Proceedings of the 8th International Academic Conference on Research in Social Sciences
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Social Innovation and Urban Security: A Design Thinking Approach
Genny Dimitrakopoulou
ABSTRACT:
Urban security is a multifaceted challenge that necessitates innovative solutions to ensure the safety and well-being of city residents. Social innovation, which involves the development of new strategies, concepts, and ideas to address social needs, plays a crucial role in enhancing urban security. This paper explores the application of design thinking methodology to urban security policies, drawing on findings from research undertaken during the four years of the IcARUS EU Project. The design thinking process, which includes empathizing with the community, defining problems, ideating solutions, prototyping, and testing, is shown to be effective in developing community-centered and sustainable security solutions. Examples of successful social innovation initiatives in urban security from various cities are presented, demonstrating the potential of this approach to foster collaboration, leverage technology, and promote inclusivity. The paper also discusses the challenges cities may face in implementing these tools and offers best practices for overcoming these obstacles.
keywords: social innovation, security, design thinking