What’s the big IDEA? Co-designing engineering outreach with inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility in mind

ABSTRACT: Engineering outreach helps to address the STEM “leaky pipeline,” yet often lacks inclusive design guidance. This paper presents a methodology for co-designing activities using Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles. Through three workshops integrating pedagogy training and storytelling, the method proved effective: participating engineers’ IDEA knowledge jumped from 20% to 75%, and delivery confidence rose from 24% to 71%. This methodology successfully equips professionals with the confidence and skills to foster a more diverse engineering workforce.