Emma Blomkamp
This paper introduces the Co-Design Maturity Model as a framework for understanding and expanding relational competencies in systemic design practice. Drawing on both theoretical foundations and practical applications, the model maps five levels of maturity across individual, team and organisational dimensions. Central to this framework is an understanding of co-design as fundamentally relational work that requires careful attention to power dynamics, cultural safety, collaborative practice and collective meaning-making.
The model responds to three key challenges in contemporary systemic design: shifting from expert-driven to relational modes of working; building cultural safety and power literacy; and sustaining collaborative practices within traditional organisational structures. Unlike existing design maturity models that primarily align with business metrics, this framework emphasises the relational and emergent competencies necessary for navigating complex adaptive systems. It acknowledges the need for systemic approaches to organisational development, drawing on decolonial perspectives along with insights from complexity theory and research on embedding design capacity in the public sector.
The model was developed through collaborative inquiry with practitioners, employing an iterative process of investigation, action and critical reflection. Rather than creating a normative index for benchmarking, it functions as an educational and reflective tool. Early applications reveal the model’s value in supporting consideration of relational competencies, identifying areas for development, facilitating dialogue about organisational readiness, and tracking the evolution of practice.
As organisations increasingly turn to co-design to tackle complex challenges, there is a pressing need to understand how co-design competencies evolve and mature over time. Through its application in various contexts, the Maturity Model helps to reveal how organisations can build and sustain essential skills and knowledge for systemic co-design. By focusing on relational competencies, we can better understand and support the transformative potential of co-design, while embodying the principles of systemic design through ongoing cycles of reflection and collaborative development.
Keywords: co-design, maturity model, competency framework, relational competencies, capability building, collaborative practice, systemic design, action research