How participatory design works as an approach for provoking system innovations towards sustainable pig production in the Netherlands, 4-7- July, Vienaa, Austria

Design is increasingly seen and tried as a vehicle for system innovative sustainable development. In a system innovative design project on pig production, called ‘Porkunities’, the authors tested the effect of a participatory and iterative approach. Does the approach serve the goal to provoke initiatives from stakeholders, without loosing innovative content of the designs necessary for system innovation? The results show that participation of stakeholders doesn’t limit the innovative potential of the designs. Iterations help to find a growing number of solutions for a growing number of sustainability questions, from a growing number of stakes. The heterogeneity of a design team contributes to the formation of multi-perspective innovation consortia. And the participatory approach served as an important catalyst in provoking joined stakeholder action towards integrated sustainability in pork production. The iterative and participatory approach as executed in the Porkunities project is found to improve the effect of Reflexive Interactive Design processes