Definition
Co-creation and collaboration in foresight and futures thinking refer to the process of bringing together diverse stakeholders, experts, and participants to jointly envision, design, and shape possible futures. This approach emphasises shared ownership, collective intelligence, and the integration of multiple perspectives to create more robust and inclusive future scenarios.
Example
South Africa and the Mont Fleur Scenarios
A real-world example of co-creation and collaboration in foresight is the “Mont Fleur Scenarios” project in South Africa during the early 1990s. This initiative brought together diverse groups including politicians, activists, academics, and business leaders to collaboratively develop scenarios for the country’s future during its transition from apartheid. The process helped build shared understanding and influenced policy decisions during a critical period of change.
Ask yourself
- Who are the key stakeholders that should be involved in this futures thinking process?
- How can we ensure diverse perspectives are included and valued?
- What methods can we use to facilitate effective collaboration among participants?
- How might power dynamics or cultural differences affect the co-creation process?
- What shared vision or goals can unite participants in the collaborative effort?
Tools
- World Café: A method for hosting large group dialogue
- Futures Wheel: A visual tool for exploring secondary and tertiary consequences of trends and events
- Delphi Method: A structured communication technique for forecasting
- Backcasting: Working backwards from a desired future to determine necessary steps
- Design Thinking: An iterative process for problem-solving that emphasises empathy and prototyping
Comparison of Co-creation and Collaboration
- Definition and Scope:
- Collaboration: A broader term referring to people working together towards a common goal.
- Co-creation: A more specific form of collaboration that emphasizes joint creation and shared ownership of outcomes.
- Process:
- Collaboration: Can involve dividing tasks and working separately before combining efforts.
- Co-creation: Typically involves working together throughout the entire process, from ideation to implementation.
- Hierarchy:
- Collaboration: Can occur within existing hierarchical structures.
- Co-creation: Often aims to flatten hierarchies and equalize participation.
- Outcome Ownership:
- Collaboration: Participants may have distinct roles and own different parts of the outcome.
- Co-creation: Emphasizes shared ownership of the final product or outcome.
- Innovation Focus:
- Collaboration: Can be applied to routine tasks or innovative projects.
- Co-creation: Often associated with innovation and creating novel solutions.
- Stakeholder Involvement:
- Collaboration: May involve only internal team members or limited external partners.
- Co-creation: Often involves a wider range of stakeholders, including end-users or customers.
- Power Dynamics:
- Collaboration: May maintain existing power structures.
- Co-creation: Aims to redistribute power and give voice to all participants equally.
- Application in Foresight:
- Collaboration: Useful for executing predetermined foresight activities.
- Co-creation: Particularly valuable for developing shared visions of the future and building consensus among diverse groups.
In the context of foresight and futures thinking, both collaboration and co-creation are valuable approaches. However, co-creation is often preferred for its ability to generate more diverse, inclusive, and innovative future scenarios by actively involving a wide range of stakeholders throughout the entire process.
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