Co-design

Co-design is a participatory approach where end-users, stakeholders, and community members are involved as equal partners in the design process — not just providing feedback on completed work, but actively shaping the design of communications, services, or systems from concept through to execution.

In the context of multicultural communications and translation, co-design ensures that the final output reflects the perspectives, preferences, and lived experiences of the communities it is intended to serve. This might involve community members helping to design the structure of a health information resource, selecting imagery for a campaign, determining the most appropriate communication channels, or shaping the tone and register of translated content.

Co-design is distinct from co-creation in emphasis though the terms are closely related. Co-creation tends to focus on content development (what we say), while co-design focuses on the broader system and experience design (how we communicate, through what channels, in what format, with what visual and structural choices).

Effective co-design requires genuine power-sharing — community participants need real influence over outcomes, not just a seat at the table where decisions have already been made. This requires skilled facilitation, cultural safety, and organisational willingness to adapt based on community input.

LEXIGO's co-design approach brings community insights into every aspect of multicultural communication projects, from strategic planning and channel selection through to content creation and visual design, ensuring the entire communication experience is culturally informed.

Communication projects designed without the input of their intended audience frequently miss the mark — using the wrong channels, the wrong tone, or assumptions about what matters to communities that do not reflect reality. Co-design reduces this risk by centering the perspectives of the people you are trying to reach.

For organisations investing in multicultural communications, co-design improves both the effectiveness of the communication and the relationship with the community, building trust and credibility that extends beyond any single campaign.