This thesis presents a participatory systems design framework for the design of a nuclear power plant. The work begins with a review of the so-called ‘nuclear renaissance’, the risks posed by nuclear power as calculated by experts, how the lay-person perceives such risks and how participatory approaches have been used to reduce opposition to new developments in other industries. The review identifies two key questions; firstly, can the public be engaged on the topic of aspects of nuclear plant design and provide meaningful responses? Secondly, can these responses be integrated into the design process of a nuclear power plant in a meaningful and practicable way? A representative sample of UK citizens (n=1304) were asked 10 questions on their underlying view of nuclear power and then 12 questions covering different aspects of nuclear design in a questionnaire. This data provides a first understanding of what the UK public might desire from the design of a nuclear power plant. Statistical analysis using asymmetric Somer’s D suggests that whilst design preferences relating to nuclear fuel and waste are driven to some extent by underlying views, design preferences relating to reactor design are not. Further research is required to explore and validate this finding. A new framework for the design of a nuclear plant is documented. A modified Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method is used to combine sets of requirements from different stakeholders and produce a system level specification of a nuclear power plant. The modified method allows requirements from different stakeholders to be individually weighted, resulting in a graphical output showing how different stakeholders have influenced the design specifications. An example set of stakeholders requirements, including those gathered from the UK public as described above, are developed in a case study that demonstrates how the framework can be used to develop plant designs. An analysis of how this work might impact both Rolls-Royce and the broader nuclear industry is presented and themes relating to lean manufacturing and the combination of standardised modules into customised systems (Standardised Customisation) is proposed. Finally, an overview of opportunities for future research is presented.

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Designing in a world of cultural diversity demands a break from traditionally Western-centric paradigms. This project explores a more respectful approach to design, deeply rooted in participatory methodologies and acknowledging the coexistence of diverse realities—a "pluriverse." The research journey delves into the complexities of participatory and decolonizing design, emphasizing the importance of recognizing multiple worldviews. The ongoing development of the CHAMPS cultural heritage mapping platform stands as a testament to these principles in action. The Kuching, Sarawak community in Malaysia actively participated, enriching the platform with their unique insights and lived experiences. The culmination of this work offers a reflection on design that bridges theory with hands-on practice, emphasizing cultural respect and inclusivity.

The research question for this study is “What different design guidelines can be distilledfrom teachers in a distance education organization when they are tasked to imagine theinterface for synchronous video communication with students”. Previous research hasshown that live streaming technologies are a viable option for students but more research isneeded with the teacher perspective. By employing qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews and holding a participatory design workshop with teachers atdistance learning facilitator in Sweden this study argues that an online learning platformshould be designed with social media aspects in mind, the ability to hold teacher-heldlectures on a regular basis, present different modes of participation in order to improveonline distance learning. The author suggests that more studies with the teacherperspective in mind should be conducted to further improve the understanding of teachers’needs in an online distance-learning environment.

How could public institutions like art museums open up a conversation with their audience? The intent of the project was to explore the influence and potential of digitalization in the physical space of a non-commercial public institution, if the audience and the institution would both benefit from technology, if the political structure of the institution would become more democratic and if the audience would take the initiative and be willing to generate their own voice in the institution. The project took an explorative approach starting with questioning the status-quo, understanding the design context, analyzing, proposing and validating design directions in the end. The result was considered as the very first proposal and suggestion of how art museums could keep themselves relevant in the digital era. The result is a service called <open studio>. It enables visitors to contribute to and interact with a virtual exhibition constructed by the creations they made in workshop programs in the art museum. It provides an overtime engagement with the visitors by illustrating the invisible dimension of time in tangible creations on a digital canvas. Project website: http://www.openstudio.io

The start point of this project is the research of single person household. According to a presentation from the Swedish government, in Sweden, the family structure is changing as time goes by. After 40 years, there will be more than 40% of household are single person households. In addition, The project aims to create a sharing furniture, which used in living room, for young single person households. By using this furniture, they can enjoy the time being alone at home and also enjoy the leisure time with others, for example, through the Swedish social phenomena - fika. The delineation of study and research of my project is furniture design towards single person households and fika. The theories I applied include sustainability, life cycle, human needs, and design methodologies. Sustainable design put sustainable development theory into the design process, let the ecological environment and economic development connected as an the reciprocal causation. It lead to the use of energy resources effectively, and reduce the environmental pollution to the lower degree. To achieve sustainable design theory, each steps within product life cycle need to be considered in a sustainable development way. Sustainable design principles not only refer to the design process, also stressed in engineering process, the production process, the sales process, the use process, the storage process, the maintenance/repair process and retirement process, to reduce resource consumption, to build a new production and consumption oriented concepts to achieve sustainable design. The main practical methodology within the entire project and process is participatory design. Participatory design encourages all the users to directly design by using the simple tools, then do creative jobs by themselves and make own improvements during the process of practice. Furthermore, the participatory design can promote the users to realize the true value of designers, and finally they can also enjoy the conveniences which are brought by these designs.

