Design research as social change
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Presented at Design Research 2017 (UX Australia). This talk explores how design research practice and protocols might shift, change or be challenged when the focus is to deliver community-led social change outcomes. The presentation draws on experiments and experiences in recent place based social innovation initiatives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Full description. Audio to come. http://www.uxaustralia.com.au/conferences/design-research-2017/presentation/design-research-as-a-social-change-process/
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Design research as social change
- 1. @pennyhagen Design Research 2017, Sydney Designresearchassocial change S M A L L F I R E.
- 2. This talk is about how design research practices shift or are reconfigured when applied in placed-based social change settings, for the purposes of addressing complex social challenges and achieving social impact (improving people’s lives). It begins with three examples of the kinds of contexts into which design approaches and design research methods and practices are being applied.
- 3. Working together to achieve whānau wellbeing in Waitematā S M A L L F I R E. Project info: https://nzfvc.org.nz/news/working-together-achieve-wh%C4%81nau-wellbeing-waitemat%C4%81
- 4. Working together to achieve whānau wellbeing in Waitematā S M A L L F I R E. Project info: https://nzfvc.org.nz/news/working-together-achieve-wh%C4%81nau-wellbeing-waitemat%C4%81
- 5. Healthy Families S M A L L F I R E. Ministry of Health http://www.healthyfamilies.govt.nz/
- 6. Healthy Families S M A L L F I R E. Ministry of Health http://www.healthyfamilies.govt.nz/
- 7. Public Amenities Working Group Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1-NZ-Street-of-Auckland.jpg S M A L L F I R E.
- 8. Public Amenities Working Group Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1-NZ-Street-of-Auckland.jpg S M A L L F I R E.
- 9. Why a design approach? S M A L L F I R E. Why a design approach?
- 10. Why a design approach? S M A L L F I R E. Why a design approach?
- 11. Why a design approach? S M A L L F I R E. Why a design approach?
- 12. Why a design approach? S M A L L F I R E. Why a design approach?
- 13. Why a design approach? S M A L L F I R E. Why a design approach?
- 14. Why a design approach? S M A L L F I R E. Why a design approach?
- 15. Why a design approach? S M A L L F I R E. Why a design approach?
- 16. Butthedesignresearcheffort needstoinformrealchange. S M A L L F I R E.
- 17. Discover Define Develop Deliver
- 18. Discover Define Develop Deliver
- 22. Howmightwedoit differently? What shifts are we seeing?
- 23. Whoweengagewith
- 24. Whoweengagewith
- 25. Learn from a diverse representation of potential users to inform future proposals Build connections with influencers and change agents who will help enable the change Whoweengagewith
- 26. Howweengage:
- 27. Howweengage:
- 28. Howweengage: Be guided by research protocols and interviews focused on learning and data Be flexible and guided by context to build trust and connections
- 29. Whyweengage:
- 30. Whyweengage:
- 31. Whyweengage: Learn about needs, context and experience to inform future change proposals Build the conditions for future change, seed change, create benefit
- 34. Create insights and frame up new possibilities to inform future change/directions Build capability, confidence, social capital, momentum, ownership & potential partners ‘leaving a trial of confidence & enquiry’ Whatsuccesslookslike
- 37. Basics
- 38. Basics
- 39. Basics
- 40. Basics
- 41. Basics
- 43. Rigour and robustness is contextual. What beliefs do we hold about how knowledge is created and validated? How equipped are we to engage in the questions and challenges of ethics and safety questions?
- 44. Every engagement is an intervention. How do we hold that responsibility? Do we have the skills, knowledge and qualifications required?
- 45. Some questions we can ask of current work, that helps us lean into change thinking:
- 46. Has any change already been activated?
- 47. Are people already doing things differently as a result of our conversations?
- 48. Are champions emerging? Are people taking it up for themselves?
- 49. Have we built the relationships necessary to create conditions for change?
- 50. Have we started to build the capability and confidence needed for shifting status quo?
- 51. And if not – what might we try and do differently to lean into these kinds of change outcomes?
