The focus session took place on the 9th December in the Blue Anchor pub in Helston. Seven people attended. I did not record the session using any technology, I just took a few crude notes and expanded these afterwards. I did not seek permission to record the meeting because I wanted it to be as unobtrusive and as friendly as possible.
I asked each person to introduce him or herself. Soon, without my prompting, people not only introduced themselves, they also explained how they used the lake. I then presented the project and why I needed their help. I explained what that help entailed. I also explained what the future held for the project and that I would like to make a map of Red River as well…and so the questions started.
1. “Yes, I am interested in the urban. I would like to make a map of Porthleven,” said Jane. Martin nodded.
2. Martin said, “Do you know about the project www.cycleaucornwall.org.uk? You should contact Loveday Jenkin ljenkin1@cornwall.gov.uk and ask about the four-catchment project. It is European funded. It’s about a Cornwall audiovisual databank and includes people’s feelings.” I agreed I should contact them.
3. Can a child use it? Asked Jane
The group agreed that a young person should join the seven people to help test if younger people should become involved. Jane explained that the idea of collecting changes over time on the map was great for young people, and it would be good for them to see from an educational perspective. It was agreed by the group that this was a way forward - it would get people to think about protecting their place.
4. “What if someone just goes and edits and dumps it all?” quizzed Pete.
I expanded on the wiki-way of working.
5. “What about any expletives, how can they be kept out?” requested Jane.
I explained that we wanted to keep it publicly available to all and that things should regulate themselves. But once tested, if a more controllable situation was needed, it would be introduced and so Emmet and I would track the input.
6. Jon asked worryingly “Will factual information be editable?
I said it would be for the moment. I explained how Wikipedia has been working over the past few yes, but that yes, there had been some problems recently. So for the meantime, to ensure an open way of working, we would stick to the wiki philosophy. However, if people decided that something really had to be non-editable, then maybe a read-only format for this kind of information would have to be introduced. I explained further, that if you don’t leave the doors open enough, nothing interesting will happen.
7. “What about before, the project was like a virtual walk?” questioned Martin.
I told the group that I had tried to get the project off the ground before, and that I had approached Martin for advice. However, the project became too top down and too technical, and I lost out on a funding opportunity. I discussed how the project was now very different and was working from the bottom up, and that it was about collecting data onto an aerial map. But I did say that in the future, this data could be reused and streamed into a virtual walk if funding could be found.
8. “So it’s like parish maps?” pointed Alastair.
Yes, I agreed and stated how each map could develop a different look and feel, and how different people might be able to get hold off, or make different kinds of base maps.
9. To clarify Martin asked, “So, it is an electronic map?”
Yes I said, and pointed to how in the future we hoped to make some kind of printed map, or develop ways one could print aspects of the map.
10. Judith asked, “What do you want the end result to be?”
I said that I wanted it to become a tool that would help people to understand their place better, and so be able to protect it better.
Jane shared how there were plans for children to use camcorders in a Porthleven project. She said there could be a connection built between the projects. There was then a discussion amongst the group concerning the lake, about where you go, where you can’t go, and why. For instance, Pete asks Martin “You can’t canoe, right?” And then a discussion about where you can bike and fish followed. Martin asks Judith “Where’s the echo?” Some asked, “Which trees are special?” Nicky followed with some ideas. Jane asks Alastair, “Why is the GPS useful?” “What about the cave?” I asked. Nicky explained that she regularly took photographs down at the lake.
Nearly an hour later and the questions started to phase out and people had to go home. Everybody confirmed they would like to be involved in the project and so dates for the interviews and workshops were fixed. Some people stayed behind for an informal chat but most people left after an hour.
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