Transitioning three innovation projects in Transumo programme
5.3 Background and context (II): Developing a ‘transitioning method’
The previous section described the experiences of Transumo, between 2006 and July 2007, with refl ecting on their ongoing programme and projects from a transition per- spective, which eventually resulted in setting up the Transumo Transition Programme (TTP). Parallel to these experiences, as part of a KSI project, TNO and DRIFT developed a fi rst version of the ‘transitioning method’ that supports the transformation of ongoing innovation projects into transition experiments.
5.3.1 The relevance of a transitioning method
The previous sections have shown that practitioners involved in ongoing innovation projects have a need for practice-oriented support to translate theory about transition management to their own project context.16 Regarding the specifi c TM instrument transition experiments, the available practice-oriented theory and methods are mainly focused on setting up (new) transition experiments. For example: the MiXT method aimed at setting up new Societal Innovation Experiments (Van Sandick and Weterings, 2008) and the Competence Kit for Transition Experiments (Raven et al., 2008). However, these methods do not specifi cally address issues that are faced by project leaders of on- going innovation projects that aim to contribute to a transition. Examples of such issues are: How to guarantee a high-quality learning process, while also realising short-term results; How to maintain a focus on developing radical innovations; How to stimulate interactions with related innovation projects; How to transfer learning experiences to other contexts; How to stimulate broader societal embedding; And fi nally, how to infl u- ence and change dominant (mainstream) practices.
To address these issues, and bring in (and maintain) a transition perspective in ongo- ing innovation projects, the ‘transitioning method’ was developed in strong interaction between TM researchers and practitioners. From a scientifi c perspective17, developing this method was relevant because it enabled further developing and testing the con- ceptual framework on transition experiments (Chapter 3).
5.3.2 Development of prototyping version of transitioning method
In 2006 a prototyping version of the transitioning method (Emmert et al., 2006) was developed based on available scientifi c knowledge and practical experiences. The main theoretical concepts were derived from this PhD research on transition experiments, in-
16. This need for support is also described in a recent article about transitioning the Transumo programme (Avelino, 2009).
17. The development of the transitioning method can be characterised as a ‘Mode 2’ research approach in which scientists (DRIFT), consultants (TNO) and practitioners (Transumo) together developed knowledge “in the context of application”.
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cluding the distinguishing characteristics of a transition experiment and the mechanisms deepening, broadening and scaling-up (Chapter 3). The main practical experiences were derived from the transitioning process within the People Mover project (section 5.4). In this transitioning process the conceptual framework on transition experiments (Chapter 3) was applied, but this was not integrated in a method yet. Partly based on the learn- ing experiences from the People Mover transitioning process, the prototyping version of the transitioning method was developed. This version of the transitioning method consisted of four modules (Box 5.2). The module ‘reframing’ made use of the experiences within the People Mover project with applying the table with characteristics of transi- tion experiments (Table 3.1). The module ‘concretising’ built upon the experiences with translating the mechanisms deepening, broadening and scaling-up to the context of the People Mover project.
5.3.3 Further development and testing of transitioning method
To test and further develop the transitioning method in practice, diff erent innova- tion programmes with the ambition to contribute to a sustainability transition were explored as possible ‘test-beds’. Based on interviews with fi ve managers of innovation programmes (PSIB, SKB, Innovation Network, Transforum and Transumo), conducted by TNO between February and April 2007, it was concluded that the prototyping version of the transitioning method fi rst needed to be optimised. The programme managers recommended to improve the method with a clear framework. Consequently, a specifi c
The transitioning method off ers support for the transitioning of ongoing innovation projects into transi- tion experiments with potential to scale up.
Transitioning involves that an ongoing innovation project, which started from the ambition to contribute
to a transition, is transformed in terms of substance and process, during the implementation process, into a transition experiment with potential to scale up.
The objective of the transitioning method is to increase the chance that ongoing innovation projects really get embedded in the broader societal context and consequently can contribute to sustainable system in- novation.
