Design Materials for - and by - Co-designers

Abstract

In co-design projects, today, the engaging and well explored open platform of Participatory Design (PD)workshops is increasingly being supplemented by various web-based platforms and infrastructures. However, what can we learn from these events when designing such webbased platforms and content “for” co-designers? The specific focus here is what we can learn from practically considering design materials. Based on a series of three related examples of co-design activities with design materials designed “for” and “by” co-designers, in this paper it is argued that small-scale material-methodological considerations can play a role in creating engagement and shared ownership in a co-design project. The examples discussed are from initial workshops in the newly started interdisciplinary DAIM-project mainly based on a pilot project within the area of trash handling in Denmark.