Design sprint success

Amsterdam, Netherlands, 23 February 2024 – The VOICE consortium held a two-day pCr Design Sprint organized by FutureFocus21c and WAAG to conduct an internal design sprint focused on project preparation. This sprint, part of the VOICE project, was crucial for tasks spanning from WP3 to WP6. The insights gathered during this process are fundamental for subsequent tasks, enabling informed decision-making, strategic planning, and effective execution across multiple work packages.

The pCr sprint activities aimed to efficiently share knowledge and experience among participants through mapping exercises, creating a foundation for information flow within the project. This mapping involved categorizing stakeholders based on their relevance to the project, which will be used in later activities.

The first activity centered on understanding the landscape of stakeholders involved in the VOICE project and identifying any gaps in representation. Through collaborative mapping exercises, participants gained insights into stakeholder involvement across diverse sectors, emphasizing inclusivity and representation.

The second activity focused on identifying communities of practice relevant to the project, ensuring diversity among these groups, including artists, academics, industry professionals, NGOs, advocacy groups, government, and technology experts. Additionally, the sprint aimed to compile a directory of potential artists for future project calls. Artistic outcomes were highlighted as subjective and challenging to standardize, emphasizing the need for a flexible evaluation framework like the Vital Signs Matrix.

The sprint also leveraged existing knowledge from similar programs like SMARTlab, RADICAL, and WEAR Sustain/S+T +ARTS, integrating insights from prior research on arts for eco-social impact. This integration enhances the VOICE project's initiatives within WP4.

On the third day, participants explored fictional scenarios to identify potential issues in artists' proposals, although this exercise did not fully translate into the planned Theory of Change. Nevertheless, this exploration underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration and inclusion of diverse perspectives.

In summary, the sprint emphasized the continuous need for collaboration, stakeholder mapping, and refinement of project strategies. Challenges remain, including incomplete representation and the need for localized insights, which will require sustained efforts and innovative approaches to address effectively. The insights gained provided a roadmap for future project actions, guiding the project with increased clarity and purpose.