Abstract

This paper started as a critical assessment of different practices of Design Participation, as first defined in the 1971 Design Participation Conference in Manchester (UK) organised by the Design Research Society (DRS). A rethought definition and typology of Design Participation was developed based on relations between the two ‘worlds’ of experts/designers and users/people. The realm of collaboration between the abstract space of designers and the concrete space of users is introduced. Different Design Participation practices were assessed for their appropriateness and effectiveness within past and current contexts, and in different stages and tasks within the design process. Community, Public and Design are three modes of participation, which are defined in order to understand the role of designers in the general field of participation. A detailed definition of Design Participation is made about four different types: innovation, necessities, collaboration and emancipation. Specific examples support the developing of new understanding framework of Design Participation with its complexity and its relationship with different social context. In conclusion, this paper urges the change of designers’ role as experts to design facilitators who develop design tactics with people.

Keywords

user participation, user-designer experience, design process, participation, and social responsibility

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Nov 1st, 12:00 AM

Design Participation Tactics: Redefining User Participation in Design

This paper started as a critical assessment of different practices of Design Participation, as first defined in the 1971 Design Participation Conference in Manchester (UK) organised by the Design Research Society (DRS). A rethought definition and typology of Design Participation was developed based on relations between the two ‘worlds’ of experts/designers and users/people. The realm of collaboration between the abstract space of designers and the concrete space of users is introduced. Different Design Participation practices were assessed for their appropriateness and effectiveness within past and current contexts, and in different stages and tasks within the design process. Community, Public and Design are three modes of participation, which are defined in order to understand the role of designers in the general field of participation. A detailed definition of Design Participation is made about four different types: innovation, necessities, collaboration and emancipation. Specific examples support the developing of new understanding framework of Design Participation with its complexity and its relationship with different social context. In conclusion, this paper urges the change of designers’ role as experts to design facilitators who develop design tactics with people.

 

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