Democratic design experiments, as explored by Binder, Brandt, Ehn, and Halse (2015), are participatory processes that bridge the boundaries between “parliamentary” and “laboratory” practices. These experiments bring people together to explore and discuss the controversies around a thing or a matter of concern. Instead of aiming at creating products or solving problems, these experiments turn design into public deliberation.
Designers create tools like models, prototypes, or activities to help people engage with the controversy in a meaningful way. What makes these experiments powerful is their focus on opening up the design space for more possibilities, never narrowing them down to the best or less worst. By involving diverse voices, especially those often left out, they allow for fairer, more inclusive design processes. The results of these experiments can go beyond the designs themselves—they can inspire changes in how people think, collaborate, and act.
Democratic design experiments can be understood as a designerly way of making politics. Through their emphasis on collaboration, questioning norms, and exploring possibilities, democratic design experiments actively contribute to social change, positioning design as a political tool for empowerment and transformation.
References
Binder, T., Brandt, E., Ehn, P., & Halse, J. (2015). Democratic design experiments: between parliament and laboratory. CoDesign, 11(3-4), 152-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/15710882.2015.1081248
Angelon, Rafaela and Van Amstel, Frederick M.C. (2021) Monster aesthetics as an expression of decolonizing the design body. Art, Design & Communication in Higher Education, 20(1), pp. 83-102(20). https://doi.org/10.1386/adch_00031_1
