Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Real-World Labs: 11 Secret Ingredients for Societal Change (Plus Some Seriously Useful Methods)
This study identified eleven success factors for transdisciplinary sustainability research in real-world labs (RwLs), including balancing scientific and societal aims, addressing practitioner needs, and using active communication. It also categorized methods used in 14 RwLs in Germany for collaboration between science and practice, offering practical guidance for RwL design and implementation.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Weaknesses
The geographic focus on Western Europe, and Germany in particular, might limit the applicability of the findings to other contexts.
Lack of Objective Evaluation
The non-evaluative nature of the accompanying research prohibits defining ideal types of RwLs or assessing their success and failure beyond self-reported perceptions.
While all 14 cases are self-proclaimed RwLs, variations in topical focus and implementation could affect comparability and generalizability.
Rating Explanation
This paper provides valuable insights into the practical application of real-world labs (RwLs) for sustainability research. The combination of conceptual analysis, empirical findings from 14 RwLs, and suggested methods makes it a useful resource for both researchers and practitioners. While the limited geographic scope and lack of objective evaluation are limitations, the study's focus on practical application and detailed methodological reflections strengthen its overall contribution to the field.
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File Information
Original Title:
Transdisciplinary sustainability research in real-world labs: success factors and methods for change
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 10:37 AM
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