A Living Lab is an “open innovation ecosystems that involve users in research and development within a real-life context” (Leminen et al. 2012). This includes the idea of a live ecosystem where different user groups such as citizens, businesses, public authorities, and researchers come together to identify problems, ideate, co-design and validate new ideas/solutions to specific problems.

Why are Living Labs important?

Living Labs may vary in scale, from street experiments to Living Labs that involve whole neighbourhoods or even cities. This experimentation in real-world environments has significant advantages for mobility research and innovation. Researchers are able to investigate the impact of transport innovations or other measures taking into consideration contextual factors. Innovators can create solutions that address citizens´ mobility needs and public authorities can ensure that these solutions are generally accepted by the public and aligned with their strategic objectives.

Effective management is critical to ensure that these initiatives achieve their objectives and deliver meaningful and lasting impacts. This paper provides recommendations on how to set up and manage a Living Lab, highlighting key strategies for successful operation, engagement, and sustainability.

Stakeholder Identification and Analysis

The initial step in setting up a Living Lab is identifying the stakeholders who will be actively involved in the co-design process.

What is a stakeholder?

The term “stakeholders” typically refers to individuals and organisations who are either involved in a project, or whose interests may be affected by it (Smith, 2000). This diverse group can include local authorities, which are usually the leaders or key stakeholders in these ecosystems due to their critical role for transport policy-making, other governmental authorities, businesses, citizens, NGOs, academic and other research institutions.

What is a stakeholder map?

Stakeholder maps are tools that can facilitate the process of stakeholder identification. A stakeholder map is a visual representation of individuals and organisations that are interested in or affected in any way by the Living Lab activities. The map can also be used in communication and marketing strategies to create strategies targeted to these groups. There are different ways to approach stakeholder mapping exercises. Below we outline a method that is well-suited to transport-related projects.

• Stakeholder map – Consider creating a map that categorizes stakeholders based on their level of influence, and importance for the project (Smith, 2000).

Such categorisation will help prioritise engagement efforts effectively and ensure communication strategies are tailored to meet the specific needs and expectations of each stakeholder group.

Citizen engagement

The key factor differentiating Living Labs from other types of experimentations, such as pilots, is the emphasis on citizen engagement. Within the concept of Living Labs, citizens are not perceived as mere receivers of new transport technology or affected by interventions imposed either by public authorities or private companies. Rather, they are a key stakeholder in the Living Lab, shaping the solutions based on their needs.

Citizen participation in decision-making can help create more effective transport interventions. In contrast, lack of citizen engagement can fuel opposition towards the implementation of transport policies and measures (Kyriakidis et al., 2023).

Diversity and Inclusion

Consider how you can reach diverse groups of citizens in terms of travel habits, attitudes towards different transport modes and socio-economic characteristics. Different groups of citizens will be affected differently by transport interventions. Including groups that tend to experience mobility or social disadvantage and transport-related exclusion, such as low-income groups, disabled people, and older people, should be a key priority to create a more equitable transport system through your Living Lab.

Co-Creation and Living Lab Design Activities

At the heart of a Living Lab is the co-creation process, where stakeholders work together to design, test, and refine new solutions. These activities should involve participatory design methods, and workshops where participants (including citizens) contribute their perspectives and feedback on prototypes and concepts.

Methods that can support co-creation

You can use a range of co-design and research methods, such as surveys, citizen science tools, and focus groups, to understand citizens´ and stakeholders´ views and needs. Consider the objectives of each co-creation activity and the benefits and limitations of each method to identify the most suitable option.

Workshops and Events

Organize regular workshops, ensuring that they are inclusive and accessible to a broad range of participants.

Design thinking tools

Use techniques to structure discussions and enhance creativity. Examples include:

• Brainstorming and brainwriting to identify innovative solutions in a group setting.
• Journey Mapping to visualize user experiences and identify problem areas.

