Human-Centered Design to Promote a Gender-Equitable Environment for Very Young Adolescents in Indonesia - Design and Test Report: High-Fidelity Prototyping

"...most interventions focused on gender equity are individual-level approaches that do not address key levels or influencers in the VYA [very young adolescent] environment."



This report contains a process overview, results, and recommendations emerging from a human-centred design (HCD) process undertaken by Breakthrough ACTION and its partners in Denpasar and Semarang, Indonesia. The objective of the HCD process was to design a package of solutions to create a gender-equitable environment in which very young adolescents (VYAs) can grow and thrive. In particular, the report outlines the low-, medium-, and high-fidelity Design & Test sprints undertaken as part of the HCD process, and it provides a detailed description of the process of co-creating, prototyping, and testing a number of potential behavioural interventions for VYAs and key actors in their support system who can foster a supportive equitable environment for VYAs. While this final report provides an overview of all three prototyping stages, more details on the low- and medium- fidelity prototyping stages can be found in another process report (see list of complementary documents listed below).



As explained in this process brief, there is a need to focus on VYAs, as "Gender norms and social expectations are shaped at a young age and intensify throughout adolescence." In addition, "Longitudinal research completed by the Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS) and separate reviews completed through prior Breakthrough ACTION activities show that family members, religious leaders, and peers help shape and reinforce gender norms and social expectations of girls and boys. A landscape assessment on the SRH [sexual and reproductive health] of VYAs (aged 10-14) identified a need for greater attention to embedding VYA programming in systems and implementing multilevel interventions. Working across the socio-ecological levels is critical when promoting gender-equitable norms, and early adolescence can be a pivotal developmental stage to engage boys and girls - alongside their parents and influencing groups - to critically reflect upon existing norms and the benefits of more equal gender norms."



In response to this and as part of its efforts to advance innovative social and behaviour change (SBC) approaches for youth, Breakthrough ACTION applied HCD to develop gender-equitable interventions with VYAs in three of the GEAS multi-year cohort sites: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Denpasar and Semarang, Indonesia. HCD was selected as a methodology, as it would allow for meaningful youth engagement in designing programmes that shape their lives. While this report focuses on the process in Indonesia, a separate report looks at the process in the DRC (see further documents listed below).



The report outlines how Breakthrough ACTION together with partners and local stakeholders engaged in three Design & Test sprints across low, medium, and high levels of fidelity, testing different components of each prototype and validating and strengthening other aspects. The low-fidelity stage tested the desirability of a prototype, the medium-fidelity stage tested the feasibility, and the high-fidelity stage tested the potential for scalability.



The prototypes assessed for desirability during low-fidelity testing were designed by young people and other key stakeholders and thus were guided by their needs, interests, and creativity. As explained in the report, the concepts went beyond the individual adolescent and considered interventions for key influencers of VYAs, including caregivers, family members, teachers, and community leaders, in addition to integration with systems and other structural factors affecting gender norms across the socio-ecological model. The concepts were then refined and tested two more times over medium- and high-fidelity testing in Semarang, Central Java, and Denpasar, Bali, to assess feasibility and potential for scalability, respectively. Testing was assessed primarily through the use of exit interviews as well as facilitator and implementer observations. The prototypes included interventions such as interactive videos, entertaining and educational family and community events and spaces, village forums, and school-based initiatives.  



For each prototype, the report outlines the following details:

• Overview: Introduces the prototype and describes what it is, who it is for, and why it exists.
• Concept Evolution: Provides a snapshot of how each prototype changed across low-, medium-, and high-fidelity testing.
• High-Fidelity Testing Details: Includes (i) key changes to the prototype; (ii) a summary of the content, testing, and resources required; and (iii) testing results and recommendations for content, place and audience reach, package cohesion, and facilitation and implementation.

The following are the prototypes that emerged out of the process and were tested at the final high-fidelity stage:

• Multi-Stakeholder Forum: An approach for integrating the package within local programmes and initiatives, the Multi-Stakeholder Forum is a steering committee of cross-sector community and government leaders that works to: (i) increase knowledge and gender-equitable attitudes among community and government leaders; (ii) prioritise gender-equitable programming; and (iii) provide a gateway for piloting and implementing this package.
• Exhibition: The Exhibition provides an interactive and immersive art experience for adults and VYAs to help them understand and empathise with experiences of bullying in general and gender-based bullying in particular, release and express their emotions through participatory art, and engage in a community dialogue around gender norms.
• Family Space: A progressive series of five classes for caregivers and VYAs, the Family Space focuses on strengthening caregiver-adolescent relationships, surfacing gender norms, and creating space for critical reflection and discussion in an engaging, dynamic environment.
• Safe Schools: This whole-school programme for middle schools is designed to complement existing bullying prevention programmes and seeks to equip schools to respond to bullying in a gender-equitable way through three main components: (i) training for faculty and staff; (ii) reporting system for VYAs; and (iii) an external referral system for complex cases.
• Interactive Videos: Intended for school faculty and staff and to appeal to community leaders as parents, these videos are designed with "choose your own ending" decision points that seek to initiate collective identification, reflection, and discussion about gender norms. The videos can be used within the Family Space, the Exhibition, Safe Schools, and the Multi-Stakeholder Forum.

Finally, the report discusses the next steps for developing a pilot package consisting of the above five concepts, which will be made available as a package of interventions, complete with materials that can be piloted and adapted to other contexts. (See Related Summaries, below, for the Pilot Package that emerged out of this process.)



Complementary documents:

 

Click here for "Human-centered Design to Promote a Gender Equitable Environment for Very Young Adolescents in Indonesia - Design & Test Report: Low- & Medium-Fidelity Prototyping" [77 pages, PDF], which gives a more detailed description of the first two sprints of prototype testing.  



Click here for "Design & Test Report: Using Human-centered Design to Enable Sexual Reproductive Health and Gender Equality Dialogue between Parents, Caregivers and Very Young Adolescents within the Parental Component of the Growing Up Great program in Kinshasa" [42 pages, PDF], which outlines the results of the low-fidelity Design & Test sprint in the DRC.

 

Other companion materials:

 

Click here for the process brief "Leveraging Human-Centered Design to Improve Gender-Equitable Adolescent Programming in DRC and Indonesia: Process Brief & Learnings" [11 pages, PDF], which documents process challenges and lessons learned from the low- and medium-fidelity co-design, prototyping, and testing activities in Indonesia and the DRC.



The following advocacy briefs offer policy and programme recommendations that can be used to increase support for programmes that seek to create a gender-equitable environment for VYAs based on learnings from activities in Indonesia and the DRC:

• "Addressing Gender Inequity during Early Adolescence in Indonesia: Implications for Programs and Policies from a Human-Centered Design Process" [8 pages, PDF]
• "Engaging Parents in Sexual and Reproductive Health: Programs for Very Young Adolescents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo" [6 pages, PDF]
• "Creating a Gender-Equitable Environment for Very Young Adolescents: Messages and Evidence to Persuade Decision Makers" (see Related Summaries, below) provides a message framework that can be used by advocates working to increase funding for and improve the implementation of programmes that seek to create a gender-equitable environment for VYAs.

Click here to view all documents related to this project in English as well as in French and Indonesian.