Fusion of horizons: Co-designing with Cambodian children who have prosthetic legs, using generative design tools

Abstract

This paper presents a field study exploring the challenges and implications of applying a participatory design process through the use of generative design tools with children using prosthetic legs in rural Cambodia in order to facilitate their involvement in the design process. First, it reviews the main research paradigms in which user research is conducted, including positivism, critical theory and interpretivism, and compares the paradigms in terms of the motives they carry for involving users in the design process. The case is then positioned in the interpretivistic research paradigm using philosophical hermeneutics as a guide. As the first application of generative design tools with children in developing countries who have special needs, the case revealed many challenges and pointed to the need to go well beyond the contextual domains typically addressed in user-centred or product-centred design today. The paper concludes by presenting the pyramid model, which designers can use to obtain an overview of the knowledge they need for developing a relevant solution, and to reflect upon how their understanding develops in this process.

Keywords:

• generative design tools
• philosophical hermeneutics
• participatory design
• Cambodian children with disabilities

Notes

1. This paradigm is also referred to as constructivism and hermeneutics (Denzin and Lincoln 2005).

2. Guba and Lincoln (1994) claim that there are at least three forms of critical theory: poststructural, postmodern and a blend of these two.

3. These are not the real names of the children.

4. Later in the project, researchers returned to the children and asked them for suggestions on how to improve some prototypes of products that could make it easier for prosthesis users to walk in mud. All three children gave valuable suggestions about what could make the prototypes better. This was far beyond what we had expected from them based on earlier struggles with getting responses. It shows that the children had gained more confidence in themselves and were becoming more comfortable with articulating their views.

5. This happened several times during the project (see Hussain 2011).

6. The test results of comparing children's gait when walking with the old and new prosthetic foot will be presented in later publications.