The International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD) took place from 12-14th of June in Madrid. Vivienne Mayer and Anika Slawski, members of the Facilitation and Synthesis Research Project Team, had the opportunity to present their paper at the conference.
This paper explores impact-oriented monitoring in cross-cultural, transdisciplinary, and action-oriented urban research. Impact-oriented monitoring can help to understand various impacts, identify potential and leverage points in a timely manner, and expand problem-solving skills to go beyond existing solutions and engage in transformative research. Especially in the context of urban development, monitoring impact can be challenging due to lengthy procedures, the involvement of numerous actors, and a diversity of physical and social changes that directly or indirectly influence a project.
To address the challenges, the authors propose an impact-oriented monitoring system that meets the high degree of flexibility required in the context of contemporary urban challenges. The proposed monitoring framework (SURE Framework) is viewed as an iterative learning system that promotes reflection and continuous adaptation, taking into account a cyclical planning logic. The authors argue that an impact-oriented monitoring system that provides this flexibility requires two essential parts: self-set references that serve as criteria and a culture of reflection that becomes an integral part of the project work and allows for manoeuvre. The SURE Framework offers an alternative monitoring system through a procedural approach with self-set references and a culture of reflection, facilitated by the SURE Reference Picture and SURE Toolbox.
This paper presents the proposed approach and critically investigates its ability to measure change, under-stand the impact of projects, and ultimately enhance project performance within rapidly changing urban contexts.