Democratizing Making: Scaffolding Participation Using e-Waste to Engage Under-resourced Communities in Technology Design

TL;DR

This study explores how under-resourced communities can use e-waste maker practices to actively participate in technology design, fostering empowerment and community value through participatory workshops and a generative toolkit.

Contribution

It introduces a novel participatory approach using e-waste to engage low-SES communities in technology design, highlighting strategies for scaffolding their participation.

Findings

Participants balanced personal and community needs in making.

E-waste toolkit enabled novel, value-creating prototypes.

Strategies for engaging under-resourced communities in making.

Abstract

Maker culture and DIY practices are central to democratizing the design of technology; enabling non-designers (future end-users) to actively participate in the design process. However, little is known about how individuals from under-resourced communities and low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, can practically leverage maker practices to design technology, creating value for themselves or their communities. To investigate this, we collaborated with an e-waste recycling centre, involving 24 participants (staff and low-SES volunteers) in two participatory maker workshop activities. Participants were provided with a generative e-waste toolkit, through which they repurposed e-waste materials and developed novel technology prototypes that created value from their perspectives and agendas. Our findings unpack three factors that influenced their making: balancing personal and community needs; incorporating convenience and productivity; and re-thinking sustainability and connection; and discuss strategies for scaffolding participation and engagement of under-resourced communities in making using an e-waste generative toolkit to democratize technology design.