Abstract
This paper brings together some key research issues in design participation: Is it possible to develop a computer-based architectural design application which can be used by completely untutored lay participants in a meaningful design process? How can the designs created by the participants be objectively compared with other building designs created to the same brief by professional architects? What are the implication of design participation as an expression of a wider social and political process of ‘democratisation’? The research described here is based on a pioneering project called ‘Computer Aids for Design Participation’ conducted in the 1970’s. While the computing facilities used in this project would be considered incredibly primitive by today’s standard, the research methodology, including software design and empirical studies with participants is still relevant today.
Keywords
service design; co-design; design intervention; design games
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2016.478
Citation
Aish, R. (2016) Design Research and Design Participation, in Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Future Focused Thinking - DRS International Conference 2016, 27 - 30 June, Brighton, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2016.478
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Design Research and Design Participation
This paper brings together some key research issues in design participation: Is it possible to develop a computer-based architectural design application which can be used by completely untutored lay participants in a meaningful design process? How can the designs created by the participants be objectively compared with other building designs created to the same brief by professional architects? What are the implication of design participation as an expression of a wider social and political process of ‘democratisation’? The research described here is based on a pioneering project called ‘Computer Aids for Design Participation’ conducted in the 1970’s. While the computing facilities used in this project would be considered incredibly primitive by today’s standard, the research methodology, including software design and empirical studies with participants is still relevant today.