Expanding participation. Participatory design in technology agenda-setting

Involving laypersons very early in research and innovation (R&I) processes is a particular and inherent characteristic of participatory design, PD. Within our research project Shaping Future, we applied this key feature and developed a methodology for the purpose of setting need-oriented research agendas in the field of human-machine interaction. Our current results suggest that methods of participatory design can be invaluable for co-determining research trajectories and co-setting research agendas. By promoting interaction on equal terms and transcending terminology barriers, these methods can help re-orient science and technology development toward public preference. In view of the dynamic evolution of participatory design, our project can help uncover new research fields and develop new approaches to technology development. This paper presents our theoretical framework, the process design and the developed methodology, giving insights in the interdisciplinary evaluation of generated data.