There's Nothing Like a Room Full of People Willing to Share Their Truth
There's nothing like it when you get a room full of people who are willing to offer insight into their lives - to share their experiences, vulnerabilities, frustrations, and ideas.
It's not something we ever take for granted. At inCharge, we value and respect it deeply. In fact, it's one of our guiding principles.
Recently, we spent time with a group of adults with a learning disability (thank you Louise Hughes ARC Northern Ireland, and Leslie-Anne Newton). What struck me most wasn't the technology they used, which we were obviously there to learn about. It was the generosity of what they shared. People spoke openly about what brings them joy, what helps them feel calm, what makes them feel misunderstood, and what they wish others knew about them.
It was more than a traditional "research session". It was people talking about their lives.
They talked about music, gaming, work, family, routines, privacy, safety, and independence - not as abstract concepts, but as lived realities. They talked about wanting control, about not liking being told what to do, about the importance of being listened to. They talked about how they communicate, how they share who they are, and how frustrating it can be when it doesn't land quite right.
I love that it's pure honesty, not answering in a way to stand out or to look clever or worse, telling you what they think you want to hear. They spoke about their choices. About their boundaries. About what they share and with whom.
Too often, people with learning disabilities are spoken about as if things happen to them. What we saw instead was people actively shaping their lives, navigating complexity, and making decisions every day. The assumption that they don't is the problem, not the reality.
This is why person-centred technology matters so much to us.
Not technology that manages people. Not technology that simplifies lives into boxes and labels. But technology that starts with respect - for the person, their relationships, their routines, and their right to be understood on their own terms. Technology that is useful.
Co-design, when done properly, is not about extracting insights (although we obviously do). For us it's about building relationships, creating space, and being willing to listen. Sometimes it's showing up prepared but not quite sure if your approach will work, so we adapt, we change our tone and our language, and we learn from the people there and those who support them.
We are always learning. Always being reminded that people are the experts in their own lives. And we are always grateful to those who trust us enough to share a piece of theirs.
That trust is something we hold carefully. It shapes how we build our technology. It shapes what we prioritise. And it keeps us honest about why we're doing this work in the first place.
Want to be part of our co-design community?
We're always learning from people managing their own support and care, families, and care and support staff. If you'd like to share your experiences or try inCharge, get in touch.