  This paper describes the development of and first experiences with 'Design
Your Life': a novel method aimed at user-initiated design of technologies
supporting young autistic adults in independent living. A conceptual,
phenomenological background resulting in four core principles is described.
Taking a practice-oriented Research-through-Design approach, three co-design
case studies were conducted, in which promising methods from the co-design
literature with the lived experiences and practical contexts of autistic young
adults and their caregivers is contrasted. This explorative inquiry provided
some first insights into several design directions of the Design Your
Life-process. In a series of new case studies that shall follow, the Design
Your Life-method will be iteratively developed, refined and ultimately
validated in practice.
