Section 4.4 Building pathways

In this section we present our two different pathways to achieve our 2065 vision: the Texel Innoveert and the Sustainaversity.

For each of them we describe an action agenda for the first five years and then the necessary milestones for the pathway to arrive at our vision. In addition, we describe how these changes are perceived by the actors involved and what is necessary for each of the transitions we propose to take place.

Milestones in the Texel Inoveert Pathway

The first pathway: Texel Innoveert, starts by encouraging Texelaars to innovate and to raise awareness for the island innovation character from inside out; meaning that innovation is created and presented in the island and them it is projected to the outside after it is already established as the island mindset.

2016

By the mid of the year, the first actions take place.

The municipality of Texel starts contacting external agents to organize an event with the characteristics of the DORP in the summer of 2017.

The focus of the first event is inspirational; it presents sustainable innovations from different places, but also from Texel.

In this first event the idea is not only to present innovative ideas to Texelaars, but the challenges they aim to overcome. This event has the objective of inspiring Texel inhabitants and show them that it is possible to innovate creatively.

2017 (summer) - Kick-off event

Event with the characteristics and concept of DORP takes place in Texel. In this event we expect that the following interactions take place:

• participants can share their problems;
• possible solutions are collected: experimenting during festival;
• presentation of current innovations;
• Inspirational lectures;
• Formation of informal groups

2017-2018 - Preparation for Texel Inoveert

As explained in Section 4.2, the Texel Innoveert is our main technological solution for this pathway. For this solution to work we first need to stimulate Texelaars to sustainably innovate.

This asks for two very important changes in the current social-technical system: the change of the individualist behaviour of Texelaars and better interaction between the municipality and Texelaars (meaning more feedback to the municipality).

We aim to tackle the first challenge by stimulating inspirational lectures in informal settings in Texel. This action would invite (external and local) innovators to expose their ideas to the population. In this events we believe the informal setting helps to facilitate communication between people, encouraging the sharing of ideas. This events can be held every 2 weeks or monthly, embedding them in  the routine of Texelaars to discuss innovation ideas.

The  second challenge solution is also associated with the lectures. The municipality would be invited to some of the events to expose the challenges they are trying to overcome and to receive feedback of the community. In these occasions, the municipality would invite the population to bring new ideas and solutions to the challenges of the island.

The lecture series would take place in the period between the summer events. In this way, from one event to the other Texelaars would be inspired to develop new sustainable innovations that can be presented in the summer events.

During this period an experimentation space is set up to accommodate the innovations elected as most potencial in the Texel Inoveert pilot 1.0.

2018 (summer) - Texel Inoveert pilot 1.0

This is the first Texel Inoveert pilot.

By pilot projects we mean that the project is not fully developed by Texelaars, and has still an experiment character. In the pilot projects we understand that external agents will be invited to bring their knowledge to how to realise the events.

The Texel Inoveert pilot 1.0 will have, as the 2017 kick off event, the presence of external actors to encourage and insipire Texelaars. In this event it is expected that Texelaars can present their first innovative ideas; by voting, the three best Texelaar ideas for sustainable innovations will be selected to be developed in the experimental space for the next year.

2018-2018 - Experimentation and preparation for pilot 2.0

During the period in between events, the lectures continue to inspire Texelaars; at the same time, the challenges proposed by the municipality stimulate the population to come up with innovative ideas. The municipality also starts receiving more feedback on their regulations and actions, and starts to adapt them to better suit the population of the island.

Also during the same time the first experimentation of innovations is happening. Innovators selected in the Texel Inoveert pilot 1.0 have an space to develop their ideas with the help of the necessary specialists and advisors.

2019 (summer) - Texel Inoveert pilot 2.0

The second Texel Inoveert pilot has a similar format to the last one, however this time there are more Texelaars exposing their ideas them external innovators. Again the best three sustainable ideas from Texel are selected to be further developed.

This time there is also a showcase during this event; showing the work developed in the last year in the experimentation space. The sustainable innovations developed are presented to the general public (locals and visitors) and also to entrepreneurs. This exposes these innovations to the market, hoping that they will be taken and transformed into products or businesses in Texel.

2020 (summer)- Texel Inoveert 1

After having external actors for the two pilot projects, we expect that by 2020 Texelaars are able to host and organize these events by themselves, with participation of innovations from the island.

The process of election of best innovations and presentation of the works developed in the previous years continues. We think that this process stimulates Texelaars to innovate, as they see the possibility of making their ideas into true products that are them exposed to the market.

2020 - 2035 - Texel Inoveert

In the following fifteen years the Texel Inoveert happens in the summer. The process is repeated and grows, the event gains recognition and visitors already come to Texel specifically for this event. Texelaars become known for their capacity and motivation to innovate, the showcase in the end on the events has each time more ideas being presented and becomes a reference as an innovation fair.

Texelaars understand that their sustainable innovative ideas have potential to make changes and be profitable, after 15 years, many of the previously selected ideas have become reality in the island and outside of it; so the election of the three ideas to be developed in the next year is very expected, every innovator hopes that his idea is selected. In addition, the number of visitors coming to island to the event helps Texelaars to create a network that allows them to develop their ideas even if they are not selected in the Texel Inoveert event; innovators start to become independent as their network works as an intermediary.

The municipality of Texel has become each time more transparent and now inhabitants are fully aware of their plans. Municipality and inhabitants discuss the future of Texel together. Regulations are now adapted and discussed to suit the needs of the population and the innovative community.

