In co-design, solutions are generated to serve people’s needs, short term and/or long term, through their involvement in parts of the design process. Methods like contextmapping and explorative prototyping serve these participatory processes. They help designers to step into the users’ shoes, to explore design solutions from and with their perspectives. In circumstances where contact with users is restricted, such as the recent lockdowns, user involvement is hindered and we need to find alternative ways to proceed with involving users in design processes. Instead of focussing on what is impossible because of the restrictions, we focussed on the opportunities it can bring. This paper shows that co-design is possible in times of a lockdown by deploying users in the role of co-explorer, creating ownership among users, using digital means, and obtaining an opportunity-oriented mindset.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the daily routines of families in the Netherlands. From March 2020, strict measures were taken by the government to prevent the spread of the virus; The Dutch population was under quarantine. This caused many changes in the everyday life of families. Using an exploratory process with six families, research was conducted over six months into what families could learn from this quarantine time. Remote Context Mapping, a Corona-proof co-creation session, Zoom-interviews and iterative prototype tests ultimately led to a design which incorporates the lesson learned. The exploration with the families showed the quarantine made the worlds of the families smaller. As the world became smaller, families began to appreciate other things; the little things in life. This was because there were fewer possibilities, creating new standards. Comparing yourself to others became harder, so they were more satisfied with their own lives. Finally, less pressure was experienced from others and themselves, therefore the families were living more in the moment. As the worlds of the families were experienced as smaller, the relation between parent and child changed. The lesson families have learned from the Corona times is that we must continue to give valuable meaning to the moments of being physically together at home. The defined design goal from the conducted exploratory research is: To make family members aware of the moments of togetherness and spend those moments in a valuable way, even if rhythms and routines are less synchronized and when living less in the moment. Based on the interviews and prototype tests the PIN Light is designed. The PIN Light is designed to consciously experience the moments of togetherness and to use these moments in a valuable way, despite the busy lives which will return. It helps families to stay abreast of each other’s lives, it allows families to appreciate the moments together and it connects family members by creating a “moment of light”. The PIN Light can be implemented within a broader context as well. It could be implemented in social work, within family homes and it could help to connect blended families. Therefore the learned lesson from daily routines during Corona times adds value in an even broader context than traditional families only.