Governance experimentation and factors of success in socio-technical transitions in the urban water sector

The necessity of a shift towards more sustainable urban water management practice is widely acknowledged and advocated. Experimentation that enables social learning is regarded of high importance for realising such a change. For instance, literature on Transition Management suggests that governance, as opposed to purely technical, experimentation is considered a critical factor in achieving a socio-technical transition. When analysing the water sector it becomes clear that modern urban water systems have almost exclusively focused upon technological experimentation with little attention directed towards the importance of governance experimentation for social learning. Empirically little is known neither on how governance experimentation actually unfolds nor about its effectiveness for socio-technical transitions. This research paper presents a critical analysis of a unique process of governance experimentation within the Australian urban water sector which generated sufficient social–political capital to change an established water governance framework. Conclusions of this research reveal some theoretically conjectured processes, like deepening, broadening and scaling-up, are found in this contemporary, real-life example. Furthermore, factors which influenced the success of this governance experimentation process are revealed and the role of various forms of learning therein is described.

► One of the first analyses of an empirical case of governance experimentation
► Governance experimentation has the ability to bring about socio-technical change.
► Change processes confirm the conjectures of Transition Management literature.
► Experimentation for change in socio-technical system can be designed.
► Critical key-factors to enable governance experimentation were identified.