Dialogue Through Design

The Word "And"

2012-01-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

Nothing makes me melt more than an ampersand. I don't really have words for this gushing that occurs but seeing as I'm about to host a significant version of one in my home, I've found myself pondering the word "and" and its impact on what we say or do.

This excerpt from Richard Rohr seemed fitting to share. Because it can be easier to say "but," I'm going to work on speaking more "and" this year.

"And" teaches us to say yes
"And" allows us to be both - and
"And" keeps us from either - or
"And" teaches us to be patient and long-suffering
"And" is willing to wait for insight and integration
"And" keeps us from dualistic thinking
"And" helps us to live in the imperfect now
"And" keeps us inclusive and compassionate toward everything
"And" demands that our contemplation become action
"And" insists that our action is also contemplative
"And" allows us to critique both sides of things
"And" allows us to enjoy both sides of things
"And" allows us to ask forgiveness and apologize
"And" is the mystery of paradox in all things
"And" allows us to be distinct and yet united

Made By Hand: On Competence

2012-01-03T18:54:00.000-08:00

Made by Hand / No 2 The Knife Maker from Made by Hand on Vimeo.

In light of my recent post on competence, I couldn't resist posting this. As someone who has moved from a degree in English Literature to a career in Design, I relate to this.

Ohsomuch.

"There needs to be a human element in the making of these things."

Urbanized

2012-01-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

I loved Helvetica and Objectified (own them both!) but this film is a favorite for its "call to action."

2011 Pivotal Moments

2011-12-31T15:02:00.000-08:00

As I contemplate the end of 2011 and reflect on some insights for the year (as I've done previously), I've decided to share Valerie Casey's talk at the 2011 AIGA Pivot Conference as the culmination of my learning because I believe she has done a great job of framing many of the ideas that have been percolating in my head over the past year. As this year closes, this was a "pivotal conversation" I wanted (and needed) to have in order to orient and prepare me for my aspirations in 2012. I hope it does the same for you.

The 5 key points are listed below but I'd suggest that you watch the talk in full to absorb the content that links them all together.

1. Creativity makes people nervous
Valerie shares about a study that has shown how corporations are attracted to the idea of creativity while at the same time express hesitations about it that could be compared to the way society has responded to issues of gender and race.

2. We rely on China being poor and polluted
What we see in the media about China (or elsewhere for that matter) doesn't tell the whole story. Information sourced from the IMF Data Mapper suggests how the rapid growth of China requires that we must reflect on our global reality with more scrutiny.

3. Designing the artifact is meaningless unless you create the conditions for its success
Example: The Single Use Syringe

4. The democratization of design is the best thing that has happened to the profession
In these days of debate about spec work and other "design crimes," our argument needs to be that we can do something better. Because we live in a time of "nexus problems," we must move beyond these debates and think more systemically.

5. Design for scale
We need to move beyond awareness campaigns (among other things) and pursue our strengths in strategic thinking and doing.

---

You might read this list as five disparate ideas but I love how Casey was able to weave them together to suggest that design has more to offer in these complex times. Each point raises an issue that challenges me to consider my place in the midst of it.

Her final point was notable for me as it touched on the four stages of competence in learning. I found this to be helpful in articulating how design is at an "inflection point" that can shape what it will become as we move forward into 2012. (Ric Grefe).

The model suggests that a person will move through stages of expertise. At each stage, he or she will come to develop competence once the relevance of their incompetence has been understood. Here are the four proposed phases:

1. Unconscious incompetence: "the person must become conscious of their incompetence before development of the new skill or learning can begin"
2. Conscious incompetence: "the person realizes that by improving their skill or ability in this area their effectiveness will improve"
3. Conscious competence: "the person will not reliably perform the skill unless thinking about it - the skill is not yet 'second nature' or 'automatic'"
4. Unconscious competence: "the skill becomes so practised that it enters the unconscious parts of the brain - it becomes 'second nature'"

Notably, a fifth stage has been identified in the model. In reviewing this theory, some postulate that it is at this point that we become complacent while others suggest it is a shift toward a reflective competence, in which a person holds a conscious competence of unconscious competence and can teach others how to move forward in their own learning. This seems key as we consider Casey's five talking points.

At this stage in my work and career, I can identify where I have become complacent. I can also see where I've pursued deeper reflection. Based on this model, there are some things that I have not yet realized so I can see where this juxtaposition of consciousness and competence can bring a new level of insight and confidence to my work. The secret ingredient to moving forward with this insight? Practice: The pathway to moving toward an unconscious competence.

In the midst of this, I am also aware that even with more competence and confidence, design isn't the sole profession that will solve all the world's problems. But I do believe that it is a profession that can align itself in new arenas and connect with the systems that will benefit from its strategic inclinations. A personal highlight (and challenge) that allowed me to pursue design in this capacity was to be invited to work on a nutrition project in Rwanda. In this situation, I was made aware of the need for a different kind of engagement that moved me beyond the design of a logo, product or website in order to design something with impact.

Speaking of impact, Casey's work on Necessary Projects hits the mark of why I want to be a designer (or rather a human) today. It challenges us to be aware of the systems we share and encourages us to consider how we might work collectively to steward our resources well.

To me, this type of thinking (and acting) offers promise for an engaging 2012.

Happy New Year!

Make Me A Manifesto

2011-10-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

(image source: Ken Garland)

The idea of the manifesto in design is not a new one and this isn't the first time I've written about it. If you didn't know this already, there's a growing list of them that you can reference.

Today, after talking about the Futurist Manifesto (1909) in Design Culture class, a group of second year design students got to contemplating what they might address if they were going to create a manifesto for this time. Here are a few they came up with:

1. Make it beautiful
2. Make it environmentally friendly
3. Make it sustainably functional
4. Make it easier
5. Make it evocative
6. Make it cross-cultural
7. Make it fix problems
8. Make it simple
9. Making something mediocre is okay. It doesn't always have to be the newest thing.
10. Make it human
11. Make it understandable
12. Be future-aware
13. Wear it in rather than wear it out
14. Get rid of the unnecessary

We also discussed how manifestos were typically made by the "periphery" as a reaction against something. From this point, we wondered, "What is this generation reacting against and how would that impact our manifesto?" For some, they figured that:

a) the manifesto is dead
b) they hadn't actually encountered a revolution that they needed to react against.

Two notable points as I consider the future of the next generation of designers. In light of this discussion, I wonder how you might respond? If you were to create one today, what would it include? Do we still need a manifesto?

Living in the Liminal

2011-08-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to initiate a dialogue with a team of folks at the frog Seattle office. The topic I chose to focus on related to my last blog post and begged the question of how much failure is really allowed in a development-related design project.

During this conversation, I suggested that I find myself existing in a liminal space as a designer in this context:

Liminality (from the Latin word līmen, meaning "a threshold") refers to in-between situations and conditions that are characterized by the dislocation of established structures, the reversal of hierarchies, and uncertainty regarding the continuity of tradition and future outcomes.

A few folks in the room resonated with this and since returning home I'm asking myself, "What are the consequences of holding such a space?"

In reality, all designers find themselves here. Whether it be navigating a client relationship or a multidisciplinary project, we exist in a space that may find us dislocated from established structures or uncertain about future outcomes. While this may sound acceptable among our design comrades, I'm not always sure how it plays out with those who find less comfort in the liminal space.

So it begs a new question for me:

How do you navigate the liminal space?
This space between is a designer's raison d'être and yet it is often the space where many can find themselves stuck or misunderstood. In my talk, I raised four things that I feel I am try to navigate when working on projects with diverse teams. Each poses a question that I feel needs to be answered by all involved in order to allow for the project to be clearly defined and pursued (with some of us remaining in the liminal):

Posture: Why do we do what we do?
Process: How do we do what we do?
Patterns: What do we do or make?
Presence: Who do we do it with and how much face time is required to understand the liminal space?

I love the word liminal and would value hearing how others exist at this threshold of dislocation and uncertainty.

Fail often to succeed sooner: Can this idea truly work in development?

2011-05-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have not known where to begin writing about this trip to Rwanda. Suffice it to say that in a short amount of time I have learned much more about collaboration in a cross-cultural/multidisciplinary context than I could have imagined.

To bring you up to speed: My current role is to develop packaging and communication tools to support the implementation of a micronutrient that is often referred to as Sprinkles:

Sprinkles are an innovation in home fortification, addressing vitamin and mineral deficiencies. This unique delivery system provides micronutrients to vulnerable populations by enabling families to fortify many different semi-solid foods in the home.

Sprinkles are sachets (like small packets of sugar) containing a blend of micronutrients in powder form, which are easily sprinkled onto foods prepared in the home. Any homemade food can be instantly fortified by adding Sprinkles. Coating of the iron prevents changes to the taste, color or texture of the food to which Sprinkles are added.

As a designer, this opportunity is interesting in and of itself as I begin developing tools and messages to support the adoption of a new behavior based on community research. Add to this a diverse group of people who have various interests and required protocols and this project just got amplified. During this short trip, I’ve been introduced to the partners (of which there are 4 NGOs, 2 universities and the Ministry of Health) and listened in on meetings about budgets, methodologies, and requirements. I’ve looked at a range of visuals that are either in use or in development (and vary from organization to organization).

In the next week, I will be briefing a photographer about a photo shoot, seeking to acquire proper translations for technical data, obtaining all current visual tools (and prospective ones as well) to prepare for future messages and tools and ideally getting a package design created so as to get approval from the partners and ultimately signoff by the MoH. In the midst of this, I am contacting micronutrient distributors to ensure the best price and ease of supply to the country.

While this list of to-dos might sound like a normal day in the life of a designer, it has subtle nuances that are not typical in my North American experience. Notably, the idea of iterating on ideas to come up with a final solution isn’t necessarily the modus operandi in the context of development. Budgets are on the line, donors want proof and you don't want to mess around with things like someone's state of health. This caution begs a question for me:

Can design process (which often includes the acceptance of “failure”) truly be permitted in a development project? If so, what does it actually look like when collaborating with other disciplines?

If you’ve been in this domain, you know what I’m talking about. There are enough projects out there that had the best of intentions and yet were not able to be sustained or implemented for of a variety of reasons. Engineers Without Borders are already reacting to the typical need for a success story by reframing the way of talking about development: Let’s just admit our failure.

But what if the entire process permitted failure more fluidly in order to ensure deeper understandings, new insights or alternate solutions? How would you introduce this idea to key partners within the country so that it became an asset rather than a potential liability? Is there a better word to make the idea more palatable from the beginning?

I’m still wrestling with this idea so this post is merely a starting point. If you are reading this with any level of interest I would welcome your comments or thoughts on the topic. I’m sure there are others who have more experience and insight.

The New Language of Design

2011-04-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

Recently, Allan Chochinov gave a talk at Emily Carr University in which he used a word I can't shake: Fluency.

During his talk, he suggested that fluency was a skill that designers needed to exercise. We often associate fluency with travels to a foreign land. If I can acquire some key phrases like "Where is the toilet?" or "How much does this cost?" then I feel more comfortable making my way in an unknown environment.

Translate this idea to the design space and one could suggest that a designer needs to be fluent in their particular craft, process or software. While this is part of it, the kind of fluency I'm curious to uncover is the kind that I need when I'm travelling in a foreign land of business. Or health care. Or politics.

I wrote about this idea awhile ago in considering how design education could influence one's fluency. But I don't believe we should rely on educators alone. As I've stepped away from school and into the business, health care or non-profit sectors, I've experienced my own need for language and insight as I worked alongside these other disciplines. In many cases, we might be talking about the same thing but we often find ourselves using different terms and this simple nuance can cause much confusion and frustration (especially when it comes to the journey from idea to outcome/process to deliverable).

Maggie Breslin is a senior designer/researcher in the Center for Innovation at Mayo Clinic. In one talk, she identified herself a junior doctor with the amount of learning she had acquired after working for four years in this self-pioneered role at Mayo.

Derek Miller is the director of Policy Lab and is participating in a variety of activities and research around the implementation of design into public policy. In a recent email exchange he said,

It is barely on the radar screens of the public policy world yet, and while development work has contracted designers to come up with physical solutions to things, the notion of design as a process — and the area of service design itself, for example — is entirely alien.

These two scenarios suggest that designers do have a role to play in other spheres but in order to move design beyond the "alien" or physical solutions, one must acquire the ability to converse articulately on the issues involved in these realms.

So this begs the question, "If design can play a role in these "other lands," how can designers become more fluent so as to make an effective impact?"

What do you think needs to happen for new designers/students? And what about people with years of experience who are seeking to contribute their design in other spheres like health care, public policy or international development?

How do we become fluent?

An Ode To Common Things

2011-03-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

I have a crazy,
crazy love of things.
I like pliers,
and scissors.
I love
cups,
rings,
and bowls -
not to speak, of course,
of hats.
I love
all things,
not just
the grandest,
also
the
infinite-
ly
small -
thimbles,
spurs,
plates,
and flower vases.
Oh yes,
the planet
is sublime!
It’s full of pipes
weaving
hand-held
through tobacco smoke,
and keys
and salt shakers -
everything,
I mean,
that is made
by the hand of man, every little thing:
shapely shoes,
and fabric,
and each new
bloodless birth
of gold,
eyeglasses
carpenter’s nails,
brushes,
clocks, compasses,
coins, and the so-soft
softness of chairs.
Mankind has
built
oh so many
perfect
things!
Built them of wool
and of wood,
of glass and
of rope:
remarkable
tables,
ships, and stairways.
I love
all
things,
not because they are
passionate
or sweet-smelling
but because,
I don’t know,
because
this ocean is yours,
and mine;
these buttons
and wheels
and little
forgotten
treasures,
fans upon
whose feathers
love has scattered
its blossoms
glasses, knives and
scissors -
all bear
the trace
of someone’s fingers
on their handle or surface,
the trace of a distant hand
lost
in the depths of forgetfulness.
I pause in houses,
streets and
elevators
touching things,
identifying objects
that I secretly covet;
this one because it rings,
that one because
it’s as soft
as the softness of a woman’s hip,
that one there for its deep-sea color,
and that one for its velvet feel.
O irrevocable
river
of things:
no one can say
that I loved
only
fish,
or the plants of the jungle and the field,
that I loved
only
those things that leap and climb, desire, and survive.
It’s not true:
many things conspired
to tell me the whole story.
Not only did they touch me,
or my hand touched them:
they were
so close
that they were a part
of my being,
they were so alive with me
that they lived half my life
and will die half my death.

Pablo Neruda

An Interactive Sketchbook

2011-03-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

As I created my sketchbook for the Art House Coop's Sketchbook Project, I wanted to include an aspect of interactivity in it.

I'm pleased to report that someone has contributed an idea to my search for a typographic tattoo! I now have the addition of Lubalin's ampersand (centre image). And ironically, it happened during the South by Southwest Interactive festival.

If you live in any of the cities included on the tour, please take some time to check my book out (and contribute)!

Photos courtesy of Zach Bulick

Design Thinking de Bono style

2011-03-10T18:35:00.000-08:00

The main difficulty of thinking is confusion. We try to do too much at once. Emotions, information, logic, hope and creativity all crowd in on us.

