Overview of Catalyst Research project given at FutureEverything conference 2012 giving an insight into the project, how it works, recent projects, including Patchworks and how to get involved. Catalyst is a research project based at Lancaster University bringing together community groups and academics from social science, computing, design and management science to carry out transformative research on the theme of citizen-led social innovation. Mission Catalyst has two primary research questions: (1) Understanding behaviour: what stimulates people to participate in civic actions and why? (2) Tools for change: what next-generation digital technologies best support how people want to innovate in a civic action setting?

1. C a t a ly s t
#catalystas
@catalystproj www.catalystproject.org.uk

2. A b o u t C a t a ly s t
• Understanding behaviour
– Why do people participate (or not) in
society/civic actions?
• Tools for change
– Next generation social tools for social change
• Citizen-led
• Reflect on inter-disciplinarity

3. C it iz e n -L e d

4. c o -r e s e a r c h & c o -
p r o d u c t io n
• Research
Sprints
• Launchpads
• Serendipity
Cafes
• Research
Relays

5. L a u n c h p a d : L o c a l Tra d e

6. L a u n c h p a d : A c t iv is m &
S o c ia l M e d ia

7. #P a t c h w o r k s
Research Sprint – 8 Months
Is it possible to co-design, with homeless communities, a
simple and cheap health monitoring and communication tool
using the methods and materials of ‘personal
manufacturing’ (DIY-Bio/garage science)?

8. #P a t c h w o r k s p r e s e n t s …
#f u t r

9. #P a t c h w o r k s

10. G e t In v o lv e d
• Expressions of Interest to Launchpads –
rolling deadline
• Expressions of interest for serendipity
cafes
• Round 3 Sprints info from Autumn 2012

11. C o nta c t
• @catalystproj
– #catalystas
• Catalyst Project
• catalystproject.org.uk