Abstract
Inequity in access to public transport is created when infrastructure and services are created for the default 'generic user'. Policy formulation for large populations is driven by statistical analysis and data-driven models that often do not account for marginalized user groups, like women. A participatory approach to policy formulation can give a voice to the tacit, unrepresented needs of these groups. This research aims to evolve a comprehensive, context-sensitive participatory design research toolkit for public transport that helps in requirement capture of user aspirations and tacit knowledge. Building prototypes together helps in bringing out experiential knowledge of the participants. The prototype building toolkit serves as a boundary object that helps in tangible expression and facilitates conversations. The participatory workshops helped generate new insights into the women participants' lived experiences, and served to give a tangible form to the abstract concepts in their minds. The group discussions brought many tacit needs to fore, giving voice to their unarticulated thoughts. The built prototypes embodied the participants' aspirations for better, safer public buses.
Keywords
Public Transport, Boundary Objects, Participatory Toolkit
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/eksig2023.145
Citation
Dhaundiyal, D.,and Sharma, N.(2023) DIY Bus: Exploring Boundary Objects in Participatory Design Research, in Silvia Ferraris, Valentina Rognoli, Nithikul Nimkulrat (eds.), EKSIG 2023: From Abstractness to Concreteness – experiential knowledge and the role of prototypes in design research, 19–20 June 2023, Milan, Italy. https://doi.org/10.21606/eksig2023.145
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
DIY Bus: Exploring Boundary Objects in Participatory Design Research
Inequity in access to public transport is created when infrastructure and services are created for the default 'generic user'. Policy formulation for large populations is driven by statistical analysis and data-driven models that often do not account for marginalized user groups, like women. A participatory approach to policy formulation can give a voice to the tacit, unrepresented needs of these groups. This research aims to evolve a comprehensive, context-sensitive participatory design research toolkit for public transport that helps in requirement capture of user aspirations and tacit knowledge. Building prototypes together helps in bringing out experiential knowledge of the participants. The prototype building toolkit serves as a boundary object that helps in tangible expression and facilitates conversations. The participatory workshops helped generate new insights into the women participants' lived experiences, and served to give a tangible form to the abstract concepts in their minds. The group discussions brought many tacit needs to fore, giving voice to their unarticulated thoughts. The built prototypes embodied the participants' aspirations for better, safer public buses.