Digital Participation: Engaging Diverse and Marginalised Communities
Abstract
This position paper presents our experiences of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) projects with economically-marginalised participants to demonstrate the role design research and artefacts can play in fostering digital skills for low-income people and their communities. We present two case studies with low-income participants of different demographics: one with women in crisis situations at a community care centre, and another with volunteers at e-waste recycling workshop. We illuminate the ways in which design activities such as self-reported experiences through video documentaries, and repurposing second-hand digital products, can facilitate digital and community participation for low-income people both in their homes, and in the broader community. In our discussion we reflect on the intersections of the two case studies: developing digital skills and enabling community participation through these digital skills, as well as the opportunities this has provided for participant engagement in the research process
