Routledge international handbook of participatory design

The handbook presents participatory design as a family of practices concerned with people’s ability to influence technologies and environments that shape their lives. Its EDI contribution is procedural and political: participation is not merely a technique for gathering feedback but a question of voice, authority and democratic control. The collection offers histories, theories and methods for collaborative inquiry and making across workplaces, communities and public settings. This matters because design teams can claim inclusion while limiting participants to consultation. The handbook helps distinguish levels and forms of participation and supports the design of more equitable collaborations. For EDIDesk, it provides a methodological foundation that connects inclusive design with shared decision-making, while inviting careful attention to representation, compensation and ownership.