Correlation with aspiration for change: A case study for restoration after natural disaster

Abstract

In this paper, we present a participatory design (PD) case for public good, The Reborn Japan Project. The Reborn Japan Project was initiated after a historically devastating earthquake and tsunami disaster occurred in early spring 2011 in Japan. The case reports on the uniquely organized structure of the project, scope of stakeholders, and targets for design. Through participatory investigation and discussion among a wide range of stakeholders, the project aims at creating practical as well as visionary ideas for economic and social restoration after the disaster, in which higher uncertainty and more complex challenges are of more essential significance than with a conventional design task. With this case, we report lessons of the use of PD for public good. Our case indicates that there is a strong correlation between applicability of PD and a strong aspiration for change for such highly public nature projects. © 2012 ACM.