Source: TU Delft
Navigating Value Dynamics: a tool for mapping multi-stakeholder value ecosystems in the LIFE Project
MSc. Thesis by Dafne Ríos Cázares
Multi-actor collaboration is essential to develop and integrate new energy systems, evident in actors' interconnection in value networks and complex value propositions for integrating these product services. However, ecosystem collaboration comes with challenges, as each actor operates under different principles and seeks different benefits. In this context, service designers face the challenge of developing methods and approaches to improve actors' capabilities in navigating systemic complexity, and translating abstract values into concrete actions.
To address these issues, this thesis examines the LIFE project. One significant theoretical gap is the lack of tools for value modelling from an ecosystem perspective. Within the LIFE project, complex conversations regarding values emerge due to differing perceptions, leading to value misalignment, siloed ways of working, and intricate decision-making processes. The prevailing view of value focuses on unidirectional exchanges, lacking an ecosystem or systemic perspective of the project. Thus, a need arises for a tool that provides an ecosystem view and allows multiple stakeholders to engage in explicit value conversations.
To bridge this gap, this thesis introduces the 'value ecosystem canvas,' supporting collaborative networks in value ecosystem modelling. This 'project-centric' tool is designed for co-creation sessions, enabling actors to visually model value exchanges iteratively with the aid of a clear value guide, exploring potential links between actors and concretizing value exchanges. Additionally, it facilitates an ecosystem understanding of how product-services add value to other actors and what value could be potentially exchanged (created and captured).