Our design principles

Transforming Tomorrow is a challenging initiative to organise: it has a large ambition, a wide scope and several strands which need to discover forwards. We have created a set of design principles for a number of reasons. First, to encourage coherence across that range of activities. Second, to keep front-of-mind our starting premises and how we wish to be in the world. Third, to make explicit, as much as we can, our assumptions about ourselves and the world.

Below are the current principles. By their nature, they are best thought of as a work-in-progress, which will adapt with experience. Of course, we will sometimes fail to put them into practice. Do tell us if you think we have! Such feedback gives us the chance to learn and improve.

  1. We are rigorous and honest about what the evidence means, including the dangers of continuing with the current direction.

  2. We are orientated toward urgent action for long-term transformation (rather than retrenching the status quo.)

  3. We are focused on deeper structural shifts (so, ‘new institutions’ in the broadest senses). Not just new technologies or incremental economic policies.

  4. We are a crucible for that process of discovering and creating prosperity together. We are not prescriptive on a universal or uniform version of prosperity.

  5. We create deliberative spaces where participants inquire into, and shift, deeply-held beliefs about the world and their role.
  6. We are an example and an experiment in learning from experience for profound change. Not a narrow notion of knowledge as data or evidence.
  7. We seek experiences and data from the edges, especially missing voices from the Global South. Not just experts and senior decision-makers.
  8. We aim to increase the power of citizens to act for their own version of the good life.
  9. We understand that knowledge creation, sharing and use are embedded in ecologies of people and institutions at local and global levels. Not just academics pushing more evidence out.
  10. We cover multiple issues and are multi-disciplinary. Not one topic or method

If you wish to give feedback on these please do so here.