QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Design Facilitation of Co-design in the Industry.

Bridging academic theory and industry practice in design facilitation.

Client

Lighthouse Guild in NYC

My Role

Design Researcher

Research Method

Qualitative Research

Timeline

8 months

Project Highlights

RESEARCH
GAP

Identified a critical gap in design facilitation literature: only 4 out of 35 reviewed facilitation case studies focused on industry practices, despite the growing importance of facilitation in corporate settings.

MULTI-METHOD
APPROACH

Employed a comprehensive qualitative methodology combining case study observations of industry facilitation sessions, in-depth interviews with experienced facilitators, and analysis of industry job postings.

KEY FINDING:
SKILLS FRAMEWORK

Developed a three-part skills framework for effective design facilitation in industry: managing group dynamics, guiding conversations and handling uncertainty, and building relationships for sustained impact.

INDUSTRY
APPLICATION

Provided practical insights for design professionals and organizations on how to effectively facilitate co-design processes within business constraints while maintaining creative exploration.

BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION

My journey into design facilitation research began with a personal observation: while working on collaborative design projects, I noticed a significant gap between how design facilitation was taught in academic settings versus how it was practiced in industry environments. This disconnect became increasingly apparent as I moved between academic and professional contexts.

Design facilitation has emerged as a critical practice in both academic and professional industries, enabling participants to tackle complex issues collaboratively within structured processes. However, I discovered that while the literature on design facilitation has grown substantially in recent years, most studies focus on academic examples, with relatively little attention to corporate industry practices.

This realization came to a head when I conducted a preliminary review of 35 articles with design facilitation cases and found that only 4 were industry studies. This striking imbalance highlighted a critical gap in our understanding of design facilitation practice and raised important questions about how these practices translate to real-world industry settings, where dynamics, constraints, and objectives often differ significantly from those in academic environments.

RESEARCH JOURNEY

Developing this research project was an iterative process that evolved as I deepened my understanding of the field. Here's how the journey unfolded:

01 : INITIAL EXPLORATION

I began by exploring existing literature on design facilitation, which led me to Mosely and collaborators' (2021) critical review. While comprehensive in mapping the field, their work didn't describe specific approaches to facilitation, indicating a need for further exploration of practical methods.

Challenge: The literature was rich in theoretical frameworks but lacked practical insights from industry contexts.

02 : REFINING RESEARCH FOCUS

After identifying the gap between academic and industry practices, I needed to narrow my focus. I considered several potential research directions, including comparing facilitation tools, examining cultural differences in facilitation, and exploring digital vs. in-person facilitation.

Decision Process: I ultimately chose to focus on how professionals facilitate co-design in industry settings because this question addressed the most significant gap in the literature while offering practical value to both academic understanding and industry practice.

03 : METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Selecting the right methodology was crucial. I considered quantitative approaches like surveys but realized that the exploratory nature of my research required a more nuanced, qualitative approach. I decided on a multi-method approach that would allow for triangulation of findings.

Considerations: I needed methods that would capture both observable facilitation practices and the tacit knowledge that experienced facilitators bring to their work. This led to combining case studies, interviews, and job posting analysis.

04 : DATA COLLECTION

Implementing the research design presented several challenges. Finding industry facilitation sessions to observe required extensive networking and relationship building. Recruiting experienced facilitators for interviews meant navigating busy professional schedules.

Adaptation: I developed an iterative approach where preliminary findings from case studies informed interview questions, and emerging themes from interviews helped refine job posting analysis.

05 : ANALYSIS & SYNTHESIS

Analyzing the rich qualitative data required developing a systematic approach that would allow patterns to emerge while maintaining the nuance of individual experiences. I experimented with several analytical frameworks before finding an approach that captured the complexity of facilitation practice.

Breakthrough: The three-part skills framework (managing group dynamics, guiding conversations, and sustaining impact) emerged organically from the data and provided a powerful lens for understanding facilitation practice.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS & METHODOLOGY

WHY THESES QUESTIONS MATTER?

These questions were carefully formulated to address the gap between academic understanding and industry practice of design facilitation. The primary question directly addresses the core research gap, while the sub-questions explore specific aspects of facilitation that have practical implications for designers and organizations.

