How do you run UX research co-creation sessions?

1 Define your goals and scope

Before you invite your users to co-create with you, you need to have a clear purpose and scope for your session. What are you trying to achieve? What are the main questions or challenges you want to explore? How much time and resources do you have? How will you measure the outcomes? Having a well-defined goal and scope will help you recruit the right participants, prepare the appropriate materials, and structure the session accordingly.

2 Choose your co-creation methods

Depending on your goals and scope, you can choose from various co-creation methods to engage your users in the design process. Some common methods include brainstorming, sketching, storyboarding, card sorting, persona creation, scenario mapping, and prototyping. You can also combine different methods to create a co-creation workshop that covers multiple aspects of your design problem. The key is to select methods that are suitable for your users, your topic, and your time frame.

3 Prepare your materials and environment

To run a successful co-creation session, you need to prepare the materials and environment that will support your users' creativity and collaboration. This may include pens, paper, sticky notes, cards, stickers, scissors, glue, templates, props, and digital tools. You also need to consider the physical or virtual space where the session will take place, and how you will arrange it to facilitate interaction, communication, and comfort. Make sure you have enough space, equipment, and supplies for everyone, and test them before the session.

4 Facilitate the co-creation session

As a facilitator, your role is to guide your users through the co-creation process, and help them express their ideas, opinions, and needs. You can start by introducing yourself, the goal and scope of the session, the agenda, and the ground rules. Then, you can warm up your users with some icebreakers or exercises that will stimulate their imagination and confidence. Next, you can present the co-creation methods you have chosen, and explain how they work and what you expect from your users. During the session, you can encourage your users to share their thoughts, ask questions, give feedback, and build on each other's ideas. You can also monitor the time, energy, and mood of the group, and adjust the pace or activities accordingly. Finally, you can wrap up the session by thanking your users, summarizing the main outcomes, and explaining the next steps.

5 Analyze the co-creation outcomes

After the co-creation session, you need to analyze the outcomes and extract the insights and learnings that will inform your design decisions. You can start by organizing and documenting the outputs of the session, such as sketches, notes, photos, videos, or prototypes. Then, you can review and interpret the outputs, and look for patterns, themes, insights, opportunities, or challenges. You can also compare and contrast the outputs with other sources of data, such as user interviews, surveys, or analytics. Finally, you can communicate and share the results of the co-creation session with your team, stakeholders, or users, and discuss how they will influence your design strategy.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?