Mia Hesselgren | KTH Royal Institute of Technology (original) (raw)

Books by Mia Hesselgren

We must accept the present reality – only thereby do we have the possibility to understand it, re... more We must accept the present reality – only thereby do we have the possibility to understand it, relate to it to influence it and create culture that is a flexible tool for the transition.

This is the opening paragraph of "Vitiden - an energy fiction" 1where the transition to a more sustainable society is explored through interacting text and image. In the forward-looking and text-based manifesto, Vitiden is outlined as an answer to today's ecological and social challenges. The high pitch and ambitions of the manifesto are commented on by an image-based future archaeology, constructed by fictional fragments of the future. Inset images from the acceptera manifesto2, which is also paraphrased in the introductory paragraph of Vitiden, relates the energy fiction to the modernist societal development and the critique thereof. A generous body of annotations contributes with further perspectives.

Conferences by Mia Hesselgren

DRS 2018, 2018

We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous c... more We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous cut-downs in carbon emissions. Yet this future is hard to envision and work towards. In this project we have, with a transition design posture, designed tools that we believe can be useful to initiate dialogues and reflections on the future. In particular we are interested in using the bridging between provocative and affirmative design as a way to explore and articulate what people see as the lost and found of such a transition. In this paper, we present a study where we used a practice lens to address one possible low carbon future through a provocation workshop. We present our methodology, the tentative tools we used during the workshop and the experiences as expressed by the workshop participants.

Papers by Mia Hesselgren

Nordic Design Research Conference, Jun 12, 2023

Journal of Cleaner Production, Jun 1, 2020

Reducing private car commuting is necessary for decarbonisation of cities; meanwhile, new shared ... more Reducing private car commuting is necessary for decarbonisation of cities; meanwhile, new shared mobility services provide an alternative to cars for daily commuting proposing a transition of user behaviour towards more sustainable mobility practices. In this paper, we investigate changes in everyday life practices when private car commuting is replaced with a shared mobility alternative, integrating lightweight small size electric vehicles (LEVs) in a peer-to-peer shared mobility service. Through a living lab experiment, a long-term empirical study with 16 individual households in Sweden was conducted employing a mixed methods approach. Using social practice theory as an analytical lens, we interrogate in depth the process of change in users' everyday lives to understand challenges in integrating shared mobility services into everyday practice, and the implications for transition towards sustainable mobility practices from a user's everyday life point of view. The results show that a new mobility service can play a role in reconfiguring the meaning of private car commuting in terms of its related impacts, as well as increase knowledge and trust in sustainable alternatives. However, integrating shared mobility services in everyday practices showed that it became difficult to manage after six months, particularly for users with children. Our study demonstrates that current everyday life logistics, time affluence, and effort requirements are critical variables for enabling practice changes towards more sustainable mobility alternatives, such as a light electric vehicle sharing service. To enable people to reduce private car use, a more integrated and systemic design approach is needed for alternatives to become competitive with the notion of cars in everyday mobility.

Transportation Research Part D-transport and Environment, Jun 1, 2019

Low-carbon mobility alternatives, such as shared services integrating light electric vehicles, su... more Low-carbon mobility alternatives, such as shared services integrating light electric vehicles, support transitions to sustainable transport systems. However, new products and services are not enough, as changes must also incorporate the practices of travelling, infrastructure, and mobility cultures in which users of mobility solutions are core stakeholders. This paper argues that user involvement is necessary in sustainable innovation processes but that the expected diversity of user roles and their involvement can also lead to contrasting outcomes for sustainable innovation transitions. Guided by theory in user involvement, this study investigated users and nonusers of light electric vehicles in a sharing mobility service system set up as living lab in two large workplaces in Sweden. Fifty-one interviews with employees at the workplaces were conducted during the implementation process and analysed combined with a questionnaire and data from system tracking through sensor technology. The paper finds that both users and non-users are cocreators in building momentum for sustainable mobility alternatives and provides a spectrum of user roles with defined characteristics. Four roles are distinguished within this spectrum: vigilant users, passive collaborators, active decision makers and ambassadors. We suggest that a convergent activation strategy is deployed for involving a full spectrum of users in order to capture their insights in ways that positively affect transition. Such a strategy addresses users and non-users as part of decision-making concerning alternatives and cultivates a culture of user collaboration, while also enabling a plurality of contributions in order to challenge existing regimes and established practices among individuals.

