JOURNAL ARTICLE · EDITORIAL BRIEF
Participatory design and appropriate technology in rural Zambia
Adam H. Lyman and Kimberly Chung
Design Studies · March 2025
The finding or development
The authors combine cooperative inquiry with participatory design in a project to develop a heavy-duty handcart in rural Zambia. The work examines fit and adoption in a specific local setting.
What supports it
Journal study · participatory action research
Reviewed: Publisher abstract and publication metadata
Why it matters for design
Broadens product-design discussion beyond screens and wealthy markets. Consider how participation changes problem definition and what makes a technology adoptable.
Read with this in mind
Full methods were not accessible for this brief. The project is context-specific; do not treat reported adoption as proof of general effectiveness.
Original source
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DOI: 10.1016/j.destud.2025.101296
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