Chôra Framework - NESDC Presentation - Final

Chôra Framework
Portfolio Approach
Prepared for Prepared by
NESDC Chôra Foundation

Thailand Policy Lab Emma Presutti
Michael McAllum
UNDP AP Regional Innovation

Centre (Bangkok)
Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 1

1 Case for a
Systems
Approach
Systems Approaches are increasingly being used in Policy-Making
as a means to respond more effectively to unprecedented disruptions and the
levels of uncertainty and incoherence they are creating
UN Development Program EIT Climate-KIC Systems frameworks and methodologies

approach change and policy in a different
way
Many agencies are now using and deploying

systems based approaches
There is a strong body of theoretical work

which underpins Systems Approaches (e.g. M.
OECD CHÔRA Foundation
King & J Kay (2020) Radical Uncertainty. Pub Little
Brown Book Group)
UNDP is using several Systems Approaches

in its innovation portfolio
Most of the frames used in this presentation

are drawn from the Chôra Foundation
Systems Approaches
framework and their work with the UNDP
Thailand Policy Lab.
2 Why a Portfolio
Approach?
What does a Portfolio Approach provide?
A systems based Portfolio approach is a

mechanism for developing policy and change in
conditions that are complex and uncertain,
through:
● Creating a shared map (Learning Space)

for understanding what is going on in a
system and learning how to intervene in
that system
● De-risking proposed changes by

establishing an exploration space
between problem identification and
solutions
● Generating a pipeline of Policy Options
● Working very differently with a diverse

range of stakeholders to create new
Portfolio of Policy Options responses to problems in the existing
Community of practice includes EIT Climate-KIC system (restart) and in ways to go beyond
the existing system (rethink)

Why a Portfolio Approach?
Philippines Bolivia
Thailand Social Inclusion, Future of Work,
Sustainable Tourism focusing on Youth & focusing on Youth &
Culture Women

Bolivia
Need to generate actionable intelligence on the future of work, to inform proactive policy design and attract capital
Need
City of La Paz is reliant on two sectors; public
sector and Finance, which is causing women and
Individuals youth to leave the city to find meaningful work
Process
YOUTH & WOMEN A City Portfolio of Options was designed around
the Future of Work in Bolivia (La Paz) to bring
together the existing UNDP projects using
systems approach and stretch existing ideas
TOURISM & CULTURE
Outcome
WORK NARRATIVES Coherent Portfolio logic has meant City
governments and donors are more engaged and
different types of conversations are happening
because of the system-wide frame, making it
ENTREPRENEURSHIP easier to attract funds to Future of Work projects,
Businesses Sectors of and possible to proactively design policy
economic activity
Stakeholder Learnings
A coherent City Portfolio, underpinned by strong
Representation showing Bolivia Transformation Intent
logic, enables new and different conversations at
the systems level (as opposed to project level)
with Local Government and Funders, and stronger
engagement
7
Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021
Systems Transformation architecture used to identify Areas of Interest
for Tourism in Thailand
Using a Systems Transformation

architecture for our enquiry we identified four
areas of interest that we should focus on.
These were:
1. The market
2. Governance
3. Intelligence (moving from data
collection to information to
intelligence)
We also realised that, given the significance

of the changes either underway or emerging,
that localised Narratives (4) of difference
needed to be developed for both restart and
rethink.
2D Representation of the Thailand Tourism Learning Space

and Areas of Interest

Thailand
In a world with COVID-19, the tourism sector needs to create a budget of possibilities to manage uncertainty and volatility
Need
Thailand needs to restart the tourism sector, while
also managing the possibility that the old tourism
model may not return
Process
Design a Portfolio of Transformation Options that
stretches existing restart activities to be more
sustainable and rethink tourism model
Outcome
Conversations with stakeholders are informing
rethink
Portfolio Approach can be used to stretch existing
restart tourism activities, to create new
possibilities and rethinking tourism to manage
uncertainty (where we do not know if restart will
work)
Figure showing Tourism Context Shapers

Viet Nam & Philippines
Need to reframe how we approach waste and plastics to generate Circular Economy opportunities
Need
Reframe how we approach waste and plastics to
phase out ‘scrap’ plastic imports completely by
2025, and decouple economic activity from the
consumption of finite resources
Process
Designed a Portfolio to design waste out of the
system and generate business opportunities
through innovative materials use, aligned to
Circular Economy principles in Viet Nam
Outcome
Reframed waste to be an economic opportunity
Stakeholder learnings
Fostering coherence requires:
● Testing assumptions through field
experience
● Looking beyond technical fixes
● Taking a life-cycle perspective
Diagram showing UNDP Portfolio Logic for Vietnam
● Nesting change efforts within the local
community

