Design Research Artefacts for Knowledge Co-creation with Civil Servants Supporting Migrants: A Case Study

Abstract

Inviting civil servants as research participants can offer unique viewpoints on how people interact with public services. However, to meaningfully involve them in knowledge co-creation calls for methods that are mindful of their workload and positionality. This paper reports a case study where three design research artefacts – mind maps, proto-personas, and notebooks – were applied to co-create knowledge with street-level civil servants who have direct contact with migrants in the City of Espoo in Finland. The diverse artefacts enabled collaborative sensemaking, empathizing, and reflecting on complex concepts such as societal trust and integration. By reflecting on the choices of the artefacts, their design and application in the given context, we share practical learnings for conducting research in the public sector. We emphasize the importance of translational and participatory aspects that such artefacts enable in multi-stakeholder environments.