Participation Cookbook
Participation Cookbook
2022
Client: City of Espoo
Service / Co-Deisgn
Enhancing Citizen Participation in Espoo:
"Participation Cookbook"
The Challenge
Espoo, a vibrant city in Finland, was grappling with a challenge shared by many governments worldwide: improving citizen participation and utilising qualitative data in their decision-making processes. The city's administration was striving to transition from a fragmented, siloed approach to a more integrated, cross-functional, democratic governance model. Our task was to develop a tool to help Espoo overcome these challenges and transform its organisational culture.
Enhancing Citizen Participation in Espoo:
"Participation Cookbook"
The Challenge
Espoo, a vibrant city in Finland, was grappling with a challenge shared by many governments worldwide: improving citizen participation and utilising qualitative data in their decision-making processes. The city's administration was striving to transition from a fragmented, siloed approach to a more integrated, cross-functional, democratic governance model. Our task was to develop a tool to help Espoo overcome these challenges and transform its organisational culture.
Enhancing Citizen Participation in Espoo: "Participation Cookbook"
The Challenge
Espoo, a vibrant city in Finland, was grappling with a challenge shared by many governments worldwide: improving citizen participation and utilising qualitative data in their decision-making processes. The city's administration was striving to transition from a fragmented, siloed approach to a more integrated, cross-functional, democratic governance model. Our task was to develop a tool to help Espoo overcome these challenges and transform its organisational culture.
The Approach
Our process began with comprehensive desk research and field analysis, which included attending participatory workshops facilitated by the city. This immersive experience helped us comprehend the reasons behind the suboptimal use of participation in government decision-making processes. Through our research, we identified three key areas of intervention:
Developing a unified methodology of participation
Transforming the culture and customs of all city employees
Establishing a foundation for the effective use of participation results
To address these, we initiated a co-creative workshop with Espoo's Participation Team, which led to mapping the municipality's participation process. We identified four levels of participation - the Organisational, Participation, Method, and Toolkit- each with distinct extents and goals. After gaining a holistic view of the participation landscape, we decided to intervene primarily at the operational level, targeting the Participation, Method, and Toolkit levels.
The Approach
Our process began with comprehensive desk research and field analysis, which included attending participatory workshops facilitated by the city. This immersive experience helped us comprehend the reasons behind the suboptimal use of participation in government decision-making processes. Through our research, we identified three key areas of intervention:
Developing a unified methodology of participation
Transforming the culture and customs of all city employees
Establishing a foundation for the effective use of participation results
To address these, we initiated a co-creative workshop with Espoo's Participation Team, which led to mapping the municipality's participation process. We identified four levels of participation - the Organisational, Participation, Method, and Toolkit- each with distinct extents and goals. After gaining a holistic view of the participation landscape, we decided to intervene primarily at the operational level, targeting the Participation, Method, and Toolkit levels.
The Approach
Our process began with comprehensive desk research and field analysis, which included attending participatory workshops facilitated by the city. This immersive experience helped us comprehend the reasons behind the suboptimal use of participation in government decision-making processes. Through our research, we identified three key areas of intervention:
Developing a unified methodology of participation
Transforming the culture and customs of all city employees
Establishing a foundation for the effective use of participation results
To address these, we initiated a co-creative workshop with Espoo's Participation Team, which led to mapping the municipality's participation process. We identified four levels of participation - the Organisational, Participation, Method, and Toolkit- each with distinct extents and goals. After gaining a holistic view of the participation landscape, we decided to intervene primarily at the operational level, targeting the Participation, Method, and Toolkit levels.
The Solution: The Participation Cookbook
In response to the identified issues and research insights, we proposed the "Participation Cookbook" - a six-step toolkit designed to standardise the implementation of participation across city units. The Cookbook was conceived to address the following:
The need for a common methodology of participation
The need to tackle the cultural norms of all city employees
The need to develop a system for utilising participation results
The "Participation Cookbook" aims to:
Ensure consistent use of participation throughout the city.
Help departments understand when, how, and whom to contact to help implement participation in their projects.
Support planning and analysis phases between the Participation Team and all departments.
It addresses each level of the participation process, from establishing goals, selecting methods, and promoting the participatory process, to implementing, analysing results, and sharing learnings.
The Solution: The Participation Cookbook
In response to the identified issues and research insights, we proposed the "Participation Cookbook" - a six-step toolkit designed to standardise the implementation of participation across city units. The Cookbook was conceived to address the following:
The need for a common methodology of participation
The need to tackle the cultural norms of all city employees
The need to develop a system for utilising participation results
The "Participation Cookbook" aims to:
Ensure consistent use of participation throughout the city.
Help departments understand when, how, and whom to contact to help implement participation in their projects.
Support planning and analysis phases between the Participation Team and all departments.
It addresses each level of the participation process, from establishing goals, selecting methods, and promoting the participatory process, to implementing, analysing results, and sharing learnings.
The Solution: The Participation Cookbook
In response to the identified issues and research insights, we proposed the "Participation Cookbook" - a six-step toolkit designed to standardise the implementation of participation across city units. The Cookbook was conceived to address the following:
The need for a common methodology of participation
The need to tackle the cultural norms of all city employees
The need to develop a system for utilising participation results
The "Participation Cookbook" aims to:
Ensure consistent use of participation throughout the city.
Help departments understand when, how, and whom to contact to help implement participation in their projects.
Support planning and analysis phases between the Participation Team and all departments.
It addresses each level of the participation process, from establishing goals, selecting methods, and promoting the participatory process, to implementing, analysing results, and sharing learnings.
Impact and Future Directions
The "Participation Cookbook" will drive substantial change within the City of Espoo. By standardising participation methods and encouraging participation results, the Cookbook is expected to create a more democratic decision-making process.
The prototype has been handed over to the Participation Team for further use and customisation. The following steps involve phased implementation, awareness-building, and enhancing support systems around participation. As Espoo continues to adapt and evolve its participation strategies, the Cookbook will continue to be crucial in fostering a more inclusive and democratic organisational culture.
For the detailed process and the Cookbook, please check our Report.
Team: Jisoo Kim, Santiago Aristizabal, Anna Vienamo, Mantė Žygelytė, and Kazuki Mori.
Impact and Future Directions
The "Participation Cookbook" will drive substantial change within the City of Espoo. By standardising participation methods and encouraging participation results, the Cookbook is expected to create a more democratic decision-making process.
The prototype has been handed over to the Participation Team for further use and customisation. The following steps involve phased implementation, awareness-building, and enhancing support systems around participation. As Espoo continues to adapt and evolve its participation strategies, the Cookbook will continue to be crucial in fostering a more inclusive and democratic organisational culture.
For the detailed process and the Cookbook, please check our Report.
Team: Jisoo Kim, Santiago Aristizabal, Anna Vienamo, Mantė Žygelytė, and Kazuki Mori.
Impact and Future Directions
The "Participation Cookbook" will drive substantial change within the City of Espoo. By standardising participation methods and encouraging participation results, the Cookbook is expected to create a more democratic decision-making process.
The prototype has been handed over to the Participation Team for further use and customisation. The following steps involve phased implementation, awareness-building, and enhancing support systems around participation. As Espoo continues to adapt and evolve its participation strategies, the Cookbook will continue to be crucial in fostering a more inclusive and democratic organisational culture.
For the detailed process and the Cookbook, please check our Report.
Team: Jisoo Kim, Santiago Aristizabal, Anna Vienamo, Mantė Žygelytė, and Kazuki Mori.
©Jisoo Kim 2023