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This short paper is a case study of the RCR Lab located at the campus of Mid Sweden University in Northern Sweden. We argue that experimental design thinking in research and higher education in the fields of crisis and emergency management in social studies can ameliorate the post hoc methodological problem and shed light in the decision processes and information flow among first responders as well as public officials of various levels. The RCR Lab may be used as an enhanced, realistic space for the enrichment of role-playing and simulations, to activate students, as well as a sophisticated tool for the collection not only of quantitative, but also of qualitative data. The audience for this paper may be institutions of higher education that have a lab on campus and are looking for new ways of utilizing it, as well as educators in general who are looking for new ways to integrate experimental thinking in their classes.

A considerable degree of collaboration between civil society organisations (CSOs) and governmental organisations (GOs) occurs in various collaborative areas, such as collaborative platforms, that aim to increase mutual understanding and reach shared solutions to complex social challenges. However, little is known regarding how CSOs relate to and discuss the starting conditions for participating in collaborative platforms. By highlighting the perspectives of CSOs supporting refugees, this article shows that the starting conditions affect whether CSOs decide to participate. Nevertheless, the starting conditions are also essential for their general understanding of the platform’s aim and purpose, thus affecting more than the initial decision to participate or not. A primary barrier to their participation is the political agenda behind the platform and what role CSOs think they should have in society. Consequently, the inclusive ‘whole society approach’ that collaborative platforms intend to create might be out of reach before starting the collaboration.