Participatory Design

Abstract

Participatory design is a design approach that heavily emphasizes involvement with key stakeholders, particularly end-users, during the development of products, services and systems. This article provides a high-level overview of participatory design from a project management perspective and details key concepts, methodologies and limitations of the field. The article also shows how utilizing a participatory design approach can lead to better project outcomes, including improving the development of more innovative solutions.

Background

In order to understand the core concepts of Participatory design, it is useful to first look into the historical context in which it emerged. The origins of participatory design can be traced back to the early 1960s, where the Swedish trade union movement recognized a need to give workers the opportunity to have a greater influence on the design of their work environment. The first explicit attempts to utilize Participatory Design emerged in collaboration with the Norwegian Metal Workers Union in Scandinavia during the early 1970s. The initial focus of Participatory Design was on the concerns and values of the labor union in the context of developing computer-based systems. This initial work eventually led to the movement known as "Office Democracy", which focused on involving workers in decision-making processes.

Further development of Participatory Design concepts and practices occurred through the foundation of the Scandinavian School of Participatory Design. The school was formed by Pelle Ehn, Erik Stolterman, and Klaus Krippendorff, who went on to publish several influential paper in the field of Participatory Design, such as "Towards a Democratic Architecture." The Scandinavian School of Participatory Design began to highlight the value of involving stakeholders, especially end-users, in the design and development of products and systems to ensure the results met the needs of the user and were socially and culturally appropriate. They also developed techniques for facilitating the participation of users, such as workshops, co-design sessions, and ethnographic studies.

Over the next few decades, Participatory Design began to become more widely accepted in the design community, while mostly being applied to computer-system development. Today, the breadth of it's application has grown to include a wide range of design projects.

Big Idea

Participatory Design is a user-centered collaborative design approach that aims to involve all relevant stakeholders in the design process, enabling them to become co-creators of products and services. This approach gives designers the ability to understand and empower users by giving them a voice in the design process, allowing them to contribute their knowledge and expertise to the development of products and services that meet their needs. . The principles of participatory design align with Jonathan Grudin's (an influential computer and principal design researcher) assertion that the design of technology should focus on the user and their needs, rather than being solely driven by technical considerations.

Co-creation is a key aspect of Participatory Design, involving the creation of new knowledge and solutions through collaboration between designers and stakeholders. Participatory design builds on the work of cooperative design, which was developed in Scandinavia in the 1970s and focused on the involvement of users in the design process. .

Participatory Design originally emerged in the context of computer-based systems development. Since then, it's breadth of application has grown to include a wide range of different industries.

Application

PD can be applied to project, program, and portfolio management by involving stakeholders in the design and decision-making process.. This involvement can lead to more effective outcomes by ensuring that the needs and concerns of stakeholders are taken into account. PD can also help to build trust and collaboration among stakeholders, leading to more positive relationships and better project outcomes.

• Explore market to match products/services with demand

Participatory design involves a range of methods, including probes, toolkits, and prototypes, to support collaboration between designers and stakeholders. Probes are designed to explore the context of use and generate new insights into user needs and behaviors. Toolkits are sets of tools and resources that are designed to support collaboration between designers and stakeholders. Prototypes are physical or digital models of a design that are used to test and refine ideas.

Inspiration card workshops are a participatory design method that can help generate ideas and facilitate communication between designers and stakeholders. In these workshops, participants are presented with a series of cards that contain prompts or images related to the design problem. Participants use these cards to generate ideas and discuss potential solutions.

Participatory design with proxies, such as developing a desktop-pen for elderly users, can help ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are considered (Ylirisku and Buur, 2007). Proxies are designed to represent the interests and needs of stakeholders who may not be able to participate directly in the design process, such as children or elderly users. By involving proxies in the design process, designers can ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are considered, even if they are not present in the design process.

Participatory Design Process

To use participatory design effectively in project, program, and portfolio management, it is important to follow a structured process that involves stakeholders at all stages of the design process. This process typically involves several stages, including:

1. Identify Stakeholders

Start by identifying the key stakeholders involved in the project, including: end-users, project sponsors and project team members.

2. Gather Feedback

Take time to understand the requirements and expectations from each relevant stakeholder regarding the project. Some common methods include interviews, surveys, and focus groups.

3. Co-design

Collaborate to develop the project plan, define the scope, and identify key milestones. Work through each phase of the process and collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure their requirements are met.

4. Prototype and Test

Create a working prototype. It should be made clear that the purpose of this stage is to develop an initial "minimum viable product". Test and refine using feedback from the relevant stakeholders.

5. Implement and Iterate

Once the design has been refined, it can be implemented. Track performance with relevant KPIs and make adjustments until the project requirements are met. As conditions evolve, the model may need to adjust to internal and external changes. This will likely be an iterative process to find the optimal solution.

Participatory Design Methods

Interview

Interviews are a common participatory design practice that involves speaking with stakeholders to gather information about their needs, preferences, and experiences. Interviews can be structured or unstructured and can be conducted in person, over the phone, or through online platforms. Interviews can be particularly useful for gathering qualitative data and identifying important design requirements.

Peer Observation

Peer observation involves observing stakeholders as they go about their daily tasks. This allows designers to gain insight into the context of use and identify any pain points or areas of difficulty. Observations can be conducted in person or remotely, using tools like screen sharing and video conferencing.

