Most co-creation projects incorporate a sophisticated website to be the basis for the mass dialogue that comes with a successful project. Although we always like to think hybrid, mixing cyber conversations with brainstorms in real life, it is definitely of great importance to employ a best-of-breed software platform. It should facilitate your project in the best way possible.

It is very attractive however to make the infrastructure for your co-creation project the center of your attention. Quite convenient also, since configuring a website is a process you can easily control. It takes your mind off a far more difficult task you face: How to attract a committed audience and how to motivate it to contribute to your cause with ideas, experiences and lively discussion.

A platform will not do that. Elegant lines of code, html and flash programming do not attract or entertain crowds into co-creation. Even the most beautiful of designs does not convince people to let go of skepticism or resistance.

Stirring your target groups into an active commitment is a complex process that takes careful deliberation and a well thought-through approach. It might even be more difficult than getting your customers to (impulsively) buy your products. Co-creation means you need people to get interested, come to your website, subscribe, contribute, and preferably come back for more discussions and the celebration of results.

Co-creation is about people and their emotions, much more than anything else. In our practice, web infrastructure accounts for a maximum of 20% of any projects resources. 80-90% of all energy is pointed towards making the project connect to the real issues that matter to the intended target groups.

We develop three P’s in every project, instead of just one. Apart from a Platform, you need a Programme and a Process as well. Your programme tells your stories and breaks down the generic questions you have for you audience into detailed, specific ones. It entails producing stories, excitement and sometimes even entertainment. Your audience must be grabbed by the project and become curious to see the results of your mutual efforts to co-create. Think cliffhangers, scenarios and a lot of contingency editorial work and orchestration for your –and our- project team.

It may be my background with Endemol, but I sincerely believe that storytelling can be a mighty powerful tool for companies to de-commoditize their products and services and foster customer involvement.

Thirdly, you need a process to be in place to guarantee a clear path to results. Your audience, being new to your organization and co-creation, must be convinced that their contributions will be adequately followed-up and evaluated. I can tell you know that your organization is not ready for a mass dialogue with your intended audience. You need to make it ready. And then you must truly convince your audience that you’re ready for them.

To recap: You need infrastructure, a website, for sure. But don’t think platform. Please do allocate the majority of your precious resources to your (continued) activation programme and a thoroughly prepared funneling process that paves the road to collectively achieved results.

Favela Fabric has jumped all the hoops and hurdles to develop and grow a platform that is by now, after more than three years in business, one of the most sophisticated on the market. We proudly employ it in every project we produce.

My next blog post will deal with the specs a best-of-breed co-creation platform should offer.