Icebreakers, coffee break chats, group photo Tweeted to the world Packet of readings and live presentationsД¬onducting root cause analysis and formulating solutions with diverse voicesДesigning large group or break-out activities to вЂњunpackвЂќ challenges and begin to co-create solutions while ensuring all stakeholders are engagedДesigning smaller, interactive webinars or group video/tele-conferences Raising awareness of key issues and approaches It is even possible that this new rhythm (integrating smaller bits of co-creation into participantsвЂ™ daily routines over a longer time) could prove more effective for lasting health system change.Дefining a problem and identifying key stakeholdersД¬onducting in-person scoping and planning meetings in order to develop a concept note and an invitation listД¬onducting virtual outreach (email, phone calls) in order to develop a concept note and a stakeholder list-now unconstrained by venue space/budgetДesigning a process for problem analysis and co-creationДeveloping an agenda for an in-person meetingДeveloping a workplan for virtual co-creation process Webpages or virtual spaces like Microsoft Teams can make the whole process visible to all involved. Such small and large webinars can punctuate multiple points along the co-creation curve, in between a wide array of smaller group and individualized communications. Many communities of practice in health and education are known to use large webinars to effectively raise attendeesвЂ™ awareness of key issues and approaches and smaller online gatherings, with facilitated chats and tools like virtual whiteboards, can be effectively used to have a group work together to define challenges or problems, conduct root cause analysis and formulate solutions. They can also structure problem analysis and co-creation methods - already usually done by a small team pre-workshop - through remote work. Embrace virtual co-creation, diversify deliveryвЂ¦and improve sustainability?Д¬ombining technology and remote facilitation, the essential functions of workshops can still be achieved through a virtual co-creation process with a longer time horizon and more diverse means of delivery.ДЄ remote facilitation team can advance the early phases of problem definition and stakeholder identification through one-on-one phone calls, emails and co-edited documents.

Notoriously, follow-up actions can drop off dramatically post-workshop or be entirely absent. The workshop itself is a very intense use of resources: several days from all participants venue, food, equipment and often lodging costs and political capital costs of keeping busy people from their full-time jobs and families. Workshops organizers may start talking well in advance, but efforts ramp up dramatically just before the event - when participants may also need to travel. In-person workshops concentrate most essential functions and their required resources into a few days gathered at a physical venue. The essential functions of productive co-creation workshops - several shown in the table below - must now be spread out and delivered through virtual means. Applying diverse voices to analyze root causes of a problem? Essential and powerful. Buffet food arriving a little too early or a little too late? Non-essential. Awareness raising among key actors? Essential. Workshops have essential and non-essential features. Spreading 10 essential functions of a co-creation workshop A new virtual curve can keep vital health system improvements moving while health leaders have to keep their distance. While countries try to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases and resource needs, it is possible to flatten a different curve of workshop-based, stakeholder-driven co-creation. Typically concentrated into two to five days and involving 20вЂ“50 people, co-creation workshops are a great way to do the navigating and nudging among stakeholders that system improvement requires. вЂњCo-creation workshopsвЂќ use participatory methods to produce mutually beneficial outcomes - such as a new strategy for a complex problem like access to quality primary health care - among stakeholders whose cooperation is essential, but whose perspectives usually vary. This poses a big problem for the global development community and the constant work of improving health, education and other vital systems, which requires navigating (and nudging) stakeholdersвЂ™ knowledge, interests and ability to work together. Workshops that are in-person, interactive and often in distant places are suddenly off limits due to COVID-19.

Creation workshop for uncia