Introduction

Abstract

Participatory design is hands-on democracy in action. It is up close. It is personal. It is grounded in the everyday places and lives of people. For over half a century it has guided us in understanding communities, honoring difference, creating vibrant neighborhoods and ecosystems, challenging environmental injustice, and fostering citizenship. Yet, in spite of our creative potential as designers, we tend to draw upon the same palette of techniques that were developed 50 years ago, without adapting or innovating for the contexts we now encounter. This complacency has come at a cost. Familiar techniques are now rote and stagnant. Formalized and calcified into contemporary practice, they offer predictability for clients but hold little promise for grassroots community transformation.