DATE & TIME
2 October 2025, 14:00 – 15:30
TRACKS
TRACK 3: Living Labs for Inclusive Soci(et)al Engagement
ROOM
BiciLab
Description
This workshop will critically examine inclusion and accessibility in Living Labs and other co-creative spaces. Through hands-on prototyping, participants will identify exclusion mechanisms and develop a shared vision for accessible, participatory innovation environments.
Agenda
Timeslot |
Item |
|---|---|
| 14:00 – 14:05 | Welcome & Intro – Introduction of facilitators and agenda |
| 14:05 – 14:15 | Best Practices Input – Presentation of inclusive lab case examples |
| 14:15 – 14:25 | Lab Anatomy – Brainstorm key lab components and cluster areas of focus |
| 14:25 – 14:45 | Group Work I: Paradox Intervention – Groups build highly exclusive lab prototypes |
| 14:45 – 14:55 | Group Presentations I – Share exclusion models and barrier explanations |
| 14:55 – 15:10 | Group Work II: Deconstruction – Identify and design counter strategies for inclusion |
| 15:10 – 15:25 | Group Presentations II – Present solutions and inclusive lab visions |
| 15:25 – 15:30 | Outlook & Next Steps – Wrap-up, blog/platform invitation, and further engagement info |
Facilitators
Wanda Gaertner
Researcher at the research group for Media, Innovation and Contemporary Technologies, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design, Ghent University
Wanda Gaertner
Researcher at the research group for Media, Innovation and Contemporary Technologies, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design, Ghent UniversityWanda Gaertner is a researcher at the MICT research group at Ghent University and a PhD candidate exploring inclusive and collaborative design of emerging technologies. With several years of experience in participatory and inclusive design, she focuses on how co-creation spaces such as Living Labs and makerspaces can become more accessible and equitable for diverse communities.
Ben Robaeyst
Researcher, imec-mict-UGent
Ben Robaeyst
Researcher, imec-mict-UGentBen Robaeyst is a researcher at imec-mict-UGent, working at the intersection of living lab research, social innovation, and futures studies. His living lab research focuses on how impact in Living Labs can be understood and assessed in ways that are sensitive to context, participation, and the complexity of innovation processes. Rather than reducing impact to predefined indicators or short-term outputs, he examines how Living Labs generate broader forms of value, including knowledge development, network formation, capacity building, societal agenda-setting, and the creation of concrete solutions.
Bastiaan Baccarne
Professor at the research group for Media, Innovation and Contemporary Technologies, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design, Ghent University
Bastiaan Baccarne
Professor at the research group for Media, Innovation and Contemporary Technologies, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design, Ghent UniversityProf. Dr. Bas Baccarne is a socio-technologist and professor of design methodology at imec-mict-UGent and design.nexus. His work focuses on inclusive design, futures thinking, and societal impact through Living Labs, employing participatory design and research-through-design methodologies.