Overview
In the Participatory Design (PD) process, communities build knowledge by creating/doing. In an ideal PD process, the tacit/practical knowledge of potential/end users and the theoretical knowledge of 'experts' become fully incorporated into a mutually beneficial, more democratic product/process. PD is based on the theory of constructivism, which maintains that knowledge is interpretive and exists within a broader context - and rejects the notion that all knowledge can be formalized or categorized.
Participatory design leads to hybrid knowledge building experiences. As such, this practice should take place neither in the potential/end users' domain, nor in the 'experts' domain, but in an 'in-between' space that supports both groups. Recent cultural theorists term this environment as 'the third space' - a fertile space where diverse knowledge can be combined into new insights and plans for action, that inform the needs of various groups.
The experience of participatory design includes: challenging assumptions, learning reciprocally, creating new ideas through negotiation and co-creation of identities, working languages, shifting understandings of hierarchical relationships, and poly-vocal dialogues across and through differences (adopted from Muller- PD: The third space in HCI).
Pedagogical Goals and Approaches
- To better understand the concept of Participatory Design by comparing and contrasting several design approaches: (1) user-centered design, (2) co-design, and (3) collaborative design
- To present examples where learning technologies have been designed collaboratively with target participants
- To better understand Participatory Design as a multi-dimensional design and decision-making process that incorporates assessment, creativity, innovation, engagement and development
- To identify benefits and potential challenges in Participatory Design processes and methods for transcending obstacles and barriers
- To better understand Participatory Design as a process that aims to draw active involvement from members of a large, diverse knowledge community (including experts, non-experts, potential/current users, stakeholders)
- To recognize the value of tacit/practical knowledge and its applications in design processes, including the cognitive benefits of this approach for participants, designers and researchers
- To heighten the value of Participatory Design in practice
Reflections, Evaluations and Ideas for the Future
Reflections/Evaluations:
- Pleased with level of engagement and discussion resulting from design scenarios and class/small group discussions
- Class discussion confirmed participatory design as a remarkable, yet complicated and oversimplified concept
- Participatory design as a compelling theoretical concept, posing great challenges in its application to practical scenarios
- Questions and discussions assisted in confirming what participatory design is NOT, providing greater insight into its true meaning
Ideas for the Future:
- A possible way to enrich a discussion on PD is to introduce Activity System Theory as a lens to evaluate the effectiveness of both the process and outcome. It will be important to maintain the complexity of this theory and not over-simplify the taxonomy to suit that of PD. One possible key point: locate the difference between the outcome in an activity system theory and the object of an activity system theory.
Resources
- Scholarly papers and reports
- Real-life case study examples
- Online tools (articles, relevant websites, online communities)
- Design tools (playground materials, curriculum materials, urban design feedback puzzle pieces, post-it notes, etc.)
Implementations
Participatory Design for Knowledge Communities, 2006
Participatory Design for Knowledge Communities, 2007
