Professor Angelina Russo, Program Manager
Co-design is a form of participatory research, which aims to bring target demographics into product development to enhance or improve experience for end-users.
Speaking to the co-design programs run and coordinated by the Global Centre for Modern Ageing (GCMA), Program Manager at the GCMA, Prof Angelina Russo explained that by working with ageing communities, co-design looks to develop offerings and activities that take into account what is meaningful for older and ageing people, while making sure that those activities keep within the cultural context and norms experienced by the intended users.
GCMA and Co-Design:
Having built a database of co-designers, the GCMA view co-design as more than just research, but as an opportunity for co-designers to contribute and create meaning.
“At the GCMA we have worked to build a co-design culture that is welcoming to people from varied cultural backgrounds, considering their values and needs. This helps us build trust, which is so important among all of our communities from co-designers through organisations, politicians, influence and policy makers and the end users,” Angelina said.
“Our co-design program is unique. We’ve built trust with our co-designers around working with us to deliver new products and services that will be meaningful in some way.
“Occasionally, our co-designers don’t actually contribute to a product or a service, but rather working with research teams, we get to the heart of the questions that need to be asked, which is just as, if not more important.”
What does it take to become a co-designer?
The GCMA invites everyone to become members of its co-design community.
For many older people, isolation and loneliness are major issues they experience every day. Further, people can lose sense of meaning as they age, however, at the GCMA ageing is viewed very differently.
Speaking to their view on ageing populations, Prof Russo explains that older people have lived full lives, often coming through turbulent times, which all contributes to building an extraordinary experience and knowledge set, which we can learn from.
“We have an ageing population, and we have some real challenges now, particularly following the Aged Care Royal Commission – however, for the first time in a really long time, there is a recognition that things need to change, but they can only change if we look at what the end users need.
“The benefit of becoming involved as a co-designer now is that experience is valued, and you have the chance to genuinely contribute to influencing policy and the future,” said Angelina.
Further to being a growth population, ageing Australians in 2021 are made up of a very diverse range of people.
“In Australia, we have a varied and diverse ageing population – older Australians incorporate Indigenous people, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations, LGBTIQ+ people and veterans, all of whom make up a broad community of people with varying needs and experiences,” Angelina said.
“It is this gamut of experience and knowledge that is so important to design, research, development and policy to shape a better future for everyone, and that is why we invite you all to join us as participants in co-design.
“We need to recognise the needs of every Australian as we age and respond to them, and becoming a co-designer means that you are directly contributing to the specific needs of your community – you can be heard and be influential, and now is the time as our policymakers, big businesses, technology providers and the wider community are listening,” Angelina said.
For more information or to become a GCMA co-designer today, visit: https://www.gcma.net.au/become-a-codesigner
