The concept of scale has long been used in social innovation to understand how ideas and solutions spread, enlarge or deepen within social systems. In particular, research has pointed to three different ways of working with scaling as complementary paths to real system change: scaling up, scaling out and scaling deep.
This way of thinking was developed and popularized in the social innovation literature, including in the work of Darcy Riddell and Michele-Lee Moore, where these three paths are described as strategies for achieving greater system impact. Their research has shown that system change rarely occurs solely through the spread of a solution, but requires several parallel approaches that affect everything from the number of people affected to the cultural and institutional roots of the system.
In systems innovation, this framework plays an important role because it clarifies different dimensions of change instead of considering scaling as something purely linear or quantitative. By working with multiple directions of scale, change leaders can systematically plan how an idea should be given the conditions to both flourish and become sustainable in a complex context.
What do scale up, scale down and scale out mean?
When talking about scale up in a systems innovation context, it is about influencing regulations, policies and institutions so that a new way of doing things becomes part of the formal system. In practice, it can be about changing laws, standards or political priorities so that the conditions are created for a new solution or idea to not only be a practice in a small group but to be considered legitimate and supported by the structures that govern the system.
There is also scale down, which in systems innovation is often interpreted as working with understanding, culture, norms and behaviours within the existing system to create deeper acceptance or commitment. It is about reaching within the social context, so that the change is not only spread or institutionalised but also anchored in people’s everyday ways of thinking and acting.
The concept of scale out is what most people first think of when talking about scaling, that is, spreading a solution geographically or to more actors. This could be reproducing a method, a program or a technical solution in several cities, regions or sectors, so that more people and organizations are affected by the positive outcome.
Why this framework is important in systems innovation
Systems innovation is about more than developing a new product or service. It is about changing how parts of a system are connected, what relationships exist, and what norms and structures are supporting them. When an innovation solution is only disseminated without affecting the institutional framework or people’s way of thinking, it risks remaining in a pilot phase or becoming just a local improvement. To create real systems change, change leaders must therefore think in terms of multiple scales simultaneously: how ideas can be disseminated (out), how they can be anchored in the system (up) and how they can become part of people and culture in everyday life (down).
This multidimensional view helps avoid common pitfalls such as believing that a solution will automatically spread just because it is good, or that a change in legislation in itself will solve the problem without broad acceptance and understanding among those affected.
Examples of scale up, scale down and scale out in practice
Imagine that a society wants to encourage more people to live more sustainably. A scale up effort could be to get targets for reduced emissions into national legislation and financial incentives for sustainable building materials. It is about influencing the regulations and institutions that govern how the construction industry acts.
At the same time, the scale down part is to work with norms, for example, building a culture around sustainability as an ideal worth striving for through educational initiatives, dialogue groups and stories about why it matters in people’s everyday lives. Changes in culture and norms can often be what makes a previously widespread idea actually gain deep roots and become self-generating.
Finally, scale out effort could look like more municipalities introducing programs where residents can receive support to renovate their homes with green materials, sharing these experiences and stepping up to the level in several regions. The effect is that more people and groups adopt the solution in practice.
The same approach works regardless of whether your innovation involves change in health, social contexts, economics or introducing a technology.
Combining the framework with other thinking models
The scale up, scale down, scale out framework is also a powerful complement to other methods and frameworks within systems innovation. For example, if you use design thinking to create a prototype or innovation, this framework can help you understand how the solution should move in the system after it is created. Design thinking can provide insight in user needs and create an attractive solution, while the scale framework helps to plan how that solution can be integrated into larger contexts, influence system structures and reach more users.
When you combine these perspectives, it becomes possible to build a strategy that takes into account both people’s experience and the structural factors that determine whether an innovation stays in a small context or actually contributes to system movement.
A step-by-step methodology for applying the framework in system innovation
For a system innovation leader, it is valuable to think in the following direction when working with scaling:
- Always start by defining what the goal of the change in the system is and what obstacles exist at the current stage.
- Work with scale up by mapping out which institutional barriers exist and how policy or regulations can be adapted to support implementation. This often involves dialogue with decision-makers and policy developers.
- Explore scale down by understanding which norms, values and cultural patterns need to change for an idea to be perceived as meaningful and relevant at the individual level.
- Explore scale out by identifying which actors and contexts can adopt the solution on a larger scale. Consider how the solution can be repeated or adapted for different situations.
Reflect on how these three perspectives interact to reinforce each other. A change that is widely disseminated but lacks both institutional support and cultural acceptance risks disappearing when resources run out.
Follow up the process by creating stories, indicators and milestones that reflect both dissemination, institutional adaptation and behavioral change in the target group.
As a systems innovation leader, it is central to understand that scaling in a complex system is not linear but dynamic. By thinking in multiple directions at the same time, you can better prepare for unexpected effects and create a greater chance that an innovation will actually contribute to sustainable system change.
