LSF: Buckminster Fuller Challenge Q&A

[Justine Esquivel]

Greetings everyone,

My name is JenJoy Roybal and I manage the Buckminster Fuller Challenge. This message will launch a week-long discussion through the Local Solutions Forum regarding the Buckminster Fuller Challenge application. Start submitting your questions today! 

 At the bottom of your first question can you provide a brief description about you and/or your organization/project, where you're located and a website url if you have one? That will help me better understand the community.  

Just to kick things off I'm providing a link to a statement issued by the Buckminster Fuller Institute about the Challenge: http://challenge.bfi.org/BFI_Statement

The Deadline for the Buckminster Fuller Challenge is Monday, October 24, 2011 at 5pm Eastern Standard Time.

For the uninitiated The Buckminster Fuller Challenge is an annual international design Challenge awarding $100,000 to support the development and implementation of a strategy that has significant potential to solve humanity's most pressing problems. Named "Socially-Responsible Design's Highest Award" by Metropolis Magazine, it attracts bold, visionary, tangible initiatives focused on a well-defined need of critical importance. Winning solutions are regionally specific yet globally applicable and present a truly comprehensive, anticipatory, integrated approach to solving the world's complex problems.

I look forward to the exchange.

Best,

JenJoy

-- 
JenJoy Roybal
Urbanist + Program Manager
Buckminster Fuller Challenge
challenge.bfi.org
challenge facebook

The Buckminster Fuller Institute

181 North 11th StreetSuite 402 
Brooklyn, New York 11211
tel: 718 290 9283
fax: 718 290 9281
bfi.org

Deadline for the 2012 Buckminster Fuller Challenge Entries is Monday, October 24, 2011, 5pm EST

[Annemiek Richters]

Dear Justine,

This would be a great opportunity for sociotherapy.

However, I do not think the local staff in Rwanda can handle this challenge effectively. Which is very unfortunate.

Perhaps you can discuss the challenge with them?

Greetings, Annemiek

[Hugh Loebner]

Hello Jenjoy,

My proposal does not involve a current project; it is a theoretical concept based upon well known and universally accepted physical laws and current technology.  Implementing it would result in self evident local, regional and global improvements for the environment.

I am not currently in an academic environment although I was once a professor at the college level.  I can not, therefore, easily find and provide anyone to be references.  However the bases for my proposal are well established and can, and will be, documented.

My question is this:

***********

If I submit the proposal without references will it automatically be rejected?

***********

Note that it is not as if it were an ongoing project, confirmation of the existence and efficiency of which were necessary.

Hugh Loebner, Ph.D.
Sponsor, Loebner Prize for Artificial Intelligence
http://loebner.net

On Sep 25, 2011 3:20 PM, "Justine Esquivel" <LocalSolu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Greetings everyone,
>
> My name is JenJoy Roybal and I manage the Buckminster Fuller Challenge. This
> message will launch a week-long discussion through the Local Solutions Forum
> regarding the Buckminster Fuller Challenge application. Start submitting
> your questions today!
>
> At the bottom of your first question can you provide a brief description
> about you and/or your organization/project, where you're located and a
> website url if you have one? That will help me better understand the
> community.
>
> Just to kick things off I'm providing a link to a statement issued by the
> Buckminster Fuller Institute about the Challenge:
> http://challenge.bfi.org/BFI_Statement
>

> *The Deadline for the Buckminster Fuller Challenge is Monday, October 24,
> 2011 at 5pm Eastern Standard Time.*

>
> For the uninitiated The Buckminster Fuller Challenge is an annual
> international design Challenge awarding $100,000 to support the development
> and implementation of a strategy that has significant potential to solve
> humanity's most pressing problems. Named "Socially-Responsible Design's
> Highest Award" by Metropolis Magazine, it attracts bold, visionary, tangible
> initiatives focused on a well-defined need of critical importance. Winning
> solutions are regionally specific yet globally applicable and present a
> truly comprehensive, anticipatory, integrated approach to solving the
> world's complex problems.
>
> I look forward to the exchange.
>
> Best,
> JenJoy
>
>
> --
> JenJoy Roybal
> Urbanist + Program Manager
> Buckminster Fuller Challenge
> challenge.bfi.org

