Co-creating end-user roles. Understanding the new variety of user involvement in public sector innovation. (8th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lipp, Benjamin; Baudrin, Mathieu; Cuevas-Garcia, Carlos; Pepponi, Federica; Rozwadowska, Magdalena; Tsui, Shelly
• Is Part Of: Science and public policy. Volume 50:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 146
• Page End: 159
• Publication Date: 2022-10-08
• Subjects: co-creation -- users -- science and technology studies -- innovation policy -- public sector innovation; Science and state -- Periodicals; 338.926
• DOI: 10.1093/scipol/scac050
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0302-3427

Abstract

Abstract: Co-creation has become a major concern in science and public policy. It aims to give a more central role to end users in producing (public sector) innovation outcomes. This leads to a new variety of end user roles in innovation activities and poses challenges for both practitioners and policy makers. We offer an in-depth, comparative analysis of such end user roles in three cases of co-creative public sector innovation across Europe. We argue that the definition of particular end user roles is crucial in shaping both the inclusiveness and outcomes of co-creative innovation. We offer a typology of end user roles and their respective limits and potentials with regard to co-creation. Our analysis suggests that, for co-creation to produce useful and legitimate outcomes, the process by which roles are assigned to and negotiated with end users must be part of the co-creative process itself.