This paper addresses the constellation of various actors from private and publicsectors represent... more This paper addresses the constellation of various actors from private and publicsectors represented by three companies, a municipality, a non-profitorganization, a research lab and users to collabo ...

Tackling current sustainability challenges requires substantial societal and social changes, and ... more Tackling current sustainability challenges requires substantial societal and social changes, and many different strategies for their deployment. More people have to choose sustainability practices, ...

To understand possibilities and barriers for ride-sharing in work commuting, 451 persons living i... more To understand possibilities and barriers for ride-sharing in work commuting, 451 persons living in the same suburban area and working at the same site were invited to join a ride-sharing program and use a mobile application. Two quantitative web surveys and 16 in-depth interviews have been performed. The results have been analysed using social practice theories as an analytical lens. The participants understood the benefits with the ride-sharing practice, but out of the 451 invited participants, only 8 downloaded the required mobile application for the ride-sharing program. Different to previous results in the literature, trust and security were not seen as issues in this case. Instead the expected loss of flexibility was seen as the main barrier. The participants found a meaning in "being a green commuter" and understood that ride-sharing could contribute to decrease challenges of congestion, environmental impact, and overfull parking places. However, they rated their own current flexibility and convenience in commuting higher than the expected benefits from ride-sharing.

Conference proceedings of the Academy for Design Innovation Management, Dec 3, 2019

Transitions of unsustainable everyday practices into more sustainable ones require new approaches... more Transitions of unsustainable everyday practices into more sustainable ones require new approaches to explore possible futures and encourage change. Trying new practices and experiencing alternative configurations of sociomaterial assemblages can increase reflexivity as well as assist in exploring potential futures. Design can assist in co-creating possible futures and bridging discussions about the preferred strategies to reach them. If sustainability is defined as an ongoing process calling for dialogue, there could be potentials for using practice-based design research, and in particular co-design approaches, at the intersections of these dialogues. By analysing methods for reflexivity and collaboration in two design research projects within sustainable mobility, we here suggest design strategies for prototyping change at an individual level and communicating the experiences of such change to people with power to trigger and direct change. This may be particularly useful for addressing sustainability which both requires dealing with complex problems and extensive collaboration.

Futures, Sep 1, 2019

This is the accepted version of a paper published in Futures: The journal of policy, planning and... more This is the accepted version of a paper published in Futures: The journal of policy, planning and futures studies. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination.

The use of practices as a unit of analysis has been suggested in order to scale up efforts within... more The use of practices as a unit of analysis has been suggested in order to scale up efforts within sustainable HCI and to shift the focus from changing individual behaviours to supporting transitions at a societal level. In this paper, we take a practice approach to the case of sustainable transportation, and more specifically to carfree transportation. Car use is intertwined in many practices and managing life without a car is difficult, particularly for people in contexts where owning at least one car per family is the norm. We studied three families in Stockholm who replaced their cars with different combinations of light electric vehicles during one year. From the families' experiences, we identified a number of opportunities for designers of interactive technologies to support environmental pioneers in the particular case of car-free living, as well as to support transitions towards sustainable practices in general.

This paper describes an interventionist design research project called a Car-free Year, where thr... more This paper describes an interventionist design research project called a Car-free Year, where three families substitute their cars for a fleet of light electric vehicles during one year. The aim is to study how this intervention changes the families' everyday practices, as well as suggest how design can support and sustain such a change on a larger scale. If radically new paradigms are to be shaped, changes are needed both in what is considered normalities and in people's everyday practices. We argue that design can play an important role in the transition towards more sustainable futures and new normalities.

Sustainability : Science, Practice and Policy, 2019

Transitions toward more sustainable mobility are necessary and involve changes in complex constel... more Transitions toward more sustainable mobility are necessary and involve changes in complex constellations of mobility-related practices. To understand opportunities for moving in this direction, there is a need to explore both the consumption side of sustainable mobility practices and the perspective of stakeholders that provide products, services, infrastructures, and policies required for such practices. This article contributes to a discussion of critical aspects of sustainable mobility practices in relation to the responsibilities and concerns of stakeholders with power to influence these practices. We present four sets of design concepts for supporting car-free living which were formulated and co-created based on a practice-oriented analysis of a one-year study of three families in Stockholm, Sweden that replaced their cars with light electric vehicles. The design concepts bring forward elements of sustainable mobility with a focus on: trying out new mobility practices, cycling infrastructure, childfriendly public transport, and transporting stuff. Furthermore, we discussed the concepts with public and private sector stakeholders and examined their interests in particular practices. Also considered are how the responsibilities of different stakeholders may clash. Finally, we suggest that practice-oriented design concepts can support discussions and increased knowledge about responsibilities and potential conflicts related to sustainable practices, as well as provide means for supporting learning about sustainable practices among decision makers.

