Experimentation is a proven way to gain new knowledge, which is something that the Real-World Laboratory format builds upon. Rather than being carried out in a closed laboratory, so-called real-world experiments (also transformation or sustainability experiments) are conducted in the real world, "in the fresh air". The institutional framework for these interventions is provided by the Real-World Laboratory, whilst the legal issues surrounding the respective experimental settings are negotiated in advance. The real-world experiments provide the initiators, the participants, the decision-makers, and those affected with an opportunity to temporarily put the visionary ideas of a sustainable world to the test, in small-scale trial runs.
"Real-World Laboratories approach issues in a very different way. It's not just about conducting a study, which then remains just a theory. It's about putting that into practice, trying it out, and talking to people. A lot of it is about talking to each other rather than about one another. I think we can achieve more in urban mobility and urban development when we come together and join forces."
Regardless of the outcome of a real-world experiment, it initiates a learning process among the participants. "Real-world experiments affect the everyday world and may, therefore, have concrete, immediate effects. They can draw attention to a given issue, provide a tangible experience of sustainable urban culture, activate urban society, empower stakeholders, 'promote' the adoption of ideas from niche parts of society, integrate minorities, or bring about a change in the political framework conditions. Looking at the big picture, real-world experiments work by demonstrating the diversity and variety of sustainable lifestyles and solutions" (Die Kultur des Experimentierens 2017:27). By making alternatives accessible and tangible to the senses, real-world experiments can stimulate a change in perceptions and everyday routines.
The process of a real-world experiment, from the initial concept to its potential continuation, was developed for example in the Real-World Laboratory for Sustainable Mobility Culture (Die Kultur des Experimentierens 2017:25).