Co-creation workshops vs traditional consultation
Posted by Marketing & PR on 13 Feb 2026
Organisations often use consultation to improve results, but more are now choosing co-creation workshops for a more collaborative and effective approach. Both methods gather insights, but they work differently and lead to different outcomes. Knowing how co-creation compares to traditional consultation can help you pick the best option for your next project.
What traditional consultation looks like
Traditional consultation is mostly one-way. The organisation defines the problem, suggests a solution, and then asks stakeholders for feedback. This can involve surveys, meetings, or written responses. Often, this feedback comes late in the process, after important decisions are already made.
The problem is that people may feel they are being talked at instead of listened to. Ideas are constrained by fixed options, leaving little room to question assumptions or try new ones. Consultation can meet governance requirements, but it does not always create real change or shared ownership.
What makes co-creation different
Co-creation workshops take a different approach. Rather than giving answers, organisations bring stakeholders into the problem-solving process from the beginning. Clients, communities, partners, and teams work together to define challenges, identify opportunities, and create solutions.
These sessions rely on structured co-creation methods that encourage collaboration, creativity and open discussion. Participants aren’t just responding to questions; they’re actively building ideas together. Well-designed co-creation techniques help balance voices in the room, uncover hidden insights and move groups towards practical outcomes everyone can support.
Read our blog to learn more about how co-creation workshops were used to refine concepts that helped Nestlé Purina and Sheffield University take a new approach to dog obesity.
Key differences in approach and outcomes
The main difference is in the mindset. Traditional consultation takes feedback on ideas that others have already formed. Co-creation, on the other hand, encourages shared thinking and joint decision-making.
With co-creation methods, people learn together and quickly. Assumptions are tested early, and ideas grow through open discussion instead of private meetings. Thoughtful co-creation techniques keep sessions on track but still leave space for creativity and challenge.
In comparison, consultation usually leads to small changes. Co-creation often yields more creative solutions because it draws on real experiences and diverse viewpoints from the outset.
Why this difference really matters
Choosing co-creation workshops isn’t just about running sessions; it’s about making them more engaging. It leads to better results. When people help create a solution, they are more likely to trust, support, and promote it even after the workshop is over. Fewer obstacles during delivery because potential issues are identified early.
Stakeholders feel a sense of ownership, which reduces resistance and builds momentum. Strong co-creation methods also help organisations move faster by aligning people early rather than trying to win buy-in later.
There’s also a cultural benefit. Co-creation signals that collaboration matters. Over time, this can strengthen relationships, build confidence and create a more open way of working across organisations and communities.
When co-creation is the right choice
Co-creation isn’t always necessary. Simple updates or compliance-driven exercises may still suit traditional consultation. But when challenges are complex, sensitive or involve multiple stakeholders, co-creation methods come into their own.
Using the right co-creation techniques is especially valuable when trust needs to be built, behaviours need to change or solutions must work in the real world, not just on paper. In these situations, shared understanding is just as important as the final output.
Bringing it all together
At its heart, co-creation workshops are about doing things with people, not to them. Compared to traditional consultation, they offer deeper insight, stronger relationships and more resilient outcomes. By embracing proven co-creation approaches, organisations can move beyond feedback and towards solutions that truly work for everyone involved.
Our Expertise
We’ve been creating highly successful social marketing campaigns for our customers for over two decades. We love our work and utilise the latest marketing communication tools and customer insight techniques, including ethnographic research and co-creation workshops.
This enables us to develop and integrate marketing concepts with other approaches to influence behaviour in ways that benefit individuals and entire communities for the greater good.
Within our team, we have leading, nationally recognised academic professionals in Psychology, Mental Health, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy who advise on which messages and media will deliver the best response when we scope a communications campaign or deliver any targeted communications.
This provides our clients with the reassurance and confidence that their communication objectives are underpinned by recognised academic behavioural theory, executed with award-winning creative design, and delivered using the latest Marketing Automation communication tools, whether on a local, regional, or national project.
Perfect Circle has delivered social change for clients such as schools, local government, not-for-profit organisations, the health sector, and niche commercial businesses, and we’re really proud of what we’ve done so far.
If you’d like our help on your next Behaviour Change Marketing or Social Marketing campaign, we’d love to hear from you. Please visit our contact page and get in touch.
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