How are social innovations created?

This section focuses on identifying and analyzing needs and societal challenges through dialogue between relevant target groups and societal stakeholders. A societal challenge can stem from a thematic area (e.g., poor health or segregation) or a geographic area (e.g., a neighborhood or a park). In social innovation, it is important to foster a broad understanding of the societal challenge based on diverse perspectives, fields of knowledge, and sectors of society. Here, it is crucial to involve the people and organizations directly affected by the societal challenge. 

Guiding questions: 

• What data is used to identify and analyze the societal challenge? 
• How can our understanding of societal challenges be developed in collaboration with target groups and other stakeholders?  
• Does this understanding of the societal challenge differ from other established or alternative understandings? 
• Are the horizontal principles of gender equality, accessibility, and non-discrimination used to understand the societal challenge? 

This section is about imagining the society of the future, if we are allowed to think freely. Here, it is important to create new and alternative visions of the future that can serve as a guide for achieving social change. It is therefore important to challenge limiting norms and assumptions within ourselves and the rest of society. 

Guiding questions: 

• What would a society look like if the social challenge we want to address no longer existed? 
• How can we think beyond our own and others’ established perspectives and ways of working? 
• How can we envision and communicate an alternative future? 
• Are the horizontal principles of gender equality, accessibility, and non-discrimination being used to envision social change? 

This section focuses on mobilizing, coordinating, and connecting relevant target groups and societal actors, as well as the resources (in the form of expertise, manpower, funding, etc.) needed to move the process forward. It is important here to also involve individuals and organizations that have the authority to bring about long-term change. 

Guiding questions: 

• What resources—in terms of funding, manpower, skills, and so on—are needed to address this societal challenge?
• Which stakeholders from civil society, the business community, the public sector, and academia need to be involved?
• How can target groups and other stakeholders be involved in an inclusive manner?
• How can we ensure diversity among participants in terms of gender, age, country of origin, disability, and so on?

This section focuses on generating new ideas for social change, as well as designing and testing concrete solutions. It involves working together to explore, test, play, and experiment with relevant target groups and social actors. Here, it is important to break down silos and other restrictive structures.    

Guiding questions: 

• How can we develop solutions that are different from—and better than—those already established in society? 
• How can we use the horizontal principles of gender equality, accessibility, and non-discrimination as a resource in this context? 
• Are solutions being designed to suit women and men of different ages, countries of origin, functional variations, etc.? 

This section focuses on establishing a long-term operational framework for the developed solution and potentially expanding it to additional locations, target groups, and areas of operation. Here, it is important to transition from time-limited projects to long-term organization, for example, by forming a cross-sectoral alliance, a new organization, or an internal unit. It is also important to adapt the solution to local needs while maintaining the core purpose and quality.   

Guiding questions: 

• What organizational and funding models can we use to implement the solution? 
• How can the solution be used on a permanent basis in the day-to-day operations of organizations and society?  
• How can we apply these solutions to a wider range of organizational or geographic contexts in order to generate broader benefits for society? 

This section focuses on identifying and highlighting the social, environmental, and economic benefits that the developed solution generates for the individuals, organizations, and communities involved. It is important to track and measure the results, impacts, and outcomes achieved once the solution is implemented. It is also important to visualize and communicate these in a clear and engaging manner.  

Guiding questions: 

• What values are sought and achieved for individuals, organizations, and society? 
• How do we follow up on and build on the results to ensure continued development and benefits? 
• How are the values created made visible and communicated to target audiences and other stakeholders?