IN-PERSON Barcelona. Section A
Abstract
Studies have indicated the benefits of strong intergenerational connectedness to the wellbeing of children and adults, especially the elderly. Technological designs have, therefore, been explored and developed for improving intergenerational connectedness. Although empirical studies of such designs in the past two decades have engaged families in their participatory design research (PDR), previous reviews in the related context indicate a lack of engagement of participants in the generative stage as design partner. Co-design has been a feasible method of PDR, since it emphasizes people’s direct, collective contributions to the design ideas throughout the developing process. This review study aims to identify empirical studies that have adopted a co-design approach with family members of different generations (i.e., (grand)parents and children, and collateral relations) to design technological artifacts for enhancing intergenerational connectedness in a family. By organising the literature, this paper provides insights into the existing methodological considerations and workshop experiences of co-designing with families for mediating their social connectedness. The focus of the review is on the issues design researchers encountered throughout the co-design processes. The paper suggests the factors we need to pay attention to for better conducting co-design activities with families in PDR to devise technologies for intergenerational connectedness.
Kin Wai Michael Siu is Associate Dean (Research), Eric C. Yim Professor in Inclusive Design, and Chair Professor of Public Design, School of Design, PolyU. He is the Leader of the Public Design Lab. He has been invited by a number of universities as a visiting professor and scholar, including the University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Fulbright Scholar), National University of Singapore (ASIA Fellow), UC Berkeley, Tsinghua University, CAFA, and Wuhan University of Technology. His research areas are public design, inclusive design, and participatory design.
Ines Ziyou YIN is a Ph.D. student at the Public Design Lab, School of Design, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She earned an MA in User Experience Design in 2022 from the University of the Arts London, London, UK. She previously worked as an Assistant Instructor at the BNU-HKBU United International College, Zhuhai, China until December 2022. Her research interests are participatory design, speculative design, interpersonal connectedness, and design for the pluriverse.
Izzy Yi Jian is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies at the Education University of Hong Kong, and the Director of Happy Ageing Lab Foundation. Dr Jian came from an Architecture background and earned her Ph.D. from the Department of Building and Real Estate, and Research Institute of Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research and teaching interests include spatial justice, public open space, inclusive/age-friendly design, community engagement, and geomedia.
9:00 am - 10:30 am
Tuesday 16th July, 2024