BIB_07: Spinuzzi, C. (2005). The methodology of participatory design. Technical Communication, 52(2), 163-174.

In this article, Spinuzzi argues that participatory design is research for it has "its own highly articulated methodological orientation, methods, and techniques" (p. 163). Spinuzzi provides a brief history of participatory design, which originated in Scandinavia and adopted in the U.S. He argues that the object of participatory design as a research methodology is user's knowledge, a kind of tacit knowledge, which is "implicit rather than explicit, holistic rather than bounded and systematized" (p. 165). Based on his understanding of user's knowledge, Spinuzzi describes participatory design as a methodology in terms of its paradigm, research design, and methods. Its paradigm is constructive in nature. The research design is characterized with heavy interaction between the designer and the user, as well as observation and artifact analysis. The three stages of research are summarized as initial exploration of work, discovery processes, and prototyping (p. 167). The methods applied correspond to these three stages. He also discusses the limitations of participatory design, which include emphasizes functional empowerment over democratic empowerment in its later development, the issue of rigor, and practical limitations.

Spinuzzi's piece is a good summarizing article for participatory design as a methodology. He has made a good case by laying out the essential elements in participatory design that define a methodology. Some concepts are especially useful. These include the idea of "tacit knowledge" and metis, or cunning intelligence. The recognition of the user's knowledge is at once functional and empowering.