8.Q. - Skills building seminar::”The Church of Fail”: Learning from Our Mistakes in Co-Creation

Abstract<br/>When delving into the co-creation research literature, it might seem that researchers consistently<br/>attain success in their projects without any exceptions. At the extremes, co-creation might even be<br/>portrayed as a quasi-moral scientific approach, where the results are inherently positive and<br/>beneficial to all participants. Rarely do researchers openly discuss failures or mistakes encountered<br/>during co-creation projects, despite the well-established understanding that co-creation presents<br/>significant challenges and demands for those involved.<br/>Therefore, we aim to use the well-established “Church of Fail” method to underscore the<br/>importance of learning from failures, particularly within the dynamic and demanding landscape of<br/>co-creation. Therefore, we invite participants to embrace the inevitability of failures, emphasizing<br/>that the key lies in deriving valuable lessons from these. Failures present the greatest potential for<br/>professional growth and innovation.<br/><br/>Reasons for the workshop: Ensuring the professional growth of researchers and practitioners is<br/>vital to unlocking the full potential of co-creation and participatory methodologies. It may appear<br/>that success in co-creation is guaranteed by applying principles such as building ownership or<br/>fostering shared understanding. However, in reality, co-creation demands significant effort,<br/>resources, and dedication from everyone involved. One way to avoid mistakes or failures is to<br/>embrace them and learn from them, thereby fostering professional growth and innovation.<br/><br/>Objectives:<br/>This workshop will:<br/>1) Increase awareness of co-creation as a methodology within public health, by generating an open<br/>and safe learning environment for professional growth.<br/>2) Exchange experiences with failure, to learn and encourage professional growth. The presenters<br/>will engage the participants with cases that illustrate different known pitfalls within co-creation, such<br/>as power imbalance, participation fatigue, recruitment strategies, and aligning objectives.<br/>3) Discuss important consideration on co-creation approaches, to achieve the best possibility for<br/>success in such research projects in public health in the future.