Technology to Support Local Democracy
My recent research has centred on the use of situated technologies to support democracy, participation and consultation. Despite a huge increase in the availability of information and new communication channels, many people feel more disconnected than ever from their local and national governments. Although many people have strong opinions, they often feel that nobody is listening. We are exploring how simple technologies in public places can allow people to participate in local democracy as they go about their daily business. Viewpoint, a simple voting device, was successfully trialled in Preston, and will soon be extended into Newcastle.
Engaging Communities in Design
An underlying theme in much of my research is engaging with communities to design interactive systems that are relevant and meaningful. This typically involves building long-term relationships with communities to design for their specific needs. Examples of this are long-term engagement with Wray, a village in North West England where numerous public display prototypes were iteratively developed over a period of four years, and the Bespoke project, which used journalism to inform the design of customised digital interventions in the Callon and Fishwick areas of Preston.
Projects: WrayDisplay, Bespoke
Community Displays
My PhD research explored the use of public situated displays to support communities by making community-centred content visible in public spaces. Over a four year period, we developed a series of prototype displays with residents in Wray, starting with a simple display for sharing photos and evolving into a digital noticeboard for sharing local content ranging from historical photos to upcoming events. These simple technologies allowed the entire community to access digital content, regardless of their technical experience.
Projects: WrayDisplay, CASIDE