Western thinking is concerned with "what is," which is determined by analysis, judgment and argument...but there is a whole other aspect of thinking that is concerned with "what can be," which involves constructive thinking, creative thinking and "designing a way forward."

-Edward de Bono

---

I am currently reading de Bono's Six Thinking Hats and today used it as a method for students to work through the various layers of problems they wanted to solve in their communities.

The great thing about this process? Because you aren't thinking in multiple directions you are less likely to get lost in the complexity of an issue. By focusing on a common way for everyone to think about a topic or concern, you can avoid frustration and enable a group of people to come to the table on equal footing.

As we worked through an issue, I asked them to all think about it by focusing on one way of thinking at a time. Here are the colors/hats and the corresponding ways of thinking:

White Hat: neutral, objective, facts, figures
Red Hat: emotional view
Black Hat: cautious, careful, points out the weakness of the idea
Yellow Hat: positive, optimistic, hopeful
Green Hat: creativity, new ideas
Blue Hat: control, organization of thinking process

It was fun to watch the groups attempt to keep focused on one particular type of thinking and not default to what may have been more familiar or comfortable. Through this experience, I was reminded how these other systems/tools of thinking can be useful in breaking down barriers with multidisciplinary teams, which is common when working in research or social impact design spaces.

2011-03-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be talking about my work in Rwanda with the chair of the IDSA Design For The Majority section. Feel free to listen in!

Brainstorm 101

2011-03-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

Designing Social Change kicked off last night and because of the diversity of backgrounds and experiences, I like to start the course with an exercise where we engage divergent thinking when approaching a problem we want to solve (instead of defaulting to our typical convergent posture). In this case, we sought to re-imagine common objects. Before we look to tackle something more intensive, we want to be sure we have the ability to frame something that is a little less complex. For this class, it was a Ziploc bag, a fork, chopsticks and a bulldog clip.

To facilitate this process, I draw on the resources of IDEO (and the d.school) to help students brainstorm in a new way:

#1 Defer judgment: there are no bad ideas at this point because there's plenty of time to judge after

#2 Encourage wild ideas: it's the wild ideas that often provide the breakthroughs and we can always bring ideas down to earth later, we need new paths for non obvious ideas

#3 Build on the ideas of others: think 'and' rather than 'but'

#4 Stay focused on topic: you get better output if everyone is disciplined

#5 One conversation at a time: that way all ideas can be heard and built upon

#6 Be visual: sometimes a picture really can speak a thousand words

#7 Go for quantity, not quality: set an outrageous goal and surpass it!

We also had a virtual guest! Tim Brown's TED Talk is a lovely way to introduce the ideas of design thinking to a multi-disciplinary team.

2011-01-24T15:49:00.000-08:00

I introduced my Design One class to the work of Richard Serra today. He has a list of verbs that he has developed and he aims to enact these verbs in his work.

We had a warm up sketch session and then I asked them to see if they could translate one of their sketched ideas into a larger scale version by using a different material: yarn and pins. We went around the room to see if people could identify what each "sketch" meant. And we wanted to ask the interwebs to also review the work and let us know what they see.

Can you tell what each of the above images represent (please post in the comments)? Here is part of Serra's list to help you along:

to roll
to crease
to fold
to store
to bend
to shorten
to twist
to shave
to tear
to chip
to split
to cut
to sever
to drop
to remove
to simplify
to differ
to disarrange
to open
to mix
to splash
to knot
to spill
to droop
to flow
to curve
to lift
to inlay
to impress
to fire
to flood
to smear
to rotate
to swirl
to support
to hook
to suspend
to spread
to hang
to collect
to grasp
to tighten
to bundle
to heap
to gather
to scatter
to discard
to pair
to distribute
to compliment
to enclose
to surround
to encircle
to hole
to cover
to wrap
to dig
to tie
to bind
to weave
to join
to match
to bond
to hinge
to mark
to expand
to dilute
to light
to stretch
to bounce
to erase
to force
to continue

2011-01-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

Students in my Ecological Perspectives in Design seminar were given the chance to contemplate what they want to know about "sustainability" as it relates to design. As this is a required course, I did a quick read to find out how many people really wanted to be in the class. Today's stats revealed a fairly even split between "no desire" and "keen." The point of this session was to allow students to remain essentially anonymous in their uncertainties about this complex topic and highlight areas that are likely important to them but continue to remain ambiguous.

Here's the list (taken from all their Post-its). We're going to revisit these at the end of the term to find out what assumptions were shaken and what new learning arose. Don't we all struggle with answers to some of these?

THINGS I WANT TO KNOW
Can markets survive without importing/exporting?
Why do some designers/people not feel sustainability is important?
If everyone were to consume 90% less of natural resources, how many jobs would be lost?
Where does our garbage go?
What have designers done to improve environmental circumstances?
How to approach non-designers and teach them about sustainability?
If the world's population keeps growing, will we run out of food?
What is happening to 95% of the drinkable water in Canada?
How can we push past economic concerns to focus on environmental?
How do designers get more information about what kind of sustainable/non-sustainable products/materials are being used currently?
Why do kids continue to die from starvation and how can designers help reduce this?
Have the precautions people are taking been enough of a change to see improvement in the environment?
What materials are good for the environment?
Why do we think so lightly about this topic?
Why do some feel the need to be rebellious toward the environmental movement?
How can I cooperate with the environment through CD?
How can we design sustainably as graphic designers and be successful at it when the industry is so reliant on non-sustainable items? (a few of these)
What will happen to our landfills in the future?
Why are we talking about this now?
Is the earth meant to last forever considering everything eventually dies?
What is being done in Canada in the design world as it relates to this issue?
More solutions than just recycling and using less water.
Factual statistics about what we take for granted (eg. paper vs. plastic)
What is an example of something sustainable?
Who are the worst offenders?
What is the most dangerous thing we can do to our planet?
Is this subject only talked about at ECUAD? Are other universities talking about this subject?
Is there a formula to find the truth?
Learn about the process of going green
Why hasn't the Canadian govt banned the use of plastic bags yet?
What comes after sustainable design? What does the future look like?
How can we package products with the intent of sustainable design?
More about the garment industry
How long do we have?
How can we hit the 90% (reduced consumption)?
More strategies to educate the public.
How to solve the rise in gas prices?
What will it take for people to realize what is needed?
How much money is spent annually trying to be sustainable?
What can I learn and put into practice everyday that can help me make a positive ecological difference?
Is there a silver lining and how can I find it?
Environmental impact measurements
How can we convince politics that becoming a sustainable country has huge economic potential?

THINGS I ALREADY KNOW
Polar bears are homeless
Styrofoam takes like a billion years to decompose
There is a crazy amount of plastic in the world
I like to buy new stuff
There are islands being created from plastic yet we are still making things with plastic
It's cheaper to make things without thinking about the environment
It's getting hot in here
I'm pretty ignorant about the facts
The basics: recycling and moderate use of water
Sustainable design is systems thinking
BC's economy is entirely based on unsustainable resource extraction
If humans disappeared from the planet other forms of life would flourish
Cars pollute
Big changes can be made by forming small habits
Canada is doing poorly with sustainability on a global scale
Local is usually better
The ice caps are melting

After reading this, I'm reminded that we all have the potential to exist with assumptions and this can hinder our ability to be open to innovations or better ways of doing things. The education space offers the room to challenge with less fear of repercussion.

My other favorite bit? Asking students to take the #2011awesome ball and share what they hoped for this year. I was touched by both the humor and intentionality many revealed:

Forgive people who I haven't
Become a stronger person
Bike across BC
Learn to sew and take flamenco dance lessons
Cook something instead of eating pizza
Work on one pack in my six pack
Live more consciously

Photo credit: Teux Deux

2010-12-16T18:56:00.000-08:00

The Stick To It Award
A piece of driftwood from the shores of the Baltic Sea made the perfect icon to create an award that I gave to Sam Carter of Emily Carr University. After 36 years of teaching, he is retiring and his contributions to education and the creative community are significant.

In short, he has continued to live his life by sticking to it.

Because Sam is also very globally minded, having this wood come from another part of the world also held meaning for me. He has a great love of other cultures and materials so driftwood seemed like a perfect fit. Who knew driftwood could do all of this?

[It] provides shelter and food for birds, fish and other aquatic species as it floats in the ocean. Gribbles, shipworms and bacteria decompose the wood and gradually turn it into nutrients that are reintroduced to the food web. Sometimes, the partially decomposed wood washes ashore, where it also shelters birds, plants, and other species. Driftwood can become the foundation for sand dunes."
(Wikipedia)

Douglas Coupland reflected on Sam's influence and shared that he owed him his life.
Sam, like the driftwood, provides a space for others to be sheltered and nourished. And because of this, I realize that I now want to be on the lookout for other reasons to give this award. There is nothing more powerful than meeting someone who lives their life to give it away. So don't be surprised if you find me combing the beaches of the world hunting for more sticks of driftwood. Because we need more like Sam who live it to stick to it.

2010-12-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

This image represents my thoughts on how design can act as a conduit for conversation and collaboration (especially when working in contexts/cultures that are unfamiliar). The expert mindset can reduce the opportunity for sustainable solutions. And the expert posture assumes we've nothing to learn from others.

Conversely, when we aim to design a solution or service together, we have the opportunity to imagine alternate possibilities and in turn apply some of these learnings in other environments.

I've put the continent of Africa in my diagram because of how my design work in Rwanda has influenced my ideas on the topic significantly. But I wouldn't limit these notions to what is often perceived as design "over there" or "for development." There is great potential for this way of working to be applied in my own backyard.

This image has been included in this discussion if you have more interest in the topic:
Aid as a conversation between cultures

2010-12-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

GOOD DESIGN IS GOOD CITIZENSHIP
When Milton Glaser was illustrating Dante's Purgatory, he become interested in the "Road to Hell" and developed a little questionnaire to see where he stood in terms of his own willingness to lie. Beginning with fairly minor misdemeanors, the following twelve steps increase to some major indiscretions.

1. Designing a package to look bigger on the shelf.

2. Designing an ad for a slow, boring film to make it seem like a light-hearted comedy.

3. Designing a crest for a new vineyard to suggest that it has been in business for a long time.

4. Designing a jacket for a book whose sexual content you find personally repellent.

5. Designing a medal using steel from the World Trade Center to be sold as a profit-making souvenir of September 11.

6. Designing an advertising campaign for a company with a history of known discrimination in minority hiring.

7. Designing a package for children whose contents you know are low in nutrition value and high in sugar content.

8. Designing a line of T-shirts for a manufacturer that employs child labor.

9. Designing a promotion for a diet product that you know doesn't work.

10. Designing an ad for a political candidate whose policies you believe would be harmful to the general public.

11. Designing a brochure for an SUV that turned over frequently in emergency conditions and was known to have killed 150 people.

12. Designing an ad for a product whose frequent use could result in the user's death.

(excerpt from Steven Heller on DT&G Interviews)

If you enjoyed this, you might like his Ten Things I Have Learned essay.

2010-11-30T20:54:00.000-08:00

"While the first generation of publications on green design were 'how to do it' guides, written quickly to meet the demand for basic information, the next generation of publications in the 1990s is likely to be more considered and carefully researched, more critical and synergistic, more aware of the full complexity of design and sustainable development in both the developed and developing worlds."

Pauline Madge, 1993

Pictured: The Green Book, 2007

2010-11-28T13:15:00.000-08:00

I got to attend my first TEDxVancouver event and was super impressed by the professionalism and organization that was evident from the moment you entered Kay Meek Centre. Stellar swag, truly tangible interactions and like minded TEDsters made it a day well spent.

These are 5 talks I'd love to revisit:

Josh Fox: Using the banjo to complement a narrative while talking = awesome, skills
Michael Green: Visualizing world housing needs = making information accessible and relevant
FYI: MGB is the firm that made the awesome 5500+ books-changing room space at LYNNsteven
Nardwuar: Crowd surfing to end your talk = using a metaphor to encapsulate your message
Dr. Jack Horner: Science lesson turned into story = reframing education
Rives: Linking history by filtering it through the 4am time slot = brilliant

Bonus track: Mash up by Don Alder and Kyprios

(photo by Kris Krüg)

2010-11-19T10:53:00.001-08:00

2010-11-18T11:16:00.000-08:00

Because they chose design, some students had hoped that they could leave the writing bit behind. And it is because of this perception that I spend a portion of my day talking to them about the value of writing. Specifically, how to write critically. And I try to demonstrate how this skill correlates to their make/build practice. I do this by drawing a stool: if one part is missing, the whole thing topples.

Here's how I break it down:

IDEA: You should start with an idea. You may have to research to refine this but once you have a question you are responding to or an idea you're going to develop, you have the ability to stay focused and build a paper that people can understand and engage in. The rest of the paper should support this idea.

RESEARCH: An idea gets supported and developed through research. While you may think your ideas are brilliant, someone else has likely considered it on some level. Using their ideas can help bolster your argument but it should be used as a support rather than the primary focus. Be sure to cite it!

CRITICAL THOUGHT: To avoid regurgitating other people's ideas (and plagiarism), take some time to reflect and consider how you might add your commentary to the subject. What is your posture on the topic? What would you do/say differently? Many designers have built stools but when adding their personal reflection to the content, a new stool gets developed.

STORY: Give us a picture or example that helps us relate to the idea in a tangible way. A metaphor or analogy can help but this is by no means the exclusive way to present a story. In some cases, you can add a sketch or diagram to help support your words. In design, this helps a user imagine how they might use your product. In writing, it helps me understand how I might fit into the topic you're discussing.

On top of all this, proper grammar, spelling and sentence structure will only help your cause. These elements could be compared to the nails or joints that help hold the stool together. If you don't use them, you end with individual parts that don't make sense because they don't join together.

I also remind them that design, like writing, only gets better with various iterations and critiques. Inviting others to look at your work is a good way to improve it.

I'd add writing skills to my ongoing list of designer tools:
1. Camera
2. Self-awareness
3. Drawing skills/tools

2010-11-08T17:50:00.000-08:00

Awhile ago, I started a series of posts about what I thought a new designer should consider acquiring and/or developing in their toolkit. Here's the list so far:
1. Camera
2. Self-awareness
Clearly, I've been a bit delayed but the idea of the toolkit hasn't left me so let's continue.

Next on the list? I'd propose this: Learn how to draw.

While this may seem obvious, I am regularly reminded of how many designers or design students actually don't practice this (and some even have a fear of it). My suggestion to overcoming this? Carry some tools with you so that you can pursue it daily. I don't say this as one who has achieved it (the above image is a drawing I did of a Sharpie pen with my less dominant hand in 2005) but rather as one who has learned that in order to visualize information for people I need to be able to show rather than tell them what I am thinking. Ideas and outcomes don't start on the computer so honing this ability to display concepts will only serve to help you with your work. I was reminded of this today when I listened to this excerpt from a Saul Bass documentary.

