Design & Development
Our expertise
- Technical architecture
- Front-end development
- Back-end development
- Security audits
- Databases and API infrastructure
- Task automation
- Hosting
- Support and maintenance
- Creative direction
- Information architecture
- User interface design
- User experience design
- Prototyping
- Graphic design
- Identity design
- Design sprints
Tools for organising
We create bespoke digital software for relational organising. Our goal is to build shared movement infrastructure that will concretely improve the workflows of organisers. We want to build alternatives that are led by communities and remain permanently in community hands.
Campaign support
We help organisers to scale up their activity and do their best work. We can work as an embedded team within your organisation, provide targeted help on a specific campaign, audit and improve your digital infrastructure, or provide training to upskill your staff.
Common Knowledge was pivotal in Momentum's efforts in the General Election. Their meticulous drive to really understand the problems, unquenchable discipline and commitment to deliver, and deep and passionate technical skill were an asset that can hardly be under-appreciated. Highly recommended to anyone in progressive communities.
Tyrone Nicholas, Senior Digital Officer at Momentum
I absolutely loved working with Common Knowledge on the development of a brand new microsite for our national NHS New Deal campaign. Throughout the whole process I learned so much from engaging with the team about the best ways to use digital tools to support effective organising. They are always thinking about how the tools they build will serve future purposes for the wider movement, and also about how they can empower the people they work with to deepen their digital knowledge and understanding. I really hope to work with them again in the future and I would strongly recommend them to any progressive activists, campaigns and charities!
Hope Worsdale, Digital Comms and Campaigns Lead, Just Treatment
Website design and development
We create bespoke websites that help reflect your organisation’s strategy and culture, resonate with existing or new audiences, and express your political goals.
In 2021, we chose Common Knowledge to make a new website for us. We’re glad we did so – they produce work to the highest standard and deliver to budget and on time. The team are a pleasure to work with – always clear information about their working processes and honest about the limitations of any aspects of the digital tools they make. They also fulfil the cooperative aspect of their name for the good of their associates – they have helped turn us on to creatives who have contributed to other areas of our branding. We hope to maintain a strong and lasting relationship with them.
Habib Kadiri, Research and policy manager, StopWatch
Creative direction
Aesthetics can be an important political tool. Design can help you to appeal to emotions, reach new audiences, create legitimacy around your campaign, and inspire people into action.
Community-powered maps
Many of our projects have involved building maps to help people find their local group, join a campaign, share their stories or document their local area. Maps can have an outsized impact on a campaign, particularly when they’re created by local communities themselves.
Turning research into action
We’ve collaborated with researchers, think tanks and universities to help them visualise their data, create a resource hub and turn their research into action.
As a leading digital tools cooperative, Common Knowledge brings an unparalleled range of experience to digital projects. Creativity abounds in their work, from platform design to technical configurations. Their knowledge of UX design, full-stack development, as well as community organisation and participation, made a key contribution to our AirKit toolkit and Airsift platform. They are excellent and thoughtful collaborators, who have a truly transformative approach to digital technology and development. We are already planning our next project to work with them!
Professor Jennifer Gabrys, Chair in Media, Culture and Environment in the Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge
