CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work

Nimra Ahmed; Sargam Telang; Larissa Senning; Thu An Phan; Tim Portmann; Sandra Rosch; Angelika Strohmayer; Elaine M. Huang

doi:10.1145/3772318.3790275

CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work

Nimra Ahmed^*, Sargam Telang, Larissa Senning^*, Thu An Phan, Tim Portmann^*, Sandra Rosch^*, Angelika Strohmayer, Elaine M. Huang

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Design Arts and Creative Industries

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

18 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Third sector organizations that address gender-based violence often rely on makeshift tools to manage complex, emotionally intensive casework. Although digital systems promise structure, most fail to support the narrative, relational, and time-sensitive nature of frontline support. This paper presents the design, development, and deployment of CaseCompass, a digital case management system co-created with the Competence Center against Forced Marriages, a national NGO in Switzerland. The project emerged from a long-term, trust-based collaboration and foregrounded organizational priorities, care practices, and long-term sustainability. Rather than treating the tool as the endpoint, we use its creation as a lens to examine how participation can be structured under severe time and capacity constraints, and how design decisions can serve as infrastructural care. We contribute to feminist and social justice-oriented HCI by offering a detailed case study of community-led infrastructuring within a small NGO, articulating strategies for structuring participation under constraints, and framing sustainability as an active practice of care, responsibility, and justice.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Editors	Nuria Oliver, David A. Shamma, Heloisa Candello, Pablo Cesar, Pedro Lopes, Alessandro Bozzon, Thomas Kosch, Vera Liao, Xiaojuan Ma, Valentino Artizzu, Fiona Draxler, Gustavo Lopez, Anke V. Reinschluessel, Xin Tong, Phoebe O. Toups Dugas
Place of Publication	New York, United States
Publisher	ACM
Pages	1-20
Number of pages	20
ISBN (Electronic)	9798400722783
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3772318.3790275
Publication status	Published - 13 Apr 2026
Event	2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026 - Barcelona, Spain Duration: 13 Apr 2026 → 17 Apr 2026 https://chi2026.acm.org/

Conference

Conference	2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026
Abbreviated title	ACM CHI 2026
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Barcelona
Period	13/04/26 → 17/04/26
Internet address	https://chi2026.acm.org/

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 5 Gender Equality
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Care Participation
Community-led Design
Design Justice
Forced Marriages
Gender-Based Violence
Social Justice

Access to Document

10.1145/3772318.3790275Licence: CC BY

3772318.3790275Final published version, 3.05 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Ahmed, N., Telang, S., Senning, L., Phan, T. A., Portmann, T., Rosch, S., Strohmayer, A., & Huang, E. M. (2026). CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work. In N. Oliver, D. A. Shamma, H. Candello, P. Cesar, P. Lopes, A. Bozzon, T. Kosch, V. Liao, X. Ma, V. Artizzu, F. Draxler, G. Lopez, A. V. Reinschluessel, X. Tong, & P. O. Toups Dugas (Eds.), CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-20). Article 903 ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772318.3790275

Ahmed, Nimra ; Telang, Sargam ; Senning, Larissa et al. / CaseCompass : Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work. CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. editor / Nuria Oliver ; David A. Shamma ; Heloisa Candello ; Pablo Cesar ; Pedro Lopes ; Alessandro Bozzon ; Thomas Kosch ; Vera Liao ; Xiaojuan Ma ; Valentino Artizzu ; Fiona Draxler ; Gustavo Lopez ; Anke V. Reinschluessel ; Xin Tong ; Phoebe O. Toups Dugas. New York, United States : ACM, 2026. pp. 1-20

@inproceedings{49eeb40615434c04a50819038f2ebf45,

title = "CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work",

abstract = "Third sector organizations that address gender-based violence often rely on makeshift tools to manage complex, emotionally intensive casework. Although digital systems promise structure, most fail to support the narrative, relational, and time-sensitive nature of frontline support. This paper presents the design, development, and deployment of CaseCompass, a digital case management system co-created with the Competence Center against Forced Marriages, a national NGO in Switzerland. The project emerged from a long-term, trust-based collaboration and foregrounded organizational priorities, care practices, and long-term sustainability. Rather than treating the tool as the endpoint, we use its creation as a lens to examine how participation can be structured under severe time and capacity constraints, and how design decisions can serve as infrastructural care. We contribute to feminist and social justice-oriented HCI by offering a detailed case study of community-led infrastructuring within a small NGO, articulating strategies for structuring participation under constraints, and framing sustainability as an active practice of care, responsibility, and justice.",

keywords = "Care Participation, Community-led Design, Design Justice, Forced Marriages, Gender-Based Violence, Social Justice",

author = "Nimra Ahmed and Sargam Telang and Larissa Senning and Phan, \{Thu An\} and Tim Portmann and Sandra Rosch and Angelika Strohmayer and Huang, \{Elaine M.\}",

year = "2026",

month = apr,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1145/3772318.3790275",

