Embrace community collaboration: how co-design can deliver better results for local government

Co-design is a powerful tool for local governments to enhance community engagement, develop innovative solutions together, and build stronger connections with residents.

By embracing co-design principles and implementing collaborative processes, local governments can create more effective, inclusive, and sustainable policies and services for their community. Co-design can play a crucial role in fostering innovation and ensuring that solutions truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the community.

Understanding co-design
Co-design is a form of participatory design that brings together stakeholders to collaboratively design policies, services, and solutions. This inclusive method ensures that the voices of those affected by decisions are heard and integrated into the design process, leading to more effective and widely accepted outcomes. For local governments, embracing co-design can lead to innovative solutions that better meet the needs of the community.

Co-design involves actively engaging stakeholders in the design process to co-create solutions. Unlike other participatory approaches where decisions are made by experts with feedback sought from users, co-design emphasises collaboration and input from those who will be directly impacted by the outcomes throughout the entire design process. This approach helps to find solutions that are not only practical but also reflect the diverse needs and preferences of the community.

Co-design has five underlying principles:

• Outcomes focused – centred around achieving improvements and having positive impacts
• Inclusive – provides an opportunity for all community members to have input
• Participative – participants are active in the process and there is not tokenistic involvement
• Respectful – input is valued and treated equally
• Adaptive – treated as a process for innovation and iteration and encourages trial and error.

Benefits of co-design for local government

Adopting a co-design process offers particular benefits for local governments and their communities.

• Enhanced community engagement – Co-design fosters a deeper connection between local governments and their communities. By involving residents in the decision-making process, governments can build trust, increase transparency, and enhance public participation. This engagement also helps to ensure that the solutions developed are more relevant and acceptable to the community.
• Improved solutions – Incorporating diverse perspectives into the design process often leads to more innovative and effective solutions. Residents and stakeholders who experience the challenges firsthand can provide valuable insights and ideas that may not be apparent to policymakers and experts alone.
• Greater ownership and acceptance – When community members have a hand in shaping policies and services, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and commitment to the outcomes. This can lead to higher levels of support and cooperation in implementing and maintaining new initiatives.

Overcoming challenges
While there are significant benefits to following a co-design process, there are limitations and challenges that need to be considered. It’s important that the decision to adopt a co-design process considers the context it will be delivered in. Not all situations are appropriate for a co-design process, particularly where the end outcome has already been determined.

Managing expectations – Co-design can sometimes lead to conflicting opinions and expectations among community members involved in the process. It is important to manage these conflicts constructively and set realistic expectations about what can be achieved. Clear communication and a commitment to addressing concerns can help navigate these challenges.

Guaranteeing inclusivity – Ensuring that all voices are heard can be challenging, particularly in diverse communities. Successful co-design represents all of community not just those who are eager to engage, so making a concerted effort to engage underrepresented groups and address any barriers to participation may be required. Inclusive practices help to ensure that the solutions developed reflect the needs of the entire community and not just a vocal few. Considering the location, time and variety of engagement methods on offer will enhance your reach into community.

Allocating resources – Co-design requires time, resources, and commitment. Before commencing a project, ensure you can allocate adequate resources to support the process, including funding for workshops, facilitators, and communication efforts. Investing in these resources is essential for a successful co-design initiative.

Safety at the centre of the process – Central to effective co-design is the inclusion of lived experience and those who are impacted by the end result. However, those facilitating the co-design need to be conscious of the impacts the process may have on those sharing their stories and experience.

Foundations for co-designing within local government

Clear objectives
Before embarking on a co-design process, it is essential to define clear objectives and goals. Successful co-design starts with identifying the specific issues or areas where co-design will be applied. By establishing clear objectives, you provide a focus for the process and help ensure that all participants are aligned from the beginning.

Engaging stakeholders for creative collaboration
Effective co-design requires the active involvement of a broad range of stakeholders, including residents, community organisations, businesses and other government entities. When engaging stakeholders, it’s important to use various methods to engage these groups, such as surveys, workshops, focus groups and public forums. Ensure that engagement strategies are inclusive and reach diverse segments of the community. Where possible, engagement should be structured to encourage open dialogue and creativity. Skilled facilitators can help manage discussions, ensure balanced participation, and guide the group toward productive outcomes.

Iterative design process
Co-design is an iterative process that involves ongoing feedback and refinement. This iterative approach allows for continuous improvement and adaptation, ensuring that solutions are well-suited to the community’s needs. Each iteration during the process will offer new information and insights that will enhance the end product.

Ensuring transparency and accountability
It is important to maintain transparency throughout the co-design process by regularly updating stakeholders on progress and decisions. Clearly communicate how stakeholder input is being incorporated into the final design; Transparency and accountability builds trust and demonstrates that the process is genuinely collaborative.

Connect with us on your next co-design project

At Phillips Group, we partner with clients to develop and deliver meaningful co-design approaches for any project, big or small. We are co-design specialists, with experience in delivering programs using co-design and building capability with clients to design and deliver their own programs. Connect with Managing Director, Helen Hutchings today.