​Does the cost and complexity of partnerships mean that most organisations should focus more, and collaborate less…? Partnerships can be costly and complex, and often they don’t deliver their intended goals, but this is not because there is anything inherently wrong with the approach. The usual problem with partnerships is that they are too rarely used effectively. 

One of the keys for success for innovative approaches is being user- and problem-centric. In the context of partnership, this means that, rather than viewing a situation through existing organisational lenses, it is important to develop a clear shared understanding of the problem to be solved, and of the intended user group.