Vi maste acceptera den foreliggande verkligheten – endast darigenom har vi utsikt att forsta den,... more Vi maste acceptera den foreliggande verkligheten – endast darigenom har vi utsikt att forsta den, att relatera till den for att paverka den och skapa kultur som ar ett smidigt redskap for omstallni ...

Proceedings of DRS, Jun 28, 2018

We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous c... more We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous cuts in carbon emissions. Yet this future is hard to envision and work towards. In this project, with a transition design posture, we have designed tools that we believe can be useful to initiate dialogues and reflections for the future. In particular we are interested in using the bridging between provocative and affirmative design as a way to explore and articulate what people see as the lost and found of such a transition. In this paper, we present a study where we used a practice lens to address one possible low carbon future through a provocation workshop. We present our methodology, the tentative tools we used during the workshop and the experiences as expressed by the workshop participants. sustainability transitions; transition design posture; provocative and affirmative design; lost and found

Interactions, Mar 1, 2021

Nordes 2023: This Space Left Intentionally Blank

Travel Behaviour and Society

Energy Research & Social Science, 2020

Energy Research & Social Science, 2020

We must accept the present reality – only thereby do we have the possibility to understand it, re... more We must accept the present reality – only thereby do we have the possibility to understand it, relate to it to influence it and create culture that is a flexible tool for the transition.

This is the opening paragraph of "Vitiden - an energy fiction" 1where the transition to a more sustainable society is explored through interacting text and image. In the forward-looking and text-based manifesto, Vitiden is outlined as an answer to today's ecological and social challenges. The high pitch and ambitions of the manifesto are commented on by an image-based future archaeology, constructed by fictional fragments of the future. Inset images from the acceptera manifesto2, which is also paraphrased in the introductory paragraph of Vitiden, relates the energy fiction to the modernist societal development and the critique thereof. A generous body of annotations contributes with further perspectives.

DRS 2018, 2018

We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous c... more We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous cut-downs in carbon emissions. Yet this future is hard to envision and work towards. In this project we have, with a transition design posture, designed tools that we believe can be useful to initiate dialogues and reflections on the future. In particular we are interested in using the bridging between provocative and affirmative design as a way to explore and articulate what people see as the lost and found of such a transition. In this paper, we present a study where we used a practice lens to address one possible low carbon future through a provocation workshop. We present our methodology, the tentative tools we used during the workshop and the experiences as expressed by the workshop participants.

Nordic Design Research Conference, Jun 12, 2023

Journal of Cleaner Production, Jun 1, 2020

Reducing private car commuting is necessary for decarbonisation of cities; meanwhile, new shared ... more Reducing private car commuting is necessary for decarbonisation of cities; meanwhile, new shared mobility services provide an alternative to cars for daily commuting proposing a transition of user behaviour towards more sustainable mobility practices. In this paper, we investigate changes in everyday life practices when private car commuting is replaced with a shared mobility alternative, integrating lightweight small size electric vehicles (LEVs) in a peer-to-peer shared mobility service. Through a living lab experiment, a long-term empirical study with 16 individual households in Sweden was conducted employing a mixed methods approach. Using social practice theory as an analytical lens, we interrogate in depth the process of change in users' everyday lives to understand challenges in integrating shared mobility services into everyday practice, and the implications for transition towards sustainable mobility practices from a user's everyday life point of view. The results show that a new mobility service can play a role in reconfiguring the meaning of private car commuting in terms of its related impacts, as well as increase knowledge and trust in sustainable alternatives. However, integrating shared mobility services in everyday practices showed that it became difficult to manage after six months, particularly for users with children. Our study demonstrates that current everyday life logistics, time affluence, and effort requirements are critical variables for enabling practice changes towards more sustainable mobility alternatives, such as a light electric vehicle sharing service. To enable people to reduce private car use, a more integrated and systemic design approach is needed for alternatives to become competitive with the notion of cars in everyday mobility.

