ABSTRACT
As design research seeks to understand the needs and behaviors of people in relation to design outcomes, it is critical to examine how design research processes may perpetuate exclusion in the design process. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a methodology that seeks to break cycles of exclusion in the design process. As PAR flexibly guides design researchers to establish collaborative and democratic research practices, it provides limited guidance on approaching more nuanced forms of marginalization in the design process. In an effort to enhance participatory research practices, several design practitioners have developed alternative design frameworks that have a more granular approach on addressing societal oppression and personal bias in design research. This chapter examines how design practitioners translate and modify PAR to achieve more equitable approaches to design research. The chapter focuses on four equity-centered design frameworks that were developed by design practitioners, as well as compares and contrasts the ways that each framework translates PAR into real-world applications. A thematic analysis is conducted to identify the key overarching themes emphasized by each of the four frameworks; compare and contrast the approaches of each framework; and identify how the frameworks may directly support or deviate from each other. The key themes from the thematic analysis include: Identifying Individual Assumptions and Biases, Historical Knowledge Building Through Diverse Perspectives and Dismantling Oppressive Systems, and Power Dynamics: Power in Language, Reflection of Individual Power, and Power in Relationships. The chapter concludes with a call to action: researchers must reflect on their research process, continue adapting the design research processes, and deploy strategies to break the cycle of exclusion in design.
