"The Key Is We" – Refining Co-creation Indicators to Assess Innovation Processes

Our research purpose is to test and improve an indicator instrument for real-time assessment of collaborative and dynamic innovation processes. The paper presents an indicator tool derived from successful long-term collaborative innovation across organisational and international borders, and reports initial tests to validate five performance indicators for flexible innovation teams in short term collaboration. The aim is to test and develop a tool of five indicators as dynamic network patterns that enables to discern successful from underperforming co-creation processes, at early stages.Design/methodology/approach: Detection and description of the patterns indicators in various data on innovation processes - from expert interviews to focus groups, and from print media, videos and online communication by startups - need further specification. In a small focus group exercise with 20 different experts collaborating in temporary, flexible innovation teams, the five dynamic network patterns were (a) tested for the short term collaboration context, and (b) related to new attributes and statements. Findings: The focus group exercise helped to validate and refine the specification of the five dynamic network patterns as indicators of successful co-creation processes. The findings (a) confirm the validity of the indicators for agile innovation teams, (b) increase evidence of some of the indicators especially for short term collaboration, (c) serve as pre-test for wide-ranging studies that improve the indicators further for start-ups, at incubators and accelerators. Research/practical implications: The refined indicator instrument aims at real-time assessment of start-ups in incubators, and co-creation in any settings, based on the indication of emerging DINs in successful collaborative innovation processes. The method has a high relevance for further evaluation research on dynamic innovation processes and collaborative entrepreneurship. Its practical implication is an assessment blueprint (and training instrument) for innovation teams in co-creation processes.Originality/value: This paper refines a new research instrument of high relevance and value for collaborative innovation processes in and across societal sectors.