Daisy Yoo

A value sensitive action-reflection model: evolving a co-design space with stakeholder and designer prompts

We introduce a design method for evolving a co-design space to support stakeholders untrained in design. Specifically, the purpose of the method is to expand and shape a co-design space so that stakeholders, acting as designers, focus not only on the form and function of a tool being envisioned but also on the social context of its use and values that lie with individuals, groups, and societies. The method introduces value sensitive stakeholder prompts and designer prompts into a co-design process, creating a particular kind of reflection-on-action cycle. The prompts provide a means for bringing empirical data on values and theoretical perspective into the co-design process. We present the method in terms of a general model, the Value Sensitive Action-Reflection Model; place the model within discourse on co-design spaces; and illustrate the model with a discussion of its application in a lo-fi prototyping activity around safety for homeless young people. We conclude with reflections on the model and method.

Envisioning across generations: a multi-lifespan information system for international justice in rwanda

With this research we investigate how to account for multi-generational perspectives in the design of multi-lifespan information systems, particularly in support of long-term peace-building and international justice. We do our work in the context of the publicly available Voices from the Rwanda Tribunal testbed, a historically significant collection of video interviews with personnel from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In the research reported here, we worked with 109 Rwandan adults and youth from perpetrator and survivor communities in three provincial cities in Rwanda (Byumba, Kibuye, and Gisenyi) to understand the potentials and challenges they envision for the interview collection. Participants envisioned five categories of long-term positive outcomes for individuals and society from a multi-lifespan information system for the interview collection; and eight categories of challenges to realize those potential outcomes. In terms of multi-generational perspectives, while adults and youth tended to share an overall vision for the long-term potential of such a system, adults emphasized actionable tasks while youth educational benefits. Based on the findings, we highlight issues for appropriation of multi-lifespan information systems and reflect on our methods for eliciting multi-generational perspectives on information system design in a post-conflict society.

Multi-Lifespan Information System Design in Support of Transitional Justice: Evolving Situated Design Principles for the Long(er) Term

Human societies face some significant problems—such as those tied to limitations of the human psyche, to tears in the social fabric, and to slow-moving natural processes—that defy rapid solution. Correspondingly, information systems that help to address these problems also develop over long(er) periods of time. Yet contemporary research and industry information system design is held to increasingly ambitious project deadlines. Research that engages with long(er) term design processes from diverse perspectives and theoretical orientations is needed. Early efforts of this ilk in the human–computer interaction community can be found around domains such as conflict and postconflict situations, crisis informatics, collapse informatics, cultural heritage and sustainability. The work reported here joins this literature—in the context of recovering from genocide and the development of systems of transitional justice—and draws from the theoretical framing of multilifespan design. Specifically, we report on the first 8 years of a multi-lifespan information system design project—the Voices from the Rwanda Tribunal—to support aspects of transitional justice in Rwanda. We offer a systematic presentation of the project’s design principles and explicate the development of those guiding design principles through our engagement with a set of nine design challenges. We provide design reflections that pertain to information systems for transitional justice, conducting multi-lifespan information system design under shifting socio-political and technical conditions, and engaging with value sensitive design. We conclude with our contributions and open questions.

Probing bus stop for insights on transit co-design

Social computing provides a new way for citizens to engage with their public service. Our research investigates how social computing might support citizens co-design their transit service. We conducted a field study with public transit riders, exploring the issues and controversies that reveal conflicting communities. Our analyses revealed three insights. First, encourage citizens to share what they see as the rationale for current service offerings. Second, encourage citizens to share the consequences of current services and of proposed changes and new designs. Third, focus on producing a shared citizen and service provider understanding of what the goals and mission of the public service should be.

Pause: A Multi-lifespan Design Mechanism

At times, inaction may be a wise course of action. This insight lies at the heart of the design mechanism of pause. In this note, we explore the construct of pause, its rhythms, and nuances of enacting pause. Throughout, we draw on our experience engaging with pause in the multi-lifespan design of information systems for transitional justice. Five rhythms are identified: periodic hiatus, pending future event, responding to the socio-political climate, (temporary) closure, and laying fallow. In addition, we provide heuristics for managing pause and then restarting the design process. We then explore the scalability of pause from longer (e.g., multi-lifespan design) to shorter timeframes. We conclude with reflections on the potential benefits and open questions about pause as a design mechanism.

Designing with Emerging Publics: The Case of Physician-Assisted Suicide

As interactive technologies continue to become pervasive, new opportunities arise for such technologies to be leveraged by wider publics. Yet, in many ways, publics remain a wicked problem that is difficult to characterize. In my PhD thesis, I propose to draw on research through design and value sensitive design to investigate design with emerging publics in the case of physician-assisted suicide, primarily within the USA (the state of Washington) and, for a point of comparison, in The Netherlands.

Collaborative Reflection: A Practice for Enriching Research Partnerships Spanning Culture, Discipline, and Time

All too often, research partnerships are project-driven and short-lived. Multi-lifespan design and other longer-term approaches offer alternative models. In this paper, we contribute one alternative model for cross-boundary research partnerships spanning longer timeframes and offer one best practice: collaborative reflection. Specifically, we provide an in-depth case study of a multi-lifespan design partnership (over nine years and ongoing) between a Rwandan NGO focused on peacebuilding and a US university research group focused on information design theory and method. First, we document our process for conducting a collaborative reflection that seeks balance among the contributors while navigating differences in culture, discipline, experience, and skills. Next, we reflect on five themes: (1) common ground: sensibilities and commitments; (2) trust; (3) research landscape: crossing nations and institutions; (4) research as a healing mechanism; and (5) multi-lifespan design partnership. We conclude with a discussion of overarching considerations for design researchers who engage in cross-boundary research partnership.

Metaphor Cards: A How-to-Guide for Making and Using a Generative Metaphorical Design Toolkit

Generative metaphorical design while rich is possibility, is not easy to do. In response, we have developed Metaphor Cards, a toolkit for supporting metaphorical design thinking. In this pictorial, we introduce Metaphor Cards and provide a how-to-guide for design researchers to make and use their own sets. To demonstrate this process, we provide a case study documenting our development of a set of Metaphor Cards for designing information systems for international justice. We conclude with reflections on the benefits and limitations of the Metaphor Card toolkit and suggestions for how to adapt Metaphor Cards to other domains and technologies.

Time, Temporality, and Slowness: Future Directions for Design Research

A diverse set of research and design initiatives related to time, temporality, and slowness has emerged in the DIS and HCI communities. The goals of this workshop are to: 1. bring together researchers to reflect on conceptual, methodological, and practice-based outcomes and issues and 2. to develop an agenda for future research in this growing area.

Stakeholder Tokens: A Constructive Method for Value Sensitive Design Stakeholder Analysis

Central to a value sensitive design approach is identifying key stakeholders and providing a rationale for their inclusion in the design process. Stakeholder analysis may require extensive conceptual and empirical work. Yet it is often unclear how to effectively do so. This paper introduces a new method for designers to better understand stakeholders and their dynamics -- the Stakeholder Tokens. Stakeholder Tokens present a playful and holistic approach to support stakeholder analyses by engaging hands-on design activities. The Tokens serve a multiplicity of purposes, including (a) generating a more complete set of stakeholders, (b) identifying key stakeholders, and (c) clarifying stakeholder dynamics. To illustrate the method, I report on a case study concerning contemporary issues tied to medical aid-in-dying in the USA, in which the Tokens were used to surface diverse (and often conflicting) stakeholders.