Counterfactual scripting: challenging the temporality of participation

Abstract

This paper discusses counterfactual scripting to critically inquire and give form to Participatory Design (PD) processes in an age of ubiquitous participation. In its often superficial application in various societal domains, the processes and instruments for participation are often cut loose from their political context. The stories of what has happened in a PD process are told through a clear storyline that develops logically via different design moves towards a well-defined plot; leaving out any alternative narratives. Inspired by counterfactual history, we reject this teleological perspective and explore counterfactual scripting as a way to give renewed attention to the political context in PD. We do this by giving form to the design process as a pluralistic process that not only focuses on the future, but creates alternatives for the past to speculate about the future. We evaluate counterfactual thinking in a participatory architecture and urban planning process.