Experiences in a successful implementation of an IS-development model for co-design in a quadruple helix project.

1. Introduction

Information systems (IS) research of the last twenty years has shown a phenomenon of unused research results, for instance IS-development models that do not reach practice. In some cases it may be relied upon that it takes considerable long time to transfer the new innovation from academy to practice. The reason for that could be that there is a lack of relevance for practice. In a quadruple helix project where academy and practice are cooperating to develop IS relevant for practice, a new model for IS-development has been formed. It is a co-design model to bridge the gap between all stakeholders. It motivates end-user involvement at an early stage to catch needs of the IS. The co-design model must therefore be transferred to all the stakeholders of the quadruple helix project and the purpose in this research is to obtain deeper understanding of the model transfer process.

2. Methods

Qualitative interview study of stakeholders in the quadruple helix project, thus practitioners (healthcare workers, system developers, end-users) and academics (researchers).

3. Results

The co-design model is transferred to practice when used by practice. For that it must be understood by all stakeholders. There are many ways to understand the model and to communicate the learnings from using it. Issues remain to get the model transferred completely. Researchers are also exposed to difficulties by having to balance the theoretical model against the practical process of co-design.

4. Discussions

The transfer of the co-design model has been successful as the model have been used in a setting intended for it. Technology/knowledge transfer theories are considered, but still issues in order to succeed transferring the model remains. The knowledge bearers must be included early and all the way through the model transfer, and the diversity of the stakeholders and their professions must be carefully considered. For instance, end-users and technicians in several cases have disparate affiliations in social systems, and thus not a common ground for communicating the transfer issues. Another issue is that the transfer is slowed down if representing stakeholder is not the decision maker.

5. Conclusions

The stakeholders are early adopters of the co-design model and they are all affected by explained and perceived attributes, decisions, time, communication channels and the nature of their social systems. It is motivated to consider the complexity surrounding the co-design model.