> challenge facebook <http://www.facebook.com/BuckminsterFulllerInstitute>

[JenJoy Roybal]

Hi Hugh,

 The application requires references. If you don't have someone familiar with your work perhaps now is a good time to reach out to those working in a similar area for perspective. You may also have former colleagues or professors that can speak to your expertise in the area you are developing this concept in. 

I hope that helps.

Best,

JenJoy

[JenJoy Roybal]

Hi everyone,

 Here is a link to our frequently asked questions page: http://challenge.bfi.org/faq

Best,

JenJoy

[JenJoy Roybal]

I've attached the application and you can read the questions online on this page, just scroll down.

http://challenge.bfi.org/enter/2012#How

jenjoy

On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 3:48 PM, Aashika Damodar <adam...@survivorsconnect.org> wrote:

Hi JenJoy,

Thanks for your message and link. My apologies, what I meant by ICT4D is information and communication technology for development. I noticed many of the previous winners have developed technology solutions for combating various social issues. Ours is surely a type of tech, but for fashion industry specifically. We are trying to leverage the power of the fashion industry to combat the global issue of human trafficking, and it affects various tiers of the problem, from demand reduction to the lack of awareness of the problem among consumers. We really believe in the power of our solution, as it is a holistic one, however we just wanted to make sure it was worth spending $100 out of pocket if it something Buckminster Fuller would consider. Is it possible to see the application questions before submitting payment?

Many thanks!

Aashika

Aashika Damodar
Founder, CEO
Survivors Connect
----
8370 Sunset Ave | Fair Oaks, CA 95628
US: +(202)630-4196 | UK: +44(0)7580626481 | Skype: aashika.d | Twitter: survivorconnect | adam...@survivorsconnect.org | www.survivorsconnect.org

On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 7:39 PM, JenJoy Roybal <jenjoy...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Aashika,

You face a question that many people grapple with when considering whether or not to enter the Challenge. That is, "Is my problem space appropriate to the Challenge?" I think what it comes down to is how well you articulate the critical importance of the problem and how your solution can impact that space to transform/change it (the trimtab effect).

What is ICT4D space?  

There is not a requirement for how far along a project is. Entries can be in various stages of development and the criteria is measured against the optimal characteristics of your particular phase. Some phases include: envisioning or preferred state modeling, community engagement/outreach/visioning, concept development, research & development, schematic design, design development, construction or production drawings, prototype & testing, production, implementation, deployment, reflective assessment, scaling up a tested model, etc.

Best,

JenJoy

On Mon, Sep 26, 2011 at 5:59 PM, Aashika Damodar <adam...@survivorsconnect.org> wrote:

Dear JenJoy,

Thank you for passing this along. One of my NGO collagues/partners Frontline SMS was a runner up and it has certainly inspired me to apply!

I just have some general questions about the Buckminster Challenge. I am looking to apply on behalf of a social enterprise that I am starting up called Breakin Heelz, that transforms the collective power of consumers into a financial force against human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). Having a patented height adjustable high-heel shoe technology, Breakin’ Heelz teams up with iconic fashion brands and survivors of human trafficking to produce Breakin’ Heelz branded shoes. A portion of the profits from each Breakin’ Heelz™ shoe goes towards launching “First Offender Prostitution Programs” (FOPPs) that work to curb the demand side of CSE and human trafficking, as well as funds for rehabilitation/social service provision for victims and survivors.

