Forging systemic coherence: Transformative portfolio approach for urban transition governance

The proposal addresses a crucial step of going beyond fragmented transition experiments and linking them collectively with transformative change. With this, it aims to contribute to urban transition governance and transition theory. It also intends to produce insights for creating a toolbox of the transformative portfolio approach (TPA).

The project will explore and synthesise insights from different Theories of Change (ToCs) in social systems useful for sensemaking and design of transformative portfolios (TPs) and monitoring of their impact on system transformations.

It will also contribute knowledge for the dynamic management of TP, a continuous and reflexive process that would have to deal with a large amount of data to learn on the level of the entire TP.

Aiming to bring socially robust knowledge, the project will be designed as a transdisciplinary study in collaboration with 2-3 selected Swedish municipalities and two intermediary actors - SIP "Viable Cities" in Sweden and the Strategic Innovation Unit of UNDP.The project´s objectives include:Understand the implications of different Theories of Change (ToC) for the design, sensemaking and reflexive monitoring of TPPilot design and sensemaking of TPs in collaborative contextsExplore TP as a platform for strategic learningDerive and communicate learnings and implications for relevant actors, nationally and internationally.