Design multiple: How different configurations of participation matter in design practice

Abstract

This article critically interrogates how participation is practiced during the design process. We present the findings of three different configurations of participatory design workshops, each involving a different stakeholder group (age researchers, care experts and older adults). Building on insights from Science and Technology Studies (STS), we reveal how, in design practice, different configurations of participation enact and materialize multiple versions of ageing. To refer to this ontological layer of design processes, we introduce the concept “design multiple”. Our study adds to current debates on the practices of participatory design and STS, as it shows how different configurations multiply enact objects into several material realities. We raise awareness on the practices of configuring participatory design, and their ontological consequences