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

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