A new brand identity and website for the co-production movement

Let’s Set The Scene...

The Co-Production Collective are a great bunch of people with a big, big mission. They amplify the voices of those who want to be heard, including those who are often ignored or excluded, helping to ensure that everyone can be equal partners in the decisions that will affect their lives.

A big mission, yes, AND a hugely important one too.

The community powering this movement approached Big Lemon to help co-create a new brand identity and accessible website.

The Challenge

The Co-Production Collective - previously known as the UCL Centre for Co-Production in Health Research - have been co-producing themselves since 2017. They had reached the point where in 2020 they were ready to develop their own identity to show who they are and grow their community.

They needed a new name, brand and website. The idea was to provide a platform for the community and an online space to connect, and ultimately something that would support their vision of creating a world where diverse knowledge and experience is recognised in the co-production of research - and beyond.

What’s more, the project needed to be co-produced to ensure it represented the views and requirements of its end users.

“Those who will be affected by a project or programme don’t often get the chance to influence its design and development,” says Lizzie, one of the individual behind the Collective. “This is especially the case for certain groups and communities whose voices have historically been excluded from power and decision-making”.

Building Products With A Positive Outcome For The End-User

So we’ve set the scene, shared the context we were operating in. Next up - here’s how we worked on this project that involved people who aren’t too comfortable with tech… yet.

Figuring it all out for the first time

Lizzie tells us that developing a new identity and website was all new to the Collective.

This meant that whilst the tech expertise and style was important, how we worked together was important too. We believe that tech shouldn’t be a barrier to creating real change, and made sure that the Collective’s team and community felt comfortable with terminology and the process a build like this would involve.

Inclusivity Over Design

Co-production is an approach that requires everyone to work together in equal partnership and for equal benefit. But it’s not something that is just reserved for the healthcare industry, we’re trying to bring it to the forefront of how all tech projects are pursued. And this project was no different.

We ran a series of co-creation workshops with the Collective’s community - those who’ll be engaging with the site - to ensure it met their unique needs. This involved online workshops, and provided everyone with the opportunity to take part and have their voices heard.

The Tech Bit

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  New branding, courtesy of our partners at Studio Hicks.

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  UI & UX design, from co-production sessions.

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  Web development and user training to ensure use after project completion.

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  Build an online community area (watch this space!)

The Outcomes

The home of co-production has a new platform.

The brand and website has made a difference to the Co-production Collective’s ability to deliver their work as well as their wider profile. They’ve received great feedback, and - here’s the important part - strong engagement from the community.

Why Big Lemon?

It was our openness, and willingness to learn and prioritise the needs of the community that Lizzie and the team valued the most.