What does the 'Co' in Co-design mean in practice?

Co-design is a profound shift in how we approach problem-solving in the social sector, a journey of breaking down traditional barriers and reimagining collaboration.

For a long time, the traditional model of expertise has been hierarchical experts at the top, everyone else expected to listen. But co-design challenges this fundamental approach in the best way possible. It's not about replacing expertise, but about creating a shared understanding where every voice matters. I always come back to this simple truth: not one of us is smarter than all of us. When we tap into collective insight, that’s when the real breakthroughs happen.

This approach is far from simple. Power dynamics are deeply embedded in organisational structures often undermining well-meaning efforts toward inclusion. I've seen countless examples where attempts to collaborate fall short because the underlying hierarchies remain untouched. Consider healthcare professionals, for instance. Years of specialised training can make it challenging to truly embrace co-design. We're not asking these experts to abandon their knowledge, but to see it as a foundation when coupled with lived experience, for something more powerful.

When co-designing, the facilitator becomes crucial in this delicate dance. They're not there to direct or control, but to create a safe, generative space where diverse voices can hear and emerge. It's about designing conversations and activities that draw out insights from everyone whether they're a clinician with decades of experience or someone navigating a complex social challenge firsthand.

By combining lived experience, professional expertise, and creative facilitation, we create approaches that are more nuanced, more empathetic, and ultimately more effective.

Co-design is less a methodology and more a mindset. It’s grounded in the recognition that complex social challenges demand collaborative, multifaceted responses. At its core, co-design requires humility, the understanding that no single perspective holds all the answers.

For organisations willing to embrace this approach, the potential is transformative. We're not just designing services or programs; we're creating spaces of genuine human connection and collective problem-solving.

Co-design isn’t just the right thing to do, it makes commercial sense. We recently supported a large healthcare provider that was preparing to launch a new service. While they had a clear concept in mind, they weren’t confident it would deliver the outcomes they needed. By taking a co-design approach, we helped them deeply understand the real needs of their clients. It turned out that the original concept didn’t align with what people actually wanted. Through co-creation, we developed a solution that truly met client needs, ultimately saving the organisation millions of dollars by avoiding investment in the wrong direction.

The future of innovation lies not in individual brilliance, but in our collective wisdom.

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