Evaluating and Developing Human-Centered Design Workshops for Engagement of Co-Designers Living and Working in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Co-design is an equity-centered method of human-centered design that offers the opportunity for diverse voices (including designers and those for whom a solution is being created) to design together. As experts in their own lived experiences, co-designers provide valuable insight to help contextualize the problem being solved, leading to more feasible, viable, and desirable solutions. In particular, co-design has the potential to aid design for global health equity as health issues have many complex social influences. However, methods for practicing co-design and for evaluating that practice, especially in the context of global health, are largely understudied. This study aims to fill this gap by conducting qualitative coding and thematic analysis of survey responses from co-designers engaged in human-centered design workshops in Kenya and Uganda. From this analysis, we have gained insights on the knowledge gained by co-designers, what they enjoyed about the co-design process, what was challenging for them, and what suggestions they had for improving the workshops themselves. The findings of this study reveal that while co-designers gained knowledge and had an enjoyable experience, barriers to successful co-design continue to persist, including time constraints and language barriers. This study highlights the need for further research to overcome these barriers, by refining co-design curriculum and evaluation tools, in order to achieve more successful and equitable design.