Project Spectrum; evoking, focusing and demanding action

Abstract

Co-design is sometimes limited to a study of stakeholder involvement in different stages of the design process, or the way in which designers (and others) work together in different types of settings. We argue that such preoccupations are limiting. Rather, we propose that a wider perspective should be taken to describing and understanding the value of design, one which, on the one hand, takes a realistic view of the short term contributions of some activities, but on the other hand emphasises the medium- and long-term intangible contributions to communities of practice and societal needs such projects make. A model is presented and explained using the outcomes from Project Spectrum—concerned with the design of a tailorable, interactive space for children with an autistic spectrum disorder.

Keywords:

• Autism
• Education
• User-centred design
• Communities of practice
• Social models of design

Acknowledgements

The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors. The research was funded by an AHRC grant no. APN16454, from 2003 to 2006. Special thanks to local schools, LEAs, national groups an individuals who gave generously of their time and to our two research assistants Jacqui Jackson and Alex Woolner.