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).

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.

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*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."

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.

When I grow up, I want to be a design researcher

I'm grateful for a new opportunity. Or perhaps an ongoing opportunity.

I get to keep being a design researcher.

Over the next four months I'll be working alongside my advisor, Maria Lantin, to develop an analysis that will help focus future project opportunities for this funding at ECUAD. Specifically, we are considering how the application of digital media and design can contribute to developments in the DTES.

(click on this chart by IDEO to see it larger)

Some key words for us in this process? Repeatable, scalable, sustainable, transferable, adaptable and technological.

I'll keep you posted on any pertinent news (and we'll likely be creating a blog-like space to exchange ideas and process).

You know how NBC has those little vignettes that bring attention to critical social issues? I'm a firm believer that design can assist in addressing some of these issues so consider this post to be my own version of "the more you know."

"Design education is not keeping pace with the growing demand for new design professionals able to operate in a range of service-based environments.

Our paper, Social Animals: tomorrow’s designers in today's world by Sophia Parker, argues that design education is still largely hinged on industrial principles. Students need to be equipped with a broader range of research and communication skills, alongside their more traditional design skills, and encouraged to think more laterally about the sites and spaces where these could be used. The report outlines six challenges for design educators."

These challenges are titled:
1. Developing actionable insights
2. Doing co-design ethically
3. Making things real
4. Seeing the bigger picture
5. Selling the idea
6. Finding problems as well as solutions

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The RSA encourages public discourse and critical debate by providing platforms for leading experts to share new ideas on contemporary issues. Their projects generate new models for tackling the social challenges of today and their work is supported by a 27,000 strong Fellowship - achievers and influencers from every field with a real commitment to progressive social change.

"Design Thinking on the other hand deals with exploring the problem space and the basic needs, resulting in solutions nobody has ever thought of before...To be done well, design research demands that everyone involved be prepared to grapple diligently with ambiguity and nuance. It asks us to bring creative energy to the synthesis of confusing and conflicting information."
-Jane Fulton Suri

I have an opportunity to pursue some design research that links the academy with industry. In this process, it is fascinating to see how others view its place and need. Suri offers a perspective that resonates with me.

Design Research and Radical Innovation

Profiled

I, and some other colleagues, got profiled on the graduate research section of ECUAD. Read up on the interesting projects that are being explored.

Method Cards

Method Cards

View more presentations from whatidiscover. (tags: ideo design)

These method cards are brilliant ways to enhance or inspire one's design process. My cultural probes are one of the ideas that IDEO also utilizes in their work.

Through their lens

The film has been developed. A sampling of images that were returned from Rwanda.

Presenting my work

The design stream took a trip to Portland to experience some "industry connections" (and of course, have a little bit of fun!). I had the opportunity to present my research at Ziba, which was a great experience of sharing work with those who do and value design research.



More photos here

And in a completely different environment, after presenting my work to those in my program today, I found these images (they actually felt inclined to engage with the activities - the notepad specifically). What can I learn from this?

Prototype

I am working on getting a cultural probe (Gaver) developed to send out into "the field". This probe is meant to use creative activities to see how people process the information. I'm curious to know if this concept could be developed into something that helps the periphery in areas of governance. To me, the idea of governance relates to Ideo's work on Design for Social Impact.

Enzio Manzini references the ideas of 'governance toolkits' in a wonderful book, Design Research Now . Beat Schneider is also quoted:

"With the trend towards a globalised, standardised cultural mishmash, people have an ever-greater need to communicate their own regional cultural identity (for example) to others. What part can visual communication play in this process? How can international communication between different cultures be structured in a way that primarily employs images rather than words? And how does non-paternalistic visual imagery in local development work look at the level of development cooperation?"

My only wish right now is that I could fund myself back to Rwanda to be in the field working on this. I'm giving these probes (Lord willing) to those who work in the development arena to see what comes of their process. My hope is that by asking the people they work with about their needs, desires and beliefs that they might find creative communities that already have some good ideas about their own futures. And I'm seeking to do all this where language is not shared so the notions of image, texture, shape and color become new forms of language investigation for me.



(These all have to be translated. While I'd love to get away from language in all forms, it simply isn't possible. Thankfully, I have support!)

Design Research

Firstly, ‘research for design’ refers to ‘R & D’ or background research undertaken that is directed towards a particular design project: such as testing the performance of a glaze by an industrial designer or user testing the clarity of a brochure designed by a graphic designer. ‘Research into (or about) design’ includes the various accounts of design phenomena usually done by other disciplines – such as a sociological, historical or economic account of design – which are straightforward dissertations since they can adhere to the conventions of their respective disciplines. Finally, the most contentious but potentially ground–breaking possibility is ‘research through (or by) design’ where a degree may be awarded for a project and is often labelled ‘practice-based’ or ‘practice-led’ research (Frayling 1993/1994, Findelli 2000[1999], Newbury 1996).

This has provided great inspiration in the directions design research can take. I'm most keen on the last idea.

