Co-design creates authentic lived experiences that challenge power structures and privilege. As a tool for inclusion and diversity, it is powerful and creative.

Taking a co-design, or participatory approach, means that each immersive solution is co-created with people who have a vested interest in the product itself, in this case, employees at ViacomCBS and particularly those employees who represent a variety of different groups. This approach is based on the premise that users are the experts in their own experience and are fundamental to the design process.

This participatory approach acknowledges a number of things: no matter how diverse your production team , you cannot possibly represent every single lived experience; a human-centered approach means taking the time to work closely with people in the organization with lived experience of bias; for experiences to feel real, relevant and authentic, the organisational 'look and feel' needs to be accurate (in this case ViacomCBS); and the wider context is significant to people's understanding of the immersive experience. The moment in history that was unfolding at this time - the Black Lives Matter movement - was crucial to the development of the experience.

On Perspective Taking

People value realism, authenticity and seeing the world from a different lens to their own. They said:

• • "It's really eye-opening to be able to experience some of these scenarios firsthand. I think it was particularly insightful in watching the bystanders and realizing how they can and should step up to be an ally"

  • "The experience of being in someone else's point of view was impactful"

  • "Seeing realistic situations that play out all the time in the office"

  • "Became more aware of other's experiences"

  • "The most valuable aspect was seeing the world and experiences from someone else's point of view"

  • "Further awareness of a perspective other than mine"

  • "Having the individual experience of the modules so we could each form our own thoughts before bringing them to the group. Also, experiencing bias through a virtual realm does really impact one as opposed to reading about it"

  • "Education and experiencing situations from another Point Of View - being able to witness both points of views, from Devin and from David, gives you the insight to not only understand how Devin is feeling, but see how you should react moving forward as an ally/as David. I think both are valuable POVs to grasp the full meaning of the exercise"

  • "Empathy towards others. Creating relationships that allow for honest conversation"

On Authenticity

People either related firsthand, or with familiarity to the experiences. They said:

• • "The first simulation that was presented was INCREDIBLE. The question of "where are you from...no but where are you REALLY from" is a question I have received in the workplace (and in life) COUNTLESS amounts of times. I am glad that this session addressed it and that IT IS NOT OKAY to ask someone that"

  • "The role play was interesting and the fact that it came from real-life examples, made it even more real and not hypothetical"

  • "Really appreciated that there were applicable scenarios here informed by ViacomCBS employees. And also appreciated talking with other colleagues - there needs to be more of this!"

  • "All of the simulations were based on real experiences at ViacomCBS, which made the workshop even more valuable and necessary."

  • "More and more, education is vital. When you educate yourself you realize what is wrong, what is bias, what is unfair. The more i educate myself, and the more ViacomCbs gives me the resources to educate, I feel it will make a huge impact across the board. I've noticed that simulations where i see real life experiences have been most impactful for me"

On Biases

People learn through appreciating and acting on their bias in a psychologically safe environment. They said:

• • "Don't assume when it comes down to co-workers. Make the effort to learn more about your co-workers to help make them feel included"

  • "Appreciate that it hit on a variety of types of bias"

  • "Highlighting micro-aggressions that many do not recognize"

  • "How to be an active ally and recognizing biases"

  • "Being aware of my own biases and realize that you CAN change and improve"

  • "Should be mandatory for all employees - one thing that stood out to me was just asking where someone went to school and someone brought up that the person being asked may not have gone to college and may be uncomfortable by that question. I had never thought about that before and I think the others could also benefit from knowing that information"

  • "I am trying to become a stronger ally, and this course really helped me to recognize things that I may not have noticed before"

On Allyship

The value of allyship, practical approaches and a chance to try them out in the immersive experience. They said:

• • "The value of speaking up. It's important to call things out as they're happening so that people don't feel excluded"

  • "Better understanding and reminder of being a true ally vs. an accomplice"

  • "To actively be an ally to someone by speaking up rather than just let a situation pass by unacknowledged"

  • "Need for more allies to speak out; Recognizing bias or unconscious bias in the workplace; importance of the company to create a safe culture and bias training for all employees, especially managers"

  • "Speak up, intervene, and be comfortable with being uncomfortable"

  • "Don't be afraid to speak up, even when you are not sure. I believe it is okay to make mistakes as long as you are in the mindset to learn, acknowledge, and listen"

  • "Making sure to stand up for others in uncomfortable situations or point out when someone's doing something wrong"

  • "Being more mindful and less defensive when being called out on bias or assumptions"

  • "With all this D&I training I feel more empowered to step up and say something if I see something. I feel like I can be a stronger ally because the company wants me to be! I'd say keep up the good work!"

  • "Manager awareness and sensitivity training. The session demonstrated the overwhelming control that the manager or person in power can dictate over their employees and situations they oversee. Ensuring that managers can set the tone, defuse insensitive situations, and support ALL employees, and not just some, in paramount in making employees feel heard, seen, understood, and comfortable. Managers set the tone. Employees will match the tone. Managers need to use their power to empower their employees, thus unlocking potential in them"

  • "Think practicing how to make these interventions is really important b/c it doesn't happen naturally and people hate to feel awkward or as if they might be making it worse"

On the Workshop Format

Human connectivity after the immersive experience was critical. They said:

• • "Being able to connect with people from my corporation around "difficult" topics and having the safe space to speak freely"

  • "Frank and open discussion by the participants showed a willingness to grow and learn"

  • "To really be in someone else's shoes. The conversation afterwards - hearing other peoples thoughts and reaction"

  • "Interactivity and seeing different outcomes"

  • "I liked the ability to try different options"

Final Thoughts

People wanted this to be scaled out to drive Inclusion. They said:

• • "I think this should be a required activity for every ViacomCBS employee at all levels to participate in. There are Davids and Michaels at the company - and they should learn how they make others feel since they may not be aware"

  • "Keep these kind of trainings coming - I think they're really helpful"

  • "Encourage others to take this session...very impactful"

  • "I hope this session (or one like it) becomes required watching for all employees"

  • "We need to start being more mindful of EVERYONE"

  • "I think encouraging managers to get to know their teams a bit more on a deeper level. This gives individuals the chance to get to know their supervisors but also learn about their experiences. Also stressing to employees that it's okay to be uncomfortable and question things. It's not a personal attack, we all need to be aware of our mistakes"

  • "I think it should be mandatory for all new hires to receive this training, and I also would hope it be mandatory for all ViacomCBS employees each year or so"

  • "Making this training mandatory"