Hybrid Formats

Given that Living Labs often involve diverse stakeholder groups, consider offering both in-person and online formats for workshops and meetings to ensure wider participation.

Communication and Marketing Strategies

Effective communication is key to the success of any Living Lab. Communication activities should aim to build trust, raise awareness, and keep stakeholders informed.

Clear Messages

Craft clear and consistent messages that explain the objectives of the Living Lab, and its anticipated impact. Tailor messages to different stakeholder groups to ensure relevance and engagement.

Multiple Channels

Use different communication channels, such as local websites, newsletters, social media, and print materials, to reach different audiences.

Accessibility and Inclusion

Define your communication to be accessible and inclusive. This can include making sure the content is available in different languages if necessary, using accessible formats for those with disabilities, etc.

Local Context

Ensure that your communication strategy is adapted to your local context. What works in one location might not be as effective in another.

Communicating to change people’s travel attitudes and behaviours

Encouraging sustainable travel behaviours and systemic change in the transport system should be a core aim of the communication and marketing strategy. Dedicate adequate time and resources to develop your communication strategy and consider if you can follow an experimental approach, measuring its impact on public acceptance and refining it based on the lessons learnt.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Continuous monitoring and evaluation are essential for assessing the impact of the Living Lab activities and for ensuring that the project is on track to meet its objectives.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Establish clear KPIs that align with the goals of the Living Lab. These could include metrics related to citizens´ and stakeholders´ perceptions, the effectiveness of the tested solutions in terms of travel behaviour change, improved accessibility of certain groups, or reduced carbon emissions.

Theory of Change approaches

Consider using theory of change approaches to map out the long-term impact of your Living Lab. This will help you clarify the connections between activities, outputs, and outcomes, making it easier to evaluate your Living Lab activities.

Collecting quantitative and qualitative data

Use numbers and people´s stories. By collecting quantitative data, before, during and after the Living Lab interventions, you can assess overall trends. Qualitative data through methods such as interviews or focus groups will allow you to get an in-depth understanding of people´s perceptions and will help you explain the trends.

Impact Assessment

Assess the outcomes of the Living Lab in terms of the actual impact on the community. Document successes and challenges to refine the approach and improve future iterations.

Process Evaluation

Track the implementation of the Living Lab through process evaluation. This will help you identify bottlenecks, assess how activities are being carried out, and ensure alignment with project timelines. It will also help you understand how factors related to the project implementation may be affecting the outcomes of the project.

Long-Term Sustainability and Impact

A successful Living Lab should be sustainable and have a long-term impact on the local community and beyond.

Community ownership

Involve citizens in decision-making processes and give them a sense of decision in shaping the solutions that are being tested.

Avoid creating a Living Lab that is disconnected from reality

Ensure the Living Lab remains closely aligned with the needs of the community. Regularly engage with its citizens to understand their challenges, gather feedback, and refine solutions. Use the evaluation to understand how the interventions tested in your Living Lab can (or cannot) contribute to systemic changes in your transport system. Aim to embed your Living Lab activities into longer-term transport policies.

Seek long-term financial sustainability

Develop governance and business models that are both tailored to the local context and robust enough to ensure the Living Lab’s services can adapt, scale, and thrive beyond the initial testing and funding.

Project Management

Defining a clear project management framework that defines timelines, tracks deliverables, and aligns activities with the overall objectives is crucial for the successful operation of a Living Lab.

• Regular Updates: Schedule regular updates and meetings to maintain alignment among the different stakeholders and ensure a smooth coordination of all activities.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks and develop and implement mitigation strategies.

Managing a Living Lab is a multifaceted and dynamic process that requires careful coordination among multiple stakeholders and the consideration of numerous evolving variables. By prioritizing stakeholder engagement, co-creation, effective communication, and project management, Living Labs can act as drivers of transition to sustainable mobility, developing solutions tailored to the needs of local communities.

Interested in knowing more about FACTUAL´s experience developing pilots, trials and Living Labs? Reach out; we’d be happy to assist you.