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ONTOLOGY IN THE MAKING

Co-design is a participatory design practice that involves collaborative work between designers and stakeholders to develop solutions that meet the needs and desires of all parties involved.

Participatory design practices involve a collaborative process where designers, stakeholders, and end-users work together to develop solutions that meet the needs and desires of all parties involved.

Why ontology making for co-design domain

In the cases of creative and cultural realities, it is highly suggested to gain in time a knowledge base at the reference culture of people involved. Making this step is crucial if there is a lot of work to do, plus some people come and go. The domain of co-design practices aimed at changing an environment can start in this precise case from the analysis of the Framework for Change and its application in the context of the ITPaths.

Furthermore, it must be said that the creation of an ontology can enhance the process of co-design in several ways, including:

Overall, the creation of an ontology in the domain of co-design practices for change can enhance the process of co-design by enabling better communication, knowledge management, automation, interoperability, and evaluation

Some tips for the future

Knowledge sharing is a process of transferring: - tacit (undocumented) and - explicit (documented) information from one person/organisation to another. Internal wikis, taxonomy and metadata can help with the organization of concepts and to facilitate future works.

Case Study: Co-Design Practices in Urban Planning for change making processes

To begin the development process, we need to define the scope and purpose of the ontology. This involves answering several key questions, such as:

  • What concepts and relationships are relevant to co-design practices in urban planning?
  • Who will be the primary users of the ontology, and what are their needs and goals?
  • What are the key challenges or issues that the ontology will help to address?
  • What are the intended outcomes of using the ontology?

To answer these questions, we conduct a domain analysis, which involves reviewing existing literature, interviewing experts in urban planning and co-design, and analyzing case studies of successful co-design projects in urban contexts.

Infact, before trying to develop an ontology, is important to develop/revise a knowledge base of Tesserae regarding in a narrower or broader dimension the Framework For Change, to take all the resources of the case and obtain structured data and metadata (i.e. data about data).

Based on our analysis, we identify the following key concepts and relationships that are relevant to co-design practices in urban planning:

  • Stakeholders: The individuals and groups who have an interest or stake in the urban space, such as residents, businesses, community organizations, and government agencies.
  • Urban features: The different elements and components of the urban environment, such as buildings, streets, parks, and public spaces.
  • Urban challenges: The key challenges or issues facing urban areas, such as traffic congestion, air pollution, social isolation, and lack of affordable housing.
  • Co-design methods: The specific approaches and techniques used in co-design projects, such as participatory workshops, user testing, and visual mapping.

Based on these key concepts and relationships, we define the scope and purpose of the ontology as follows:

Scope

The ontology will represent and organize the key concepts and relationships related to co-design practices in urban planning, with a focus on participatory approaches, user-centered design, and sustainable outcomes.

Purpose

The ontology will be used by urban planners, architects, designers, community organizers, and other stakeholders who are interested in exploring and implementing co-design approaches to improve the livability, sustainability, and inclusivity of urban spaces. The ontology will help users to understand the relevant concepts and relationships, identify best practices and successful case studies, and facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders.

By defining the scope and purpose of the ontology upfront, we can ensure that the ontology is focused, relevant, and useful for its intended users. This will help to maximize the impact of the ontology and increase its adoption and use in the field of urban planning and design.