Materials from the URBACT Summer University Lab "Low Carbon Transition" managed by Laura Colini

1. URBACT LAB 1
SESSION 2 “PREPARING WELL”
From Problems
to Results
&
Reviewing and
Enhancing
Evidence Base

2. LAB 2 OVERVIEW
• PART 1 - TRANSLATING PROBLEMS INTO RESULTS
• PART 2 - REVIEWING AND ENHANCING EVIDENCE BASE
TO SUPPORT ACTION
• PART 3 – TASK FOR ULSG@WORK SESSION
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 2

3. ACTION PLANNING MODEL
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 3
Problems
Stakeholders
Evidence
Results
Ideas
Actions
Resources
Check
Consultation
Launch
Look at city case
Identify and engage
stakeholders
Gather evidence
Analyse the problem
Move from problems to
solutions
Translate solutions to
results and actions
Assess and analyse risk
Consult and launch

4. LAB 2 PART 1
• PART 1 - TRANSLATING PROBLEMS INTO RESULTS
• PART 2 - REVIEWING AND ENHANCING EVIDENCE BASE
TO SUPPORT ACTION
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 4

5. KEY CONCEPTS
PROBLEM = The key problem(s) you have identified in Lab
1 Problem Tree on your theme
RESULT = The initial impact of an intervention in terms of
how the well being of people is modified by our action
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 5

6. ACTION >INPUT> OUTPUT > RESULT
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 6
Input = resources
put into the
measure
Output = tangible
product of the
activity
Result = what is
achieved as good
for the recipient
Examples:
- Training courses for
employment
- Business start-up advice
- Collaboration workshops
and networking
- Refurbisihing city spaces
Examples:
- Sustained employment
- Survival of new business
- Better cross-cutting
collaboration
- Increased well-being and
satisfaction of citizens,
attracting investment
Action = an
operation to
deliver results
Examples:
- Number of completed
courses
- Advice process model
- Workshop curriculums
- City model for space use
Examples:
- Resources required for an
activity (money, time,
manpower)

7. PROBLEM ANALYSIS COMING FROM LAB 1 AS
PROBLEM TREE: PROBLEM(S) TO BE ADDRESSED
7URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2
PROBLEM(S)
Cause
Effect Effect
Cause Cause
Effect

8. LAB 2, ULSG SESSION 2
TASK 1: TRANSLATE PROBLEM INTO SOLUTION TREE
8URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2
SOLUTION(S)
Action
Result Result
Action Action
Result
Note: defining actions is a task for next LAB 3, here just initial ideas

9. LAB 2, ULSG SESSION 2
TASK 2: IDENTIFY THE EXPECTED RESULTS COMING OUT OF THE
SOLUTION(S)
9URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2
SOLUTION(S)
Action
Result Result
Action Action
Result

10. URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 10
DELIVERABLE FROM ULSG SESSION 2 TO ULSG SESSION 2
(ACTIONS)
EXPECTED RESULTS (1 – 5) COMING OUT OF THE SOLUTION(S)
Take these results on flipchart to LAB 3
Result 1
Result 2
Result 3
xxx

11. LAB 2 PART 2
• PART 1 - TRANSLATING PROBLEMS INTO RESULTS
• PART 2 - REVIEWING AND ENHANCING EVIDENCE BASE
TO SUPPORT ACTION
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 11

12. EVIDENCE
• Evidence is used at different stages of the project process;
• Evidence has been used of course already in defining the problem, and in
thinking about solutions;
• Evidence is also used during the process and at the end via monitoring and
evaluation;
• Here we concentrate on broadening the horizons of evidence in the initial
stages of the process.
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 12
Evidence at planning
stage
Evidence and
monitoring during
project
Evaluation at the end
of project

13. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE
You are not alone…You may learn from:
• Those who have addressed the same or similar issues
• The past: What has been tried before? Why it worked/did not work?
• Colleagues in your own city: could it be that similar actions are tried in other
city quarters, how to use their lessons?
• From service users and citizens: getting feedback and ideas and co-creating?
• Other cities: Learning from good practices in other cities, national and
abroad?
• Science, research and data: Learning from scientific studies about the topic at
hand? How to find them, how to “translate” them in a language accessible for
policymakers?
• Using expertise and any ‘thinking out of the box’: What type of experts would
we need? How about inviting ‘unusual suspects’, someone who could really
inspire and challenge us
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 13

14. EVIDENCE EXPERIENCE TABLE (EES1)
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 14
Source of information, data and learning What type of information, data and
learning sources you have used? What is
your experience of using them?
1. City data and other statistics
2. Evidence from past/ earlier attempts
3. Colleagues in the city
4. Users and other stakeholders
5. Other cities that face the same problem,
home or abroad
6. Science and research
7. Experts and any ’unusual suspects’

15. ’UNUSUAL SUSPECTS’
• Experts or anybody coming from outside the people
and organisations we usually use to inform us
• In order to help us think out of the box, to have a fresh
and critical look on what we are doing
• To be challenged and inspired
• To find new, creative ways of solving our problems
• To broaden our horizons, to enhance our actions and
• Get better results
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 15

16. EXAMPLES OF ’UNUSUAL SUSPECTS’
Copenhagen Job Centre:
• Hired Anthropologists, using co-creative methods with
customers, and made a ’walk through’ and analysis of
the whole job centre service process and then together
with staff and customers came up with innovations
City of Swindon, UK:
• Hired voluntary organisation people who lived for
weeks with troubled families, in their daily lives, in
order to bring the message ’from the inside’ for reforms
of services, which were not delivering
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 16

17. TASK IN LAB 2
1. ”BUZZ”: Discuss with the person next to you – What
sources of evidence have you used? What are your
experiences of using them?
2. Mark sources you have used in the Evidence Experience
Table
3. Review the outcome of the tally and discuss:
1. Concentration? Gaps?
2. Share experiences of using different sources
3. Where should cities improve their evidence? How?
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 17

18. TASK IN ULSG WORK SESSION 2:
EVIDENCE ENHANCEMENT
• What evidence is there relating to your theme on Allium?
• Are there gaps in the evidence?
• How would you want to use different evidence to improve
knowledge on your Allium Theme?
1. Discuss the questions above
2. Write ideas in Evidence Enhancement table
3. Indicate Priority order
The filled EES2 POSTER is the Deliverable of ULSG Work Session
2
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 18

19. EVIDENCE ENHANCEMENT TABLE (EES2)
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 19
Source of evidence and learning How do you want to use these to improve the
evidence base of your Theme in Allium
Priority order 1
- 7
1. City data and other statistics
2. Evidence from past/ earlier
attempts
3. Colleagues in the city
4. Users and other stakeholders
5. Other cities that face the same
problem, home or abroad
6. Science and research
7. Experts and any ’unusual
suspects’

20. ULSG@WORK SESSION 2
Prepare a solid and convincing preparation plan:
• Translate problems (from Lab 1) into Results
• Fill Evidence Enhancement Table
URBACT LAB 1 SESSION 2 20