research

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to power as the capacity to influence or control ideas, institutions, situations, other people, experiences, or outcomes. Forms of power can be visible (e.g., formal rules and structures), hidden (e.g., controlling who is part of a decision-making process), or invisible (e.g., shaping people’s beliefs). While power is often associated with authoritative figures, there is also power in groups of people, organizations, and systems. Power can be a result of privilege, including social advantages or respect given to certain groups. As people involved in the creation of products and services, we have a responsibility to examine our own power in relation to the people our solutions are intended to serve.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to trauma-informed practices as intentional approaches to working with people who have experienced negative consequences after exposure to dangerous or stressful experiences. These approaches acknowledge the widespread presence of trauma, recognize the signs and symptoms of it, and respond with intentional practices and established support pathways. Together, these approaches seek to resist re-traumatization that might otherwise occur during the process of engaging people in the design/research process.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to power dynamics as the ways authority and influence are distributed in relationships between people or groups, which has an effect on people’s ability to act, behaviors, and beliefs. These dynamics include influence over others and can affect how individuals or groups perceive their own power (or lack thereof.)

Within Kaleidoscope, valuing describes acknowledging people’s contributions of time and expertise through appreciation, material compensation, and actions (e.g., naming them as contributors, hiring them for a formal role, etc.) It is important to be sensitive in how participants are valued; communicate with them in advance to ensure they will be valued in appropriate ways based on their individual circumstances and to request their consent.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to culturally-responsive practices as intentional approaches that prioritize an awareness of and accommodations made in light of an individual’s or group’s beliefs, language, norms, characteristics, attitudes, values, traditions, way of life, worldview, and experiences.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to power sharing as intentional actions to shift, grow, or rebalance power in a specific context. Sharing power challenges the typical dynamics that result from privilege, and may result in a shift of roles and responsibilities. It requires self-awareness and humility in order to avoid being paternalistic.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to impact as the emotional, social, and material results of one’s interaction with products, services, and systems. These effects can be planned, anticipated, or unintended.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to factors and forces as the conditions or systemic structures that influence people’s experiences; these can include institutions, social structures, policies, people, technology, environmental and political factors, as well as individual circumstances that impact one's agency and access.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to agency as the ability of an individual or group to act, feel in control of their actions, and influence outcomes, as well as the ability to challenge norms, values, institutions, systems, and structures of power.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to inclusion as the process of integrating perspectives and contributions from diverse communities, as well as the qualities and features of a solution that meet the needs of diverse communities. When realized, inclusion will be reflected in participants' felt sense that they have fully participated in, authentically contributed to, and belong in the research/design process, and that their needs are well met by the solution that results from that process.

Within Kaleidoscope, context refers to the environment or situation in which a product or service is used, as well as the broader domain in which it exists (e.g., accessing primary care in a rural area, which sits within the broader domain of healthcare.) Defining the context enables us to examine the dynamic factors and forces within it (including social structures, institutions, political factors, policies, people, technology, and personal circumstances, etc) that influence the experiences of individuals and groups differently.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to full participation as the ability for individuals to meaningfully contribute to design/research engagements, without fear of retribution or negative consequence.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to identity as the many socially-constructed categories that are used to describe individuals and groups. These can include, but are not limited to, ability, age, appearance, education, ethnicity, gender, income, language, location, nationality, neurodiversity, occupation, race, relationships, religion, sexuality, and socioeconomic status. Identity can be fluid and change over time or in relation to others, with the various aspects of identity having more or less meaning to individuals as they move through different contexts and cultures.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to communities/community members primarily as the people and groups who will be served or impacted by the product or service you are creating. Although people can share common needs, values, or goals, applying an intersectional lens helps us avoid oversimplification, homogenous labels, and limiting assumptions when we think about groups. (For example, in a group of parents, we would benefit from looking deeper to explore the experiences of mothers, and deeper still to learn about the experiences of mothers of color.) Sometimes you may work directly with community members, and other times you might work with community leaders and advocates who have established trust with the communities your solution is intended to serve.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to safe/safety as conditions in which people feel they can participate, express themselves, and share their perspectives without fear of retribution or negative consequences.

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to engage/engagements as inviting individuals or groups external to the immediate project team into the research and/or design process; types of engagement can range from consultation to methods that prioritize collaboration and sharing power (i.e., intentional actions to shift, grow, or rebalance power).

Within Kaleidoscope, we're referring to equity/equitable as taking actions that lead to meaningful impact in addressing imbalances that stem from social and systemic oppression, so that individuals and groups can realize more positive outcomes. Equitable approaches require acknowledgement of specific needs and disparities in order to meaningfully improve experiences and outcomes. Consider what equity might look like for your project, given the factors and forces in its context and the communities it's intended to serve.