The transitioning method is composed of four modules (explained in section 5.4.3): 1. Contextualising
2. Refl ection 3. Reframing 4. Concretising
‘transitioning framework’ was developed, consisting of two matrices (Table 3.2 and 3.3). This framework was inspired by the experiences of DRIFT with the monitoring matrix of the Transition Programme in Long-term Care (Chapter 6).
In follow-up discussions with several programme managers, possible projects were explored that could be supported with the transitioning method. Finally, the Transumo programme was selected because their project leaders expressed an explicit need for transition management support (instead of conventional project and process manage- ment support). Furthermore, the development of the transitioning method could fi t in with the Transumo Transition Programme that was being set up at that time (described in section 5.2.3).
Two specifi c Transumo projects were selected as potential test cases, because of the character and phase of their transitioning process. The project European Networks was selected as a fi rst test case, because this project had just restarted with the ambition to increase its contribution to a transition (as a consequence of the KSI-analysis by Avelino and Rotmans, 2007). The Rush Hour Avoidance project was selected as a second interest- ing test case, because this project was already quite successful18 in terms of transitioning and would therefore make it possible to learn about transitioning at a more advanced level. As part of the Transumo Transition Programme, in 2007 intake meetings with both projects were organised (in which CCT, DRIFT and TNO participated).
In the intake meeting with European Networks, the project participants expressed a high willingness to apply the transitioning method. This resulted in several follow-up workshops (fi rst with the overall project and later with one of the pilot projects) in which the transitioning framework was applied to refl ect upon the current project and develop concrete ‘transitioning interventions’ (described in section 5.4). In the intake meeting with Rush Hour Avoidance (RHA) it was decided to organise a workshop to position the RHA experiment with regard to its context and with regard to a vision on sustainable mobility (Gorris and van den Bosch, 2008). In this workshop the transitioning method was discussed as a possible means to support the ongoing transitioning process of RHA. In follow-up discussions, the potential added value of the transitioning framework (and TM in general) was discussed with two process managers who were managing the Rush Hour Avoidance project.
5.3.4 First version of transitioning method
The experiences with developing and testing the transitioning method in the three Transumo projects (People Mover on the Road, European Networks and Rush Hour Avoidance) resulted in a fi rst version of the transitioning method, which adds to the
18. A successful transitioning process results in a transformed project (or parts of a project) with the char- acteristics of a transition experiment, which has a high potential to contribute to a transition.
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existing methods for transition experiments (e.g. MiXT and the Competence Kit for Transition Experiments). The transitioning method specifi cally addresses the previously identifi ed issues and dilemmas of project leaders in ongoing innovation projects that aim to contribute to a transition. This section will briefl y introduce the transitioning method; a more elaborate description of the method is presented in a practice-oriented essay by Van de Lindt et al. (2009).
Based on the experiences with transitioning the three Transumo projects, the core of the transitioning method can be defi ned as: providing practitioners with a transition per- spective and translating this into substance actions and process actions in a participative way. The method is aimed at supporting practitioners involved in ongoing innovation projects with translating TM theory into context specifi c actions. Central in this method is the ‘transitioning framework’ (section 3.4), which includes 6 management challenges for transition experiments (Table 3.2), which are supported by management guidelines (Table 3.3). In the transitioning method, these management challenges and guidelines are applied to refl ect upon the current status of an innovation project, to reframe the project characteristics (translating them into transition experiment characteristics) and to develop concrete interventions and actions to transition the project. A key aspect of the transitioning method is to connect an ongoing innovation project to its broader societal context and to develop process and substance actions to infl uence this context. Hence, the transitioning method can encourage and support practitioners in an ongoing innovation project to increase their impact on societal changes towards sustainability.
The following sections describe the experiences with transitioning the three Tran- sumo projects and also specify how these experiences contributed to developing the transitioning method.