POSTER: Enriching the Existing Knowledge about Co-creation: Identifying Dimensions of Co-creation using Explicit Theory in Various Research Fields

In recent years, co-creation has gained significant traction as a methodological approach across various research fields. However, despite its broad application, the study of co-creation remains somewhat fragmented, with a scarcity of theory-driven frameworks to guide its systematic development. To address this gap, we undertook a comprehensive examination of the extant literature on co-creation, underpinned by explicit theoretical frameworks. This investigation employed a hybrid review approach, incorporating both a narrative review of co-creation studies across multiple disciplines and a systematic review centred specifically on co-creation within public health. Through these analyses, identified shared (explicit) dimensions that underpin the co-creation process across diverse contexts and applications. Our findings, derived from a total of 27 studies encompassing nine fields of research, identified five key co-creation process dimensions:  (1) Multi-stakeholder collaborative action; (2) Process of co-learning towards innovation; (3) Contextual knowledge production; (4) Generating meaning; and, (5) Open, trustful and inclusive dialogue. These insights reveal core elements consistently present in co-creation across diverse theories, co-creation types and research fields, highlighting the need for a multidimensional framework within co-creation research. We observed, moreover, a lack of clear and consistent definitions of co-creation, particularly within the field of public health. Accordingly, we advocate for the establishment of a unified language and a systematic approach to operationalise these five dimensions, which would provide a foundation for more robust and interdisciplinary theory-building in co-creation research.