- 52. Thankyou And thank you to the teams, community members and colleagues who contributed to this learning and sharing process. Some things to read: Achieving whānau wellbeing in Waitematā Thriving: Connected, Reflective, Effective: Creating change: Mobilising New Zealand communities to prevent family violence
Editor's Notes
- I’d like to acknowledge the Cadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of this land, and I would like to acknowledge the living culture and pay my respect to elders past and present. Codesign, PD More recently – moving into social challenge spaces, bigger, fuzzier, not specific out put Goal is not so much a ‘project’ or service, more a goal to disrupt status quo of systems, create social change, that might mean new capabilities, structures ways of working, reconfiguring services or ecosystem completely Share: Paying attention to what shifts and changes, opportunities, - when change is the focus Three examples kinds of places design is being applied/
- 4 minutes 30 What’s it about: A collaboration – ongoing The first one, a collaboration last year - ongoing Image was the genisus : What is the latent potential… What is this about (exisitng stenghts… Concept of PP in health (front end stuff) Collaboration between MSD, AC, 3 networks and place-based What things about the context have an impact on how we would design design research
- 5 mins – TIDY ME UP What’s it about Origins in Vic 10 (complex) sites –, place-based Usual outcomes.. Reducing smoking, reduction in obesity, reduction in alcohol related illness/incidents Not the same way - achieving this through programmes , but through systems change - through understanding, disrupting and changing things at a systemic level So for example mapping food system (what is available, why, why not), transport system (what Is available, why, why not), public space, how can we make this different? What do we need to take into account when thinking about the design research process/how we use it
- 3 mins Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1-NZ-Street-of-Auckland.jpg Background: If you can imagine living on the street… Cross council initiative to support the development of facilities accessible to for rough sleepers in Auckland City as part of a broader homelessness strategy E.g., toilets, showers, lockers people can access (access is an issue) Internal team leads engagement What to consider Makes it a complex social change process/project
- 2.30mins Why a design approach? What’s exciting? Why are teams and leaders taking this up? Key things HC – about people U & R – new perspectives, new ways of thinking, space for innovation MD – new perspectives, we are pluralist, seeks all the views and inputs B – get behind the why, what’s that about, better responses Tools – making, playing, prototyping – increase participation BP – Strategy and action (slows us down)
- But it needs to be effort that informs and leads to change. Social change is an implementation and action space. It’s about people’s lives. Success not a future state or a proposal, (though they are part of it) Success is measured by questions like: Has family violence reduced? Has smoking dropped? Do people feel empowered to make change Are people better off? How? The objective isn’t research/knowledge/insight, it’s not even design, it’s change
- 23 Here’s where we hit a bump and a little bit of tension. Typically experience change… Flowing after the design process. After the design decisions are made Design is more proposals for change, [stops here] [lots of critique of this..agile etc] Kate Ivey-Williams Problemetic for social innovation/change b/c Too risky to wait till end (money, energy runs out) Not discrete set of decision-makers ready to do it…need to … be activating all over so need to because setting the conditions and structures for change start at the beginning. Extend its remit – move design into change, move change into design So future there, future here In this way, design research becomes part of the change process. Not just a means to inform a change process that is starting later.
- 15-20 So, if that is true – What do we / might we do differently in the early phases of design process? Who we talk to, How we engage, Why we engage (the purpose), and what we consider successful outcomes of the early design research phase (discovery/explore)
- 18 Who, how many, types, diff exp A recruitment plan What’s different? What changes/challenges this? Not working with representation users, specific people – that school Learning and mobilising Want diversity, also momentum All Influencers – who can make the change? Gov and citizen SO LOOKS LIKE THIS Example – Waitematā Different experiences, values Different voices Favouring willing, looked for mobilisers, build on that, and for influencers So shifts from >>> to Greatest impact first, get momentum –over most representative data
- How Selecting methods, protocols, data gathering, recruitment Different how: Do planning, but also… History of being “done to”, over consulted – don’t want to repeat that Call on personal relationships to connect, - increased responsibility Flexible with methods, culturally appropriate Relationships first– Whakawhanaungatanga, connection and building trust over gathering data Waitematā Held guide loosely, changed it up for each one - method’ fits the moment Not “interviews“ Relationships first over data or process, if you don’t get the data don’t worry, connect For healthy families team Safe impt, Safe topics first, built trust, build participation Developing own methods and tools Reciprocity – always thinking about the mutual exchange, what we are asking for and what we are offering, what people who participate are gaining These things shape how we engage Shifts: From > to Holding methods lightly Team sets the pace, keep safe, Engage with the tension here between brave innovation and safe respectful work I feel this one keenly b.c I’ve got this wrong before.
