Navigating complexity: design facilitation for collaborative solutions to urban challenges

As urban policy and governance challenges become increasingly complex, inter-disciplinary approaches and participatory methodologies are essential. The evolv-ing role of design affects the way it is practiced in these contexts. Instead of sole-ly providing solutions, designers are now expected to connect, navigate, and fa-cilitate collaboration between stakeholders from different public sector organi-zations. This paper aims to explore how multi-organizational design facilitation can contribute to addressing complex urban challenges, fostering and accelerat-ing adoption of sustainable solutions. We delve into three concepts that under-pin the creative facilitation process: the design mindset, futures thinking and ex-perimental attitude. The context of this study is a big European project in which 12 cities collaborate and experiment aiming to solve specific urban challenges. The paper argues for design facilitation to bridge gaps between diverse stake-holders, encourage co-creation, and facilitate the development of innovative so-lutions across various parties.