16.02.2026
Workshop in Celje: Launch of field research within the MAG-NET Alliance
Researchers from the Department of Applied Social Science Research at IRI UL conducted a workshop for the working teams of the MAG-NET alliance in Celje on Thursday, 12 February 2026. The teams are developing solutions in five key areas: sustainable mobility, urban vibe, energy communities, affordable housing, and Industry 4.0.
The workshop marked the transition from the first to the second phase of the Urban Real-Life Learning Lab (U-RLLL) methodology, which we developed at IRI UL as one of the central methodological contributions of the MAG-NET project. The methodology unfolds in four interconnected steps:
- Challenge framing
- Field research
- Participatory design
- Prototyping, testing, and uptake
From defining the challenge to understanding everyday life
In the first step, which concludes in March, the teams identified key challenges within their thematic areas, analysed relevant documents and data, and involved key stakeholders in the discussion.
Between April and July 2026, the field research phase will follow. The purpose of this step is no longer to define challenges, but to understand the everyday practices, needs, barriers, motivations, and expectations of residents in relation to each challenge. The focus of the upcoming MAG-NET alliance phase will therefore be on how people experience these five challenges and how they affect their daily lives.
An ethnographic approach
The fieldwork will be based on qualitative methods commonly used in ethnography, such as focus groups, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and on-site conversations.
This approach will enable in-depth, context-rich insights into how the urban environment is experienced, complementing existing data, studies, and analyses related to the challenges.
From research questions to a research plan
The workshop was therefore designed to be highly practical. Under the guidance of three IRI UL researchers, the teams formulated research questions, identified target groups, and selected appropriate research methods. They also addressed ethical aspects of research, such as informed consent, data protection, and the inclusion of diverse groups, and defined the timeline and division of roles within the research teams.
A foundation for co-creating solutions
The results of the fieldwork will serve as the basis for the third phase – participatory co-design of solutions – in which the teams, together with citizens and other stakeholders, will develop initial solution proposals. This will be followed by prototyping and testing in a real-life environment, with the aim of shaping concrete, feasible, and socially supported solutions for Celje.
With this workshop, we have opened a new, research-oriented phase of the MAG-NET teams’ work. At the core remains the fundamental principle of the Urban Real-Life Learning Lab: the city is not merely a site for implementing projects, but a learning environment where more inclusive, sustainable, and citizen-friendly solutions are co-created through collaboration, research, and experimentation.