Reflection-in-Action

A concept from Donald Schön's theory of reflective practice (The Reflective Practitioner, 1983) describing how skilled practitioners adjust their approach in the moment, based on tacit knowledge and immediate feedback from the situation, rather than by following pre-specified rules. Schön distinguishes reflection-in-action (thinking while doing) from reflection-on-action (thinking afterwards). In accessibility co-design and participatory research, reflection-in-action is central to working with disabled collaborators whose needs, preferences, and capacities may shift session-to-session — the designer adapts prototypes live, with the participant, rather than executing a fixed protocol.