Because I needed to be challenged in this area, I took up the Sketchbook Project as a means to remind myself that like learning a new language or any other creative skill, you typically don't just wake up with it. You have to nurture and develop it in order to look back and see some measure of breakthrough. Have you ever heard of Morning Pages? They are a great example of how regular process can help break through some of the clutter. I'd propose the same concept for designers and suggest that the pages are about visuals over text.

And sometimes, it comes down to making sure you are prepared at any given moment. Here are some items that I don't leave home without:

Pens:
Sharpie
Muji (thank you Michael Surtees)
Pilot

Notebooks:
Moleskine
Field Notes
Spaces For Ideas

And if you need more evidence, watch to this great video where Milton Glaser talks about the importance of drawing.

2010-11-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

I recall my first read of How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul. I was still in design school and on the hunt for justifiable reasons as to why I'd decided to incur more debt in order to shift my career toward graphic design. I recall at the time that I found much solace in the content.

Five years on, Adrian Shaughnessy presents a second edition that has kept its first edition forward by Stefan Sagmeister, which could still hold true today: Graphic design is becoming a wider discipline and is therefore more difficult.

As one who has pursued some of these "wider aspects" since the first edition, I was appreciative of his inquiry into what graphic design is today. Topics in this section include: the changing definition of design, social design, design thinking and ethics (to name a few). While Shaughnessy does not neglect the fundamental questions asked in the first book, he provides a fair assessment of the current state of affairs that is in keeping with the inquiry that many designers are also asking, regardless of discipline. In fact, one wonders if the word "graphic" needed to be included at all.

Shaughnessy acknowledges his fixation with "the look of things" and seemingly laments that our current focus on matters of social consequence may be lacking a certain visual sensibility. I think he makes a fair case about its value but would argue that today many are interacting with a diverse global community that may translate such sensibilities in different ways. Especially when the issues of design aren't about the look of things but rather the survival of things.

Consider a country in crisis: Haiti. Post-earthquake, the look of things becomes seemingly less important because the transmission of accurate information is paramount. A great case study to illustrate this concept:

Three Emily Carr University students were asked by the Red Cross to develop graphical instructions on how to use tablets to purify water. Because these tablets look like pills, the students had to consider how they would ensure that they were used properly (i.e. not ingested). With a critical time line and important message to communicate, I don't think these students were thinking about whether the design was going to be dull or not. Because in this case (and many others), the message actually does matter. And I believe this type of scenario has the potential to become more prevalent in the design community as we consider climate and environmental issues, financial and political markets and our global connectedness to both.

Regardless, one can hope that the future will allow room for a blend of both substance and style and that this becomes a reasonable standard for all designers. In the meantime, maybe being a graphic designer today means that we might be given the chance to save a soul (or two) beyond our own.

BOOK INFO
Title: How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul, New Edition
Author: Adrian Shaughnessy
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press

Thanks to Michael Surtees for sharing this review copy with me!

2010-10-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already, check out OpenIDEO:

To become a place where good ideas gain momentum, OpenIDEO depends on participation — your inspirations, his comments, her concepts, our design process. It's these efforts, these big and small moments of sharing and collaboration, that make this platform a dynamic resource for tackling significant global challenges.

The challenge I participated in is now complete and ten final ideas were selected that the partners will seek to implement.

You can download the challenge catalogue to see the 40 shortlisted ideas that emerged during the Affordable Learning Tools and Services Challenge. You also get bonus worksheets that can help you apply a similar process to your own work.

2010-09-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

I'm experimenting with the idea of an "adaptive syllabus" this year.

Fear not. I haven't removed the basic required course outline, but I've warned my students that things may shift and that they should be prepared to be adaptable. This isn't an experiment with their education but rather an investigation of how learning can be adapted when we embrace the unexpected (which always happens in classes but is rarely documented or monitored, from my experience).

Imagine a wall in a classroom where a student could make comments using a colored marker or post-it. Imagine weekly assignments getting shifted as needed. Imagine new ideas emerging because of real time experiences that a student or a teacher are curious to explore. If industry operates this way, shouldn't design education address it in some manner? If the design of things, ideas, products and software are meant to be agile, then shouldn't a design education promote the same model? Once you enter the daily reality of work, you find yourself getting interrupted for meetings, conference calls and site visits, which suggests another level of agility. The reality is, you have to shift. So I suppose I'm asking, "What if a course syllabus operated in the same manner?"

I don't profess to have a full grasp on this idea but I like the concept that a course outline has the potential for some interactivity and can mimic the realities of industry. I think it could be developed into a digital tool that would enable a student to interact with it before/during/after class (since I don't have a fixed space at ECU to allow for an analog interpretation, I'm hosting a one-sided test here). The image above simply highlights a framework but hardly represents the full experience of interactivity. Any interaction designers want to help me test the idea? #wink

I'm sure some instructors wouldn't enjoy this format so I'm hardly declaring it as the new way to develop a syllabus. But from watching the folks at the d.School and Hyper Island, I can see that there is definitely room for alternative methods of course development - and some that pursue interactivity at the same pace as industry.

Since this is a new concept for me, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic (whether you're a student, an instructor or an industry professional).

2010-09-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

I've been crafting a list of tools as I consider how I might support individuals who are new to design. Since I'm teaching undergraduates this fall, this inquiry has become even more relevant. Many students are worried that they aren't taking the right path and fear that they might make a mistake in their education/career choices. Haven't we all? In my estimation, some of this stems from the temptation to compare oneself to another and assume that in order to be a good designer, I need to be like ______________.

In light of this, I reflected back on my own journey and asked myself how I got to the place I am today. Looking back, I can't underestimate the value of knowing the often overlooked skills that don't fit into a typical "list of tools." The reason? They are unique to each individual! While I am a proponent of developing and nurturing one's craft, there is also great value in actually knowing and identifying your strengths.

In the words of Socrates: Know thyself.

Some might classify these as "soft skills" but I would suggest they are fundamental to developing your toolkit. And since design operates as a collaborative discipline, understanding strengths can help build strong and effective teams.

I went back to some notes and readings from my own search and came across a few tools that have helped me frame these "soft skills" for myself and others. They may be obvious options but in re-reading them, I was encouraged by the direction my work/life/career has taken.

1. StrengthsFinder
StrengthsFinder proposes that we should reduce the amount of time we spend worrying about what we aren't good at and instead nurture what already comes naturally. Here are my top 5 strengths discovered in this process:

a) Ideation
People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.

b) Connectedness
People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.

c) Strategic
People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

d) Input
People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

e) Intellection
People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.

2. Myers-Briggs
We've likely all taken this test! Here's a brief breakdown of my INTJ-ness:

With Introverted Intuition dominating their personality, INTJs focus their energy on observing the world, and generating ideas and possibilities. Their mind constantly gathers information and makes associations about it. They are tremendously insightful and usually are very quick to understand new ideas. However, their primary interest is not understanding a concept, but rather applying that concept in a useful way.

In education they are most often found at the college and university level. In the professions, they may be a lawyer, a business analyst, or strategic planner. Some have a strong artistic/creative bent and may become an artist, inventor, or designer. Whatever they do, they do it with intensity.

Final Note: There are many other tools one could draw upon! These are but two that have offered me some language to articulate skills that might be missed in talking about a "toolkit" (and were actually assessed more than 10 years ago). I believe that this type inquiry serves to help a designer acquire the most important tool in these times: a unique voice that will speak to the complexities of our world through the discipline of design.

Photo credit: Martin Whitmore

2010-09-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

As I continue to prepare for my teaching roles this fall, I'm drawn back to my own experiences of learning design. I recall focusing one investigation on the Bauhaus as I was drawn to its obvious articulation of curriculum and pedagogy (the diagram above provides a visualized overview of this).

When you consider all that you've learned, what do you think young designers should know in order to be equipped for these times? If we look at the model of the Bauhaus, what should a one year "basic course" entail in 2010? If you could go back to school this fall, what would you focus on or improve?

Update: I just finished reviewing Johannes Itten's book and came across this detail that is worth mentioning if we are to consider what could be adapted for a basic course in this day and age. Since he was tasked with setting up the Basic Course, his three aims are valuable insights into this dialogue:

1. To free the creative powers and thereby the art talents of the students. Their own experiences and perceptions were to lead to genuine work. The students were to free themselves gradually from dead conventions and to take courage for work of their own.

2. To make the students' choice of career easier. Here the exercises with materials and textures proved a valuable aid. In a short time each student found out which materials appealed most to him; whether wood, metal, glass stone, clay or yarn best stimulated him to creative activity. Unfortunately, at that time we lacked a workshop for the Basic Course in which all fundamental skills, such as planing, filing, sawing, bending, glueing, and soldering, could be practiced.

3. To convey to the students the fundamental principles of design for their future careers. The laws of form and color opened the objective world to the students. In the course of the work the objective and subjective problems of form and color were integrated in so many ways.

Notably, he also started each class by including exercises to prepare the students physically and mentally (relaxing, breathing and concentrating): "The training of the body as an instrument of the mind is of the greatest importance for the creative man."

2010-09-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of working through a list of questions before we design, I thought this inquiry might also prove beneficial. If we want to design for people outside of our context and culture, should we be asking these types of questions? What would a design outcome look like if we investigated even one of these differences in our design process?

66 Ways We Differ:
1. How we define "proper" behavior
2. How and when we greet each other
3. What's considered common courtesy
4. What's polite or impolite
5. How closely we stand to each other
6. The holidays we celebrate and how we celebrate them
7. How we show respect and disrespect
8. How and why we use money, credit and bartering
9. The range in which we negotiate
10. What is modest or risqué
11. What is embarrassing or shameful
12. What makes us feel good, and what depresses us
13. What makes us proud and what shames us
14. What, when and how we eat and drink
15. What we wear, and when and where we wear it
16. How we see and behave toward sickness and health
17. How and when we seek and use health services
18. What we find funny or sad
19. How and when we use means of transportation
20. What we buy and sell, and when, how and with whom we do it
21. When, where and how we sit and stand
22. If, how and when we touch each other
23. What we believe
24. What we value
25. What makes "common sense"
26. What are worthwhile goals in life
27. What is beautiful or ugly
28. The nature of God and other religious beliefs
29. What we believe we need and don't need
30. Whether privacy is desirable or undesirable
31. Who makes decisions and in what circumstances
32. Whether a person is in control of his or her own life and whether fate determines it
33. What should be communicated directly or indirectly
34. What or who is clean or dirty
35. What language, dialect and tone of voice we use
36. To whom we speak and to whom we do not speak
37. The role of the individual
38. The roles of men and women and how they should each behave
39. The roles of parents and children and how they should each behave
40. The importance of harmony in a group
41. The importance of competition between individuals
42. Social class
43. Educational levels
44. Hierarchy in business relationships
45. How time is understood
46. Whether schedules are important or unimportant
47. The importance of tradition and rituals
48. How often we smile, who we smile at and what it means when we smile
49. How strangers interact
50. How we interact with a person in authority
51. How we interact with a person serving (e.g. in a restaurant)
52. Relationships and obligations between friends
53. Relationships and obligations toward extended family and relatives
54. Facial expressions and other nonverbal behavior and gestures and when they are used
55. Crowd or audience behaviors
56. The importance of preparing for the future
57. How we see old age and how we value elders
58. Whether conversation should be formal or informal
59. What should be said and what should be left unsaid
60. Whether, when, how and with whom we make "small talk"
61. How we perceive what is friendly or unfriendly
62. How open or guarded we are with information
63. What behavior is ethical and what behavior is not ethical
64. How, whom and how much we entertain
65. How or whether we take turns, stand in line, etc.
66. How often we change jobs or move house and where and why

Source: Global Competence: 50 Training Activities for Succeeding in International Business, Jonamay Lambert, Selma Myers and George Simons, Editors, Amherst, Mass: HRD Press, 2000.

2010-08-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

We all get asked about what we do. Sometimes we get asked how we arrived at the place where we really knew what we wanted to do (a common inquiry from my students). This less than ideal image represents a moment when I began to get a feel for how I might answer this question.

Please note: I wasn't fresh out of high school and I hadn't just received my undergraduate degree. If I'm totally honest, I was feeling pretty discouraged and wanted to find a way to see the world differently. The camera forced me to do this by virtue of putting the world into a frame.

This moment helped me to identify one thing I really like to do:

Observe.

I now call myself a design researcher* (for the sake of identification) but if I distill this notion down, it comes back to being someone who observes and investigates. These observations can take various forms: people, places, systems or experiences. I use these observations to help me design things more effectively and/or appropriately.

It is one thing to talk about what you do. But in my own career journey, I've also been interested to know how someone actually does what they do. In light of my pursuit of this path, I have been developing a "toolkit" that I can draw from in order to do this observing well. So I figured it might be valuable to document the tools/resources that I use when I do what I do. I'll write more in the coming weeks about items or ideas I have found useful.

#1. CAMERA
Since I opened this post talking about cameras, it seems an obvious tool with which to start. I currently use a DSLR and an iPhone (but as you can see from the above image, have also used a point and shoot). A higher quality video option is next on my list of acquisitions so if you have any recommendations, let me know. Flickr is one place where I can store/share these observations (but I give the disclaimer that if you are working on observing for a client, you'll want to ensure you've considered things like informed consent when it comes to showing your imagery).

I've also considered how I can allow others to be the observers of their own experiences. In this case, I've used a single use film or point and shoot digital camera to enable others to participate in the research. I've done this so I can actually get out of the way (because being an observer doesn't always equate to being invisible and sometimes, this can actually be a distraction).

Which kind of camera should you acquire? From my experience, this will depend on the context you find yourself in. If you're a travelling researcher, you may need to factor in easy of use and weight considerations. If you're researching on a topic that requires something more elaborate, you may find yourself with a more significant set of gear.

More to come.

---

*IDEO provides a definition of how they interpret this role which resonates with me:

"Design Researchers lead teams through inspiration-gathering and people-understanding experiences to uncover stories and insights that help guide design and innovation. In addition to being empathetic, creative, and strategic, here are some of the qualities we’re searching for:
Passionately curious – People who are excited to be in the field and as inquisitive about other people and their stories as they are empathetic.
Captivatingly articulate – Compelling storytellers who can get people out of their seats and bring tears to their eyes.
Provocatively thoughtful – People who can challenge conventions and inspire teams and clients to translate keen observations into compelling ideas.
Sensorially inspired – People who are inspired by emotions and engaged in all of the senses."

2010-08-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

The UBC students I worked with this summer finished off their project by recalling the ideas we considered at the start of our time in Rwanda. The top image is the word they would use to describe their feelings at the end and the bottom image shows what they felt when they first arrived. Love this!

(Top photos courtesy of the students and bottom photos were taken by me)

2010-08-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to see (and participate in) the launch of openIDEO as it reinforces the concepts covered in the Design For Social Change course and pursues similar ideas that were developed when creating Dinner With A Side of Design. From inspiration to evaluation, diverse groups can collaborate together on tough challenges with the aim of actually participating in the process of solving the posed problems. I am keen to see how it will develop and grow over time and am encouraged to see a platform that doesn't just talk about the big issues facing us but also provides the means to tangibly respond with our collective insights.

2010-07-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

Six weeks ago, a group of diverse students gathered for the inaugural course of Design For Social Change at Emily Carr University.

