![]() | 1.5 LU |
Call to Action: Participants will come away with both tangible new methods, collaboratively built during the session, for engaging stakeholders in the design process, as well as a perspective on the value of building stakeholder agency and stewardship of their own learning environments and how to implement such a process in their own work.
Abstract: People support that which they help to create. How might stakeholder engagement not only elevate the effectiveness of design, but also build agency and stewardship of the learning environment for learners, educators, and community members? Vaysen Studio works together with clients to create a custom engagement process that not only results in user-centered, high-performance learning environments; but also lays the groundwork of a change management process allowing stakeholders to step outside their everyday and think about how they can evolve their own thinking and work using the built environment as a tool. With a variety of tools already in our toolbox to spark these conversations, we are continually evolving and inventing new means tailored to specific clients and design challenges. We are the designers of good conversations from the very first kickoff meeting, all the way through the design process to furniture selection and educational commissioning. Together, in a fun, workshop-style environment, we will interactively build and test some new methods for engaging with stakeholders.
Learning Objectives:
Kristen is an Educational Environment Strategist with expertise in stakeholder engagement, change management, and facilitation. She holds a Masters Degree in Architecture from Tulane University as well as a background in design thinking, and curriculum development. She is a champion of the user experience throughout the design process by leading collaborative, equity-focused community engagement and planning processes for education and community clients having worked on 50+ schools in 8 different states.
Melissa has been with Vaysen Studio since 2021. Melissa seeks to improve user experience through creative processes and studies. She is a 2021 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. Her educational planning experience includes projects for Leominster Public Schools (MA), West Irondequoit Central School District (NY), Spencerport Central School District (NY), and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Central School District (NY).
Community Engagement
Leads the internal and external communities through a discovery process that articulates and communicates a community-based foundational vision, forming the basis of a plan for the design of the learning environment. The vision is achieved through a combination of rigorous research, group facilitation, strategic conversations, qualitative and quantitative surveys and workshops. Demonstrates the skill to resolve stakeholder issues while embedding a community's unique vision into the vision for its schools.