In today’s rapidly changing world, businesses must innovate and collaborate to address complex challenges. Co-creation, where multiple stakeholders come together to develop solutions, is a powerful strategy for achieving this. But not all co-creation is the same—there are four main types, each with its unique characteristics and advantages. Understanding these can help you choose the right approach for your needs.
Defining Co-Creation: Two Key Questions
Co-creation can be understood by considering two critical questions:
- Who is invited to contribute? Is participation open to everyone, or are contributors selected?
- Who owns the outcome? Does the initiator retain ownership, or is it shared among all contributors?
These questions form the basis of four distinct types of co-creation, which can be visualised in a 2×2 matrix—a favorite tool of consultants and professors alike.
The Four Types of Co-Creation
Crowdsourcing
- Contribution: Open to anyone
- Ownership: Retained by the initiator
- In crowdsourcing, an initiator invites the public to contribute ideas, designs, or solutions to a challenge. The outcome, however, remains the property of the initiator. This approach is great for generating a wide range of ideas but may lack depth and expert insight.
Community Co-Creation
- Contribution: Open within a community
- Ownership: Shared among the community
- This type of co-creation involves communities—groups of people with shared interests or goals—working together towards a common purpose. The outcomes benefit everyone involved, making this approach ideal for fostering a sense of belonging and shared value.
Coalitions
- Contribution: Selected individuals or organisations
- Ownership: Shared among contributors
- In coalitions, select groups of individuals or organisations come together to achieve a goal that none could accomplish alone. Ownership of the outcome is shared, making this a powerful approach for tackling complex, multi-faceted challenges.
Expert Co-Creation
- Contribution: Hand-picked experts
- Ownership: Retained by the initiator
- Expert co-creation involves carefully selected specialists working together to solve a specific problem. The interactions are typically deeper and more focused than in crowdsourcing, and the initiator owns the outcome. This approach is excellent for complex problems requiring specialised knowledge.
The Future of Co-Creation: Emerging Trends
As we look to the future, co-creation is set to play an even more significant role in addressing global challenges, particularly as businesses take the lead in driving sustainable and inclusive economic practices. Here are some emerging trends:
Deliberative Democracy
This trend involves using crowdsourcing to engage ordinary citizens in policymaking. By randomly selecting participants, governments aim to bridge the gap between politicians and the public, fostering trust and more inclusive decision-making.
Open-Data Movements
Leveraging vast datasets to create innovative solutions is becoming increasingly common. Organisations like Bellingcat use data from various sources to conduct in-depth investigations, setting new standards for transparency and accountability.
Purpose-Driven Coalitions
As global challenges become more complex, the need for coalitions—where businesses and other stakeholders work together towards a shared goal—has never been greater. These coalitions focus on broad societal mandates and shared progress, rather than individual gains.
Global Expert Co-Creation
The shift to online work has removed geographical barriers, enabling global collaboration on an unprecedented scale. Expert co-creation now allows for seamless cooperation across continents, making it easier to tackle global issues collaboratively.
Conclusion: The Power of Co-Creation
The transition towards a sustainable and inclusive economy demands innovative solutions, and co-creation provides a powerful framework for developing these solutions. By understanding the different types of co-creation and staying informed about emerging trends, businesses and organisations can harness the power of collaboration to address the pressing challenges of our time. Whether through crowdsourcing, community-driven efforts, coalitions, or expert collaboration, the future of co-creation promises to be both exciting and essential.