Design of Participatory Decision-Making Processes: Role Play Exercise

Anna Tompsett and Joe Mulligan

Engineers often take on placements in the developing world, where they are expected to manage participatory design processes with little or no practical guidance about how to implement these processes. This role play exercise is designed to help engineers understand some of the decision-making structures that can be used, and the benefits, complexities and potential pitfalls of each. The role play is set in the fictional Bangladeshi village of Boro Gram, and is based on experience from my research in Bangladesh. The simulation is in beta at the moment. If you would like to use the role play as part of a training course you are developing, please contact me and I'll be happy to provide you with slides, handouts and guidance.