Sketchin
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Future scenarios 
for the Lugano region’s development

A collaborative process, desired by the Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Luganese and realised together with BAK Economics, an independent Swiss economic research institute, to contribute to the definition of strategic initiatives for the Luganese area over the next years.

Sketchin Case Study - ERSL Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Luganese - Slide of the final report of the collaborative process

A collaborative process, desired by the Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Luganese and realised together with BAK Economics, an independent Swiss economic research institute, to contribute to the definition of strategic initiatives for the Luganese area over the next years.

Industry

Public Service & Institutions

Year

2021

Client

ERSL - Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Luganese

Services

Participatory Futures as strategic support

Everyday signals, news and events reveal possible directions for future changes. Starting from these signals and the data that emerged, some desirable futures for the territory over the next 5 years were generated and represented through stories, created by citizens. 

The launch of the project was based on by ERSL and BAK Economics studies ERSL's aims, impact and the macroeconomic portrait of the Lugano area. The SWOT analysis, made it possible to highlight the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the Lugano area, and to identify the main themes to build the subsequent workshops.

In collaboration with representatives of the municipalities, a series of development initiatives were identified for the area that were considered strategic for shaping the imagined future.

The generative activities were organised in three successive phases, through collaborative workshops.

Go to the Strategy
Sketchin Case Study - ERSL Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Luganese - Panorama of Lake of Lugano, Switzerland

Outcome

By analysing the territory evolution, and by involving opinion leaders and local public administrators, the project provided the Regional Institution for the Luganese Development with a series of strategic initiatives, such as solid and effective projects, related to future scenarios, including analysis of needed resources and main constraints.

stories from tomorrow for the future of the region
26
strategic initiatives
15
common action plan for the municipalities
1

Three levels 
of engagement

Collaborative activities were organised on three levels: the first, with the involvement of citizens identified as opinion leaders; the second, with representatives of the local administrations, and in particular with the municipal secretaries; the third, with representatives of the political forces of the territory, in the person of the mayors of the municipalities of Lugano.

The workshops with the three stakeholder groups were organised in a concatenated manner: the results of the first, with the citizens, were the starting point for the second workshop, with representatives of the local administrations. The results of the latter were the working material for the third and final workshop, with delegates from the political forces in the area.

The application of the Participatory Futures methodology was a stimulus to test and promote the adherence of political representation in bottom-up design processes by citizens. These are approaches and methodologies aimed at defining future scenarios through the collaborative participation of citizens, communities and experts from different fields. 

For the first time, during an envisioning process, the participants identified, together with administrative and political representatives, a series of actions and possible guidelines to achieve the set development objectives concerning the topics "population", "economic development" and "territory".

Strategic initiatives

The collaborative and research activities have resulted in a series of 19 strategic initiatives, subdivided into 9 thematic areas: concrete actions and possible development guidelines for the territory, with the definition of the resources needed for their implementation and any obstacles to be overcome.

The areas of application range from the family and neighbourhood relations and social networks, to housing structures, the world of work and its evolution, skill centres, trade, new technologies, tourist attractiveness and mobility.

An operational tool for municipalities

In November 2021, on the basis of the report drawn up by BAK Economics with the support of Sketchin, ERSL has elaborated a guidelines for the strategic development for the municipalities of the Luganese area: a useful compass to guide municipal strategic choices so that they consolidate the strengths of the Luganese area, seize the various opportunities but also avoid decisions that could accentuate the weaknesses or increase the risks to harmonious and positive development. 

Together, the municipalities and ERSL intend to stimulate and support projects and initiatives that can help make the Lugano area more vibrant, more attractive and more inclusive. A goal to be achieved through the exchange of skills, the redevelopment of spaces, support for local commerce and better connection of the area.

Sketchin Case Study - ERSL Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Luganese - Cover and inside pages of the book Linee Guida per una Strategia di Sviluppo del Luganese

Thanks to the application of collaborative methodologies aimed at defining concrete scenarios, with BAK Economics we have supported Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Luganese in the design of the territory future, progressively adapting the tools and methods of involvement.

Project numbers

designer
4
weekly iterations
5
stakeholders involved in the workshops
40+
BAK Economics contributors
3

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