The case study “Framtidsbilder Trondheim sentrum 2050”

Abstract

This report is a summary of the case study in Trondheim in the research project CoConstructing City Futures (3C) and the collaboration between the research project and Trondheim municipality’s planning office. The main aims of the report are to present the project case study and to communicate the lessons learned from working with stakeholders in research projects. The lessons learned are mainly focused on communication between the parties. Based on the experiences of the 3C and Trondheim case study, the most important recommendations for research projects and stakeholders looking to collaborate in a similar case study are listed below:

1. Allow for risk and be open to the possibility that the process, product and outcome can change along the way. 2. Reserve enough time to get to know each other and each other’s professional languages. 3. Be aware of each other’s strengths, priorities, limitations and context. 4. Understand the given interdependency between the parties and how to reach the goals of the collaboration. 5. Make sure to clarify expectations, roles and task divisions early on, and revisit this topic regularly. 6. A formal collaboration agreement is recommended to clarify responsibilities and ownership of the work for future purposes. A secondary aim of the report is to reflect on the impact and usability of the participation methods and tools that were developed and used in the case study. The case study represents some innovative ideas to the participation process, where the public is involved both in the making of the plan as well as in the public hearing of the proposed plan. However, the methods of this study do not represent quick fixes to tackle the central challenges of participation, in particular the question of the outreach and representativeness of participation.