Co‐Design to Capacity: An Instructional Design Approach for Indigenous Women Empowerment and Sustainable Technology Adoption

ABSTRACT The adoption of rural livelihood technologies is often hindered by a gap between participatory design and user capacity. This study addresses this challenge with a co‐designed lemongrass distillation system in rural India that remained unused due to a lack of community capacity, despite a successful design process. A novel Co‐design to Capacity (C2C) framework was implemented, using the ADDIE instructional model to train indigenous women. The hands‐on program led to a 63% increase in technical knowledge and developed the necessary operational skills, confirmed through consistent production during a two‐month monitoring phase. Participants reported enhanced confidence, communication, and entrepreneurial aspirations. The C2C framework provides a replicable pathway for development projects to move beyond technology deployment, ensuring participatory design translates into sustainable livelihoods and genuine women's empowerment.