The document discusses the application of participatory patterns design (PPD) methodology in creating 'Confer,' an online tool that supports informal workplace learning and collaboration among professionals. The tool facilitates focus and structuring of tasks in group settings, particularly in health sector collaborations, and is currently being evaluated through pilot programs across various GP practices and teams. Key design principles emphasize engaging users in a 50-50 partnership and supporting knowledge building through collaborative discourse.

1. Using the Participatory Patterns Design
(PPD) Methodology to Co-Design
Groupware: Confer a Tool for
Workplace Informal Learning
Edmedia 2016, June, Vancouver, Canada:
https://www.academicexperts.org/conf/edmedia/2016/papers/48568/
John Cook, CMIR, UWE Bristol & Learning Layers team
John2.Cook@uwe.ac.uk
UWE Bristol staff profile: http://tinyurl.com/p9sez8a
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2. Structure
1. Introduction
2.PPD
3.Confer
4.Q&A
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3. When I moved into our open plan office in the Arnolfini in January 2016, the Creative City
Campus became a reality for me. The new environment has better enabled collaboration
with students, colleagues and external partners. We have really been able to drive forward
our work on the creative-working-learning city, including getting involved in discussions
with the University of Bristol, BBC and SMEs like Opposable on topics such as virtual reality
for games, robotics, creative technology, health, life science. The Creative City Campus is
posing endless possibilities in the creative city of Bristol that others can get involved in and
that the world can learn from. I have even been doing Jazz gigs in the Hotwells area
UWE Bristol Creative City Campus
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1. Introduction

4. Hybrid Reality and Culture
Design and Research Challenge
​In the context of socio-technical environments, how can the design
process and design thinking advance or bridge our social/cultural capital?
​
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5. Learning Layers Website
http://learning-layers.eu/
Confer
http://confer.zone
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6. Zone of Possibility or ZoP
A concept describing socio-technical systems that enable Zones of
Possibility (ZoP) to emerge when people and artifacts interact and
engage in social positioning practices while learning in informal
workplace learning situations.
​
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7. 2. The Participatory Patterns
Design (PPD) methodology for
educational innovation
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8. The mission
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● Create innovations that works for
○ Real people
○ Real problems
○ Real world
● … and make it scientifically robust

9. Design Based Research Approach
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North UK GP Practices
Empirical Studies
Field Testing

10. 10
Participatory Pattern Design
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11. Design Based Research & Participatory
Pattern Design
The PPD method includes design principles (and
meta-design principles) as boundary objects
translating theory into practice, and agile user
stories as boundary objects bridging the Design
Based Research language with that of software
engineering.
The resulted meta-design principles are:
Respect Learners' Zone of Possibilityresulted
meta-design principles are: Respect Learners'
Zone of Possibility,
Support Knowledge Building Discourseresulted
meta-design principles are: Respect Learners'
Zone of Possibility, Support Knowledge Building
Discourse, and Aim for a "50-50 partnership".
​
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12. Design Based Research & Participatory
Pattern Design
The patterns development has also been a catalyst for driving the
project towards reflecting on the experiences on the design and
research process itself.
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13. For Example: Tell a story..
Recall an incident you were involved in /
witnessed, where something interesting
happened in terms of communication /
collaboration / engagement / support in
co-creative learning.
Use the practice narrative template.
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14. For Example: Show & tell
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● Present your narrative
● Identify “types” of users, capture them as
“personas”
● Identify practices & issues recurring across
narratives
● Identify requirements as user stories

15. 3. Confer
Original idea
Practice-demand (bridging between face to face meetings, keep tasks
on focus and moving forward, offer easy, early engagement in
collaborative work)
Research interest (hybrid social networks, ZoP, scaffolding for
networked learning, progressive inquiry model)
Tool Supports
Easy collection of ideas from F2F discussion
Structuring (scaffolding) of collaborative task for working groups
Discussion throughout
Support for early development of ideas prior to formal writing
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Support work ing groups - foc us, flow, dis cus sion, c onse nsus
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16. • Online tool that supports working groups
– Maintains focus and flow of work
– Structuring the task
– Supporting discussion
– Aiding consensus
• Co-design work in the Health Sector in the
NE of England
– Used to support group work for professionals
working in different locations
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17. • Supports working groups that may have been
set up to devise a way of dealing with a new
problem that may have arisen
• Practice-demand driven
– Providing bridging between face to face meetings
through ‘scaffolded support’ to keep tasks on focus
and moving forward
– Offering easy, early engagement in collaborative work
• Opportunities for educators to harness the tools
and use in their own contexts?
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18. Confer three steps to consensus
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Demo: https://confer.zone/
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19. Short video (no sound)
https://confer.zone/#/help or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSRpaUY6d-Q
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20. Evaluation
• Evaluation work is underway and results are expected in
the Autumn
• 3 pilot groups
• Pilot A – Federation of 19 GP Practices. The 19 Practice
Managers (who meet monthly to discuss shared work
and projects) are using Confer and Living Documents to
support their collaborative projects (key Confer
workgroup is exploring how best to set-up and run a
shared locum services across the Federation). Pilot
started in February and is due to finish in July.
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21. Evaluation
• Pilot B – Small, disparate, regional team (5 members)
who work (part-time) on developing and delivering
quality improvement (QI) training for healthcare
professionals are using Confer and Living Documents to
review and further develop their training plans (key
Confer workgroup is exploring how best to deliver a
particular QI training course. Pilot started in
• Pilot C – Small, disparate, national team (7 members)
with a strategic interest in promoting and supporting the
use of Technology Enhanced Learning in healthcare
education are using Confer and Living Documents for
some collaborative work. Pilot started in April
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22. 4. Q&A / Discussion
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