Our work in progress site/blog is http://breakinheelz.wordpress.com. I have noticed that many of the previous winners are in the ICT4D space. Do you think Buckminster Fuller Challenge team would look at this sort of social enterprise favorably? Since $100 is a large investment for a start up enterprise, I just want to make sure if we apply, it is something that isnt too totally off-base for consideration. Also, is there a requirement for how far along the venture is? We have made much progress on our FOPP program, however we have not formally established our company, filed a patent gone into manufacturing yet for our height adjustable high heel shoe. This is something we would like to use the prize money for, if awarded.

Let me know what your thoughts are and if you have any suggestions! Many thanks!

Best wishes,
Aashika

Aashika Damodar
Founder, CEO
Survivors Connect
----
8370 Sunset Ave | Fair Oaks, CA 95628
US: +(202)630-4196 | UK: +44(0)7580626481 | Skype: aashika.d | Twitter: survivorconnect | adam...@survivorsconnect.org | www.survivorsconnect.org

[Sasha Fisher]

Hi JenJoy,

Thank you so much for opening up to questions on the forum! It is a treat to hear from you about the challenge. Spark applied last year and although we didn't make the final cut, the application process helped us flesh out our project aspirations. It is great for those of us who are often focused on the ground work to think about a whole systems approach and how we can be more effective trim tabs.

There has been a fair amount of discussion on this forum about the importance of 'how' we do development and not just 'what' projects are done. For example there is discussion around participatory design, moving at the communities pace and supporting locally-led development, rather than just selling an external idea to locals. I imagine the 'how' part can be reflected in the personnel that make up an organization, but it can also be shown through the model and approach of an organization. It seems these are hard to measure but could reflect a true state model for social change. Are there traits that the BFI are partial to in social change organizations that help assess the quality of the approach? Does a level of participatory design influence how an organization is rated?

Thanks again,

Sasha

--

Sasha Fisher

Executive Director   |   Spark MicroGrants

USA: +1 917 816 6727   |   Rwanda: +250 78 253 5597   |   Uganda: +256 71 861 6714

@sparkmg   |   blog   |   site

[JenJoy Roybal]

Hi Sasha,

 Thanks for hosting us! Participatory design seems to be part and parcel of any projects that rise to the top in our review process, especially those coming from social change organizations. It is a key ingredient to developing a successful holistic, integrated strategy that has lasting value and impact. 

With regards to traits I suspect many of you are employing best practices, so I will point to three projects that I found have exemplary approaches. The first project is by Mel Chin + team, called Operation Paydirt. He's a master of creative community engagement. This project uses art making as a way to build awareness but also wraps it in a vehicle that seeks to inform legislation to clean lead in our cities. He combines this effort with the science needed to do the job. Here's a link to explore the project further.

http://www.fundred.org/about/operation-paydirt.php

The second project is Dreaming New Mexico. Through a visioning process they are engaging people to evaluate and map the future of the state of New Mexico's food sheds, agro-regions and alternative energy assets. They employed a host of strategies including video to capture the voices of marginalized community's. 

http://www.dreamingnewmexico.org/about-dnm

The last is Barefoot College, which many of you already know about. This project has maintained a strong set of core principles regarding it's relationship to the women it serves and I think that's why it remains successful. The community engagement has gone from being an organizational process to becoming an embedded part the culture. For the uninitiated you can read about it here: http://challenge.bfi.org/application_summary/237#

http://www.barefootcollege.org/

hmmm... What's the take away? Be creative, get an artist on board; be BOLD, it's okay to think big; lastly, know your core principles-- then stick to them.

I did a load of community engagement work in my previous career. What I found hard is the endurance needed to work with communities for the long-hall, let's say beyond the 5 year mark. The examples I provided come from groups that have a long-term commitment to the community's they serve. Your forum seems to be a great place to strengthen resolve and provide support to keep doing the hard on-the-ground work required to see projects through to their fruition. 

