Citizen-Driven Innovation

Joining Forces - Chapter 5

Until now, we have discussed citizen-driven innovation only in terms of what you and your partnership might do in your own city.

The examples we have given along the way begin to show the benefits of connecting with other cities and other practitioners by entering into collaboration networks. Indeed, this guidebook draws on the collective knowledge and experience of both the World Bank and ENoLL, both of which build and network local innovation networks. Networking is not something you should necessarily think about at the end of your process; on the contrary, it is useful to listen and learn from others before you even get started. Now that we have walked you through the journey towards citizen-driven innovation, you probably have a better understanding of what to expect from participating in an innovation network and what you can gain.

In this chapter, we discuss four aspects of joining up with other cities engaged in citizen-driven innovation:

1. Define your role
2. Listen and learn
3. Research
4. Speak out

A first step is to reflect on how an innovation network works: how it brings and adds value. We often think of networks as similar to the old telephone system, where more or less equal devices are all connected together on a peer to peer basis. Innovation networks are quite different, in that the links between different points or nodes can be more or less intense, and the more distinctive a node is, the greater the value that is brought into the network. As we discussed at the outset of this guide, any city can actively participate in an innovation network, be it large or small, central or remote, rich or poor, since each city's contribution is unique. It is the differences that drive interaction, it is interaction that makes a network alive, and (in the innovation community at least) it is the vivacity of a network (more than the number or size or power of its members) that determines its influence.