Co-production: Involving users in developing health information

Executive summary

This guide provides practical support on co-production. This means working with users to develop health information that meets their needs.

Why this matters

Co-production consistently improves user experience. It ensures information is relevant, easy to understand and accessible. This makes it more likely people will use and share your resources.

The need for accessible, trusted information is greater than ever. One in 10 people in the UK have been affected by misinformation. This rises to 2 in 10 for ethnic minorities.

You might not always be able to carry out full co-production. But starting small is better than doing nothing at all. Try to “step up” your user involvement over time.

Step up levels of user involvement

• Engage – Invite users to give their views
• Co-design – Plan and design information together
• Co-produce – Plan, design, create and review information with users as equal members of the team.

Plan user engagement

• Plan user involvement throughout your project
• Describe users’ roles and responsibilities
• Ensure users match your audience and include groups that are under represented. For example, people with lower health literacy or from a low socioeconomic background.
• Think about how you will recognise users for their time. If this includes payment, consider the impact on state benefits.
• Consider safeguarding.

Use the right method for the task or stage

• Steering groups
• Focus groups
• Involvement events and development workshops
• Surveys and interviews.

Run effective involvement

• Use plain language in all materials
• Choose a facilitator who understands the user group
• Run sessions in familiar, accessible settings
• Set objectives for each involvement
• Be flexible, new issues may emerge
• Thank users and show how you have acted on their insights.

User testing and feedback

• Test with users not involved in the development
• Invite feedback on live projects.

This guide supports the following PIF TICK criteria:

3.0. Need: The impact of information is measured.

5.0 Involving users: Users are involved in the development of information.

6.0 Health inequalities: Information is written to meet health literacy, digital inclusion, language and accessibility needs of the audience.