In this short amount of time, they covered themes ranging from human-centered design principles to viable economic concepts that help actual change to be realized. The course was intensive but they worked very hard to produce interesting concepts that could be further developed for actual implementation. One group has already begun working with two organizations in Rwanda to enable their concept to be developed and tested there. Another group is going to push their idea by allowing a few families to test their "new vision of hosting in smaller spaces" table (see above image).

Some of the aims of this course are to teach:
Research skills
Collaboration skills
Creative/design process
How to engage creativity in complexity
Critical thinking
Understanding who you are designing for
How to develop real deliverables for your users
Visualization and articulation of ideas

The intensive nature can be challenging but I think I can say that all students (while still mulling over all they've had to ingest) will tell you that the opportunity to apply theory made a difference to their learning experience.

It was an absolute delight to both learn from and teach this crew and as per usual, I am challenged to continue considering what role design can play in influencing the type of change that is worth adopting.

A recap of our weekly engagements:
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six (we even had a design dinner to start the class!)

This course will be offered again in Fall 2010.

PS. If these kids can do it, so can we!

2010-07-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

The results are in! I just got word that of the 413 households surveyed, this was by far the most popular concept (of the options presented) for packaging a micronutrient. This isn't going to be the actual packaging but was a way of doing formative research to find out what the preferences of a rural woman might be when it came to visualizing the idea of adopting the behaviour of adding a micronutrient to a child's food. The reasons for its popularity seem to relate to:
a) Color (these are the colors of the Rwandan flag)
b) Image (the action of feeding the child makes it clear as to what to do with the contents)

There is more work to be done and we're awaiting the opportunity to see it be pilot tested and developed further. But this was exciting news for sure!

2010-07-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

It may be in America but this just makes me proud to be a designer. And also makes me long for the day when we could have such an event to celebrate and honour the way design shapes and impacts Canadians.

2010-07-21T00:35:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of the crew of students I've gotten to work with in this class! We have one week left, which means the process and thinking they've engaged in this short amount of time is impressive.

Tonight we discussed their prototypes and gave feedback for further development. We also covered what it means to deliver your final outcome. Here are some good questions to ask (sourced from the HCD Toolkit) in the process:

Where, when, how and why might the customer experience our solution?
What channels can assist with distributing our solution?
What are the range of ways it could be delivered?
What human, financial, manufacturing or technological elements are needed?
Who could we partner with to show the value and impact of the solution?
How will we test our idea?
How will we implement the idea?
What will be our measure of success?
How will we generate feedback?

Links:
The Ripple Effect
Dining Room Made of Pop Bottles
Karaoke and Literacy
Better World By Design Challenge
$100 Ventilator

For our last class, we're going to eat together before presenting the final projects. I'm excited to see their final outcomes! And in case you're wondering, here's what's on the menu:

2010-07-14T02:12:00.000-07:00

Design For Social Change: Class Four

After sharing the outcomes from preliminary research, we got onto the topic of social change and its relationship to economics. Each group has been encouraged to assess their concept by asking if it can be sustained over time. The Human Centered Design Toolkit has a great handout that articulates ways to assess whether you have a sustainable revenue model so I shared this as an accessible tool for evaluation. It suggests that we have a value proposition, an identified revenue source and stakeholder incentives.

Afterward, each group was asked to ideate possible solutions for their social change project. There was definitely laughter, which suggests that some wild ideas are emerging!

Next week: Prototypes.

Random recommended links and/or topics discussed:
Echoing Green
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (and follow up)
Genius of Design
Blue Vinyl
Unicef Kits

2010-07-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

I've been contacted by a grad student who has asked me (and other designers) to talk about our design process as part of her thesis research. More to the point, she wants to know how our processes differ when working cross-culturally. Because of her inquiry (and all the dialogue going on around humanitarian design these days), I've been hammering out some visualizations for her.

As I began to draw my process, I was reminded of a diagram I created during my own research. It arose while reading an article where Gui Bonsipe was interviewed. He points out a dichotomy that can impact design: there is a difference between the centre and the periphery. The simple sketch (above) was a way to visualize how my design process required that I understand the political structure in which it resides. In the case of my recent project in Rwanda, I spent a fair amount of time meeting with stakeholders within the Ministry of Health. All this before putting a pen to paper! Take a look at the layers that the MOH are collaborating with on various projects. We didn't meet with all of them but had discussions with at least 50%:

So as I continue to create a diagram for this student, I am forced to assess how this complexity fits into the design process. The centre (often representing governments and authorities) may not be aware of the periphery (non-profits, field workers, communities) at any given time. To only target periphery projects may miss important aspects as they relate to systems and infrastructure, which will be necessary to understand if one wants to make a lasting impact. In my case, the design solution could affect over one million people, which requires an adjustment in my thinking and research when it came to engaging my overall process. In order to see this project be implemented, I will need to work with both the centre and the periphery and find ways to address both similarities and differences. I think I take this part of the process for granted in my own context but then again, I've not had the chance to work on something for one million Canadians. Yet.

2010-07-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to me. I'm a designer and yet I find myself in a sketching rut these days. My graduate research even focused on the ideas of visualization as a communication tool. So when I saw this project, I figured I'd found a creative way to face it head on. If you're groove-challenged of late, consider joining me!

2010-07-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

For The Love Of Labels

2010-07-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Bruce Nussbaum wrote an article (which I would recommend you read before you finish reading this) that begs the question: "Is humanitarian design the new imperialism?" With a provocative title like that, it begs discussion, yes? And I think it is a good one to have.

Advance apologies: This is longer than expected. I hold the complexity of the content directly responsible.

As someone who has been offered the privilege of working alongside individuals in another culture during my graduate work and beyond, I can appreciate the complexity that this question raises. During grad school, I was called a "design interloper" for choosing to focus my attention on a country other than my own. This label presumes many things, one of which is the notion that I might create something that lacked care or thought. I realize there is a history of such outcomes (which is not exclusive to the profession of design) but I struggle to classify every approach listed in the article as imperialistic. To suggest that designers might be "the new anthropologists or missionaries, come to poke into village life, "understand" it and make it better" seems to oversimplify this discussion and adds to a slew of words that keep us from understanding the layers that are involved in a very complex topic.

During my experiences in Rwanda (which for the record is not representative of the entire continent of Africa), I found myself faced with design questions on a daily basis. Since I am always evaluating how design as a problem-solving discipline can provide a solution, this can become heightened when witnessing significant issues that affect 90% of the world's population. After spending 3 months with a group of women who were unable to get ahead financially because of issues that actually could be addressed, I had a dilemma on my hands:

Do I give them money? This could be a merciful act.

Do I nod apologetically but walk away for fear of imposing my ideas? This might reduce the label issue but poses other problems.

Or does design have a role to play? Would it be a just act to actually improve the situation? If we worked together, could we collectively address this?

Don't get me wrong. There is no formula. But somehow the last option, when handled with care and attention, offers me something beyond a label. And is therefore more costly and complicated.

By definition, design is a discipline that inserts itself into our world where it may or may not be welcomed. Development as a field of work also has a history of inserting itself where it may not be needed. Put these things together and you have increased complexity. And the potential for increased labels. But this is not a new thing in design. Gui Bonsiepe has worked in other countries for many years and writes about the role that design can play in a given culture. This is a long quote but one I believe summarizes the sentiment well:

Design humanism is the exercise of design activities in order to interpret the needs of social groups, and to develop viable emancipative proposals in the form of material and semiotic artifacts. Why emancipative? Because humanism implies the reduction of domination. In the field of design, it also means to focus on the excluded, the discriminated, and economically less favored groups (as they are called in economist jargon), which amounts to the majority of the population of this planet. I want to make it clear that I don’t propagate a universalistic attitude according to the pattern of design for the world. Also, I don’t believe that this claim should be interpreted as the expression of a naive idealism, supposedly out of touch with reality. On the contrary, each profession should face this uncomfortable question, not only the profession of designers. It would be an error to take this claim as the expression of a normative request of how a designer —exposed to the pressure of the market and the antinomies between reality and what could be reality— should act today. The intention is more modest, that is to foster a critical consciousness when facing the enormous imbalance between the centers of power and the people submitted to these powers, because the imbalance is deeply undemocratic insofar as it negates participation. It treats human beings as mere instances in the process of objectivization (Verdinglichung) and commodification.

In light of the many directions I could go (and this post is already way too long), I'll focus on three things I've been thinking about lately as they relate to this discussion:

Labels can lessen impact and cause more confusion: The label of "humanitarian design" doesn't cover the range of work being done in other parts of the world. And you would never show up in a country and announce, "I am a humanitarian designer" when describing the work you are about to do. I would go so far as to suggest that ProjectH, Acumen, Idiom and IDEO are not all doing humanitarian design even though they have been seemingly classified as such in this article (as per the noun/adjective distinction). This isn't to say they aren't all exercising compassion in their approach but I would imagine would make distinctions about their focus. Suffice it to say, I'm slowly learning to tread carefully when assigning titles. They make for a great 30-second story but can be misleading and limiting (see David Sherwin's post on Bingo For Social Innovation).

Time is a valuable commodity that can often lack funding: Designing from a distance using online research is futile. Spending two weeks in a country will often lead to premature assumptions that will affect design outcomes. This means you need to spend significant time where you design. The more you observe and participate in a culture, the better you can assess whether the design outcome will be beneficial and sustainable. Becoming informed about all these layers (economic, environmental, political, social, cultural...) will help reduce the potential for inappropriate or misguided design. Ideally, we'd be doing this in our respective cultures. Naussbaum rightly points out that we can learn from others in this globalized reality we find ourselves in. When we understand how design impacts other cultures and communities, we can ensure we do right by our designs. To do this, exchanges of ideas and information could help us design in our context. Unfortunately, many design projects that fall into this camp tend to rely on grants or donations in order to be implemented. And this can affect the amount of time required to do research and design testing. And so the cycle continues...

Design education could offer people the skills needed to allow for localized solutions: My recent visit to Rwanda to work on a project revealed that many university students would love the chance to study design (which is not currently offered in any of the schools there). I hope to participate in some way to offer courses that could allow this aspiration to be realized in the future (and had some good discussions as to where this might fit during my last trip). Because there are limited budgets for such an endeavor, design projects continue to include designers from other parts of the world. I would love to find a company that could help fund the development of an education program for a local university that may want design but not yet have the resources to make it happen. I have a lot of respect for the work of Professor Ranjan at NID in India. I envision the same for my Rwandan friends who want to make an impact in their villages through design.

(Image sourced from Design For India Blog)

Addendum: Emily Pilloton's great rebuttal!

2010-07-07T00:34:00.000-07:00

We're on week three of the Design for Social Change course and we started the class with a brief discussion about "sustainability" as it relates to our design considerations. As you can see from the images above, the interpretations are varied (a visual reminder of how broad and complex this can be!).

Links that were presented in class (but in no way exhaust the topic):
Cradle to Cradle
Biomimicry
Ask Nature
Okala Guide
Designer's Atlas of Sustainability
Objectified Film
78 Questions
Worldchanging

Bonus material (or stuff we didn't have time to cover):
Story of Stuff
The Living Principles
The Natural Step
The Power of Time Off

We're at the halfway point of this intensive course and I am looking forward to seeing the concepts that will emerge from the research process!

2010-06-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

As promised, I post an overview of our weekly class so that students can have a list of links and information about topics covered. Last night, we discussed the role of human-centered research as it relates to social impact projects. I think that all the students will confess that the hardest part of this process is finding out what are the right questions to ask in order to map out your research plan.

Because of this, I invited a graduate of Emily Carr to present her research as a case study of how the process can unfold in order to develop a deliverable. It is one example of how a designer can approach the research process. There are obviously many more!

We also touched (very briefly) on the importance of ethics in the process of research. This is a large topic but we discussed how we can ensure that our participants are made aware of what their involvement entails.

Three groups have formed and are focusing their projects on a topic of their choosing. They have opted for Living/Dwelling, Education and Aging. Each group has been working to refine the problem they want to tackle in each given area so as to develop a research plan. These are some links we looked at in order to frame the next phase of their projects:

Human-Centered Design Toolkit
Ethnography Primer
Raneen Nosh, Designer
IDEO Method Cards
Design Council RED
Participle
Sam & Dave Save The World
Sample of Informed Consent Document

And this is a great link that considers the brainstorming process (in business or social change projects!): Better Ideas Faster

If other educators or designers have links to share, I'm sure the students would be grateful.

2010-06-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

Design For Social Change started tonight and I'm delighted to report that I get to work with a great crop of students! We agreed that I could post outcomes and links that resulted during each week so as to chronicle this inaugural course.

The images above represent the start of their "actionable problem statements" that were developed after everyone expressed areas they would like to see design contribute to when approached as a conduit for "social change." Main objective? Focus on change as opposed to awareness. Here are some of the links/case studies we explored or discussed during this class:

Tim Brown's TED Talk
Curitiba's Transportation System
Target ClearRx
Zipcar
Deep Dive
Kiva
Index: Award
Design Revolution
Do Good Design
Designer's Atlas of Sustainability

A highlight for me? Many see this as a portfolio building opportunity because of the type of approach and research it requires. Yay!

2010-06-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

Can a logo change the world?

Well, this one certainly has, hasn't it?

As I prepare to head to Seattle to participate in this event, I continue to reflect on the role of design in a place like Rwanda. Designing a logo with the women of the weaving cooperative is a reminder that sometimes the little things become the conduit for potential bigger things. When I visited the women last month, they were preparing products for a trade fair in Kigali. To see that they could now have their own brand identity to represent the work among many others gave me hope that design will continue to play a role in their community and future. How that happens is yet to be fully realized but as a consumer of their products, this identity mark does offer additional value to the product as it sits on a shelf.

We know that logos are a language that have the power to help or hinder in our world. While the logo is seemingly a reflection of the company or organization's actions, it is also the visual mark that everyone will remember (or easily forget). To me, it's like naming one's child - with this act, you project or claim a hopeful future. Following that logic, I wouldn't suggest that naming and identity alone can ensure anything. It's how and what you deliver in the end that ensures this identity continues to hold value. For these women, I hope they can increase their product offerings in the future to ensure a distinct market, which the logo has only begun to establish. And in their case, this distinction could change their world by moving them from a wage of $1-2/day to $15-20/day.

These images reflect the co-design process - from concept drawings to a final stamp.

2010-06-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

A Recap of Rwanda
I had anticipated having more time to write about my design work while in Rwanda. Since the fiber optics continue to be placed in the ground, the bandwidth is not yet at the capacity required for effective photo and video uploading. So here's a few tidbits that I wanted to share now that I'm home. These vignettes capture some of my design encounters as I spent time in various parts of the country over the past month.

1. Coffee Processing Tour

During my visit to this plant, I learned about the life cycle of the coffee bean. Notably, beans that are not usable for the highest quality roasting are not discarded. Instead, companies like Nescafé take them on for their coffee purposes.

