Presentation of the participatory design research the social spaces research group is doing for the A Touch of Memory project (ATOM - IBBT ICON). This pres

2. Dementia
progressive cognitive impairment
loss of mind (de-mentia) & loss of self
Invisible & social exclusion
(Kitwood 1997, Hughes 2006)
But, caring beings, involved in day to day care for
ourselves, for other people and our environment.
Relationships in which we are embedded and
sustained.
(Heidegger)

3. a touch of memory (ATOM)
“Creation of intelligent & networked
objects/humans for people with dementia”
See, hear, sniff,...
Recognize patterns
Communicate
Take action
Research – industry - care
2y 4m – funded by IBBT/ICON

4. Starting point of our research
What people know/ personal past
Focus on well being (<> problem solving)
Question of control & autonomy
The role of the created object & trusted others
How can we make appeal to “different” senses

5. Ethnographic study
map daily life (*)
Marginal practices
Inspirational / the other SOTA
Participatory Design
PwD/family/care taker ~ designer
Iterative design & test

6. Ethnographic research
Interviews & observations

7. Marginal practices
User created solutions as design inspirations

8. Participatory design
Methods to incorporate others in design
Levelling of designer and those designed for
Tools to express * often playfull

9. Participatory design
/ consortium
superatoms
/ PwD, family, caretakers

10. / consortium
Negative-positive space

11. / consortium
GPRrrrrrollator
stigma

12. / PwD, family
3 phases/moments
Getting to know each other
Mapping from problems to solutions
Beep - prototype

13. / PwD, family
Taboo & shame
Dementia
Lack of self insight...
Too ambitious/too much/...?

14. / PwD, family
3 phases/moments
Getting to know each other
Mapping from problems to solutions
Beep - prototype

15. / PwD, family
Mapping from problems to solutions
~ Map-it project
A form of play
Clarity > rules & guidelines

16. / PwD, family
Mapping from problem to solutions
a. map out the I + objects persons food
routines tools ...

17. / PwD, family
Mapping from problem to solutions
b. map items from phase 1 on a map of
the place they live

18. / PwD, family
Mapping from problem to solutions
c. Discuss with your partner where
memory loss is affecting this object,
tool, routine,...

19. / PwD, family
Mapping from problem to solutions
d. Solving: MemoryWhispererSuperHero

20. / PwD, family
Mapping from problem to solutions
e. Back to objects, persons, routines... of
phase 1 > their role + the fact they can
get networked + sensory output

21. / PwD, family
BEEP
On the spot testing out & reshaping it
Low tech/high fun

22. to conclude
Complex topic/complex end users (better designer)
Demands for complex -well thought out method
The end design = method used
Each context > re-furbishing of the method

23. thank you.
nielshendriks@gmail.com
socialspaces.be
twitter.com/nielshendriks