3 Portfolio
Approach
Systems Conversations are Different
Need
System level conversations are necessary when
there are significant shocks to what is considered
‘normal.’
Causal relationships are Causal relationships are
invisible visible
A Different Process is required
Significant disruption places a system in a space
of ‘radical uncertainty’ where it may not respond
well to conventional change approaches and
accepted models
Learning needs to come before Solutions

In such circumstances to understand how we
might best intervene (solutions) in what are often
complex circumstances we need to first learn
what is possible (portfolio of options)

Systems Transformation Framework Overview
OUR FOCUS
LEARNING SPACE
Source: Chôra Green Paper

Anatomy of a Portfolio
OPTIONS
HOW What we will do to engage with the position and generate new
possibilities (knowledge, relationships and capabilities) to solve it
LEARNING POSITIONS
Where we want to go to observe, experience and engage with the
problem (related to our intent ‘effects’)
WHERE
AREAS OF INTEREST
The most important relational dynamics and areas of activity that
matter most in the problem space (related to our intent ‘effects’)
LEARNING SPACE
WHAT A representation of the most important structural features of the
complex problem or policy area we want to generate new solutions
for. (related to our intent ‘object’)

Create a Shared Learning Space
A representation of the most important structural features of the

complex problem or policy area we want to generate new
solutions for

Areas of Interest
Intelligence
Market Narrative
Governance
The most important relational dynamics and areas of activity that

matter most in the problem space (related to our intent ‘effects’)

Identifying Learning Positions in the System
CURRENT POSITIONS
Where are we already? Where do we want to go?
Positions are strategic vantage points in the system, where we

can observe, experience and engage with the problem (related to
our intent ‘effects’)
Designing Learning Options for Transformation and Renewal
What we will do to engage with the problem and generate new

possibilities (knowledge, relationships and capabilities) to solve it

Where Have We Used Systems Approaches?
Portfolio Approach Other Systems Approaches
Thailand: Sustainable Tourism Vietnam & Philippines: UNDP Circular Economy
Bolivia: Future of Work, focus on youth & women UNDP Bhutan
Philippines: Making cultural heritage restoration relevant

to young people
Tunisia: Trust and governance
Dominican Republic: Sustainable Tourism
With visual-spatial canvas and streamlined approach to

design Portfolio of Policy Options to transform Cities
● Tourism Portfolio Design Canvas

● Climate Change and Cities Portfolio Design
Canvas (on previous page)
● Cities Portfolio Design Canvas
19
City and Climate Portfolio Design Canvas
Need
● Design beyond technology and what is
plausible in the current system
● Manage uncertainty and volatility
● Respond to existential risk & shocks
● Accelerate regenerative action
Process
The Canvas is a multi-dimensional representation
of City systems and Climate Change dynamics,
and is used to support social actors to
collaboratively identify system intervention points
and design Portfolios of Policy Options to
generate mitigation and adaptation effects
Outcome
Portfolio of Policy Options that creates:
● Terms of reference for the City as it
negotiates the impacts of climate change
● A budget of possibilities
● Community owned solutions
Stakeholders
Allows those that are not systems practitioners to
Representation of the Chôra Climate Change Portfolio Design Canvas
engage with the process and own the solutions
as presented at COP 26
20
4 Case Studies
Thailand
Bangkok & Phuket, Thailand

In a world with COVID-19, the tourism sector needs to create a budget of possibilities to manage uncertainty and volatility
Need
Thailand needs to restart the tourism sector, while
also managing the possibility that the old tourism
model may not return
Process
Design a Portfolio of Transformation Options that
stretches existing restart activities to be more
sustainable and rethink tourism model
Outcome
Conversations with stakeholders are informing
rethink
Portfolio Approach can be used to stretch existing
restart tourism activities, to create new
possibilities and rethinking tourism to manage
uncertainty (where we do not know if restart will
work)
Diagram showing Tourism Context Shapers

