03 / Collaborative research & design
Shared inquiry.
Something to test.
Research becomes useful when it informs a choice. Collaborative research and design brings people with different knowledge and responsibilities together to develop a response they can examine and improve.
What is the smallest useful response we can test?
Explore each stage to see how a question becomes a practical next step.
A PRACTICAL CYCLE / LISTEN → MAP → DESIGN → LEARN
01 / Listen
Understand the experience.
Agree on a question, review what is already known, and hear from people affected. Keep observations separate from assumptions so the group can see where more understanding is needed.
What do we know, and what do we still need to learn?
A focused research question and a record of relevant experiences.
02 / Map
Define the challenge together.
Bring different perspectives into one view. Identify needs, tensions, possible causes, and the change people want to see before selecting a response.
Which part of the challenge should we work on first?
A shared problem statement and a small set of priorities.
03 / Design
Make an idea concrete.
Use a workshop to compare options and develop a small proposal, scenario, storyboard, or prototype. Make it clear enough for others to question and improve.
What can we show people so they can respond meaningfully?
A concept or prototype that expresses a specific design choice.
04 / Learn
Decide what deserves a next step.
Review the response with participants. Record what they understood, what did not work, and what should change. Agree whether to revise, test further, or stop.
What did we learn, who will act on it, and how will we judge progress?
Feedback and a next-step plan with a clear owner and review point.
IN PRACTICE / AN ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
From a workshop to a first learning experience.
After exploring a community’s learning needs, participants could design a sample lesson or storyboard. Reviewing it with learners and educators would help the group decide what to keep, revise, or test next.
An example of how this approach could be used.
- 01
Make it visible
Create a small sample that people can respond to.
- 02
Review together
Ask what is clear, useful, missing, or difficult to access.
- 03
Choose the next step
Assign an owner and agree what the next test should reveal.
MAKE THE WORK USEFUL
What this can
produce.
- A concept brief or simple prototype
- Participant feedback
- A next-step plan and review point
Each cycle should end with a decision: continue, revise, or stop. The next step follows the learning.