Breaking down power imbalances through co-creation
Written by Chelsea Horváth, Measurement & Impact Manager, and Grace Natabaalo, Research & Insights Manager, both at Caribou Digital.
Co-creation has become an increasingly important topic and practice within the research, evaluation, and development communities.
Like many others in our community of practice, at Caribou Digital, we’re reflecting on co-creation in our work. At first glance, co-creation seems simple enough — create something with others.
But when the rubber hits the road, sticky questions arise. Who needs to be involved? What information is shared and how? How much time and resources are required to co-create? How is consensus reached? Who makes the final decision? Through trial and error and learning from others in the field, we’d like to share our experience and lessons on co-creation within research.
Caribou Digital’s approach to co-creation
At Caribou Digital, we understand co-creation to be an “approach that brings people together to collectively produce a mutually valued outcome and that involves a participatory process assuming some degree of shared power and decision-making.”
At conferences and in requests for proposals, we often see that co-creation is confused with collaboration (see the table below created by the authors).
The key differences between the two can be found in the definition above: breaking down power structures and decision-making. Without time and resources dedicated to those aspects, attempts at co-creation become more like collaboration.
Using co-creation to center young people as experts in their own digital futures
In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Caribou Digital researched young people’s experiences with digital technologies in Africa, selecting 20 young people from across seven countries to co-create with. They included young people whose stories are not often seen or heard, such as women, people living with disabilities, refugees, and those living in rural areas.
The research team recognized that, despite good intentions, power imbalances would exist among the young people, the Mastercard Foundation, and Caribou Digital. These would hinder important insights that could lead to more strategic and relevant recommendations.
From the outset, we created an environment to alleviate these power imbalances. The co-creation process involved treating the young people as experts whose stories shaped the report, emphasizing collaboration and flexibility. This approach was outlined in the Terms of Reference, which each young person signed at the beginning of the project. At the first video conferencing session, expectations were aligned and rules of engagement were set. The young people reviewed and provided feedback on the research coding framework, shaping the language and direction of the project. Video conferencing sessions to share experiences were made inclusive and accessible, with flexible post-session reflection assignments to accommodate all needs. During the report-writing phase, panelists reviewed drafts, edited their quotes, and provided feedback, culminating in a discussion on how best to present the final report.
In reflecting on our co-creation process, three core learnings emerged.
Lesson #1: Storytelling and reflection assignments yield richer data in a non-extractive way.
Rather than extract young people’s experiences through various data collection methods, we used storytelling and reflection assignments to co-create this research. From the beginning, Caribou Digital emphasized that the young people were the experts. Their stories were the foundation of the report; our role was to facilitate and listen. The online video conference format allowed the young people to build on one another’s experiences, feel validated, and connect in a non-extractive process. Post-session reflection assignments (for example, asking the young people to reflect on how digital technologies have impacted their choice and agency) allowed them to reflect on their own and in a convenient mode (audio message or email). Providing feedback on the research process, one young person shared, “The room was always accommodating of all of us who wanted to speak, and the moderators were tolerant of our views. I felt [at] home to speak/write from the reality of my experience.”
Lesson #2: Double the time and resources needed for co-creation.
Co-creation required more time, planning, and resources than initially thought. Every video conference session required thoughtful preparation to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment — from the slide deck to the video captions. Reflection assignments and video recordings were analyzed carefully to ensure they accurately represented the young people’s experiences. Extra time was needed for the young people to review report drafts, edit quotes, and expand on their experiences. A safe estimate for others looking to use this co-creation approach would be to double the time and human resources needed.
Lesson #3: Accountability, transparency, and flexibility are key co-creation ingredients.
It was important for Caribou Digital to develop a trusted working relationship with the young people to keep them engaged throughout the research process. We were accountable when things weren’t working well and shared how the young people’s feedback was incorporated into the report. We were transparent with expectations for the research and when honorarium payments were delayed. We were flexible when the young people couldn’t provide feedback on time or attend a video conference session due to busy schedules. These practices kept the young people engaged throughout the research process. When asked to provide anonymous feedback on the research process, one participant shared, “[Caribou] was always in touch both in the Zoom session and WhatsApp to guide in case anything wasn’t right. […] We also had timely reminders for the meetings, and at no point was I caught offside or unaware of a meeting.”
Catalyzing research with co-creation
When done well, co-creation is an incredibly powerful practice that can elevate and amplify marginalized voices and improve the quality of research products. Our co-creation journey with these 20 young people was enriching and insightful, underscoring the value of trust and transparency.
By prioritizing youth voices and experiences, the 20 young people, Caribou Digital, and the Mastercard Foundation crafted a powerful report that reflects young people’s perspectives and experiences on digital technologies in Africa. One young person shared, “I feel like [co-creation] is a good approach because it lends to the authenticity of the report since these are our lived experiences […] It also makes the report relatable to fellow youth especially.”
Caribou Digital is committed to continuing this approach and conducting more co-created research. If you’re interested in participating in such initiatives or have ideas for collaboration, we invite you to connect with us at chelsea@cariboudigital.net.