I chose to focus on these questions after considering several alternatives, including more tool-focused or outcome-focused approaches. However, I determined that understanding the fundamental practice of facilitation would provide the most valuable foundation for both theoretical advancement and practical application.

MUTI-METHOD APPROACH

To address these questions comprehensively, I employed a multi-method qualitative approach:

01 : CASE STUDIES OF INDUSTRY FACILITATION

Observation of two facilitation sessions:
A six-hour strategic workshop with the CALA Alliance
A two-day multi-facilitator session with the Arizona Innovation Alliance

Documentation of techniques, tools, and participant interactions
Post-session interviews with facilitators and participants

02 : IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH PROFESSIONAL FACILITATORS

10 professional facilitators with over 10 years of experience.
Semi-structured interviews lasting 45-90 minutes.
Focus on approaches, tools, techniques, and skills.
Recruitment through professional networks (the Facilitation Lab and LinkedIn).

03 : JOB POSTING ANALYSIS

Content analysis of design-related job postings collected during the first half of 2024.
Systematic examination using ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software.
Identification of patterns in how employers characterize design facilitation skills.
Focus on required competencies and qualifications.

METHODOLOGICAL CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

CHALLENGE

SOLUTION

Access to Industry Settings

Gaining access to observe real industry facilitation sessions proved difficult due to confidentiality concerns and the sensitive nature of many corporate workshops.

Relationship Building

I leveraged professional networks and built relationships with facilitation studios, offering value through research insights in exchange for observation opportunities. This approach required patience but ultimately yielded rich observational data.

Capturing Tacit Knowledge

Gaining access to observe real industry facilitation sessions proved difficult due to confidentiality concerns and the sensitive nature of many corporate workshops.

Multi-perspective Approach

Analytical Framework

Gaining access to observe real industry facilitation sessions proved difficult due to confidentiality concerns and the sensitive nature of many corporate workshops.

Iterative Coding Process

KEY FINDINGS

CORE FININGS ON FACILITATION PRACTICE

The research revealed several important insights about design facilitation in industry settings:

Transactional Sub-Projects

Facilitators design co-design experiences as a part of a transactional sub-project, carefully balancing business objectives with creative exploration within defined parameters. As one senior facilitator noted,

"We're always working within the constraints of the business goals... it's about finding that sweet spot between creativity and deliverables."

Tool Curation and Adaptation

Facilitators curate and adapt tools seeking to enhance both productivity and participants' experience, often modifying established methods to fit specific industry contexts.

"I never use a method straight out of the book... it's always tweaked for the specific audience and objectives."

Facilitation Style Effectiveness

Facilitators are open to different facilitation styles but they are more effective with directing style in industry settings, particularly when working with tight timelines and specific deliverable requirements.

"I need to know the purpose, the people, the time, activities, and then I think about how I would facilitate that and what my style is... "

Rhetoricians Without a Speech

Design facilitators are rhetoricians without a speech, using questions, activities, and environmental design rather than direct statements to guide groups toward insights and decisions. As one participant described,

"The best facilitation happens when participants don't even realize they're being facilitated."

DESIGN FACILITATION ACROSS INDUSTRY ROLES

Design Leadership

Design facilitation in design leadership involves designers supporting business strategy, translating between design thinking and business objectives, and guiding teams through complex decision processes. Job posting showed,

"Provide leadership steer and guidance to your team by working closely with leadership across the business to develop our strategic goals” and “ensure strategic goals and timelines are met.”

Design Communication

Design facilitation in design communication focuses on designers supporting stakeholder relationships, mediating between different perspectives, and creating shared understanding across disciplinary boundaries.

"My job is to create the conditions where different departments can actually hear each other."

Design Research

Design facilitation in design research centers on designers gathering user insights through facilitated sessions, creating conditions for authentic participant engagement, and translating raw data into actionable findings. Job posting showed,

"Lead and conduct research to inform a deep understanding of users and the market and to create company-wide alignment and understanding of the current and ideal user experience."

Design Strategy

Design facilitation in design strategy involves designers working on high-order challenges, facilitating complex problem-framing processes, and guiding organizations through transformative change initiatives. Job posting showed,

"four-lens, design thinking approach (...) that balances business viability, consumer desirability, functional feasibility, and sustainability."

