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The extant literature suggests that human-centered approaches to design such as Participatory Design (PD) lend to more reusable and relevant design outputs, but often assumes this progression as an inevitable outcome of PD work. To investigate the factors contributing to this assumption, we document a comparative case analysis of the design processes of three studies centered on learning in communal spaces. All three studies shared the overarching objective of designing signage to promote playful learning opportunities in grocery stores, providing a rare opportunity to analyze different approaches to PD work in a controlled design area. We compare how three components interact throughout each design process: 1) researchers’ goals 2) researchers’ pedagogical frameworks and 3) community roles. We propose that future researchers consider the interplay of these three components as points of deliberation to formulate innovative and intentional PD practices. We offer a set of guidelines incorporating these components that researchers can reference when structuring their PD process.