Take care of yourself so you can take care of others :)

Cheers,

JenJoy

[Nate Barthel]

Hi JenJoy,

Nate Barthel here - I'm on this forum for due to my work helping to
drive the Coded In Country initiative. Coded In Country (CiC) is an
initiative to encourage international development donor, and related
implementation organizations, to use local (i.e. in country) software
developers rather than foreign developers. The potential benefits of
this approach include reduced life cycle costs, developing solutions
that are locally appropriate, and greater sustainability (locally
developed), all while continuing to invest in the people who live
there. You can read more here: www.codedincountry.org

My reason for writing is to gain a better understanding of what you
all are looking for in this challenge. The BFI Challenge Statement
refers to 'reductionist thinking' as a major cause of today's problems
and that solutions should be more system (holistic?) oriented. My
question is how do you determine if a solution is more of a systems
approach? Maybe you could give an example of a solution that, while
good, does not fit your criteria. I'm sorry if my question isn't
clear, but any insight you can give would be appreciated.

Thank you.

-Nate

--
Nate

[JenJoy Roybal]

Hi Nate,

 Great question. There are many examples out there that are single solutions that don't address the system and/or dont attempt to address the underlying issues of a given problem space. One area is in water. There are many devices that have been created to pump water out of the ground but not address the issue of the long distances that people, mostly women and children, have to walk to get to the water source, or address the purity of the water. The same can be said about certain types of solar electric devices. I don't want to diminish the importance of single solution approaches but we are championing a holistic approach and hence I hesitate to name names. 

So back to your question- 'how do we determine if a project has a systems approach". Often times the solutions are system specific and can be scaled up or migrated as a result. They are solving for pattern, meaning they've gone to great lengths to understand the territory they seek to impact (often including a rigorous community engagement strategy), they understand the leverage points in that system and the solution(s) emerge from that understanding. Their toolbox inevitably includes a host of strategies, programs, and artifacts as a result. 

A great example is this year's winner Blue Ventures. What can be seen as a conservation project is actually far more complex. They've incorporated family programing to address the population growth that impacts the depletion of coastal fisheries. They combine rigorous science and a deep relationship with the community to systematically shut down coastal areas to give them time to replenish. They've built an eco-tourism business for economic sustainability. The research gathered in the last 7 years is leading to environmental policy development and changes in the business-as usual approach to the supply chain of the mid-level fisheries, which also contribute significantly to the depletion of the coastal fisheries. The system started off as beng just about the coastal reef and they quickly recognized the integrated relationships of all the factors/actors and began solving for that pattern. 

You can read more about it here: http://challenge.bfi.org/2011Semi_Finalist_BlueVentures

and the BFI statement can be read here: http://challenge.bfi.org/BlueVentures_Assessment

Conversely, by identifying the system they may develop an artifact, program or ubiquitous tool that has a cascading effect across the system creating a ripple effect. FrontlineSMS is a great example of this. It's an sms tool that empowers frontline social organisations to leverage the power and reach of mobile technology to enable positive change. It has been taken up in so many sectors and tailored for a host of needs and continues to grow. 

You can read more here:

http://challenge.bfi.org/2011Semi_Finalist_FontlineSMS

This examples employs the trimtab principle. Trimtabs are small steering devices used on ships and airplanes which demonstrate how relatively small amounts of leverage, energy, and resources strategically applied at the right time and place can produce maximum advantageous change. In design science, the trimtab metaphor is used to describe an artifact, or system, specifically designed and placed in the environment at such a time, in such a place, where its effects would be maximized, thereby effecting the most advantageous change with the least resources, time and energy. Doing more with less. Buckminster Fuller often describe himself as a trimtab and had "Call me Trimtab" inscribed on his grave. All that to say, is that a small project, effort, single device can be a trimtab when informed by a comprehensive understanding of the system.

Sorry for the long winded answers. I hope it helps! 

Best,

JenJoy

[Nate Barthel]

JenJoy,

Thanks for the thoughtful response. Certainly food for thought and
particularly enjoyed the Tribtab bit.

All the best to those of you applying!

