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Co-designing the future state of male contraceptives
World Vasectomy Day is an annual event that seeks to build a global movement to engage men in the conversation on contraception. ThinkPlace was invited to perform an interactive design workshop with existing and potential users of male contraception, to help them articulate their preferences and to design toward their needs.
After a full day’s programme at the National Theatre in Nairobi with calls with health professionals, live vasectomy demonstrations, and expert panels and talks to understand the current state of male contraception, ThinkPlace asked men to envision the future state of male contraception: what it might be, what it should be, what it must be – and to design for it.
Participants were prompted with specific questions around what needs to change and how the current delivery of male contraception products and services was not serving them. This provoked everything from a discussion of cultural norms and values around masculinity, to health messaging and service delivery.
Men were given materials and asked to ideate on a future campaign for male contraception – what would the product or service look like, how much it would cost, who it would target, what would the ads look like and how would they be delivered? The experience gave them an opportunity to think strategically in user-centric ways, and to consider the design implications of user-centric contraceptive methods. It also allowed for the wider healthy community, who were tuning in from around the world, to hear what men actually want and need from future designs.
Client
FHI 360 & World Vasectomy DayService
Strategy & policy design, Inclusive Co-design & Engagement
Project Team
