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Tacit knowledge transfer for city design

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P. Rajagopalan and M.M Andamon (eds.), Engaging Architectural Science: Meeting the Challenges of Higher Density: 52nd 761
International Conference of the Architectural Science Association 2018, pp.761–769. ©2018, The Architectural Science
Association and RMIT University, Australia.

Tacit knowledge transfer for city design

Guillermo Aranda-Mena
RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
guillermo.aranda-mena@rmit.edu.au

Abstract: This methodology paper aims to inform a multinational competitive research grant application on research
approaches for knowledge sharing and in particular, tacit knowledge. The overall project involves researchers, planners
and city designers from three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. The project aims to facilitate knowledge transfer from
European model-cities to recipient cities in developing regions. The paper develops a critical review of research methods and
techniques for tacit knowledge elicitation coupled with explicit knowledge sharing. Current methods for knowledge capture
and its application in urban design overlay on explicit knowledge including the knowledge sharing frameworks under the
EU Integrated Urban Development, Directorate-General Regional and Urban Policy. This paper proposes a complementary
side to the current framework by applying the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT). RGT provides an approach and a method
to externalise participants’ knowledge and their tacit cognitive process. The technique links to Personal Construct Theory,
thus building a sound theoretical framework. Knowledge transfer for the collaborative project is expected to take place
across eight model and recipient cities. This paper provides an appropriate framework showing how knowledge elicitation
can take place across project participants including expert city designers, planners and non-cognate stakeholders such as
community representatives.

Keywords: city design, personal construct theory, repertory-grid technique and tacit knowledge

1. CHALLENGES WITH RAPID URBANISATION

In the context of the global urbanisation trend, up to 67% of the global population is expected to be not only urban but
also concentrated in the lowest socio-economic groups by 2025. While global urbanisation faces a wide range of societal
challenges (housing, transport, environment, employment, culture, and integration), cities are also major contributors to
climate change. Cities do this mainly through energy generation and consumption, vehicle emissions, industry emissions
and biomass use; consuming roughly two-thirds of the global primary energy supply and producing over 70% of the global
energy-related green-house gas emissions. They are also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including impacts
on health, infrastructure and quality of life, with the city inhabitants in low socio-economic groups being the most affected
segment of society. However, cities are also drivers of innovation, growth and economic wellbeing, and about 60% of the
global gross domestic product (GDP) is generated by 600 urban centres (UN-WUP 2018).

Reports such as the United Nations’ “State of the World´s Cities” highlight how Asia and Africa have dominated the
global demographic growth picture, adding 0.88 and 0.23 million new urban dwellers respectively every week. The same
report points out that large population concentrations in mega-cities are likely to remain a prominent feature in urban Asia
(today, seven out of the 10 most populous cities of the world are in this region). In the case of Africa, the urban
population is set to outstrip Europe in what promises to be one of the more remarkable forthcoming developments in the
overall pattern of worldwide urbanisation (UN-WUP 2018).

Urbanisation in Africa has not yet brought the economic development and degree of prosperity that might otherwise
have been expected. Inadequate education and lack of physical infrastructure, combined with poor governance, have
constrained the efficient use of productive resources, and the industrial development that might have come with it. At the
same time, the on-going urban economic momentum in Africa is a result of a number of the typical factors of prosperity
at work in other regions of the world, such as economies of agglomeration, location advantages, and diversification of the
economic base. Asia is also confronted by the same urban paradox (United Nations 2012).

In South East Asia (SEA), urbanisation is a global concern since small and medium sized cities are facing rapid
population growth due to more people moving away from rural areas to settle in urban hubs for economic reasons. These
cities often have much lower capacity, financial and human resources and governance mandates to address this trend in a
planned and controlled fashion. Indonesia, with 50% of its people living in cities, and an annual growth rate of 4.2% (1970-
2010), has one of the fastest urbanisation rates in the region, taking place primarily on the periphery of the existing cities
due to a continuous influx of rural-urban migration; thus posing a serious threat to the infrastructure in the urban cities that
is compounded by vulnerability to climate change impacts that may occur unless proper management and mitigation
actions are taken (UN-WCR 2017). Vietnam is also rapidly urbanizing, at a rate of 3.1% per year (1970-2010), to amount
to a 33% urbanised population, most of which is in and around Ho Chi Minh City and the millennia city of Hanoi.
762 G. Aranda-Mena

Both cities play a central role in Vietnam’s economic growth and proposed poverty reduction. Sustainable development
and green infrastructure programs are rapidly emerging in the city action plans proposed in the Indonesia–Malaysia–
Thailand Growth Triangle since 2010 Asian Development Bank (ADB 2010). The sub-regional economic cooperation program
of ADB’s Southeast Asia Regional Cooperation Division includes studies for the cities of Melaka (Malaysia) and Songkhla in
Thailand (ADB 2010). In the case of South Africa (SA), 64% (2014) of the population is estimated to live in urban areas and
this is expected to grow to 80% by 2050. However, large towns produce over 80% of the GDP, and metropolitan areas
grow twice as fast as non-urban areas and account for 75% of all new jobs created (ADB 2010).