- 25 Why we engage, the purpose of engagement in the discovery or design research process: All the things we love Behaviours, bigger picture, experiences, unpack and reframe See pain points and create future experiences How has this been different in some of the initiatives I described? Yes aim for these things, But NOT just gathering data/not just learning Other things that are important for bringing change forward Connect/Anchor Build connections and trust that might support future (anchor) e.g., in Waitemata we deliberately wanted to create new networks for the networks, extend beyond existing 2. Seed change Not just listening and learning but also opps to seed action and bc In WW – we listened, but also introduced PP – built their knowledge This had an important effect – it enabled people, motivated, reassured…… We followed up, - change was already occurring, only discovery 3. To benefit participants Should be better off as a result, what does that look like? Koha, participation, connection Affirmding their journey Getting access to resources and information – e.g., if we know… Not to be confused with thinking we are therapists, case workers or managers or that design research is the same as these things Getting this right is hard. Needs to be ethical safe, right support structures, don’t run off and do stuff, talk it through with team More about interogating our role, what the exchange is So a shift from >>> to
- Looked at Who, How, … proposed some additional ideas around the purpose of engagement early in the design research process Now.. talk about what the success of DR, or early stages of the design process might be Conventionally (I think) Insights and learning Reframing, opportunity definition Information that informs future decision-making/design concepts even In this new context: Connections, seeding..beginning action.. But ESP – built capability in people and the support to support/sustain this way of working/thinking Not just the research output - opportunity to build change capacity in the system Some of the SHIFTS WE WANT ARE BIG Design is great experiential learning - training for that new kind of thinking and working together – new skill We don’t have time for lots of little DR projects – [working together, BAU, etc) We want to leave a trial of enquiring, and questioning about the status quo behind us Example: What kind of capability was built And it built the skills of a team in working in new and different ways, tools and techniques and frames Impt Collaboration skills Example HF and others bringing community members on – getting jobs, applying in all walks of life So a shift from >>>> to Most IMPT - Building capability and motivation of those who will be needed to sustain it
- 32 Looks like this, plus this. IF we lean into the change stuff, and engage for a different or additional purpose So if design is being asked to extend its remit – What it is asking of designers? If design research is extending, surely designers are being asked to extend? How might we ready ourselves for that, what skills and competencies and ways of working might we need to build?
- A few basic/straight forward-ish things. Not work/life - can’t hold western values around separating professional people from who they are (people want to connect with you as a person, trust you as a person) Not just people – but relationship focused – very tuned into that Collective decision-making Use this colab process to build the capability of your team Draw widely on the expertise of others Collaborate to address blind spots and lack of competencies, surround yourselves with amazing people and multi-disciplinary teams) Look widely for guidance -
- What is rigour? What makes something robust? Hung up on numbers A lot of our notions about rigour/robustness [are unstated] And come from positivist traditions, (rational approach) We need to examine these, also look at other paradigms that are more relational and place-based (PD, AR, PAR, Indigenous practice) That look at reciprocity and other factors that define “rigour” Treaty of Waitangi Examine these things with your tea… (I’ve considered it completely rigourous not to talk to any rough sleepers for the first year) So examining further, if rigour is contextual and about your reasoning about the context What beliefs…
- Another idea to challenge is the idea that it’s neutral, we are just listening, objective, gathering data and not intervening. It’s not true, conversation is action Be thoughtful. Are we prepared for those powerful conversations. It’s not good enough Needs to be more, obligation, waiting peoples time, needs to going somewhere Reciprocal – growing capability, connection Each engagement is so precious – how do we make the most of it Be safe, make decisions with your team, call our diverse set of experts to help with good decision making. Not about “fixing” or being a amateur social worker, but it is about recognsing our obliations. So if…
- Design is always about change. DR is also always part of that change process.. Here are some questions that can help us to be thinking about whether we’ve leaned into the change process enough, early on?
- Design is always about change. DR is also always part of that change process.. Here are some questions that can help us to be thinking about whether we’ve leaned into the change process enough, early on?
- Design is always about change. DR is also always part of that change process.. Here are some questions that can help us to be thinking about whether we’ve leaned into the change process enough, early on?
- Design is always about change. DR is also always part of that change process.. Here are some questions that can help us to be thinking about whether we’ve leaned into the change process enough, early on?
- Design is always about change. DR is also always part of that change process.. Here are some questions that can help us to be thinking about whether we’ve leaned into the change process enough, early on?
- Design is always about change. DR is also always part of that change process.. Here are some questions that can help us to be thinking about whether we’ve leaned into the change process enough, early on?
- Design is always about change. DR is also always part of that change process.. Here are some questions that can help us to be thinking about whether we’ve leaned into the change process enough, early on?
- Definitinos :www.businessdictionary.com/definition/epistemology.html . It deals with issues such as how knowledge is derived and how it should be tested and validated. The theory of knowledge, esp. with regard to its methods, validity, and scope https://library.nzfvc.org.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=5246 Sue copas Christis mobilitsation piece