Co-production in planning

Self-financed research

Since Spring 2022

Project summary 

Coined by Elinor Ostrom and her colleagues in the 1970s, the term ‘co-production’ was used to explain and give a theoretical foundation to practices that involved citizens in the production of public services. The concept has gained in popularity since the 2000s in the context of austerity and new governance. Today, co-production is of great interest to scholars and practitioners across various fields including planning. The rapid growth has, however, brought about significant ambiguity of the concept, leading to issues such as the dilution of its core values and its potential misuse. This research aims to address these challenges by uncovering the conceptual vagueness, examining its implications for planning theory and practice, and exploring ways to clarify the concept of co-production so it can better fulfil its promise within the planning field.

This research project also serves as a platform for meaningful student engagement, fostering deep learning through integration into teaching courses and thesis work. Additionally, we organise events that bring together academics and practitioners, promoting dialogue and knowledge exchange on this critical topic.

Publications 

Lee, D., Feiertag, P., & Unger, L. (2024). Co-production, co-creation or co-design of public space? A systematic review. Cities 154, 105372. DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2024.105372

Lee, D., Feiertag, P., & Unger, L. (2024). Defining co-production: A review of the planning literature. Journal of Planning Literature 39(2), 227-240. DOI: 10.1177/08854122231219919

Lee, D., Feiertag, P., & Unger, L. (Eds.) (2024). Co-production in the urban setting: Fostering definitional and conceptual clarity through comparative research. Urban Planning 9. DOI: 10.17645/up.i313

Presentations

Lee, D., Feiertag, P., Unger, L. What do we mean by co-production? Examining its use in the planning field. Paper presented at the 2025 RSA Conference, Porto.

Lee, D. Analysing and evaluating co-productive planning practice in Germany. Paper presented at the 2025 EURA Conference. Bristol.

Lee, D., Feiertag, P., Unger, L. Co-production – Theory and practice in the planning field. Paper presented at the 2024 UAA Conference. New York.

Awards 

EURA 2025 Best Paper Award

The paper titled How and to what extent co-production? Applying an analytical and evaluative framework to a co-productive planning practice in Germany, authored by Dahae Lee and Shpetim Thaci awarded Best Paper at the European Urban Research Association (EURA) Annual Conference held in Bristol in June 2025. This paper is currently under review for publication. Click here to learn more.

Events 

2025 RSA Special Session on Co-production (LINK)

2022 Symposium Delivering Urban Transformation through Co-production (LINK)

Teaching 

2025 Summer Semester

Master project: Co-productive gardening as part of the International Garden Exhibition (IGA) 2025, supervised by Dr. Patricia Feiertag

2024 Summer Semester

Master project: Co-production in urban transformation in Germany, supervised by Prof. Dr. Karsten Zimmermann and Lena Unger and advised by Dr. Dahae Lee

Seminar: Co-production: Definitions and examples, instructed by Dr. Patricia Feiertag

2023 Summer Semester

Seminar: Definitions and examples of co-production, instructed by Dr. Patricia Feiertag

Supervision 

Master theses

In progress: Maya Mostafa, Co-creation in question - expectations, misalignments, and urban outcomes, supervised by Dr. Dahae Lee

2025: Shpetim Thaci, Wie werden städtische Räume koproduziert? Was wäre wenn in Nürnberg al sein Fallbeispiel, supervised by Dr. Dahae Lee and Prof. Dr. Frank Othengrafen

2024: Julia Schröder, Koproduktion – Planungspraxis in Deutschland, supervised by Dr Dahae Lee and Lars Niclas Sievers

Bachelor theses

2024: Maira Rosalie Liefländer, Co-production/co-creation in der Planungsforschung: Analyse des koproduzierten Wissens und der Messung von Auswirkungen, supervised by Dr. Dahae Lee and Dr. Nadezda Krasilnikova