Building lasting solutions for a complex world

Co-creation

Systems Thinking

Systems Thinking

Humble Leadership

Evidence-driven Learning

Experimentation

How we work

The world’s biggest challenges – climate breakdown, eroding institutions, deepening inequality – don’t have simple fixes. They’re messy, interconnected, and constantly changing. That’s why approaches that follow linear, isolated plans often fail. 

We work differently. 

We help governments, communities, and the private sector navigate this uncertainty and find pathways together. We focus on building skills for learning, adapting, and thinking long-term. We work alongside partners to identify multiple options and continuously respond to what’s happening on the ground. 

Our core methods

Our methods are the engine of our work, and we use them to create real, lasting change in critical areas of development.

  • Systems & portfolio practice

    We nudge ourselves and our partners to work across silos and go beyond isolated, linear projects towards designing and managing systems-led portfolios of interconnected interventions. This allows for dynamic adaptation, learning from a diverse set of experiments, and generating development intelligence amidst changing circumstances and evolving development challenges.

  • Strategic foresight & anticipation

    We help partners prepare for the future rather than just reacting to the present. By combining foresight methods with emerging technologies like AI, we explore plausible futures, test assumptions, and design future-ready strategies.

  • Innovation ecosystems & impact acceleration

    We provide structured support to identify, test, and scale promising solutions. Through challenges, labs, and acceleration programmes, we bridge the gap between innovative ideas and tangible, widespread impact on development challenges.

  • Experimentation & learning culture

    We champion a shift in organizational culture, one that values intelligence, learning, and adaptation as much as hard outputs. We help build the processes and mindsets required to learn from both successes and failures, ensuring long-term growth and relevance.

Spotlight stories

Explore stories that show how we work with partners and communities to understand complex challenges, test new approaches and turn innovation into practical action.

Urban futures

Urban development needs systems thinking

Lessons from 15 cities show how systems thinking and portfolios of connected initiatives can support more adaptive, inclusive and sustainable urban transformation.

Explore the story

Blockchain

From dialogue to action

UNDP is convening partners to move blockchain beyond isolated pilots and towards responsible, inclusive applications that advance sustainable development.

Explore our work

BOOST

Strengthening innovation ecosystems in Moldova and Ukraine

BOOST is strengthening the organizations that support local entrepreneurs, helping build more connected, resilient and inclusive innovation ecosystems in Moldova and Ukraine.

Explore the call

Tackling complex challenges through systems and portfolios

Discover how UNDP connects interventions, partners and resources through flexible portfolios that adapt, evolve and create lasting change.

Explore the approach

Get in touch

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