This document outlines an agenda for a participatory design jam focused on designing for society. It provides tips for participants, including filling out index cards with their skills and interests and dividing into multidisciplinary teams. It also presents an example design challenge for participants to work on improving travel experiences for wheelchair users. The goal is to design with and for users through creative solutions generated by teamwork and collaboration.

1. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
Design for Society
UX Cambridge 2012
Francis Rowland Mel Findlater David Barker
EMBL-EBI You Can Hub E3
@francisrowland @melfindlater @mcshefferty

2. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
Participatory Design Jam
Photo: Flickr/revdancatt

3. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
“ Design with, not for ”
Facilitation. Translation. Encouragement.
Para-phrasing Jon Kolko, “Wicked Problems”

4. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
The design jam format
(and some tips)
✓ Fill in an index card with your name, your top couple of skills,
and some things you’d like to learn about
✓ Divide into teams (we’ll help you)
✓ Pick a team leader and a speaker
✓ Define a specific problem for your team to work on
✓ No limits: sketches, storyboards, videos, models, role-play...
anything goes!
✓ Keep an eye on the time (but we’ll let you know, too)
✓ Consider using an “elevator pitch” to report at the end

5. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
Design
(one way of looking at the process)

6. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
Agenda
Times are approximate!

7. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
Design challenge
For wheelchair users, travel can often
be a challenging experience.
Problems of technology,
communication, understanding and
physical design have the potential to
turn a simple trip into an expedition.
How can we design better
A wheelchair-accessible roundabout
travel experiences with in Shetland. Photo: Flickr/duncan
wheelchair users and their
personal assistants?

8. Design for Society (UX Cambridge 2012)
Thank you!
Keep in touch
Francis Rowland Mel Findlater David Barker
@francisrowland @melfindlater @mcshefferty