Introduction
I recently presented a poster at the International Conference on Social Identity in Health 2026 (ICSIH https://www.icsih.org/about) in Exeter, England. The poster focuses on early pilot work from my PhD on our developing Social Identity Model of Co-Design (SIMCO).
SIMCO POSTER
The Work
Social Identity Model of Co-Design (SIMCO) is a process model we've been developing as part of my research programme at UQ. The core argument is that co-design in health research has a "black box" problem - methods are widely prescribed, but under theorised. The social and creative mechanisms that actually shape collaborative outcomes remain largely invisible and untestable.
The Pilot Test
To begin testing the model, we ran a pilot using five AI-mediated co-design conditions, from highly structured and identity-supportive (Alpha) to minimally structured (Gamma) and mapped collaborative trajectories using a 2×2 Safety × Challenge framework. Each condition produced a distinct trajectory. Alpha generated the strongest integrative collaboration; Gamma was flat and disengaged. The "off" conditions suggested each domain - identity, enactment, creative challenge - does something specific and non-interchangeable. If interested you can play with the ai experiment via this link: SIMCO — Social Identity Model of Co-Design
The Poster
One thing I was particularly happy with was the poster itself, I really enjoyed putting it together and giving it a visual identity that I will take through all of this work. The main image was AI-generated image, which felt fitting given the AI-mediated nature of the pilot. I had sketched the idea and then asked GPT to develop it in line with this look and feel of this web-page, with a few back and forths I think it tells a good story.
The Conference
ICSIH - https://www.icsih.org/about This was my first time at ICSIH, joining with a tight knit group of diverse researcher in the Social Identity tradition - all of whom were open, friendly and generous with their knowledge and support. In general I don’t love large conferences or big groups, I find the overwhelm and feelings of comparative inadequacy deeply unsettling, but here I felt that cherished sense of belonging. I enjoyed a particularly fantastic trip to Exmouth with a car load of NBF (new best friends) for fish and chips at an amazing pub on the seafront - it was wonderful.
Conclusion
Summarize your key points and provide a clear takeaway message. End with a thought-provoking statement or call to action.