Starting with symbols, not instructions

We didn’t begin with outcomes.
We began with Adinkra.

Participants were introduced to a small set of Akan symbols, each carrying a way of thinking about working together:

• Sankofa – return and learn from the past
• Mate Masie – listen deeply, not just respond
• Eban – create safety so people can contribute honestly
• Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu – different perspectives, shared outcome
• Nkyinkyim – change is part of the process

These weren’t presented as “answers,” but as prompts.

The question on the table was simple:

Which symbol means co-creation to you?

That question sat at the centre of everything that followed.

(You can see the full framework we used here)

What we learned (and what didn’t work)

1. People engage more when meaning is not fixed

As soon as we stopped defining co-creation for people, the quality of engagement shifted.
They weren’t trying to “get it right” — they were trying to make it theirs.

2. Symbols hold complexity better than language

Co-creation is one of those words that collapses under overuse.
The symbols held nuance without forcing agreement.

3. Safety is not a side issue

The symbols around trust came up again and again.
People will not co-create honestly if they don’t feel safe.

4. Difference is not the problem

The two crocodiles sharing one stomach kept coming back (Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu).
People understood instinctively: disagreement isn’t the issue — how it’s held is.