Short answer
Designers should actively involve end-users and diverse experts in the design process to create services that are not only functional but also deeply inclusive and contextually relevant, extending their reach beyond traditional boundaries.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Academic Publication (2023)
- Method
- Co-design workshop
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
By involving diverse stakeholders in co-design, new services can be developed that make cultural heritage accessible and engaging for older adults with disabilities, even outside traditional museum settings. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Academic Publication. Using Co-design workshop, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should actively involve end-users and diverse experts in the design process to create services that are not only functional but also deeply inclusive and contextually relevant, extending their reach beyond traditional boundaries.
Co-designing inclusive museum services extends engagement beyond physical spaces.
By involving diverse stakeholders in co-design, new services can be developed that make cultural heritage accessible and engaging for older adults with disabilities, even outside traditional museum settings.
Academic Publication · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Co-design can generate innovative service concepts that address the needs of specific user groups (older adults with disabilities).
- 02Effective service co-design requires a multi-stakeholder approach, integrating perspectives from users, domain experts, and service providers.
- 03The development of inclusive cultural experiences necessitates interventions beyond traditional contexts, involving new organizational cultures and audience engagement strategies.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should actively involve end-users and diverse experts in the design process to create services that are not only functional but also deeply inclusive and contextually relevant, extending their reach beyond traditional boundaries.
How to apply
When designing services for specific user groups, especially those with accessibility needs, convene workshops with representatives from the target audience, relevant professionals (e.g., healthcare providers), and technology/service providers to co-create solutions.
Project actions
- 01Clearly define the target user group and their specific needs.
- 02Identify and recruit a diverse range of stakeholders for your co-design activities.
- 03Use a variety of creative methods to encourage participation and idea generation.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Employs a participatory design approach, directly involving end-users.
- +Addresses a relevant societal need for inclusivity in cultural access.
Limitations
The co-design process can be time-consuming and may require significant resources to facilitate effectively. Ensuring genuine representation from all stakeholder groups can be challenging.
Reliability & validity
The validity of the findings relies on the depth of engagement and the quality of insights generated during the co-design process. Reliability would be enhanced by replicating the process with different stakeholder groups or in different cultural contexts.
Think critically
To what extent can the principles of service co-design for cultural heritage be generalized to other service sectors, and what adaptations might be necessary?
Design Principles
"Inclusive service design necessitates multi-stakeholder collaboration to address diverse user needs and extend engagement beyond physical limitations."
This approach moves beyond simply digitizing content, focusing instead on creating holistic, barrier-free experiences. It highlights the potential for cultural institutions to foster new organizational cultures and audience engagement strategies by collaborating with external experts and user groups.
What This Means for Your Design
When you design something for people, especially older people or those with disabilities, it's best to ask them and other experts what they need and want. This can help you create services that work well for them, even if they can't visit the place in person.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of user involvement and stakeholder collaboration in your design process, particularly for inclusive design projects.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The co-design approach, as demonstrated by Recupero et al. (2023), emphasizes the value of involving diverse stakeholders, including end-users and domain experts, in the development of inclusive services. This methodology can lead to innovative solutions that extend beyond traditional service contexts, enhancing accessibility and engagement for specific user groups.
Source
Academic Publication
Service co-design to envision the transformation of museums
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about co-designing inclusive museum services extends engagement beyond physical spaces?
- Designers should actively involve end-users and diverse experts in the design process to create services that are not only functional but also deeply inclusive and contextually relevant, extending their reach beyond traditional boundaries. Evidence: Academic Publication (2023).
- Why does "Co-designing inclusive museum services extends engagement beyond physical spaces." matter for design?
- This approach moves beyond simply digitizing content, focusing instead on creating holistic, barrier-free experiences. It highlights the potential for cultural institutions to foster new organizational cultures and audience engagement strategies by collaborating with external experts and user groups.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should actively involve end-users and diverse experts in the design process to create services that are not only functional but also deeply inclusive and contextually relevant, extending their reach beyond traditional boundaries.
- What were the main findings?
- Co-design can generate innovative service concepts that address the needs of specific user groups (older adults with disabilities).. Effective service co-design requires a multi-stakeholder approach, integrating perspectives from users, domain experts, and service providers.. The development of inclusive cultural experiences necessitates interventions beyond traditional contexts, involving new organizational cultures and audience engagement strategies.
- What research method was used?
- Co-design workshop.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Academic Publication.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing services for specific user groups, especially those with accessibility needs, convene workshops with representatives from the target audience, relevant professionals (e.g., healthcare providers), and technology/service providers to co-create solutions.
- What are the limitations?
- The specific context of museums might limit generalizability to other service sectors without adaptation. The long-term impact and scalability of the developed services were not fully assessed within this project.