Co-creation as a Success Factor in the Development of Constructive Customer-Focused Dialogues

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the process of co-creating a dialogue model that aims to increase citizen value in a municipality organisation. In addition, the purpose is to present the results from the development process and to evaluate the chosen dialogue model. Methodology/Approach: A dialogue model was developed through a co-creation process with a series of workshops, discussions and interactive tasks. The whole process was carried out in three steps. In the first step, the success factors of a constructive dialogue based on citizen value were identified. In the second step, several dialogue models were developed, tested and evaluated, and one dialogue model was chosen. In the third step, the chosen dialogue model was evaluated. Findings: An evaluation of a real-life use of the dialogue model supports the finding that the process delivers a dialogue model that enables the required prerequisites for constructive dialogues: for example, the opportunity to prepare, to create structured and transparent documentation, and to enable a holistic view of the dialogue model. A co-creation that involved co-workers contributed to developing a dialogue model that could be adapted to the co-workers’ own context. Research Limitation/implication: This study is conducted in a single organization, hence no generalizable conclusions can be made. Originality/Value of paper: Using a co-creative process when developing and realising a dialogue model enhances the possibility of adapting the model to an organisation’s specific context.