Focus Group Village Square
The PDF is a bilingual (French/English) briefing and worksheet designed for a focus‑group that will imagine and prototype a “Place du Village – Kiosque” on a university campus. It opens with visual motifs (historic campus photos, notebook graphics) and sets a contextual backdrop: rising student numbers, increasing societal challenges, and a growing importance of the social dimension of campus life. The document then states a set of objectives – to model and test a flexible, multifunctional kiosk, to weave a culture of encounter and transversal social ties, to place people (especially current and future students) at the heart of strategy, and to create innovative, high‑value social and sport‑oriented projects with new economic models. The central problem statement asks how to invent a sustainable, lively, participatory campus that is linked to its neighbourhood and the wider world. The core of the material is a structured list of focus‑group questions, asking participants to introduce themselves and to co‑design the kiosk’s functions (reception desk, resting area, information point, solidarity space, food service, board‑games area, newspaper stand, a “connected box”, workshops, and any other ideas). Further questions probe how various stakeholders (students, associations, future students, staff, local residents) can be involved across project phases, which economic models could sustain the kiosk, what the ideal characteristics of the village square are (lively, participatory, sustainable, plus any other innovative ideas), and what success indicators would demonstrate the project’s achievement. Participants are invited to sketch or diagram their ideal square and to list key words. The document ends with thank‑you notes in both languages.
Topics
Bilingual Contextual Framing: Growing Student Populations and Societal Challenges
Sets the macro‑context of increasing student numbers, societal issues, and the importance of social dimensions on campus.
Strategic Objectives: Human‑Centred, Innovative, and Economically Sustainable Kiosk
Lists four concrete goals: model and test the kiosk, foster social encounter culture, place people at the centre of strategy, and create innovative, high‑value projects with new economic models.
Problem Statement: Designing a Sustainable, Lively, Participatory Campus Hub
Poses the central research question: how to invent a campus space that is sustainable, vibrant, participatory, and connected to its neighbourhood and the world.
Functional Design Categories for the Village Square Kiosk
Enumerates the envisioned functional zones: reception desk, resting/relaxation area, information point, solidarity space, food/meal area, board‑games zone, newspaper stand, "boîte connectée", workshops, plus open‑ended suggestions.
Stakeholder Involvement Blueprint Across Project Phases
Asks participants to specify how students, associations, future students, staff, and local residents can be engaged during conception, implementation, and operation of the kiosk.
Economic Model Exploration for the Kiosk
Invites ideas on viable business/economic models that could sustain the kiosk’s operations and social mission.
Desired Qualities of the Ideal Village Square
Collects participant visions of an ideal square, focusing on liveliness, participation, sustainability, and any additional innovative attributes.
Success Indicators and Evaluation Metrics
Requests concrete indicators that would signal the project's success, enabling future assessment.