Service Design Show

A radically different approach to participatory design / Victor Udoewa / Episode #154

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Who doesn't want this... To come up with smart solutions for relevant challenges that are immediately embraced by the end-users.

Well, in this week's episode of the Show, Victor Udoewa shares a radical approach to the design process that increases the chance you'll actually accomplish this.

But first, let's quickly look at why solutions don't get adopted. It's often not due to bad intentions. Many times it has to do with the fact that a wrong judgment call has been made about what's important.

Because as a design professional, you're -implicitly- imposing your ideas, values, and norms onto the process. You are in a strong position of power, whether you like it or not. The problem is that this leads to solutions derived from a single -often mainstream- worldview.  Again, this isn't something that professionals set out to do. It happens because of the nature of the current design process.

So is there something we can do about this? According to Victor, there is! We, starting with the design professional, have to give up power.

The community and the users must lead the design process, from start to end, from top to bottom. But can this truly be done, or is it just wishful thinking? And is there still a role for the professional designer when this happens?

Victor has a thing or two to say about these and some other key questions.

So if you'd also like to work on more meaningful challenges and come to more impactful solutions, click the link below and soak in this inspiring conversation.

It's great to get people on the Show who challenge our common design practices like Victor. And to be able to share these stories with you.

Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact :)

--- [ GUIDE ] ---

00:00 Welcome to episode 154

04:45 Who is Victor
05:30 Lightning round
08:45 The episode take-away
09:45 What is radical participatory design
15:15 Victor's journey
19:15 The benefits
24:00 Barriers to adoption
27:15 The response from the design community
31:45 The role of the design professional
37:45 Where does it start
41:45 The tensions
45:45 What are good challenges
52:45 The evolution
55:45 Taking the first step
1:01:45 A smart hack
1:02:45 What awaits you
1:05:15 Closing thoughts

--- [ LINKS ] ---

  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/udoewa/
  • Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples - https://amzn.to/3yHlYht
  • Research Is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods - https://amzn.to/3ObjtcZ
  • Sand Talk - https://amzn.to/3O4Linp
  • Indigenous Research Methodologies - https://amzn.to/3P6NwEh
  • Applying Indigenous Research Methods: Storying with Peoples and Communities - https://amzn.to/3PcgJxt

    • --- [ BOOKS ] ---

    • Designs for the Pluriverse - https://amzn.to/3P7pDMK
    • Stand Your Ground - https://amzn.to/3RvkvDN
    • Fledgling (fiction, Afrofuturism) - https://amzn.to/3AKbsc9
    • Art of Gathering - https://amzn.to/3IJum4P
    • Black Futures - https://amzn.to/3AWw4Oe
    • Latinx Rising (An anthology) - https://amzn.to/3uLxs2q
    • A Promised Land - https://amzn.to/3PnjDPC
    • His Name Is George Floyd - https://amzn.to/3yGi1cV
    • Soul of a Woman - https://amzn.to/3IBUtdP
    • The Sum of Us - https://amzn.to/3PrGLMV
    • Thinking in Systems - https://amzn.to/3nZoCdN
    • The Bennet Women (fiction) - https://amzn.to/3P908um

      • --- [ HOW TO EXPLAIN SERVICE DESIGN ] ---

      Learn what it takes to get your clients, colleagues, managers, CEOs and even grandmas as excited about service design as you are.

      https://servicedesignshow.com/free-course

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