Co-creation: Participatory design

Conceptualization / PrototypingqualitativeAdvanced

TL;DR

Involve users directly in the design process as co-creators.

Detailed description

Participatory Design is a collaborative methodology that directly involves end users as co-creators in the design process, allowing them to actively contribute ideas, solutions, and feedback during structured workshops. This technique democratizes the design process, ensuring that solutions genuinely reflect user needs and perspectives, while generating greater acceptance and ownership of the final product. Academic research supports its effectiveness in creating more inclusive and user-centered solutions (Interaction Design Foundation). It is especially valuable for projects that impact specific communities or require mass adoption.

Main objective

Involve users directly in the design process as co-creators.

When to use it

Ideation and solution definition phases.

Effort level

Medium to High

Recommended number of users

5–15 users in workshops

Advantages

✓Involves users as co-creators
✓Generates ownership
✓More relevant solutions
✓Reduces resistance to change

Disadvantages

✗Complex to facilitate
✗Can be chaotic
✗Requires committed users
✗Unpredictable results

When to use

•Complex service design
•Collaborative innovation
•Systemic problems
•When there's resistance to change

Metrics

📊Participation level
📊Ideas generated
📊Consensus reached
📊User ownership

Practical example

Organize a workshop where users draw or model how a control dashboard should be.