Create a shared definition of co-design, understand how it compares to related approaches, and develop criteria for when to employ it as a creative problem-solving tool (and when not to).
Identify the most common barriers to success ahead of time, and decide how to orient your co-design process to address them.
Unpack the word “stakeholder,” determine who you need to involve in your co-design process, and identify the unique roles, contributions, and power dynamics that each actor might bring to the process.
Learn to structure a single co-design touchpoint, determine which methods are most appropriate for your objectives and actor dynamics, and adapt the right combination of design tools to your context.
Synthesize inputs from the co-design process and work past a single touchpoint to make decisions that will move your project forward, and maintain the integrity of the collaboration.