2. Spaces for Ideas Book

I came across Brian Ling's books before I left and wanted to take some along with me. They arrived in time and I used them to continue my Kinyarwanda language development. During my last trip, I started a book using a Moleskine and it served as an amazing tool to connect with rural communities where language could have been an obstacle to understanding. Since communication designers need to understand language, continuing this exercise has been helpful in my process.

3. Critiquing Design for a National Brand

While working in Rwanda, the Director General of Rwanda's Horticulture Development Authority asked for feedback about logo design for the new horticulture brand being developed for the country.

So I asked the students from UBC and Inatek to vote based on color, logomark, typography and naming. We're not yet sure of the final outcome (and I wish I could show you the options) but this was truly a great experience for me as a designer in another culture!

4. Paper Prototypes

We had the chance to visit a vocational training school where some of the students are learning how to sew. This pattern is made of paper and stitched using a machine. And while it is meant to show the quality of a sleeve and how to create one, I find myself wanting this framed in my home! It was an absolute delight to see and feel this prototype.

5. A Young Man Designs His Home

Meeting Charles was a highlight. While I could tell you of his story of survival as a 9 year old boy during 1994, what I feel is more important is to hear about his perspective on building his home. My favorite bit in this clip? He feels his home is finally finished (while we might imagine alternate improvements or adaptations).

6. Revisiting the Research

Getting to return to Gashora and visit the cooperative of weavers was a definite highlight for me (if you are new to my blog, here's some information about my work there). While we couldn't communicate on all topics, I did ask why no one picked the money image that was included as an aspiration card in my research. They answered that it wasn't a picture of something they understood. Fair enough! I was delighted to see that they were still using the logo stamp and when I purchased a basket from them, they were sure to attach a label onto it for me. Being able to show them how their design ideas were being shared with thousands of people was likely more invigorating to me than them but it was great to be able to let them in on the ways that their work was influencing others.

Now what?
I'm now back on North American soil but am looking forward to what the next steps will hold with this project. Specifically, I am excited to develop a proposal for a national initiative that will provide affordable micronutrients to children. My focus will continue to be on the packaging and distribution messages). In talking with key leaders and influencers, I'm hopeful that this project will get developed and funded sooner rather than later. Beyond this, I'll be working on workshop and curriculum proposals so that on my next trip I can begin to teach design courses to Rwandan students (and plan to use the Spaces For Ideas books as a design journal!).

The full photo set on Flickr
Videos on YouTube

2010-05-18T03:28:00.000-07:00

As I work on packaging ideas for the micronutrient supplement, I have gained some insight that pictures would be preferred over illustrations. And so I need an image of an African baby (eating food preferably) but many stock photography companies are showing a very African American perspective, which is clearly not the same reality for a rural Rwandan woman.

In my own context, I would likely hire someone for this but finding and sourcing this type of imagery (that would be relevant to this context) becomes a bit more tricky. I can't imagine asking a women here if she would like to have her child placed on every package that would be sent out. Perhaps I need to be more open (and am aiming to meet up with a local designer I've located to gain more insight into this aspect of the design process).

During all my searching, I came across this brilliant Zambian stamp from the 1970s and I found it ironic that it was actually promoting nutrition. Now if only I had this kind of drawing skill!

2010-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

What word comes to your mind when you think of Rwanda? For many, in light of its past, "genocide" can often be the default. But after you arrive, you can't help but be reminded that this nation holds a new and invigorating story.

Six UBC students are here working on research related to improved nutrition in Kibungo (with a program called Go Global). They are each paired up with two INATEK students so as to develop and implement a survey that will be administered to 500 households. No small feat! Their research and findings will help inform what I design.

I asked them to write down the first word that came to their mind when they thought of Rwanda at this point of their trip. This is what they came up with (and we'll do it again at the end to see what else they come up with).

L-R Top: Roberta, Kaylen, Melissa
L-R Bottom: Sharon, Gurjeet, Sung Kyu

2010-05-10T01:55:00.000-07:00

I met a designer today.

His name is Juma.

He got his training in Belgium as a graphic designer and now works primarily in the Rwanda Health Communications Centre. We both agreed that including some design training into the curriculum here would be beneficial. Apparently, there is a communications department at the National University that could be a good start. He figures he could learn something from me. I told him I imagined I could likely learn more from him.

Printing at Rwanda Health Communications Centre

My meeting with their key spokesperson, Nathan, yielded some interesting insights and information that will help me in planning for any design concepts in our project:

1) Community Health Workers (CHWs) are the people who will have the most impact in transmitting information (even someone from Kigali will be less likely to affect any type of behaviour change or product adoption)
2) The president has just initiated a program that will provide all CHW’s with mobile phones
3) There has yet to be a national campaign focused on nutrition (as other priorities take up the majority of their efforts)
4) People continue to be interested in the relationship between agriculture and nutrition (and how that actually gets measured and monitored)
5) T-shirts and umbrellas that have been used as incentives aren’t necessarily the most long lasting tools so research into what works best for health initiatives will be helpful
6) There are no extra copies of the CHW tools created on file since all of them are already in the field
7) Infant and young children nutrition tools (image below) are apparently developed but are still in the “soft copy” stage (which will help me understand how to work alongside what has already been developed)
I also asked Nathan about the types of visuals that have been successful in other campaigns. It was great to show him the various Sprinkles packaging concepts that have been developed and have him offer suggestions of which ones he felt would be adopted most quickly. Obviously, I’ll set out to design a variety of options to see which will be adopted or preferred.

For me, this was a key meeting and their department is keen to be in touch about the progress and process of our work as some of the information they want takes time to receive in order to message things in a timely manner. I love cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural collaboration. It isn’t a rapid process but offers relevant insight and potential.

Image developed by J&J Top Graphics Designers in Kigali, Rwanda

2010-05-07T04:11:00.000-07:00

So I find myself back in Rwanda as a designer, observer, learner, muzungu, and traveler. It is all at once familiar and foreign. And all so very good. I am learning much because as per usual, I am working on something that hosts a steep learning curve. Here is the essence:

I am collaborating with a professor of international nutrition from UBC and we are here investigating various opportunities to see if they can be applied as appropriate and effective interventions for the future. The aims of the project are multifaceted. In order to address this complexity, we are meeting with key stakeholders and leaders, such as the Minister of Health, the Director General of the Rwanda Horticulture Development Authority, Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute and various others in the Ministry of Agriculture. There are more meetings to come! We are also set to meet with individuals from nutrition and health communications. We do this to ensure that we contribute to the tools already developed and complement, rather than contradict their efforts.

In the simplest terms, we are looking at the relationship between agricultural improvement/growth and nutritional impact in rural communities.

As the designer on the team, I am aiming to understand health messaging: how to do it appropriately and effectively with the ultimate goal of developing tools for behavior change and adoption in this diverse and cross-cultural context.

One of the focuses of my work will be to consider how I can apply the HCD Toolkit and related methods by adapting it to suit some of the quantitative approaches used by my colleagues. I am looking forward to sharing these ideas with those outside the field of design and seeing how they can be used to assess the community needs and aspirations (while also providing a framework for successful implementation). I am also keen to learn about their methods in order to ensure a robust and valid outcome that can be measured in their respective disciplines.

Using these methods and approaches, I am aiming to develop solutions for messaging a micronutrient to the mothers of infants/young children aged 6 mos – 2 years (who are not included in typical targets when addressing malnutrition). This messaging will run the gamut: from packaging and promotion to distribution and impact assessment (as the framework for a home-based food fortification program). From here, we are also considering how to incorporate a larger integrated approach into the current approaches to agricultural growth and nutrition impact evaluation. We’re in the formative stages but are excited about the potential (and enthusiasm from those we’ve encountered so far).

Of note is the response I get when I say, “I’m a designer.” The Minister was surprised that an art and design school could exist in an exclusive institution. The head of the research institute wanted to put me to work in their office immediately! These responses are notable because there are no design schools in Rwanda (and yet everyone acknowledges and appreciates the value of communication). Because of this, I look forward to the day I might find myself teaching courses to Rwandans that will enable them to develop these tools and messages. And as a result, I get to learn much from them when it comes to designing outside one's own borders.

2010-04-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

A few shots to capture the experience that was Dinner With A Side Of Design. Loads more here!
Photos by Danny Chan

2010-04-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it but this event is finally here! The collaborative process was awesome and the iterations diverse! Here is the front cover for the guide I crafted to prepare participants for the experience. There will be more goodies presented at each dinner. Ready or not, here we go!

2010-04-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of sharing my research at frogdesign in Seattle this week and one member of their team sent me this delightful set of graphs about my talk. In light of this (discussed briefly during my chat), I thought this visualization was quite relevant. The "dots on some cards" can be viewed here. To see the content more clearly, click on each image.

2010-04-15T00:35:00.000-07:00

My recent article in the inaugural edition of Current.

2010-04-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

I found this in the archives (from a Design21 competition I entered a long time ago). In light of the concept, who would have imagined I'd end up planning this event?

What are you doing this summer?

2010-04-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

2010-03-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, without knowing what design was, she dreamed of creating something that would make a difference in the world (although she did not use these words to describe it as such, at this stage in her life).

Her father wouldn't accept the terms, "I'm bored" (and this boundary kept her imagination alive). Rainy afternoons were not measured in front of the television. Found objects, dried leaves and paint offered the tools to create her own personal narrative.

This is me. With an awesome hairdo, exquisite fashion sense and a means to visualize my ideas. And for the record, I'm ever so curious to recall what I actually crafted on this particular day.

(This photo is courtesy of my dad)

2010-03-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

A Sort of Revolution: Episode One
Are you ready for a change? What does that mean?

To the cooks in a school cafeteria in West Virginia, change means,"It has to come from the top." Jamie Oliver demonstrates that real change may cost you everything you've got.

If you've worked on projects where the objective is design for social change, this episode speaks on a whole bunch of levels. As a designer, it hosts a glimpse into the process of navigating complexity and seeking to employ human centered design methods when addressing a problem. If you ever wanted to see this methodology in action, this episode offers insight (more than you might imagine). You can watch in the USA or Canada.

Here's what I take away from Jamie's initial foray into the community of Huntington:

1) Three to four months of investment with the community will reveal more than two weeks ever will.

2) Visualizing the problem and an accessible solution is essential to understanding.

3) The system is complex and you have to navigate it. No shortcuts.

4) People skills are part of human-centered design. And even with them, your best intentions may be misunderstood.

5) The outsider who wants to change the way things are will always pose a threat.

Anything else?

2010-03-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

I asked the students I work with (as a seminar leader for an Ecological Design course) to come up with a problem or issue that they'd want to see discussed when designers and city leaders connect at Dinner With A Side Of Design. Here are some of their thoughts based on course content:

1) How can you make policy knowledge more accessible to people?
2) How would you make sustainable design more convenient?
3) How would you shift food safe policies so people could bring their own dishes for take out?
4) How would you improve the space and riding experience on the bus?
5) How would you improve the bus scheduling so people would choose to take the bus over a car?

Do you have any to add?

Image source: All Free Crafts

2010-03-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

Love how this reframes the process of navigating complexity: "What will we create?" instead of "What will we give up?"

2010-03-12T09:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm not really there. I'm in rainy Vancouver with a hashtag and an online web schedule. Clearly, the event is jam packed with all sorts of goodies. As I looked through the long list of presenters, I came up with ten sessions (in no particular order) that I'd want to be listening in on:

1) Long Distance UX (Alex Cook and Lisa Kamm)
Collaboration is key to the UX process, but it becomes increasingly difficult across locations. Working remotely with engineers, product managers and other UX'ers is challenging. Learn how members of the Google UX team work with other offices and team members domestically and internationally to create the best user experiences possible.

2) Design for Awareness: Mobile Technologies & Health (Robert Fabricant)
This presentation will explore an emerging class of design solutions that combine mobile technologies and sensors to target a variety of health issues. These technologies have the potential to heighten our awareness of our own behavior in meaningful ways, opening up new opportunities and challenges for interaction designers.

3) Blah Blah Blah: Why Words Won't Work (Dan Roam)
Since the industrial revolution, we've judged human intelligence by our ability to talk. And just look at where that belief has gotten us: from politics to energy, we're deeper in conceptual debt than ever. This session shows how combining our innate verbal and visual skills is the only way we're going to solve the big problems ahead.

4) The Final (Mobile) Frontier: Battery Life in Africa (Gabrielle Rosario and Mike Stopforth)
Africa is a much misunderstood market, but potentially as large as China or India. Computer and internet penetration is extremely low, but cellphones are everywhere. How to tackle communication and social services on a continent where electricity - including charging cellphones in rural areas - is the greatest challenge.

5) Getting Your Company Funded (Reid Hoffman and Justin Fishner-Wolfso)
In this presentation, learn all the basics on how to take your company to the next level. Get the skinny on how to accept angel or VC funding without giving away the farm. There's so much jargon around financing and this session will debunk it all -- including term sheets, liquidation preferences, board composition, demand rights, option pools, valuations and much much more.

6) Interactive Infographics (GOOD)
Insights and examples from the frontier of interactive infographics. The smart, interactive presentation of data is emerging as a new form of media. Still in an early stage, this format shows major promise. We'll explore what this is all about and where it's going.

7) Design for the Dark Side (IDEO)
Design usually focuses on making the world around us better - optimism often rules the roost in our industry. But what might happen if we forced ourselves to design for a catastrophic or dystopian future? Can we learn something by designing for a darker side of human experience?

8) DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education (Anya Kamenetz)

9) UX Process Improved: Integrating User Insight (Steve Portigal and Aviva Rosenstein)
Finding detailed specifications for implementing user research methods is easy - but matching specific methods to your particular needs can be a challenge. We'll outline an underlying framework for research approaches so you'll understand why each method works as well as when to use it.

10) Keynote by Valerie Casey

(Now to check out the music and film line up!)

2010-03-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

Wicked problems. Also known as "the things that seem too big for us to solve." I stumbled across this old Adidas ad campaign and have adapted it to craft a contractual agreement with said problems. It isn't comprehensive but offers a helpful icon when I consider how my creative thinking process permits the "willing suspension of disbelief" in order to face something that seems too big or impossible. Thanks to Twitter feeds, I came across this 1992 article by a great writer and design thinker, Richard Buchanan:
To gain some idea of how extensively design affects contemporary life, consider the four broad areas in which design is explored throughout the world by professional designers and by many others who may not regard themselves as designers:

1) the design of symbolic and visual communications

2) the design of material objects

3) the design of activities and organized services, which includes the traditional management concern for logistics, combining physical resources, instrumentalities, and human beings in efficient sequences and schedules to reach specified objectives

4) the design of complex systems or environments for living, working, playing, and learning. This includes the traditional concerns of systems engineering, architecture, and urban planning or the functional analysis of the parts of complex wholes and their subsequent integration in hierarchies.

Reflecting on this list of the areas of design thinking, it is tempting to identify and limit specific design professions within each area - graphic designers with communication, industrial designers and engineers with material objects, designers-cum-managers with activities and services, and architects and urban planners with systems and environments. But this would not be adequate, because these areas are not simply categories of objects that reflect the results of design. Properly understood and used, they are also places of invention shared by all designers, places where one discovers the dimensions of design thinking by a reconsideration of problems and solutions.

