12th Participatory Design Conf: Embracing New Territories of Participation (Aug 2012, Denmark)

Location: Roskilde, Denmark
Dates: 12-16 August 2012
Website: http://www.pdc2012.org
Deadline for abstract submission: 15 Jan 2012

With firm roots in the original Participatory Design focus on involving people in the introduction of technology into their work, the theme of the next PDC conference invites us to explore traditional fields of participatory design as well as emerging areas, field, arenas and forms of participation.
Skilled workers are still participating in design processes aiming at developing tools for quality of working life, but designing for everyday life poses new challenges for the way participation is practiced and understood. Today we are designing engaging experiences not only through participation but also for participation.

New “Do-It-Yourself” technologies change the way we perceive the end-user in the design process and the availability of open source software and hardware tools kits such as electronics prototyping platform enable people to produce their own applications, and thereby extend the design process into use. What we used to understand as end-users become designers hereby dissolving the boundaries between use and designing, and challenges our general understanding of users as participants in the design process. By deliberately embracing new territories we invite you not only to explore traditional fields of participatory design but also address what participation could offer in the broad and expanding design contexts.

Important dates

January 15, 2012, 11 pm PDT (Pacific Daylight Time): Submission of title and abstract (used to match reviewers)
February 3 2012: Submission deadline all categories (NOT to be extended)
May 1, 2012: Notification to authors
June 1, 2012: Submission of final version
August 12-16, 2012: Conference in Roskilde DK

Submission categories

Research papers: (full paper ­ maximum 10 pages) Research papers should report on research, which furthers advances Participatory Design. Research papers will be published in the ACM International Conference series. Each submitted paper will be double blind reviewed by at least 3 reviewers. Please make sure submissions are anonymous. Accepted papers should be revised according to the review reports and the language should be checked by a native English speaker.

Exploratory papers: (short paper ­ maximum 4 pages) Exploratory papers should present ideas that could benefit from discussion with members of the Participatory Design community. These papers may include work-in-progress, experiences of reflective practitioners, and first drafts of novel approaches or theoretical reflections. Each submitted paper will be double blind reviewed by at least 3 reviewers. Please make sure submissions are anonymous.

Interactive workshops: (maximum 2 pages) The workshop proposal should describe half day or full day sessions on topics that include methods, practices, and other areas of interest and that support an interactive format where active participation beyond presentation is solicited. The proposal must justify the need for the workshop and should contain a title, goals, technique, relevance to Participatory Design and a schedule. Intended participants and how they will be recruited should also be described.

Industry Cases: (2-4 page case description) Industry Cases should report on the use of participatory design (PD) methods, tools, and/or practices within commercial, non-profit, or governmental organizations.  Cases should highlight the benefits, challenges, and outcomes from the application of PD and should provide concrete lessons for others who are interested in applying PD in their organizations. Each submitted case will be double blind reviewed by at least 3 reviewers. Please make sure submissions are anonymous.

Organization Committee

General chair
Jesper Simonsen, Roskilde University, Denmark
Program chair
Kim Halskov, Aarhus University, Denmark
Yanki Lee, Royal College of Art, London, GB
Heike Winschiers-Theophilus, Windhoek, Polytechnic of Namibia
Exploratory paper co-chairs
Ole Sejer Iversen, Aarhus University, Denmark
Monika Büscher, Lancaster University, GB
Workshop co-chairs
Eva Brandt, The Danish Design School, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tuuli Mattalmäki, University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland
Industry cases co-chairs
Thomas Binder, The Danish Design School, Copenhagen, Denmark
Jeanette Blomberg, IBM Almaden Research Center, US
Publication chair
Keld Bødker, Roskilde University, Denmark

For more information, please visit http://www.pdc2012.org