In collaboration with a live action role-play community in Copenhagen that hosts events for children, we designed an app to make the event check-in queues more efficient and less stressful for the volunteers.
Participatory Design
We approached this project though principles of participatory design, a methodology that seeks to involve all stakeholders as active co-creators in the design process rather than passive feedback sources. Our objective as designers was to learn the realities of the users' situation while the users' was to articulate their desired aims and learn appropriate technological means to obtain them (Simonsen et al., 2013).
Participation & Workshops
We observed, interviewed, and collaborated closely with the community through three phases. In the first phase we gained insights about the community in though interviews, visiting the community in their clubhouse, and participating in a live-action role-play. In the second phase we held a workshop to identify, express, and prioritize problems with the volunteers. I the third phase, we collectively reflected about solutions and possible futures through an enactment workshop. By participating in the volunteers practices and engaging them in design workshops, we uncovered key pain points in the check-in process and co-developed a solution rooted in their everyday practices.
Results
The result was a simplified check-in concept. While the early stage prototype may not be groundbreaking in its form, its strength lies in how well it responds to the real, situated needs expressed by the volunteers. At its core a QR-code feature generated upon sign-up, enabling volunteers to scan participants quickly and reduce friction before events.
The app also provides a clear overview of upcoming events, a calendar view, making sign-ups and passes easy to manage for parents and volunteers alike. Parents, who would also use the app were identified as key co-creator for future iterations.