Buchanan's work reminds me that "design thinking" isn't a buzzword. And it's exciting to see these programs emerge to create an educational outlet for developing these ideas further (as my educational experience didn't include this type of conversation):
Parsons
Austin Center for Design

2010-03-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Nobody has the answers.
Nobody is listening to you.
Nobody is looking out for your interests.
Nobody will lower your taxes.
Nobody will ﬁx the education system.
Nobody knows what he is doing in Washington.
Nobody will make us energy independent.
Nobody will cut government waste.
Nobody will clean up the environment.
Nobody will protect us against terrorist threats.
Nobody will tell the truth.
Nobody will avoid conﬂicts of interest.
Nobody will restore ethical behavior to the White House.
Nobody will get us out of Afghanistan.
Nobody understands farm subsidies.
Nobody will spend your tax dollars wisely.
Nobody feels your pain.
Nobody wants to give peace a chance.
Nobody predicted the Iraq War would be a disaster.
Nobody expected the levees to fail.
Nobody warned that the housing bubble would collapse.
Nobody will reform Wall Street.
Nobody will stand up for what’s right.
Nobody will be your voice.
Nobody will tell you what the others won’t.
Nobody has a handle on this.

Nobody, but you, that is.

Never forget, a small group of people can change the
world.

No one else ever has.

by Micah Sifry
excerpt from What Matters Now

2010-03-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

I'm teaching the last six weeks of a course called, Designing With Image and Time and I've asked the students to work with various films as part of their learning process. One of the options included The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara. As I re-watched it, I couldn't help reflecting on the idea that these lessons could be applied anywhere, even in design. Would you agree? Watch the film and get back to me.

1. Empathize with ~~your enemy~~ the client/user you don't understand
2. Rationality will not save us
3. There's something beyond one's self
4. Maximize efficiency
5. Proportionality should be a guideline in ~~war~~ design
6. Get the data
7. Belief and seeing are often both wrong
8. Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning
9. In order to do good, you may have to engage in ~~evil~~ something you didn't expect
10. Never say never
11. You can't change human nature

2010-03-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

I think this might just say it all. via H34DUP

2010-02-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

If Danish designers can do it, why can't we? I appreciate this document for the way it:

1) advocates a collective voice
2) provides objectives and recommendations
3) postures what design can do, rather than what design is
4) determines that design is for people and the planet
5) encourages cross-disciplinary support

And then some.

While manifestos often have a way of making a declaration without encouraging action, I read this document and feel like it gives me language to dialogue about the role of design at this time in history (and makes it accessible by collecting it into one document). Also notable? When I got the email inviting me to read this , it included this phrase at the end (from Pernille Grønbech, President of Danish Designers): We appreciate any comments. Feedback on how these ideas actually translate? What a concept.

2010-02-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

I have the physical cards already but an iPhone app (for travel and the like) is just what this designer needed. What I appreciate about both versions? The special note to respect your participants:

Approach people with courtesy
Identify yourself, your intent, and what you are looking for
Offer to compensate participants
Describe how you will use this information and why it's valuable
Get permission to use the information and any photos or videos you take
Keep all the information you gather confidential
Let people know they can decline to answer questions or stop participating at any time
Maintain a nonjudgmental, relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere

2010-02-22T20:08:00.000-08:00

It's time to be a entrepreneur
A few weeks ago I attended the Graphex 2010 Judges Night. A diverse and talented group (Mark Randall, Louise Fili, Julia Hoffmann, Matt Warburton and Rolando Diep) presented their work and ideas about design over the course of the evening. And as I listened during the Q&A time and had conversations with various colleagues, I realized that the diversity of the judges equaled the diversity of thought around the role of visual communication.

From a small studio to the large corporate giant, one has the potential to embrace craft and/or commerce. Whatever side you lean toward, the point is to make information accessible to others. But if it doesn't win an award, how do we measure the value of communication design?

If you check out who I follow on Twitter, you'll notice I'm as intrigued by letterforms as I am lifesaving tools for someone in Los Angeles or Liberia. Because there is such diversity in how design is valued or measured, I'm suggesting that perhaps we now live in a time where we need a new title for the role that a communication designer (or any designer, for that matter) plays in culture (especially those who may never show his or her work at a design award event).

I'm opting to use the title "design entrepreneur" because this seems to help me frame the current state: consider what is needed in the future, act on what the system can handle now and do both all the while knowing that you're going to assume responsibility for the risks involved. According to research, it seems there are some are up for this challenge - and I'd say, it's come at just the right time. While it may not win an award, it could affect the way society functions (and I think Paula Scher might agree?). Some are even willing to fund it: Be Unreasonable.

2010-02-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

The last time you made something, did you ask 78 questions about it? With that many to go through, one can't help but pause and consider the impacts of design.

78 Reasonable Questions to Ask about Any Design
by Stephanie Mills

Ecological
1. What are its effects on the health of the planet and of the person?
2. Does it preserve or destroy biodiversity?
3. Does it preserve or reduce ecosystem integrity?
4. What are its effects on the land?
5. What are its effects on wildlife?
6. How much and what kind of waste does it generate?
7. Does it incorporate the principles of ecological design?
8. Does it break the bond of renewal between humans and nature?
9. Does it preserve or reduce cultural biodiversity?
10. What is the totality of its effects - it's "ecology"?

Social
11. Does it serve community?
12. Does it empower community members?
13. How does it affect our perception of our needs?
14. Is it consistent with the creation of a communal, human economy?
15. What are its effects on relationships?
16. Does it undermine conviviality?
17. Does it undermine traditional forms of community?
18. How does it affect our way of scene and experiencing the world?
19. Does it foster a diversity of forms of knowledge?
20. Does it build on, or contribute to, the renewal of traditional forms of knowledge?
21. Does it serve to commodify knowledge or relationships?
22. To what extent does it redefine reality?
23. Does it to raise a sense of time and history?
24. What is its potential to become addictive?

Moral
25. What values does its use foster?
26. What is gained by its use?
27. What are its effects beyond its ability to the individual?
28. What is lost in using it?
29. What are its effects on the least person in the society?

Aesthetic
30. Is it ugly?
31. Does cause ugliness?
32. What noise does it make?
33. What pace does it set?
34. How does it affect quality of life (as distinct from standard of living)?

Practical
35. What does it make?
36. Who does it benefit?
37. What is its purpose?
38. Where was produced?
39. Where is it used?
40. Where must go when it's broken or obsolete?
41. How expensive is it?
42. Can it be repaired? By an ordinary person?
43. What is the entirety of its cost-the full cost accounting?

Ethical
44. How complicated is it?
45. What does it allow us to ignore?
46. To what extent does it distance agents from effect?
47. Can we assume personal, or communal, responsibility for its effects?
48. Can its effects be directly apprehended?
49. What ancillary technologies does it require?
50. What behavior might it make possible in the future?
51. What other technologies might it make possible?
52. Does it alter our sense of time and relationships in ways conducive to nihilism?

Vocational
53. What is its impact on craft?
54. Does it reduce, deaden, or enhance human creativity?
55. Is it the least imposing technology available for the task?
56. Does it replace, or does it aid, human hands and human beings?
57. Can it be responsive to organic circumstance?
58. Does it depress or enhance the quality of goods?
59. Does it depress or enhance the meaning of work?

Political
60. What is its mystique?
61. Does it concentrate or equalize power?
62. Does it require, or institute, a knowledge elite?
63. Is it totalitarian?
64. Does it require a bureaucracy for its perpetuation?
65. What legal empowerments does it require?
66. Does it undermine traditional moral authority?
67. Does it require military defense?
68. Does it enhance, or serve, military purposes?
69. How does it affect warfare?
70. Does it foster a mass thinking or behavior?
71. Is it consistent with the creation of global economy?
72. Does it empower transnational corporations?
73. What kind of capital does it require?

Metaphysical
74. What aspect of the inner self does it reflect?
75. Does it express love?
76. Does it express rage?
77. What aspect of our past does it reflect?
78. Does it reflect cynical or linear thinking?

Image source: askascientist.org

2010-02-03T15:09:00.001-08:00

The Pie Lab isn't a new concept but another reminder of how people are continuing to dialogue through design.

2010-02-01T23:11:00.001-08:00

Another round of introductory typography means another set of journals. This class did not disappoint with their varied explorations (from hand-rendered, to stitched or embossed and collages). It's always delightful to see people come to a new understanding of and appreciation for effective communication. But I also just love the way it let's them explore their own creativity.

2010-01-31T18:21:00.000-08:00

In case you've been hiding under a rock (or living on another continent): The iPad is here!

All jokes aside about its less-than-ideal name, it seems to offer some amazing experiences for users and developers. As someone who cherishes her iMac and iPhone, I'm a truly committed convert and I can't imagine working with any another brand. So I feel like a fair weather friend by posting this.

But as I watched the launch presentation, all I could think was, "How will this be applied to those who fall outside of Apple's borders?" Is the iPad only usable for those who can iAfford it? It's been positioned as a very accessible tool (compared to other products) but is it affordable enough? As I listened to everyone talk, I heard about social media, photos, emails, presentations and games. I heard from developers and how they can benefit from the software development kit for the device.

But if you are going to brag about your billions, then wouldn't it be amazing if your next announcement included a story about how this tool could actually improve things beyond gaming and graphics? What about innovations in health and economic development that can help the billions living on less than $2/day? The type of interface that the iPad offers, could be an amazing way to empower those who may not have access to information or the level of literacy that would enable them to engage effectively. I'm sure it all sounds very Pollyanna-ish, but shouldn't a global brand be truly global?

Ironically, when I travelled to Rwanda back in 2008, I contacted Apple and asked for the donation of one laptop. I had aspirations to offer design training to university students who were focused on education, technology and agriculture. In the end, I never heard from Apple. Looking back, it might have been for the better. Because you see, Apple support wasn't available in Rwanda. And this reality may be why my post is moot.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a designer. I got invigorated by everything that was shared at the launch. Apple products are smart, beautiful and intuitive. They value typography and graphics in ways others have yet to demonstrate. And this is why I would love to see these tools made available to those who may not yet know how this accessible tool could offer even more accessibility.

With all of this technological advancement, will the iPad only benefit the 10% who can access it?

2010-01-29T09:58:00.000-08:00

This project demonstrates how a dialogue through design can be generated creatively. Young minds being invited to imagine and fashion the potential of the future in a shoe box. Brilliant.
(and the fact that it was made possible by one of our Canadians is an added bonus)

2010-01-28T15:20:00.000-08:00

I respect the way Bill Easterly challenges our assumptions about aid and agree with him when he (surprisingly) writes that we should look harder for dialogue before the satire starts. Face-to-face conversations about what isn't working might provide us a means to "walk a mile in another man's shoes" and in so doing, help us collectively reduce our oversights.

2010-01-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

I hold a certain measure of interest in the way a city operates and could likely offer my two cents about how I imagine it could be enhanced (systems junkie that I am). But since I don't have any formal training in urban planning, I wouldn't want to presume that my thoughts are the best for everyone. Ironically, Jane Jacobs didn't have any training either. But her contribution to the way we now view the public sphere is significant, so I turn to her as part of my research for Dinner With A Side Of Design. What I appreciate about her approach is that she doesn't focus on the utopia at the end of the rainbow but rather pursues an honest embrace of what the city already is and designs within it:

Cities as Ecosystems
Jacobs approached cities as living beings and ecosystems. She suggested that over time, buildings, streets and neighborhoods function as dynamic organisms, changing in response to how people interact with them. She explained how each element of a city - sidewalks, parks, neighborhoods, government, economy – functions together synergistically, in the same manner as the natural ecosystem. This understanding helps us discern how cities work, how they break down, and how they could be better structured.

Mixed-Use Development
Jacobs advocated for "mixed-use" urban development – the integration of different building types and uses, whether residential or commercial, old or new. According to this idea, cities depend on a diversity of buildings, residences, businesses and other non-residential uses, as well as people of different ages using areas at different times of day, to create community vitality. She saw cities as being "organic, spontaneous, and untidy," and views the intermingling of city uses and users as crucial to economic and urban development.

Bottom-Up Community Planning
Jacobs contested the traditional planning approach that relies on the judgment of outside experts, proposing that local expertise is better suited to guiding community development. She based her writing on empirical experience and observation, noting how the prescribed government policies for planning and development are usually inconsistent with the real-life functioning of city neighborhoods.

The Case for Higher Density
Although orthodox planning theory had blamed high density for crime, filth, and a host of other problems, Jacobs disproved these assumptions and demonstrated how a high concentration of people is vital for city life, economic growth, and prosperity. While acknowledging that density alone does not produce healthy communities, she illustrated through concrete examples how higher densities yield a critical mass of people that is capable of supporting more vibrant communities. In exposing the difference between high density and overcrowding, Jacobs dispelled many myths about high concentrations of people.

content: Project For Public Spaces
image: Ken Fallin

2010-01-23T12:11:00.000-08:00

In my ongoing research, I came across this beautiful work by Elise Rijnberg. The pattern is made with subtle embroidery and meant to educate on the western traditions of dining.

2010-01-20T13:28:00.000-08:00

I'm leading seminars with design students for an Ecological Perspectives course. Last week, we tried to answer these questions. It's amazing (and embarrassing) how disconnected I am from the environment I live in. How many of these can you answer for your region?

Where Are You At? A Bioregional Quiz
Developed by Leonard Charles, Jim Dodge,Lynn Milliman and Victoria Stockley. Coevolution Quarterly 32 (Winter 1981): 1.

1. Trace the water you drink from precipitation to tap.
2. How many days til the moon is full? (Slack of 2 days allowed.)
3. What soil series are you standing on?
4. What was the total rainfall in your area last year (July-June)? (Slack: 1 inch for every 20 inches.)
5. When was the last time a fire burned in your area?
6. What were the primary subsistence techniques of the culture that lived in your area before you?
7. Name 5 edible plants in your region and their season(s) of availability.
8. From what direction do winter storms generally come in your region?
9. Where does your garbage go? What do you think will happen to all the garbage generated by the Olympics?
10. How long is the growing season where you live?
11. On what day of the year are the shadows the shortest where you live?
12. When do the deer rut in your region, and when are the young born?
13. Name five grasses in your area. Are any of them native?
14. Name five resident and five migratory birds in your area.
15. What is the land use history of where you live?
16. What primary ecological event/process influenced the landform where you live? (Bonus special: what’s the evidence?)
17. What species have become extinct in your area?
18. What are the major plant associations in your region?
19. From where you’re reading this, point north.
20. What spring wildflower is consistently among the first to bloom where you live?

2010-01-18T23:20:00.000-08:00

Reading Robert Bringhurst's words about typography could be compared to savoring a glass of fine wine: the notes are layered so you don't want to rush it.

"Letters are microscopic works of art as well as useful symbols. They mean what they are as well as what they say. Typography is the art and craft of handling these doubly meaningful bits of information. A good typographer handles them in intelligent, coherent, sensitive ways."

"Typography is to literature as musical performance is to composition: an essential act of interpretation, full of endless opportunities for insight or obtuseness."