-Nate

--
Nate

[Sasha Fisher]

Hi JenJoy,

 

Thanks for your insightful responses and pointers to some great organizations.  It’s also nice to hear such support for artists! Art and development don’t seem to join as frequently as they should.

Looking forward to seeing this years pool of applicants!

Sasha

[Godwin Vasanth Bosco]

Hi JenJoy,

It's been great hearing from you and get all this information while preparing to enter this challenge. Also to hear about all these wonderful ideas and initiatives, is very inspiring. Just like what Dr. Jhon Todd was said the application process really does help in a distillation, synthesis and focus creation. 

I am working on a Bioregional regeneration design to be deployed and implemented in the Nilgiri Mountain system of India. The project is to work with all the layers and elements associated with the underlying natural systems of the Bioregion and come up with a new system. The design evolved with this unique mountain system, while already doing so simultaneously with other systems, can then be related, reciprocated and symbiotically enriched with other systems - function in way that related existing systems loo obsolete..!      

I have a couple of application related questions:

- Over the last year and half I have more often than not been in the around 40,000 feet over the Bioregion mark viewing the state of the system its dynamics and coming up with a design. I wish to carry on with this project full time putting every thing into it. I don't quite understand the question regarding the primary source of personal income for the applicant. Does the design need to have an external source sustaining the designer? I think it might be possible, just haven't delved much in that detail so far and hence am not very clear right now about it.

- Can the infographics and images be .png? do they have to be only jpegs.

There can be captions or descriptions under them? 

Thanks so much one again,

Really Looking forward to this exciting process!

Godwin Vasanth Bosco

Masters Candidate: Integrated Eco-Social Design, Gaia University, USA

Project Coordinator Edhkwehlynawd Botanical Refuge, Nilgiris India

http://www.ebr.org.in/

http://upstreamecology.wordpress.com/

[JenJoy Roybal]

No problem Nate. that's my quick (although long winded) hit on the question. Did you have insights to share about how a to determine if  project is systems based?

JenJoy

[JenJoy Roybal]

Hi Godwin,

 I recommend that you look into the work Helen and Newton Harrison are doing called Force Majeure. Their application from 2010 can be seen here: http://challenge.bfi.org/application_summary/1075#  They are now prototyping the model in California. 

My answer to your questions are below in Blue.

Best,

JenJoy 

On Sat, Oct 1, 2011 at 6:07 PM, Godwin Vasanth Bosco <vasant...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi JenJoy,

It's been great hearing from you and get all this information while preparing to enter this challenge. Also to hear about all these wonderful ideas and initiatives, is very inspiring. Just like what Dr. Jhon Todd was said the application process really does help in a distillation, synthesis and focus creation. 

I am working on a Bioregional regeneration design to be deployed and implemented in the Nilgiri Mountain system of India. The project is to work with all the layers and elements associated with the underlying natural systems of the Bioregion and come up with a new system. The design evolved with this unique mountain system, while already doing so simultaneously with other systems, can then be related, reciprocated and symbiotically enriched with other systems - function in way that related existing systems loo obsolete..!      

I have a couple of application related questions:

- Over the last year and half I have more often than not been in the around 40,000 feet over the Bioregion mark viewing the state of the system its dynamics and coming up with a design. I wish to carry on with this project full time putting every thing into it. I don't quite understand the question regarding the primary source of personal income for the applicant. Does the design need to have an external source sustaining the designer? I think it might be possible, just haven't delved much in that detail so far and hence am not very clear right now about it.

Many of our entrants are bank rolling their work in the early stages of development and may have a regular jobs during the day. We want to capture this data point. 

- Can the infographics and images be .png? do they have to be only jpegs.

There can be captions or descriptions under them? 

They need to be JPEGS. Please see the instructions on the How to Enter page about how to handle you images and follow them closely or they will not upload. 

[JenJoy Roybal]

Thanks Sasha and to everyone who joined in. Please feel free to contact me at jro...@bfi.org if you have any questions about the Buckminster Fuller Challenge.

Cheers,

JenJoy