Cognitive Task Analysis

Cognitive task analysis is a participatory design practice that involves breaking down complex tasks into smaller steps to understand how people approach them. This involves working with stakeholders to identify the steps involved in a task, the decision points, and the strategies people use to accomplish the task. This helps designers understand how people approach a task and identify opportunities for improvement.

Analogous Inspiration

Analogous inspiration involves looking to other domains or industries for inspiration and ideas. This can involve looking at successful products, services, or experiences in other fields and adapting them to the current design challenge. Analogous inspiration can help designers think outside the box and generate innovative ideas.

Survey

Surveys are a participatory design practice that involves collecting data from a large number of stakeholders. Surveys can be used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data and can be conducted in person or online. Surveys can be particularly useful for gathering information about user demographics, preferences, and behavior patterns.

These participatory design practices are commonly used by designers and are typically combined with other design methods and techniques to create a holistic design approach that is centered on the needs and experiences of stakeholders.

Limitations

Some common concerns regarding the field of Participatory design  :

Lack of Clarity

There can be confusion around the terms used in participatory design, as the field has evolved over time and different terms have been used to describe similar concepts. This can lead to a lack of clarity and a misunderstanding of the field. There is a need for greater standardization of the language and terminology used in participatory design to reduce confusion and promote a shared understanding.

Sustainability

While participatory design can be an effective way to involve stakeholders in the design process, it may face challenges in maintaining the long-term sustainability of the solutions it produces . The involvement of stakeholders in the design process can be time-consuming and may require significant resources. Additionally, stakeholders may have conflicting interests or priorities, which can make it difficult to arrive at a consensus on the design solution.

Issues with Scaling

Participatory design can be challenging to scale, particularly when anonymity is required, or when computer systems are involved. Maintaining anonymity can be difficult when working with small groups of stakeholders, and computer systems can make it difficult to establish trust and rapport. It is important to carefully consider the design approach when scaling participatory design efforts.

Context

Designing for specific user groups, such as those who are deaf, can present unique challenges in participatory design . These challenges may include finding appropriate ways to involve stakeholders who may have limited communication skills or who may not be able to participate directly in the design process.

Certain participatory design methods, such as inspiration card workshops, may not be appropriate for all design projects and contexts . These workshops may not be effective if the participants are not familiar with the design problem or if there is a lack of trust between the stakeholders and the designers. In addition, some participants may dominate the discussion, which can limit the input of other stakeholders.

Uncertain Future Development

As with many fields, the future development of participatory design is uncertain. It is unclear how the field will evolve and whether it will continue to be embraced by designers and stakeholders. There is a need for ongoing research and development to ensure that participatory design remains relevant and effective.

Despite these challenges, participatory design has the potential to produce more innovative and effective solutions by involving all stakeholders in the design process. By engaging stakeholders in the design process, designers can gain a better understanding of the user's needs, which can lead to more effective and user-friendly solutions.

Annotated Bibliography

Björgvinsson, E., Ehn, P., and Hillgren, P.-A. (2012). Participatory design and “democratizing innovation”. Proceedings of the 12th Participatory Design Conference, Roskilde, Denmark. In this article, the authors explore the concept of "democratizing innovation" through participatory design. They argue that participatory design can help to create more democratic and inclusive innovation processes by involving all stakeholders in the design process.

Bødker, K., Grønbæk, K., and Kyng, M. (1993). Cooperative design: Techniques and experiences from the Scandinavian scene. In this book, the authors provide an overview of cooperative design, a precursor to participatory design. They discuss the techniques and methods used in cooperative design and provide examples of its application in practice.

Grudin, J. (1990). The computer reaches out: The historical continuity of human-computer interaction. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 7(1), 59-68. In this article, Grudin provides a historical perspective on human-computer interaction, arguing that technology should be designed to serve human needs, rather than being solely driven by technical considerations.

Halskov, K., and Dalsgaard, P. (2006). Inspiration card workshops. Proceedings of the 6th Participatory Design Conference, Trento, Italy. In this article, the authors describe the use of inspiration card workshops in participatory design. They discuss the benefits and limitations of this method and provide examples of its use in practice.

Karasti, H., and Baker, K. (2004). Infrastructuring for the long-term: Ecological considerations in collaborative design. Proceedings of the 2004 Participatory Design Conference, Toronto, Canada. In this article, the authors discuss the challenges of maintaining the long-term sustainability of participatory design solutions. They argue that designers need to consider the ecological impact of their solutions and engage stakeholders in ongoing design and development.

Sanders, E. B.-N., and Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. CoDesign, 4(1), 5-18. In this article, Sanders and Stappers explore the concept of co-creation in design, arguing that it is a key aspect of participatory design. They discuss the benefits and challenges of co-creation and provide examples of its application in practice.

Sanders, E. B.-N., and Stappers, P. J. (2014). Probes, toolkits and prototypes: Three approaches to making in codesigning. CoDesign, 10(1), 5-14. In this article, Sanders and Stappers discuss the use of probes, toolkits, and prototypes as tools for co-designing. They argue that these tools can help to engage stakeholders in the design process and facilitate collaboration and creativity.