The Shape-Shifter: A Social Design Method for Participatory Evaluation of AI and Society Controversies

This paper presents a social design method for controversy mapping called the Shape-shifter. Our method combines design techniques of material engagement and data physicalization through open prototyping with controversy analysis as developed in Science and Technology Studies (STS). It was designed to support the collaborative evaluation of AI & Society controversies, guided by the central question: how do we transition from the AI controversies we currently have to the AI controversies we need? The study engaged an extended community of AI and society experts in the UK through online consultations, interviews, and a participatory workshop in London, which drew 35 participants from academia, government, industry, advocacy, and the arts. The Shape-shifter method integrates three components: inventive indicators (relevance, participation, situatedness, power, solvability), open prototyping with simple materials, and participatory design principles. These were operationalized in a workshop activity where groups shaped and reshaped selected AI controversies using cardboard strips, plasticine, annotations, and facilitated discussion. Our analysis of the resulting controversy shapes shows how the method enables participants to diagnose existing controversies while imagining alternatives that open up more inclusive, situated, and accountable forms of problem definition. We conclude by reflecting on the Shape-shifter’s contribution to linking participatory design with public deliberation and its potential for informing design, policy, and civic engagement with AI.