Designing with Immigrants: When emotions run high

Immigration gives rise to global and local changes that challenge social norms and affect our lives. While the phenomenon of immigration has begun to attract the attention of design researchers, the actual input of immigrants on setting the design agenda is marginal. By involving immigrants in design processes, we emphasise designersÕ responsibility for social inclusion. In this context, the research question that we aim address here is how to engage immigrants in participatory design research. To answer this question, we present a comparative study of two research approaches we applied in Helsinki (Finland) while collaborating with immigrants on two design projects. Pursuant to this study, it is our view that design researchers working with immigrants must take into account the question of emotional involvement. As design researchers, we often tackle issues of social responsibility, too often ineffectively; with the necessary support, the contribution of design researchers could be more socially relevant.