Thailand
Bangkok & Phuket, Thailand

Systems Transformation architecture used to identify Areas of Interest for tourism in Thailand
Using a Systems Transformation

architecture for our enquiry we identified four
areas of interest that we should focus on.
These were:
1. The market
2. Governance
3. Intelligence (moving from data
collection to information to
intelligence)
We also realised that, given the significance

of the changes either underway or emerging,
that localised Narratives (4) of difference
needed to be developed for both restart and
rethink.
Diagram showing Thailand Tourism Areas of Interest

Thailand
Bangkok
Rethinking dynamic hubs, becoming competitive in a global market
The initial portfolio of possibilities has been developed to

assist the tourism and tourism logistics sector in Bangkok
to explore, learn and understand more about what it means
to be sustainable in a ‘no normal’ world.
These indicative options have been designed to

demonstrate what might be possible and examine system
effects in the previously identified positions. They are:
● Understanding hub dynamics in a “no normal”
● Developing a Roadmap to reopen in the “no

normal”
● Looking outwards, global positioning
These options are supported by two enabling options

which work on different time scales.
● Building capacity through micro-financing

networks
● Soft power & changing the narrative in the media
Bangkok Portfolio of Policy Options

Thailand
Phuket
Restarting tourism, stretching to become more sustainable and resilient to shocks
The suggested portfolio has been developed to support

the tourism sector in Phuket by assisting it to explore, learn
and understand what it means to be sustainable.
The indicative options are specific initiatives designed to

examine system effects and demonstrate what might be
possible in any given position.
With respect to Phuket the first set of indicative options

are:
● Intelligence generation to navigate volatility

(p.42),
● Intelligence on tourism worker benefit flows

(p.43),
● Capability building to foster bottom-up solutions

to clone tourism (p.44),
● Deep demonstration of “Flower Market” type

offer in Phuket (p.45),
and the final option on creating a shared long-term vision

of a different kind of tourism offering in a ‘no normal’ world.
● Forging a new identity (p.46)
Phuket Portfolio of Policy Options

Bolivia
La Paz, Bolivia
Need to generate actionable intelligence on the future of work, to inform proactive policy design and attract capital
Need
City of La Paz is reliant on two sectors; public
sector and Finance, which is causing women and
youth to leave the city to find meaningful work
Individuals
Process
A City Portfolio of Options was designed around
YOUTH & WOMEN the Future of Work in Bolivia (La Paz) to bring
together the existing UNDP projects using
systems approach and stretch existing ideas
TOURISM & CULTURE
Outcome
Coherent Portfolio logic has meant City
WORK NARRATIVES governments and donors are more engaged and
different types of conversations are happening
because of the system-wide frame, making it
easier to attract funds to Future of Work projects,
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
and possible to proactively design policy
Businesses Sectors of
economic activity Stakeholder Learnings
A coherent City Portfolio, underpinned by strong
logic, enables new and different conversations at
Diagram showing Bolivia Transformation Intent the systems level (as opposed to project level)
with Local Government and Funders, and stronger
engagement
26
Bolivia
La Paz: Enabling Youth

Options are activities that help us engage with the system, specific dynamics or actors in it
and learn from that experience to generate better intelligence.
In La Paz we have formulated the following initial options that aim to specifically learn how
youth can be enabled and equipped to become a transformational force for innovation in
the system that results in the effects of the portfolio intent. These options are:
Impact Adventures: a program for community and media engagement to source and
amplify positive stories of success of local heroes
High impact zebra entrepreneurship:
A network of municipal centers for youth entrepreneurship bringing together startups and
youth, providing education, stimulus, funding and support for young talent
Youth consensus builder: run a series of sensemaking workshops with youth and
experienced politicians to create opportunities for exchange of experiences and derive
intelligence that informs future of work policies. A first test of this mechanism could be
done in the context of ongoing municipal engagement programs in several
neighbourhoods in La Paz, to validate and refine the approach27 and inform a scaled method
that could be implemented as an ongoing city-wide process

Bolivia
High Impact Zebra

Impact Adventures Entrepreneurship Youth Consensus Builder
28

Pasig,
PHP Pasig, Philippines
Need to accelerate social cohesion, with a focus on youth
Need
Pasig has a very young population but is also
looking to revitalise a key heritage area (Pablacion
Urban Redevelopment Area or PURA)
HOME_RENEWAL
Memes of Pride
Process
Designed a Portfolio of Transformation Options to
iCITY_RESPONSE rethink heritage so that it is relevant and exciting
Virtual Poblacion for young people
Outcome
Local officials rescoped the projects they had
@WORK_RESPONSE/RENEWAL around heritage to activate the Portfolio of
Participatory placemaking: Food Options that bring completely different ideas to
Space[FORM] life and that act as an attractor to young people
Local government wanted to think and act
differently. Through the Portfolio Approach they
developed completely different ideas about how
to transform their cities and redesigned their
programs as a result.
Diagram showing Learning Space for Pasig’s Seed Portfolio
29
Pasig,
PHP
Pasig: Portfolio Summary

