When a participation project goes wrong, it can lead to friction. Governments, organizations and individual citizens can be heard complaining about “failed participation projects”. But what do they mean? Is there a more precise way to classify the norms for a “good” participation project? In this lecture Michiel Hulshof interviews researcher Menno van der Veen. For the University of Amsterdam, he developed a framework of participation that consists of the participation-axis, four typical situations and 10 norms of participation. This framework sees participation projects in urban development as a type of social and relational contracting. Based on this framework, he discusses two cases in Amsterdam, the K-Buurt and Marineterrein. Professor of Urban Planning Tuna Taşan-Kok (University of Amsterdam) joins in and shares her insights based on her expertise in urban planning and governance.