TRAILBLAZERS
Team Experience and
Lessons Learned
Leadership Pioneer Valley, Class of 2013
Team members:
Jessica Atwood Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Senior Economic Development Planner
Franklin County Resident
Jeff Bagg Town of Amherst, Senior Planner
Hampshire County Resident
Nancy BuffoneUMass Amherst, Executive Director, External Relations and University Events
Hampshire County Resident
Georgia MooreCooley Dickinson Hospital, Director Leadership Giving
Franklin County Resident
Debra RousselTown of Amherst, Assistant to the Town Manager
Franklin County Resident
Anthony WilsonCity of Springfield, 4th Associate City Solicitor
Hampden County Resident
Leadership Lab title and statement of purpose or goal
A topic identified for the 2012-2013 Class was to develop a project to publicize the region’s vibrant history. Our team was assigned the following project description:
The Pioneer Valley has a rich history that includes many firsts in Springfield, the abolitionist movement, and a US President from Northampton. Yet there are few examples of a narrative of our regional history that ties together these individual events into a more cohesive picture of how they tie together. Develop a project to publicize our regional history which may include events, a curriculum, or social media campaign that will instill a sense of connectedness and interdependency within the region.
Once formed, our group decided upon the name “Trailblazers” as a way to represent the many pioneers and first events that have happened throughout the valley.
The goal of our project is to link the myriad cities and towns of the Pioneer Valley by promoting the region’s history in a way that is exciting and enticing to all generations. Our mission statement, as follows, was chosen to reflect the groups overarching goal of promoting the history of the valley:
We strive to promote the hidden and not-so hidden stories, artifacts, and places
that make up the Pioneer Valley. Through this historical lens, we will connect
the past with the future and inspire curiosity in others to discover our heritage.
Description of the service provided or issue addressed, as well as the audience targeted to benefit from the project
Our objective is tosupport tourism, provide education and unify the Valley through shared histories.
Through our project research, we believe that the unique historical artifacts, sites, and information about the Pioneer Valley are not being portrayed in a regional context. We believe that the creation of an interactive, online map of historical resources is a need to truly reveal how the entire valley is connected through its collective history.
We started our project by examining what platforms would most effectively broadcast the historic features of the pioneer valley to the wider community. We knew from the beginning that we wanted to use the internet as medium and quickly determined that taking advantage of social media would be our most effective option.
We worked to develop a project that would be helpful and useful to everyone – visitors to our area, school children, those wishing to learn more about the area where they live. We created pilot projects on FourSquare and SCVNGR, as an example of how organizations can use them to build upon, to their benefit and to the region as a whole. Both of these platforms allow the end users todecide which application serve their needs and to what extent, and arefinancially feasible.
Description of the learning process and group dynamics used to select, lead, and carry out the project, and lessons learned.
At our first team meeting in November, each member shared why the History project was of interest to them, and began by offering general thoughts on the vision for the project. We set basic ground rules relating to attendance, conducting meetings and how we would proceed as a team on decisions. Completing our Asset Map identified resources, skills, and connectionseach member brought to the project.
For the process of determining our team name, defining our mission statement, and brainstorming for projects ideas and concepts, we held open conversations where team members felt comfortable expressing thoughts and ideas. A rating system or straw poll was used to determine majority.
A project tasks list, timeline, and assignments were established for tracking purposes. These were monitored and modified, as necessitated, throughout the process.
We areproud of the camaraderie we established. Team members shared similar visions about the project,worked well collaborating, and appreciate how far we have come toward our project goal. We garnered respect for each other, and laughed a lot!
Description of the LPV leadership program concepts or workshop learnings utilized as part of the project, including how working on the project contributed to this development.
The Team Performance Model was a tool that guided us as we worked toward building trust, clarifying our goals, committing to these goals, and then setting out to implement them.
Our team consisted of a variety of Enneagram types, which presented a variety of strengths to assist us in getting the best results as a group.
We shared a vision, challenged the process along the way, and empowered each other.
Description of all collaborative efforts and consultations with community organizations as part of your project, including plans for continuation of the effort in the future.
To help inform this project, a survey was conducted of local and regional entities that have a connection to Pioneer Valley history. Before the survey was distributed widely, it was reviewed by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Historic Preservation Planner and Ben Murphy, an LPV classmate involved with historic preservation in Springfield. Through the online survey we pulled together data in an effort to create an electronic trail map of the entire valley – something we believed did not exist today.
An environmental scan of other history initiatives in the regions unearthed a Pioneer Valley History Network website, as well as a report that compared SCVNGR and Foursquare, the two products we were exploring the use of.
Team members talked with local Chambers and the Hampshire County Regional Tourism Council. Jessica attended a Pioneer Valley History Network board meeting, and later made a presentation about LPV and our team project to this group at their annual meeting. Our team also met with Elizabeth Rairigh, Historic Preservation Planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to explore and discuss additional resources, and to review the survey outline.
We believe that an interactive, web-based map can be a future project of Leadership Pioneer Valley with such potential partners as the Pioneer Valley History Network, Hampshire County Regional Tourism Council, or others, and are hopeful the project can be picked up for partnering and implementation.
Identify and analyze briefly (1-3 paragraphs) the major challenges the team encountered in regards to the topic and the team process and/or community partner collaboration.
The most significant challenge we faced was a lack of time, which had an impact on the size and scope of our project. When our team first organized, we set a multi-pronged approach to include a website framework for a “trail map” of historical locations throughout the Pioneer Valley, as well as an interactive scavenger hunt. Following our class presentation in February, we realized we were taking on too much and decided to focus on interactive, social-based applications. We discussed concerns relating to a website trail map that would require maintenance needs, as well as hosting expense.
While presentations and connections with community organizations were made and were enthusiastic, no formal agreement was able to be forged prior to project end.
The team wishes there was better alignment of the project timeline and the LPV course. We feel clearer expectations for the project and a clearer understanding of the roles of the advisors would have been very helpful.
Evaluation of impact of project and efficacy in addressing your goals or the issue.
Through our project research, we believe that the unique historical artifacts, sites and information about the Pioneer Valley are not being portrayed in a regional context.
Our group considered how the growing trend of mobile phone devices, applications, and social media may be used by historical organizations to promote interactive experiences and learning.
This summer, the Massachusetts State Historical Records Advisory Board (MA SHRAB) is sponsoring a forum specifically on the subject of how "archives, libraries, museum, historical societies, and other cultural heritage institutions can leverage social media and web technologies to promote their collections". So, the timing of a history project is appropriate.
There is potential opportunity with recent launch by the Hampshire County Regional Tourism Councils first ever tourism website. We believe that the growing popularity of smart phones combined with the potential for interactive learning will be a great asset to historic sites throughout the Pioneer Valley.