Codesign

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To collaborate in the creation or planning of a product, service, or project by combining the expertise and input of multiple stakeholders for a shared outcome
2. The process of jointly developing a design or concept involving participation from various parties to ensure the final result meets diverse needs
3. Engaging various contributors to collectively shape the design phase of a work, emphasizing cooperation and shared decision-making throughout the development process

Etymology: The verb "codesign" is a plain compound: the prefix "co-", meaning "together" or "jointly," attached to "design." The prefix comes from Latin "com-" (with" or "together"), and it has been productive in English for centuries, producing words like "cooperate," "coexist," and "coauthor." Attaching it to "design" creates a word that describes doing the designing jointly rather than alone. The sense has shifted in a useful way. "Design" once referred mainly to a finished plan or a drawing produced by a single designer, but "codesign" uses that sense to describe a process in which users, customers, or other stakeholders take part in shaping the work from the start. The word therefore describes a method as much as an action, and it reflects a change in how the design of products, software, and public services is often carried out.

Synonyms: collaborate, jointly design, co-create, co-develop

Antonyms: design alone, solo design, independently design