Overall, rapid urbanisation is a key challenge for balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability in order
to achieve improved quality of life for people. While Southeast Asia is one of the world’s least urbanised regions, its urban
population is growing 1.75 times faster than the world’s urban population (UN-WUP 2018). Rapid urban growth strains an
urban authority’s capacity to meet infrastructural and other urban services demands. Cities, as drivers of economic growth,
are resource intensive. They occupy about 2% of the world’s land, consume 75% of resources, and contribute to global
climate change with their higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Cities generate enormous quantities of waste and
pollution, contributing to environmental degradation. Lack of comprehensive urban planning and increased vulnerability
from impacts of climate-induced change are exacerbating the challenge for developing countries. There are lessons to be
learned.

2. LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

There is a clear need for cooperation in projects between cities, for sharing best practice knowledge as a key element in
furthering sustainable urbanisation. This holistic approach integrates the economic, social, environmental and cultural
dimensions of sustainable urban development, embedding many aspects ranging from poverty reduction and increased
equity to the management of natural resources, climate change mitigation and resilient adaptation. These reasons drive
for promoting an integrated approach, which has become one of the main drivers of the European urban strategy.
Since 2008, a key European vision has been developed with the contribution of sustainable city experts from a wide range
of backgrounds. The report “Cities of Tomorrow – Challenges, visions, ways forward” in the European Commission, DG
Regional Policy (EC-DG 2011) synthesizes the principles of the European sustainable urban development model.

Sectorial solutions have proved ineffective in tackling the complex urban issues, and thus new requirements and
instruments have been included to promote an integrated approach. On the other side tools as the Reference Framework
for Sustainable Cities (RFSC 2017), the European Sustainable Cities Platform (SCP 2016) or the UN-Habitat best
practice award database (accessed in 2018) have been demonstrated effective in sharing and exchanging knowledge.
Another key source is the Reference Framework included the European Structural Investment Fund for Urban Guidance
(ESIF 2016) and the Toledo Declaration (Toledo 2010), which is a strategic framework for spatial, governance, social,
economic and environmental dimensions to better plan and manage city growth.

Apart from the comprehensive urban strategies reviewed, the multi-level approach was chosen as a key to moving
forward in urban sustainability. One example is the ‘Charter for Multilevel Governance in Europe’ (Egeberg 2006). The
Committee of the Regions calls for all levels of government (local, regional, national, European and international) to recognize
the added value of multi-level governance; thus bringing local and regional authorities closer and more accountable in the
implementation of public policies. Therefore the premise to this paper is that “cooperation between cities for the transfer of
best practice as shared knowledge both, explicit and tacit is an important element in furthering sustainable urbanisation”. In
this context, Vietnam, Indonesia and South Africa will collaborate to bring EU experience for planning and managing urban
developments, including infrastructure development, transport systems integration, energy and residents, together under
the umbrella of what we refer as city design. It is also expected that there are tacit lessons to share across all participating
cities.

3. METHOD AND TECHNIQUE: KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Knowledge-transfer and exchange of thematic frames for instance, EU good practices and the SA/SEA urban priority issues,
will set specific domain focus. This initiative is expected to contribute to the improvement of quality of life in participating
cities, by promoting sustainable and integrated urban development (Boose 1984). A twofold approach was selected and a
general objective will be accomplished through the identification, sharing, exchange and transfer of policies and programs,
here referred as explicit knowledge. A supporting second approach will include personal experiences, here referred as tacit
knowledge. The project should directly contribute to build up a sound and long lasting network to stimulate EU cities-to-
South East Asia and South Africa (SEA/SA) cities partnership agreements and cooperation to address urban challenges.

