This article sets out a working description of a collaborative ecosystem in which value is co-created. It describes what needs to be attended to in the process of adaptive design for the ecosystem. It sets out a path forward in pursuing adaptive design for a collaborative ecosystem.
Are you an Ecosystem?
Being an ecosystem involves recognizing all those engaged in the co-creation of value and in ongoing relationships with one another constituting a larger network. This is qualitatively different from seeing your organization plus all of the business relationships it has with its different providers and stakeholders. It is different from seeing your customer or client as the recipient of the goods or services that you develop.
What is an Ecosystem?
As in any ecosystem occurring in nature, members pursue interests individually, collectively, collaboratively and competitively. There is a common challenge which all are engaged in meeting, whether that is surviving and prospering, improving the health of a given population or providing transportation in a city.
In the human world, an ecosystem is partly intentionally formed and partly a result of organic emergence. It crosses industries, sectors, organizations and national boundaries. It includes entities of various types. It includes customers, clients, constituents, their families and support systems, and all of the providers who exchange skills, knowledge and other resources along the way.
Ecosystem boundaries are constantly changing. It possesses an adaptive capacity through self-organization to expand its coping capability under current or future conditions. Since it is emergent and boundaries are constantly changing, it can best be described by a critical challenge, a "wicked" problem, a common value proposition or the frequency of interaction among actors.
Identify YOUR Ecosystem.
What is the most important challenge your organization, its stakeholders, friends, customers, providers, constituents and clients is facing? What is the ultimate value proposition that you offer to the world? Who most often interacts around this?
What is most important to know about your Ecosystem?
Everyone is involved in the co-creation of value. This value is co-created through the exchange of knowledge, skills and resources. Success depends on how these are accessed, adapted and integrated. The customer, client or constituent is an integral part of this. This co-creation goes further back and further into the future than you might have imagined and includes many more actors.
How can your Ecosystem be improved?
We cannot design an ecosystem because it already naturally exists as a result of past intentional action and its own organic processes of emergence. We can improve it by helping it be better at what all ecosystems do which is self-organization, flexible adaptation and its own processes of ongoing design. We can help it be better at collaboration, cooperation as well as competition and in its effort to co-create its value proposition. We can help it to be more conscious.
What is the goal of a Human Ecosystem?
The goal of any ecosystem is for its members to flourish. In the case of human ecosystems, it is for its members to flourish individually and collectively. Having a bottom line that deals with economic, environmental, social and ethical factors supports this. See: UN Sustainable Development Goals.
What should we attend to in an Ecosystem?
Its work processes. How it exchanges skills, knowledge and resources by accessing, adapting and integrating them in order to co-create a value proposition.
The social context in which this occurs. This includes: the nature and configuration of the network of members; the quality of interactions and relationships; and the institutional structures which support this.
The competencies of members.
The desirable characteristics of work.
The digital platform which anchors this.
Where do we start in the process of Adaptive Design?
We can start by addressing the Customer Journey and the experiences the customer has at various Touch Points along this journey. How does the ecosystem go about providing value to the customer - the value proposition? How are services exchanged to co-create value? What happens at each of these touch points when the customer interacts to obtain value? Who participates, who should participate, how far back in time should we look, how far into the future can we see the ongoing development of the value proposition?
Addressing the Social Context.
The Social Context of the touch point and of the customer is intimately a part of this co-creation of value. How does our ecosystem network support this co-creation of value? How can it support this? How can arrangements in the network make it easier to access, adapt and integrate resources and, thus, provide value? Do we have quality interactions with each other? What roles such as integrator or hub are critical?
Desirable Characteristics of Work in the Ecosystem.
Since one of the goals of an Ecosystem is for its members individually and collectively to flourish, we need to address the quality of work in the ecosystem. Based on the work of Humphrey, Nahrgang and Morgeson (2007) which builds on the earlier work of Hackman and Oldham (1975), the following characteristics of work can be set out. These point to the importance of the experience of meaningfulness arising from the work.
Desirable work characteristics are based on the extent to which there is:
- Interaction outside the organization: Reaching out to and communication with people beyond the organization's boundaries.
- Problem solving: Interaction with others leading to the production of unique, creative solutions.
- Specialization: Performing tasks which require specific knowledge and skills.
- Interdependence: Relying on others in the exchange of specialized services based on the specific knowledge and skills of each.
- Work complexity: Performing work that is complex and multi-faceted.
- Feedback from others: Feedback regarding the work and more broadly the interpersonal aspects of the relationship.
- Social support and relationships: Opportunities for getting assistance and advice from others and building relationships. Friendships.
- Autonomy: In work scheduling, work methods, decision making.
- Information processing: Work that focuses on using and managing IT.
Supporting the Ecosystem through a Digital Platform.
In our contemporary world, having a digital platform helps to knit the ecosystem network together. It can embody the work processes and relationships in the ecosystem. To what extent can a digital platform do this? What functionalities will be required? What competencies? What kind of data will be available and in what form? What will be the degree of transparency and ease of use? How will the digital platform support human learning and AI?
The Process of Adaptive Design.
The process of adaptive design for collaborative ecosystems uses a large group process in which ecosystem members are included, commitment is obtained among ecosystem leaders and members and participatory processes are the foundation. This includes using innovation processes such as Innovation Labs or Social Innovation Labs which embody adaptive design. These vehicles utilize data gathering, analysis and discussion, brainstorming of ideas, prototype development, experimentation, continual testing, implementation, feedback and iteration. I have adapted these innovation vehicles to support this described approach of Adaptive Design For Collaborative Ecosystems along with specific supporting tools.
What is the end result?
- We create conscious, adaptive practices among ecosystem members that become competencies of the ecosystem.
- Members of the ecosystem flourish during the process of adaptation and change and in the improved ecosystem.
- Value to the customer and the value proposition is developed in ways that we had not been able to imagine and which continues to develop.
- The ecosystem flourishes in its ability to adapt and be involved in ongoing design.
What are some next steps?
You can start by beginning to think differently about the system of which you are a part.
I will be pleased to hear your feedback and ideas based on this article. I will also be pleased to discuss next steps that you can be taking in improving the ecosystem of which you are a part.
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