Participatory design for narrative and creative activity with 9-11 years old children from a perspective of activity ergonomics

This article presents the principles and the first results related to the implementation of a participatory design method with children. The objective of this method set up in educational environment with pupils aged 9-11 years old was to design devices supporting creativity in narrative activities. The DIMI method consists of four stages: Discover - Invent - Mix - Iterate, and integrates the child as a socio-culturally situated subject. This anthropocentric method is based on an analysis of children activity structured with their schemes in order design devices that make sense for the subject and that allow him to transform them into instruments while transforming himself. The reference situation that we analyze here with the instrumental approach (Rabardel, 1995) focuses on the creation of a collective tale.