Participatory design process engaging intergenerational cohorts: using value elicitation to co-create interactive media experience

Pialorsi, V

Abstract

This thesis explores the inclusive design challenges of engaging intergenerational participants (IGP) in a participatory design process. The IGP comprise a paired generation, grandparent (aged 65 and over) and grandchild (4-6-years-old), leveraging their pre-existing relationship. Overarching research questions aim at exploring how to adequately reflect IGP voices and values in interactive media products intended for them; and how to integrate new and effective methodologies and tools for co-engaging the two generations between themselves with enhanced creativity in design processes.
Under the scheme of an industry-based Ph.D. programme, the investigation is phased with three probing projects building towards the fourth main project, conducted in close collaboration with small-scale and large-scale media companies anchored in the Northwest region of England. For the fourth project, a unique data set is drawn from participatory design sessions in the form of ethnographic documents (e.g., fieldnotes), video corpus, text data, and artifacts acquired and co-created during 8 months of face-to-face and virtual participatory sessions with IGP. Data were analysed applying methods such as video coding and thematic and axial analysis across multiple documentation. The main findings are synthesized and presented as: 1) interaction patterns between two age groups when either sharing or co-creating interactive media experiences; 2) a set of IGP values elicited through storytelling-based methods in participatory activities; 3) a values-led model to predict IGP psychological processes guiding their shared media experiences; and 4) a set of methodological recommendations and criteria to engage younger and older citizens together, in participatory design processes. The resulting data highlight IGP’s interaction patterns that are centered around purpose sharing, collaboration, fun-seeking, helping each other, and mutual assurance. It also highlights that IGP place a high value on being safe, autonomous, and competent in shared media experiences. The main output is a values-led to comprehend intergenerational interactions and a methodological guide consisting of a list of recommendations on how to engage IGP in participatory design processes, aimed at designers or researchers working with intergenerational cohorts.
The research contributes to social awareness by systemically modeling IGP’s underlying values and interaction dynamics while informing values-led design practices in the media industry. Further design and research hypotheses can be generated using the model to facilitate and promote positive interaction behaviours and IGP’s wellbeing. This research also contributes to strengthening participatory design methodologies through interdisciplinary research approaches with the theoretical underpinning from personal construct psychology (PCP) applied to data analysis and modeling in this work.

Citation

Pialorsi, V. Participatory design process engaging intergenerational cohorts: using value elicitation to co-create interactive media experience. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 13, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 13, 2022
• Award Date: Feb 1, 2022