Unpacking notions of community: Critical design and exhibition as a creative participatory research method

Abstract

This paper describes a case study exploring how critical design and public exhibition could be consolidated into an inclusive qualitative creative research method to engage participants in conversations about community. Past literature has acknowledged the ability of physical objects and creative methods in research to activate different lines of thinking and elicit thoughtful, in-depth responses from participants that may not have arisen through more ‘traditional’ methods of enquiry. Critical design, by nature, is intended to be a tool for starting discussion and debate. We employed this approach to inform the design of critical artefacts on the topic of community. These were then displayed at pop-up exhibitions in public spaces to engage members of the public in conversations on community. Responses informed future artefacts, which were exhibited again in an iterative cycle. We explored the potential of this research approach to both elicit and disseminate knowledge.

Keywords:

• Critical design
• public exhibition
• public engagement
• community
• creative research
• participatory action research

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the participants who took a chance on our pop-up installation and shared their time and stories. We would also like to thank Auckland Central City Library for their support and enthusiasm in hosting the exhibition.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alyssa Tang

Alyssa Tang is a designer and researcher at AUT’s Good Health Design. Her research focus is in design for health and creative research methods, with an interest in critical design and design fiction.

Ivana Nakarada-Kordic

Ivana Nakarada-Kordic is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Art and Design, Auckland University of Technology (AUT). Her current research focuses on developing and applying creative and empathetic human-centred approaches and methodologies for researching complex experience problems and facilitating the sharing of knowledge between designers and non-designers.