3.1 Specific Objectives

The following three main specific objectives will guide the overarching project vision:
 Tacit knowledge transfer for city design 763

• to facilitate the sharing of information among the cities of EU, South Africa and SE Asia

• to investigate methods for tacit transfer knowledge (good practices and lessons learned) on sustainable,
climate resilient and integrated urban design practices beyond policies. Among participating cities in order to
contribute to a learning process based on best practices and experiences not always clearly explained, known or
understood

• to identify actions for improved city design that participating cities can implement in the short and mid-term
and open up related new opportunities in other mature and developing cities

• to implement initiatives as action research: this will be done through sharing knowledge-webs for the exchange
and transfer of good practices among cities on specific thematic areas and specific participants utilising Personal
Construct Theory (PCT) and the repertory grid technique.

3.2 Method: Personal Construct Theory

Approaches to planning and city design practices are changing thus requirements and expectations on engaging with a
wider base of stakeholders and communities are increasing, such as the needs and expectations for accountability and
transparency (RFSC 2017). City design processes can also benefit by incorporating explicit and tacit knowledge. It is
important to demand more engaging methods to assist the decision-making process in particular with tacit (or unspoken
knowledge). Design principles can provide this. Identifying alternative yet, effective ways for knowledge elicitation is important
and here explored. It was also important to consider empathetic research styles for effective uptake by planners, designers,
local authorities and community representatives regardless of their profession, cultural background or to even overcome
language barriers (Minsk 1990).

Tacit knowledge can bring meaningful representation of challenges and situations, and thus more certainty with the
consequences of the decision-making processes (Schön 1991). For instance, a common problem encountered in quantitative
studies is that they do not shed light on the reasons underlying the decisions. Other difficulties that accompany staying
within the quantitative-positivist paradigm include those associated with legibility of relevant data. Cross-examination should
not always be about triangulating results but also to expand vision through inductive logic (Crotty 1998).

Transferring knowledge and communicating human experiences not only with data and information but also with
experiential, creative and innovative approaches which enable deeper insights and understanding. This paper explores the
Repertory Grid Technique (RGT) as a technique which taps into tacit-knowledge elicitation and transfer. Cities must learn to
grow sustainably transferring knowledge and applying best practice is paramount, not as a carbon copy but as a synthesis.

3.3 Technique: Repertory Grid

Knowledge could be divided into explicit such as speech, written documents, plots or log-data i.e. shown and explained in
diagrams on the other hand tacit knowledge is the kind of knowing that resides in people’s minds often in the subconscious.
A person becomes aware of his or her tacit knowledge when s/he faces specific problems to solve and actions to take,
for instance, in an emergency event. Tacit knowledge is personal and hard to formalise. It is rooted in actions, procedures,
commitment, values and emotions. Tacit is the knowledge which a person might be unaware of possessing (Polanyi 1967).

Approaches for tacit knowledge studies include ethnographic, behaviorists, social and cognitive academic disciplines
and traditions. Within the ethnographic tradition methods, techniques and methodological frameworks include: contextual
inquiries, ethnographic methods, participatory analysis of data usability, collaborative prototyping for design, semi-structured
interviews, trialing prototyping and a number of the more traditional survey formats. In the context of this study a socio-
constructivist approach has been selected due its pragmatic approach utilising the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT). RGT
has been applied for participatory design studies, initially at the Knowledge Science Institute at Calgary University in the mid
90’s by Gains and Shaw (1999) and among several projects they developed knowledge maps for the aerospace industry
and in particular for Boeing (Gains and Shaw 1997). Some of the methods used included process mapping, concept
mapping, reflective thinking, diagramming and laddering. Nezafati et. al. (2007) provide a review of methods within the
constructivist approach.

3.4 Introduction to the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT)

Emerging methodological capabilities to increase knowledge elicitation during the planning and design process are needed,
and for this the RGT is proposed as the method to explore views from expert participants – thus unearthing their tacit
knowledge. The RGT emerged from social psychology. Epistemics (2003) and Nezafati et al. (2007) explore a wider range
of methods and techniques applied in the social sciences. In Figure 1 a Cartesian plane shows the types of knowledge that
are elicited by the various different techniques each of which is represented by a separate labeled rectangular area, e.g.
interviews, process mapping, laddering or observation.
764 G. Aranda-Mena

Figure 1 reveals that RGT - represented by the rectangle that is labeled repertory grids – lends itself to eliciting tacit
knowledge. RGT is most suited at the formative conceptual stage of particular topics/projects, because it facilitates
evaluation and the mapping of knowledge from various stakeholders. The RGT has proven to be an effective technique in its
ability to elicit domain knowledge. It not only serves to unpack tacit knowledge, but also to also divulge views and opinions
of respondents in a more structured manner, rather than relying on open-ended questioning (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Types of knowledge elicited by various research techniques adapted from Epistemics (2003)

