The performativity of design participatory design of new practices

Abstract

This paper will discuss consequences of different theoretical approaches to practical design work. A special concern is to understand group- and teamwork from the perspective of language and speech-act analysis - in contrast to the perspective of behavior and performance. Does focus on language give us the understandings we need for building up a good co-operation in design teams? The paper questions if focus on language can give us understanding of hidden and underlying phenomena that have relevance to design work. How can we capture nonverbal resistance md power games in design groups? The notion of performativity used in anthropology, sociology and cultural history is discussed as a tool to capture the situational adjustment, resistance, display and evaluation that normally have influence on collective co-operation.