Collaborative map making: A reflexive method for understanding matters of concern in design research

Abstract

HCI researchers investigating the politics of technology design have recently focused on how design practice can tackle "Matters of Concern" - complex social issues perceived and experienced in multiple ways. These researchers suggest design research can generate new networks of human and non-human actors to express and act on these issues. Prior studies, however, tend to restrict their networks within traditional boundaries (e.g. existing organizations, local communities) and categories (e.g. human/nonhuman binary) without examining their significance for participants. We suggest collaborative map making as a reflexive method for understanding current Matters of Concern from the perspectives of diverse actors, not just researchers. As case studies of the method's use, we present two studies of domestic computing technologies in the US and South Korea, which show how collaborative map making allows salient networks to expand beyond the individual actors in the home to local and global power issues outside of boundaries (e.g. physical house) and categories (e.g. private/public space) commonly recognized in HCI. Our methodology provides HCI researchers with a way to understand existing Matters of Concern, so they can position themselves to address and act on these issues. © 2017 ACM.