School of Design, Northumbria University
Apply by January 28, 2018

This research looks to explore the impacts that being part of a co-design process has on a co-designer’s wellbeing, and how that could and should be managed in a design context.

https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=92638

In recent decades, Designers have moved from designing for people to designing with people. Designers have adopted new roles that allow the stakeholders of an issue to play a central part in the design of a solution. Co-design is seen as a valuable approach to derive: improved knowledge of users’ needs, higher quality ideas, and, more successful innovations.

When designing for socially-constructed issues, such as health and welfare services, co-designers are often ‘experts by experience’, and can have complex lives. These stakeholders are then asked to take a major role in the design of services; a process that is creative, flattens hierarchies and creates tangible change, but also involves ambiguity, uncertainty and the management of complexity. As a result, being involved in a design process has the opportunity to both positively and negatively impact on a co-designer’s wellbeing.

Recent research has found that acting as a co-designer can have multiple impacts on wellbeing, and that researchers and practitioners need to extend their knowledge of these impacts to maximise benefits and mitigate against risks.

This research looks to explore the impacts that being part of a co-design process has on a co-designer’s wellbeing, and how that could and should be managed in a design context. Initial research questions may include:
• What are the impacts of the co-design activity on co-designers’ wellbeing?
• How does this differ at various stages of the co-design process?
• How do these impacts link to different types of capital and value?
• What is the best way to support co-designers’ wellbeing at different stages of the process?
• What can we learn from other wellbeing support that can be translated and adapted to co-design contexts?

For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see:
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/

Dr. Laura Warwick FRSA, FHEA
Senior Lecturer, Design for Industry
University of Northumbria