10 Part Research Proposal Outline

1. Introduction:
As a resident of San Francisco for more than five years I realize that San Francisco Community Gardens can become a better know activity.  Greening the city streets with a degree of education can be very beneficial to all residents. Such goal can be achieved by sharing resources and knowledge to the community at large maximizing the amount of collaborators. SFGRO is a small volunteer based organization that aims to provide information and create a membership base. At this point SFGRO provides only the information, but the organization plans to expand to a space of community engagement.

2. Problem Statement
:
The San Francisco Garden Resource Organization website does not create a bridge between the user, the garden and the community. The interface used difficult navigability, specially when searching for community gardens around San Francisco.



Purpose Statement:
The purpose of this study is to improve the way the information is displayed and help users make the connection between the garden with the surrounding neighborhood fostering social engagement.

3. Sub-Problems:
Growing gardens and non native plants may increase the water problem.
Community gardens are usually full. Newcomers need to wait to get access to a plot.
Permits with the city of San Francisco and bureaucracy involved.

4. Hypothesis:
Create a advertising campaign with the San Francisco Department of Public Works in order to increase awareness about the possibilities of community gardening.
Use maps both online and paper showing the community gardens in the city and relevant information.
Website with user interaction.

5. Statement of the Delimitation:
The project of greening a city has several solutions and different implementations. The research will be focused on the democratization of information about community gardens. Also inside the scope of the research are the different methods that such goal can be achieved.

6. Definition of Terms

Community Garden - a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.
Gardening - the practice of growing plants by a gardener. Plants can be ornamental, for consumption or medicinal use.
Community - a group of interactive species sharing a populated environment. In human communities a series of conditions are present to be common to the group, affecting identity of members and creating cohesion.

7. The Assumptions:
There is no unifying resource that compiles information about the gardens and at the same time provides a space for sharing.
Community gardens in San Francisco are seen as a underground movement.
There are several gardens San Francisco.
There are repercussions for invading public/private land even though it is not in use. 
San Francisco residents would take part in starting a garden if they had more stimulus from organizations.

8. The Statement of Importance
:
This study promotes a community activity which benefits include greening of San Francisco, forming identity to communities, creating pride among residents.

9.Conclusion:
The research should lead the design process to solutions that will be most efficient in spreading the word about community gardens, creating a community based space and involving current participators in information exchange.