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

Abstract
When delving into the co-creation research literature, it might seem that researchers consistently
attain success in their projects without any exceptions. At the extremes, co-creation might even be
portrayed as a quasi-moral scientific approach, where the results are inherently positive and
beneficial to all participants. Rarely do researchers openly discuss failures or mistakes encountered
during co-creation projects, despite the well-established understanding that co-creation presents
significant challenges and demands for those involved.
Therefore, we aim to use the well-established “Church of Fail” method to underscore the
importance of learning from failures, particularly within the dynamic and demanding landscape of
co-creation. Therefore, we invite participants to embrace the inevitability of failures, emphasizing
that the key lies in deriving valuable lessons from these. Failures present the greatest potential for
professional growth and innovation.

Reasons for the workshop: Ensuring the professional growth of researchers and practitioners is
vital to unlocking the full potential of co-creation and participatory methodologies. It may appear
that success in co-creation is guaranteed by applying principles such as building ownership or
fostering shared understanding. However, in reality, co-creation demands significant effort,
resources, and dedication from everyone involved. One way to avoid mistakes or failures is to
embrace them and learn from them, thereby fostering professional growth and innovation.

Objectives:
This workshop will:
1) Increase awareness of co-creation as a methodology within public health, by generating an open
and safe learning environment for professional growth.
2) Exchange experiences with failure, to learn and encourage professional growth. The presenters
will engage the participants with cases that illustrate different known pitfalls within co-creation, such
as power imbalance, participation fatigue, recruitment strategies, and aligning objectives.
3) Discuss important consideration on co-creation approaches, to achieve the best possibility for
success in such research projects in public health in the future.