Co-designing digital interventions and technology projects with civil society

The World Economic Forum issued a white paper on Co-designing Digital Interventions and Technology Projects with Civil Society which examines the concept of co-design in partnership with civil society with a special focus on COVID-19 technology interventions. The paper looks at the role of civil society in developing such technologies in collaboration with the private and public sectors. It contests that access to resources, long-standing relationships with the private sector or government, and the capacity to be seen as a trusted expert can enable civil society to influence the development and impact of COVID-19 tech tools. ‘Co-designing crisis-oriented tech interventions offers designers direct access to workable knowledge, equitable practice and the lessening of unintended but harmful consequences related to technological implementation within a given context,’ the paper reads.