Integrating co-design and auto-ethnographic approaches : a preliminary review of methods, intentions, and potential

Tan, Jingyuan and Zhang, Linfu (2026) Integrating co-design and auto-ethnographic approaches : a preliminary review of methods, intentions, and potential. In: DRS2026: Research Papers :. Proceedings of DRS . Design Research Society, GBR.

Abstract

Co-design emphasizes the outward connectivity of perspectives and aspirations, while autoethnography foregrounds the inward exploration of the personal and intimate. Recent trends in design research that integrate these approaches prompted this literature review, guided by the question: How might combining co-design and auto-ethnographic approaches contribute uniquely to design practice and research? Drawing from design studies in education, healthcare, HCI, and community engagement, the review identifies five methodological variations of co-design and auto-ethnographic integration: solo, dialogic, triangulated, cumulative, and solidary. It suggests that these collaborative-reflective–narrative approaches empower co-design practitioners to (1) navigate their evolving and layered roles and identities in relation to others, (2) develop sensitivity to cultural plurality, power dynamics, and epistemological differences, and (3) enact ethics through authenticity. The paper concludes by reflecting on the potential of combining co-creative and introspective approaches to cultivate authentic collaborations essential for design to engage with the world’s complex challenges.