by modest use, anywhere I may be reliant on resources which are reduced by use, & those that pollute & destroy other resources by their use. Out of a lengthy list, some key observations were that:

  • 'connections & conacts (friendships & close relations, collaborators, networks) was an important resource which only increases given moderate use.

  • My motivation & Happinness can easily dissappear or degrade if not used,

  • Time I have available is reduced by use, &

  • Unsuccessful collaborations pollute or destroy other resources. 

 

So then, Key Points of Intervention would be anything that supports connections & contacts & my motivation as these are two limiting factors. Spirals of abundance could be created by prioritising the ideas that support these. And there are risks too: Unproductive collaborations, unclear relationships, & inbalances of inputs could all be counterproductive so I need to be aware of that.

Time

I would like to accredit this year 2014

Looking at my schedule so far, That looks like it could be November perhaps?

Given this, some of the ideas can be left aside for now, they don't fit into this timeframe, unless things change of course! For example, to do the five designs in this timeframe I would need to include some previous desigs, however I had some mixed feelings about this so I did a quick PMI analysis of this too.

In brief; I felt that the designs were not up to scratch & that I could do better work. This is also why I have decided to include them! -The Problem is the Solution- I will include one client design (which is landbased) & one teaching design, to work within the timeframe, but also to specifically reflect on  & evaluate what didn't work well & why, so that in my new designs (& my post diploma work) I can use this learning to be more effective.

 

My calendar also gives me a framework of events which I can/must to use to structure the diploma. There are prescheduled events that I need to prioritise at certain times.

 

Budget

I would like this project to be financed by Permaculture related income. This year I have a few courses planned (though not all confirmed yet!). The total income from these would be around 2000 euro. -Maximum! so this is the budget for the design. It needs to cover any travel & extra tutorials as well as courses & events which I attend. I doesn't cover the individual design projects, each of which should have their own budget, Any ideas which immediately fall outside of this can be disregarded and I will keep a record of my costs to see if any part of the design needs to be adjusted as I progress wih the implementation.

 

Ethics:

Which ideas really support the permaculture ethics?

 

Earth care: Certain designs (Food garden, Trees, Farm), Learning skills to help me be more productive (grafting, mapping, water & soil management, trees from seed; better food growing), Local interaction & Local study/Learning (local groups eg: community gardens, giy, green  goups, community cafe)

People care: Certain designs (healthfull living, permaculture diet), organize workshops to share skills, be more involved in permaculture gathering, choose replicable designs,  plus some of the above earth care ideas!

Fair share: Volunteer & collaborate with community groups & events -locally & further afield, Participate in 'yields' project, Teach workshops, organise/host workshops, geto togethers, support groups etc, pay someone to help with IT stuff, Get funding?

REINVEST SURPLUSSES of skills, information & knowledge, money, time, learning, food, plants, trees.... 

The design map!

Web & Scatter patterns

Zones: centre of the map = zone 0, edges = zone 5 & all in between

Individual designs

Themes

Individual actions

Specifics

 

So nearly there! phew...

This is the current illustration of my diploma pathway!

This is the design

All I need now is a functioning action plan!

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