How to plan for meaningful engagement in a co-design process
Detailed engagement planning is needed for the delivery of effective co-design sessions
So, you've established your project governance, developed your co-design plan and conducted some desktop research to inform your co-design process.
But, what's next?
It’s time to undertake a detailed planning phase that will help you carry out a meaningful series of co-design sessions.
-Wait, more planning?
Yes, it may seem a little over the top but until now our planning has been undertaken at a 'project level'.
We are now preparing for the exciting part of any co-design project—which is, of course, engaging lived experiences and other broad perspectives, to design solutions that meet their needs.
Below, we'll go through how you define the purpose and scope of your co-design activities, provide an example of one commonly used co-design approach and outline the type of information you should aim to document in an engagement plan.
Let’s get into it.
Planning the sequence of co-design sessions
Genuine co-design is naturally iterative and takes time to do. When you plan co-design, you'll undoubtedly need to prepare a series of engagement activities, not just a once-off!
Activities will range from interviews to focus groups to surveys and everything in between.
A basic co-design format consists of at least two loops:
Loop 1 is for understanding experiences and needs, and
Loop 2 is for workshopping potential solutions.
Using a trusted co-design framework (like the double diamond) to guide the processes can be valuable.
The double diamond is a tool commonly used in design thinking to guide the problem-solving process.
It consists of four key phases and is represented by two diamond-shaped diagrams, signifying the divergent and convergent stages of thinking:
Discover: In this initial stage, you gather information and insights. The goal is to understand the broader context of the issue.
Define: After gathering data, the next step is to narrow down the focus and identify the core problem to be solved.
Develop: Here, multiple solutions are brainstormed and prototyped. It's a time for creative thinking and exploration.
Deliver: In the final stage, the preferred solution/s are refined and prepared for implementation.
You might remember this image from our article A comprehensive step-by-step guide to co-design.
What should you consider in your co-design engagement plan — a practical checklist.
You'll likely be using a variety of engagement techniques (focus groups, surveys, interviews) and engaging with different perspectives on your co-design journey (lived experience folks and professionals).
For each stage of the co-design process, you'll need to think about and document a number of factors to gain clarity on who you are engaging at what point and how.
Who will you engage and how?
✅ Target groups: identify the various groups that should be involved in the process. Each group will have different engagement preferences.
✅ Recruitment: next, outline how you'll recruit these participants. Will it be through your network, through partnerships, targeted invitations, or a mix of all?
✅ Methods and logistics: choose engagement methods that suit your scope and participants. This could range from face-to-face meetings to engaging through videoconference.
How will the co-design session be delivered?
✅ Scripting: prepare a script for introducing and closing out the session to ensure consistency.
✅ Interactive activities: detail the activities that will engage the participants during the session and craft clear and straightforward instructions
✅ Capturing contributions: decide how you will record outputs from the session. Will a scribe be present? How detailed should the notes be, and where will they be stored?
What scenarios should you plan for?
✅ Anticipating trauma: be aware that the co-design process can trigger emotional responses in participants and plan accordingly.
✅ Cultural appropriateness and accessibility: ensure your methods are culturally appropriate and accessible to all participants.
✅ Managing power imbalances: be vigilant about any power dynamics that hinder open dialogue and act preemptively to neutralise them.
What materials will you need to guide the session?
✅ Supporting materials: whether you're meeting in person or virtually, pre-arrange all supporting materials. For face-to-face meetings, prepare butchers' paper, sticky notes, and visuals. For remote sessions, set up a Mural or Miro boards to enhance the online experience.
✅ Safety measures: develop safety information for participants. This includes contact details for a designated safety person and where to seek help if required.
How will you communicate about the co-design opportunity
✅ Invitations: prepare tangible invitations. This could be a hard copy flyer or a detailed email that outlines what the participants can expect.
✅ Ongoing communication: plan for distributing findings to participants and stakeholders and maintain steady communication to keep everyone updated and to cultivate a sense of shared ownership.
What do you need to do in the lead up?
✅ Pre-Engagement: before formal sessions, it's good practice to engage with participants informally. This can establish a rapport and clarify the nature and purpose of the co-design opportunity.
✅ Pilot the session: a dry run of the session will help you gauge the timings and effectiveness of the activities planned.
Use the checklist
Use the checklist above! In fact, prompt your team to write it down. You'll need to come back to it multiple times and refine it to meet the needs of co-design participants.
Don't underestimate the power of a well-prepared session!
Ready to take the next step in your co-design journey? Head to our co-design homepage to learn how we can work together to create meaningful, lasting impact.
