Playbook: A Design-Driven Approach to Circular and Digital Partnerships

To make it easier for cities to engage with businesses and entrepreneurs around data-driven circular solutions, the Danish Business Authority, twin transition, and DDC developed this playbook. The playbook aims to inspire and guide project managers and leaders in city administrations to become facilitators of circular digital public-private partnerships and innovation processes.

The playbook uses tools, methods, and case studies and is design-driven. Design processes are inherently concerned with changing the existing into something preferred. They have an action-oriented and iterative methodology and are often based on participatory practices. This has shown effectiveness in transitioning to and innovating within a circular economy.

The playbook is divided into four iterative steps:

1. Scoping the digital, circular solution
2. Mapping and engagement
3. Prototyping and testing
4. Choosing the right path for scaling impact

Why this playbook?

Cities are uniquely positioned to accelerate the transition to a circular economy through innovation. They can drive on-the-ground sustainable transformation involving businesses, citizens, and other public organizations. As a physical space with far-reaching infrastructure, the city can also be a key driving force in establishing new partnerships and collaborations on new circular, data-driven solutions. Globally, solutions are emerging, but far too many of the challenges cities encounter are still to be solved to transition and reach their ambitious climate targets. City administrations must acquire new methods and mean that support the exploration of partnerships across stakeholder landscapes, value chains, and city ecosystems. In other words, cities need to become facilitators of public-private partnerships in circular, data-driven innovation processes.