Design project failures: Outcomes and gains of participation in design. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lundmark, Sofia
• Is Part Of: Design studies. Volume 59(2018)
• Page Start: 77
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: participatory design -- case study -- design practice -- teamwork -- transformative participation; Design -- Periodicals; 745.405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.destud.2017.07.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-694X

Abstract

Abstract : This article draws on data from a participatory design project developing services for online youth counselling. It investigates the outcomes and contingencies of participation for stakeholders and how they make sense of their experiences of participating in a design project. The findings show how counsellors involved in a design process develop new skills and knowledge as their roles and work practices change over time. The study is longitudinal, and addresses temporal aspects of participation, and in particular what happens when design efforts come to an end. It is found that a participatory design project that fails with respect to its explicitly stated goals may still have positive secondary outcomes due to engagement and process of situated learning among the participants. Highlights: The three-year long project timespan played a significant part in the participation. A participatory design project that fails may still have positive secondary outcomes. The participants developed new skills and knowledge as their roles and work practices changed over time. The participants were involved in a process of situated learning and transformative participation.