Who are Detroit's Positive Deviants?

[Sharnelle]

Detroit is living proof that top-down efforts to bring about change rarely work and often breed deep cynicism. Real progress is more likely to happen when ordinary people do things that work and these things become contagious.

In stressed places around the world, the approach of learning from "positive deviance" within a city or region has been used to turn near hopeless situations around.

This way of thinking treats the city as a living thing that responds to the laws of nature and attraction, rather than trying to "fix" a big machine.

However, glossy media profiles of local entrepreneurs are not enough for this kind of bottom-up change to catch on in a big way. Instead, the ingredients for success need to be closely analyzed. Who are the Positive Deviants in Detroit that offer more promise for causing change than the next big top-down effort?

In the immortal words of brizee on this forum, "...we have got to find to a way to unfuck ourselves." ...emphasis on ourselves.

[canuck]

Sharnelle, what a beautiful name.

I think there needs to be both frankly. Individual or at least small scale efforts are the backbone of Detroit. But there is a point at which you must acknowledge the passage of time has not been kind on the City's fortunes. The suburbs are for the most part immune according to many, the metro's GDP is quite high, there is plenty of know-how and integrated knowledge from topflite universities in Michigan to effect change. If the suburbs start "getting" the combined decline of the city and region, then maybe this will precipitate action. But I dont wish more ill on more people, I just hope political action can anticipate the nightmare of a worsening SEM, and act on Detroit's problems before it is too far gone, which according to many it already is...

[Sharnelle]

Thank you, canuck.


I do master planning for a living, so I have some faith in big plans and visions. However, the plans we produce are always co-created with the people who will implement them, so they're really bottom-up.

My question was mostly about learning from the mavericks who find a way to get unstuck, break down traditional suburban/urban barriers or step out of line - against all odds.


For example, although we don't yet know if Diallo Smith's concept for Drive Table Tennis Social Club will be a long-term success, it seems to be off to a good start. If this works, it will bring people together to do something active and non-intimidating. What can thousands of others learn from his non-conformist story? Smith is a returning Detroit resident, so how can more people be lured back to the city? He started by testing his idea using pop-up events, so are there other business ideas that lend themselves to trial installations? He got lots of national and international publicity via the micro funder Kickstarter campaign, so how can others use their Horatio Alger story to attract interest beyond Detroit?


When such practices spread across the city they can have a multiplier effect that no amount of naysaying will defeat.

Just wondering who else is doing new things worth replicating on a large scale.

[Richard]

Thank you, canuck.Just wondering who else is doing new things worth replicating on a large scale.

What are you meaning by large scale? Micro works mostly because of its lower costs to implement,with being different or creative as its main draw but being creative or different is also risky when seeking funding so a very narrow playing field.


CY for CC 2013

[michimoby]

Thank you, canuck.


I do master planning for a living, so I have some faith in big plans and visions. However, the plans we produce are always co-created with the people who will implement them, so they're really bottom-up.

My question was mostly about learning from the mavericks who find a way to get unstuck, break down traditional suburban/urban barriers or step out of line - against all odds.


For example, although we don't yet know if Diallo Smith's concept for Drive Table Tennis Social Club will be a long-term success, it seems to be off to a good start. If this works, it will bring people together to do something active and non-intimidating. What can thousands of others learn from his non-conformist story? Smith is a returning Detroit resident, so how can more people be lured back to the city? He started by testing his idea using pop-up events, so are there other business ideas that lend themselves to trial installations? He got lots of national and international publicity via the micro funder Kickstarter campaign, so how can others use their Horatio Alger story to attract interest beyond Detroit?


When such practices spread across the city they can have a multiplier effect that no amount of naysaying will defeat.

Just wondering who else is doing new things worth replicating on a large scale.

It's not until the new ideas that emerge compete against one another on a world-class level that the barriers will be broken.

While I applaud Drive's opening, the horribly kept secret is that SPiN out of NYC will be also entering the market in Detroit soon. When that happens, I don't think Drive will be able to compete against the capital and the powerhouse names behind that franchise.

We're too eager to accept mediocrity simply because it seems like goodwill for the city. Distancing ourselves from that mentality is paramount.

[Sharnelle]

What are you meaning by large scale? Micro works mostly because of its lower costs to implement,with being different or creative as its main draw but being creative or different is also risky when seeking funding so a very narrow playing field.


CY for CC 2013

I should have used the term "wide scale" rather than "large scale."

For example, how are the ideas behind the Maker Movement being applied in Detroit? What are the small creative businesses, makerspaces or hackerspaces with operational ideas or other ingredients for success in Detroit that can be applied on a wider scale?

The Positive Deviant aspects would be what they are doing that works in a city where people often dwell on what doesn't work.

[Sharnelle]

It's not until the new ideas that emerge compete against one another on a world-class level that the barriers will be broken.

While I applaud Drive's opening, the horribly kept secret is that SPiN out of NYC will be also entering the market in Detroit soon. When that happens, I don't think Drive will be able to compete against the capital and the powerhouse names behind that franchise.

We're too eager to accept mediocrity simply because it seems like goodwill for the city. Distancing ourselves from that mentality is paramount.

Should we be expecting only one of each kind of new business to survive? In another era, that would have meant only one bowling alley operator for the whole city. Competing businesses prevent monopoly practices, create new markets and find ways to differentiate themselves.

[michimoby]

Should we be expecting only one of each kind of new business to survive? In another era, that would have meant only one bowling alley operator for the whole city. Competing businesses prevent monopoly practices, create new markets and find ways to differentiate themselves.

In a world where demand outpaces supply, and assuming that we're going Keynesian here, you're absolutely right. Right now, that's absolutely not the case in Detroit, especially for a niche venue like ping-pong.

It explains why, on New Years' Day, BW3s had a wait time of 45 minutes for a table to watch college football and restaurants in Greektown had trouble getting people in the doors.