Abstract
We characterize Participatory Design (PD) as a maturing area of research and as an evolving practice among design professionals. Although PD has been applied outside of technology design, here we focus on PD in relation to the introduction of computer-based systems at work. We discuss three main issues addressed by PD researchers; the politics of design; the nature of participation; and method, tools and techniques for participation. We also report on the conditions for the transfer of “PD results” to workers, user groups, and design professionals that have characterized PD over time and across geopolitical terrains. The topic of the sustainability of PD within an organizational context is also considered. The article concludes with a discussion of common issues explored within PD and CSCW and frames directions for a continuing dialogue between researchers and practitioners from the two fields. The article draws on a review of PD and CSCW literatures as well as on our own research and practical experiences.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersen, N. E., F. Kensing, J. Lundin, L. Mathiassen, A. Munk-Madsen, M. Rasbech and P. Sørgaard (1990): Professional Systems Development: Experience, Ideas and Action. New York: Prentice-Hall.
Beck, E. (1996): P is for Political. In J. Blomberg, F. Kensing and E. Dykstra-Ericson (eds.): Proceeding of the Participatory Design Conference. Cambridge, MA: Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, pp. 117-125.
Bemelmans, Th. (ed.) (1984): Beyond Productivity: Information Systems Development for Organizational Effectiveness. In Proceedings of the IFIP WG 8.2 Working Conference. Minneapolis, Minnesota: North Holland.
Bennett, J., B. Hartfield and T. Winograd (1992): Learning HCI Design: Mentoring Project Groups in a Course on Human-computer Interaction. Proceeding of the SIGCSE’ 92 Technical Symposium. New York: ACM, pp. 154-158.
Bentley, R., T. Rodden, P. Sawyer, I. Sommerville, J. Hughes, D. Randall and D. Shapiro (1992): Ethnographically-informed Systems Design for Air Traffic Control. In J. Turner and R. Kraut (ed.): Proceedings of Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW’ 92). Toronto, Canada: ACM Press, Oct-Nov, pp. 123-129.
Beyer, H. and K. Holtzblatt (1997): Contextual Design: Defining Customer-Centered Systems. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc.
Bjerknes, G., P. Ehn and M. Kyng (1987): Computers and Democracy - A Scandinavian Challenge. England: Avebury.
Bjerknes, G. and T. Bratteteig (1995): User Participation and Democracy: A Discussion of Scandinavian Research on System Development. Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, vol. 7 no.1, pp. 73-98.
Blomberg, J., J. Giacomi, P. Swenton-Wall and A. Mosher (1993): Ethnographic Methods and their Relation to Design. In D. Schuler and A. Namioka (eds.): Participatory Design: Principles and Practices. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 123-155.
Blomberg, J., L. Suchman, and R. Trigg (1996): Reflections on a Work-oriented Design Project. Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 11, no.3, pp. 237-265.
Blomberg, J., L. Suchman and R. Trigg (1997): Back to Work: Renewing Old Agendas for Change. In M. Kyng and L. Mathiassen (eds.): Computers and Design in Context. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 201-238.
Braverman, H. (1974): Labor and Monopoly Capital - The Degradation of Work in the Twentieth Century. New York: Monthly Review Press.
Briefs, U., C. Ciborra and L. Sneider (eds.) (1983): Systems Design For, With and By the Users. Amsterdam: North Holland.
Brun-Cottan, F. and P. Wall (1995). Using Video to Re-present the User. Communications of the ACM, vol. 38, no.5, pp. 61-71.
Bødker, S. (1996): Creating Conditions for Participation: Conflicts and Ressources in Systems Development. Human-Computer Interaction. Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 215-236.
Clement, A. (1994): Computing at Work: Empowering Action by “Low-Level” Users. Communication of the ACM, vol. 37, no.1, pp. 52-63.
Clement, A. and P. Van den Besselar (1993): A Retrospective Look at PD Projects. In M. Muller and S. Kuhn (eds.): Participatory Design: Special Issue of the Communications of the ACM, vol. 36, no.4, pp. 29-39.
Ehn, P. (1989): Work Oriented Design of Computer Artifacts. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Ehn, P. (1993): Scandinavian Design: On Participation and Skill. In D. Schuler and A. Namioka (eds.): Participatory Design: Principles and Practices. N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 41-78.
Ehn, P. and Å. Sanberg (1979): Management Control and Wage Earner Power (Foretagsstyrning och Lontagarmakt). Falkoping: Prisma.
Ehn, P. and M. Kyng (1991): Cardboard Computers: Mocking-it-up or Hands-on the Future. In J. Greenbaum and M. Kyng (eds.): Design at Work: Cooperative Design of Computer Systems. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Ass., pp. 169-195.
Greenbaum, J. (1976): Division of Labor in the Computer Field. Monthly Review, vol. 28, no.3, pp. 40-55.
Greenbaum, J. (1995): Windows on the Workplace: Computers, Jobs, and the Organization of Office Work in the Late Twentieth Century.New York: Mondthly Review Press.
Greenbaum, J. (1996): Back to Labor: Returning to Labor Process Discussions in the Study of Work. Proceedings of Computer Supported Cooperative Work.
Greenbaum, J. and M. Kyng (eds.) (1991): Design at Work: Cooperative Design of Computer Systems. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Ass.
Grief, I. (ed.) (1988): Computer-Supported Cooperative Work: A Book of Readings. San Mateo, CA: Morgan Kaufman Pub.
Grønbæk, K., M. Kyng and P. Mogensen (1997): Toward a Cooperative Experimental System Development Approach. In M. Kyng and L. Mathiassen (eds.): Computers and Design in Context. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 201-238.
