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Participatory design processes for urban
transitions: Tailoring for reflexivity and action-
oriented learning
Moderator: Kateryna Pereverza, kateryna.pereverza@abe.kth.se
Organisers: Gabriella Doci1,2, Hayley Ho1,3, Matilda Legeby2,4, Kateryna Pereverza1
1 KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SEED, Urban Analytics and Transitions research group
2 Swedish Strategic Innovation Programme "Viable Cities"
3 RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Prototyping Societies group
4 Förnyelselabbet, SVID Stiftelsen Svensk Industridesign
Description of the topic
Participatory design processes play an important role in triggering and steering urban
transitions for sustainability. Quadruple helix actors, citizens, and/or specific stakeholder
groups come together to co-create visions, solutions, pathways and/or experiments to foster
sustainability transitions in their communities, districts, and cities. Such participatory design
processes are expected to bring specific outcomes but also lead to co-ownership of
decisions taken and commitment to further actions. Caniglia et al (2020) identifies what kinds
of knowledge are supportive for actions for sustainability, naming three main categories:
knowledge informing intentional design, knowledge enhancing shared agency and
knowledge enabling contextual realisation. However, it remains unclear what mechanisms
within or features of participatory design processes influence/lead to the development and
spreading of these kinds of knowledge and consequently to actions. We propose this
exploratory session as a step towards unpacking participatory processes and identifying
what makes them to foster actions for transitions.
In the attempts to characterise participatory processes (see e.g. Hassenforder et al., 2015
for a characterisation framework for participatory processes and Voß et al., 2009 for design
issues in transition management processes specifically), the authors identify their elements
or dimensions which can be implemented differently. We initiate this session with an
assumption that choices made regarding those different elements/dimensions of
participatory processes can have influence on how well they can support learning of action-
oriented knowledge.
Format of the session
Duration of the session is 90 min.
The session will take on a participatory format in which attendees will through discussions
reflect on how learning can be supported in participatory processes. We invite for diverse
perspectives in a “flipped format” session in which participants will formulate the questions
for in-depth discussion together. By not confining participants to only one viewpoint of
learning (see van Mierlo and Beers, 2020 for a review of learning schools) or participatory
processes, we aim to make the discussions as accessible as possible, for both researchers
and practitioners of different fields to participate as equal experts.
This open format will be started off with general discussions around provoking guiding
questions of approximately 20-30 minutes. These questions aim to provoke discussions to
connect learning in the context of participatory processes and explore this still emerging area
that has thus far not been well explored in theory or practice. Participants will be asked to
note down questions and key points that emerge from these discussions, and these will drive
the direction of the rest of the session in which 2-3 questions will be formulated to be
discussed in depth in smaller groups organised by the participants. Groups will be asked to
formulate from their discussions 3-5 tips for how participatory processes can be tailored to
be more supportive for action-oriented learning. The session organizers will moderate
discussions to ensure its inclusive format and notes-taking. Guest speakers will participate in
the discussions and wrap up the session with reflections and summary.
Provoking guiding questions to start the exploratory discussion:
- What types of learning do participatory process support and not support? Do
participatory processes by their nature of participation enable learning?
- How can participatory processes work against learning?
- How can participatory processes be more inclusive to support learning for all
participants, especially for who are initially not self-motivated or are skeptical?
- Do participatory methods by default provoke reflections? If not what mechanisms
need to be in place for a reflexive approach?
- What could participatory processes that enable deep learning look like?
- Can participatory processes enable participants to defuse knowledge further in the
institutions?
Speakers (to be confirmed):
● Josina Vink, Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)
● Pia MCAleenan, Förnyelselabbet, SVID Stiftelsen Svensk Industridesign
References
Caniglia, G., Luederitz, C., von Wirth, T., Fazey, I., Martin-López, B., Hondrila, K., ... & Lang,
D. J. (2021). A pluralistic and integrated approach to action-oriented knowledge for
sustainability. Nature Sustainability, 4(2), 93-100.
van Mierlo, B., Beers, P.J., 2020. Understanding and governing learning in sustainability
transitions: A review. Environ. Innov. Soc. Transitions 34, 255–269.
Hassenforder, E., Smajgl, A., Ward, J., 2015. Towards understanding participatory
processes: Framework, application and results. J. Environ. Manage. 157, 84–95.
Voß, J.P., Smith, A., Grin, J., 2009. Designing long-term policy: rethinking transition
management. Policy Sci. 42, 275–302.
Biographies of the organisers
Gabriella Doci studies learning and knowledge transfer in urban transitions with a special
focus on urban arenas. Her research aims to identify the key concepts, factors, actors and
events that are decisive in the learning process as well as when and how knowledge transfer
takes place between niche actors and how it diffuses to the regime.
Hayley Ho develops participatory processes and co-creation methods to address societal
and sustainability issues related to culture, community and creativity. She has over 10 years
of experience working in design consultancy and cultural initiatives in London and Hong
Kong. Currently she works as a designer in the group Prototyping Societies at RISE
Research Institutes of Sweden.
Matilda Legeby has experience of managing participatory design processes ranging from
children in pre-school to politicians, she has developed an expertise in participatory process
design adapted to different needs. One method is the use of artistic material to explore and
make visible the embodied knowledge of lived experiences in relation to urban systems.
Matilda currently explores the role of strategic design in the development of sustainable and
just cities at the strategic innovation program Viable Cities.
Kateryna Pereverza studies and develops participatory approaches for system
transformations with a specific focus on the modular participatory backcasting framework
and portfolio approaches. Her research interests also include system design methods,
facilitation of learning and capacity building, and connecting system-level transformations
and changes in organisations. Currently she is a postdoctoral researcher in KTH, Stockholm.
Biographies of the speakers
Josina Vink is Associate Professor in the Institute of Design at the Oslo School of
Architecture and Design (AHO) in Norway. Josina's research explores how people shape
social structures, particularly to transform systems of health and care. Areas of interest
include: design theory, social design, service design, service research, service ecosystems,
institutional theory, systems thinking and reflexivity.
Pia MCAleenan is a change leader who works with learning and development throughout
her career. She is constantly engaged in creating structures for lifelong learning,
participation and collaboration. She believes that organizational learning with empowered
individuals, and collaborations form a good basis for quality improvement, innovation and
societal development. Currently Pia is a leader of the first Swedish policy lab
Förnyelselabbet.
