The Looper Living Lab is an overall structure and program of action. Inside the Lab, we can have any number of loops, for different kinds of problems, from the purely technical to the wider social. For the Lab as a whole, we aim to learn from what goes on inside, in order to improve.
Each Lab generally includes six main components (i.e. a '6P model'):
- Place: define the place (a local neighbourhood, district, landscape, or other area on the ground), where the lab is to be based.
- People: gather the people to be involved (networks, organisations, groups or communities). We need ways to mobilise their energy and commitment, to mediate conflict, and find ways to turn problems into opportunities.
- Priorities: work with the people in the place, to explore their priorities (problems, issues, challenges, risks, hopes or fears, ideas or opportunities). This includes both negatives and the positives which can inspire and motivate.
- Policies: set the scope of problems and possible solutions towards the policies (local, regional, national) for that area, and aim to engage with the policy process, which can be long and complex.
- Platform: develop a system for the exchange of information, learning, debate, analysis and insight. Such online platforms see new and exciting technology every day, but the real purpose of the platform is about improving human interactions.
- Process: look for the overall insights, from the whole experiment from start to finish, in order to improve and transfer the learning to other places, or other applications such as public services.