conference

An approach that I found I liked hearing about was EMPATHY - PROTOTYPING - STORYTELLING.  Over all I think that the speakers that had this approach were a bit more in touch with focusing on helping and leaving with a lasting constantly improving community.

Work with local groups.  Don't just go with fresh eyes, ready to do something new.  Go with good experience, ready to consider local knowledge!

Here is this cool dude, named Ross Evans that developed a design to fix up bikes and make them more efficient. 

http://rossevans.org/rawsevens/Ross%20Evans.html

Bruce Mau had a good presentation.  They were all about branding and changing the image of a company.  Coca cola for instance.

http://www.brucemaudesign.com/incomplete_manifesto.html

Carmen Sinclare.

Read what he is all about.  

Partners not victims.

the community needs to have ownership 

the community needs to want/like what you are building or else it will not last after you leave.  

economic sustainability- they need a job first.

the community has a plan. you just have to help them out with implementing.

disaster number one is the disaster.  disaster number two is the cookie cutter houses.  it displaces people and fragments them.