Last fall, our team at KnowInnovation wrapped up three very different projects, each with its own goals, communities, and scientific domains. What they shared, unexpectedly, was context: all three took place during a federal government shutdown.
For organizations and collaborations that include government agencies, a shutdown introduces immediate and very real uncertainty. Participation becomes unclear. Travel plans shift. Funding questions loom. And yet, the scientific questions and societal challenges these groups are working on do not pause.
Looking back on that period offers a useful opportunity to reflect—not on the disruption itself, but on what it takes to design and facilitate collaborative work when external conditions are unstable.
Below are three brief case studies from that period, followed by a few cross-cutting lessons that continue to shape how we approach our work today.
Shared Conditions Across the Projects
Although these projects spanned astrobiology, ecology, and water security, they were shaped by a similar set of constraints:
- Uncertainty around who would be able to participate, and when
- Rapid changes to logistics, locations, and available resources
- Participants carrying not just professional disruption, but personal and institutional stress
- A need to balance flexibility with clarity so the work could still move forward
Rather than treating these challenges as one-off problems to solve, we approached them as design conditions or factors to acknowledge explicitly and plan around.
Case Study 1: Advancing Continental-Scale Biology Through Convergence
Project: NEON Convergence Summit
The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) provides standardized ecological data from more than 80 sites across the United States, a rare and valuable resource for continental-scale biology. In collaboration with the NEON team, we supported the design and facilitation of their first Convergence Summit, bringing together approximately 70 scientists from diverse disciplines.
Over 2.5 days, participants connected across fields, generated actionable ideas for using NEON data, and formed more than 10 working groups focused on tangible outputs such as whitepapers, models, and data products.
Shutdown-related challenge:
The Summit took place amid uncertainty about the future of federal research funding, shaping questions about sustainability, impact, and long-term collaboration.
Design response:
Given this uncertainty, we prioritized clarity around constraints while remaining open to possibility. We emphasized opportunities to build new connections and collaborations, particularly those that could leverage existing NEON data and tools in novel, interdisciplinary ways that benefit the broader research community.
Key takeaway:
In times of funding and policy uncertainty, creating space for creative collaboration and shared sensemaking helps research communities stay focused on what they can advance together. When resources are limited, unlocking new value from existing data and infrastructure can be especially powerful.
Case Study 2: Designing Mission Concepts Amid Disruption
Project: NASA Astrobiology Mission Ideation Factory – Ocean Worlds
Two years after supporting the first NASA Astrobiology Mission Ideation Factory (focused on extant life on Mars) our team returned to collaborate on the second iteration, this time centered on Ocean Worlds. Over the course of a week, an interdisciplinary group of early to mid-career astrobiologists explored big questions in the field and translated ambitious ideas into potential mission concepts.
Shutdown-related challenge:
The government shutdown disrupted plans to convene at NASA’s Glenn Research Center and eliminated anticipated lab tours, experiences meant to ground and inspire the ideation process. Compounding this challenge, we were unable to communicate with one of our two lead clients for the duration of the shutdown.
Design response:
Rather than trying to replace what was lost, we adapted the agenda to focus on leadership development. Sessions on creative climate and creative problem-solving profiles supported a core goal of the workshop: participants’ long-term career development.
When client communication became limited, progress relied on trust built in advance. Longstanding relationships and clear roles allowed the available client to make final decisions, keeping the work moving despite the communication gap.
Key takeaway:
When disruptions remove expected experiences, it can be more valuable to explore alternative forms of value than to seek a one-to-one replacement. This case also underscored how strong client relationships provide resilience when plans break down.
Case Study 3: Coordinating Transdisciplinary Research on Wildfire and Water
Project: Wildfire and Water Security Research Project
The Wildfire and Water Security Research Project brings together more than 50 researchers from nearly 30 organizations to understand and reduce the impacts of wildfires on forested watersheds and drinking-water systems in the Pacific Northwest.
Over nine months, we worked with the project’s leadership team to co-design and facilitate the first full-team, in-person meeting which is a critical moment for a collaboration of this scale and complexity.
Shutdown-related challenge:
Many participants were navigating institutional uncertainty, and none of the project’s federal participants were able to join the meeting.
Design response:
The meeting prioritized relationship-building and integration across research areas. Rather than asking participants to commit to new projects, especially when key members were absent, we focused on surfacing potential interdisciplinary opportunities—creating a shared landscape of ideas the team could return to when time and resources allowed.
Key takeaway:
Sometimes the most important outcome is creating space for people to connect and articulate what matters to them. Not everything generated was immediately actionable, but all of it had value. Seeing the full field of possibilities matters as you never know when conditions will shift and make an idea ready to move forward.
Shared Conditions Across the Projects
Looking across these experiences, a few consistent lessons stand out:
- Name uncertainty early and often. Acknowledging external conditions builds trust and reduces unspoken tension.
- Design for flexibility without losing purpose. Clear goals allow processes to adapt without drifting.
Treat disruption as a design constraint, not a failure. Constraints can surface new opportunities for learning and connection.
Looking Ahead
Large collaborations – especially those that span government, academia, and other sectors – often operate within complex and shifting environments. Policy changes, funding dynamics, and institutional pressures can all shape how and when people are able to participate. Experiences like these have influenced how we think about planning, facilitation, and co-design in uncertain contexts. They continue to inform how we approach future engagements with government agencies, academic researchers, and cross-sector partners.
We’re grateful to work with clients and participants who bring curiosity, flexibility, and care to their collaborations – even when the path forward isn’t entirely clear.