Modeling a Cocreative Process: the Contributions of Design and Management

This research focuses on the understanding of a team creative process (or co-creative process) by adding design and management inputs to the marketing approach. It proposes and empirically tests a co-creative process based on the three stages of the design thinking method: (1) need definition, (2) idea generation, and (3) solution prototyping. This model also includes the influence of individual variables –empathy, domain-relevant familiarity, and task involvement –at different stages of the co-creative process. The results validate the mediating role of idea generation between need definition and solution prototyping and the influence of the selected individual variables. The predictive validity of the co-creative process has been tested via the evaluation of the solution by experts. Several actions are proposed at each stage of the co-creative process to enable organizations to stimulate the creativity of their new product development teams.