Operationalizing Co-Production in Public Services Delivery: The contribution of service blueprinting

Abstract

We have argued for public services to move away from product-dominant logic towards a service approach. By taking a services orientation, the experience, inter-organizational, and systemic nature of public services delivery can be considered along with the role of the service user as a co-producer. In this article, we unpack how co-production can be operationalized through the application of service blueprinting. This article presents an example within higher education where the creation of a blueprint brought together staff and students to focus on the design of student enrolment, resulting in improved student experience and supporting co-production.

Key words:

• Co-production
• higher education
• service blueprinting
• service management

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This project was conducted with financial support from the JISC Student Lifecycle Relationship Management (SLRM) funding stream. The project team also wish to acknowledge the support of academic and administrative colleagues and especially the students at the University of Derby (UoD), who co-designed and helped to produce the new service systems for student enrolment. We are very grateful for the guidance and direction given by, the JISC Programme Manager, and the help and support given by the staff at the Centre for Educational Technology and Interoperability Standards (CETIS).

Notes

¹ See http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/bce/derbicasestudy.pdf, for the original case study upon which this secondary analysis is based.