Furthering Distributed Participative Design

Participatory design (PD) and its derivative distributed participatory design (DPD) are examples of collaborative research methods that have been successfully applied to information systems problems. Yet, there are other collaborative research methods such as action research and design science that have also been used in the same context. This paper argues that this trifurcation in collaborative methods is unhelpful and that the ‘walled gardens’ in which these methods exist inhibit learning and the methods’ development. As PD moves to tackle the problems that arise in distributed projects, it becomes more necessary to look outside its own domain for solutions. This paper investigates whether collaborative research projects that are categorized under one method also match the characteristics of the other methods. It finds that research projects using different methods demonstrate remarkable similarities concerning research contributions, roots, and methodological guidelines, but use different terminologies, and also maintain method-specific publication outlets and communities. Thus, insight into some of the issues raised by participatory design in distributed contexts may arise if PD looks outside its walled garden

Guiding the participative design process

International audienceIt is traditional to look to any engineering activity from both the product point of view and the process point of view. The product is the desired result, the process is the route followed to reach the result. Methods were classically focused on the product aspect of systems development and have paid less attention to the description of formally defined ways-of-working. Clearly, there is an important demand on methods and tools where process guidance is offered to provide advice on which activities are appropriate to which situations and how to perform them [Rolland95], [Rolland96], [Downson94], [Wynekoop93]. We propose a way-of-working which intents to provide such a guidance

Participative Design Using Soft Systems Methodology

Participative design is an effective tool for designing organizational systems where conflicting and diverse goals of users and clients from different organizations must be reconciled. This paper presents a methodology for participative design based on Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). A brief overview of SSM is first presented. The design methodology is then presented within the SSM framework. The design methodology prescribes a set of activities to accomplish participative design, and uses two design tools from the manufacturing and process engineering fields - Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and the IDEF0 functional modeling method. Experiences using the design methodology are also presented

The Roles of Empathetic Competency and Participative Design in Organizational Stakeholder Relationships

The objective of the present article was to encounter empirical evidence of the use that companies make of the empathetic competency and participative design for relationship development with their interest groups. Empirical comparison occurred by way of a case study in a Colombian family business group composed of three companies. A mixed research design was applied, using a questionnaire to measure the use of empathy, as was an in-depth interview, to learn the use of participative design in stakeholder relationships. Results show acceptable use of the empathetic competency, and that the participative approach, characteristic of design, is partially employed, although the upper level of co-creation is not achieved. It is concluded that, if the empathetic competency is not made to form the base of the participative approach, organization relational capital is wasted. Further, companies may improve stakeholder relationships if they are able to apply participative design methodologies, techniques, and tools, as these reduce resistance to change, and improve the work environment, leadership, and productivity.

Repurposing learning objects: a sustainable alternative?

Recent experience shows that reusable learning objects, like the computer assisted learning programmes of the early 1990s, have so far failed to achieve expected levels of integration into educational practice. This is despite technical interoperability, cataloguing systems, high quality standards, targeted dissemination and professional development initiatives. Analysis of this problem suggests that conceptualization of the problem may be limiting the scope of solutions. This paper proposes a sustainable and participative approach to reuse that involves repurposing learning objects for different discipline areas. For some time now there has been a growing awareness that even the most accessible resources have failed to be widely adopted by the educational community and as a result have also failed to fulfil their considerable educational potential. (Campbell, 2003, p. 35

Grid of analysis supporting the participative design methodology

PALETTE deliverable - report number D.PAR.01This deliverable presents the participatory design methodology of the PALETTE project and some first results of the implementation of this process. Some principles of the Actor Network Theory and of the Agile Methodology are embedded in the different stages of this methodology whose twelve stages (described in details in the last section) will be the basis of the participative development of services and scenarios of use

User kansei modeling and eco-design

The use of day-to-day life artifacts is a key phase in the lifecycle of products. Indeed it has a great impact on our environment. User centered methods are not yet taken into account in eco-design approaches. These methods are being developed in two ways, by building new user models encompassing complex dimensions such as Kansei and experience, including values and moods, and by integrating the user himself in the design process. This paper deals with setting-up a new theoretical framework associating user-centered design advanced approaches such as experience design, Kansei studies, or participative design and eco-design methods. The final goal is to support product design by providing some guidelines according to environmental issues linked to the users and their abilities

Agroforestry in the Nijmegen-area: visioning, sharing, designing

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