The connective role of improvisation in dealing with uncertainty during invention and design processes

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Satu MIETTINEN ◽  
Melanie SARANTOU
Keyword(s):  
Performing Arts ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Design Processes ◽  
Art And Design ◽  
Design Activities

This paper explores the role of improvisation in design thinking for product design processes and design research methods. Improvisation is often at the core of practice-based and participatory design, permitting flexibility. The role of improvisation in the performing arts has received considerable academic attention, however its role in design processes has been neglected, because improvisation is often viewed as the second-best solution to design problems. This paper presents a framework for improvisation by surveying existing scholarship. Additionally, field study data collected between 2011 and 2016, primarily in Namibia and Australia, will be used to illustrate how improvisation is applied by practitioners during their art and design activities. The connective function of improvisation allows designers to negotiate, take risks, unmake and remake formations. This function enables the fluidity of design, to move from one moment in a process to the next, allowing designers to negotiate ways of work during uncertainty.

The Mundane and Strategic Work in Collaborative Design

Design Issues ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 42-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virve Hyysalo ◽  
Sampsa Hyysalo
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Design Research ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Design Issue ◽  
External Context ◽  
The Future ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Prevailing View ◽  
Do So

We address the design issue of mundane and strategic work in collaborative design. We do so through an examination of a series of participatory design activities in building a flagship library of the future. Both strategic and mundane work are found to permeate the processes, results, and further uptake of collaborative design outcomes as internal issues of user involvement, and not just as external context or excludable routine execution, which has been the prevailing view to them in design research to date.

Literature Review: Design Thinking and Place

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trinity Overmyer ◽  
Erin Brock Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Wicked Problems ◽  
User Centered Design ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Design Processes ◽  
Complex Problems ◽  
Dynamic Relationships ◽  
The Relationship

Design-thinking frameworks help professionals to design solutions for complex problems. Design processes take into account the context of a problem, and among these contextual factors is place. Because place is relational, capturing dynamic relationships between other factors of design problems, it deserves special attention from stakeholders trying to tackle wicked problems. This literature review elaborates on the relationship between place and design thinking, focusing on the importance of privileging place in user-centered design processes.

From design thinking to design knowing: An educational perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-200
Author(s):  
Harah Chon ◽  
Joselyn Sim
Keyword(s):  
Interior Design ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Procedural Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Generation ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Innovative Methodology ◽  
Design Activities

The process of design explicates the procedural knowledge of design activities, shifting theoretical conceptions across practical dimensions. Design thinking, as a creative and innovative methodology, has been established as a designerly process for non-designers to address complex problems. This article reviews the implications of introducing the design thinking methodology as a pedagogical approach in design education at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, generating new knowledge to inform the research spaces of design practice and theory. Using the design thinking methodology as a sound framework to facilitate risk-taking decisions in design research and practice, students from the design specialisms of Design Communication, Product Design and Interior Design were inducted into an interdisciplinary project. The perspectives and insights arising from the collaborative, design thinking methodology are extracted, analysed and adapted to form a framework to illustrate the non-linear, circular structures of knowledge generation from theory (designerly knowing) to practice (design thinking) and research (design knowing).

In Search of Effective Design Problems for Design Research

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Durand ◽  
Michael E. Helms ◽  
Joanna Tsenn ◽  
Daniel A. McAdams ◽  
Julie S. Linsey
Keyword(s):  
Design Problem ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Evaluation Metrics ◽  
Or Education ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Early Results ◽  
Thinking Tools

Much design theory research seeks to create, evaluate, improve or optimize design methods. Whether that research focuses on design thinking, tools, methods, or education, short design problems are often provided to participants in order to evaluate the effects of the variables being tested. When designing and creating such problems, certain characteristics may influence design outcomes: experience and exposure to the design problems vary between participants, and each problem may be more or less favorable to the controlled variable. In this paper we conjecture a small set of design problem characteristics that may influence experimental outcomes, and we discuss two experiments targeted at uncovering this influence. In our first experiment we examine differences in evaluation metrics between two design problems. In a follow up experiment we correlate the hypothesized characteristics to the variances in experiment outcome. These early results assist to further compare and contrast the empirical differences in common evaluation metrics, as well as show how familiarity and extent of the subjects’ knowledge of a design problem influence these metrics. We also expose the potential for interaction between the design method and the design problem.