On the horizontal axis we move from explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge refers to the knowledge
the respondent articulates in detail without leaving the analyst any room for doubt and confusion. On the other hand, tacit
knowledge is the knowledge the respondent conveys only implicitly without actually articulating it. On the vertical axis we
move from conceptual knowledge to process knowledge at its apex. Conceptual knowledge refers to abstract cognitive
knowledge (i.e. knowledge that is evidenced by the respondent’s ability to convey his/her knowledge by forming mental
pictures, by drawing analogies, by creating abstractions, by advancing notions). On the other hand, process knowledge
evidences the respondent’s understanding of the sequence of actions, steps or skills that are required to achieve a certain
objective or goal. The RGT requires respondents to compare and to contrast objects also known as elements.

3.5 RGT within Personal Construct Theory

The underpinning theoretical perspective for the Repertory Grid Technique is Personal Construct Theory; also known as
Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) attributed to George Kelly (1955; 1970). Full insight into PCP is beyond the scope
of this paper but in essence PCT offers a framework for understanding human behaviour, decision-making and cognition.
PCT works on the premise that people spend a lifetime testing personal predictions or hypotheses. In other words, every
person is viewed as a scientist who seeks to apply definitions, concepts and constructs (constructs as attributes attached
to concepts) to each of his or her actions. By adopting such a view, PCT provides a framework where subjects think and
reflect on their decision-making, attitudes, knowledge and as well as actions taken by individuals and collective groups. One
of the research techniques used to elicit such knowledge and information is RGT (Kelly 1955; 1970).

To begin an RGT session on a particular topic the interviewee and the researcher discuss given scenarios known as
‘elements’. Such elements could be situations, people, objects or any chosen scenario under investigation. In our case they
may refer to different people accessibility aspects that planners are asked to consider when designing something, such as a
door access to a metro station. As part of such discussions, the technique requires the interviewee, i.e. an expert designer
or a commuter, to compare elements thus generating a list of bi-polar attributes or constructs (door with a ramp versus door
with steps; inclusive versus exclusive; exposed vs. sheltered, etc.).

The comparisons require the subject to consider three elements at a time and to pair the two that, in the participant’s
mind, seem most equivalent in a semantic sense and which together differ significantly from the third element in the triad.
For instance, consider a set of five elements: {a B c D E} from which the randomly selected triad: {a c E} is drawn. Suppose
that a respondent partitions the triad along the following lines: the element-pair {a E} is associated with the attribute
“vowel” and the single element c with the attribute “consonant”. Thus, for this respondent the bipolar construct becomes
vowel-consonant. A second respondent might well have partitioned the triad along different lines. For example, the bipolar
construct could be uppercase-lowercase if a second respondent was to associated the elements: {a c} with the attribute
“lower-case” and the single element E with the attribute “uppercase”.
 Tacit knowledge transfer for city design 765

The focus of a RGT session could be the assessment of open public spaces design. For this, several photographs are
placed in front of a respondent, showing a range of known city squares. The RGT will then require participants to compare
and contrast across all squares (or elements). The places represented could include El Zocalo, Times Square, Plaza Mayor,
Piazza del Campo, Federation Square, and so forth. All images are laid out. Pairs or triads (i.e. three cards) are then
extracted and displayed, and the interviewee is invited to identify or generate distinctions also known as bi-polar constructs.

When the approach is by triads, this comparison takes place by randomly bringing up three cards (or scenarios) at a time.
Participants then have to identify an aspect that is similar to two scenarios and which makes a difference to a third scenario,
thus generating grids with elements and bi-polar constructs. Grids are generated that imply conscious reflections. For the
city squares, a participant such as a town planner might re-organise various triads of photos on similarities and differences.
This might indicate knowledge observations such as ‘contained space’ versus ‘difficult for surveillance’ denoting the risk
implications when designing large open spaces. A laddering technique can be applied to the constructs to yield a definition
label such as risk or surveillance technology, thus moving above the topic of city squares. By bringing tacit knowledge into
an explicit format, the study formalizes a method and procedures for knowledge elicitation and knowledge transfer across
participants such as city designers, planners, stakeholders and other decision makers.

