(Co-)Producing Knowledge out of the Academic Box. A Service-Based View of Citizen Science

This qualitative paper sets out to build upon recent developments in public man-agement and service science literatures to better understand the increasing en-gagement of individuals and communities in the co-production of knowledge within Citizen Science (CS) projects, i.e., research collaborations where tasks are performed by members of the public. Mapping the scattered geography of con-temporary CS, the study focuses on two cross-cutting make-or-break factors: the role of ICT and the individual motivations to participate in CS. The paper argues that a broader appreciation of CS informed by a ‘service’ view becomes itself a potential source of new insights not limited to the CS field. In particular, the study proposes that framing CS as a ‘service ecosystem’ can provide public deci-sion makers and IS designers with essential insights for the broader understand-ing of conditions, processes and outcomes of citizen’s online experience.