Cities Power Partnership (CPP) is a network of 186 local governments working towards  a zero emissions future. While at CPP, I worked closely with the Program Development Manager to ensure the program aligned with its mission and addressed the evolving needs of councils. My role involved identifying opportunities for new initiatives and embedding design principles such as empathy, collaboration, and iteration into our work.

We faced a range of interconnected challenges:

1. Minimising the burden of data collection
   Councils were required to complete an annual survey to report on their climate pledges. Previous versions were time consuming and difficult for officers to complete as they had limited capacity and competing priorities.
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2. Improving internal access to data
   CPP needed a more accessible and efficient way to share insights from the survey data. Relying on a single staff member to communicate findings limited responsiveness and slowed program planning.
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3. Sustaining network engagement across a wide geography
   COVID-19 restrictions disrupted plans for in-person workshops in Western Australia, making it difficult to build relationships with councils in that region and understand their specific priorities.

We addressed these challenges through three interrelated initiatives:

• Streamlined data collection: 90% of councils (n=158) completed the survey, and the average time to complete it was significantly reduced.
• Stronger internal decision-making: A shared dashboard enabled staff to access and apply data in real time, supporting more responsive and aligned program planning
• Expanded regional engagement: Over 50 officers participated in virtual workshops, shaping the design of later in-person events. The workshops were covered on regional news, raising public awareness of the role local governments play in climate action.

• Prioritise making space, don't fill it:
  Creating forums for councils to connect and collaborate is just as important as sharing information about the latest climate science. Relationship-building should take priority.
• Don't hold the steering wheel too tightly:
  Direction-setting should be shared. If not, it undermines the collaborative nature of networks. This weakens engagement, and diminishes the impact of initiatives.
• Avoid becoming a bottleneck:
  Gatekeeping information and contacts slows momentum and limits innovation. Instead collaborate widely and ensure there is equitable access to information and tools helps networks flourish. Organisations acting as gatekeepers  stifle connections which limits knowledge sharing.‍
• Design workshops for learning, not just outcomes:
  ‍Be mindful of how much energy people can bring and apply to a workshop. The workshop should be achievable. Be clear about its purpose and the contributions you're seeking.
• Support collaborative learning:
  ‍To encourage uptake of a new tool engage people early in the process and don't assume once the tool is built they will change their ways of working. Prioritise collboration and create a space to learn together.