Psychology and Design Processes

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Wilpert
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
Professional Socialization ◽  
Organizational Conditions ◽  
Guarantee System ◽  
Engineering Sciences ◽  
The Social ◽  
Final Design ◽  
Safety And Reliability ◽  
User Expectations ◽  
Diverse Groups

Abstract. The most fundamental issue for any design is to pursue a strategy that guarantees that the final design product matches user expectations in terms of the product's usability, functionality, and requisite user competencies. This presentation illustrates this problem in reference to three separate but interrelated major themes: (1) the design of highly complex sociotechnical systems with high hazard potential; (2) the processes of everyday product design in teams; (3) the theoretical aspects of design and creative problem finding/solving. The first theme articulates the specific difficulties arising from the usual conflicts between purely technology-driven demands and the need to integrate the cognitive and action capacities, limitations, and needs of the human operator into the ultimate facility in order to guarantee system safety and reliability. What is called for here is more than a dialog between engineering sciences and psychology, but a genuine active cooperation of diverse disciplines in all design stages. The second theme addresses the social psychological processes of everyday product design under conditions of distributed decision making and the cooperative demands of diverse groups with heterogeneous professional socialization, divergent competencies, and diverse interests. The concluding section reflects on the theoretical dimensions of creativity and design. It discusses the research evidence concerning the social and organizational conditions under which innovative design solutions may be generated such as cognitive competencies and strategies, leadership, and organizational arrangements.

scholarly journals Wearable robotic exoskeletons: A socio-philosophical perspective on Duchenne muscular dystrophy research

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 404-413
Author(s):  
Alexandra Kapeller ◽  
Michael H. Nagenborg ◽  
Kostas Nizamis
Keyword(s):  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Disability Studies ◽  
Philosophy Of Technology ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Philosophical Perspective ◽  
Individual Model ◽  
Engineering Sciences ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Individual

AbstractRecently, several research projects in the Netherlands have focused on the development of wearable robotic exoskeletons (WREs) for individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Such research on WREs is often treated solely within the disciplines of biomedical and mechanical engineering, overlooking insights from disability studies and philosophy of technology. We argue that mainly two such insights should receive attention: the problematization of the ableism connected to the individual model of disability and the stigmatization by assistive technology. While disability studies have largely rejected the individual model of disability, the engineering sciences seem to still locate disability in an individual’s body, not questioning their own problematization of disability. Additionally, philosophy of technology has argued that technologies are not neutral instruments but shape users’ actions and perceptions. The design of WREs may convey a message about the understanding of disability, which can be comprehended as a challenge and an opportunity: stigmatization needs to be avoided and positive views on disability can be evoked. This article aims to highlight the benefits of considering these socio-philosophical perspectives by examining the case of WREs for people with DMD and proposing design principles for WREs. These principles may enhance acceptability of WREs, not only by individuals with DMD but also by other users, and help engineers to better place their work in the social context.

scholarly journals Teams as Author: Narrative and Knowledge Creation in case Discussions in Multi-Disciplinary Health Teams

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Opie
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Knowledge Creation ◽  
Knowledge Work ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Health Care Teams ◽  
Organizational Conditions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Case Discussions ◽  
Medical Teams ◽  
Recent Attention

Narrative has been described as a universally used means for ordering experience. Although the narratives of medical teams have received recent attention, those produced by health professionals in multi-disciplinary health care teams in the course of their everyday work in team reviews and case discussions about service users have not. This paper, then, presents a discussion of an under-investigated area of narrative in the social sciences. The analysis is developed from the narratives produced during team reviews conducted over several weeks about 2 users - one a quadriplegic, the other, a psychiatric patient in a medium secure unit. The major issues with which the paper is concerned are: (i) the identification and explanation of significant differences between the narratives produced by medical and multi-disciplinary teams; (ii) the identification of a suppressed dimension (both in the literature on health care teams, and in the practice of these teams) on the management of difference in the development of complex multi-disciplinary team narratives; and (iii) how members of MD teams work with the different professional knowledges represented by their members. The final section of the paper defines team work as primarily a process of knowledge work and knowledge creation, and it discusses some of the organizational conditions which facilitate such work.

