The Inclusion4EU Charter How to use it
What is co-design
Co-design is an approach that enables a wide range of people to make creative contributions in the formulation of solutions to a problem. In this online training guide, we present accessible tools to support the co-design process.
The co-design process is structured around five main phases:
Graphic from DME for Peace (2016)
Co-design vs Design Thinking
Design Thinking is a methodology that can include user input, while co-design is a mindset and process where users are co-creators from start to finish.
Design Thinking is like a chef cooking your favourite meal after asking about your tastes.
Co-design is like you and the chef cooking the meal together in the kitchen.
Design thinking phases
Co-design phases
How to use Design Thinking tools for co-design?
Design Thinking | Co-design | |
| Empathise Understand the needs, experiences, and motivations of users. | ↔ | Discovery Engage with stakeholders to explore and identify the core issues collaboratively. |
| Define Clearly articulate the problem based on insights gathered during the empathize phase. | ↔ | Interpret Co-create a shared understanding of the problem with all stakeholders involved. |
| Ideate Brainstorm a range of creative solutions to the defined problem. | ↔ | Ideation Collaboratively generate and refine ideas, ensuring they align with user needs and contexts. |
| Prototype Create scaled-down versions of the product or feature to test ideas. | ↔ | Experiment Implement solutions on a small scale, allowing for real-world testing and feedback. |
| Test Evaluate prototypes with users to gather feedback and make necessary refinements. | ↔ | Evaluation Roll out the final solution, ensuring continuous monitoring and adaptation based on user feedback. |
The Inclusion4EU Charter
We asked ourselves: How can we create a process that allows for a simple integration of co-design?
To explore this, we consulted co-design practitioners directly trough a number of iterative co-design sessions.
The response was refreshingly simple:
“Use the tools!”
We realized the simplest way to allow for integration of co-design was to create a space for co-design teams to work collaboratively. We named this the Inclusion4EU Charter.
The charter is available to download and will serve as the main design artefact for our practical co-design sessions. You will collate your ideas and designs in this document
The Inclusion4EU Charter is a straightforward PowerPoint resource that outlines five foundational steps for initiating collaboration, along with the tools needed to support each phase of the co-design process.
Initial steps of collaboration
What are our Goals?
At this stage, the team defines the purpose of the collaboration. This includes setting a clear vision and identifying specific objectives to ensure everyone is aligned on what they are working toward.
What are our Roles?
Who is on the team, and what will their role be? The team outlines who is involved and what responsibilities each member holds. Defining roles early on helps to establish clarity, support accountability, and ensure a well-coordinated process. Roles might change and that’s ok!
What are our Ground Rules?
Ground rules are agreed upon to guide how the team will work together. These may include expectations for communication, participation, decision-making, and respectful engagement, helping to create a supportive and inclusive working environment.
How will we Communicate?
This step involves setting up communication protocols, including which channels will be used, how often updates will be shared, and how information will flow among team members. Effective communication supports collaboration and transparency throughout the process.
How will we measure Success?
The team identifies how progress and impact will be assessed. This involves agreeing on what success looks like and selecting relevant indicators – both qualitative and quantitative – to evaluate the outcomes of the work.
Co-design Tools
You can click on each of the pashes of co-design to learn more about what it entails and the tools we are going to use in the co-design session.
About the tools
The tools presented in this guide were originally created by the Digital Accessibility Team in Saint John of God Liffey services in collaboration with co-designers by adapting Design Thinking Tools (Stanford d school and IDEO). The tools have been adapted and tested over the past eight years in collaboration with TU Dublin (IRC AccessDesign Project) and internationally through EU projects (such as the Right to Connect Erasmus Plus Project). These tools were specifically adapted for use by people with disabilities. The tools have been further tested and adapted as part of the Inclusion4EU project specifically exploring how development teams engage with the tools.
Design Thinking Tools and Co-design Resources
Discover
What's working / What's not working
This part of the co-design phase is about understanding the challenge that we would like to co-design a more accessible solution for.
It’s crucial to understand what works well and what doesn’t work (from the perspective of the person with lived experience).
Share the things you enjoy to use at the moment and why by using the tool below – a useful activity to understand what works and gather inspiration.
All templates are included in the Inclusion4EU charter and can be downloaded at the top of the page.
While evaluating what is working or not working it is useful to consider the following questions:
- Do you understand the problem of your project?
- Do you believe there is a good understanding of everyone in the team as to what the problem is?
- How did you find the communication during co-design?
- What do you think of the design proposals of your project?
- What do you think of the Co-design projects?
- Is there something you have learned today?
- Are you looking forward to being part of the next stage?
How should we approach it?
Ask questions:
- What? – What do we need to do? What are we trying to do (with/without technology)
- How? – How do we do it? How do we feel about it?
- Why? – Why is it important? Why do we feel a certain way? (i.e. frustrated, confused, happy, sad)
- Listen to answers
- Tell Stories – Share understanding together – repeat what you have heard to check meaning
- Ask more questions (What, Why?, How?)
- Observe with examples (use similar technology examples or technology to be redesigned)
Interpret
What did we learn?
- What did you learn from the Discovery Phase?
- Summarise findings and reflect on learning together.
- Identify themes.
Use the "What are the challenges" tool
The importance of prompts
When this happens | Try this |
Co-designers respond “I like it” | Ask “Can you tell me why you like it” |
If co-designers say “I agree with [another person/participant]” | Ask “Why do you agree/disagree”? Or “Can you tell me about why you agree/disagree?” |
We learned something
- Once you have created themes begin to take a closer look at what they mean.
- Sort and analyze them until they help you build a clear point of view.
Use the "Empathy Map" tool to understand needs
The “Empathy Map” is a collaborative tool that allows teams to gain a better understanding of their users’ goals, tasks, preferences and pain points.
It can be used to communicate user research and can bridge the gap from understanding the user to design.
Further reading: What Is Empathy and Why Is It So Important in Design Thinking?
Ideate
Brainstorming Tips
- Defer judgement
- Encourage wild ideas
- Build on others’ ideas
- Once conversation at a time
- Be visual and expressive
Define the solution with the "Manage Expectations" tool
Experiment
Prototype
Prototyping is a key part of the design process because it brings ideas to life early, making them easier to test, share, and improve. In co-design, prototypes become shared tools for thinking and collaboration – helping designers and users explore possibilities together and shape solutions in real time.
You can decide to prototype sketching and/or creating digital mock-ups.
Sketching
Low fidelity
Sketching on paper is considered a low-fidelity prototyping method because it offers a quick, simple, and non-interactive way to explore ideas without focusing on design details.
Digital Mock-Ups
High fidelity
Digital mock-ups are high-fidelity prototypes because they closely resemble the final product in terms of visuals, interactivity, and user experience, allowing for more accurate testing.
Why prototype?
- Research shows that simple, rough drafts of a design can uncover problems just as well as detailed, polished versions (Virzi et al, 1996).
- Users can be happier to give feedback on ways to change prototypes that are less finished.
- Creating prototypes together.
Useful tools for prototyping
Evaluate
Use the "I like! I wish... What if?" tool
“I like! I wish…, What if?” is a simple tool to encourage open feedback in a team of co-designers.
Listen carefully to the feedback! You don’t need to respond with a solution in the moment!
