Visualizing discourse in navigating co-design tensions

Purpose Design tensions can highlight diverging visions, approaches and implementation decisions to support co-design processes. However, tensions can silence participants’ experiences and lead to unproductive outcomes. Researchers have rarely investigated unfolding discourse as facilitators and participants work together to navigate tensions. This paper aims to explore the discourse of co-design facilitators and participants when discussing tensions. Design/methodology/approach The research is situated within a larger design-based implementation project. The authors work with high school students, teachers, informal educators and undergraduate students to co-design an environmental science curriculum that integrates generative artificial intelligence chatbots. The authors ask: What design tensions emerge? How are they facilitated and addressed to support participation from diverse perspectives? How does discourse differ in instances with and without tensions? To answer these questions, the authors analyze meeting transcripts (15 h) and design artifacts to identify the talk moves that support the surfacing, facilitation and negotiation of design tensions. The authors visualize turn-taking patterns and talk move sequences to illustrate how co-design dynamics unfold over multiple talk turns. Findings Surfacing tensions invites more balanced turn-taking and idea co-construction among intergenerational stakeholders, compared to discussions without tensions. Facilitation using reflective and facilitative moves shapes the discussions by decentering researchers’ expertise and inviting contributions from different stakeholders. Originality/value The authors illustrate the use of discourse analysis to highlight important but understudied co-design dynamics. The authors introduce visualizations that can serve as research and reflection tools to support participation in co-design.