Reciprocal Obligations in the Social Capital Resource Exchanges of Diverse Groups

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 238-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rochelle Parks-Yancy ◽  
Nancy DiTomaso ◽  
Corinne Post
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
The Social ◽  
Diverse Groups

Social Impact in Product Design, An Exploration of Current Industry Practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 142 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew T. Pack ◽  
Emma Rose Phipps ◽  
Christopher A. Mattson ◽  
Eric C. Dahlin
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Life Cycle Assessments ◽  
Government Regulations ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
The Social

Abstract Though academic research for identifying and considering the social impact of products is emerging, additional insights can be gained from engineers who design products every day. This paper explores current practices in industries used by design engineers to consider the social impact of products. Forty-six individuals from 34 different companies were interviewed to discover what disconnects exist between academia and industry when considering a product’s social impact. These interviews were also used to discover how social impact might be considered in a design setting moving forward. This is not a study to find “the state of the art,” but considers the average engineering professional’s work to design products in various industries. Social impact assessments (SIA) and social life cycle assessments (SLCA) are two of the most common processes discussed in the literature to evaluate social impact, both generally and in products. Interestingly, these processes did not arise in any discussion in interviews, despite respondents affirming that they do consider social impact in the product design. Processes used to predict social impact, rather than simply evaluate, were discussed by the respondents. These tended to be developed within the company and often related to industry imposed government regulations. To build on this study, the findings herein should be further validated for executives, managers, and engineers. A study specific to these roles should be designed to understand the disconnect better. Additionally, processes should be developed to assist engineers in considering the social impact of their products. Work should also be done to help educate engineers and their leaders on the value of considering the social impact in product design.

The Plaintiff's Attorney

1978 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 669-669
Author(s):  
Harry M. Philo ◽  
Linda Miller Atkinson
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Product Liability ◽  
Accident Prevention ◽  
Product Safety ◽  
Social Purpose ◽  
The Social ◽  
Trial Judges

The social purpose of product liability litigation is product safety and accident Prevention. The role of the Human Factors Expert in that context is to educate juries, trial judges and appellate judges, attorneys, and experts in product design. The role of the Human Factors Expert in this context also includes being educated by the attorney's hindsight and experience, the technical materials, and by due care standards rather than compromise standards.

Schooled by Wren, or a School by Wren? The Conception and Design of Christ’s Hospital Writing School, London

2008 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 87-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Foxall
Keyword(s):  
Seventeenth Century ◽  
School Building ◽  
Documentary Evidence ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The Social ◽  
Final Design ◽  
Long Time ◽  
History Of ◽  
Christopher Wren ◽  
School Movement

On 2 March 1692, Sir Christopher Wren visited the governors of Christ’s Hospital in London, bringing with him a design for a new writing school to be erected on the Hospital’s Newgate Street site. Seven drawings for the school building survive in the Wren collection at All Souls College, Oxford. However, rather than suggesting Wren’s authorship, these drawings are customarily attributed to his pupil and long-time assistant, Nicholas Hawksmoor. It is generally accepted that Hawksmoor received delegated commissions from Wren by at least the early 1690s, but, although the draughtsmanship and stylistic evidence of the Writing School drawings suggest consistency with this interpretation, the surviving documentary evidence by no means proves Hawksmoor’s involvement. In fact, Wren’s name appears no less than thirteen times in the surviving Hospital minutes of 1691 to 1696, while Hawksmoor is never mentioned.The Writing School designs are briefly described in most architectural histories of the period, although they are considered remarkable more for heralding a shift in architectural taste than for the building shown in the drawings or for the social and ideological impulses that impelled its creation. This article considers the Writing School in the context of contemporary debates and anxieties concerning the provision of education for the poor, and within the wider sphere of late seventeenth-century charity-school building. Wren’s involvement is considered in relation to his philanthropic interest in the charity-school movement. The article concludes with an analysis of the designs and building history of the Writing School, and, on the basis of previously unpublished eighteenth- and nineteenth-century graphic sources, discounts Giles Worsley’s suggestion that Hawksmoor added a pediment to the final design. Wren and Hawksmoor’s specific responsibilities for the conception, design and execution of the building are considered, and it is argued that, although Hawksmoor was responsible for most of the surviving drawings relating to the project, Wren directed the process, taking responsibility for all designs produced in his office and claiming authorship for the drawings produced.

scholarly journals Networking Alone? Digital Communications and Collective Action in Vietnam

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Kurfürst
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Digital Networks ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Bauxite Mining ◽  
The Social ◽  
Power Differentials ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Diverse Groups

This article explores the potential for the formation of collective action in Vietnam. Referring to land and labour protests, bauxite mining, anti-China demonstrations, as well as the revision of the 1992 Constitution, the article examines the social movement repertoires diverse groups have adopted to reach their objectives. Drawing on social movement theory and communication power, this contribution shows that apart from access to the technology, citizens’ opportunities to participate in digital networks as well as access to the default communication network of the state are necessary prerequisites in order to attain public attention and possibly to achieve social change. Moreover, this article shows that existing power differentials in Vietnam are reproduced in digital space. It concludes that for different collective behaviours to result in a social movement, it is essential to “switch” and to connect the different networks. For the moment, the call to protect Vietnam's sovereignty offers common ground for collective action.

