Design and Democracy

I watch this video footage of the Design Awards (that is available for download on the White House website) and am proud of the accomplishments of those who have gone before me. To see design honored in such a stately affair makes you feel like you are a part of something larger. I found Michelle Obama's speech to be slightly stuck on the science and art pairing but appreciated that she identified the idea that "great designers pursue a mission."

It is also notable that we get to witness events like this: a sign of the transparency of information. And made possible by a government-related event that celebrates those who help make this information flow freely.

Innovation through design presentation at Future Trends Forum

In this presentation in Madrid, Jocelyn Wyatt gives a great overview about how design can be used when approaching social sector complexities. She highlights IDEO's five principles that I find helpful in understanding the process of this type of thinking:

1) Design puts people first
2) Design thinking starts small and starts now
3) Design balances the eco-system
4) Design experiments to learn
5) Design thrives in constraints

(And at about the 13 minute mark, Jocelyn comments on my adaptation of their toolkit where I used a camera for self-documentation.)

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).

SMS Rapid Prototyping

This research by Google, that employs rapid prototyping, is something I wish I could have explored more thoroughly in my own process. The main question I ask in watching it:

How can these ideas be translated when literacy/language may be an issue? What if someone can't text in English or can't even text in their native language?

Regardless, this is a fundamental work toward applications that become relevant in these contexts. I think of people who live remotely and have a far distance to go to see a doctor. This could drastically improve the way people deal with medical issues, not to mention understanding weather and agricultural issues.

And I have little grin surfacing as I recall using those MTN minute cards in Rwanda.

Back to Morris?

What do you think about this quote?

To understand the language of design, we also need to understand how the designer has evolved as a professional. Ever since design emerged as a distinct activity, closely linked to the development of the industrial system towards the end of the eighteenth century, designers have lurched from seeing themselves as social reformers, idealists, profoundly out of sympathy with their times, like William Morris in nineteenth-century England, to become the charismatic snake-oil salesman led by Raymond Loewy in mid-twentieth-century America. Morris hated the machine age, and tried to find a way to re-create the tradition of the hand crafted object.

-From The Language of Things by Deyan Sudjic

Are we, like Morris, in a place of rejection of the pains our industrial age has inflicted? DIY replaces expert, handmade becomes the new high-end and what was seemingly mechanized is less appealing compared to the seemingly organic. How has (must) the designer changed his or her role? Are we in a design reformation or is it actually a revolution?

How do you view your role as a designer? Reformer, idealist, salesman or ?

An interview with the author

A great article on human-centered design (that hosts a wee quote from my work with the kit in Rwanda).

Design is a Life Skill, Not Just Style

I think this footage speaks for itself.

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

---

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

MAA Design? Check.

Larger or More

For a limited time

Come join the conversation.

ThinkPublic is an award-winning agency focused on using design to improve service experiences in the public sector. We achieve this by working with service providers and the general public to gain understanding of how their services and experiences could be improved. Our dynamic and creative company has worked with the NHS, education, Local Government and the Third Sector.

Governance, baby

Since I've been doing research on governance and how design can play a role in promoting the good use of it, I find this incredibly interesting. The internet allows for a different kind of information exchange that is now being affected by the voice of the users. It's like we're learning as we go about the "rights and responsibilities" that go along with being a part of this internet village. Now if information graphics could simply the text for those who speak a different language...that'd be cool.

Opening Night

Grad 09

27 Letters

27 Letters

It's really happening

Design is the problem

I've just glanced through this but I can see how Design Is The Problem will be a superb resource for designers (and anyone interested in the complex nature of sustainability).

Feedback from the field

Lama talked with the women some more and asked some further questions I was curious about. These two were interesting to me:

5. Did you learn anything new from this experience?
We learned the importance of planning our budget and saw that in fact, there was a lot of things that can be done using 500 francs a day.

6. Are you using the bag for anything now? If so, what?
They use the bag to carry the Bible to church on Sunday.

Design With A Conscience

This surfaced in the interweb chain. This was a great conference I attended a year ago. It has definitely been a part of shaping my graduate work. And if you watch closely, you might just spot me and some other cool "Vancouverins" in the mix.

Co-Design 101

Pattern

Today I spent some time with Catherine Brown, who teaches Soft Product Design at ECUAD. Her background is in designing sewn products for the outdoor gear market so I got to work with that type of material in the mock up version. With her help, we crafted a pattern for the "bag part" of my field kit. She graciously walked me through each step so I could visually learn (as I tend to do!). This image shows the 3D prototype that was crafted before we took it apart to create the patterned pieces. I now need to attempt sewing this same bag so I can provide instructional information for someone who might want to employ this tool in other contexts.


I feel to articulate that this experience has pushed me into unknown realms, which can be both intimidating and exhilarating. I have much to learn but I'm grateful to be in a place where learning can take on such interesting forms.

Thoughts on an exhibition.

This blanket represents an idea I love: make something that can do more than one thing.

Larger

Tele.fone Project

Today, Jen, Joanna and I presented our mini research project:

The purpose of this research is to both have fun while also considering if image can help people communicate in a global world where language, culture and life experience varies. The cell phone has become the most common tool of communication and is more available than the internet for many people around the world. This research will use cell phones with camera included (and specifically the multimedia messaging service or MMS) to investigate if image can be used instead of text to communicate.

We asked a series of questions to 4 participants (plus us as the design team):


This idea is based on the game "Telephone", where a phrase is passed to participants by whispering it into another person’s ear. No one knows the original sentence until the end of the game. In the same way, we want to try this principle using cell phones as the means to share the information. Instead of using oral or textual tools, you will use pictures taken from your cell phone.

Six rounds of play occurred that begged various questions. What resulted was a visual response with various interpretations (we're still gathering some data on perceptions of the questions being asked so can't list anything here yet).

This principle of the game has considered both playfulness and meaningfulness as each of us consider our research theses. Jen is looked at adaptive tools for children with disabilities, Joanna is considering cross-cultural community dialogues and I am looking at how the mobile phone can expand as a tool in the "developing world."

Here are a few other links that surfaced in our research that provide interesting mobile ideas that we'd like to explore further.
Analog Blogger
Ushahidi
The Bowler Hat Game