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Preemptive project research.
Given the breadth of legacy business programs, it can be challenging to predict the types of issues or problems that will arise from the involvement of multiple organizations and disciplines in one project. A good way to gain insight while also engaging with future partners of your program is to research other large-scale projects that have been completed in your city or county. The most relevant projects for your research should involve redevelopment or changes in a community, but they could also be historic preservation projects (e.g., historic districts) or infrastructure projects.
Lessons Learned Research
Lessons learned research, also known as after-action reviews, is the study of past projects or programs to figure out what worked and what did not. This type of research is a good way to identify problems that your business or community might be facing before you start. You conduct this research by identifying problems or failures that have occurred elsewhere, examining the root cause of the failure, and then deriving actionable insights to prevent future issues in your project and improve your overall process. You can use this type of research to determine how past projects impacted legacy or small businesses. For example, a redevelopment plan for a neighborhood may have led to rapid gentrification, forcing out legacy businesses. Your objective is to determine how and why that happened. Let’s take a look at the steps to complete the research.
Photo by Turtle Julian.
Photo by Turtle Julian.
Step 1. Find a Sample Project
Identify programs or projects around you that you can study. These could include urban or city planning projects, historic or cultural district projects, and economic revitalization projects. If you live in a larger city, you can review one of the municipal redevelopment projects to understand its impact on small businesses. If projects like these are not available in your area, look at comparable projects in your state.
Step 2. Collect Information
Utilize research tools such as semi-structured stakeholder interviews, workshops, or stakeholder surveys to gather information on a past project's goals, outcomes, successes, failures, missteps, and unexpected problems or results. Try to collect information from a diverse range of people involved in the project. If multiple city departments are involved, try to obtain representation from as many as possible. Did the project have an impact on residents, community groups, or local businesses? Be sure to get their input.
Step 3. Analyze
Once you have collected your information, the analysis should focus mainly on the root causes of the failures, missteps, or problems that occurred in your sample project. Try to determine how failures occurred and why. Was it a process problem, or were other factors involved, such as project partners like developers, project personnel, or project management? If the issues are overly complex, be sure to involve project stakeholders to help you better understand them. Using an analysis tool like an Affinity Diagram is a great way to help you sort through complex problems.
Step 4. Document & Share
Create a shareable presentation of your findings as a reference for planning your legacy business program. Make it as straightforward and accessible as possible. Share the findings with all your stakeholders and, together, determine how the findings may improve your process.
Resource.
A Review of Preservation Practices & Attitudes in Historic District Act Municipalities in Pennsylvania
A Review of Preservation Practices and Attitudes in Historic District Act Municipalities of Pennsylvania (limited access or available for purchase) includes an example of lessons learned research to understand how effective the tools, techniques, and strategies are when used for historic districts.