Co-creating with involved parties

 

Design thinking - centralizing users in development

 

I love to make use of generative and service design tool as part of my research and design process. Depending on the topic and situation I choose the appropriate approach. Important to remember that with the use of the below methods people can not immediately express their wishes and needs - they need guidance. By following the Part of Expression method (Sanders & Stappers, 2016) it is possible to guide people through this process of discovery. 

 

• I can ask participants to prepare a sensitiser booklet or assignment. So they already thought about their struggles, wishes, and desires so I can reach a deeper level of understanding. I would mainly use this method for the NOW phase.

• As a follow-up or as a stand-alone method I could execute a one-to-one non-traditional interview session; where I can combine traditional interviewing with e.g. context mapping or timelines construction. Her I would make use of words, stories and pictures to help the participant put his emotions and thoughts into words. I would mainly use this method for the MEMORIES phase.  

• Another method is to facilitate a creative session. This and ideal methode to guide the participants through the NOW, MEMORIES and DREAMS phase. There I invite a resource group, consisted out of (non-) experts, and lead them through a creative process in teams. The advantage of this method is to understand, the often complex, situation and gain acceptance of the stakeholders. In the past, I facilitated creative sessions for personal University projects but as well as for Cirkelstad Utrecht, Seats2meet, Vanderlande, and Unilever. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sanders, E. B., & Stappers, P. J. (2016). Convivial toolbox generative research for the front end of design. Amsterdam: BIS.