Author:

Keywords:

children, co-design, participatory design, group dynamics, co-design dynamics, design progress

Abstract:

This paper explores problematic co-design dynamics in children, which are defined as a system of intragroup dynamics occurring within a group of at random or purposefully selected children sharing a common design goal. These dynamics impact children’s development of creative solutions in co-design, but have rarely been addressed in literature. Therefore, we set out a multiple case study with 9- to 10-year olds in three elementary schools. Although not an exhaustive list, our in-depth exploration resulted in the following problematic codesign dynamics: the apart together phenomenon, free riding, status inequality, the laughing out loud phenomenon, the greatest common divisor effect and polarization. In further research, we will investigate how to remediate these dynamics into positive forces.