Why Co-Design Matters
Imagine designing a public service without asking the people who use it. You might create something functional — but it could also be frustrating, confusing, or unusable.
This is where co-design comes in. In Human-Centred Design (HCD), co-design is the practice of designing with communities, not just for them. It’s about bringing users, stakeholders, and designers together to collaboratively generate ideas, test concepts, and refine solutions.
Co-design turns users into partners, ensuring solutions reflect their real needs, context, and aspirations. In this post, we’ll explore what co-design is, why it matters, how to run co-design sessions, and real-world examples.
What is Co-Design?
Co-design, also called participatory design, is a method where users actively contribute to the design process. Unlike traditional design, where teams rely solely on research insights, co-design empowers users to shape the solution directly.
Key principles of co-design include:
- Equality: Everyone’s input matters, regardless of role or background.
- Collaboration: Users and designers work side by side.
- Transparency: Decisions and trade-offs are discussed openly.
- Iterative Learning: Ideas are tested, refined, and improved collaboratively.
Why Co-Design is Critical in HCD
1. Ensures Solutions Meet Real Needs
Research identifies problems, but users co-create the actual solutions that work in their context.
2. Builds Trust and Buy-In
Especially in public services or healthcare, co-design gives users ownership, increasing adoption and reducing resistance.
3. Promotes Inclusion and Diversity
Co-design invites voices often overlooked, such as marginalized communities or people with accessibility needs.
4. Encourages Innovation
Collaboration sparks ideas that designers alone might never imagine.
When to Use Co-Design
Co-design is effective in:
- Redesigning public services
- Developing community programs
- Improving healthcare systems
- Designing apps and digital products
- Any project where user engagement and adoption are critical
How to Run a Co-Design Workshop
Step 1: Define Purpose and Scope
- Clarify objectives: Are you generating ideas, refining concepts, or testing prototypes?
- Identify participants: Users, stakeholders, subject matter experts, and designers.
- Prepare materials: Templates, sticky notes, sketching tools, or digital collaboration platforms.
Step 2: Recruit Participants
- Ensure diversity: Age, ability, background, and experience levels.
- Communicate clearly: Explain the goal, time commitment, and expected outcomes.
- Consider incentives: Travel, meals, or small honorariums can encourage participation.
Step 3: Set the Stage
- Create a safe, inclusive environment.
- Use icebreakers to foster collaboration.
- Explain that all ideas are valid, and criticism is constructive.
Step 4: Facilitate Activities
Common co-design methods include:
- Brainstorming: Encourage wild, divergent thinking.
- Journey Mapping: Map experiences to highlight pain points and opportunities.
- Storyboarding: Visualize how users interact with a solution.
- Prototyping Together: Sketch ideas, create mockups, or role-play services.
- Dot Voting: Prioritize ideas democratically.
Step 5: Capture Insights
- Document all outputs: photos of sketches, digital notes, recordings.
- Highlight patterns, surprises, and actionable opportunities.
- Reflect and synthesize collaboratively with participants.
Step 6: Iterate and Test
- Co-design is not one-off.
- Refine prototypes or solutions and invite participants back for testing.
- Continue iterating until solutions meet both user needs and project goals.
Co-Design in Practice: Real-World Examples
Example 1: Government Services
A local council wanted to redesign its public transport app. They hosted co-design workshops with commuters, elderly users, and people with disabilities. Insights led to:
- Simplified route planning
- Real-time accessibility info
- Customizable alerts
The solution was adopted widely because users felt ownership over it.
Example 2: Healthcare
A hospital used co-design to improve patient discharge processes. Patients, families, nurses, and doctors collaborated to:
- Simplify discharge instructions
- Provide checklists for medication and follow-ups
- Introduce digital reminders
This reduced readmission rates and improved patient satisfaction.
Example 3: Education
A school district involved teachers, students, and parents in designing a new learning platform. Co-design sessions revealed unexpected needs, like multilingual support and offline functionality, which were incorporated into the final product.
Best Practices for Successful Co-Design
- Prepare participants in advance — share context, goals, and constraints.
- Facilitate, don’t dominate — guide discussion but let users lead.
- Use visual and tangible tools — sketches, props, or prototypes make ideas concrete.
- Encourage storytelling — personal experiences reveal hidden insights.
- Document everything — raw ideas often spark future innovation.
- Plan for follow-up — co-design is iterative; participants should see outcomes.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Selecting participants who don’t represent your audience
- Dominating the session as a facilitator
- Treating co-design as a one-time activity
- Failing to integrate outputs into real solutions
- Overlooking accessibility and inclusion during workshops
Digital Co-Design: Tools and Techniques
- Miro / Mural: Collaborative whiteboarding
- Figma / Adobe XD: Shared prototyping
- Zoom / Teams with breakout rooms: Virtual co-design sessions
- Slack / Teams Channels: Continuous collaboration
Tip: Even virtual co-design can be highly effective if activities are structured and inclusive.
Measuring the Impact of Co-Design
Co-design is successful when:
- Solutions meet user needs and improve satisfaction
- Adoption rates are higher due to user involvement
- Stakeholders report better alignment and buy-in
- Iteration cycles are faster because insights are grounded in reality
Conclusion: Designing With, Not For Communities
Co-design is a cornerstone of Human-Centred Design. It shifts the focus from assumptions to collaboration, empathy, and inclusion. By actively involving users and stakeholders, you create solutions that are not only functional but meaningful, usable, and embraced by the community.
Remember: co-design isn’t a single workshop — it’s a mindset of continuous engagement and iteration. When done right, it strengthens both products and relationships.