[There] is still a widely held assumption that though sociologists may study and analyse visual representation, the resultant analysis itself is separate from the visual domain: the verbal analyses the visual...But...the distinction between social analysis and visual representation is becoming less clear-cut...social analysis is beginning to make more use of visual representation, and indeed should make more use of visual depictions, unconventional typography and page layout in its analysis. (Elizabeth Chaplin)

Chaplin asserts that visual representations contribute to the social argument in themselves, capable of ‘[telling] us a good deal we did not already know about a particular society.

(Excerpts taken from Helen Box's PhD thesis on design)

This Women's Work

Pray God you can cope.
I stand outside this woman's work,
This woman's world.
Ooh, it's hard on the man,
Now his part is over.
Now starts the craft of the father.

I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

I should be crying, but I just can't let it show.
I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking

Of all the things I should've said,
That I never said.
All the things we should've done,
That we never did.
All the things I should've given,
But I didn't.

Oh, darling, make it go,
Make it go away.

Give me these moments back.
Give them back to me.
Give me that little kiss.
Give me your hand.

(I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.)

I should be crying, but I just can't let it show.
I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking

Of all the things we should've said,
That were never said.
All the things we should've done,
That we never did.
All the things that you needed from me.
All the things that you wanted for me.
All the things that I should've given,
But I didn't.

Oh, darling, make it go away.
Just make it go away now.

Kate Bush
1989

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Once upon a time,

there was a group of women who lived in a village far away from here. This village was hidden from the main road and because of this very few cars drove by. A bumpy road could take you to where they lived and worked hard. If you saw the sign in time.

Here, in a bullet-ridden building, this group of women sat together on mats to weave baskets. To somehow craft a living.

Their work began before this, however. They first had to walk many miles to extract a plant that would eventually become a fiber they could work with. This plant grew over their lakes and rivers and dried up their precious water, all the while killing off life forms that lived in that water.

Into the murky swamp, they would step, many with their small children wrapped about their backs, to extract this invasive plant. Each tendril was removed from the root, ironed by hand and spread on the road to dry in the morning sun.

Then they would wait while this plant dried. While they waited, they looked after their children and husbands. They worked the farm, made the food, fetched the water, and then some. They walked everywhere.

Eventually, the dried fiber would be braided into long strips that could then be used to weave baskets, hats and sandals. Items that would garner them a meager wage: about $2 a day. Their husbands saw this as a reasonable contribution to the household if they could actually persist with it.

But the orders didn’t come in. And they never got better at weaving so the quality of their work didn’t improve. Because of this, they had to return to their work on the farm in order to ensure there was secure income and food for their families. The art of weaving was about to be lost in their community.

And then one day,
Something changed.

They awoke to find that instead of having a run-down building, they had a large factory. This factory is clean and has all the necessary space and tools allowing them to work comfortably and effectively.

Their weaving is known to be some of the best in the region.
They even have a store where they sell their products.
They are no longer making small baskets but rather crafting furniture and other functional items that garner them about $150 per week.
They no longer work on the farm because they are at the factory full-time in order to keep up with the demand.
And they are receiving orders from all over. On their mobile phones.
They have a bank account.
They have a solid business plan, which means they are sustaining themselves without wondering where the funding will come from.
They have invented their own designs for the products they make.
They are training the youth to be the next generation of workers in their community factory.

Their young children have space to play and rest nearby while their school-aged children are busy learning at the local school.
They each have a bicycle they can ride. It carries children, food and other things.
They have water to drink. And it is clean and easily accessed.
They are seeing the water levels return to proper levels in the lakes and rivers.
Their community is eating fish again.
They have found alternate uses for the plant so that they can solve other needs like having enough safe cooking fuel.
They are being recognized as innovators in their country.
They are living longer.
They can support their family, contribute to their community and help protect their precious environment.

Kara Pecknold
2008
Narrative Inquiry

Research Map

I'm working out the path of my research and how it will become actualized in project form. Not being in Rwanda seems to hinder some of my practice-based inquisitions. But for what it's worth, this is my thinking so far. Much contextual reviewing to engage with if I'm to actually position this research effectively. Feedback is welcomed (click on image to see it larger). And of course, a time line is being undertaken. This part is a little bit harder and notably blank right now.

Visualizing Research

As a writer, I'm struck by the new found freedom to use visual tools for my research process. Wordle provides a tool to do this online. Here's my blogs visualized self.

Today in Research Methods, I introduced a collective project called: The Book Project. The idea is to have everyone contribute their voice (in whatever medium they choose) to a Moleskine book. The book will be handed off to each person every four days and culminate in a group "artifact" to show at the end of the year.

Bill Moggridge Day

This event occurred last semester but I wanted to keep it in the archives of opportunities that I took in this year. Bill Moggridge is the co-founder of IDEO. One of the highlights I took away from our time with him was the idea that as designers we have looked at how we do things (affect the world) and how we feel (feedback from the world). But he encouraged us to look at the last with some intention: how do we know what we know? In design research, this becomes an important question to ask. Creating a knowledge base will be important to the ongoing work in design (whatever discipline you may fall into) as we decipher what our role will continue to be. And what do we offer? A Map or a Path?