Deconstructing knowledge and reconstructing understanding: Designing a knowledge architecture for transdisciplinary co-creation of energy futures

Transdisciplinary approaches for planning and managing sustainability transitions present an opportunity for embedding knowledge making as an integral design element. Collaboratively formulated energy transitions as one such transdisciplinary undertaking, can benefit from the plural integration of knowledge forms to maximize uptake and diffusion of material outcomes, and the principles and values underlying collaborative action. Moreover, reflexive knowledge practices can identify safeguards that prevent disproportionate distribution of benefits, consequences, and lower participation barriers for diverse stakeholders. This article presents a knowledge making research agenda for co-creation of sustainable energy transitions and proposes the deconstruction-reconstruction knowledge making framework to enable systemic social learning among stakeholders. The theoretical framework is operationalized through a knowledge architecture, designed to facilitate a multi-stakeholder sustainable energy transition project in Sierra Leone. Findings indicate that an embedded knowledge architecture can lower epistemological and methodological barriers to co-creation, while enhancing the ability to adaptively manage emergent information and conflicts.