The Role of Participatory Design Methods in Lighting Research

The work discussed in this article aims to present and reflect upon different levels of participatory design methods applied in indoor and outdoor lighting research projects. Papers selected through a systematic literature review covering the period from 2019 to 2024 were categorized by the level of participation and corresponding research stage. The four defined stages include: locating and defining issues or problems, collecting research data, interpreting research data, and reporting research findings. The theoretical framework suggested by Kaulio (1998) was adapted to categorize the studies. The framework distinguishes three levels of participant involvement: research for (no direct participant involvement), research with (active collaboration), and research by (participant-led collaboration). Results indicate that participatory design methods are most frequently employed during the data collection stage, whereas the initial and final stages of research typically remain researcher-led. This suggests that collaboration is valued but primarily concentrated in the middle phases of research. Greater integration of participatory methods in early and late stages could improve communication of research goals and outcomes to broader audiences. These findings provide a foundation/motivation for integrating participatory methods more holistically in lighting research, strengthening user participation and context-relevant proposals.