Reflecting on the facilitation of virtual co-creation: how is creativity involved?

Past studies have highlighted the positive effects of virtual co-creation on participants’ creativity, including aspects like creative cognition, processes, and capabilities. However, its impact on the creativity of facilitators is rarely discussed. This study responds to the call to investigate the role of creativity in the emerging practice of design facilitation. Using Schön’s ‘Reflection-on-Action’ process, it examines how and where the four aspects of creativity – flexibility, fluency, originality, and elaboration – may appear in the process of facilitating the creativity of others. Our findings propose that ‘flexibility’ is the most cultivated aspect within the practice of design facilitation for virtual co-creation. As an exploration of an under-researched area, we discuss the implications of our findings for the future development of design facilitation. This study aims to contribute to broader discussions on the interconnection between reflection, creativity, and design practice.