As part of the ReN2Cycle project, Annmarie Ryan and Amy Mathers (University of Limerick) had the opportunity to employ a new tool they developed — a Living Lab #seriousplay game — that enabled participants to explore the perspectives of diverse actors within a Living Lab.
This tool simulates negotiation, compromise, and helps identify key areas of agreement, providing an innovative way to engage with the complex dynamics of stakeholder interactions. This tool builds on Amy Mather's PhD research, drawing on Michel Callon’s concept of the Process of Translation and Obligatory Passage Points (OPPs). OPPs serve as a mechanism to align the interests of various actors by guiding them through a shared pathway. This is particularly valuable in Living Labs, where stakeholders from the quadruple helix (academia, industry, government, and civil society) collaborate.
During the workshop at #ESNI2024 they explored how establishing an OPP facilitates coordination in these settings, ensuring that all stakeholders’ efforts are aligned, especially during co-creation and experimentation. Through this tool, participants had the chance to examine these dynamics and reflect on how “who is in the room” shapes the solutions generated, prompting the crucial question, “who is missing?”
Annmarie and Amy presented the tool at the ESNI 2024 conference in Brussels on 19 September, where they received fantastic feedback.
