Take a look behind the scenes at our co-design process through the Convergent Futures project
Take a look behind the scenes at our co-design process through the Convergent Futures project
by Kelsey Mackert
How does design play a role in a research network focused on wasted food? In the RECIPES network, Maryland Institute College of Art’s (MICA) Center for Creative Impact uses design to fuel convergence and to connect researchers, collaborators, and stakeholders through a shared process of reflection and imagination. What is convergence you ask? The National Science Foundation defines it as “a deep and intentional collaboration between researchers, where disciplines are intermingled and merged to address pressing scientific and societal problems.”
Over the course of nine months, the MICA team led a co-design journey called Convergent Futures to help RECIPES reflect on who we are, what we’ve done so far, and what comes next as our grant comes to a close.
Using human-centered design methods, the MICA team developed a structured co-design approach to facilitate this project.
The team then recruited network leaders and facilitated one-on-one Convergent Futures conversations grounded in open dialogue to gauge attitudes and beliefs on the network and our future. In order to keep things consistent, the MICA team built conversation guides around three buckets: reflections, current priorities, and ideas for the future.
But, the team didn’t stop there. Once the conversations wrapped, true convergence kicked in. The team synthesized findings using Mural, a digital collaboration tool similar to a virtual whiteboard, to sort data into themes to help us uncover patterns in RECIPES members’ behaviors, experiences, and needs.
After the first round of synthesis, the team invited the broader RECIPES network to respond to additional questions and provide feedback on the initial findings from the one-on-one conversations. That feedback was then used to shape activities and discussions at the 2025 RECIPES Annual Meeting.
At the RECIPES Annual Meeting, Convergent Futures showed up in many ways:
In the Convergence Café—a space where attendees can connect and build relationships with one another, provide input on members’ work, and spark convergent thinking—there were a few activities related to documenting our work.
Outside of the Café, posters of the Convergent Futures findings were displayed in the main room to serve as a resource for network members.
Additionally, the agenda for the RECIPES Annual Meeting prioritized network-wide sessions about the future of our network to give space for ideation and beginning to take steps towards those ideas.
By creating time and space for deep conversation, we were all able to build mutual understanding, align priorities, and co-create a shared vision for the future. While the Convergent Futures process marks a milestone in RECIPES convergence work, it’s also one step in a broader effort.
Read the report here!