royal college of arts - method labs - on participatory design & dementia

Dementiaprogressive cognitive impairmentloss 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)

a touch of memory (ATOM)“Creation of intelligent & networked objects/humans for people with dementia”

See, hear, sniff,...Recognize patternsCommunicate Take action

Research – industry - care

2y 4m – funded by IBBT/ICON

Starting point of our researchWhat people know/ personal pastFocus on well being (<> problem solving)Question of control & autonomyThe role of the created object & trusted othersHow can we make appeal to “different” senses

Ethnographic study map daily life (*)

Marginal practicesInspirational / the other SOTA

Participatory DesignPwD/family/care taker ~ designer

Iterative design & test

Ethnographic researchInterviews & observations

Marginal practicesUser created solutions as design inspirations

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

Participatory design/ consortium

superatoms/ PwD, family, caretakers

/ consortiumNegative-positive space

/ consortiumGPRrrrrrollatorstigma

/ PwD, family3 phases/moments

Getting to know each otherMapping from problems to solutionsBeep - prototype

/ PwD, familyTaboo & shameDementia Lack of self insight...Too ambitious/too much/...?

/ PwD, family3 phases/moments

Getting to know each otherMapping from problems to solutionsBeep - prototype

/ PwD, familyMapping from problems to solutions~ Map-it project

A form of playClarity > rules & guidelines

/ PwD, familyMapping from problem to solutions

a. map out the I + objects persons food routines tools ...

/ PwD, familyMapping from problem to solutions

b. map items from phase 1 on a map of the place they live

/ PwD, familyMapping from problem to solutions

c. Discuss with your partner where memory loss is affecting this object, tool, routine,...

/ PwD, familyMapping from problem to solutions

d. Solving: MemoryWhispererSuperHero

/ PwD, familyMapping from problem to solutions

e. Back to objects, persons, routines... of phase 1 > their role + the fact they can get networked + sensory output

/ PwD, familyBEEP

On the spot testing out & reshaping itLow tech/high fun

to concludeComplex topic/complex end users (better designer)Demands for complex -well thought out methodThe end design = method usedEach context > re-furbishing of the method

thank you.

nielshendriks@gmail.comsocialspaces.be

twitter.com/nielshendriks