Recognising local intentions in participatory design for Indigenous health

What is it about?

This paper explores how design projects can better include the voices and intentions of local communities, especially Indigenous groups. It is based on a participatory design workshop with Dayak people in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, focused on improving local health systems. The study highlights that design is often driven by the intentions of researchers or designers, while the intentions of the community are overlooked. The author introduces the idea of niat (intention) and shows how it shapes relationships, trust, and outcomes in the community. By listening to local people, the research reveals that they have valuable knowledge about their own health needs, including combining traditional practices with modern approaches. The paper argues that participatory design should shift its focus to recognise these “local design intentions.” This means treating community voices as central, not secondary. Doing so can lead to more relevant, respectful, and sustainable solutions that truly reflect people’s lived experiences.

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Photo by Shaggy Sirep on Unsplash

Photo by Shaggy Sirep on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Highlights a rarely addressed gap by shifting focus from designer-led intentions to community-defined intentions in participatory design. Grounded in Indigenous Dayak perspectives, it introduces niat as a culturally rooted lens for design practice. At a time of growing calls to decolonise research, it offers a timely, practice-based argument for centring local voices, leading to more ethical, relevant, and sustainable design outcomes.

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