Unstructuring data, activating dialogue: How situated knowledges shape participatory Systemic Design practices

This paper explores the role of data within participatory systemic design, focusing on how structured and unstructured data influence participation, sensemaking, and representation. Through three interconnected applications, the research examines how systems’ visual representations function as boundary objects that enable dialogue, trust, and shared understanding among diverse actors. Drawing on the concept of unstructuring data, the paper discusses how transforming data from fixed, expert-driven artefacts into open, evolving representations fosters inclusivity and reflexivity in design processes. The findings highlight that structured data support decision-making in well-defined contexts, whereas unstructured data stimulate exploration and collective learning in complex or fragile territories. Ultimately, the paper reframes mapping as a translational and ethical practice that enables designers and stakeholders to co-create a systemic understanding through dialogue, negotiation, and iterative reflection, supporting sustainability transitions grounded in participation and situated knowledge.