4. CASE PROJECT
The first phase of the proposed research comprises a description and objectives. This task aims to structure the Urban
Cooperation Frame (UCF) through four sub-tasks. The Urban Cooperation Frame is made up of European Union (EU)
role-model cities and South African (SA)/ South East Asian (SEA) receptor cities. The main objective of this phase is to
identify EUrole-model cities with three main elements: good practices, contextual framework and stakeholder ecosystem.
The SA/SEA receptor cities also have three main elements: the urban priority issues, conditional framework and stakeholder
ecosystem (EU cities → SA/SEA cities). Although many world cities qualify to form part of this UCF project, a selection
process is implemented. EU, South African, Indonesian, and Vietnamese cities are preselected with the support of the
UCF project Steering Committee utilising combined criteria from the EU urban governance groups and global sources
such as Worldwide Cultural and Creative City and the UN-Habitat best practices database (2010).

A cluster organisation among the EU role-model cities and the SA/SEA receptor cities is carried out, with the definition
of the specific thematic areas to exchange and transfer knowledge and experiences along to the second phase (Urban
Cooperation Development) and matching attributes. From the second phase an Urban Cooperation Frame is shaped,
ready to be implemented in the third phase, made up of participating cities and identification of the cities’ stakeholder
ecosystems.

The four project phases are now discussed in more detail.

4.1 Project phase procedures

Phase 1 Participating cities selection:

This phase comprises the identification and selection of the EU role-model cities and the SA/SEA receptor cities participating
in the network and knowledge transfer process. It is based on three aspects: the strategy context of the project, the
potential added value of the transference regarding the urban challenges, and the sustainability of the future cooperation
(including business cooperation). The selection criteria include:

• city commitment and interest (urban strategies)

• diverse urbanisation needs (urban challenges)

• diverse best practices and ability to deliver (City to city matching)

• regional diversity EU, SA and SEA cities including contextual needs and demands (URBACT 2010).

As result of the selection process eight participating cities are suggested, including two South African (Cape Town and
Strand), two Vietnamese cities (Da Nang and Hoi An) and two Indonesian cities (Malang, Java and Padang, Sumatra) as
receptor cities. Two European cities act as role-models (Bilbao and Barcelona). Knowledge-transfer mechanisms will then
be developed to ensure Urban Cooperation Framework Governance as the task objective.

Phase 2: Participating cities’ ecosystems

In addition to the participating cities (as regional and local authorities), the stakeholder ecosystems (firms, public and
private agencies, universities and research centres) of the cities from EU, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa, are identified.
A database of cities’ stakeholder ecosystems is generated, and a strategy to engage stakeholder ecosystems as part
of the UCF is defined. Once participating cities are selected, the identification of the stakeholder ecosystem for each
city is identified. A deeper identification and analysis is conducted with the participating cities in order to understand
766 G. Aranda-Mena

the knowledge transfer environment of each city, to validate the components of the ecosystem and their roles in the
development of the good practices ( for the EU cities), and their position to the urban challenges (for the SA/SEA cities),
and to engage stakeholders in the process of “exchange and knowledge transfer”. Much of this is currently tacit knowledge.

Phase 3: Identification of discrete priorities

The main objective of this phase is to define the exchange thematic frame of the UCF between EU cities and SA/SEA
receptor cities. The UCF aims to build up a sustainable network and to achieve the exchange and transfer of knowledge.
To achieve this goal, the key experiences and practices of the exchange and transfer process are established, focusing on
priority groups of thematic urban areas and specific topics. The thematic areas, which compose the exchange thematic
frame, are firstly defined based on three sources and three steps:

• set a tentative pool of urban thematic issues based on preliminary selection of participating cities (EU and International
database);

• set thematic areas selection based on the candidature proposals of the participating cities; and

• set specific thematic topics throughout the analyses of the situation, needs and demands of the SA/SEA receptor
cities and the transferability from EU role-model cities, with expert support, including the facilitating RGT sessions,
to define their urban priority areas and topics.

The project Steering Committee and national authorities are engaged in the identification of the priority areas such
as urban planning performance, including the following thematic areas:

• urban planning and management of environmental dimensions: waste, water, land and energy;

• urban planning and management of mobility, including road safety;

• urban planning of climate change dimensions, resilience, disaster preparedness and mitigation;

• urban policies regarding the role of cities in facilitating local low carbon economic development, social inclusion
and cultural heritage to highlight the main features from South East Asia.

For South Africa the thematic priorities include:

• urban planning performance, resilient infrastructure, and governance;

• urban integration of underprivileged households and settlements; and

• urban policies regarding the role of cities in facilitating local low carbon economic development and social
inclusion.

