What Is Co-Design? A Practical Guide to Collaborative Innovation

When people talk about innovation, they often focus on speed, disruption, or technological advancement. But some of the most effective innovations are born not in labs or boardrooms - but in shared spaces where ideas are co-developed with the people they’re meant to serve. This is the essence of co-design.

At The Innovation Office, we see co-design as a powerful method for making innovation more inclusive, relevant, and sustainable. In this blog post, we’ll explore what co-design really means, how it differs from other participatory approaches, and how you can start embedding it in your work.

What Is Co-Design?

Co-design (sometimes referred to as collaborative design or participatory design) is a process in which professionals and non-professionals - such as service users, citizens, or customers - work together as equal contributors to develop products, services, systems, or policies.

Unlike traditional design approaches, where experts design for users, co-design invites users to be part of the design team, contributing ideas, testing prototypes, and helping to shape solutions that reflect real-world needs and preferences.

Why Co-Design Matters for Innovation

1. It reduces risk by testing assumptions early.Co-design allows you to discover what users actually need before investing time and resource in building something that might miss the mark.

2. It enhances usability and relevance.Because solutions are shaped by those who will use them, they’re more likely to fit into real-world contexts and habits.

3. It builds trust and ownership.Involving people meaningfully in decision-making leads to higher engagement, better uptake, and more sustained outcomes.

4. It supports inclusion and equity.Co-design creates space for voices that are often left out of design or strategy conversations, especially in public services or community contexts.

   
   

Co-Design vs. Co-Production vs. Consultation

These terms are often used interchangeably, but there are subtle differences:

• Consultation involves asking for feedback on ideas that are already developed.

• Co-production tends to refer to shared delivery and governance of services or research.

• Co-design is focused on the creative process - imagining, iterating, and shaping new things together.

  
  

In practice, many innovation processes combine all three - but being clear about your intent and level of involvement is key.

The Co-Design Process: A Simple Framework

1. Frame the challenge together

   Define the problem with stakeholders, not just internally. A shared understanding at the start avoids misaligned outcomes.

2. Map experiences and insights

   Use tools like journey maps, personas, or storytelling workshops to uncover lived experiences and surface new perspectives.

3. Generate ideas collaboratively

   Run ideation sessions where participants sketch, storyboard, or brainstorm possible solutions without fear of ‘wrong’ answers.

4. Prototype and test

   Create low-fidelity mock-ups or walkthroughs and gather feedback. This might be paper prototypes, digital wireframes, or simple role-play scenarios.

5. Refine and implement

   Keep stakeholders involved as the solution is developed, refined, and embedded. Closing the feedback loop builds trust and improves quality.

   
   

Real-World Examples of Co-Design in Action

• NHS Digital Services: Many NHS teams now use co-design methods to develop apps and platforms with patients, carers, and clinicians - improving adoption and accessibility.

• Local Government Innovation Labs: Councils such as Essex and Camden have used co-design with residents to redesign children’s services and housing support.

• Social Innovation Projects: The Young Foundation and Nesta frequently use co-design in their community engagement and place-making initiatives.

These examples show how co-design is not just about better products - it’s about better relationships, clearer purpose, and shared ownership of change.

Tips for Doing Co-Design Well

• Be clear about roles: Participants need to know how much influence they have - and what’s already fixed.

• Design inclusive spaces: Consider accessibility, language, scheduling, and facilitation. Who gets to speak, and how?

• Build in time: Co-design can take longer than a traditional process - but the outcomes are often stronger and more sustainable.

• Use visual tools: Sketches, post-its, and diagrams help make abstract ideas tangible and collaborative.

• Capture and share learning: Co-design is rich in insight. Documenting the process helps future teams learn and builds institutional memory.

  
  

When Not to Use Co-Design

Not every problem needs co-design.

If a solution is highly technical, heavily constrained, or already co-created in a prior phase, involving new contributors may create confusion. Use judgment - but err on the side of inclusion where possible.

The Innovation Office offer facilitation and can design and deliver co-design sessions between you and your partners across the UK. We support organisations to use co-design in meaningful, structured ways - from idea generation to service transformation. Get in touch to explore how co-design can strengthen your next innovation project.

Keywords: co-design, collaborative innovation, user-centred design, stakeholder engagement, innovation process