Boundary objects for systemic insight: Relational and embodied Systemic Co-Design case studies

Relational negotiation, contextual adaptation, and reflective exchanges between designers and non‑designers are central to how boundary objects shape knowledge creation and systemic insight in Systemic Co‑Design (SCD). Drawing on the ESCollab publication, this study examines two embodied SCD cases, the MelkSalon and the Co‑Design Canvas, which foreground sensory, experiential, and artefact‑based engagement. Using systems thinking, Relevance Theory, Aristotelian rhetoric, and affordance theory as lenses, we analyse how these boundary objects mediate boundary framing between designers and non‑designers. Findings indicate that boundary objects are most effective when grounded in contextual and cultural realities, fostering emotional engagement, trust, and adaptive participation to support collaborative meaning‑making and systemic change. However, challenges of replicability and scalability persist, as sustained facilitation, contextual sensitivity, and participant readiness remain critical for impact. We argue that deeper co‑ownership and transformation occur when SCD boundary objects are designed and used as embodied, pluralistic, reflexive “boundary experiences” rather than technical templates.