Tools for co-creation and systems thinking approach
Food loss and waste is a serious problem that can not be solved with technical solutions alone. It requires co-creation and a systems thinking approach.
The tools below are selected to help projects with that in every phase of their innovation process.
You can select tools based on the goal you want to achieve or the stage you are at in the innovation process.
For each tool, the effort and time span needed are indicated with a symbol.
Effort needed to implement a specific tool:
🌶 Little effort
🌶🌶 Less effort
🌶🌶🌶 More effort
Time needed to implement the tool (excluding preparation and processing time):
⧗ (1-2 hours)
⧗⧗ (3-4 hours)
What do you want to achieve?
Identifying all stakeholders that are relevant for your solution and understanding their role is best done in an early stage but can be repeated later on as the project evolves.
From this mapping it is important to decide which stakeholders to engage with and on what level. Many tools have the engagement of stakeholders not as their main objective but as welcome side effect.
Select tools according to the stage in your innovation process:
This stage involves identifying the exact FLW issue that you want to solve, mapping it and understanding the issue at hand as well as it’s connection to the broader system.
Based on that analysis a conceptual solution is developed.
During prototyping the conceptual solution is translated into a first test in a controlled environment, a prototype.
There are not tools in this stage.
Only after the final product or service is ready and tested in an uncontrolled environment, it can be brought to the market at a larger scale.
Now the focus is on reducing the production costs by optimising the processes and increasing quantities.
The SILLs are composed of very complementing and experienced partners.
Extracting the knowledge that exists in the team or with a broader set of stakeholders is an important goal to develop a workable FLW innovation.
Select tools according to the stage in your innovation process:
This stage involves identifying the exact FLW issue that you want to solve, mapping it and understanding the issue at hand as well as it’s connection to the broader system.
Based on that analysis a conceptual solution is developed.
During prototyping the conceptual solution is translated into a first test in a controlled environment, a prototype.
Learnings from the prototype building are the basis for further developing the solution into marketable end product or service.
This usually happens through multiple iterations of demonstration, adapting and testing in (semi-)controlled environments.
Only after the final product or service is ready and tested in an uncontrolled environment, it can be brought to the market at a larger scale.
Now the focus is on reducing the production costs by optimising the processes and increasing quantities.
Combining existing knowledge in a new way and looking at the same issue from different perspectives to gain new insights.
Select tools according to the stage in your innovation process:
This stage involves identifying the exact FLW issue that you want to solve, mapping it and understanding the issue at hand as well as it’s connection to the broader system. Based on that analysis a conceptual solution is developed.
During prototyping the conceptual solution is translated into a first test in a controlled environment, a prototype.
Learnings from the prototype building are the basis for further developing the solution into marketable end product or service.
This usually happens through multiple iterations of demonstration, adapting and testing in (semi-)controlled environments.
Only after the final product or service is ready and tested in an uncontrolled environment, it can be brought to the market at a larger scale.
Now the focus is on reducing the production costs by optimising the processes and increasing quantities.
During the entire innovation process there will be challenges arising and different choices to make on how to tackle these challenges. Additionally some of these tools stimulate foresight so that you can anticipate certain issues rather than solve them after they presented themselves.
Select tools according to the stage in your innovation process:
This stage involves identifying the exact FLW issue that you want to solve, mapping it and understanding the issue at hand as well as it’s connection to the broader system. Based on that analysis a conceptual solution is developed.
During prototyping the conceptual solution is translated into a first test in a controlled environment, a prototype.
Learnings from the prototype building are the basis for further developing the solution into marketable end product or service.
This usually happens through multiple iterations of demonstration, adapting and testing in (semi-)controlled environments.
Only after the final product or service is ready and tested in an uncontrolled environment, it can be brought to the market at a larger scale.
Now the focus is on reducing the production costs by optimising the processes and increasing quantities.
Translating good ideas and new knowledge into actionable plans will be needed at the end of each iterative round of demonstration and testing as well as in the commercialisation and scale-up phase.
Select tools according to the stage in your innovation process:
This stage involves identifying the exact FLW issue that you want to solve, mapping it and understanding the issue at hand as well as it’s connection to the broader system. Based on that analysis a conceptual solution is developed.
During prototyping the conceptual solution is translated into a first test in a controlled environment, a prototype.
Learnings from the prototype building are the basis for further developing the solution into marketable end product or service.
This usually happens through multiple iterations of demonstration, adapting and testing in (semi-)controlled environments.
Only after the final product or service is ready and tested in an uncontrolled environment, it can be brought to the market at a larger scale.
Now the focus is on reducing the production costs by optimising the processes and increasing quantities.
Lisa Van den Bossche
Scientific researcher ILVO
Lisa.vandenbossche@ilvo.vlaandere.be
+32(0)477310615
Here you can download all tools (PDF) with just one click (80 pages).
Green Deal-funded projects are stepping up with innovative solutions based on the 3Rs - reduce, reuse, and recycle. Read Green Deal Projects Support Office’s recent article on tackling food waste in the EU.
Join us for the Final Conference of the ZeroW and CHORIZO projects, where we will showcase key findings, insights, and solutions to tackle food loss and waste (FLW), one of the most pressing challenges in Europe’s food system.
Reducing food loss and waste is a critical challenge in the fresh produce sector, and engaging those who work directly in the supply chain is essential to finding effective solutions.