Toolbox

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Languages: english × · german

Suitable spatial context: flexible · neighbourhood

Level of effort for application: high · low · medium · very low

Lock-in Cluster: Attitudes × · Characteristics of the Alternative · Governance incumbency · Lack of Motivation/Intention & Habits · Perceived Experience & Evaluation · Personal and Social Beliefs · Political agency · Spatial Organisation

Card Sort

Card Sort is a simple yet powerful method for uncovering what matters most to your target audience. Participants rank a set of word or image cards by preference, quickly revealing key priorities and opening the door to deeper conversations about personal values and motivations.

Gamification

Gamification is the application of game-design mechanics — such as points, rewards, competitions, challenges, and progress tracking — to non-game contexts in order to motivate behaviour change. In the context of urban sustainability and mobility, it turns everyday choices like taking public transport, cycling, or saving energy into visible, rewarding actions that feel meaningful and fun rather than obligatory.

Outreach Participation

Outreach participation is an approach that actively reaches out to people in their own environments (e.g. neighborhoods, homes, or public spaces) instead of expecting them to join formal participation processes. It focuses especially on including individuals or groups who are usually underrepresented or hard to reach, by lowering barriers and engaging them directly in their everyday contexts.

Storytelling

Storytelling is a communication approach that uses narratives—real or fictional—to convey messages, experiences, and ideas in a relatable and engaging way. It translates complex information into human-centered stories that are easier to understand, remember, and connect with emotionally.

The Five Whys

The Five Whys is a simple yet powerful research method from human-centered design. Starting with a broad question about a person's habits or behaviours, you ask "why" five times in a row — not horizontally ("why else?") but vertically, going deeper with each answer until you uncover the emotional and human roots of a problem. The method takes only about 15 minutes, requires nothing more than pens and paper, and is designed to get to the core of a person's beliefs and motivations.