scholarly journals Resonating with reflexive design: On participatory design, narrative research and crystallization

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bregje De Vries
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Design ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Narrative Research ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Educational Design ◽  
Design Processes ◽  
Educational Design Research ◽  
Multiple Voices

In this article, we further explore the idea that educational design, and subsequently educational design research, are in essence dialogical processes in which problem statements, strategies and interventions, and their implementations are realized in co-creation between different stakeholders. We elaborate on the idea of reflexive design as stated in the article of Richter and Allert (2017) by exploring three deepening thoughts on the characteristics of such dialogical design processes. First, we further relate reflexive design to the concept of participatory design to see if we can use insights from this approach on when and how co-creation can take place. Second, we explore the merits of narrative research as a way to include multiple voices in the process of reflexive design. And third, from a methodological point of view we explore the idea of crystallization as a way to collect data and validate findings within reflexive design research processes.

Librarians and Instructional Design Challenges

2017 ◽  
pp. 24-59
Author(s):  
Susan L. Rothwell
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Design ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Design Issues ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Instructional Role ◽  
The World ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
Design Challenges

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a conceptual and practical perspective on instructional design problems that librarians face, from the perspective of design research. Librarians see increasing need to provide instruction to their users in new ways and on new topics as the world becomes digital and global in nature. The expanding instructional role of librarians requires instructional design skills. However, many librarians have little formal training on instructional design, leading to concerns and confusion about instructional design skills, problems and processes. This chapter discusses design, instructional design issues, concerns and problems (typical and specific to librarians), and explores a conceptual framework to support flexible instructional design based upon the concept of design as a discipline. Examples, recommendations and supporting resources are included.

Librarians and Instructional Design Challenges

2020 ◽  
pp. 282-309
Author(s):  
Susan L. Rothwell
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Design ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Design Issues ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Instructional Role ◽  
The World ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
Design Challenges

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a conceptual and practical perspective on instructional design problems that librarians face, from the perspective of design research. Librarians see increasing need to provide instruction to their users in new ways and on new topics as the world becomes digital and global in nature. The expanding instructional role of librarians requires instructional design skills. However, many librarians have little formal training on instructional design, leading to concerns and confusion about instructional design skills, problems and processes. This chapter discusses design, instructional design issues, concerns and problems (typical and specific to librarians), and explores a conceptual framework to support flexible instructional design based upon the concept of design as a discipline. Examples, recommendations and supporting resources are included.

scholarly journals Using design thinking to engage autistic students in participatory design of an online toolkit to help with transition into higher education

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Fabri ◽  
Penny C.S. Andrews ◽  
Heta K. Pukki
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Strength Based ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Suitable Framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on engaging young autistic people in the participatory design of the Autism & Uni online toolkit. The purpose of the toolkit is to provide autistic students with information and strategies for dealing with the challenges they may encounter when entering higher education. The study adds to existing research on participatory design by considering the specific needs and contributions of autistic people who are of average or higher intelligence, academically competent and generally articulate, a group that has received limited attention hitherto. Design/methodology/approach – The research used a five-step design thinking approach and engaged multiple stakeholders at different points. The paper covers the whole process, paying particular attention to the final two steps of prototyping and testing. During three participatory design workshops, autistic people acted as co-designers and co-creators. Findings – The workshops were effective in engaging participants in various design activities and rich discussions. Several assumptions about capabilities and preferences of autistic people were challenged. Design thinking proved a suitable framework for involving this group in the creation of solutions that serve their needs. Research limitations/implications – Because of the low number of workshop participants (11), research results may lack generalisability. Also, the workshop format with its focus on group activities may discourage some autistic people to take part. Further work is needed to explore this and to confirm the reported findings. Practical implications – The paper offers practical advice regarding how to involve autistic people in co-design activities. Social implications – The research contributes to a strength-based view of autism, rather than one that focuses on deficits. Originality/value – The paper provides new perspectives on the strengths of autistic people in participatory design settings, with a focus on those autistic people who are of average or higher intelligence and able to communicate effectively.

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