Envisioning the Future of Co-Design: Insights from Our Team

As we celebrate the six-year anniversary of our studio, it's a fitting moment to reflect on our journey and look forward to the future. As a core practice of our studio, we asked our team to share their thoughts on how they envision the evolution of co-design over the next three years, both within our studio and across the industry. 

Here are their insightful and inspiring responses:

Nina, Product

In a world where everyone is chasing efficiency through AI and other means, the studio will continue to make space for true creativity without going slow.

The studio uses co-design to bring out the creativity in their clients and employees through intention and empathy, subject matter expertise, and a deep bench of brilliant collaborators. The work that comes out of this approach will continue to be measurably effective, authentic to the clients, and distinct from the competition, helping clients truly stand out in their own industries.

I'm excited to see those clients grow their own organizations and exceed their own goals, fueled by the concepts, designs, and products we've co-designed together.

Josiah, Design

The more we recognize who is overlooked and underserved by our systems, collaboration will be critical. Co-design will become the primary methodology to develop not more effective and just processes.

Onanma, Design

As AI becomes more common, there's a risk that design could become too automated and lose its human touch. To prevent this, co-design—working with users right from the start—will be more important over the next three years. 

This approach will make design more fluid and flexible instead of linear and rigid. While AI can help with better collaboration and personalized experiences, the main focus of co-design will be on human involvement and creativity. 

By including clients and users deeply in the process, we ensure their ideas come to life and that we are designing with them rather than having them be passive viewers of the final outcome.

Tania, Design

In the next three years, I anticipate that co-design within our studio and across the industry will evolve through increased collaboration enabled by dynamic remote and interdependent work, AI-powered design tools, and immersive AR/VR experiences. 

I envision our studio continuing to prioritize inclusive and sustainable practices, with a strong focus on community engagement and directly involving users in the design process to ensure our products meet their needs. 

Both within our studio and industry-wide, I hope to see a more cross-disciplinary approach, where co-design involves user feedback driven by AI, virtual co-design sessions, and transparent workflows, making it a crucial element at every stage of the design process, not just during ideation. 

This evolution aims to create innovative solutions that are more responsive and aligned with real-world demands while reflecting our commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and thoughtful stakeholder engagement.

Silvia, Design

I would like to see the design industry become more self-reflective about the role it plays in perpetuating systems of oppression. 

On an individual level, many designers are becoming increasingly aware and are seeking new ways to work in design that, at the very least, cause less harm and ideally actively work to imagine new, more just possibilities. 

Hopefully, in the next few years, co-design will become more common while staying true to its roots as a tool for collective liberation.

Sarah, Design

Within the next three years, I envision a greater shift towards continuous co-design. Whether that's in the studio, where we continue to foster a collaborative culture in working with other clients and each other — or across the industry, where the design practice will become more dynamic and inclusive, expanding beyond traditional methods.

Brad, Program & Operations

I see co-design becoming more collaborative and tech-driven, with digital tools making it easier to involve a wider range of stakeholders, no matter where they are. We'll likely see a stronger focus on sustainability and ethical design. 

AI will play a bigger role too, helping us co-create in smarter and more innovative ways.

As we continue to grow and evolve, these reflections and visions will guide us in fostering a studio that shapes better futures alongside our partners and the communities we impact.