The Design Studio
Where climate leaders turn complex challenges
into decisions that hold
What the Design Studio Is
The Design Studio is Climate Commons’ primary way of working. It’s an ongoing, facilitated community of practice where organizational leaders come together to clarity challenges, design solutions, and embed what works — with peers and expert support at the right moments.
The 5 Design Studio Phases
Participants move through these phases at their own pace,
but the arc remains consistent.
Engagement ends when a solution is implemented or the work is complete.
3-month minimum commitment.
Phase 1:
Clarify
Identify the core challenge—
not just the symptoms.
Phase 2:
Generate
Design multiple solutions
with peer input.
Phase 3:
Choose
Commit to one path.
Release the rest.
Phase 4:
Build
Create the systems.
Test with users.
Phase 5:
Embed
Incorporate solution into operations.
Simple Structure. Weekly Progress.
MONDAY
Your Weekly Focus Arrives
Clear question. Clear outcome. One week to make progress.
THURSDAY
Design Studio
90 minutes with the group. Share progress. Gain perspective. No advice—just questions & reflections.
ONGOING
Build & Test
Huddle with your team. Test solutions. Share wins & blocks in Slack.
Format, Cadence & Commitment
How it works
Weekly live sessions (90 minutes)
Ongoing participation — not a fixed sprint
Small, dynamic cohorts working on real challenges
Optional working sessions and office hours
Each week, two people share progress and blocks to gain insights, ask questions, gather input from the group
Direct access to facilitator and experts provided to Commons+ and CommonsPro Design Partners
What’s expected
~4-5 hours per week, including Design Studio
3-month minimum commitment
At least one decision-maker per organization
Real, active work — not hypotheticals
Follow-through between sessions
Commitment to attend live sessions
Ownership over outcomes and progress
Pace & Timeline
There is no fixed cohort schedule for the Design Studio.
Each Design Partner moves through the process at their own pace, based on:
The complexity of the challenge
Internal decision-making readiness
Capacity to test and embed change
While the core design work is often concentrated in focused phases, most engagements unfold over 6–8 months—and sometimes longer. This is intentional.
We don’t rush decisions that need to hold under real-world conditions.
Expert Support
(When It’s Useful)
Expert support is introduced selectively — after your challenge is clear and decision authority is present.
Some organizations never need expert support. Others elect to leverage support at key inflection points.
10 hours of quarterly expert support included in the CommonsPro subscription.
Commons and Commons+ may purchase ad hoc support as needed at the expert’s hourly rate.
Experts are briefed with clear context and scope
Engagements are time-bound and decision-oriented
Expert insight feeds back into the community of practice
Pricing & Access
Design Studio participation
Participation is offered on a monthly basis, with a 3-month minimum commitment. Pricing reflects ongoing facilitation, shared infrastructure, and peer learning.
Sliding scale and special arrangements available for qualifying early-stage or resource-constrained organizations.
Expert support
CommonsPro members receive 10 hours of expert support quarterly.
All other expert engagements are scoped and priced separately.
You’ll always understand cost and scope before proceeding.
Start with the Support Finder to begin the procurement process.
Is This the Right Fit?
Start with the
Support Finder
A short diagnostic to help us recommend the best next step.
Depending on your positioning, you’ll be invited to schedule a 30-minute Alignment Call to ensure it’s a mutual fit.
Ready to Build?
Join the community. Build solutions that last. Get started today.