Piloting solutions and procuring innovation is a risky activity – if the problems they are addressing are not understood, clearly defined, and communicated well. Therefore, in this session we will provide an overview of best practice challenge scoping activities, local government specific tips, as well as practical mini-experiences and takeaways for attendees. Ideal for anyone new to challenge scoping, or those looking to improve their organisation’s practices.

By the very nature of resident and business needs, the challenges local government addresses are often complex, involve multiple different stakeholders, and are hard to put into words. Past examples of misalignment between the innovation and the real underlying challenges often creates a distrust between authorities and innovative or emerging solutions. Furthermore, this barrier can be multiplied when the challenge requires significant and speedy action, such as decarbonizing to achieve net-zero targets.

Therefore, drawing upon Connected Places Catapult’s experience of running and supporting challenge scoping activities with local authorities – we will take attendees through a challenge scooping process for retrofit and decarbonisation areas, which broadly outlines how to break down big strategic problems into bitesize chunks, and then identify which of these are most suitable for innovative technology or other innovation responses. Particularly as regards procurement and/or piloting