Community + Culture features practitioner perspectives on designing technologies for and with communities. We highlight compelling projects and provocative points of view that speak to both community technology practice and the interaction design field as a whole. --- Christopher A. Le Dantec, Editor

Designing new technologies to support the lived experience of dementia is of increasing interest within HCI. While there is guidance on qualitative research methods to use in areas such as dementia, there is a need for more appropriate ways to research in the younger demographic. In Younger Onset Dementia (YOD), the circumstances and experiences are markedly different from dementia in the later stage of liferequiring a different approach. This paper presents insights into the methods and approaches used in a fieldwork with five people living with YOD; where they engaged as coresearchers in a co-directed inquiry into their lived experiences. Through this, we make a number of methodological contributions to HCI and Participatory Action Research (PAR) for research in the YOD setting. This includes productive approaches that are sensitive, respectful and empowering to the participants. It also extends current approaches to using probes in HCI and dementia research.

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This paper presents insights into Younger Onset Dementia (YOD) offering clear differentiation in the circumstances, needs and challenges of people with YOD from those with late onset dementia. We point to opportunities for the potential role of digital technology to improve the experiences of people living with YOD. This is important because while HCI has long engaged with dementia, these efforts have been predominantly focused on designing technologies for elderly people experiencing dementia. In particular, this paper highlights concerns raised by people with YOD which have significant impact for HCI researchers when engaging people with YOD in research and in technology design. As such, this paper argues for a broadening of HCI research to include YOD and to rethink current research and design methods in 'dementia and technology' settings.