Talking to People: The Hidden Engine of Innovation
I have yet to find a better way to innovate than simply talking to people. While many leaders look for technological silver bullets to solve urban challenges, the most resilient solutions often come from building a permanent infrastructure for conversation.
Bologna, Italy, is a standout example of civic innovation, often celebrated for its commitment to co-design. While its methods are famous, the most compelling angle in Bologna’ story is how the city adapts to a population that turns over by 25% every decade, building a cost-effective system to truly hear its shifting resident base. Bologna, has a long history of civic engagement, but in recent years participation had declined. With nearly 15 percent of its 388,000 residents born outside Italy and a large transient student population, many people were disconnected from local decision-making and had limited influence on city priorities.
To address this, Bologna created six neighborhood laboratories, one in each district, where residents could share experiences, raise concerns, and discuss local priorities with municipal staff. These forums allowed the city to gather input from diverse groups—students, families, associations, and newcomers—reflecting the distinct characteristics of each district. The insights collected through these structured conversations feed directly into the city’s participatory budgeting process, giving residents real influence over which projects get funded. In the first round, 16,000 people voted online, and in the second, 17,000 participated, helping the city identify neighborhood priorities and understand where resources were most needed. By combining repeated engagement, local forums, and structured voting, Bologna has created a sustainable consultation model that listens deeply, identifies community priorities, and channels resident input into tangible innovations.
While Bologna’s neighborhood labs offer a structured, institutionalized framework for consultation, engagement can also thrive in more informal and spontaneous settings, perhaps the streets.