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A participatory process is a sequence of participatory activities (e.g. first filling out a survey, then making proposals, discussing them in face-to-face or virtual meetings, and finally prioritizing them) with the aim of defining and making a decision on a specific topic.

Examples of participatory processes are: a process of electing committee members (where candidatures are first presented, then debated and finally a candidacy is chosen), participatory budgets (where proposals are made, valued economically and voted on with the money available), a strategic planning process, the collaborative drafting of a regulation or norm, the design of an urban space or the production of a public policy plan.

Process phases

In this phase, we collectively explore our territory to understand:

  • Who are the key stakeholders and actors?

  • What are the unmet needs and barriers?

  • How do different parts of our system relate to each other?

  • Where are the feedback loops that keep problems in place?

We use Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) - visual maps of how different factors in our territory influence each other - to build a shared picture of the system.

With our system map in hand, we explore thematic enablers - areas where change can have the greatest leverage:

  • Circular Bioeconomy: Using bio-based resources in closed-loop cycles

  • Mobility Empowerment: Improving access to sustainable transport

  • Smart Agriculture & Food Systems: Leveraging technology for sustainable production

  • Cultural Heritage & Tourism: Preserving and valorizing local assets

  • Digital Innovation: Bridging the digital divide

For each enabler, we identify concrete opportunities that connect to the needs and dynamics mapped in Phase 1.

In the final phase, we:

  • Co-design concrete interventions based on the most promising opportunities

  • Identify and test the assumptions behind each intervention

  • Evaluate how each intervention contributes to (or disrupts) the broader system

  • Use the Causal Loop Diagram to simulate potential systemic effects

Vienna & Lower Austria - Community of Practice

System Innovation for Rural-Urban Collaboration

Answer the Community Needs Assessment Survey

About this process

Welcome to the Rural-Urban Co-creation Lab of Vienna & Lower Austria!

Here we investigate how the circular bioeconomy can enable rural-urban synergies. A regional circular bioeconomy turns agricultural, forestry and food-processing waste into valuable raw materials while strengthening cooperation between urban and rural actors. Following a rethink-reduce-recover approach, together with BioBASE we analyse residual biomass streams in the Vienna region - from stale bread to apricot kernels and used cooking oil - and evaluate valorisation pathways with local stakeholders. In this space we gather all our activities, upcoming events and other interesting topics, and invite you to engage, discuss and co-develop the continuation of the process.

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Reference: RURBANIVE-PART-2026-07-4

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