INDUSTRY vs. ACADEMIC PRACTICES

The research identified key differences between industry and academic facilitation practices:

UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES

Several findings surprised me during the research process:

🫀 The Emotional Labor of Facilitation：

I didn't anticipate the significant emotional demands placed on facilitators, who often described themselves as "lightning rods" for group tension and energy.

👀 Persistent Imposter Syndrome：

Even highly experienced facilitators reported feeling nervous before sessions and questioning their expertise, revealing the ongoing challenge of facilitation work.

✍️ The Value of Non-Design Background：

Many successful facilitators came from non-design backgrounds, bringing valuable perspectives from fields like psychology, education, and organizational development.

🧠 The Role of Intuition：

Despite the emphasis on structured methods, many facilitators described relying heavily on intuition and in-the-moment judgment, suggesting a tacit dimension to facilitation expertise that's difficult to codify.

IMPACT & APPLICATIONS

ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS

Addresses a significant gap in design facilitation literature.

Provides empirical evidence of industry facilitation practices.

Develops a skills framework for design facilitation.

Identifies differences between academic and industry approaches.

Creates foundation for future research in this area.

INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

This research offers practical insights for design professionals and organizations:

For Design Facilitators

Skills development framework for effective facilitation.
Techniques for managing group dynamics.
Strategies for handling uncertainty.
Approaches for sustaining long-term impact.

For Design Teams

Understanding of effective collaboration processes.
Guidance for selecting appropriate facilitation approaches.
Insights into balancing creativity with business constraints.
Frameworks for evaluating facilitation effectiveness.

For Organizations

Criteria for hiring and developing facilitation talent.
Approaches for integrating facilitation into design processes.
Understanding of how facilitation contributes to business outcomes.
Strategies for fostering collaborative design culture.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

This research opens several promising avenues for future investigation:

How digital tools and remote collaboration affect facilitation practices.
Longitudinal studies of how facilitation practices evolve within organizations.
Cross-cultural comparisons of design facilitation approaches.
Development and evaluation of facilitation training programs.
Impact of facilitation styles on innovation outcomes.

REFLECTION & LESSONS LEARNED

This research journey transformed my understanding of design facilitation and research practice in several ways:

Methodological Flexibility: I learned to adapt research methods in response to emerging insights and practical constraints, developing a more flexible and responsive approach to qualitative research.

Balancing Depth and Breadth: I gained appreciation for the challenge of balancing deep, nuanced understanding with broader patterns and frameworks that can inform practice.

The Value of Multiple Perspectives: Incorporating diverse viewpoints—from facilitators, participants, and job postings—enriched the research and revealed insights that wouldn't have emerged from a single data source.

Research as Facilitation: I came to see research itself as a form of facilitation, requiring many of the same skills in managing relationships, guiding conversations, and creating conditions for insight.

CONCLUSION

This research journey began with a simple observation about the gap between academic and industry facilitation practices and evolved into a comprehensive exploration of how professionals facilitate co-design in industry settings. Through case studies, interviews, and job posting analysis, I've developed a deeper understanding of the skills, approaches, and challenges that characterize effective facilitation in corporate environments.

The findings highlight the complex nature of design facilitation in industry settings and the need for facilitators to balance multiple considerations including business constraints, participant engagement, and creative exploration. The research revealed that facilitators design co-design experiences as transactional sub-projects, curate and adapt tools to enhance both productivity and participant experience, and tend to be more effective with directing styles in industry contexts.

Perhaps most importantly, this research demonstrates that effective design facilitation in industry requires a unique set of skills that differ in important ways from academic facilitation approaches. By understanding these differences and developing appropriate skills, design facilitators can more effectively support collaborative design processes in corporate environments.

As design facilitation continues to gain importance in industry settings, this research provides valuable guidance for practitioners, educators, and organizations seeking to leverage the power of collaborative design. The insights and frameworks developed through this work offer both theoretical contributions to our understanding of design facilitation and practical applications for improving facilitation practice.

This research represents not an endpoint but a foundation for ongoing exploration of how we can better facilitate collaborative design processes in increasingly complex and challenging contexts.