In 2009, we, a team of a design researcher and a sociologist launched the
DESIGN.LIVES to conduct design labs for/with different organisations to
coach people how to design participation for social inclusion as well as
designing their own lives. Apart from reflection on teaching and learning
experiences for designers, our constant concern is how we guide active
design-partners to experience design processes as ways to participate in the
politics of choice/self-actualisation. In this paper, we use Giddens’ distinction
of ‘emancipatory/life politics’ to discuss the intentions, processes and results
of our labs. We examined a project that began under the influence of life
politics - providing training to spinal-cord injured patients, enabling them to
explore designing as a life skill - and how the organizer intended to use the
pilot project to influence mainstream design education. We reflected on how
social sciences inform design practices and the quality of participation
through design.
DesignED Asia 2012 Conference
