Engaging stakeholders in Complex Design by using of Symbiosis in Development method.

Conference poster, 2015

The value of cross-disciplinary work and stakeholder involvement is recognized and implemented in healthcare related design processes of new environments. However, the process and results are often described as discontent (Stichler, 2008). Knowledge of the system has been described as a key factor for the success of a design project. A design process should therefore be a learning process together with stakeholders to generate knowledge of the system and design proposals. The changes needed in healthcare are complex to handle as they consist of care processes, delivery, supply processing and distribution, communication, management and the financial system. These complex systems are interrelated, and one change in one part affects the entire organizational systems' structure” (Stichler, 2011). The challenges in healthcare require new healthcare environments. Thus, the design process needs to be developed towards a collaborative design process in which the stakeholders are engaged, and not only involved. In addition, there is a need of more system knowledge as a base for decision-making in the process. This poster presents a methodology developed to deal with complexity and stakeholder engagement in design. By opening up challenges, and understanding complexity, the method attempts to address the root cause of a problem, rather than fighting the symptoms (Bosschaert, 2009). The method, Symbiosis in Development (SiD) consists of five cyclical steps; 1) setting goals, 2) mapping the system, 3) system understanding, 4) route mapping, and 5) evaluating the results. In each step different tools for stakeholder engagement can be used to facilitate cross- disciplinary work between the clients, users, and developers,stakeholders and thereby enabling multi-faceted sustainability innovations. On the poster the methodology and the appropriate tools are illustrated by the case of Zevenkamp, which is an residential care facility in Rotterdam. The result is a is a visual framework that provides designers a different perspective and approach to stakeholder engagement.