The intent of Pasig’s Local Government and UNDP is to
leverage a set of distinct capabilities and resources
represented by the youth in the city and cultural
heritage in the Poblacion Urban Redevelopment Area to
induce system transformation effects that produce the
following system-wide outcomes:
● Draw and sustain local economic activity by

developing heritage culinary scene and
enterprises
● Enhanced experience through meaning by
celebrating heritage stories to instill learning
and pride
● Instigate soft interventions/infrastructure that
support safe, livable riverine30placemaking and
preservation of built heritage

Pasig,
PHP
Portfolio Positions
HOME_RENEWAL: Memes of Pride
Go Where
Individuals and communities come together to generate, interpret, tell and

perpetuate stories of cohesion, belonging and pride through the use of art,
symbols, dance, digital content; where positive stories take a life of their own;
where a diverse network of places, players and interactions [the Ecosystem]
becomes the living fabric where memes breed and evolve
TECHNOLOGY
INTELLIGENCE
(Hi)stories
INFORMATION
Symbolic
Communities
Language
DATA
Youth WO
RK
S
S
NET
ESSE
SIN ID
BU IES EN
Effects
IT TIT
UN S
MM OD Y
CO HO CU
UR KN LT
BO OW UR
GH E
NEI LE
DG
E
R
ITO
VIS B
HE UILT
RIT
IZEN
● Draw and sustain local economic activity by developing heritage CIT AG

WA E
TE
RW
AY
S
UTH
YO
culinary scene and enterprises

● Enhanced experience through meaning by celebrating heritage
stories to instill learning and pride
● Instigate soft interventions/infrastructure that support safe, livable
riverine placemaking and preservation of built heritage COVID

Pasig,
PHP
Portfolio Positions
iCITY_RESPONSE: Virtual Poblacion
Go Where
Digital, virtual and augmented technology create the infrastructure and building
blocks of a constructed space - a parallel world of new experiences
unconstrained by the boundedness of the physical world; layering new and
TECHNOLOGY
engaging content, creating synthetic experiences and virtual reality, and a new
INTELLIGENCE
state of being/ engaging/ experiencing this new space ( remotely, through
being present digitally rather than physically)
INFORMATION
Spaces
DATA
S
RK
WO S
NET
ESSE
SIN ID
BU IT IES EN
UN TIT
MM S Y
OD
Technology Communities CO
GH
BO
UR
HO
KN
OW
CU
LT
UR
E
NEI LE
DG
E
Effects VIS
ITO
R
IZEN
B
HE UILT
RIT
CIT AG
WA E
TE
RW
AY
S
UTH
YO
● Draw and sustain local economic activity by developing heritage

● Enhanced experience through meaning by celebrating heritage
stories to instill learning and pride
COVID
● Instigate soft interventions/infrastructure that support safe, livable
riverine placemaking and preservation of built heritage

Pasig,
PHP
Portfolio Positions
@WORK_RESPONSE/RENEWAL: Participatory Placemaking - Food [SpaceFORM]*
Go Where
Food (making, consuming, selling, growing) becomes the attractor that brings
TECHNOLOGY
together communities (citizens and visitors alike) and infrastructure (modular,
INTELLIGENCE
replicable, public) to enable layering of rich social experiences and facilitate
vibrant commercial and cultural exchanges.
INFORMATION
Public
spaces
DATA
S
RK
WO S
NET
ESSE
SIN ID
BU IES EN
Heritage/ CO
MM
UN
IT
OD
S
TIT
Y
Communities GH
BO
UR
HO
KN
OW
CU
LT
UR
Culture NEI
R
LE
DG
E
E
ITO
VIS B
HE UILT
RIT
IZEN AG
CIT WA E
TE
RW
AY
S
Businesses YO
UTH
Effects
● Draw and sustain local economic activity by developing heritage