language = "English",

pages = "1--20",

editor = "Nuria Oliver and Shamma, \{David A.\} and Heloisa Candello and Pablo Cesar and Pedro Lopes and Alessandro Bozzon and Thomas Kosch and Vera Liao and Xiaojuan Ma and Valentino Artizzu and Fiona Draxler and Gustavo Lopez and Reinschluessel, \{Anke V.\} and Xin Tong and \{Toups Dugas\}, \{Phoebe O.\}",

booktitle = "CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems",

publisher = "ACM",

address = "United States",

note = "2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026, ACM CHI 2026 ; Conference date: 13-04-2026 Through 17-04-2026",

url = "https://chi2026.acm.org/",

}

Ahmed, N, Telang, S, Senning, L, Phan, TA, Portmann, T, Rosch, S, Strohmayer, A & Huang, EM 2026, CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work. in N Oliver, DA Shamma, H Candello, P Cesar, P Lopes, A Bozzon, T Kosch, V Liao, X Ma, V Artizzu, F Draxler, G Lopez, AV Reinschluessel, X Tong & PO Toups Dugas (eds), CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 903, ACM, New York, United States, pp. 1-20, 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026, Barcelona, Spain, 13/04/26. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772318.3790275

CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work. / Ahmed, Nimra; Telang, Sargam; Senning, Larissa et al.
CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ed. / Nuria Oliver; David A. Shamma; Heloisa Candello; Pablo Cesar; Pedro Lopes; Alessandro Bozzon; Thomas Kosch; Vera Liao; Xiaojuan Ma; Valentino Artizzu; Fiona Draxler; Gustavo Lopez; Anke V. Reinschluessel; Xin Tong; Phoebe O. Toups Dugas. New York, United States: ACM, 2026. p. 1-20 903.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - CaseCompass

T2 - 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026

AU - Ahmed, Nimra

AU - Telang, Sargam

AU - Senning, Larissa

AU - Phan, Thu An

AU - Portmann, Tim

AU - Rosch, Sandra

AU - Strohmayer, Angelika

AU - Huang, Elaine M.

PY - 2026/4/13

Y1 - 2026/4/13

N2 - Third sector organizations that address gender-based violence often rely on makeshift tools to manage complex, emotionally intensive casework. Although digital systems promise structure, most fail to support the narrative, relational, and time-sensitive nature of frontline support. This paper presents the design, development, and deployment of CaseCompass, a digital case management system co-created with the Competence Center against Forced Marriages, a national NGO in Switzerland. The project emerged from a long-term, trust-based collaboration and foregrounded organizational priorities, care practices, and long-term sustainability. Rather than treating the tool as the endpoint, we use its creation as a lens to examine how participation can be structured under severe time and capacity constraints, and how design decisions can serve as infrastructural care. We contribute to feminist and social justice-oriented HCI by offering a detailed case study of community-led infrastructuring within a small NGO, articulating strategies for structuring participation under constraints, and framing sustainability as an active practice of care, responsibility, and justice.

AB - Third sector organizations that address gender-based violence often rely on makeshift tools to manage complex, emotionally intensive casework. Although digital systems promise structure, most fail to support the narrative, relational, and time-sensitive nature of frontline support. This paper presents the design, development, and deployment of CaseCompass, a digital case management system co-created with the Competence Center against Forced Marriages, a national NGO in Switzerland. The project emerged from a long-term, trust-based collaboration and foregrounded organizational priorities, care practices, and long-term sustainability. Rather than treating the tool as the endpoint, we use its creation as a lens to examine how participation can be structured under severe time and capacity constraints, and how design decisions can serve as infrastructural care. We contribute to feminist and social justice-oriented HCI by offering a detailed case study of community-led infrastructuring within a small NGO, articulating strategies for structuring participation under constraints, and framing sustainability as an active practice of care, responsibility, and justice.

KW - Care Participation

KW - Community-led Design

KW - Design Justice

KW - Forced Marriages

KW - Gender-Based Violence

KW - Social Justice

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105038792680

U2 - 10.1145/3772318.3790275

DO - 10.1145/3772318.3790275

M3 - Conference contribution

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EP - 20

BT - CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

A2 - Oliver, Nuria

A2 - Shamma, David A.

A2 - Candello, Heloisa

A2 - Cesar, Pablo

A2 - Lopes, Pedro

A2 - Bozzon, Alessandro

A2 - Kosch, Thomas

A2 - Liao, Vera

A2 - Ma, Xiaojuan

A2 - Artizzu, Valentino

A2 - Draxler, Fiona

A2 - Lopez, Gustavo

A2 - Reinschluessel, Anke V.

A2 - Tong, Xin

A2 - Toups Dugas, Phoebe O.

PB - ACM

CY - New York, United States

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ER -

Ahmed N, Telang S, Senning L, Phan TA, Portmann T, Rosch S et al. CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work. In Oliver N, Shamma DA, Candello H, Cesar P, Lopes P, Bozzon A, Kosch T, Liao V, Ma X, Artizzu V, Draxler F, Lopez G, Reinschluessel AV, Tong X, Toups Dugas PO, editors, CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. New York, United States: ACM. 2026. p. 1-20. 903 doi: 10.1145/3772318.3790275

CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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