Design

We define and design the service requirements and service outcomes.

Design is where the essential collaboration between commissioner, partners, providers, stakeholders, and people with lived experience occurs. This is the opportunity to examine, shape and evolve the services and align them to the needs of the ACT population. To be valid commissioning collaboration, the design experience is where:

  • Participants are demonstrably representative
  • The process is transparent
  • There are fewer fundamental constraints on what options might be pursued
  • Shared decision making occurs

Diagram of the commissioning cycle with the third phase Design highlighted.

Use your sector in progress section on the commissioning website, the needs assessment background paper and the collaborative plan that identifies who, how and when design will be undertaken.

Commissioner invites identified participants to the collaborative design activities and provide background information which could be the needs assessment background paper and a link to the sector in progress section on the website. This ensures participants are informed and aware of the commissioning timings and intention. Also share information about the event publicly so that additional interested stakeholders can choose to participate.

Evaluation to date indicates that using a facilitator leads to a better commissioning experience for participants.  Commissioner appoints a facilitator or co-facilitators to guide participants through the collaborative design activities. Facilitator establishes ground rules, stays objective and reflects what is being heard through the activity to continuously cultivate collaboration behaviours. Facilitator summarises service specifications arising and potential outcomes.

After each collaborative activity, participants are invited to assess their experience through a standard survey shaped around the shared principles, available at Post-Activity Survey - Commissioning

Commissioner with the facilitator analyses what has been heard and generated through the collaborative activity and prepares a draft listening report that is made available to all participants for their validation and acceptance. This includes insights from the post-activity survey.

Through the analysis of what has been heard, the potential service specifications and potential outcomes are extracted into a standalone document. The potential outcomes could be captured in a new framework, updated to an existing outcomes framework or as specific outcomes under the ACT Wellbeing Framework.

  • The voices of people with lived experience must be shared with participants as part of the collaborative design activities and/or people with lived experience should be included in design to challenge, advocate, or validate proposed solutions or service specifications that could improve their experience with the system and/or their outcomes.

Resources

Tools, templates and training

Page updated: 28 Feb 2024