Participatory Design Vs Co-Design

Participatory Design Vs Co-Design

Participatory Design and Co-Design are two closely related approaches to design that involve the active engagement of stakeholders, end-users, and other relevant parties in the design process. Both approaches aim to create designs that better meet the needs and preferences of the people who will ultimately use or be affected by them. However, there are some key distinctions between the two. Participatory Design originated in Scandinavia in the 1970s as a way to involve workers in the design of their workplaces and tools, with a focus on democratizing decision-making and empowering users. It often involves a more structured, research-oriented approach, with designers facilitating workshops, interviews, and other activities to gather input and foster collaboration. Co-Design, on the other hand, is a broader term that encompasses various collaborative design practices, including Participatory Design. It emphasizes the creative partnership between designers and non-designers, with all participants contributing their expertise and ideas throughout the design process. Co-Design may be more flexible and informal than Participatory Design, with a greater emphasis on iterative prototyping and experimentation. Despite these differences, both approaches recognize the value of diverse perspectives and seek to create designs that are more responsive to real-world contexts and needs. Fun fact: The term Participatory Design was coined by American computer scientist Michael J. Muller in the 1980s, drawing inspiration from the Scandinavian approach

user-centered design, collaborative design, empathic design, inclusive design, democratic design, Scandinavian design

— Taylor Williams

CITATION : "Taylor Williams. 'Participatory Design Vs Co-Design.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=436327 (Accessed on August 02, 2025)"