I have worked together with three Swedish families with small children, focusing on their intrinsic goals as a way to increase well-being in their everyday life.  I have designed ceremonial objects for the families to use to create their own ceremony, as a way to practice togetherness by being more present in the moment. These objects are made in a do-it-yourself manner so that other people can make their own objects from the instructions.  By practicing togetherness people can have an entry way for focusing more on what they actually want and need, on a personal level, but it could also cause a ripple effect and support a more sustainable society, both socially and environmentally.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:23:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nivaldo Aureo Nascimento da Silva.pdf: 958487 bytes, checksum: 5a6911a8c0561874f0f322e67a204812 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-03 / There is no area of contemporary life where design is not a significant factor in shaping human experience. Such power demands design to move beyond its traditional disciplines, assuming responsibility for larger issues, at the system level, that comes from the very massive use of its products. To meet these challenges, design stretches towards other areas of knowledge, exploring its integrative discipline potential to promote creativity and innovation among interdisciplinary groups. This dissertation results of a research over the possible shapes of integration between design and non designers, based on authors Clay Spinuzzi and Elizabeth Sanders, that present us participatory design, John Chris Jones, Tim Brown and Richard Buchanan, from design thinking, and a case study that investigates how such collaboration takes place when supported by networked IT. The research revealed that collaboration can happen in two ways. One brings the non designer to participate in design projects which they are to be beneficiaries. The other delivers design ways of thinking and working to be applied in other areas as a tool for creativity and innovation. Both can benefit from using digital media to amplify collaboration, provided there is a process aware management directing contributions. One way or another, design grows as integrative discipline and tool for innovation. And designers learn a new role, as facilitator of interdisciplinary projects of any kind / Não há área na vida contemporânea em que o design não seja fator significante na formação da experiência humana. Tal poder exige que o design vá além de suas disciplinas tradicionais, assumindo responsabilidade sobre questões maiores, sistêmicas, que surgem da própria aplicação massiva de seus produtos. Para responder a tais desafios o design se estende em direção a outras áreas de conhecimento e atuação, explorando seu potencial como disciplina integrativa para promover a criatividade e inovação em grupos interdisciplinares. Esta dissertação é resultado de uma pesquisa sobre as possíveis formas de integração entre o design e não designers, com base nos autores Clay Spinuzzi e Elizabeth Sanders, que nos apresentam o design participativo, John Chris Jones, Tim Brown e Richard Buchanan, do design thinking, e ainda um estudo de caso que investiga como tal colaboração acontece quando mediada por tecnologias da informação e comunicação em rede. A pesquisa revelou que a colaboração pode acontecer em duas vias. Uma traz o não designer para participar ativamente em projetos de design do qual será beneficiado. E outra leva os modos de pensar e trabalhar do design para serem aplicados em outras áreas como ferramenta de criatividade e inovação. Ambas podem se beneficiar do uso de meios digitais para ampliar a colaboração, desde que haja uma gestão consciente do processo direcionando as contribuições. Por uma via ou outra, o design ganha força como disciplina integrativa e ferramenta para inovação. E os designers aprendem a desempenhar um novo papel, o de facilitador em projetos interdisciplinares de qualquer natureza

<p>The last few years a lot of media air time has been devoted to training, sports, health and weightloss on a more personal level then before. The new media arena is beeing used at its´ maximumto broadcast wievs on how we should eat, look, exercise and live. This thesis is trying to makebetter understanding on what people in general think is important when it comes to physicaltraining and motivation with the aid of digital media and IT systems. The thesis describes aworkshop that was conducted within the frames of Participatory Design and the outcome of thatworkshop. The workshop was conducted with a group of lead users (in this case instructors at avery large fitness center in Umeå, Sweden) and the main question was ”How can IT be used toachive a positive effect on physical exercise if motivation is the focus?”. Data was collectedduring both a future workshop and an analysis of a digital media production prototype, andcould be seen as two qualitative studies. The outcome of these studies shows three interestingareas where motivation aided by IT is importat. Primarily it is through the experience of theclass. Through flow and mindfulness. Secondarily motivation can be aided by IT in the field ofresult analysis. As a final arena motivation could also be aided by IT through informationsharing between the finess center and the class participants.</p>

Meat is both a sensitive and current subject with daily reports on its environmental affects, animal well-being and our health. Meat consumption in Sweden has risen with around 40 percent since 1990 and the carbon footprint from the meat industry is today almost as big as the carbon footprint from all cars, boats, train and airplanes together. Despite numerous reports from various government departments and researchers, there are very few policies and instruments in how meat consumption can be reduced.  Meat &amp; Talk explores how food design can be used as a medium to create discussions and reflections, as well as how it can be used to encourage a change in behaviour and to affect policy making. During the project a participatory design approach have been used and several food events have been carried out including both consumers and politicians. The events have been designed differently using different methods such as evoke emotions, provoke, materialise statistics and empower and guide the participants to reduce their meat consumption. The focus has been on the emotional aspects of eating meat, including norms, status and culture. The project has been both exploratory and experimental and is positioned in between several different design fields and art movements. Probes have been used throughout the process in order to get reactions and responses from the participants.  Through the activities during the project, a workshop format has developed proposing a national tour involving politicians and officials within municipalities. The aim is to visualise issues with meat consumption, get meat on the political agenda and discuss future possibilities for each municipality.