Gärtner, J. (1998): Participatory Design in Consulting, Computer Supported Cooperative Work - A Journal of Collaborative Computing, vol. 7, nos.3-4.
Gärtner, J. and I. Wagner (1996): Mapping Actors and Agendas: Political Frameworks of Systems Design and Participation. Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 11, no.3, pp. 187-214.
Holtzblatt, K. and S. Jones (1993): Contextual Inquiry: A Participatory Technique for System Design. In D. Schuler and A. Namioka (eds.): Participatory Design: Principles and Practices. N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 177-210.
Hughes, J. A., D. Randall and D. Shapiro (1993): From Ethnographic Record to System Design: Some Experiences from the Field. Computer Supported Cooperative Work, vol. 1, no.3, pp. 123-147.
Kautz, K. (1996): User Participation and Participatory Design: Topics in Computing Education. Human-Computer Interaction, vol 11, no3, pp. 267-284.
Kensing, F. (1983): The Trade Unions Influence on Technological Change. In U. Briefs et al. (eds.): Systems Design For, With and By the Users. North Holland.
Kensing, F. (1987): Generation of Visions in Systems Development - A Supplement to the Toolbox. In P. Docherty et al. (eds.): Systems Design for Human Development and Productivity: Participation and Beyond. Springer Verlag.
Kensing, F. (1998): Prompted Reflections: A Technique for Understanding Complex Work. Interactions, vol. 1, pp. 7-15.
Kensing, F., J. Simonsen and K. Bødker (1998): Participatory Design at a Radio Station. Computer Supported Cooperative Work - A Journal of Collaborative Computing, vol. 7, nos.3-4.
Kensing, F., J. Simonsen and K. Bødker (forthcoming): MUST - A Method for Participatory Design. Human-Computer Interaction. Lawrence Erlbaum.
Korpela, M., H. A., Soriyan, K. C. Olufokunbi, A. A. Onayade, A. Davies-Adetugbo and D. Adesanmi (1998): Community Participation in Health Informatics in Africa: An Experiment in Tripartite Partnership in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Computer Supported Cooperative Work - A Journal of Collaborative Computing, vol. 7, nos.3-4.
Kyng, M. and L. Mathiassen (1982): Systems Development and Trade Union Activities, in N. Bjørn-Andersen (ed.): Information Society, for richer, for poorer. Amsterdam: North Holland.
Kyng, M. and L. Mathiassen (1997): Computers and Design in Context. Cambridge MA: MIT press.
Mambrey, P., G. Mark and U. Pankoke-Babatz (1998): User Advocacy in Participatory Design: Designers’ Experiences with a New Communication Channel. Computer Supported Cooperative Work - A Journal of Collaborative Computing. Kluwer Academic Publishers, vol. 7, nos.3-4.
Mathiassen, L. (1981): System Development and System Development Method(in Danish). PhD. thesis, DAIMI PB-136, Computer Science, Århus University, Denmark.
Mogensen, P. (1992). Towards a Provotyping Approach in Systems Development. Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, vol. 4, pp. 31-53.
Mogensen, P. H. (1994): Challanging Practice - An Approach to Cooperative Analysis. PhD. thesis, DAIMI PB-465, Computer Science, Aarhus University, Denmark.
Muller, M. (1993): PICTIVE: Democratizing the Dynamics of the Design Session. In D. Schuler and A. Namioka (eds.): Participatory Design: Principles and Practices. N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 211-238.
Muller, M. J., L. B. Tudor, D.M. Wildman, E. A. White, R. W. Root, T. Dayton, R. Carr, B. Diekmann and E. A. Dykstr-Erickson (1995): Bifocal Tolls for Scenarios and Representations in Participatory Activities with Users. In J. Carroll (ed.): Scenario-based Design for Human-computer Interaction. New York: Wiley.
Noble, D. (1977): America by Design. New York: Knopf.
Nygaard, K. (1979): The Iron and Metal Project: Trade Union Participation, In Å. Sandberg (ed.): Computers Dividing Man and Work - Recent Scandinavian Research on Planning and Computers from a Trade Union Perspective. Swedish Center for Working Life, Demos Project report no. 13, Utbildningsproduktion, Malmø, Sweden.
Sandberg, Å. (ed.) (1979): Computers Dividing Man and Work - Recent Scandinavian Research on Planning and Computers from a Trade Union Perspective. Swedish Center for Working Life, Demos Project report no. 13, Utbildningsproduktion, Malmø, Sweden.
Schmidt and Bannon (1992): Taking CSCW Seriously: Supporting Articulation Work. Computer Supported Cooperative Work, vol. 1, nos.1-2, pp. 7-40.
Schuler and Namioka (1993): Praticipatory Design: Principles and Practices. N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Shapiro, D. (1994): The Limits of Ethnography: Combining Social Sciences for CSCW. Proceedings of The Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work. North Carolina: Chapel Hill, pp. 417-428.
Simonsen, J. and F. Kensing (1997): Using Ethnography in Contextual Design. Communications of the ACM, vol. 40, no.7, pp. 82-88.
Suchman, L. (1993): Forward. In D. Schuler and A. Namioka (eds.): Participatory Design: Principles and Practices. N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. vii-ix.
Trigg, R., S. Bødker and K. Grønbæk (1991): Open-ended Interaction in Cooperative Prototyping: A Video-based Analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, vol. 3, pp. 63-86.
Winner, L. (1977): Autonomous Technology: Technics-out-of-Control as a Theme in Political Thought.Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kensing, F., Blomberg, J. Participatory Design: Issues and Concerns. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) 7, 167–185 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008689307411
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008689307411