Design experiments and co-governance for city transitions: vision mapping

This paper explores enabling experiments for social innovation that can support cities as transition arenas. We review how the co-production of urban experiments takes place through collaborative mapping which enables communities to peer produce urban space for diverse economies and citizen-based visioning to engender inclusive images of the future. We evaluate Vision Mapping, a hybrid methodology to produce new urban imaginaries through a case study of the Future Economies Lab for the Future Melbourne 2026 public consultation. Vision Mapping uses collaborative mapping, strategic foresight and human-centred design within an appreciative inquiry framework to co-produce new urban imaginaries and prototypes of city futures. We consider how Vision Mapping could be democratized through co-governance for greater citizen empowerment and design for social innovation through platforms to enable ongoing experimentation in city-making.