Co-design is a transformative approach to creating social impact, but its success depends on who’s involved and how accessible the process is. If your co-design efforts don’t prioritise inclusivity and engagement, you risk losing valuable insights and perspectives from key stakeholders.
As an innovation consultant who has worked extensively in the social sector, I’ve seen firsthand both the benefits and the pitfalls of co-design. In this article, we’ll explore five key areas to consider when crafting a co-design process that truly engages your target participants.
Access: Reaching Beyond the Usual Suspects
One of the biggest challenges organisations face is accessing the right stakeholders - not just the familiar faces from volunteers or existing customers, but a diverse representation of the people who will ultimately use the service or program you're developing.
It's easy to put a call out in your newsletter and get the same people who always contribute but that may not be a true reflection of your actual service user base.
To broaden your reach, leverage existing community relationships and trusted intermediaries to identify and reach the people you need to involve. This could mean partnering with local leaders or service providers who already have strong connections with your target participants.
Location Matters (More Than You Think)
Choosing the right venue for your co-design activities, accessibility goes beyond just physical access. You also need to consider whether the location is central and comfortable for your participants.
Accessibility goes beyond whether a wheelchair user can physically enter the space. It’s about the experience. For instance, if someone needs to use a back entrance while others come through the front, it sends a subtle but powerful message about inclusion and belonging.
Beyond the logistics, the overall atmosphere and associations of the space can also impact how participants engage. For example, spaces like government buildings might feel intimidating or unwelcoming to groups such as refugees or new migrants. Conversely, a neutral, inviting location can encourage open and honest participation, ensuring everyone feels they belong and their voice matters.
Timing: Avoiding Conflicts and Accommodating Needs
Scheduling co-design activities at the right time is essential to ensure maximum participation. It’s important to avoid defaulting to business hours, as this may inadvertently exclude individuals with work commitments, caregiving responsibilities, or other obligations.
For instance, people with young children may face challenges attending early morning sessions. Just because it's easy for us to get somewhere at 9 a.m. doesn't mean that's the case for everybody. All of those things need to be considered.
Thoughtful scheduling also means avoiding religious or cultural holidays that may prevent certain groups from attending.
Designing Engaging Activities
The activities you choose for your co-design sessions can make or break the level of participation. To foster meaningful participation, it’s important to design tasks that are accessible, relevant, and enjoyable for all attendees.
Having the right people in the room is just the start. The real challenge is ensuring they can contribute in a way that brings out their best ideas and perspectives.
Consider incorporating hands-on, creative exercises instead of relying solely on verbal discussion. It might also involve providing multiple ways for people to engage, such as drawing or building, to accommodate diverse communication styles and comfort levels.
Valuing Participants' Time and Expertise
When it comes to remuneration, the days of offering a free muffin or cup of coffee are long gone. Organisations need to take a more thoughtful and equitable approach to compensating participants for their time and contributions.
Is it fair and reasonable that some people in the room are being paid and other people in the room are donating their time? We need to consider how we can make this more even.
Compensation doesn’t have to be solely financial—although paying participants for their time is a significant step. It could also mean giving them meaningful opportunities to shape the outcomes, showing them the tangible impact of their input, or providing professional development benefits. Recognising their expertise and effort not only shows respect but also encourages deeper engagement.
Co-Designing the Co-Design Process
If you're unsure of the best way to make your co-design activities accessible and engaging, the best way to do it is: co-design the co-design process.
Speak to some people that are from those communities you're trying to access and say, “Hey, we want to run a project, and we want to get you people from your community involved. However, we just don't even know where to start. What are some of the things that you could tell us that you think would really work?.”
By bringing in the target participants as advisors, you can ensure that your co-design process is tailored to their needs and preferences from the very beginning. This collaborative approach helps overcome the challenge of being an "expert" on everything and instead taps into the wisdom of the people you're trying to serve.
You can't be an expert on everything and that's part of this whole journey of collaboration - we're trying to give up the fact that we are experts on everything, and we just want to listen to the right people to get the best ideas and move forward with something that works for all of us.
Ultimately, making co-design accessible comes down to being open, flexible, and putting the needs of your participants first. By considering these five key areas, you can create a co-design process that truly brings out the best in everyone involved and leads to more impactful solutions.
So get out there, connect with your community, and co-design the co-design process. Your stakeholders will thank you for it.
🎯 Ready to break free from the cycle of survival mode? Inspire your team, get more done, win awards, and deliver exceptional client experiences.
Take the first step at https://www.impactoconsulting.com.au/workshop.
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