The pictures above show:
1) some student work after only one class of introductory typography
2) a graphic designer in rural Africa

Every time I sit down to prepare for this course, I am reminded of the complexity of language. I'm sure I could write a diatribe on the topic. From being in Rwanda (where I didn't speak the language I needed) to being in Canada (where I aim to teach students how to use the language they know), I am amazed by the common challenge we face: to make and show the meaning of our words.

2010-01-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

In the process of planning for this event, I wanted to test out some ideas with a few friends: What would it look like to have an interactive and topic-focused dinner? If nothing else, I could find out what it might be like to eat, drink and write at the same time!

So last night, I got together with a web designer, a student/adventurer, a nurse, a writer and a retired finance and accounting director. The image above indicates how they would describe what they do (and was situated as an activity after the first sip of wine).

Over the course of the meal (which included a smattering of amazing food we all created to share: mushroom caps filled with crab and cheese, honey roasted root vegetables, deep fried prawns, guacamole, bruschetta and a rosemary potato radish salad), we talked a lot about economics and politics. In light of my ongoing interest in these ideas and how they impact design, I found the discussion helpful. Here's a few topics that surfaced from this diverse group:

1. Design is often perceived as exotic, expensive and exclusive.
2. China operates like many designers. In other words, "What will things look like in five years and how do we plan for that?"
3. To make an energy efficient car like the Prius, you need about 13 rare earth minerals. 93% of these minerals come from China.
4. Geopolitical events may have a significant influence on career and investment decisions. So never underestimate the value of due diligence.
5. Change happens one person at a time. Unless you live in a dictatorship.

Clearly, we covered a lot of ground. And while this was informal in its approach, I learned much from focusing my attention on a topic that can sometimes seem to big to tackle. I also appreciated how the experience offered me insight into a) creating spaces for conversation and b) a means to visualize that conversation. I am continually writing or sketching because this activity helps me internalize the ideas that are being exchanged. But I am reminded that not everyone operates this way! Because of this, I'm cued to consider how to create something accessible to allow others to share their ideas in alternative and creative ways.

2010-01-14T15:53:00.000-08:00

Learning #8: When it gets hard, you might just need to wait.

While in Rwanda, the power would often go out, the internet was as slow as molasses and sometimes our food order would take 30 minutes to arrive. Often, I would react as though these were incredibly hard things. Pauvre moi!

With issues of greater complexity, I have learned that patience is truly a virtue. And that in the waiting times, you can often see and learn things that you might have missed while you were rushing. This isn't to say that all hard equates to waiting (the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti aren't too keen to wait for help). But as I assess my own learning (and realize my own impatience), I have learned that waiting to say something or do something might actually serve me well. I'm not necessarily good at it but hope to gain wisdom in this as I go. When I think about it in design, I realize that it isn't always promoted. Deadlines and projects await you so "hard" becomes part of the game. But in watching ideas emerge from something like Slow Design, I can see that perhaps even in the intensity of it all, there might just be room for and value in waiting.

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

Learning #12: To whom much is given, much will be required.
Working on projects over the past year, I have come to realize how lucky I am to have skills, knowledge, access, freedom, friends, safety, shelter and food. I happen to live in a location that makes these things seemingly easy to possess. For me, having these things doesn't mean I can sit back and relax. Having them reminds me how sharing them will actually enrich my life.

The experience of having a young Rwandan student ask me if I could teach her Illustrator so she could make things on her own was a notable moment (she saw this image on my desktop and asked, "Can I make something like that?"). Due to her busy schedule we weren't able to pursue these lessons as hoped. But this desire acts as a reminder of how my "much" requires me to respond to those with "less much." This isn't an act of charity but rather one of being open with what you possess. Be it design training or daily needs, I have learned that sharing must be part of my life and work (even if it costs me).

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

Learning #9: Sometimes it's best to leave well enough alone.
I don't know that this requires any further explanation?
As I've contemplated this learning, it seems best to visualize it. Which means, I'm not going to say anything else. And leave well enough alone.

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

Learning #3: Just because we speak the same language, doesn't mean we understand each other.

"...dialogue characterizes an epistemological relationship. Thus, in this sense, dialogue is a way of knowing...I engage in dialogue because I recognize the social and not merely the individualistic character of the process of knowing. In this sense, dialogue presents itself as an indispensable component of the process of both learning and knowing." (Paulo Freire)

As I reflect on my work in a cross-cultural context, I realize how much complication can arise from the lack of a shared language. Getting on the wrong bus, saying the wrong thing in a meeting and ordering the wrong food are but a few examples. But back in my own city, where I am able to do most of these things, I think I can take the shared language notion for granted. It may allow you to get where you want to go but it doesn't guarantee you'll really know or learn. In looking ahead, I hope to continue to work on projects that require cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary teams because I find that these experiences help equip me to avoid the perils of assumption.

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

Learning #2: Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's broken.

DIY is a the mantra of the day. Last year, I wore rain boots I found in the dumpster and revisited my mother's wardrobe from the 60s to acquire a few new outfits. To highlight this learning, I've listed a few people and places that have helped me sort out my new love and appreciation of the old(er) in the midst of a discipline that often praises the new:
The Amish
Readymade Magazine
The weavers of Gashora and a designer from Kibungo
Maker Faire
Instructables
Craigslist
Rural Studio
Cut/Copy/Paste Exhibition

I am still sorting the economics of these ideas and how they get sustained in an age of innovation. But I love how this shift has affected my process and thinking.
One of twelve in this series

image source: Cut/Paste at the Royal Ontario Museum (Random related note? I actually inherited a cigarette case just like this one)

2010-01-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

Learning #4: Don't underestimate the ingenuity of others.
One of twelve in this series

By now, most people are familiar with William Kamkwamba. His story reminds me of a book that has shaped my thoughts on how to embrace the ingenuity of individuals who are often perceived as those who "need saving." Pedagogy of the Oppressed, hosts a number of powerful and thought-provoking quotes. While seemingly focused on education, it speaks to a much broader conversation about how we can sometimes overlook the values and insights of those who are in a lower economic or oppressed situation because we think they need to be removed from this place. William's windmill story reminds me that things can shift because of personal ingenuity. By reading a book about energy at 14 years of age, William's world view was enhanced and he saw himself as part of the solution.

"...every human being, no matter how "ignorant" or submerged in the "culture of silence" he or she may be, is capable of looking critically at the world in a dialogical encounter with others. Provided the proper tools for such encounter, the individual can gradually perceive personal and societal reality as well as the contradictions in it, become conscious of his or her own perception of that reality, and deal critically with it."

"We simply cannot go to the laborers - urban or peasant - in the banking style, to give them "knowledge" or to impose upon them the model of the "good man" contained in a program whose content we have ourselves organized. Many political and educational plans have failed because their authors designed them according to their own personal views of reality, never once taking into account (except as mere objects of their actions) the men-in-a-situation to whom their program was ostensibly directed."

"To investigate the generative theme is to investigate people's thinking about reality and people's action upon reality, which is their praxis. For precisely this reason, the methodology proposed requires that the investigators and the people (who would normally be considered objects of that investigation) should act as co-investigators. The more active an attitude men and women take in regard to their exploration of their thematics, the more they deepen their critical awareness of reality and, in spelling out those thematics, take possession of that reality."

"Revolutionary leaders commit many errors and miscalculations by not taking into account something so real as the people's view of the world: a view which explicitly and implicitly contains their concerns, their doubts, their hopes, their way of seeing the leaders, their perceptions of themselves and of the oppressors, their religious beliefs (almost always syncretic), their fatalism, their rebellious reactions. None of these can be seen separately, for in interaction all of them compose a totality."

Paulo Freire
Pedagogy of the Oppressed

2010-01-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

Learning #10: Honesty is such a lonely word.
Billy Joel might just say it best. In the context of design for social impact, sometimes I've wondered if the truth is always embraced. From metrics to making it stick, transparency comes at a cost. I know it's part of life but quite frankly, it ain't always easy.

Lest you think I'm depressed or something, I arrive at this place after an intense graduate degree filled with critiques and commentary, teaching experiences that have their own measure of intensity (if you teach, you understand) and a few experiences where I was stretched beyond what I thought possible. In looking forward, I hope I pursue honesty and grace in my relationships and work. But I gotta be honest. It can be lonely out there.

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

Learning #7: Designers should be schooled in economics and politics. This affects everything.
I recently watched We Are The People We've Been Waiting For and in the film Sir Ken Robinson is one of the many people interviewed. He says, "Education is about the economy." I also took a stab at listening to George Soros speak to an audience at CEU about the future as it might look beyond the recent economic downturn. Today, Roger Martin is suggesting that MBA's get a bit more creative, critical and cultural. After finishing my graduate degree, where I sometimes got challenged about the role of design in another culture, I appreciate the insight that I've gained from trying to figure out how politics and economy influence the work I do.

We're existing in a world we didn't imagine, ripe with complexity, which means we need new ways to filter all that is coming at us. With this in mind, courses on business and politics could only help make a design curriculum more robust. There are some already on this path but there is definitely room for more:
CCA
Parsons
dschool

Business Week has a whole lot more. What's notable about them? They partner with industry, which means a student has a place to apply his or her learning. But it can also expose a student to the political influences that are at play when we talk about designing for significant change or impact. Government systems can affect or inhibit this change, so we'd be wise to understand how it operates.

With a significant focus on improving systems in our world, a young designer is often excited about the opportunity to be influential in some way. While one part of his or her education is focused on honing a craft, the other must be about developing a critical understanding of where it fits in the larger context. With all our connectivity, this larger context becomes a bit more complicated. We're now talking about the issues of the big 3: buildings, transportation and food (all directed by governments on some level). If education is the economy and the economy has a political agenda, shouldn't we help designers navigate this territory? What texts should we be giving them? What books should they read? What activities can they engage in?

(The diagram above reflects potential areas of study and are meant to look like balls being juggled around. The size of each circle is not an indication of anything overly specific so I'm open to this visual being redesigned/reframed. For now it can act as a catalyst for conversation. Are there other aspects that should be included?)

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

Learning #1: Innovation is a tricky business.
My thoughts on this got stirred when Don Norman suggested that historically technology, not research has been the driver of major invention: "Design research is great when it comes to improving existing product categories but essentially useless when it comes to new, innovative breakthroughs."

There's more detail in his post but this article caused a bit of a stir to the point that numerous others have responded to his position. Here are a few that surfaced:

1. Steve Portigal
2. Bruce Nussbaum
3. Michael Surtees
4. Eric Small

Does everybody view innovation the same way?
I mention these other posts because the exchange represents an idea that I've been thinking about. Can innovation be universally measured? Today, something deemed innovative in North America might not hold the same position in Africa or Asia. And invention may result from necessity, which I would suggest is the most obvious form of research.

A Case Study to Clarify
The OLPC provides a case study of how more design research might have been extremely helpful for successful innovation and adoption of this low-cost computer (which some would consider to be a major breakthrough). I say this because there is much done in the name of design-invention-innovation-good intention that ends up wasted because it can't actually be sustained (which becomes notable as the new version is being developed).

To me, cultural and/or sociological understanding is vital to the design research process. These aspects force a thorough investigation of the place where an object or service might be introduced. Clearly, an attempt to improve education was a positive aspiration. But is it enough when discussing innovation for impact?

Even with its advances, I'm still left wondering:
a) if enough communication occurred to ensure the views and needs of the user were considered and,
b) if this consideration has improved the system of effective distribution.

I wonder if educational aspirations could be better served by innovating something already available. Could this offer a more affordable and accessible option for every child? Can this be developed even further?

Innovation and systems thinking
In my own circles, I've noticed that the word innovation is tossed around quite a bit. Perhaps I've been defining it incorrectly, but I think it inherently includes systems thinking. In light of Norman's list of inventions, I'm curious to know if we can still measure breakthroughs without clarifying their impact on the system. For example, if the airplane is being taken to task for its impact on the planet, can we continue to allow technology to be the driver of innovation? Does the future of our society and planet allow for it?

Whatever we're shooting for, be it invention or innovation, we should be asking if our design (in all its forms) can be sustained by the public for whom it's been created. I'm guessing we may want to consider how we measure this? Does this measurement need to be equal for everyone or are there unique attributes depending on the location, user and cost?

Moving Forward
In considering how we view invention or innovation, what will the design community pursue more avidly? Would we be satisfied to improve the existing technologies or are we inherently driven to discover the unknown?

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Twitter and Facebook let me peek in on people. But they can't replace meeting someone face to face. So in the spirit of learning from others, I've developed a list of ten people I'd love to have coffee with this year. Believe me, limiting it to ten was not easy. There are a lot of interesting people in the world! Here's what I came up with (in no particular order):

1. ~~Paul Polak:~~ 25 years of experience counts for something. I respect Paul's unswerving commitment to appropriate design in emerging nations. (Update: I got to meet up with him at a talk in June 2010)

2. Jacqueline Novogratz: I resonate so closely with her time in Rwanda and respect the way she's built her career based on respecting others. I could learn a lot from her.

3. Erik Hersman: I had one email exchange with Erik where we discussed the difference between rural and urban when it came to addressing needs in Africa. I'm inspired by the commitment to technology for "the dark continent."

4. Alfred Sirleaf, The Analog Blogger: Because he saw a need of the people.

5. Maggie Breslin: She has worked as a design researcher at the Sparc Lab/Mayo Clinic for the past 4+ years. To watch the complexity of a hospital and apply design process in this arena is something I want to learn more about.

6. Dambisa Moyo: One of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people ain't too shabby.

7. Eddie Izzard: Not only is he hysterical but he also runs marathons. And speaks French fluently. Also born in Yemen.

8. Lucy Orta: Anyone who cooks a meal for 70 people as a creative act has my attention.

9. Tina Fey: Because apparently, I'm her doppelgänger.

10. ~~The women of Gashora:~~ Because our conversations aren't finished yet. (Update: We got to meet up in May 2010!)

Bonus? Lady Gaga: A woman who can get an audience with the Queen, become a CD at Polaroid and dress like nobody's business, could likely teach me a thing or two about brand (or perhaps more likely how to speak your mind and still get ahead).

2010-01-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

(image source: Nokia via Rutgers School of Communication and Information)

I really wanted to pursue a deeper understanding of mobile applications in my graduate research. Problem? The rural women I worked with couldn't afford a mobile phone, thereby limiting my testing options with my participants.

Instead of creating a long post about my thoughts on learning #11: The mobile phone is the new computer, I'll let these links speak for themselves. While I think Yves Behar's tablet is pretty sweet, it still comes back to accessibility. Even in my own life, my iPhone offers a new kind of computing experience (and my back is delighted to not be carrying a laptop so much these days). I love how these groups (and many others) are taking this accessible and more affordable tool and innovating new opportunities to offer immediate and relevant outcomes:

Frontline SMS Medic
Frontline SMS
Credit SMS
Ushahidi
Nokia mBanking
Nokia Life Tools
Phone Power
Katine Market

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

Learning #5: Poverty can't be solved by a campaign. Or a website.
Spending time working on a sustainable development project in Rwanda exposed me to all sorts of new ideas. As the "outsider," I realize I still have much to learn. I was grateful to be given a Kinyarwanda name and told that I was 50% Rwandan but these affirmations don't replace understanding the actual needs of a community. The thing I can't shake is how often we try to solve problems using ideas or technologies that we assume will work everywhere.

