From the fuzzy front end to the back end: A participatory action research approach to co-design promoting sustainable behaviour

Abstract The early design process, also referred to as the ‘fuzzy front end’, is emerging as the dominant content in social and service design domains. However, the back end of the development process is rarely considered in research or practice. In collaboration with two Caritas Community Centres, our research group applied participatory action research (PAR) to a co-design case study in Hong Kong, not only at the fuzzy front end but also at the back end. This paper demonstrates the value of PAR in co-design and describes how it can inform awareness and promote behavioural change to tackle environmental issues. It contributes to the design field by highlighting the significance of the later phases of the design research process. A framework for applying PAR to co-design is developed. Insights are provided for designers, researchers, and policymakers on the use of PAR in public design.