When no one shows up (at first): Navigating the uncertainties of participatory workshops in interdisciplinary research

TL;DR

This paper reflects on the challenges and practical strategies of conducting participatory workshops in interdisciplinary research, especially when attendance is low, emphasizing learning from unexpected outcomes and fostering inclusive engagement.

Contribution

It provides a grounded account of navigating participatory workshops with limited institutional support and demonstrates how perceived failures can lead to meaningful engagement and epistemic shifts.

Findings

Low attendance can still foster rich discussions

Participants may transition to co-facilitators, redistributing epistemic authority

Reframing challenges as learning opportunities enhances engagement

Abstract

This reflective paper explores often-unspoken challenges of designing and facilitating co-design and participatory workshops, offering practical strategies for early career researchers (ECRs) navigating these methods. Drawing from personal experience conducting a series of workshops titled: How to Think About Equity in the AI Ecosystem. It follows the full arc of the workshop experience, from conceptualization and activity planning to participant recruitment and facilitation, offering a grounded account of what happens when participation does not go as expected. The paper examines the methodological challenges of engaging non-expert participants, particularly when operating without institutional support, financial incentives, or integration into larger events. Despite initial difficulties such as low attendance, the workshop fostered rich discussions among a demographically diverse group and ultimately led to one participant volunteering to co-facilitate a subsequent session. This transition from participant to co-facilitator exemplifies the redistribution of epistemic authority, positioning lived experience as central to research and engagement practices. By reframing perceived failure as a productive site of learning, the paper offers practical strategies for ECRs working across disciplines who often navigate unfamiliar methodological terrains, contributing to broader conversations on the realities of doing interdisciplinary, participatory work in practice.