Transportation Research Part D-transport and Environment, Jun 1, 2019

Low-carbon mobility alternatives, such as shared services integrating light electric vehicles, su... more Low-carbon mobility alternatives, such as shared services integrating light electric vehicles, support transitions to sustainable transport systems. However, new products and services are not enough, as changes must also incorporate the practices of travelling, infrastructure, and mobility cultures in which users of mobility solutions are core stakeholders. This paper argues that user involvement is necessary in sustainable innovation processes but that the expected diversity of user roles and their involvement can also lead to contrasting outcomes for sustainable innovation transitions. Guided by theory in user involvement, this study investigated users and nonusers of light electric vehicles in a sharing mobility service system set up as living lab in two large workplaces in Sweden. Fifty-one interviews with employees at the workplaces were conducted during the implementation process and analysed combined with a questionnaire and data from system tracking through sensor technology. The paper finds that both users and non-users are cocreators in building momentum for sustainable mobility alternatives and provides a spectrum of user roles with defined characteristics. Four roles are distinguished within this spectrum: vigilant users, passive collaborators, active decision makers and ambassadors. We suggest that a convergent activation strategy is deployed for involving a full spectrum of users in order to capture their insights in ways that positively affect transition. Such a strategy addresses users and non-users as part of decision-making concerning alternatives and cultivates a culture of user collaboration, while also enabling a plurality of contributions in order to challenge existing regimes and established practices among individuals.

This paper addresses the constellation of various actors from private and publicsectors represent... more This paper addresses the constellation of various actors from private and publicsectors represented by three companies, a municipality, a non-profitorganization, a research lab and users to collabo ...

Tackling current sustainability challenges requires substantial societal and social changes, and ... more Tackling current sustainability challenges requires substantial societal and social changes, and many different strategies for their deployment. More people have to choose sustainability practices, ...

To understand possibilities and barriers for ride-sharing in work commuting, 451 persons living i... more To understand possibilities and barriers for ride-sharing in work commuting, 451 persons living in the same suburban area and working at the same site were invited to join a ride-sharing program and use a mobile application. Two quantitative web surveys and 16 in-depth interviews have been performed. The results have been analysed using social practice theories as an analytical lens. The participants understood the benefits with the ride-sharing practice, but out of the 451 invited participants, only 8 downloaded the required mobile application for the ride-sharing program. Different to previous results in the literature, trust and security were not seen as issues in this case. Instead the expected loss of flexibility was seen as the main barrier. The participants found a meaning in "being a green commuter" and understood that ride-sharing could contribute to decrease challenges of congestion, environmental impact, and overfull parking places. However, they rated their own current flexibility and convenience in commuting higher than the expected benefits from ride-sharing.

Conference proceedings of the Academy for Design Innovation Management, Dec 3, 2019

Transitions of unsustainable everyday practices into more sustainable ones require new approaches... more Transitions of unsustainable everyday practices into more sustainable ones require new approaches to explore possible futures and encourage change. Trying new practices and experiencing alternative configurations of sociomaterial assemblages can increase reflexivity as well as assist in exploring potential futures. Design can assist in co-creating possible futures and bridging discussions about the preferred strategies to reach them. If sustainability is defined as an ongoing process calling for dialogue, there could be potentials for using practice-based design research, and in particular co-design approaches, at the intersections of these dialogues. By analysing methods for reflexivity and collaboration in two design research projects within sustainable mobility, we here suggest design strategies for prototyping change at an individual level and communicating the experiences of such change to people with power to trigger and direct change. This may be particularly useful for addressing sustainability which both requires dealing with complex problems and extensive collaboration.

Futures, Sep 1, 2019

This is the accepted version of a paper published in Futures: The journal of policy, planning and... more This is the accepted version of a paper published in Futures: The journal of policy, planning and futures studies. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination.

The use of practices as a unit of analysis has been suggested in order to scale up efforts within... more The use of practices as a unit of analysis has been suggested in order to scale up efforts within sustainable HCI and to shift the focus from changing individual behaviours to supporting transitions at a societal level. In this paper, we take a practice approach to the case of sustainable transportation, and more specifically to carfree transportation. Car use is intertwined in many practices and managing life without a car is difficult, particularly for people in contexts where owning at least one car per family is the norm. We studied three families in Stockholm who replaced their cars with different combinations of light electric vehicles during one year. From the families' experiences, we identified a number of opportunities for designers of interactive technologies to support environmental pioneers in the particular case of car-free living, as well as to support transitions towards sustainable practices in general.