Quick back story: I made a website. For a group of individuals who did not have access to the Internet. The hope was that this tool would improve the sales of their products. But the analytics prove there is little activity on this site. Without a business plan, they have no means of owning their own outcomes either. So I've struggled with my contribution for the past year or so. And have come to realize that creating an isolated outcome is no longer an acceptable way to look at my design practice.

Lesson learned? Poverty can't be solved by a campaign. Or a website. We must be asking bigger questions about entire systems before acting on solutions.

Campaigns with slogans and accompanying websites bring awareness to issues. Twitter feeds support the ideas being spread to the masses. But at the end of the day, I think we need to ask, "Are the people who we're trying to help actually seeing some sort of benefit from all this?" Whenever designers get connected to a development project, I think we need to ask the right questions.

Maggie Black helped me understand that development is complex (in her book, The No-Nonsense Guide to International Development):

Even at the purely semantic level, the term 'development' is difficult to replace. If you dislike it and its derivatives - 'developing', 'developed' - and try to avoid using them, nothing else quite works. To understand that development is an artificial construct and has earned much discredit does not help get rid of it. The concept has become ingrained in economic language and philanthropic endeavor. In default of some better terminological alternative, we will probably go on using the one we have. It would be helpful, however, if it was more used with greater care, and not assumed to be invariably beneficent and politically clean.

From this experience, I would advise any designer to simply be aware. I won't create a list of dos and don'ts because I'm not the expert. But learn from those who have gone before you, as best you can. One person I've learned from (from a distance) is Jacqueline Novogratz (head of Acumen Fund). I devoured her book, The Blue Sweater and found her talks to offer a strong case for the type of posture and action we need take.

Novogratz shows, in ways both hilarious and heartbreaking, how traditional charity often fails, but how a new form of philanthropic investing called "patient capital" can help make people self-sufficient and can change millions of lives. More than just an autobiography or a how-to guide to addressing poverty, The Blue Sweater is a call to action that challenges us to grant dignity to the poor and to rethink our engagement with the world.

These are but two examples! The list is much longer. But preparing yourself to have your eyes on the system, rather than just the product, will go a long way in producing results that have a measurable impact. In reflecting on this and seeking to move forward, I'm grateful to have been approached about a project in Rwanda (still in very early discussions about this). If it actually comes together, it would enable my new learning to be applied to pursue valuable outcomes related to maternal health. The first order of business will be to pursue an understanding of the whole system before applying any finalized solutions.

One of twelve in this series

2010-01-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

Recently, David Stairs posted a commentary about the colonization of sustainability. His post presented a great conduit for me to chat about #6: Solving anything complex requires perseverance in everything in my list of learnings from 2009. While the topic of sustainability is not the only idea that I'd fit into this learning, it offers a great lens to frame this point.

In my own process of understanding the S word and all it entails (that until recently would have shown up as a spelling mistake in Word), I continue to find myself both overwhelmed and frustrated. When I first began to explore it seriously three years ago, the word on the street for communication design was, "Change your paper, change your inks and you're good to go."

Advertising used Papyrus, the color palette was beige and the only word you needed was green. Clearly, we've come a long way since then. Or have we?

Stairs' blog post is valuable as it chronicles where we sit. But without alternatives as to how we might not colonize something yet again (which we've apparently not learned from history), we're doomed to repeat our (in)actions. I don't mean to suggest that he necessarily be held accountable to provide the definitive answers for them. We're all responsible. But to expect that every designer has all of this ideology under his or her belt and can then act on it is naive. I've read almost all the authors listed in the post yet I still find myself grappling with the complexities of this sustainable dialogue. Up to now, I've been told that I can earn a living at this thing called design and now you're telling me that all I've done before needs to change? Many designers are still asking, "How exactly do I do that?" With all the content we're wading through, we might find ourselves a bit insecure about confidently proposing or delivering the best alternatives.

The corporate entities listed seem to have more money to ask these questions and act on them while grassroots organizations likely have something to contribute but find themselves reduced to minor projects they can realistically champion. Educators may hold to different perspectives, leaving students to grapple with the best way while the rest of us might be getting our education via 140 characters:

"Designers are bound to muddy the distinction between the scientific meme and the cultural one. Since design is increasingly a hybrid of the creative arts and the social sciences, designers are destined to have it both ways, often with confusion and conflict (not to mention “conflict of interest”) ensuing."

Clearly, a collective voice is emerging. Some of it will be concerning (as Stairs rightly points out) and some of it will continue to remind us how little we really know. And I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing (unless we keep creating from this place!). Not knowing is the first step to understanding. And we're seemingly in a long process of understanding what it means to be in this world with all its diversity. But if we're going to pose concerns, are we not also responsible to suggest options to reduce the risks we witness. This isn't necessarily a comfortable place or a quick fix but one I think we have to figure out. Or at least, I have to figure out. Not so we can title it "sustainable" but so we can continue to make wise choices with what's been offered to us. To get us all on the same page might take a bit of time and patience.

These posts are aimed at being reflective and proactive so I guess I'm wondering if David has ideas of how he might change what he sees so we can avoid falling prey to what he has pointed out? Stating reality only brings us to a certain point. Providing ideas for how we might move forward is a valuable next step. If this is where we sit, what do we do now? Anyone else have ideas to reduce our interloping ways? Sketches and visuals welcomed.

(image via Keri Smith)
One of twelve in this series

Harrison Ford might have something to say about Design Education

2010-01-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

I know I said I'd start writing about my 12 notable learning moments this year but I couldn't resist posting about my experience of watching The Mosquito Coast today. In case you haven't already seen it, it's the story of a family that leaves America to move to an island called Geronimo in order to start a new life far from the trappings of the "first world." The 1986 film is based on Paul Theroux's novel of the same title and stars Harrison Ford. His character, Allie Fox, is a Harvard drop out - now inventor - with nine patents, six of them pending. His disgust for the commercialization of America (and ongoing commentary) could find itself well placed in our current discussions about the the what, why and hows of making.

We eat when we're not hungry, drink when we're not thirsty. We buy what we don't need and throw away everything that's useful. Why sell a man what he wants? Sell him what he doesn't need. Pretend he's got eight legs and two stomachs and money to burn. It's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

In the early scenes of the film, Allie brings a small scale model of an innovative air conditioning system to a local asparagus farmer who only sees the mock up as tomfoolery and a waste of his money. This puts Allie over the edge and in no time, he's moving his family to Geronimo. Upon arrival, they work diligently to create a life for themselves and the "natives." Allie's optimism and inventions seems to sustain him; eventually claiming the title of Father. Life seems perfect on Geronimo until rogues arrive with guns and a desire to dominate the community. This leads to the destruction of the village when his full scale air conditioning/ice machine blows up from all the chemicals needed to make the thing work (that has obliterated the village and surrounding waterways). Because of this, Allie moves his family to another location and is seemingly invigorated by the conquest of another land.

Everything we need is here. Right here. We can live simply: gardening, beach combing. I'm a changed man, mother. No more chemicals or poisons. If what you want isn't washed up on this beach, you probably don't need it.

While Avatar has a lot to say about nature and our relationship with the world, I would suggest that The Mosquito Coast could be postured as a tool to teach about design today. Design for development, sustainable design practice, design ethics and human-centered design are but a few topics this film (and book) could address.

It's an absolute sin to accept the decadence of obsolescence. Why do things get worse and worse? They don't have to. They could get better and better. We accept that things fall apart.

Design and development: Allie's ideas about reforming Geronimo offers a great case study of how one should be aware of the impact of design in another context and culture. Huge topic but valuable for the growing number of designers who wish to design cross-culturally.
Sustainable design: We'll give Allie points for using the resources he has (even though we're not sure how he got those chemicals to Geronimo). But we might also recommend that making an ice machine might not have been the best option?
Human-centered design: Allie initially acts in a very participatory manner so you're led to believe he's all about collaboration. But his ideas of how-it-ought-to-be win out over any kind of co-design session to plan their future community.
Design Ethics: We might suggest this as a catch-all topic. How you make things, why you make things, what you make, where and when you make it are all relevant questions that get exposed in Allie Fox's character.

Nature’s crooked. I wanted right angles. Straight lines.

By using this film as a catalyst for discussions, a myriad of projects could surface to counter or re-imagine the process that Allie Fox goes through. We are all searching for the value in design and want to be people who contribute appropriately. If the future of design requires a broader understanding of our world and its various systems, I think this film offers a creative means to discuss what it might look like to sustain something in the face of uncharted territory. We're thinking of calling it DESN 370: Design For Survival.

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.

2010-01-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

Søren Kierkegaard had it right. And his quote is perfect for the start of a new year. Whether it be the past month or the past ten years, January 1st offers us a chance to consider all that we have been or could be. Like starting a journal with a crisp new notebook, we seem to get a stab at starting over.

But before we go there, a sort of purging needs to occur so as to avoid dragging unnecessary characters or plot lines into the next chapter. We find ourselves noting accomplishments and failures, asking questions about the future and likely proposing ideas about how we vow to change our wayward ways. A few blogs have offered up their accounts (I'm sure there are more):
Decade in Design
Cracking Open A Time Capsule from 1999
The Decade's 14 Biggest Design Moments

In the spirit of this, I wanted to recount some significant moments from the past year. I suppose I do this because I have been working through my own vision of what my discipline and career choice will entail. I've found myself wrestling (in the best possible way) with what I understand about design and what role I see myself playing in its vastness. I obviously can't speak for everyone else but as I mark the last 12 months I realize that I find myself in the middle of something that is both exciting and complex.

When people ask me what I do for a living, I respond, "I'm a designer," which used to mean I was a graphic designer. Translation? You make logos and websites. After this year, I now see design as a discipline that has moved beyond concept and production outcomes alone (which was how I was essentially taught). Happily, I find myself working alongside industrial designers, occupational therapists, health care professionals, educators and many others who want to make a difference by using our skill sets to shift the way things have traditionally be done. I find myself relieved to be connected to others who are seemingly content with what feels like a broader definition of design.

Below is a list of my chapter headers for this recap (or so I think so today). I'm going to spend the next week or so writing more on each topic so as to handle them in manageable chunks. I come to these ideas after spending my holiday break watching Long Way Round and Long Way Down (A BBC series where Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman travel the world on motorcycles). If you read my blog or know me personally, you are aware of my ongoing interest in how design can be used to impact communities with limited access to the resources we are privileged to have. I'm also keen to access their ideas so as to improve my own practice and process. The journey taken by Boorman and McGregor offers a window into the inherent complexities that surface in our attempts to make this world a little more livable. As I watched them journey, I began to reflect on these ideas:

1. Innovation is a tricky business.
2. Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's broken.
3. Just because we speak the same language, doesn't mean we understand each other.
4. Don't underestimate the ingenuity of others.
5. Poverty can't be solved by a campaign. Or a website.
6. Solving anything complex requires perseverance in everything.
7. Designers should be schooled in economics and politics. This affects everything.
8. When it gets hard, you might just need to wait.
9. Sometimes it's best to leave well enough alone.
10. Honesty is such a lonely word.
11. The mobile phone is the new computer.
12. To whom much is given, much will be required.

So as I live the beginnings of this new year, I will attempt to understand it better by looking back. Stay tuned for more!

It's been awhile since I Wordled

2009-12-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

2009-12-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

We are looking forward to this.
Hosted by Debbie Millman.

Dinner with a side of design

2009-12-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

This is design research at its finest. Or pretty darn close. Polar Design, a firm in Barcelona, worked on this Eurocities project back in 2002 but I think this concept could be an amazing way to link design practice and process to industries or communities who may not yet know of its value in navigating the complexities we are faced with in our world.

Imagine inviting some of your city officials to an amazing dinner. The table cloth, instead of being a mere accessory to beautify the event, becomes a place to actively dialogue with those around you. While you eat, you are visualizing the conversations presented to you on the table cloth.

Could this be a new alternative to local democratic exchange? If Obama can have a state dinner, could the local community do the same and address issues over a meal? We may not have a presidential budget but each community will have vendors who would likely benefit from the opportunity to be included in such an undertaking.

Lucy Orta has pursued this idea as an artist with her 70x7 Meal Acts. What if this was the new way that policies were introduced and discussed? And what if, instead of having a town hall meeting to address new by-laws, you invited a few members of the community to also join in at this table? Maybe it becomes the way that new ideas get introduced in order to test their validity and acceptance?

The designed table cloth offers a creative conduit to exchange activity, food and conversation around any topic. This activity could allow for new ideas to emerge when considering how to collectively work toward a common future. By treating complexity with a measure of comradery, perhaps we can see each other and the problems differently.

Editor's note: Since posting this idea to Twitter and sharing it with a couple Design Week 2010 friends, it seems we have some interest in making this a reality!

Update: Three dinners occurred during Design Week Vancouver. We have since had requests to host this event in various locations. We're very encouraged by the positive feedback we received and enjoyed putting on an event that included good food, good people and good conversation. Watch for updates!

2009-12-03T17:47:00.000-08:00

Just playing along with my own ABCs. What's your alphabetic site list?

A ace hotel
B blogger
C core77
D design 21
E ecuad.ca
F flickr
G good
H hello health
I ideo
J join red
K kcrw
L linked in
M mocoloco
N nokia india
O objectified
P pa press
Q quaker oats
R raise the cloud
S something's hiding in here
T tablet hotels
U urban outfitters
V vitamin daily
W wendy macnaughton
X xanga
Y yahoo
Z zack arias

How the internet sees me?

2009-12-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

Personas from MIT's Social Media Group. Apparently, I got someone else's illegal behavior included in my algorithmic process. Click on each image for a closer look. The top reflects my name being processed and the bottom reveals the outcome.

2009-12-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

Diffusion Shareables (eBooks & StoryCubes) caught my attention today. They are playful digital/paper hybrids. They combine the tactile pleasures of tangible objects with the simplicity and reach of sharing digital media. Diffusion inspires and enables public authoring and cultures of listening – creating and sharing knowledge, stories, ideas and experiences.

Great design tool (lo-tech and easy to create) and can act:

as a brainstorming tool to help people share ideas in workshops, conferences and creative labs
as an evaluation tool to build up multi layered and multi faceted responses to an event (conference, workshop, performance etc.)
as mnemonic devices helping participants recall activities and outcomes of workshops and mentoring sessions
in school projects to help students collaborate on group work, enhance negotiation and debating skills and develop tactile and spatial construction skills
in community projects for intergenerational work – helping people see each others’ perspectives on shared issues
with young children: make your own alphabet and number cubes or create StoryCubes with photos of friends and family to assist recognition and memory skills
for storytelling games – where each participant adds elements to their cube and take turns in telling a story with them
for storyboarding: to help organise storylines for writing, animations or films
for urban gaming: use StoryCubes as props in urban game scenarios

Rumour has it that Story Cubes are currently awaiting their digitized realization (in the form of approval from the App Store).