Participatory Design

Abstract

Participatory design is a collaborative approach to designing products, services, and systems that involves all stakeholders in the design process. This article provides an overview of participatory design, including its key concepts and methods, and explores its application to project, program, and portfolio management. The article also critically reflects on the limitations of participatory design, and its potential impact on the design and development of innovative solutions.

Overview

Participatory Design (PD) 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 (Sanders and Stappers, 2008). Participatory design builds on the work of cooperative design, which was developed in Scandinavia in the 1980s and focused on the involvement of users in the design process (Bødker et al., 1993).

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 (Muller and Kuhn, 1993). This involvement can lead to more effective outcomes by ensuring that the needs and concerns of stakeholders are taken into account (Sanders and Stappers, 2014). PD can also help to build trust and collaboration among stakeholders, leading to more positive relationships and better project outcomes (Muller and Kuhn, 1993).

Why Use Participatory Design?

• 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 (Sanders and Stappers, 2014). 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 (Halskov and Dalsgaard, 2006). 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.

Methodology

• Participatory design has traditionally been applied to software development, product/service design, and urban planning. It can be applied in the following steps:

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 Practices

• Interview
• Peer Observation
• Cognitive Task Analysis
• Analogous Inspiration
• Survey

Limitations

Some common concerns regarding the field of Participatory design  :

• Lack of clarity (Confusion of terms, )
• Depoliticization
• Issues with scaling (anonymity and computer systems)
• Uncertain future development

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 (Karasti and Baker, 2004). 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.

Designing for specific user groups, such as those who are deaf, can present unique challenges in participatory design (Clement, 1994). 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.

Inspiration card workshops may not be appropriate for all design projects and contexts (Halskov and Dalsgaard, 2006). 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.

Participatory design can also face challenges in implementation, particularly in large organizations where there may be resistance to change (Bergvall-Kåreborn et al., 2009). Participatory design may require changes to existing workflows or processes, which can be difficult to implement. Additionally, stakeholders may not always have the necessary resources or expertise to participate effectively in the design process.

Despite these challenges, participatory design has the potential to produce more innovative and effective solutions by involving all stakeholders in the design process (Björgvinsson et al., 2012). 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.