Proof-of-Concepts results presented at 2nd SEN4LDN Living Labs

Our engagement with the core users requires an active effort from SEN4LDN to identify points of contact capable of providing direct feedback to the prototype products and use-cases that can drive product development. Users play a central role in SEN4LDN, meaning that during the algorithm trade-off phase, the SDG/user requirements will steer the design choices. Our approach to Living Labs involves engaging with the SDG Early Adopters at different phases of the product development. 

While the first SEN4LDN Living Labs aimed at identification of user requirement, the second Living Labs were organized to showcase and test prototype products. As for the first round, the second Living Labs sessions were led by GFZ (Germany) with the help of Conservation International. The emphasis was on presenting the first proof-of-concept versions of land degradation sub-indicator products and providing background information on the methodology that was applied. These Living Labs were organized with

• Busitema University (Uganda) on the 26th of March, 2024;
• Institute for Conservation of Nature and Forests (Portugal) on the 8th of April, 2024; and
• Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Colombia) on the 9th of April, 2024

During these sessions, an overview was provided on the new products of the three land degradation sub-indicators:

• Land cover change by VITO (Belgium),
• Land productivity change by Lund University (Sweden), and
• Carbon stock change by GFZ (Germany).

The products were accessible to the users in an online Google Earth Engine application for product exploration and checking, and to foster the discussion and gathering of feedback. Also, an online questionnaire was made available to collect specific feedback on product quality and usability, and recommendations on product improvements. 

The Living Labs are part of the agile development approach used by SEN4LDN through continuous interactions with the SDG Early Adopters and through some iterative development cycles with parallel and progressive refinements of the user requirements and of the EO solutions developed in the project.
We will continue this process until the project is finished. 

To broaden the scope of the data products, later in the project, an Open Stakeholder Living Lab will be organized. This initiative will target not just the SDG Early Adopters but also other SDG practitioners and aims to facilitate active engagement with the user community during the user-uptake phase, which will be crucial in enabling and encouraging uptake of the developed EO-solution.