Šerpytytė, R., Pakpour Haji Agha, A., Häkkinen, A., Sekar, B., Bakic, I. A., & Olsson, T. (2024, October). Design Research Artefacts for Knowledge Co-creation with Civil Servants Supporting Migrants: A Case Study. In Proceedings of the 13th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 1-10).
Abstract
Inviting civil servants as research participants can offer unique viewpoints on how people interact with public services. However, to meaningfully involve them in knowledge co-creation calls for methods that are mindful of their workload and positionality. This paper reports a case study where three design research artefacts – mind maps, proto-personas, and notebooks – were applied to co-create knowledge with street-level civil servants who have direct contact with migrants in the City of Espoo in Finland. The diverse artefacts enabled collaborative sensemaking, empathizing, and reflecting on complex concepts such as societal trust and integration. By reflecting on the choices of the artefacts, their design and application in the given context, we share practical learnings for conducting research in the public sector. We emphasize the importance of translational and participatory aspects that such artefacts enable in multi-stakeholder environments.
More information
Involving civil servants in research can provide valuable insights into how people experience public services. But to truly collaborate with them, researchers need to use methods that respect their time and roles. This paper shares a case study from Trust-M’s work at our interaction partner the City of Espoo, Finland, where our researchers worked with civil servants who interact directly with migrants.
Trust-M researchers Rūta, Amir, Anne, Bhuvana, Irena, and Thomas used three creative tools—mind maps, proto-personas, and notebooks—to explore complex topics like trust in society and integration. These tools helped everyone involved to better understand each other’s perspectives and reflect together. By looking at how these tools were designed and used, the study offers practical tips for doing research in the public sector. It also highlights how such tools can support meaningful collaboration between different groups.