2035 (summer) - Texel Innoveert takes place abroad.

The first edition of Texel Innovert takes place outside Texel. In parallel with the traditional event in Texel the Texel Innovert mainland goes to different destinations in the Netherlands for the first time. The realization of these events reinforces the idea of Texel as an innovation island. Inhabitants feel proud of the recognition in the rest of the country.

2040 - Texel as an innovative knowledge destination.

Texel is all year round a destination for those who want to see new sustainable ideas and innovations. It is recognized as the center of sustainable innovation in the Netherlands. Universities and institutions place research centers in the island.

2040-2065 - In both pathways The amount of visitors and awareness understanding Texel as an innovative knowledge destination increases the number of external connections and sharing of knowledge Texelaars have. We think the growth of these interactions, together with the continuous development of the previous actions will make it possible for our 2065 vision to be achieved.

2065 Vision Achieved!

Our vision is achieved together with our presence objectives -  to increase the situated agency of Texelaars and to increase both, situated agency and synchronized performance of the innovators. Texelaars and innovators situated agency start to increase together with the sustainable innovations in Texel; the more innovations come, the more impact on Texel’s life they have, and inhabitants and innovators are each time more aware of the impact their innovations can have. Inhabitants also feel more responsible for their future, as the dialogue with the municipality is efficient and clear and they see their suggestions implemented. at the same time synchronized performance also increases; mainly in the beginning of the intervention but also during the whole pathway, inhabitants, innovators and the municipality have to work together for the realization of the Texel Innoveert; visitors and entrepreneurs join this interdependent system in the following years and collaborate for it to work and thrive during the pathway.

Milestones in the Sustainaversity Pathway

We designed a second pathway (Figure above) that could take Texel and Texelaars to the 2065 Vision of self-sufficiency in Permanently Innovate. Unlike Pathway 1, Pathway 2 starts by seizing the opportunities of people who are currently innovating in the island, as described below.

2016-2017: Sustainable change begins!

Texel pioneers, such as organic farmers or citizens who renovated their homes to make them more sustainable,  would design workshops to show their projects and teach how to design similar ones. These workshops would have visitors as their main target audience; however, participation of Texelaars would be highly desirable.

2017-2020: Embedding the change

The workshops would take please monthly and each month would have a particular theme. For example, January would be the month for Closing the water loop, and February could be the month of sustainable agriculture. This calendar and implementation of workshops would be called Texel Does and Teaches (Texel D&T).

Once that it were opperating, the Texel D&T would attract Texelaars and visitors alike. On one hand, visitors could learn by doing in the island. On the other hand, Texelaars who are already innovating would find an audience with which to share their projects and could also turn their innovations into small businesses. In turn, the prospect of profits could turn Texel D&T into an attractive idea for other Texelaars, who could start innovating themselves.

2020 & Ahead: Witnessing Texel and abroad

In addition to injecting new energy to innovators in Texel and strenghtening the bonds with visitors, Texel D&T would have a medium-term objective. This objective would be the creation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) called Sustinaversity MOOC, a teaching platform from Texel to any internaut anywhere in the world.

Sustainaversity MOOC would be a way of first, providing testimony about the sustainable innovations in Texel and second, of sharing Texel’s experience and expertise abroad. In a way, the Sustainaversity MOOC would be an online version of Texel’s workshops; they would connect Texel with people who have not or cannot travel to the island.

2020-2035: Dynamic innovating

In order to involve Texel in a process of doing and not only teaching, Texelaars would have to engage in a continuous process of creating new content for the Sustainaversity MOOC. This means that new inhabitants would have to start innovating to create new workshops in the island and new lessons for the MOOC. Thus, at least every year one of the modules of the MOOC would be substituted for an entirely new one.

This evolving version of the course would be the Dynamic Sustainaversity MOOC. Under this plan, the initial Sustainaversity MOOC would have been fully renovated by 2035. Moreover, the Dynamic Sustainaversity MOOC and the Texel D&T will also have a longer-term goal: to turn Texel into a knowledge center for experimental innovation.

To transform Texel into an innovative-knowledge destination, Texel would have to become popular around the world because of its innovations and because of the opportunities it would give to innovators from abroad. The idea is for Texel to become a place to visit for people who want to learn how to innovate and who want to test their innovations.

2035-2040: Texel becoming an innovative knowledge destination

This particular milestone is common for both pathways. The amount of visitors and awareness understanding Texel as an innovative knowledge destination increases the number of external connections and sharing of knowledge Texelaars have. We think the growth of these interactions, together with the continuous development of the previous actions will make it possible for our 2065 vision to be achieved.

2065 Vision Achieved!

The table below summarizes the key changes that would be needed in the system and in the key stakeholders, how the would initiate, how they would be embedded and what rules and regulations would be required.

Presence with the Sustainaversity

Conducting Pathway 2 is a means to achieve the design for presence objectives. As explained in previous sections, those objectives are to increase the situated agency of Texelaars and to increase both, situated agency and synchronized performance of the innovators.

On one hand, this pathway achieves situated agency first, because Texelaars start innovated to create content for the MOOC. Second, because through the online platform Texelaars, innovators and visitors provide testimony of Texel’s journey. Third, because transformation is no longer an exclusive responsibility of the municipality, but also something Texelaars themselves can change. On the other hand, Pathway 2 achieves synchronized  performance because Texelaars, innovators and visitors’ efforts are necessary for the system to work.