# Making collectives smarter
Collective intelligence emerges when people work together, often supported by technology, to combine their knowledge, data, and insights to make the whole group smarter than any individual. By integrating diverse inputs (real-time data, community wisdom, grassroots innovations, lived experiences, and policy expertise), collectives can understand situations more deeply and act more effectively than any individual or organization could alone.
In our R\&D practice, designing for collective intelligence helps us navigate uncertainty by creating rapid feedback loops that reveal patterns as they emerge, enabling real-time adaptation to changing conditions. This approach provides a more real-time understanding of complex situations by combining many different sources of information. When communities see their own knowledge reflected back alongside new insights, they gain agency to make better decisions and shape their own futures.
Orchestrating and designing for collective intelligence is complex and rarely straightforward.[\[1\]](#endnote-1) While we can't fully control it, we can design processes and tools that help collectives and ecosystems become wiser together.
## What we do to make big steps forward
### Diversifying knowledge sources and perspectives
We bring together diverse data sources – often non-traditional ones – along with different knowledge types and stakeholder perspectives to develop richer understanding of complex situations. By connecting those who rarely interact, we create conditions for unexpected insights. This diversity enables real-time pattern recognition and helps collectives see opportunities as they emerge rather than relying on outdated information.
### Orchestrating information flows and feedback loops
We design how data, knowledge and insights flow through the ecosystem by mapping existing pathways and creating new connections that generate network effects. When communities see what they actually know and receive insights from the data they've contributed, their sense of agency strengthens and they become more aware that they are not just passive data sources. We achieve this through digital platforms, participatory workshops, and accessible visualization tools that make complex information actionable.
### Positioning at the edge of knowledge through learning questions
We accelerate collective learning by focusing on specific [questions](/undp-accelerator-labs/references/glossary.md#question) that matter to the collective: critical knowledge gaps that no single actor can answer alone. These learning questions coordinate curiosity across diverse actors, create shared purpose, and direct attention to where learning is most needed. By positioning ourselves at the edge of what's known about emerging issues, we enable faster adaptation to changing conditions – recognizing that in complex environments, continuous learning is the strategy for achieving better outcomes.
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#### Reflection questions
These reflection questions help us design for collective intelligence, ensure inclusive participation, and create conditions for communities to become wiser together.
* Which questions matter most to this collective that no single actor can answer alone?
* Which knowledge and data already exist within this collective or ecosystem, and who holds it?
* Which non-traditional data sources or untapped knowledge could enrich our collective understanding?
* Which voices and perspectives are currently included or excluded from collective sense-making?
* How can the collective become aware of and address biases that distort how it understands situations and makes decisions?
* How do we create spaces where different types of knowledge holders can connect and build on each other's insights?
* How does information currently flow through the system – where does it get stuck, distorted, or lost?
* Which information needs to be fed back to the communities so they can see and learn from their collective patterns? How can technology help us do that?
* Are insights and data being extracted from communities or genuinely empowering them to act?
* How does the collective know if it's getting smarter?
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#### Methods and enabling technologies
* [**Collective intelligence design**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#collective-intelligence-design) to structure how diverse knowledge, data, and insights flow and combine for better decisions
* [**Flow mappings**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#flow-mappings) to understand how information flows through the collective, where to remove barriers and create synergies that amplify collective wisdom
* [**Non-traditional data**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#non-traditional-data) tapping into social media, sensors, satellite imagery to enrich collective analysis with real-time perspectives
* [**Learning circles**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#learning-circles) to accelerate collective learning on specific questions through structured dialogue
* [**Crowdsourcing**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#crowdsourcing) to tap collective wisdom by gathering diverse ideas and perspectives from many contributors
* [**Storytelling**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#storytelling) to share what the collective has learned in formats that resonate with communities
* [**Geospatial data**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#geospatial-data-platforms) platforms to layer location-based knowledge from multiple contributors into richer understanding
* [**Interactive dashboards**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#interactive-dashboards) to surface patterns from collective data, enabling members to explore insights and guide shared decisions
* [**Digital platforms**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#digital-platforms) to facilitate data capture, knowledge sharing, and collaborative learning at scale
* [**Online whiteboards**](/undp-accelerator-labs/doing-r-and-d/6.-r-and-d-methods-and-enabling-technologies.md#online-whiteboards) to support online meetings by capturing information, making collective thinking visible, and enabling remote collaboration
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***
## Notes
1. Mulgan (2018) [↑](#endnote-ref-1)
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