Living Labs in Southern Africa
Welcome to the Living Labs in Southern Africa Wiki site. This wiki site will facilitate communication and information sharing between living labs practitioners in the Living Labs domain.
We are putting together the rules for access to the information on the site as well as the settings to allow users to share and upload content. The structure of this wiki site will evolve over time. Please feel free to contribute.
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Blog: www.llisa.net
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Overview
The lack of a proper understanding what triggers innovations and which innovations prove to be successful in different environmental, social and cultural contexts poses a big threat to the design of real-world innovation. This is in particular true for South Africa. Being a ‘society in transition’ facing the challenge of social change and social innovation South Africa needs to understand how to do advanced African innovation research. Designing real-world innovation in an African way might therefore differ from the indigenous tradition and might not be similar to the western world as well; however, what’s similar is that its start is community-driven.
The goal of this website is to support the growth of a community of Living Lab researchers in Southern Africa and ultimately, in Africa. Meraka, as a member of this network, supports this initiative as part of its mandate and vision.
The Focus
A joint vision of South Africa as a “competitive and progressive 21st century nation". Through user-driven, open innovation initiatives the development of a new mindset of the South African society as equal custodians of the building blocks to all forms of access and inclusion.
We are participating in the global economy and want to be recognized internationally for the contribution we will make as co-creators of the Global Knowledge Society.
The Network
Meraka Institute's Role
LLiSA Board
LLiSA is planned to be supported as a project by multiple partners, initially by COFISA, Meraka and SAFIPA, extending and encompassing all the partners in the proposed network.
The Meraka Institute has established a Living Labs research group in 2007, and continues to strengthen its expertise and skills in the area. Meraka has been involved in the European discussions and projects in the past years, i.e. through the Sekukhune Rural Living Lab project. Meraka has established partnerships with European institutions and has also coordinated other South African input to European framework research programmes. Overall, Meraka is in an ideal position to start coordinating LLiSA network activities in the Southern African region.
COFISA is interested in promoting Living Labs as integral parts of the South African and Southern African innovation systems, especially at regional or local levels. Some COFISA support is already channeled towards organisational development of Siyakhula and also to the CPUT Living Lab initiative in 2009-2010. In addition to the funding function, the role of COFISA in LLiSA specifically is to facilitate the network activities and learning opportunities in South Africa and between South African and Finnish/Nordic Living Lab communities, connected to the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL).
SAFIPA as a programme promotes innovation in ICT applications in South Africa in the time period of 2008-2010. Through their calls for proposals, SAFIPA in principle could be an important funding source for ICT or ICT enabled innovation projects in Living Lab environments, which could provide platforms and concrete mechanisms for user / citizen participation. Therefore although not directly within its original mandate, the network building project could influence SAFIPA’s success in South Africa and contribute to the overall goals of the programme. SAFIPA is also in an ideal position to continue supporting LLiSA from the Finnish perspective after COFISA comes to an end in February 2010.
An important but yet undefined role is planned for the three newly accepted members of the European Network of Living Labs, ENoLL: Sekukhune, Siyakhula and Maputo Living Labs. They could take a key position in the developments in the Southern African region, show leadership and example and facilitate contacts and learning between the community and LLiSA partners that operate outside that environment. These ideas will have to be collectively discussed with all the partners involved.
The annual plan should be developed at least partly as a collaborative exercise beginning from the first joint event in January 2009, giving all the interested parties a chance for providing input for the plan. The first event should lead to the development of a mission document / founding charter for LLiSA.
Living Lab Initiatives in Southern Africa
- Reconstructed Living Lab
- Collaboration between Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)and Impact Direct (NGO).
- "The creation, dissemination and application of knowledge for the empowerment, upliftment and development of people and communities, including living societies and organizations, in or headed for tension through the use of innovative ICT solutions."
- Feasibility study-phase March to June 2009 with COFISA and registered as a Non-profit end of 2009.
- Visit Reconstructed Living Lab site.
- Limpopo Living Lab
- Planned by the Limpopo Provincial Government. The LLL adopts the BUG-C collaboration model in developing technology & innovation solutions.
- Feasibility study completed in 2007. Feasibility report proposed four focus areas for LLL namely, community projects(in technology & innovation), innovation solutions, business development & incubation of technology & innovation enterprises as well as training & development which are also part of Limpopo ICT Institute.
- Business Plan development in progress.
- Advansis Limited appointed to develop the business plan of Limpopo Living lab as from 3/3/2009. The project is due for completion by end of June 2009.
- The Sekhukhune and Ndlovu LLs are located in Limpopo
- Sekhukhune Living Lab
- Rural Enterprise creation
- Siyakhula Living Lab
- Partnership in the Eastern Cape between Universities of Rhodes & Fort Hare, established March 2006.
- Lead rests with Computer Science Departments, but involves Education, Linguistics, Information Systems, Anthropology, etc. Depts.
- Based on relationship with community established by Anthropology Dept. in 2001-2003
- Rural ICTs focusing on software applications, e-Services, Web 2.0, empowerment and community engagement.
- Feasibility study-phase in June 2008 for Village Connection experiment with Nokia Siemens Networks, Meraka Institute and COFISA
- Member of the European Network of Living Labs(ENoLL)
- Visit Siyakhula Living Lab site
- Moutse Living Lab
- Partnership between the Ndlovu Care Group (Elandsdoorn) and Meraka.
- Rural upliftment and services quality improvement (health, education, jobs).
- Soshanguve Living Lab
- Planned by Tshwane University of Technology (ICT Faculty)
- Education, Research, Community Development, Job Creation
- Bushbuck Ridge Living Lab
- SAP Research and Wits University
- Patient Health System for chronically ill patients in rural areas
- iCyber Leadership Lab
- Explores the use of different computing platforms to improve leadership capabilities and effectiveness:
- Study leadership innovations in cyber space.
- Equip established and potential leaders.
- Promote the innovative use of computing platforms, techniques and practices
- Visit us at http://www.icyber.org.za
- Explores the use of different computing platforms to improve leadership capabilities and effectiveness:
- Maputo Living Lab
- Kuyasa Living Lab
- Visit Kuyasa Living Lab site
Methods and Tools
The Harmonization Cube
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The six sides of the cube correspond with the following topics:
- User Involvement (Orange)
- Service Creation (Green)
- Infrastructure (Blue)
- Governance (Red)
- Innovation Outcomes (Yellow)
- Methods & Tools (White)
A do-it-yourself foldable paper version of the Harmonization Cube is available
Living Labs discussion forum
A Google discussion group called Supporting Living Labs in South Africa has been created as a discussion and interaction platform. Any Living Lab practitioner is welcome to join.
International Linkages
ENOLL
COFISA
SAFIPA
Industry Stakeholders
