Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four Countries
Involving older people through co-design has become increasingly attractive as an approach to develop technologies for them. However, less attention has been paid to the internal dynamics and localized socio-material arrangements that enact this method in practice. In this paper, we show how the out...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Societies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/11/2/66 |
| _version_ | 1797529424431677440 |
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| author | Björn Fischer Britt Östlund Nicole K. Dalmer Andrea Rosales Alexander Peine Eugène Loos Louis Neven Barbara Marshall |
| author_facet | Björn Fischer Britt Östlund Nicole K. Dalmer Andrea Rosales Alexander Peine Eugène Loos Louis Neven Barbara Marshall |
| author_sort | Björn Fischer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Involving older people through co-design has become increasingly attractive as an approach to develop technologies for them. However, less attention has been paid to the internal dynamics and localized socio-material arrangements that enact this method in practice. In this paper, we show how the outcomes that can be achieved with user involvement often pertain to learning, but their content can differ significantly based on how the approach is implemented in practice. Combining explorative, qualitative findings from co-design conducted in four countries (Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden), we illustrate how different types of learning occurred as design workshops engaged the experiences and skills of older people in different ways. Our findings make visible how learning can be a core outcome of co-design activities with older adults, while raising awareness of the role of the power relations and socio-material arrangements that structure these design practices in particular ways. To benefit from the full wealth of insights that can be learned by involving older people, deeper knowledge is needed of the implicit features of design, the materials, meanings, and power aspects involved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:13:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6439782733e2455b8cdf54a85d6f8a1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4698 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:13:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societies |
| spelling | doaj.art-6439782733e2455b8cdf54a85d6f8a1e2023-11-22T00:59:14ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982021-06-011126610.3390/soc11020066Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four CountriesBjörn Fischer0Britt Östlund1Nicole K. Dalmer2Andrea Rosales3Alexander Peine4Eugène Loos5Louis Neven6Barbara Marshall7Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, 141 57 Huddinge, SwedenDepartment of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, 141 57 Huddinge, SwedenDepartment of Health, Aging and Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M4, CanadaInternet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya/Open University of Catalonia, 08018 Barcelona, SpainCopernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The NetherlandsSchool of Governance, Utrecht University, 3511 ZC Utrecht, The NetherlandsActive Ageing Research Group, Avans University of Applied Sciences, 4800 RA Breda, The NetherlandsSociology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, CanadaInvolving older people through co-design has become increasingly attractive as an approach to develop technologies for them. However, less attention has been paid to the internal dynamics and localized socio-material arrangements that enact this method in practice. In this paper, we show how the outcomes that can be achieved with user involvement often pertain to learning, but their content can differ significantly based on how the approach is implemented in practice. Combining explorative, qualitative findings from co-design conducted in four countries (Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden), we illustrate how different types of learning occurred as design workshops engaged the experiences and skills of older people in different ways. Our findings make visible how learning can be a core outcome of co-design activities with older adults, while raising awareness of the role of the power relations and socio-material arrangements that structure these design practices in particular ways. To benefit from the full wealth of insights that can be learned by involving older people, deeper knowledge is needed of the implicit features of design, the materials, meanings, and power aspects involved.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/11/2/66ageingdesign practiceuser involvementparticipatory designsocio-gerontechnology |
| spellingShingle | Björn Fischer Britt Östlund Nicole K. Dalmer Andrea Rosales Alexander Peine Eugène Loos Louis Neven Barbara Marshall Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four Countries Societies ageing design practice user involvement participatory design socio-gerontechnology |
| title | Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four Countries |
| title_full | Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four Countries |
| title_fullStr | Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four Countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four Countries |
| title_short | Co-Design as Learning: The Differences of Learning When Involving Older People in Digitalization in Four Countries |
| title_sort | co design as learning the differences of learning when involving older people in digitalization in four countries |
| topic | ageing design practice user involvement participatory design socio-gerontechnology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/11/2/66 |
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