Context
GAIN engaged Proportion Global, to design and prototype the Co-Innovation Platform. The primary objectives of the project were to:
Conduct an appraisal of existing and proposed models for intergovernmental co-innovation.
Develop recommendations for user-friendly platform components and interfaces.
Design and pilot a prototype that facilitates co-innovation partnerships among public sector officials and development actors.
The platform was envisioned as a web-based forum complemented by a digital system for managing co-innovation projects, enabling both online discussions and in-person engagements.
Details
Time Frame:
May 24 – Dec 24
Project Conductor:
Ahmed Saalim
Overview
To design and prototype a Co-Innovation Platform that fosters co-innovation partnerships among public sector officials and development actors by appraising existing models, developing user-friendly platform components, and piloting a web-based system that integrates online discussions with in-person engagements.
Challenge
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) aims to enhance nutrition-sensitive social protection systems across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. A key challenge faced by GAIN is the fragmented dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders, which hinders the sharing of best practices and the development of innovative social protection solutions. To address this, GAIN sought to establish a digital platform to facilitate South-South collaboration and co-innovation in nutrition-sensitive social protection programs. The initiative required a structured approach to design and develop a platform that would enable knowledge-sharing, cross-country learning, and effective co-innovation among government officials, NGOs, and development partners.
Solution
To ensure the successful development of the GAIN Co-Innovation Platform, the project was executed through a structured, multi-phase process that leveraged human-centered design (HCD) methodologies. This approach allowed the team to deeply engage with stakeholders, understand their challenges, and develop a solution that would be both practical and impactful.
The project began with an extensive Scoping Phase, conducted across seven countries—Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia. During this phase, Proportion Global worked closely with GAIN’s local representatives and key stakeholders, including government officials, NGOs, and private sector actors. Through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and stakeholder mapping, the team identified the diverse needs, pain points, and aspirations of those involved in nutrition-sensitive social protection programs. Additionally, a comprehensive mapping of existing social protection landscapes was undertaken to determine commonalities and opportunities for co-innovation.
Following this, the Empathize Phase aimed to refine the understanding of user needs by conducting further s. The team analyzed existing co-innovation platforms and digital collaboration tools, extracting best practices and common challenges. Notable insights included the need for user-friendly digital solutions that accommodate varying levels of digital literacy and the importance of fostering trust and transparency among co-innovation partners.
Building on these insights, the project moved into the Ideate Phase, where a structured design sprint was conducted to generate potential solutions. This collaborative process involved key stakeholders and design experts brainstorming ways to enhance cross-country learning and facilitate structured partnerships. Four major concepts emerged from this phase:
1. The Co-Innovation Platform with dedicated knowledge-sharing and project collaboration features.
2. Youth Mobile Reporters to document real-world experiences and best practices.
3. an AI-powered chatbot to support qualitative data collection,
4. A structured co-design sprint methodology to facilitate the development of innovative solutions within social protection programs.
Once these concepts were established, the Prototype Phase focused on transforming them into functional, high-fidelity prototypes. These prototypes were tested with real users, including government representatives in the respective countries, development partners, and GAIN staff, to evaluate usability, effectiveness, and overall impact. The feedback gathered from these tests was instrumental in refining the platform’s features, ensuring that it met the needs of diverse users.
Finally, the Ownership and Sustainability Phase explored viable models to ensure the platform’s long-term success. Various ownership structures were analyzed, with the multi-stakeholder ownership model emerging as the most suitable option. Additionally, the team recommended a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model to ensure cost-effectiveness, scalability, and continuous improvement of the platform’s features. The sustainability strategy incorporated a combination of grant funding, service fees, and a freemium subscription model to maintain financial viability over time.
Results
The project successfully delivered a validated prototype for the GAIN Co-Innovation Platform, addressing key stakeholder needs. Key outcomes include:
Increased stakeholder engagement: Governments, NGOs, and private sector actors endorsed the platform as a valuable tool for knowledge-sharing and cross-country learning.
Enhanced user insights: The research and design process identified critical digital literacy gaps, governance challenges, and user-specific barriers that informed platform design.
Scalable and sustainable model: A multi-stakeholder ownership framework was proposed, ensuring long-term viability through a combination of donor funding, service fees, and premium subscriptions.
Innovative digital tools: The Youth Mobile Reporters and AI chatbot concepts were well-received, demonstrating potential for enhancing community-driven insights and data collection.
As GAIN moves forward, the focus will be on piloting the platform in selected countries, refining its features based on user feedback, and scaling its adoption across regions to foster impactful co-innovation in nutrition-sensitive social protection programs.