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 co-design – 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.

Keywords:

• values
• co-design
• ubiquitous computing
• user-centred design

Acknowledgements

The projects reported on here were all undertaken as part of the EQUATOR IRC funded by EPSRC Grant No GR/N15986/01. All the authors were members of the Interact Lab at the University of Sussex at the time of the research. We thank our project partners at Southampton University – David De Roure, Mark Weal, David Millard, Danius Michaelides and Don Cruikshank. The writing of this paper was partially funded by German DFG fellowship grant Ho3901/1–1. We also acknowledge the time and input from all of our participants.