What triggers us?! : A close look at socio-material situations of co-designing services

Relations between Service Design and Participatory Design have been established. Yet, on the topic of how, in the situation, in the conversation, to stage and establish fruitful co- designing practices, a closer relationship can still be established - to further support practices of co-designing for complex service futures. Based on various participatory and socio- material theoretical perspectives including my previous co-design research, this paper goes beyond focusing on tools for co-creation, and rather looks into various ‘triggers’ of participation in the co-design situation. Through analysis of some conversations around mapping people, places and things in a ‘service project landscape’ in a teaching context, it is explored and discussed what seems to trigger ‘us’ – the various stakeholders – in such co- design situations. The paper particularly takes a close look at how diverse (tangible) materials, relations and questions in various ways can trigger participation.