Knowledge Mapping: User Research for Plural, Just, and Equitable Co-Creation Interface Design

Niti Bhan, Laras Zita Tedjokusumo

A plurality of knowledge systems remains unseen and unrecognized as invisible social structures that underpin lifestyles, life chances, and livelihoods of peoples. The legacy of imperialism and colonialism has suppressed, erased, and marginalized indigenous knowledge traditions and non-Western knowledge systems. A cultural interface between Western and non-Western knowledge systems is yet to be recognized as being instantiated during co-creation. We test a prototype of a sequential multi-phase inquiry protocol for user research to explore indigenous knowledge traditions of community preparedness for volcanic eruptions in Indonesia and introduce knowledge mapping. Knowledge mapping at the front-end of co-creation helps prepare, plan, and design interfaces for collaborations in conditions of epistemological plurality. A knowledge products map illustrates epistemic complexity of an indigenous co-creation interface. Knowledge mapping complements and enhances other service design methods such as stakeholder mapping, customer journeys, systems maps, etc. The protocol is designed to incorporate principles of indigenous research paradigms and a just and plural lens for inquiry to guide implementation of Western-theorized methods and tools. This methodological development considers entire knowledge systems as service design materials, with the aim to facilitate conditions for plural, just, and equitable co-creation.