Towards a Learning System for University Campuses …
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and allow monitoring on whether outcomes and impacts set out in the initial stages
have been met, and how partnerships, participants, co-creators and organisational
structures have evolved. The seven data collection categories are:
1. General: a summary of the Living Lab location, key contacts, status, timelines
and budget.
2. Scope: the problem being addressed, historical details to the problem, the context,
and the key sustainability ‘theme’ being addressed.
3. Participants and Co-creators: different stakeholders and ways in which they are
engaged.
4. Organisation: leading organisations, partnerships, potential risks.
5. Outcomes: anticipated (and actual) sustainability outcomes in relation to the
problem being addressed, as well as anticipated (and actual) educational, research
and engagement outcomes.
6. Impact: wider impacts outside of the Living Lab boundaries.
7. Reflection and Review: evaluation of the Living Lab products and processes
(Fig. 1).
Through completing the data required in the planning stages of a Living Lab using
this proposed framework, the user will gain guidance on the information needed to
try and think through the different aspects to maximise the benefit of the Living Lab,
and to enable learning from the Living Lab to be learnt from internally and shared
externally.
The ‘General’ category contains contact information and data about the project
management. The ‘Scope’ category guides the framework user through the key elements of the Living Lab. Inputs need to be precise and clear to all stakeholders who
may be involved, clearly outlining the specific topic or problem being addressed by
the Living Lab, the issues aiming to be addressed, or the area of innovation.
Category three, ‘Participants and co-creators’ requires the framework user to
consider the necessary data about the methodology of the Living Lab, with specific
consideration of the different stakeholders, therefore providing a clear picture of
the outreach and the communication requirements of the Living Lab as well as the
interaction complexity. This leads to category four ‘Organisation’, where the focus
is on the organisational structure of the Living Lab.
The ‘Outcomes’ and ‘Impact’ categories allows the framework user to outline
from the start the desired and predicted outcomes and wider impact of the project.
With the increased visibility of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), and the move for many organisations to audit their activity against the
SDGs, it may be desirable to link the ‘Outcomes’ and ‘Impact’ categories directly
to the objectives of UN SDGs. For example, outcomes of Living Lab projects can
refer to reduction in greenhouse gases, reduction of pollution to water bodies or the
atmosphere, improved health, improved working conditions, and improved nutrition,
which all have close relation to the SDGs. Outcomes can also refer to concrete
physical changes in the University estate and its environment, changes in operations,
processes or decision making, or educational outcomes for the campus community
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and allow monitoring on whether outcomes and impacts set out in the initial stages
have been met, and how partnerships, participants, co-creators and organisational
structures have evolved. The seven data collection categories are:
1. General: a summary of the Living Lab location, key contacts, status, timelines
and budget.
2. Scope: the problem being addressed, historical details to the problem, the context,
and the key sustainability ‘theme’ being addressed.
3. Participants and Co-creators: different stakeholders and ways in which they are
engaged.
4. Organisation: leading organisations, partnerships, potential risks.
5. Outcomes: anticipated (and actual) sustainability outcomes in relation to the
problem being addressed, as well as anticipated (and actual) educational, research
and engagement outcomes.
6. Impact: wider impacts outside of the Living Lab boundaries.
7. Reflection and Review: evaluation of the Living Lab products and processes
(Fig. 1).
Through completing the data required in the planning stages of a Living Lab using
this proposed framework, the user will gain guidance on the information needed to
try and think through the different aspects to maximise the benefit of the Living Lab,
and to enable learning from the Living Lab to be learnt from internally and shared
externally.
The ‘General’ category contains contact information and data about the project
management. The ‘Scope’ category guides the framework user through the key elements of the Living Lab. Inputs need to be precise and clear to all stakeholders who
may be involved, clearly outlining the specific topic or problem being addressed by
the Living Lab, the issues aiming to be addressed, or the area of innovation.
Category three, ‘Participants and co-creators’ requires the framework user to
consider the necessary data about the methodology of the Living Lab, with specific
consideration of the different stakeholders, therefore providing a clear picture of
the outreach and the communication requirements of the Living Lab as well as the
interaction complexity. This leads to category four ‘Organisation’, where the focus
is on the organisational structure of the Living Lab.
The ‘Outcomes’ and ‘Impact’ categories allows the framework user to outline
from the start the desired and predicted outcomes and wider impact of the project.
With the increased visibility of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), and the move for many organisations to audit their activity against the
SDGs, it may be desirable to link the ‘Outcomes’ and ‘Impact’ categories directly
to the objectives of UN SDGs. For example, outcomes of Living Lab projects can
refer to reduction in greenhouse gases, reduction of pollution to water bodies or the
atmosphere, improved health, improved working conditions, and improved nutrition,
which all have close relation to the SDGs. Outcomes can also refer to concrete
physical changes in the University estate and its environment, changes in operations,
processes or decision making, or educational outcomes for the campus community