Applied visual art for codesign: three case studies of emergent practices

Codesign is a set of practices that facilitate collaboration in the design process, leading to shared investment in outcomes. This article reviews three cases applying visual art: 1) studying urban innovation in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2) convening people with lived healthcare experiences, and 3) developing cartoons for workshops on climate resilience. The results suggest that applied visual art has great potential to support codesign, specifically by signalling a novel procedure, motivating sideways thinking, inviting interpretation, and cultivating flexible outputs. The conclusion offers potential practitioners a set of decisions to consider for applying visual art to their own work.

Automated summary

Codesign is a practice that promotes collaboration in the design process, and this article explores the potential of applied visual art in supporting codesign. The author reviews three cases and suggests that visual art can signal new procedures, encourage different ways of thinking, invite interpretation, and cultivate flexible outputs. The conclusion provides a set of decisions for practitioners to consider when applying visual art in their work.