From Theory to Practice: Creating a Toolkit for Engaged Design

Abstract

Researchers and designers alike have called for more inclusive and participatory approaches to be used within design. By first exploring the work of researchers designing with older adults living with dementia and expanding to a more robust literature review surrounding inclusion in design, I found that the literature not only suggests that design could benefit from an integration of interdisciplinary knowledge, critical reflection of methods and intentional interaction with users, but also presents theories for doing so. This project condenses four of those theories into key principles, and uses them to present a framework of Engaged Design, a mindset intended to helps designers prioritize critical reflection of their processes in order to interact more meaningfully with their users.