…recently in Antwerp, ACSELL partners and stakeholders met at the Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, where the advisory partner LiCalab organised a workshop on how to establish a Living Lab. In addition to getting an update on the respective Action Plans, ACSELL partners were eager to engange with each other to learn about the tricks and tips for establishing and operating a Living Lab. In sessions about the living lab approach, citizen or user engagement, stakeholder mapping, business models and monitoring of outcomes, participants shared good practices, challenges and take home messages.
Take home messages?
— stakeholder mapping is an extremely valuable exercise for those interested in establishing a living lab
— citizen involvement is difficult, but extremely valuable: build a panel of potential test persons
— multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration needs to be facilitated at the local and (trans)regional levels (maybe also in the form of incentives, credits?)
— Just do it!
