Earlier this month I presented at DUX in Chicago on our Mobile Diary method (link to Pdf of paper). The conference theme was on the shifting landscape of design (and our roles within it). I outlined the re-negotiation of conventional processes and boundaries I see occurring in our design process as a result of research methods such as Mobile Diaries. This is because participants generate research ‘data’ themselves (self-reporting) with blogs and mobile devices, in a way similar to that of user generated content or citizen media.
For me this generates some questions in relation to conventional design and research processes, relationships and protocols e.g how do we handle (most effectively) the relationship with our participants/potential community members? Is it data or content that is produced in these projects? Who owns it, the right to use it and to distribute it? Are traditional researcher/participant roles which are based on protection of privacy and the assumption of anonymous data still relevant? What are the opportunities of these types of methods to seriously engage in co-design with participants and communities of users?
In summarising one speaker summed up my pres in the following terms “where does the research end and the community begin”. Personally I think this does pretty well to capture the tangle of questions, ideas, intersections and tensions I for one have only just begun to unravel. Thanks to all the other presenters and attendees who gave feedback and added their thoughts and I look forward to further dialogue…
2 Comments...
I participated in your Human Habitat project and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I like the idea of any content my family and I created being shared so it can in any small way further humankinds investigations into a better existence. However I get the feeling that our/my opinion doesn’t trump the law. So my guess is it comes back to terms, conditions and agreements struck in advance of creating those assets/content.
Hi Marc, first thanks so much for your comment and feedback. You are right of course, it does depend on the kinds of contracts we strike up at the beginning of the process, and, just to be clear we would never breach those without the explicit permission of all stakeholders. Your comment and our other experiences with this kind of method perhaps suggest a need, or rather an opportunity for different types of contracts (and relationships) in the future.