Collaborate and co-create
tl/dr: Collaboration and co-creation might sound similar, but they’re worlds apart. The distinction isn’t just academic semantic ego stroking; it can mean the difference between unlocking value and not.
Collaboration: Surviving and not creating
Collaboration is, at its core, simply a group of people working toward a shared outcome — yet too often, everyone brings their own agenda and priorities. Which in turn demands compromise, where give and take rules the day. Collaboration might sound productive, but the reality is often devolves into a zero-sum game: one person’s gain is another’s loss. Here are some common tactics I’ve seen emerge while collaborating:
• Speaking louder to dominate
• Throwing around jargon
• Leaning on hierarchical power
• Resorting to hidden politics
• Selectively sharing information
• Favoritism
The result? Collaboration can be used to drain the environment of creativity and, suffocating ideas with power dynamics. Despite all the knowledge, skills, and experience brought to the table, the process of corporate collaboration becomes the problem. It turns what should be a fertile ground for ideas into a battlefield of egos and agendas. And can feel less like creating and more like surviving. When that happens, it’s time to embrace something better: co-creation.
Co-Creation: The magic of building together
Co-creation is rooted in a shared vision, equal voices, and building something together. Research at Google, especially through their Sprint method, highlights what makes this work:
• A clear and shared vision: Everyone aligns on the "why" before diving into the "what."
• Curiosity over certainty: Framing challenges as questions, not problems.
• Equal footing: Structures that ensure the loudest voice doesn’t dominate.
• Psychological safety: A culture where people feel safe to share and experiment.
• Active facilitation: Guided processes that emphasize co-creation values.
• Making over talking: Moving from endless discussion to tangible prototypes.
Maybe the last point is the core of co-creation: creation. It’s not just a conversation; it’s action. Making shifts the whole game. In a lot of collaborations, people think up all kinds of things without the responsibility of execution — often times also without the experience of creating. When everyone is involved in making — whether through sketching, building, or prototyping — the dynamic changes. Barriers of authority dissolve, and participants meet as equals. Collaboration works when co-creation occurs.
Agile: Making co-creation real
Agile methods thrive because they embody the principles of co-creation. From shared product visions to user stories framed as open questions, the process levels the playing field. Teams come together in refinements, retrospectives, and scrums, ensuring everyone has a voice. Contrast this with traditional collaboration, where:
• The vision is fragmented.
• Hierarchies dominate dynamics.
• Loud voices drown out others.
• Making isn’t democratised.
Fostering co-creation as a culture
Co-creation challenges traditional power structures, but it rewards those willing to shift their mindset. The idea that “everyone is a designer” isn’t just empowering— it’s transformative. Traditional collaboration often lacks the elements that make co-creation powerful. There’s no unified vision, no psychological safety, and no mechanisms to prevent the loudest voices from dominating the conversation. Contributions aren’t equally valued, and the act of "making" isn’t democratized. Instead, collaboration can feel like a zero-sum game where power dynamics overshadow creative potential. This model of working was born in 19th-century factories but the world has changed, and it’s time to question these outdated systems.
New methodologies like Agile, Lean, and Sprint demand a shift in attitude—from closed and hierarchical to open and inclusive. They disrupt traditional power structures and invite everyone into the process as equals. One of my favourite aspects of this mindset is the belief that “everyone is a designer.” It’s a transformative idea that fosters equality, encourages engagement, and ensures that everyone involved has a meaningful impact on the outcome.