Transformative Outcomes provide a way for us to monitor and evaluate progress toward deeper systemic change. They can be used as indicators to describe macro-processes that lead to transformation, including:
- Building and nurturing niches – Dynamics that contribute to the construction and growth of a new initiative, (social) practice or technology
- Expanding and mainstreaming niches – Growing niches and sharing by diverse groups of actors in order to influence the ‘mainstream’
- Opening up and unlocking system regimes – Actors part of the current system learning about new ideas, adopting new values or visions, unlearning old habits, and creating new understandings of the world
This simple worksheet describes the 12 Transformative Outcomes, with questions on their reverse to help users identify their presence in a project, policy or change initiative.
Use as a handout, or cut out cards. Either way, the prompts can be used to stimulate thinking and discussion about stretching the transformative potential of our activities.
Acknowledgements
This tool is based on the 2021 research publication, Transformative outcomes: Assessing and reorienting experimentation with transformative innovation policy. Our thanks to Louise Harvey at Chimney for graphic design.
Citation
Ghosh, B., Shaw, V. and Bernal Hernandez, P. (2024) Tool: Transformative Outcomes worksheet. TIP Resource Lab. Available at: https://www.tipresourcelab.net/resource/tool-transformative-outcomes-worksheet
Reflections on use
This worksheet was used at the TIPC and Deep Transitions Lab Engagement Week in Sept 2024 to help policy makers and investors reflect on place-based interventions, and identify ‘opportunity spaces’ where collective action is possible. Visit Tool: Unlocking learning from place-based challenges through Transformative Outcomes to download the tool.
The cards were also used at the UNECE ETIN Transformative Innovation Action Forum in Oct 2024 (pictured), to examine how policy responses to societal challenges can be orientated to systems transformation.
Our thanks to Cristian Matti at the JRC, European Commission, for the collaboration on both of these sessions to explore how Transformative Outcomes can be used as a tool to unlock actionable learning from local interventions and transfer it across contexts.
