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A co-created solutions mapping approach

What it does.

This co-created solutions mapping approach for environmental citizen science projects represents an innovative tool, since it helps to strengthen activism in the territories, influence the inclusion of new issues on the public agenda, promote evidence-informed public policies, facilitate the co-creation of innovative solutions and raise awareness on an issue or underpin behavioral changes.

The mapping is co-created with key allies. The AccLab worked together with the Argentine Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MINCYT, by its Spanish acronym). After conducting exploratory interviews with key informants and literature research, the approach goes on to build a data gathering instrument. The data is collected and reflected in solutions mapping cards, which are later iterated with the leaders of the citizen science initiatives mapped. Each mapping card includes details of the solutions organized by predefined categories, which systematize the information and enable comparisons.

Value proposition for the government/other partner.

By having a multistakeholder solutions mapping model, you will allow your governmental partner to gain a clear view of the ecosystem of people-powered solutions that emerge in response to specific development challenges. This paves the way for better public policymaking. With this tool, your governmental partner gains the ability to pinpoint essential collaborators for tackling development issues. Additionally, it helps identify available resources, spot any gaps, and uncover success stories that are ready to be scaled.

Regarding other partners, such as leaders of grassroots initiatives, this tool allows them to gain a better understanding of who else is working on the same issues. This tool facilitates the formation of alliances and networking opportunities, making it easier for them to connect and work together effectively.

Why and when to use it.

This tool is most useful when there is a gap in the information available regarding grassroots solutions due to a lack of acknowledgement of people-powered initiatives, and when you count on the support of a committed partner.

Known issues and troubleshooting.

If your country, region, or community already has an initiative that documents people-powered solutions or if you do not have supportive partners to assist you, this tool may not be the most suitable choice for you.

Context.

Working in its challenge on citizen science, the Argentina Accelerator Lab, together with the national Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MINCYT), used this tool for mapping citizen science initiatives. In 2021, a first edition of this solutions mapping effort was published, containing the information of 30 projects. This number grew to 55 in the second edition of this mapping. The next edition, to be published at the end of 2023, will include 100 projects. Furthermore, these solutions mapping efforts not only led to the development of a new national federal policy aimed at promoting citizen science initiatives, but also had a transformative impact on the overall citizen science ecosystem.

Cost to implement.

The project (including its planning, design of deliverables and editing) involves a very modest budget, with the majority of the costs attributed to human resources.

Time

The time required to implement this tool can vary depending on several factors, though it is important to clarify that this tool is not excessively time-consuming. The timeframe may be influenced by factors such as the desired scope of your mapping, the accessibility of information, and the availability of the mapping team’s time.

People.

The tool is suitable for working with small teams of 4 to 6 people, to larger teams.

Focal point.

María Verónica Moreno – Head of Solutions Mapping. Argentina Accelerator Lab.

María Verónica is the Head of Solutions Mapping for the Argentina Accelerator Lab since 2019. She has experience in international organizations, academia, and the public and private sector. She has worked as an undergraduate and graduate professor and researcher at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA, by its Spanish acronym). She has a Doctorate in Social Sciences (UBA), a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Torcuato Di Tella University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Salvador.

Country, year, and language.

Argentina, ongoing; Spanish and English.

Resources.

Comment from Patricia: They are great resources, such as blogs and publications displaying the main results. It would be great to know more about the approach, which is what caught my attention in the title ‘A co-created solutions mapping approach.’ Moreover, I think it is relevant to mention the alignment of the value proposition with UNDP’s signature solutions and the SDGs.