Yes, And Co-Creating Value
Service Design master’s thesis consists of the studies of the potential of a Yes, And mindset and practice applied to a large, active hydrogen network in Finland, where value co-creation is fundamental to the network offer for its actors. Different research methods and service design tools, for example, observation, interviews, personas, service ecology maps and empathy maps have been applied. The illustrative figures made by the author are an important part of the thesis.
Yes, And Co-Creating Value
Getting the most out of a human interaction or group dynamic, so that all parties mutually find value and willingness to contribute to the collective is crucial for the success and transformative value of any co-creation activity. However, with all the good intentions and potential in the room, still it does not guarantee that every individual is present, engaged, or able to come together freely and offer ideas or solutions to the challenges on the table.
A Yes, And mindset is the fundamental cornerstone of improvisation theater and provides a practical skillset and principles for human exchange, which can be both verbal or non-verbal behaviour and is unquestionably human-centered and performed on the spot, in real-time situations. Key attributes of Yes, And; always acknowledging others, being open to possibility, and most importantly accepting another’s offer or gift and committing to build upon it, ensures the potential of understanding, embracing unexpected, innovative ideas, and rewarding experiences for all actors involved.
Why is Yes, And important?
In the present volatile, ever-changing, and complex world, creative adaptability, resilience, and safe common ground are increasingly seen by organizations, networks, and societal groups as necessary characteristics for collective collaboration, opportunity, and innovation toward sustainable futures.
Through an in-depth literature review, it was found that there is increasing awareness and academically acknowledged material supporting the potential of Yes, And. Building upon its origins in improvisation theater, the approach positively offers a practical personal and business skillset for people who are coming together to develop and progress each other’s ideas to help solve these global challenges.
Validating Yes, And
Still regarded often as risky, ambiguous, and intangible, it is important to find ways to measure Yes, And in action and in relation to co-creating value for all in a group, in order to give validation to it as an important human interaction capability and research method to be utilized in future studies. In contrast, Yes, But and No, both seen as blocking sentiments are also considered in this study, which reinforces the negotiating aspect that Yes, And offers to deliver an adversarial message.
In-depth observation at a network conference using the Yes, And criteria showed key influencing factors needed for Yes, And to happen within a workshop activity. Participant interviews after the conference also revealed insights as to what actors collectively regarded as valuable topics in relation to the network. Both sets of data were measured using Yes, And attributes as criteria. As a result of the thesis a Yes, And table of recommendations are presented to the network Commissioner to guide their strategic thinking and developments in the future. A tangible mindset that enables a value co-creation space for all actors mutually and towards the greater, collective goal of hydrogen transition.
Sources
Image: Continual line illustration symbolizing the Yes, And sentiment, ‘I accept your offer and build on it’ (Kris Franks, 2023).
Franks, K. 2023. Yes, And Co-Creating Value Case study: BotH₂nia hydrogen network. Master’s Thesis. Turku University of Applied Sciences.