Powers to Act: Deep Design of Cities and Places
Workshop tool inviting local governments to reflect on the deep design of their organisation
Version 1.0 (August 2022)
Overview
Every city or place seeking to live within the Doughnut will recognise that local institutions and ways of working inherited from the past can act as barriers to bringing about the transformations needed. This workshop tool invites local governments, and those working with local government, to address these barriers by exploring their ‘powers to act’ across five deep design layers - Purpose, Networks, Governance, Ownership and Finance - and how these design layers can be aligned with the future they seek to bring about.
Open the tool in a separate window here or preview the tool by scrolling through the slides below. All the additional links are at the bottom of this page.
Who is it for
This tool is primarily designed for city leaders and all those working within or with local government that want to reflect on how the deep design of their organisation can be aligned with the future they seek to bring about. Participation can also be open to non-local government participants, i.e. residents, civil sector, academia, businesses etc.
How long does it take
The workshop can last anything from 2 hours, to a full day, to a longer process, it can be adapted to your needs. Some example workflows, for 2-hour and 3-hour workshops are offered in the tool.
What is the format
The workshop can be held in-person or online, some key considerations and options are offered for both formats.
What materials do you need
The key canvas that you need is provided in both printable pdfs, as well as in an online Miro version.
Depending on whether the workshop is in-person or online, you will additionally need a workshop space where you can share a presentation and work in groups, as well as basic workshop materials like sticky notes and pens.
What does the facilitator need to know
The facilitator needs to be well familiar with the concepts of Doughnut Economics and the Powers to Act, and be confident enough to present these, or to be prepared with a recording that can be shared instead. Facilitator(s) should also be able to facilitate group and plenary discussions.
Links
- Powers to Act - Shaping the Deep Design of Cities and Places tool guide
- Powers to Act - Shaping the Deep Design of Cities and Places printable canvases in pdf, also attached below
- Powers to Act - Shaping Deep Design of Cities and Places, online canvas in Miro
Feedback
Healthy living systems rely on good feedback loops and we invite your comments, reflections and suggestion from using this tool to help us iterate and evolve for future versions.
You can do this two ways:
- The first is to leave a comment in the section below called Join the conversation. The benefit of this approach is that everyone can see and benefit from what you share.
- The second way is to contact the DEAL Team directly via the contact form, choosing the category 'Tools and Stories'.
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This tool is licensed under a Creative Commons BY SA 4.0 license. For full details visit our Licensing Rules. 
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Member
Eva Marina Valencia Leñero
Mexico City, Mexico
| Sustainability Transitions Specialist | Co-Founder of Mexico City's Doughnut Economic Coalition + Scaling Coordinator in CIMMYT-CGIAR After finishing my MSc in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management in Lund University with a thesis to downscale the doughnut for Mexico City's water policies, I learned research was not enough to make a change. For this reason, I have co-founded the Tricolor Coalition (Mexico City's Doughnut Economic Coalition) to collaborate with other agents of change to promote sustainability transitions in Mexico City. We are now developing community, informative, and capacity building activities to support Mexico City's agents of change interested in promoting this transition. I am currently also working as a Scaling Coordinator in the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. In my job, I continue to learn about systems thinking approaches, and about what types of food innovations could be scaled (why? and where?) to create more impact. Moreover, I also have experience in international and national public administrations, and I have specialized in the water-food-energy sectors and climate change challenges.
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Member
Brian Dowling
Hacienda Heights, California, United States of America
I serve as Treasurer for the California Doughnut Economics Coalition (CalDEC.org).
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Member
Derek von Behr
Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil
Architect, urban planner and landscaper
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Member
Carolina Tomaz
Brazil
I describe myself as a XXI century economist, who adopts systemic and transdisciplinary thinking, and understands the world as a complex socio-ecological system. My goal is to work with regenerative projects for the development of inclusive, intelligent, and sustainable cities and communities. I have been particularly interested in applying the Doughnut economy model for cities, business and organisations. I have experience with projects planning and management, structuration and implementation of new governance models, and group's facilitation collaborative methods to co-create more effective and sustainable solutions for social problems. I'm part of the Donut Brasil network, and together we are experiencing the tools and knowledge of the Doughnut Economics in many projects and in the Latin America and Brazil contexts.
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Member
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Rob Shorter
London, England, United Kingdom
Communities & Art Lead at DEAL | Steward of the global community of grassroots organisers using Doughnut Economics | Workshop facilitator | DEAL Team tool designer | Collective imagination practitioner | Game designer | Musician
