The value of values: Resourcing co-design of ubiquitous computing

Abstract

The importance of values in design work is gaining increasing attention. However, some of the work to date takes an approach which starts with generic values, or assumes values are constant. Through discussion of three accounts of value discovery and value evolution in projects focused on exploring novel uses of ubiquitous computing, we complement current thinking by arguing for the use of users' values as a resource in the co-design process. In particular, this paper shows how users' values: (a) are spontaneously expressed whether or not particular elicitation methods are used; (b) are not fixed, but can change dynamically during the co-design process in response to ideas, prototypes and demonstrators; (c) help mediate and shape the relationships of users to designers; (d) can support users' creative, functional and technical engagement in codesign -areas that can often prove difficult. Focusing on practical examples that demonstrate this approach, we conclude that values may act as a central resource for co-design in a larger variety of ways than has hitherto been recognised.

Rekindling values in participatory design

“…In other words, the particular values espoused, reflect what was held to be important at that time. Petersen et al (2004) argued for values that link back to the PD tradition while Halloran et al (2009), though not working with PD, addressed how they work with values as a resource in co-design. Halloran et al (2009) attests to the importance of values and in many ways their descriptions of how they work with values throughout the design process bear strong similarities to our approach.…”

Values-led participatory design

“…Our work treats values as emergent and dynamic, and we engage with them during design through a dialogical process. This approach is similar to the way in which Halloran et al (2009) work with values in co-design. However, as our paper illustrates, we are not only presenting a unified framework of seeing the process, but also want to highlight the crucial role of the designer; not only the values she (or he) brings to the process but in particular how her appreciative judgement of values colours and pervades her entire stance in the design life cycle.…”

“…Values emerge from a dialogical process between stakeholders and designers. Furthermore, values are not always explicit and can emerge when users are challenged (Halloran et al 2009) and, in this case, via dialogue. In short, the designer's appreciative judgement of values involves the designer being aware of his or her values, and knowing how to use particular tools to engage stakeholders in dialogue, so as to support the cultivation of emergent values.…”

Situated Crowdsourcing: a Pragmatic Approach to Encouraging Participation in Healthcare Design

“…Key to all of these methods is enabling potential users to envisage what it would be like to carry out a task or activity with a future technology, product or process, and/or helping the design team to think or experience what it would be like to be a user of their designs. They also provide a context in which participants can articulate their values in relationship to designed artefacts, which can be used to generate further design ideas, particularly in contexts where design possibilities or problems are poorly understood [15].…”