It feels like an absolute no-brainer... Involving our users in the design process.

We've all seen the outcomes of services that neglected this step. In the best case, these services that looked great on paper just get no adoption in the market. In the worst case, they cause harm to certain communities.

Within service design, we know that co-designing solutions is a way to minimize this risk greatly and to deliver services that meet the needs of our users. Yet, involving users in a meaningful way is easier said than done. The challenges can be overwhelming, like ensuring that co-design happens before the key decisions are made.

So, what does it take to good co-design? Well, in this episode, Marc sat down for a chat with Emma Blomkamp. Emma is a respected expert in our industry around anything and everything co-design. Emma's insights on good co-design go beyond processes, touching on its often-overlooked mental aspects. Because knowing the right steps in a co-design process is meaningless if it leads to burnout.

We explore how to cope when things don't go as planned, maintaining a light approach around loaded topics and finding the support for creating deeper, more human connections. All in all, it is an inspiring conversation for when you want to do justice to the people you're designing for while also taking care of your own mental well-being.

It's easy to forget that we sometimes need to take a break and reflect on our own practice to develop a clear perspective on what good looks like. I'm grateful that Emma reminded me of that.

Enjoy the episode, and keep making a positive impact!

- Marc

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