Abstract
Participatory design researchers address complex issues through collaboration with other actors. These can be communities, third sector organisations, industry or governmental bodies, as well as other academic disciplines. Collaborators are seen as knowledgeable, and empowerment, mutual learning and democratic processes are emphasised. However, such positive claims have long been undermined by skewed power relations, many of which are related to time. Time, an evasive phenomenon tending to escape visibility, is in this paper given centre-stage. The aim is to identify time challenges in participation, exploring their effects and social implications. The analysis of a project in Kenya reveals how time challenges; limit the diversity of participants; hinder participants from taking on roles that can evolve as projects progress; and impedes opportunities for co-production of knowledge. Together, these issues indicate a need for increased responsiveness from funders regarding the importance of emergent project structures and inclusive budgets.
Keywords
Participatory design, Time, Participatory research, Power-relations, Critical reflection
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2023.70
Citation
Kraff, H.,and Jernsand, E.(2023) Time as an issue of power in participatory design, in Holmlid, S., Rodrigues, V., Westin, C., Krogh, P. G., Mäkelä, M., Svanaes, D., Wikberg-Nilsson, Å (eds.), Nordes 2023: This Space Intentionally Left Blank, 12-14 June, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden. https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2023.70
Conference Track
researchpapers
Time as an issue of power in participatory design
Participatory design researchers address complex issues through collaboration with other actors. These can be communities, third sector organisations, industry or governmental bodies, as well as other academic disciplines. Collaborators are seen as knowledgeable, and empowerment, mutual learning and democratic processes are emphasised. However, such positive claims have long been undermined by skewed power relations, many of which are related to time. Time, an evasive phenomenon tending to escape visibility, is in this paper given centre-stage. The aim is to identify time challenges in participation, exploring their effects and social implications. The analysis of a project in Kenya reveals how time challenges; limit the diversity of participants; hinder participants from taking on roles that can evolve as projects progress; and impedes opportunities for co-production of knowledge. Together, these issues indicate a need for increased responsiveness from funders regarding the importance of emergent project structures and inclusive budgets.