1. General eligibility + the equivalent of English course B in Swedish secondary school.

2. At least 45 credits in one main field.

This course offers an interdisciplinary, critical and constructive understanding of co-design and participatory design (for now on co-design).The course is aimed at forming a basis for reflective practice regarding designing in an for participatory and co-production processes that entail the engagement of different actors in exploring a specific issues, articulating it and collaboratively formulating possible responses.

Through seminars, hands-on workshops and reflective exercises, the course introduces both some hands-on methods and approaches, as well as notions and theoretical framings to support reflection on aspects of power, democracy and representation in participatory design/ co-design processes. The course connects to approaches and topics such as: open, user driven and social innovation, design activism, cultural production, social media, living labs, fab labs, urban planning, products and systems design, situated material interaction, etc.

The course is structured in a series of thematic modules, and intertwined in these the students do smaller co-design activities/interventions in a smaller multidisciplinary group. These activities will be the basis for appropriation and reflection.

Particularly, the practical part of the course focuses on co-design explorations of issues in Malmö together with local stakeholders. These issues are related to the challenges that raise when aiming for social, ecological and economical sustainable development in an urban context.

Each module is composed of one or more lectures, workshops, supervision sessions and seminars.

Lectures mainly focus on: background and history, fundamental theoretical concepts, examples and practical approaches as well as overall ethical and critical issues and concerns.

Workshops mainly focus on: practically trying out core co-design approaches and methods as well as critical discussion of these.

Seminars mainly focus on: in groups students present own experiences of 'co-design activities/intervention' and explore main concepts and 'critical issues' related to the course and module literature.

Supervision happens in smaller groups and is related to the smaller co-design activities/interventions.

After ending the course, the student should be able to:

The course is a combination of lectures, workshops, seminars and smaller PD activities/interventions in multidisciplinary groups of the student's own choice, and individual reflective writing.

The course is assessed through three examinations:

1) Codesign process portfolio: a video presenting the fieldwork and process of the group project, including positive and negative experiences of co-designing with various stakeholders It should be aimed for selected relevant external stakeholders. The following learning outcomes are assessed: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8. (6 credits)

2) Design Thing documentation: a visual and written deliverable that documents the concept and the staging of the final Design Thing. The final Design Thing aims at engaging a broader audience with the findings the groups have been developing in their projects. Moreover, it aims at connecting the practical project work with broader notions and concerns from participatory design/ co-design field. The following learning outcomes are assessed: 2, 3, 5, 8. (6 credits)

3) A final individual written reflection where students will discuss on how co-design relates to their own practice and/or fields of study. Such a reflection should refer both to some insights gained through the group project as well as some theoretical notions presented in the lectures and discussed during the seminars. The following learning outcomes are assessed: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8. (3 credits)

Simonsen, Jesper and Robertson, Toni (eds.) (2013). International Handbook of Participatory Design. Routledge. (280 p)

Ehn, Pelle, Elisabet M. Nilsson, and Richard Topgaard (eds.). (2014). Making Futures: Marginal Notes on Innovation, Design, and Democracy. MIT Press. (340 p)

Eriksen, Mette Agger. (2012). Material Matters in Co-Designing - Formatting & Staging with Participating Materials in Co-design Projects, Events & Situations. PhD dissertation. Malmö University. (selected parts)

Additional literature/teaching material is specified in the course guide.

The University provides students who participate in or who have completed a course with the opportunity to make known their experiences and viewpoints with regards to

the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarize the results of course evaluations as well as informing participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures initiated in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

Swedish title for the course is CoDesign - design, deltagande, demokrati.