Pharmacists ascribing value of technician certification using an organizational behavior framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 457-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane P Desselle ◽  
Kimberly C Mckeirnan ◽  
Kenneth C Hohmeier
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Professional Socialization ◽  
Career Commitment ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Job Skills ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Training Environment ◽  
Job Knowledge ◽  
Diverse Groups

Abstract Purpose To gather rich details about the value of technician certification from diverse groups of pharmacists of various practice settings and levels of experience. Methods Focus groups of pharmacists were conducted using a semistructured interview guide in 4 states (California, Idaho, Tennessee, and Washington) varying in pharmacy technician scope of practice, regulation, and education and/or training environment. Participant pharmacists came from health-system, clinic, and community pharmacy environments. The focus groups took the unique approach of an organizational behavior perspective to contextualize technician readiness for practice change and employer fit. The sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Rapid-based qualitative analysis was used to code the data, with summary templates completed by 2 of the researchers for each of the 4 sessions. Results There were a total of 33 focus group participants, including 13 male and 20 female pharmacists ranging in age from 27 to 68 years. The 4 major themes yielded by the data were (1) impact of certification, (2) context of certification, (3) organizational culture considerations, and (4) future credentialing. Certification was deemed to have a greater impact on technician maturation, professional socialization, and career commitment than on actual job skills, even while job knowledge was also deemed to be enhanced. In fact, the certification process was also deemed beneficial in that it meshes with on-the-job training. Participants indicated preferences for technician certification examinations to incorporate more content in “soft skills” and also for development of more specialty and/or differentiated certification products. Conclusion Pharmacists from 4 states saw value in certification but agreed that certification is but one component of readying technicians for future practice. Suggestions for furthering the value of certification were shared.

Tertullian's Polemic Against Social Co-optation

1971 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis E. Groh
Keyword(s):  
Social Problem ◽  
Social System ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Technological System ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
The Social ◽  
Diverse Groups ◽  
The Church

One of the major strengths of a political and technological system is its ability to absorb into itself and to direct toward social purposes the aspirations and abilities of diverse groups and peoples. Empire, as opposed to despotism, traffics in the relentless proclivity of societal man to find contentment in the culture's values and personal advancement within the society's political, social, and economic structures. To paraphrase an old political maxim, a man who can be rewarded by the social system can be ruled by it. In this proclivity of societal man to make a place for himself in the social structures lay one of the major dangers to the church of Tertullian's day. Tertullian's attempt to lay the foundations for a divine community which could withstand the “pull” of society's “success” or “status” ethic on Christians is the focus of this article. It goes without saying that Tertullian's understanding of the essentially unique and separate character of the Christian community was also formulated against the heretics' theological “push,” but I would like to concentrate on the social problem in keeping with the theme of the meeting.

scholarly journals Diverse Learners, Diverse Texts: Exploring Identity and Difference through Literary Encounters

1998 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Z. Athanases
Keyword(s):  
Identity Formation ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Ethnic Literature ◽  
English Classes ◽  
The Social ◽  
Identity And Difference ◽  
Diverse Groups ◽  
Constructing Meaning ◽  
Sexual Identity Formation ◽  
Literary Encounters

This article reports from a yearlong ethnography that examined two urban loth-grade English classes of ethnically diverse students in which the teachers diversified literature selections for newly designed ethnic literature curricula. The study reports texts students found most memorable and meaningful and analyzes the values students found in their encounters with these literary works. When students identified with characters and texts, they reflected on personal concerns, including family nostalgia and loss; adolescent challenges; and culture, gender, and sexual-identity formation. Literary encounters also fostered discoveries about diverse groups (identified by race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation) that helped students move past stereotyped notions of others. Choices of meaningful works were often tied integrally to ways in which the texts were treated during class time-particularly to activities involving the social processes of constructing meaning, exploring interpretation, and openly discussing issues of culture and identity. The results remind researchers of the need to include in cur-ricular theorizing the importance of instruction that fosters students' thinking about literature, identity, and diversity.

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