Participatory Disaster Risk Reduction in Developing Countries

Abstract

As conventional Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in developing countries fails to create a real and long-lasting impact, a more community-based approach has emerged. However, even this approach struggles to be truly empowering and sustainable. On the other hand, participatory design has emerged as a design approach seeking empowering outcomes. This paper investigates the question if and how researchers and designers can utilize participatory design methods and strategies to improve collaboration with local communities and to reach meaningful and feasible outcomes.