How can we use participatory design strategies and interventions to address civic challenges at scale and support more resilient cities and communities?

Planners, policymakers, courts, and designers are exhorted to “involve the public” in decision-making, but how can this aspiration be made a reality? We will explore methods and case studies of how participatory design can be used for better communities. 

Our design work will focus on housing and urban governance. How can we garner more community input to shape the civic processes driving stable housing, legal protections, climate resilience, and equitable access to public services? How can we facilitate productive dialogue and pair strategy with meaningful interventions? How can we create culture-shifts in how people interact with government agencies and policymakers?

Students will work on a civic design project with a real-world stakeholder, to explore how to apply these methods and case studies. We explore how to go beyond “performative” outreach to move toward genuine community involvement that enhances democracy, justice, and the public interest.

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Teaching Team