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Co-Design vs Faux-Design: Navigating the Complexities of Sharing Power in Co-Design
Summary
This interactive session takes a step beyond the introductory concepts of power to explore real-world tensions, trade-offs, and systemic barriers that make genuine power sharing a necessity in co-design. Though Power Sharing is not without challenge. Participants will unpack the difference between symbolic inclusion and true ownership, examining how institutional norms can unintentionally reinforce inequality even with 'lived experts' at the table. This session invites professionals, advocates, system designers, and lived experts alike to grapple with uncomfortable questions about who holds power and at what cost. It will equip participants with practical tools to recognize tokenism, navigate conflict, and build processes where lived experts drive true change.
Key Insights
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Co-design is an approach that builds with, not for, communities by sharing power across the entire engagement.
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Authentic lived experience must be directly relevant; proxies or near experiences risk diluting design intention.
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Healing and trust-building are foundational to effective co-design, particularly given historical traumas in marginalized communities.
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Power sharing requires explicit acknowledgment of power imbalances and establishing structures that allow community decision-making authority.
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Participatory engagement should accommodate diverse communication and participation styles, including art, conversation, and digital formats.
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Surveys tend to be less effective for trust-building and deep engagement compared to qualitative, relational methods like focus groups and one-on-ones.
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Compensation for lived experts must be meaningful and equitable, recognizing their expertise as equally valuable as academic or professional input.
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Removing participation barriers (e.g., childcare, internet access, food insecurity) is essential to equitable co-design processes.
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A continuum of engagement—from ignoring to co-creating—helps organizations assess and evolve their community involvement strategies.
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Innovations from lived experts are often practical and empathetic to systemic constraints, debunking myths about unrealistic demands.
Notable Quotes
"Together we can bridge the gap by incorporating lived expertise and knowledge through access and opportunity."
"If someone doesn’t have that direct lived experience, it’s not just enough to go to the closest thing you can find."
"We have a responsibility to help heal communities and build trust so we can do design with intention."
"Power is more than authority; it involves influence, privilege, and communication styles that shape dynamics."
"The same reason they hire us is the very reason why they fire us, because when things get real, it sometimes gets hard."
"You should never be engaging lived experts without compensating them for their time."
"When you’re doing a survey, think about if it can be done in a way that is much more accessible."
"Lived experts are the most innovative voice in the design process, bringing unique and practical solutions."
"Sometimes limitations mean you can’t fully co-create, but transparency about where you are on the engagement continuum matters."
"We want shared ownership and trust leading to community-led, informed, and sustainable outcomes."
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