• Attend a town/county/city meeting;
  
• Make a photographic journal of vernacular buildings and categorize by similarities;
  
• Undertake a survey or research current migrant housing conditions; or
  
• Find and read the state’s five-year housing Comprehensive Plan.

2. Individuals: Understand the individuals being served. Respect clients as unique beings, and include them in the design process recognizing their expertise in their own needs, wants, and dreams.

Examples of activities that illustrate this principle:

• Read Participatory Design, a collection of essays by community designers;
  
• Create and complete a design questionnaire for migrant workers;
  
• Meet with a migrant at their housing; or
  
• Find out what they like and dislike about past housing and why.

3. Design: Achieve the highest quality AND consideration in design while respecting the economic circumstances of the client.

Examples of activities that illustrate this principle:

• Understand the priorities of migrant workers and reflect these in the design;
  
• Incorporate the unique needs, character, desires of the residents in the design;
  
• Reflect the local context in the design and materials; or
  
• Consider environmental impact and energy efficiency in design and materials.

4. Construction: Achieve quality in building, detailing, and construction through planning and attention.

Examples of activities that illustrate this principle:

• Find local or recycled materials and incorporate into design;
  
• Mockup a full-scale construction detail;
  
• Photograph or sketch detail from a local existing building;
  
• Find Case Studies illustrating the relationship between material and design; or
• Conduct material research.

5. Activism: Initiate projects and take steps to complete projects by assembling teams of community activists to help define the community needs. Help to define and create the appropriate solutions of the built environment to resolve those needs.

Examples of activities that illustrate this principle:

• Meet with local leaders of nonprofits, elected representatives, labor groups, to discuss community needs and possible projects;
  
• Understand an analysis of other sites to determine typical costs, typical local problems;
  
• Make a list of contacts including town supervisors, funding sources, etc.; or
  
• Assist in finding your successor and outlining a clear path for them to get started.

6. Big Picture: Understand all the influences that impact the project.

Examples of activities that illustrate this principle:

• Meet with local/state/federal officials to understand issues and possible funding sources for the project;
  
• Find and read the local zoning, land development, and traffic ordinances; or
  
• Research available sewer, water, and gas services. Determine costs and alternative systems if needed.

7. Profession: Reflect on and evaluate the state of the architecture profession. Expand the profession’s ability to serve the population not being served in their housing needs.

Examples of activities that illustrate this principle:

• Evaluate your own community design process, both successes and failures;
  
• Attend architecture, community design center, and affordable housing conferences;
  
• Write a press release for a local newspaper about the project and the community benefits; or
  
• Join a chat group on the Internet and discuss similar projects.