Learning and working environments – co-creation methods and tools in use

Purpose

In this paper, we describe and test co-creation methods and tools in several university case studies conducted in Finland. The case studies represent smaller and larger change processes in the learning and working environments on different university campuses and in different disciplines. The first question that we pose is, ‘What kind of co-creation methods can be used in distinct phases of renovation projects?’ The second question is, ‘What kind of impact do the methods used have on the users and the project?’

Theory

In current design research and science, approaches to co-creation have evolved. There has been a shift towards recognising that user involvement in changing learning and working environments necessitates a transition from formal, hierarchical, and closed project structures to open, networked, and layered ones. The methods employed in user participation are a valuable source of tacit knowledge, contributing to future-oriented solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach applied is a multiple case study method including data gathered by participatory action research and impact interviews of the representatives of the case studies. Multiple cases were selected to understand the similarities and differences between the cases and the impact on organisational learning.

Findings

Three types of impact were identified when using different methods to user involvement and co-creation of learning and working environments. They are contribution impact, learning impact and future-orientation impact.

Originality/value

Campus and learning environment developers and designers get an overview of the different co-creation methods used to understand the learning and working environments after Covid19. The research provides new insights to clustering the co-creation methods and their impact to diverse stakeholders in systematic change.