ACTing through Co-design. 

The conceptual structure, visual presentation, and the scoring radar of the ACT offer a flexible yet structured approach to facilitate conversations among interest-holders during participatory co-design of complex interventions. The process centers on mapping and aligning intervention functions and forms across individual, relational, and contextual domains (Learn more about Functions and Forms here). 

The co-creation teams can focus the conversations on various domains (e.g, what to do to improve skills? What resources are needed? Who should be connected to whom?), identify areas where consensus development is needed (e.g. when the scores by various members are different), and co-create graphical products (e.g. the ACT radar map) to be presented and shared with others. 

The following process outlines how the ACT Wheel and Radar tool could be used to facilitate participatory co-creation and ongoing refinement of interventions:

Step 1: Identify Needs and Motivations
The team can begin by discussing the key needs, challenges, goals, and motivational drivers relevant to the target population or system. This includes both individual-level factors (e.g., limited skills, negative attitudes), social (e.g. different worldviews and lack of trust among actors), and contextual or structural issues (e.g., organizational roadblocks, policy constraints). This step ensures the intervention is grounded in real-world priorities and lived experiences.

Step 2: Generate Preliminary Intervention Strategies
Through facilitated idea generation, the co-creation teams can identify a preliminary list of potential intervention goals and strategies. The discussions can focus on distinguishing the underlying function (i.e., the intended purpose or change mechanism) from the form (i.e., the specific delivery method, such as training sessions, digital tools, or workflow changes), working on a Functions & Forms Matrix, a structured table that links each function with its proposed form(s).

Step 3: Introduce and Use the ACT Wheel
The ACT wheel can be introduced as a participatory visual tool to support structured reflection and dialogue (use the template). The co-creation team can work together (in small groups) to map the proposed functions onto the nine domains of the ACT model. This mapping prompts a structured conversation about what the intervention is trying to achieve and where additional focus might be needed. New functions could be introduced, and existing functions could be broken into smaller and more focused goals. Many of the proposed functions may not be ready for implementation. The goal is to keep an open mind, and envision an optimal intervention.

Step 4: Prioritize Functions Across Domains
Using the ACT Radar, the participants collaboratively score the identified functions within each domain based on their relative priorities, using the Radar tool. These scores are visualized on the radar chart, allowing the group to assess balance and identify gaps. This scoring process supports consensus-building and helps align the intervention design with strategic priorities.

Step 5: Discuss and Revise the ACT Wheel and Radar Map
The radar map becomes a shared artifact for team discussion. The co-creation team reviews the distribution of functions, reflects on alignment with identified needs, and considers whether any domains are under- or over-represented. Functions may be added, removed, or revised to better reflect intended outcomes and system constraints.

Step 6: Update the Functions & Forms Matrix
The group revisits the Functions & Forms Matrix. Recognizing that forms are context-sensitive, the co-creation team will discuss how to adapt intervention delivery to specific settings, populations, or resources. This may include modifying the format, language, intensity, or timing of intervention components, while preserving the integrity of the underlying functions.

Step 7: Revisit and Iterate the ACT Radar and Wheel
The ACT process is inherently iterative. As the intervention progresses—through piloting, feedback, or implementation—the ACT Wheel and Radar and the Functions & Forms matrix are revisited and updated. This ensures the intervention remains responsive to emerging insights, evolving needs and priorities, and contextual changes.

This process promotes meaningful and structured engagement, cross-sector alignment, and theory-informed design, while accommodating the complexity and dynamism inherent in real-world interventions. The use of the ACT Wheel and Radar facilitate transparency, co-ownership, and adaptive learning across the lifecycle of intervention development and implementation.

Download the ACT template here.