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Labcraft: How Social Labs Cultivate Change Through Innovation and Collaboration
The struggle to solve local and global issues often appears pitch large corporations and governments against activists, artists, workers and ordinary citizens. But what happens when these entities consciously join forces and share resources to create social change?
It's happening more than you might think--in a growing phenomenon known as innovation labs. And Labcraft offers an intimate picture of this new and evolving landscape--where seemingly disparate stakeholders network and align as learning communities who collaborate for positive change.
Innovation labs do what we expect laboratories to do--invent and experiment. But their "test tubes" are real-world challenges. And as they explore new connections, new ideas, and new initiatives, they often generate new perspectives and promising solutions.
A lab's practices and methods are as important as its projects and outcomes--and this honest, reflective account provides insight into the flexible, joyful, and open-minded approach they're pioneering.
A fittingly collaborative effort in itself, Labcraft was written in a four-day "Book Sprint" by representatives from seven innovation labs from around the world. These practitioners share their stories, experiences and perspectives, and consider their commonalities and differences. They offer humble observations about their struggles and successes, and detail how they navigate their unique dilemmas and paradoxes.
From workspaces and funding to impact measurement and power dynamics, Labcraft explores what it takes to cultivate a nimble and responsive environment--and gives a face to the poignant potential of these creative new collaborations.
"This is an important piece of reading for anyone interested in driving system level change and learning from the experts in the growing global lab movement. Uniquely written by fellow travellers holding direct experience designing and developing labs, you will take away a set of clearly written stories which illustrate how system change theory can be brought to life." - Charmian Love, CEO, Volans, UK
"This is a very topical book. Under significant reform pressure, our institutions have responded by trying to extend existing logics. But more and more they are waking to the realization that a better tomorrow will emerge by developing new logics. Labs are a critical discourse in enabling this transformation to flourish." - Marco Steinberg, Founder, Snowcone & Haystack, Finland "Changemakers of the world unite...and buy this book! Labcraft brings engaging stories and thoughtful insights from the front lines of social change. Drawing on experiences of pioneering labs in Europe, North America, Asia and Latin America, this book empowers social innovators to fix their aspirations on systems changing solutions to tough societal challenges." - Tim Draimin, Executive Director, Social Innovation Generation (SiG), Canada
It's happening more than you might think--in a growing phenomenon known as innovation labs. And Labcraft offers an intimate picture of this new and evolving landscape--where seemingly disparate stakeholders network and align as learning communities who collaborate for positive change.
Innovation labs do what we expect laboratories to do--invent and experiment. But their "test tubes" are real-world challenges. And as they explore new connections, new ideas, and new initiatives, they often generate new perspectives and promising solutions.
A lab's practices and methods are as important as its projects and outcomes--and this honest, reflective account provides insight into the flexible, joyful, and open-minded approach they're pioneering.
A fittingly collaborative effort in itself, Labcraft was written in a four-day "Book Sprint" by representatives from seven innovation labs from around the world. These practitioners share their stories, experiences and perspectives, and consider their commonalities and differences. They offer humble observations about their struggles and successes, and detail how they navigate their unique dilemmas and paradoxes.
From workspaces and funding to impact measurement and power dynamics, Labcraft explores what it takes to cultivate a nimble and responsive environment--and gives a face to the poignant potential of these creative new collaborations.
"This is an important piece of reading for anyone interested in driving system level change and learning from the experts in the growing global lab movement. Uniquely written by fellow travellers holding direct experience designing and developing labs, you will take away a set of clearly written stories which illustrate how system change theory can be brought to life." - Charmian Love, CEO, Volans, UK
"This is a very topical book. Under significant reform pressure, our institutions have responded by trying to extend existing logics. But more and more they are waking to the realization that a better tomorrow will emerge by developing new logics. Labs are a critical discourse in enabling this transformation to flourish." - Marco Steinberg, Founder, Snowcone & Haystack, Finland "Changemakers of the world unite...and buy this book! Labcraft brings engaging stories and thoughtful insights from the front lines of social change. Drawing on experiences of pioneering labs in Europe, North America, Asia and Latin America, this book empowers social innovators to fix their aspirations on systems changing solutions to tough societal challenges." - Tim Draimin, Executive Director, Social Innovation Generation (SiG), Canada
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2014
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