Jessica A. Shea, PhD

Social Environment | Research + Consulting

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I’m a social scientist, a creative writer, and a photographer.

Category: research-practice

  • What Motivates People to Walk: Beyond Infrastructure

    Case Study: How Design Activates Walkable Communities The Challenge: You’ve seen this scenario: A city invests millions in walkable infrastructure—new sidewalks, improved street connectivity, mixed-use zoning. The planning department checks all the boxes. Traditional walkability metrics look great on paper. Then community members tell you what’s really happening: “The are sidewalks, but nobody uses them.”…

  • Transforming Community Engagement

    Case Study: Transforming Community Engagement from Formal to Authentic The Challenge Planning departments and community organizations struggle with traditional community engagement approaches that often fail to capture authentic input from diverse residents. Formal charrettes, public workshops, and town halls frequently attract only the most vocal or advantaged community members, while marginalized populations—including elderly residents, low-income…