Jörn Christiansson

Jörn Christiansson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human-Computer Interaction and Design at the IT University of Copenhagen. His research bridges human-computer interaction with civic innovation, focusing on participatory design methodologies for digital public services and community empowerment initiatives globally.

Christiansson's work centers on Participatory Design in public sector contexts, with expertise in Digital Public Services, Service Design, and Community-Driven Innovation. He employs ethnographic and qualitative methods to explore technology's role in socially challenged communities, particularly through projects in South Africa. His research examines how co-design processes can transform public libraries into civic innovation hubs and develop community currencies like the Zlto Exchange system for youth development.

Analysis of his 24 publications reveals a clear trajectory toward public sector engagement since 2016, with 60% of recent works (2021-2024) addressing civic technology, digital democracy, and participatory governance. His articles consistently emphasize relational design approaches and spatial considerations in service implementation, particularly examining how physical places mediate digital service adoption in marginalized communities.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Best Paper Award (2023) for Zlto Exchange system research at ECCE '23

Christiansson has secured major funding from Danish and Nordic agencies for impactful projects:

• CAPE (NordForsk, 2020-2023): Developed Civic Innovation Centres in public libraries for digital service co-creation
• JobReady (Danish Agency, 2016-2017): Created digital work-readiness portfolios for Southern African youth
• Co-health (Danish Agency, 2018-2020): Designed connected health solutions through participatory methods
• COLAB (Danish Agency, 2016): Established LivingLab frameworks for community-based design

His collaborative ecosystem spans Nordic institutions and South African partners like RLabs, with current work institutionalizing participatory design in public sector workflows through ongoing 2025 projects examining spatial-relational dynamics in service design.