4.2 Knowledge Transfer utilising the RGT

Specifics and detailed topics are selected in order to cluster the topics and the partner cities’ exchange frame to structure the
activities of “networking and knowledge exchange” through an identification, prioritisation and matching process between
the partner cities through the following steps:

• Step 1: Preliminary exchange thematic frame: A tentative pool of urban thematic issues are reviewed and validated.

• Step 2: Specific thematic areas selection.

• Step 3: Specific thematic topics. The exchange thematic frame includes the final definition of specific thematic
topics.
 Tacit knowledge transfer for city design 767

Figure 2: Knowledge Transfer: Urban Challenges versus Stakeholders

Phase 4: Repertory Grids

This phase aims to organise and structure the pre-defined exchange thematic frame. It matches the thematic areas
and topics and the good practices among the participating cities. The EU role model cities and SA/SEA receptor cities
are organised by clustering similar problems, developed experiences and sustainable solutions to solve the problems and
mitigate their impacts, and are then paired according to the discrete thematic areas and topics.

As a result, the structure of the “exchange and knowledge transfer” process is defined. Stakeholders will form the
roles of RPT client, respondent or participant. From the start the stakeholder ecosystems should be designed with vertical
and horizontal cooperation.

Vertical cooperation ensures dialogue and representation between national, regional and local agents and, if it is
possible, also with international agents (United Nations, Asian or African Development Banks or business clusters).

Horizontal cooperation integrates and coordinates sectorial aspects, putting in relation agents from different thematic
areas.

Each participant, representing a city or region, lists specific or context themes representing (1) urban challenges and
this will form the elements to apply utilising the RGT. Each participant develops a full repertory grid with the assistance of
the researchers. The process of tacit knowledge elicitation begins by providing participants with triad (cards) of the urban
challenges from the complete collection listed by each respondent. Urban challenges on the cards could be written or
represented with a drawing, table, diagram or photograph. Triad selection takes place and bi-polar constructs emerge,
thereby forming personal repertory grids of tacit-knowledge. Individual grids can then be compared and clustered.
Conceptual and domain knowledge emerges as explicit and this is then possible to discuss, re-visit, be presented orally or
visually and, more importantly, knowledge exchange or transfer can take place. Activities of clustering social-grids follow
and, when enough qualitative clustering has been achieved, the UCF proposal framework for knowledge transfer can move
into a quantitative mode.

The process of a qualitative grid starting to move towards a completing quantitative cluster can be permanently fed with
feedbacks from the different task results and evaluation of the Repertory Grids. The result should be a report containing the
final methodology, providing a detailed description of the planning teams and organisations. A two-way review of the EU,
SA and SEA cities’ design discussions is proposed as a way to capture value emerging from the knowledge and experience
gained by receptor cities which could be reverse-applied to the role-model cities. This acknowledges the desirability of
two-way knowledge transfer.
768 G. Aranda-Mena

5. CONCLUSIONS
The overall UCF project aims to support knowledge sharing and improved competency in integrated urban planning, including
environmental management and climate resilience, social inclusion and deprived settlements, in low carbon emission urban
economies to strengthen capacity for Sustainable and Integrated Urban Development implementation.

The paper focused on (tacit) Knowledge Transfer to effectively support the impact and efficiency of better-designed
cities. City-to-city knowledge exchange might be achieved through best practice selection and analysis, and through
exchange study visits. Encouraging direct exchanges between cities facing similar problems facilitates sharing information,
experiences, and lessons learned about sustainable development and innovative urban policies.

A framework is needed which brings explicit and tacit knowledge together to support effective knowledge transfer and
cooperation between receptor cities and role-model cities.

There could also be lessons for role-model cities to learn from receptor cities. The proposed UCF and the RGT allows
for this two-way transfer of knowledge. Repertory grid sessions with city planners, designers, urban policy makers and
community representatives aim to share and disseminate knowledge and experiences on urban design and city growth
issues. The RGT highlights urban priorities through personal and structured interviews with experts from eight participating
EU, SA and SEA cities. Cross-examination of individual grids provides a socially-shared knowledge grid highlighting clusters
of concern or interest across all participants.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This method paper has emerged from preparatory discussions, for a European Commission competitive themed grant
application scheme (Horizon 2020) held with Tecnalia, Spain and the RMIT Melbourne, Spain and Vietnam campuses. The
University of Cape Town has also expressed interest in collaboration.

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