NL
Wat we do
In the person of Iris Ruysch, we are responsible as process manager for the area-oriented realization within SwartwayZ.NL.
SmartwayZ.NL is a knowledge and network organization for the Southern Netherlands, more specifically the 7 regions in the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg. SmartwayZ.NL is the extension of the regions in the area to help them jointly accelerate the mobility transition, linked to ‘broad prosperity’. We use the term broad prosperity because we see mobility not as the main issue, but as a means to improve livability, accessibility, safety and health. We help strive to achieve essential improvements in urban development and the mobility system of the future. The approach covers a wide range of activities, from developing smart solutions and promoting sustainable travel behavior to providing tools and instruments to realize shared mobility, hubs and other new forms of mobility.
As process manager, we are the linking point to the regions. We are the eyes and ears of Smartwayz.nl in the region, know what is going on and are the point of contact for those involved. We also actively map out what the challenges are. What are they up against or where can Smartwayz support them? We do this within the various topics and themes that are important within the organization. These are collected in an annual and work plan by the end of 2023, and form the backbone for helping the regions.
How we do it
Take the example of the North-East Brabant region approaching us about making cities car-free. We then compare that theme or issue with our annual plan and work program. If it fits within the philosophy, then we look at what guiding principles are available.
Menu card
What appropriate measures do we still have on the shelf (our Menu Card (database))? Applicable projects from the past, tools that we have been able to use before or that have already been developed, we also look at available knowledge (manuals).
Expert knowledge
If it turns out that we cannot yet hand over adequate and/or bite-sized information, we switch to a second option: using experts available within the team focused on specific themes.
Network
We can also use the network. We work with various partners such as the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management or CROW, for example. There we can test whether existing solutions are available.
Development
If none of this yields anything, there is a special Innovation & Development team that can be deployed to come up with innovative solutions. They then create a guideline, tool or innovation from scratch, to be applied.
Knowledge Lab
This is where we develop existing knowledge. In cooperation with knowledge institutions such as the TU/e and BUas, for example, we develop master classes or forms of learning, with which the knowledge can be embedded in the organizations. We also create knowledge tables in which we bring experts together to create innovation sprints.
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This does happen only when we see a demand for it in several regions. In this way the knowledge is widely supported and deployed. We already see that multiple themes are at play in multiple regions: low-car traffic, target group approach, (urban) logistics, area development, partial mobility, hubs. With this umbrella approach, we hope that regions do not reinvent the wheel themselves, but can benefit from joint knowledge and approaches. This will enable interregional knowledge exchange.
The result
Although it is an ongoing process of ongoing organization, we are proud that there is currently already a rough picture of the shared and specific tasks in the regions. The supposed overlap in themes within the annual plan have also been noted and fed back from the regions. Thus we know that we are well on our way to tackling the mobility transition in the south of the Netherlands in a broad sense and to establishing a solid system where learning from each other is possible.