COVID
● Enhanced experience through meaning by celebrating heritage stories
to instill learning and pride *SpaceFORM is a dynamic clustering of people and S/places with the capability of
structuring experiences (commercial exchanges, cultural experiences, social connections)
● Instigate soft interventions/infrastructure that support safe, livable SpaceFORM is created by those in it, and is enabled by a platform that facilitates its
riverine placemaking and preservation of built heritage emergent nature - its ability to be constructed by those present in it

Pasig,
PHP
Pasig: Options Blueprints
FOOD PLACELETS UNDERSTANDING CHANNELS - RESEARCH

Conduct an ethnographic study using ambulatory vendors to map hot spots Using digital marketing tools discover the different types of channels and
in Poblacion. Either a traditional study or a model similar to the startup captive audiences available in Pasig. Create a map that documents
Premise could be used by giving the vendors the means to take pictures audience type and size, channel preference, key influencers and hashtags,
and track their movements with smart phones and/or sensors. The output interests and topics.
would be a rich map of places in the city that already have the
characteristics of placelets
NEW ASSETS - VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE

CROWDSOURCED PERSONALISATION - Lifestream a selected event (for example culinary workshop), and advertise
“THROUGH MY EYES” on Airbnb online experiences, in order to understand the experience from
Launch an online space where people are asked to contribute stories about the point of view of the experience creator (how easy/difficult and can it be
different parts of the city. Combine with option on understanding channels done with simple equipment), targeting and reach (what audiences are
to pick a platform that already has large captive and engaged audience and interested), pricing (how valuable is such experience
provides an easy way to upload video content. Replicate Wim Delvoye’s Tim virtual museum experience using an artist
from the tattoo parlour, symbolic local tattoo art that tells stories and a
museum exhibit. Assess Audience attraction and compare to other physical
and virtual experiences
CURATED EXPERIENCE
Culinary tour of Poblacion visiting different stores/chefs, with food tasting,
cooking experience/demonstration, storytelling and gift box at the end. Test
augmented reality via an app that adds interesting perspectives (for
example alternative story by a previous generation, current inhabitant or
previous tourist)
34
Vietnam
& PHP
Circular Economy: Systemic Design in Vietnam & Philippines
Sense & frame Engage & position Transform
35
Vietnam
& PHP
Circular Economy: Systemic Design Process
36
Vietnam
& PHP
Circular Economy: Ethnographic Research
37
Vietnam
& PHP
Circular Economy: Shifting the narrative to ‘cradle to cradle’
38
Vietnam
& PHP
Circular Economy: Portfolio of Options to enhance coherence
39

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Chôra Framework

NESDC Chôra Foundation

UNDP AP Regional Innovation

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 1

UN Development Program EIT Climate-KIC Systems frameworks and methodologies

Many agencies are now using and deploying

There is a strong body of theoretical work

UNDP is using several Systems Approaches

Most of the frames used in this presentation

A systems based Portfolio approach is a

● Creating a shared map (Learning Space)

● De-risking proposed changes by

● Generating a pipeline of Policy Options

● Working very diﬀerently with a diverse

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 5

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 6

Using a Systems Transformation

We also realised that, given the signiﬁcance

2D Representation of the Thailand Tourism Learning Space

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 8

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 9

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 10

Learning needs to come before Solutions

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 12

Source: Chôra Green Paper

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 14

A representation of the most important structural features of the

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 15

The most important relational dynamics and areas of activity that

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 16

Where are we already? Where do we want to go?

Positions are strategic vantage points in the system, where we

What we will do to engage with the problem and generate new

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 18

Portfolio Approach Other Systems Approaches

Thailand: Sustainable Tourism Vietnam & Philippines: UNDP Circular Economy

Bolivia: Future of Work, focus on youth & women UNDP Bhutan

Philippines: Making cultural heritage restoration relevant

Tunisia: Trust and governance

Dominican Republic: Sustainable Tourism

With visual-spatial canvas and streamlined approach to

● Tourism Portfolio Design Canvas

Bangkok & Phuket, Thailand

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 22

Bangkok & Phuket, Thailand

Using a Systems Transformation

We also realised that, given the signiﬁcance

Diagram showing Thailand Tourism Areas of Interest

Chôra Portfolio Approach November 2021 23

The initial portfolio of possibilities has been developed to

These indicative options have been designed to

● Understanding hub dynamics in a “no normal”

● Developing a Roadmap to reopen in the “no

● Looking outwards, global positioning

These options are supported by two enabling options

● Building capacity through micro-ﬁnancing

● Soft power & changing the narrative in the media

Bangkok Portfolio of Policy Options