More and more people are using the internet to access various societal functions. In recent years, municipalities and private enterprises have increasingly begun to explore and develop internet-based services to support public health in general and to disseminate health information in particular. This compilation thesis consists of four articles that explore and provide different perspectives on the design and implementation of new online youth counselling services for public organisations and social services, working with counselling and health information for young people. Ethnographic methods, and materials from two empirical settings, have been used to investigate how aspects of design and participation can serve to empower both potential young users and counsellors as stakeholders in the design projects. An important secondary focus is how mechanisms of empowerment play out in the design of online counselling services targeting young people. The notion of empowerment is addressed in terms of empowerment through design, focusing on normative expectations regarding young people as users of online youth counselling, as well as how to work with norms and norm-critical perspectives in the design and development of user interfaces. Another aspect of empowerment concerns participation, here seeking an increased understanding of the processes, practices and shifting roles involved in engaging professionals and young users as participants in a design project. In order to address these interrelated areas of inquiry, an eclectic theoretical and methodological approach has been used to study design in practice. An ethnomethodological approach unpacks how the participants relate to and reflect upon the design projects under study, highlighting aspects of empowerment and user agency. In addition, a sociocultural perspective on communities of practice and participation is used to increase the understanding of what it means to be a participant in participatory design projects. The findings show how embedded social norms and values have implications for users’ identities as presented in the digital design of online youth counselling services. The findings also reveal ways in which user empowerment is facilitated but also restricted by the design of youth counselling e-services, including not only the designed multimodal features of such services, but also the norms that guide usage. The studies also address the outcomes of technological change and the implementation of sociotechnical systems and services for the professionals involved in design projects. Here the studies provide knowledge about the forms of practical reasoning the counsellors engage in when anticipating work-related issues associated with the new technology and how they might deal with potential challenges. Finally, the findings show how participation in a design project may enable the development of new forms of communities of practice in which the participants and their roles and participation status change as the organisation changes.

In this essay, I go through the different parts that compile my degree project. I have explored the power of graphic design for educational purposes. During my process, I have found a new area of graphic design, respectful design. Something that can be briefly described as design created with the greatest reverence for conveying a difficult subject without diminishing the affected person behind. An approach where one works closely with the involved and frequently checks in, so that nothing is portrayed incorrectly. This along with the constant search for information makes up the basics of respectful design. The disease ME has finally begun to be talked about in society. But the way the disease is portrayed can be argued as incorrect in relation to the bigger picture. As a graphic designer I have analyzed the problem and worked out a possible solution. My conclusion is that strong colors mixed with melancholy and straightforward information can make the subject less heavy and easier to handle. This can open the senses to problem solving and understanding instead of stopping at pity. The aim of the project has been to get away from these dark quilts that the media has placed on us. The goal was to create something that does not hide the awfulness of the disease but informs in a more fun and more inviting way. I strongly believe that graphic design can reduce the social stigma around a topic if done properly. When life is the toughest it has helped me and (after the response of the exhibition) others to learn more about our disease. Above all, if more people know more about the disease, ME- patients will get help. Hopefully society will open it’s arms so that no more people are forced to choose suicide. / I denna uppsats går jag igenom de olika delarna som sammanställer mitt examensprojekt. Jag har i grunden utforskat kraften av grafisk design i utbildningssyfte. Under min process har jag kommit fram till ett nytt område inom grafisk design, respektfull design. Detta går kort att beskriva som design utformat med största vördnad inför att förmedla ett svårt ämne utan att förminska den drabbade människan bakom. Respektfull design innebär att man jobbar nära med inblandade, kollar av hela tiden så att inget porträtteras felaktigt och läser på om ämnet så långt det går. Sjukdomen ME har äntligen börjat talas om i samhället. Men sättet sjukdomen porträtteras kan argumenteras som svartvitt och felaktigt gentemot helhetsbilden. Som grafisk designer har jag analyserat problemet och jobbat fram en möjlig lösning. Min slutsats är att starka färger blandat med melankolisk och rak information kan göra ämnet mindre tungt och mer lätthanterligt. Detta kan öppna sinnena för problemlösning och förståelse istället för att stanna vid medlidande. Syftet med projektet har varit att komma ifrån detta mörk täcke som media lagt över oss. Målet var att skapa något som inte döljer det hemska med sjukdomen men informerar på ett roligare och mer inbjudande sätt. Jag tror stark på att grafisk design kan minska det sociala stigmat runt ett ämne om det görs på rätt sätt. När livet är som tuffast har det hjälpt mig och (efter respons av utställningen) också andra med att utbilda och läsa på. Framför allt om fler vet mer om sjukdomen kommer det att gå att få bättre hjälp. Förhoppningvis öppnar samhället sina armar så att inte fler tvingas till att välja självmord.