Not only finding the right partners is important, the moment when you bring them together has to be right as well. A typical cocreation process consists of a number of phases that can also be found in the design thinking process:

• You delimit the challenge.
• You then think of as many ideas as possible.
• You make prototypes of the ideas you selected.
• You test and assess these prototypes.
• You optimise the concept and market it.

In practice, this process is not as linear as in the above description, but the description does show that there are different phases. Each of those phases is linked to different actions and goals. And different partners are needed for each of these actions and goals.

A few examples:

• When delimiting the challenge, it may be useful to work with experts or ask the opinion of local residents. That way you have a theoretical approach as well as input from people who are faced with the challenge on a daily basis.
• Involving local residents in the development phase is less relevant. But their input is again essential in the test phase.
• When collecting ideas, it’s perfectly OK to invite the proverbial odd duck, like students for instance. In that phase of the process, they are in a perfect position to think independently and question things.
• However, once you want to actually launch the project and are drawing up a business plan, students are not the right people to have around the table. In that phase it is preferable to find partners for production and marketing.
• Involving enterprises in the launch is a good idea, but having them participate in the project from the very start is less efficient. It’s difficult for them to share expertise at a time when you have not yet precisely delimited the challenge and the added value they can offer is not yet completely clear.

Therefore, it’s important to think carefully about which partners you need in which phase. And don’t forget to make everyone’s interests clear whenever you bring in new partners.