Emily Thöne

method kiosk

Creative methods for the in-between moments of participatory design

In my project “method kiosk”, I explore why creative methods are often known in design and participatory processes, but still rarely used in practice. In Social Design, Co-Design and Design Thinking, there are many methods that can open up processes, shift perspectives and support collaborative work. And yet, many of them remain on the shelf, in a PDF, or inside a method catalogue. They can feel too big, too theoretical, too time-consuming, or simply not right for the moment. I am interested in exactly this gap between knowing and applying. What does it take for a method to not only be understood, but actually tried out? When does it feel helpful, and when does it feel like just another task? From this exploration, the method kiosk emerges: an attempt to make creative methods more accessible, tangible and playful. For me, this is not about fully structuring or controlling the creative process. Instead, I understand methods as small supports for the in-between: between chaos and structure, between uncertainty and decision-making, between one’s own perspective and shared exchange. They can offer impulses, raise questions, open conversations, or simply help to begin. Methods are not theorized creativity. They are invitations: to try things out, to sort, to stay with uncertainty, to participate and to think further together.