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Paper short abstract

This paper challenges conventional participatory models by applying "design thinking" as a decolonial research method, which helps to reposition communities as co-designers who can define problems, question power, and co-create solutions for sustainable, community-owned change.

Paper long abstract

Conventional participatory approaches often involve communities only as informants rather than co-designer of the solution. Thus, it reinforces the status quo- “expert- subject” hierarchy. As a result, many well- intended interventions miss the mark and fails to build ownership or achieve sustainable impact within the community. This topic intends to challenge that model- by applying design thinking as a decolonial research method. Inspired by its transformative use in corporate spaces like Airbnb, Nike, and Netflix, which has helped in enhancing customer experience, design thinking enables communities to define their problem, question assumptions and co-create solutions. Grounded in real-world social practices, it reflects upon how this can be applied in research by shifting the role from researcher as an authority to design or implement to a role of facilitator- dismantling hierarchy and fostering authentic community ownership. It’s just not about solving the wicked problem, it about who has the power to define the problem at the first place.

Keywords: participatory research, community-led innovation, power dynamics, co-creation, transformational practices, decolonizing research methods, design thinking