Blog Post

Podcast episode – What is the Co?

by | 16 Sep, 2022 | Blog, Collaboratory Podcast, Featured, Featured Collaboratory Podcast

When you start talking about people working together, there seems to be no shortage of words to describe it – collaboration, cooperation, co-design, co-production, co-creation – and the list goes on. While the meanings of these terms may seem obvious, do we always know if others are interpreting them in the same way? Why is it important to come to a shared understanding of the terms we use as we come together and work together over time?

These are some of the questions we explore in this episode of Collaboratory. We hear definitions of key terms from a range of the people we’ve talked to as part of Season 1 of Collaboratory, and take a deeper dive into why setting up expectations of the co-creative process through shared language is a critical part of the co-creative process with with Antti Pirinen from Aalto University, facilitator, researcher and strategic designer Emma Blomkamp and Stephen Osbourne from University of Edinburgh Business School.

Listen to the episode here, or read the full transcript here.

Our guests for this episode

Dr Emma Blomkamp is a facilitator, researcher and strategic designer, best known for her work in co-design for behaviour and systems change. A Pākehā New Zealander living on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, Emma is passionate about co-creating compassionate systems. She has been leading participatory design and social innovation projects with public purpose organisations since 2014. As an independent Co-Design Coach, Emma now focuses on supporting public, health and community organisations to apply creative and participatory approaches in their work.

You can find Emma online at Emma Blomkamp’s website, LinkedIn, Medium, Twitter

Stephen Osborne is the Chair in International Public Management and the Deputy Dean of the University of Edinburgh Business School. He is also a Fellow within the Edinburgh Futures Institute and is the founding and current editor of the Public Management Review journal. His book, “Public Service Logic: Creating Value for Public Service Users, Citizens, and Society Through Public Service Delivery” was published by Routledge in 2020. 

 You can find Stephen online on University of Edinburgh website, Routledge Press, LinkedIn, Twitter 

Antti Pirinen is University Lecturer in Spatial and Service Design at Aalto University, Department of Architecture, in Espoo, Finland. His research interests include human-centered and collaborative design in the context of interior space, the living environment and related services, as well as emerging conceptual and strategic aspects of spatial design. He has also studied the prerequisites of design in the public sector.

You can find Antti online at Aalto People website, Research Gate

This episode also included guests: Dimitrios Papalexis, Shona Coyne, Kaira Zoe Canete, John Carty, Kim Cunio, Jilda Andrews, Merryn McKinnon, Robin Davidson, Anni Doyle, David Lilley, Johanna de Ruyter, Rebecca McNaught, Natalie Barr, Virginia Marshall, and Brad Riley

Get in touch

We’d love to hear what you think of this episode and any reflections you have on your own practice. Share your thoughts and feedback with us at:

Email – collaboratorypodcast@gmail.com

Facebook – Collaboratory Podcast | Scaffolding Cultural CoCreativity

LinkedIn – Collaboratory Podcast

Instagram – @collaboratorypodcast

And remember to leave us a review on your favourite podcast player!