How can you involve users in co-creation and ideation sessions?

1 Prepare your users

Before inviting users to join co-creation and ideation sessions, you need to prepare them for the activities and objectives. You can do this by providing them with some background information, context, and goals for the session, as well as some examples of what they can expect. You can also ask them to complete some pre-work, such as filling out a survey, creating a persona, or sharing a story. This can help them warm up, get familiar with the topic, and express their opinions and experiences.

3 Set the rules

To ensure that co-creation and ideation sessions run smoothly and productively, you need to set some ground rules and expectations for the users and the facilitators. For example, you can ask the users to respect each other's opinions, to avoid criticism and judgment, to build on each other's ideas, and to focus on the problem and the user needs. You can also remind them of the time limit, the session agenda, and the desired outcomes. You should also establish how you will document and share the results of the session, such as taking notes, photos, or recordings.

4 Engage your users

One of the main challenges of co-creation and ideation sessions is to keep the users engaged and motivated throughout the process. You can do this by using various techniques, such as icebreakers, warm-ups, games, challenges, rewards, and feedback. You can also use different formats, such as individual, pair, or group work, to encourage diversity and interaction. You should also monitor the energy level, mood, and participation of the users, and adjust the pace, tone, and difficulty of the activities accordingly.

5 Synthesize your findings

After co-creation and ideation sessions, you need to synthesize and analyze the findings and outputs that you and the users have generated. You can do this by using methods such as affinity mapping, clustering, prioritizing, voting, or rating. You should also involve the users in the synthesis process, by asking them to reflect on their experience, to share their insights and feedback, and to validate or refine the concepts and solutions. You should also thank them for their contribution and inform them of the next steps and follow-ups.

6 Learn and improve

Finally, you should learn from your co-creation and ideation sessions and use the feedback and data to improve your user research and design process. You can do this by evaluating the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of the sessions, by identifying the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, and by applying the lessons learned to your future sessions. You can also share your findings and outcomes with your stakeholders, team members, and other users, and solicit their input and suggestions.