Contemporary Participatory Design: An Introduction

Rachel Charlotte Smith, Liesbeth Huybrechts, Heike Winschiers-Theophilus, Daria Loi, Jesper Simonsen

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Abstract

Participatory Design research, theory and practice have diversified and evolved in novel directions in the past decade. This introductory chapter explores how contemporary Participatory Design is diversifying and developing to address societal challenges in a global community, both within and outside of academia. While building on Participatory Design’s core values of participation, empowerment and democracy, the chapter offers an overview of key challenges and agendas in contemporary Participa-tory Design across diverse disciplines, continents, communities and practices. Participatory Design is widely known for focusing on the direct involvement of people in the co-design of the technologies they use and for its emphasis on collaborative design processes, driven by the participation of the people affected by the technology designed. Over the past decade, Participatory Design has evolved to include a diverse set of contexts and agents across scales and time. Drawing together highly relevant concerns from a vibrant and global Participatory Design community, this introduction highlights four emergent agendas for Participatory Design, namely politicising, diversifying, relationality and transforming. These agendas create new directions for Participatory Design, based on the foundational aspects of the field as well as contemporary shifts and trajectories. Based on the evolving theory, methods and practice, we propose a definition of contemporary Participatory Design that supports shared local and global trajectories towards sustainable and transitional futures. In addition to exploring new directions, the chapter provides an overview of the contributions in this handbook. It contributes a resource and inspiration for students, researchers, scholars and professionals for leveraging Participatory Design research and practice to enrich, support and transform their global communities within highly challenging, complex and contemporary contexts.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationRoutledge International Handbook of Contemporary Participatory Design
EditorsRachel Charlotte Smith, Daria Loi, Heike Winschiers-Theophilus, Liesbeth Huybrechts, Jesper Simonsen
Number of pages23
PublisherRoutledge
Publication date1 Jan 2025
Pages1-23
ISBN (Print)9781032368887
ISBN (Electronic)9781040151242
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2025

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