ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces some of the key concepts, including the notion that participation of end users in architectural design can exist across a range of activities, but to ascend the 'ladder of participation' requires planning and support. In such a situation, of course, anybody viewing the images who was not part of either the design team or some wider decision-making team would be unable to exert influence or make contributions which could lead to significant impact on the design itself. The key strand concerns the ways in which the use of digitisation in architecture can in itself be regarded as a major step towards a democratisation of planning and design. The theme of collaboration within design teams has grown in prominence, due perhaps to a wider awareness of the benefits which might accrue in terms of efficiencies, design certainty and project outcomes.
