Pattern Languages in Participatory Design

Abstract

In recent years the Human-Computer Interaction community has witnessed a growing interest in the use of design patterns and pattern languages, a representation for design knowledge based on the work of the architect Christopher Alexander. In this paper, we re-examine Alexander’s work, highlighting his participatory approach to design, his use of patterns in design generation and his ethical commitment to designing life-enhancing artefacts. Based on this review, we report on three studies exploring the use of pattern languages as tools to support a participatory approach to interactive systems design. Our results suggest that pattern languages can enable users to participate in a generative design process but that issues of form and facilitation need careful consideration.