Evaluation of Print/Non-print Materials

Name of
Candidate:
Project Task (No.):
Group
Title:

Project

Yeo Hui Ping

Class:

(1) Expansion

Group
Index No:

16S21

Feli.city- Transforming Singapore into a Fashion Emporium

FRANCIS GOUILLART, HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW: CoCreation: The Real Social-Media Revolution

Source:
ELSA PLUMLEY,PATRIZIA BERTINI, UX BOOTH : CoCreation: Designing With the User, For the User
Paragraphs
The articles have identified co-creation to be a platform used by many companies to
allow collaboration between consumers and producers, such that goods produced
could meet the consumers demand and eventually attracting more customers. This
is relevant to my project as we are focusing on ways which could help aspiring and
current local fashion designers to gain more attention of their work in the attempt to
expand the local fashion industry.

The writers, Francis Gouillart, Elsa Plumley and Patrizia Bertini, have provided a
balanced view on the effectiveness of co-creation in creating connections between
the producers and consumers and meeting the consumers needs. If it is successfully
carried out in the fashion industry, designers brands can co-develop with the
community, hence attracting more customers. Also, the writers mentioned about the
feasibility of the co-creation platform which requires significant involvement of

Evaluation of Print/Non-print Materials

different parties.

Paragraphs
These two articles are credible as they are written by experts who explore the
potential of co-creation and have written journals and books about it. Examples are
the book called The Power of Co-Creation 1 written by Francis Gouillart and the
article on Co-Creation: The Missing Link between Brands and Customers 2
published in The Digital Market magazine, which is written by Patrizia Bertini.

In both articles, the authors state that co-creation provides a platform for
collaborative work between consumers and producers, hence allowing brands
established by the producers to co-develop with the community. This is achieved
through the contribution of ideas by both parties whereby everyone involved is equal
and working towards a shared goal. As such, consumers are more willing to
purchase the products with their ideas incorporated, hence helping producers to gain
attention of their work.

With reference to my project, a co-creation platform which takes the form of a mobile

1 Francis Gouillart , Venkat Ramaswamy (2010, October 5). The Power of CoCreation(book). Retrieved from https://books.google.com.sg/books?
id=EyXjhU_8myIC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&
q&f=false
2 Patrizia Bertini (2015, 7 July). Co-Creation: The Missing Link between Brands and
Customers. Digital Marketing Magazine. Retrieved from
http://digitalmarketingmagazine.co.uk/customer-experience/co-creation-the-missing-linkbetween-brands-and-customers/2202

Evaluation of Print/Non-print Materials

application can be created. It includes features such as a forum which allows all to
provide ideas of designs and an ongoing contest which allows users to come up with
designs of clothing styles. Designers are then able to collect information on the
customers preferences and come up with designs that fulfil the consumers desires.

While some might think that co-creation inhibits designers from retaining their own
unique fashion tastes as it is simply making designers follow the popular choice, it is
inarguable that such problem can still be minimized. For example, the best clothing
style can be determined through a voting system whereby both the designers and
users are able to vote for their favourite ones at the end of every month. The
designers can then proceed to fine tune the designs while adding elements of their
own unique fashion styles in the process. The clothing can then be manufactured for
sale in the designers own shops. Therefore, co-creation allows producers to retain
their own fashion taste while attracting more customers and even helps aspiring
fashion designers to have their designs recognized.

The author has pointed out that co-creation is not easy for it requires active
engagement of all parties. Therefore, in conjunction with co-creation, the traditional
approach whereby a researcher is being employed to act as the middle-man
between users and designers can still be incorporated in the co-creation process.
This will lighten the producers burden of having to constantly gather information and
decide on the best designs by themselves.

While some might feel that the traditional approach minimizes direct involvement

Evaluation of Print/Non-print Materials

between the consumers and producers, it is not totally true as the traditional
approach is now improvised for it is now done through mobile applications which
allow producers to do regular check and interact with users in coming up with
designs. As such, co-creation is a platform that helps promote local designers
brands by engaging consumers in the design process.

References
Francis Gouillart (2012,4 Dec). Harvard Business Review(magazine). Co-Creation:
The Real Social-Media Revolution. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2012/12/cocreation-the-real-social-me/
Elsa Plumley,Patrizia Bertini,(2014,2 Dec). UX booth. Co-Creation: Designing With
the User, For the User. Retrieved from http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/co-creationdesigning-with-the-user-for-the-user/
Francis Gouillart , Venkat Ramaswamy (2010,5 Oct). The Power of CoCreation(book).Retrieved from https://books.google.com.sg/books?
id=EyXjhU_8myIC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=one
page&q&f=false
Patrizia Bertini (2015,7 July). Co-Creation: The Missing Link between Brands and
Customers. Digital Marketing Magazine. Retrieved from
http://digitalmarketingmagazine.co.uk/customer-experience/co-creation-the-missinglink-between-brands-and-customers/2202

Evaluation of Print/Non-print Materials

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