This paper describes an interventionist design research project called a Car-free Year, where thr... more This paper describes an interventionist design research project called a Car-free Year, where three families substitute their cars for a fleet of light electric vehicles during one year. The aim is to study how this intervention changes the families' everyday practices, as well as suggest how design can support and sustain such a change on a larger scale. If radically new paradigms are to be shaped, changes are needed both in what is considered normalities and in people's everyday practices. We argue that design can play an important role in the transition towards more sustainable futures and new normalities.

Sustainability : Science, Practice and Policy, 2019

Transitions toward more sustainable mobility are necessary and involve changes in complex constel... more Transitions toward more sustainable mobility are necessary and involve changes in complex constellations of mobility-related practices. To understand opportunities for moving in this direction, there is a need to explore both the consumption side of sustainable mobility practices and the perspective of stakeholders that provide products, services, infrastructures, and policies required for such practices. This article contributes to a discussion of critical aspects of sustainable mobility practices in relation to the responsibilities and concerns of stakeholders with power to influence these practices. We present four sets of design concepts for supporting car-free living which were formulated and co-created based on a practice-oriented analysis of a one-year study of three families in Stockholm, Sweden that replaced their cars with light electric vehicles. The design concepts bring forward elements of sustainable mobility with a focus on: trying out new mobility practices, cycling infrastructure, childfriendly public transport, and transporting stuff. Furthermore, we discussed the concepts with public and private sector stakeholders and examined their interests in particular practices. Also considered are how the responsibilities of different stakeholders may clash. Finally, we suggest that practice-oriented design concepts can support discussions and increased knowledge about responsibilities and potential conflicts related to sustainable practices, as well as provide means for supporting learning about sustainable practices among decision makers.

Vi maste acceptera den foreliggande verkligheten – endast darigenom har vi utsikt att forsta den,... more Vi maste acceptera den foreliggande verkligheten – endast darigenom har vi utsikt att forsta den, att relatera till den for att paverka den och skapa kultur som ar ett smidigt redskap for omstallni ...

Proceedings of DRS, Jun 28, 2018

We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous c... more We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous cuts in carbon emissions. Yet this future is hard to envision and work towards. In this project, with a transition design posture, we have designed tools that we believe can be useful to initiate dialogues and reflections for the future. In particular we are interested in using the bridging between provocative and affirmative design as a way to explore and articulate what people see as the lost and found of such a transition. In this paper, we present a study where we used a practice lens to address one possible low carbon future through a provocation workshop. We present our methodology, the tentative tools we used during the workshop and the experiences as expressed by the workshop participants. sustainability transitions; transition design posture; provocative and affirmative design; lost and found

Interactions, Mar 1, 2021

Nordes 2023: This Space Left Intentionally Blank

Travel Behaviour and Society

Energy Research & Social Science, 2020

Energy Research & Social Science, 2020

DRS2018: Catalyst, Jun 28, 2018

We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous c... more We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous cuts in carbon emissions. Yet this future is hard to envision and work towards. In this project, with a transition design posture, we have designed tools that we believe can be useful to initiate dialogues and reflections for the future. In particular we are interested in using the bridging between provocative and affirmative design as a way to explore and articulate what people see as the lost and found of such a transition. In this paper, we present a study where we used a practice lens to address one possible low carbon future through a provocation workshop. We present our methodology, the tentative tools we used during the workshop and the experiences as expressed by the workshop participants. sustainability transitions; transition design posture; provocative and affirmative design; lost and found

DRS2018: Catalyst, Jun 28, 2018

We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous c... more We need to transition our society in a more sustainable direction, for example through enormous cuts in carbon emissions. Yet this future is hard to envision and work towards. In this project, with a transition design posture, we have designed tools that we believe can be useful to initiate dialogues and reflections for the future. In particular we are interested in using the bridging between provocative and affirmative design as a way to explore and articulate what people see as the lost and found of such a transition. In this paper, we present a study where we used a practice lens to address one possible low carbon future through a provocation workshop. We present our methodology, the tentative tools we used during the workshop and the experiences as expressed by the workshop participants. sustainability transitions; transition design posture; provocative and affirmative design; lost and found