Why to experiment transitions

The challenges of sustainability require radical innovations in socio-technical systems, such as mobility, energy networks and household living in cities and regions. This means a change in the traditional paradigm of how to deal with sustainability and innovation, towards a socio-technical system approach. In this context, the development of ‘transition theory’ is directed at explaining a specific approach for socio-technical change, transitions, which are structural transformations in the dominant way social needs such as energy, health care, mobility, housing and agriculture are fulfilled. Historical researches into transitions theories and system innovation have revealed the importance of transition experiments. In accordance with the Multi-Level perspective and Strategic Niche Management, experiments are connected with the developments at landscape level and with the changes to be brought about in the regime. The emphasis on experimenting derives further from the recognition that transitions involve uncertain, complex and dynamic processes. Many, diverse actors are involved in the transitions, from the different levels distinguished in the MLP, and often from different sectors and domains: from civil society (which include citizens and NGOs among others), the private sector, public authorities, the

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

William James

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education and the science community. In a similar way, the Transition Management approach also recognizes transition experiment as one of the key instruments for steering the transition process. As seen in chapter 5, there is emerged a strong relationship between niche and experimentation (Figure 46) .

Figure 46: Duality between transition experiments and niches (Raven et al., 2010)

The niches, in which the innovation is generated in a protected environment, without it is subjected to external pressures, make feasible the experiment transition, but at the same time the experimentation creates and reinforces niches.

Figure 47: Deepening, Broadening & Scaling up transition experiments in niches (Based on Raven et al, 2010, Geels and Kemp 2000, De Haan and Rotmans, 2008)

Experiment Niche

Niches Regimes

Deepening Landscape

Scaling up

Niche-regime

Niche-cluster Broadening

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In order to describe how, what and when experiments contribute to transitions, the frameworks relates the mechanisms deepening, broadening and scaling up to desired results or changes in established ways of thinking (culture), doing (practices) and organizing (structure), and distinguishes the conditions for change (see Figure 47). The mechanism of deepening is defined as a learning process through which the actors can learn as much as possible on an experiment of transition within a specific context. In particular, a deepening-process consists to transform an innovation project to a transition experiment, by creating the conditions for an open search and learning process in which a societal challenge is a starting point. The deepening-substance concerns the explicit formulate explicit learning goals that are connected to social (transition-)goals in order to develop new ways of thinking, doing and organizing.

• Broadening-process: This strategy is directed at linking the innovation project to a broader context, by interacting with new domains and partners.

• Broadening-substance: The essence of this strategy is assigning new functions to the innovation and adapting to other contexts.

• Scaling up-process: Essential is strategic management, which involves key actors (with power and willingness to change) at a strategic level from the outset of the process.

• Scaling up-substance: This strategy is aimed at changing dominant ways of thinking, doing and organizing, by stimulating structural support and resources for the innovation.

The mechanism of broadening is defined as the repetition of a transition experiment in different contexts and as the connection of this to other functions or domains. The scaling-up mechanism is defined as the integration of a transition experiment in the dominant ways of thinking (culture), doing (practice) and organizing (structure), at the level of a social system. Since the crucial role of experimentation, there is the need to create a portfolio of transition experiments that reinforce each other and contribute to the sustainability objectives in significant and measurable ways. In the TM framework, Transition experiments

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provide practical way to interact with other instruments such Transition Team, Transition Arena and Transition Network. In addition, experiments need to bring together diverse kinds of knowledge and skills and review their mutual relationship. In these circumstances experiments offer a good opportunity of developing transition practices. Transition practice is pioneering because it is about radical and uncertain innovations in the long term. There are no ready-made blueprints or protocols. Besides experimenting the literature pays a lot of attention to learning. Similarly, for transition practices a great emphasis is placed on learning. Learning is important for two reasons. This first is connected with the dynamics, risks and uncertainties inherent to transition practices and their long-term objective. It is therefore useful to learn about the preconditions for transition and potential paths to solutions from successful initiatives, but equally from

‘failed' initiatives. A transition can only take place if the actors involved change their roles and aims in conjunction. Thus, actors will have to learn to see structural bottlenecks not as given facts but as challenges. A second reason why learning is crucial, is that transition practices are influenced by how stakeholders define problems and their assumptions, knowledge, values and identities. Analyzing these, and critically assessing them, can help to prevent lock in and widen the scope for sustainable solutions. Therefore, practicing transition is uncertain and for this reason special competences for conducting transition practice are required.