How do you recruit and engage users for co-design and co-create sessions?

The key to solving a problem is to understand the context. This means studying the requirements, expectations, and challenges faced by users and stakeholders, as well as evaluating existing solutions and options. Methods like interviews, surveys, observations, and personas can be used to gather and analyze data. An example of this approach is the development of a personalized digital health service for individuals with chronic illnesses. This entails taking into account elements such as the clinical efficacy, data privacy, service features, and patient journey. The goals of this type of service include reducing patient burden, improving patient adherence, following medical recommendations, and attending to patient needs.

- Finding the right user segment, I believe, is a learning process. You might start with a few in mind and over the period of time expand or even narrow down depending on the response and feedback.

before conducting the user research we need to identify who we want to talk to. By producing user journeys and persona, we identify their needs and challenges.

Recruit individuals from various backgrounds, representing different end customers and user groups, to ensure a diverse range of perspectives in the investigation. Active user input is essential for a successful design process. The co-creation process involves users actively engaging with the service, exchanging ideas, and building relationships. There are several ways to co-create, including in pairs, small groups, or remotely. Remote co-creations may lose some of the interpersonal dynamics of co-creation, however. Develop innovative ways to engage participants, such as card sorting, problem-solving exercises, icebreakers for warm-up sessions, ideation sketches, brainstorming, and using post-it notes.

When recruiting and engaging participants for co-design and co-create sessions, clear communication is key. Ensure a thorough explanation of the agenda, expectations, and prerequisites upfront. This sets the stage for a productive session. Create a welcoming environment that fosters open dialogue and makes participants feel comfortable. As a facilitator, it’s your responsibility to ensure that everyone who dedicates their time feels valued and heard. By prioritizing these aspects, you can build a collaborative atmosphere where participants are enthusiastic and engaged, leading to more insightful and effective design outcomes.

-To evaluate co-design and co-creation in services effectively, one should pay attention to the approach, process, and outcome. -Highlight the importance of assessing materials, involving participants, and evaluating session results. -Evaluation methods include surveys, interviews, and observation field notes. -The value of evaluation lies in managing users' expectations and understanding the process. -Share evaluation findings to receive feedback, inspire future contributions, and enhance methodology for long-lasting effects.

We've all been there, we forgot about replying to a friend's text message, or forgetting to reach out once in a while. So first off, things happen and if you forgot to reach out and update users and stakeholders, don't let that keep you from doing it now that you've noticed. There will most likely not even comment on it and everything will get back to normal. Start something like an excel table or kanban board to keep track of your conversations and people. Bonus tip: it really helps me to be in the mindset to be faster than expected. Follow up immediately after call or immediately after something happens. Again, this does not work all the time, but it's a mindset that helps me, so maybe it can help you as well

As a designer, maintaining the relationship can often be difficult once we move to the next project. To avoid missing out on the follow-up, share the responsibility with your team. This will make sure the users and stakeholders are always in the loop, and no one person is overwhelmed with the responsibility of it forever.