A respectful design approach to facilitate codesign with people with cognitive or sensory impairments and makers

ABSTRACT

People with cognitive or sensory impairments (CSI) often have abilities, needs and desires that are not catered for by conventional service provision. This presents opportunities for volunteer makers to help co-create alternative futures with them. We describe a codesign process with people with CSI, their caregivers and family members, design researchers and makers. First, we focus on recruitment of design clients with CSI and the volunteer designer-makers, as recruitment is often overlooked in reporting. We explore ways of matching makers and their skills with design clients. We used codesign methods with our participants that suited their communication abilities and interests. Design props supported them to express and communicate their needs to design researchers, while limiting disclosure of personal information. Our findings indicate that codesign work with people with CSI involves (1) negotiating access, (2) mutual learning to create shared understanding and trust, (3) developing communication and participation through valuing unique abilities and interests, and (4) using design props to engage makers. We contribute an approach of respectful design, which emphasises mutual learning, self-expression and self-determination for people with CSI. This approach supports people with CSI to express themselves and assists their communication with potential volunteer makers and service providers.

KEYWORDS:

• Respectful design
• codesign
• personalisation
• self-determination

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our deep gratitude to our participants who welcomed us into their homes and shared in this design journey. We thank the maker communities and design students who engaged with the project. We also thank the reviewers for their thoughtful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the Australian Research Council Linkage Grant LP160100800 with Endeavour Foundation.