Disclaimer:
Please be aware that the content herein has not been peer reviewed. It consists of personal reflections, insights, and learnings of the contributor(s). It may not be exhaustive, nor does it aim to be authoritative knowledge.
Overview
Prepared by (Name of the experimenter)
Betty Chemier
On date (Day/Month/Year)
March 2024
Current status of experimental activity
Completed
What portfolio does this activity correspond to? If any
Solid Waste Management & Circular Economy
What is the frontier challenge does this activity responds to?
Solid Waste Management
What is the learning question(from your action learning plan) is this activity related to?
How to effectively engage citizens in addressing waste management challenges in urban areas.
Please categorize the type that best identifies this experimental activity:
Quasi Experimental (Analytical, observations, etc)
Which sector are you partnering with for this activity? Please select all that apply
Private Sector
Please list the names of partners mentioned in the previous question:
Easy Data Viz
Design
What is the specific learning intent of the activity?
How to generate conversations that raise awareness among citizens about waste management issues and motivate them to take action.
What is your hypothesis? IF... THEN....
If a scenario is provided to discuss the waste problem, then more information and confidence will be generated, driving citizen action.
Does the activity use a control group for comparison?
No, it does not use a control group
How is the intervention assigned to different groups in your experiment?
Random assignment
Describe which actions will you take to test your hypothesis:
The actions taken to test the hypothesis include designing and deploying the "Mobile Data", a physical device created to facilitate conversations about waste in public spaces, conducting interviews, and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data from citizen responses.
What is the unit of analysis of this experimental activity?
The unit of analysis for this experimental activity is the individual citizen participant engaging with the Mobile Data device and participating in conversations about waste management.
Please describe the data collection technique proposed
Data collection includes conducting interviews and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data gathered from citizen responses during interventions in public spaces using the Mobile Data device.
What is the timeline of the experimental activity? (Months/Days)
The experimental activity took place over the course of 4 days, including interventions in public spaces and a workshop for stakeholders interested in utilizing the Mobile Data device.
What is the estimated sample size?
50-99
What is the total estimated monetary resources needed for this experiment?
Between 1,000 and 9,999 USD
Quality Check
This activity is relevant to a CPD outcome, The hypothesis is clearly stated, This activity offers strong collaboration oportunities, This activity offers a high potential for scaling, This activity has a low risk
Please upload any supporting images or visuals for this experiment.
Please upload any supporting links
What are the estimated non- monetary resources required for this experiment? (time allocation from team, external resources, etc) If any.
Results
Was the original hypothesis (If.. then) proven or disproven?
The results provided insights into citizen perceptions and proposed actions regarding waste management, which can be used to evaluate the hypothesis indirectly.
Do you have observations about the methodology chosen for the experiment? What would you change?
he methodology chosen for the experiment effectively engaged citizens in conversations about waste management. However, to improve the methodology, it may be beneficial to conduct follow-up interviews to gather more in-depth insights and assess the long-term impact of citizen participation.
From design to results, how long did this activity take? (Time in months)
From design to results, this activity took approximately 2 months to complete.
What were the actual monetary resources invested in this activity? (Amount in USD)
9,990$
Does this activity have a follow up or a next stage? Please explain
There are potential future uses of the Mobile Data device and the continuation of the Let's Talk Waste Panama initiative.
Is this experiment planned to scale? How? With whom?
The experiment has the potential to scale by expanding the use of the Mobile Data device to other urban areas facing waste management challenges, potentially collaborating with local governments, NGOs, or community organizations. The device also has the potential to be used by other actors for other themes.
Please add any supporting links that describe the planning, implementation, results of learning of this activity? For example a tweet, a blog, or a report.
Considering the outcomes of this experimental activity, which of the following best describe what happened after? (Please select all that apply)
This experiment did not scale yet
Learning
What do you know now about the action plan learning question that you did not know before? What were your main learnings during this experiment?
Through this experimental activity, several key learnings emerged regarding waste management and citizen engagement. Firstly, it became evident that constant education from childhood is crucial to instill awareness and responsibility regarding waste management practices. Additionally, significant barriers exist due to both a lack of willingness among citizens to address the issue and insufficient actions taken by governmental bodies, highlighting the need for coordinated efforts between the public and private sectors. Moreover, the emphasis on individual actions such as recycling and consumption reduction underscores the importance of promoting behavior change at the grassroots level. These learnings provide valuable insights for future initiatives aimed at addressing waste management challenges and fostering sustainable practices within communities.
What were the main obstacles and challenges you encountered during this activity?
Logistical issues, such as deploying the Mobile Data device effectively in public spaces and engaging participants in meaningful conversations about waste management, posed some initial challenges. Additionally, analyzing diverse citizen responses and deriving actionable insights from the data collected presented its own set of difficulties. Overcoming these obstacles required flexibility, adaptability, and innovative approaches to ensure the success of the experimental activity. Moving forward, addressing these challenges will be essential to optimize the impact and effectiveness of similar initiatives in the future.
Who at UNDP might benefit from the results of this experimental activity? Why?
UNDP staff involved in waste management projects or initiatives aimed at citizen engagement and behavior change may benefit from the results of this experimental activity.
Who outside UNDP might benefit from the results of this experiment? and why?
External beneficiaries may include local governments, NGOs, community organizations, and urban planners seeking insights into effective strategies for citizen engagement in waste management.
Did this experiment require iterations? If so, how many and what did you change/adjust along the way? and why?
The experiment may require some iterations to refine the design and deployment of the Mobile Data device, as well as to adjust interview questions and data analysis methods based on initial findings.
What advice would you give someone wanting to replicate this experimental activity?
Carefully deciding on the data to be used for the device and to spark conversations with citizens.
Can this experiment be replicated in another thematic area or other SDGs? If yes, what would need to be considered, if no, why not?
This experiment may be replicable in other thematic areas or SDGs, such as water management or public health, with adaptations to suit the specific context and objectives of the initiative.
How much the "sense" and "explore" phases of the learning cycle influenced/shaped this experiment? In hindsight, what would you have done differently with your fellow Solution Mapper and Explorer?
This experiment was the result of a long phase of sensing and mapping solutions around solid waste management.
What surprised you?
Unexpected citizen responses, insights, or proposed actions regarding waste management, as well as challenges encountered in engaging participants or deploying the Mobile Data device effectively.
11Sustainable cities and communities
12Responsible consumption and production
