Wellness By Design
A Co-Creation Workshop
Type: Workshop Design, Participatory Design, Qualitative Research
Context: Masters Thesis, Fall 2019
THE CHALLENGE
How might we understand and facilitate discussion challenging the “strong black woman” paradox in relation to the healthcare industry.
THE OUTCOME
A hosted workshop where black women led the design of their shared support systems, mapped their challenges, and reimagined collective wellbeing. This research informed my product Kin.
Go deeper: Explore my app bringing the doula experience to all.
WHAT IT IS
Wellness by Design is a co-creation workshop that I hosted in November 2019 as a research provocation for my Masters Thesis. I invited 7 black women to a hands on experience of collective futuring.
HOW IT WORKS
Users were asked who was in their support system. They were then asked to personify the healthcare system with 5 personality traits and draw the timeline of their relationship with their bodies. Finally we had a guided discussion about what it looks like for black women to be thriving.
PARTICIPANTS
“Village and Community holds so many keys for us”
“As black women we should feel empowered to know change can come from us”
“We have to be part of the design process or the work that affects us is not going to be what we want it to be.”
“Don’t let narratives tell us our bodies are bad or what we did to support one another didn’t work”
“Collective healing comes from sharing your story with others”
INSIGHTS
NO ONE THRIVES ALONE
Many participants expressed negative experiences from the healthcare industry. These experiences led to feelings of discomfort and tension around being in procession of a black female body which can be particularly trauma inducing around the time of pregnancy. This tension is further highlighted by the often negative portrayals of black women in a white dominated, patriarchal system. Black women look within to ease these tensions.
Design Considerations
When designing interventions for black women related to possible bodily trauma, consider the following
Share the Burden
Many times the responsibility to carry the burden of change is placed on the subjugated group. Consider bringing in the community.
Elevate the Community
Trauma healing is reliant of community. Safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives so make space for connection.
All work copyright Victoria Ayo © 2020