Unlock System Transitions: From Complex Problems to Collective Steps Forward
Many societal challenges—such as poverty reduction, the energy transition, and increasing pressure on healthcare—require cross-domain and cross-sector collaboration.
Yet, in practice, many organizations struggle to work across traditional silos. They face difficulties breaking through compartmentalized structures and often deal with limited capacity and time constraints. To support organizations that face complex cross-domain challenges, TNO has developed UNLOCK: an approach that helps to work effectively and efficiently in an integrated way, within a short timeframe.
UNLOCK is an approach that supports societal and public-sector organizations in effectively addressing complex, cross-domain societal challenges.
What is UNLOCK?
UNLOCK offers a practical and scientifically grounded process through which organizations not only develop concrete solutions to their challenges, but also gain skills and insights for effective, integrated collaboration.
This accelerates the path to sustainable transitions and prevents short-term thinking. Organizations learn to systemically tackle complex problems and discover how to integrate diverse perspectives to create real impact. Through a structured process, insights are translated into actionable strategies and widely supported advances towards change. TNO also offers customized trajectories based on the UNLOCK methodology.
The UNLOCK Trajectory
UNLOCK is built on two scientific foundations:
- Systems Thinking – UNLOCK helps organizations understand how to influence and change the system collectively. A key characteristic of the UNLOCK method is its focus on identifying the most promising leverage points for change by exploring deeper systemic layers.
- Transdisciplinary Collaboration – This form of collaboration teaches individuals from different organizations and disciplines to strive toward a shared understanding. It requires open communication, breaking down jargon, and recognizing unconscious assumptions. This creates space for new perspectives and widely supported visions for change.
By combining these two principles, UNLOCK enables organizations to examine their challenges on multiple levels, integrate different viewpoints, and work directly on achievable improvements. This avoids endless discussions and accelerates decision-making.
Why UNLOCK?
Working together on complex societal challenges is often time-consuming and cumbersome—while urgency is high. UNLOCK offers an effective approach to arrive at concrete, widely supported solutions more quickly.
Thanks to systems thinking and collaborative approaches, new perspectives and renewed energy emerge for tackling the problem. This results in innovative solutions that go beyond the beaten path.
A shared understanding of goals and roles helps organizations save time. Fewer meetings, less duplication of efforts, and a more coherent approach lead to faster and more sustainable results.
The transdisciplinary approach and shared insights foster trust and support, even after the program ends. This makes organizations more resilient and better prepared for future challenges.
Participants learn practical methods for cross-domain work, making use of each other’s expertise, and handling uncertainty and change more effectively.
Through capacity building and systemic insight, organizations can continue to develop their approach even as circumstances change. This leads to structural improvements in decision-making and strategic collaboration.
'What we achieved with TNO Unlock is so complete, so smart, so different from what I’ve experienced over the past years—no, decades. I've so often seen groups move in a certain direction only to drift away again. But now we're truly moving forward. There's real momentum. It's a relief to sit with people who want to see and understand the whole system. I truly long for this, and so do many others in different places.'
Background and Further Reading
UNLOCK is grounded in scientific principles: systems thinking and transdisciplinary collaboration. These methods support a structured process that helps organizations understand complex societal issues at a systems level and work toward the desired transitions.
If you'd like to learn more about the scientific foundations of UNLOCK, read the paper below on the importance of transdisciplinary research.
Interested?
Curious about what UNLOCK can do for your organisation? Please contact us using the details listed below.
Contact us
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Ben Govers
Functie:Program Manager Systems InnovationPlease contact me if you have a change management or transition question that requires a systemic view. In particular, I am involved in TNO's 'Unlock System Transitions' approach, in which we help our clients to tackle complex societal issues. In working on these issues, I will also connect you with the TNO experts in the field. I myself have a background in National Security.
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Standplaats:Den Haag - New Babylon
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Email:Email Ben
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Josephine Sassen - van Meer
Functie:Senior Integrating Scientist System InnovationWith great pleasure, I work on TNO's strategic priority to provide system innovations for major societal challenges, together with our partners and clients. I am an expert in transdisciplinary work and systems thinking.
You can approach me about TNO's "Unlock System Transitions" methodology, in which we help our clients take concrete steps forward in addressing complex societal challenges.
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Standplaats:Soesterberg
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Email:Email Josephine
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