Co-creation leads to innovation – this is how it works

What´s the first thing that comes to your mind when hearing “Innovation”? Perhaps “new”, “solution”, or “creativity”. We love working on innovation, but before jumping into solutions, the question is what problem are we solving and for whom? Innovation is there at the service of people, that´s why people need to be involved in the process.

Co-creation as a mindset and as a process towards innovation

Designing the solution is as important as designing the conditions that enable the creation of solutions. Working co-creatively means accepting that we don´t have all the answers ourselves.

Co-creation is a collaborative process that leverages the powers of empathy, diversity, creativity, and consensus. Co-creation methods put people and their problems at the centre. For example, in the public sector, the use of co-creation methods allows public administrators and citizens to work together in a creative and organised way, with clear roles, and expectations.

In a co-creation process, we need different perspectives: those who experience the problem first-hand, those who are expert in the subject, those who decide on the issue, and last but not least, those who can bring all these perspectives together and care for a successful result.

The benefits of co-creation

Bringing other people into the process can be scary, we get it. Nevertheless, it is worth it. Using co-creation needs a paradigm change from designing solutions FOR people to designing solutions WITH people.

• Co-created solutions are more inclusive and effective because are based on a broader spectrum of people needs.
• Co-creation processes unveil cooperation links that actors involved didn´t see before. In other words, this process makes people realize that working together they can provide more holistic solutions.
• Co-creation increases empathy in the whole team. People are more open and tends to understand better the reasoning behind others´ decisions.
• Co-creation leads to human-centred innovation. Only through the exchange with real users it is possible to have a Product-market fit.
• A co-creation process sets clear roles, expectations and it is based on a transparent process where hierarchies are left aside.
• Co-creation fast-tracks the process of understanding a problem.
• Co-creation leads faster to solutions.
• Co-creation processes increase the number and quality of ideas. People are all the time building on each other´s ideas.
• Including final users in the process increases acceptance of the implemented idea.
• Co-creation is fun, hands-on, it awakens everyone´s creativity, is has well organised and is goal-oriented,

Co-creation only works if there is a good framework that holds it. It needs and asserted teams-setting with clear goals and expectations. A process like this, needs of experts who take a neutral role, who accompany the entire process guiding the group methodologically and empathically.

Some impressions of our co-creation processes

Participation and co-creation are part of ifok´s DNA. That is how, together with our clients, we have found answers to the biggest challenges of our times. Are you struggling with now? Let´s talk!

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