Some participants reflected on a number of implications for how they thought about the SDGs. One group member suggested that Octasynthesis created a new space in which to explore the SDGs. Another observed how Octasynthesis revealed an ecological ethic connecting the SDGs. Working with the SDGs in Octasynthesis provided insights into the difficulties of formulating policy across different fields and interests and how fragile agreements in policy work can be. One participant summarised the implications for the SDGs, suggesting they should be viewed as ‘mindful design principles’, and used to think about ‘local implications and implementation of a set of global goals’.
4.6 Weaknesses Although participants’ reflections on Octasynthesis were largely positive, some participants highlighted areas in where the process could be improved. One highlighted that there are an infinite amount of things to know in the world, and it is therefore impossible to achieve a complete understanding through any amount of synthesis. Others highlighted that the process of working out the right wording for synthetic statements was time-consuming, exhaustive and resulted in a loss of detail. In the same vein, one participant viewed the synthesis as a ‘glued-together collection of conceptual bits and bobs rather than a transformative idea’. Another felt this sometimes led to ‘tepid consensus’ and pursuit of the easiest goals, rather than engaging in the messy process of real transformation. Several participants asserted that Octasynthesis did not bridge the gap between thinking resilience and doing resilience, and argued that the SDGs still require linking
‘It was questionable whether the synthesizing exercise made the SDGs any more legible or translatable into workable policy and practice.’
to real-world, localised and practical solutions in order to be successful. Similarly, one participant suggested that the process would benefit from a ‘reality check’, by trying out transdisciplinary thought in a real world context, and working through all the obstacles it would face. In contrast, however, another group member emphasised that the embodied process of Octasynthesis did enable participants to ‘problematize in a real world context’. It was suggested that the next conference could focus on a particular design problem to make the outcomes more practice-oriented.
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