In DBIR, researchers may partner with cultural institutions (e.g., museums), community-based youth organizations, or community coalitions. The goal of such partnerships is often to develop and test approaches to improving learning and development across settings, rather than in a single setting. Collaborative design with community partners strategy for realizing a commitment to collaborative, iterative design, the second principle of DBIR.

Co-design involving community partners and researchers can take many forms. The tools, routines, and cases in this section illustrate some of the ways co-design can be organized in DBIR.