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Designing for multispecies affordances: A poetics of control
No full textThis workshop will engage participants in an exercise that conceives experimental design practices that involve communication with other-than-human species. The process encourages a shift away from human-centred control, creating conditions that allow other species to manifest their own behaviours. This is important since the dominant global material culture of design does not acknowledge the presence and interaction of other species with things designed, erasing biodiversity as human habits repeat anthropocentric and destructive ecological patterns. Building on the work of J. J. Gibson’s concept of affordances, and other work that conform the emerging field that today is understood as posthumanism, the workshop will speculate upon possibilities of cohabitation with ‘umbrella’ or keystone species of different locations. Duration: 3 hours. Maximum number of participants: 10
Agonistic Design In Practice: Introducing Agonism to Interaction Design Pedagogy
No full textIn an increasingly technology-mediated world, agonistic design seeks to support agency over convenience in an attempt to give the user more determination over the technologies which may adversely affect them. This paper explores the experimental integration of agonistic design principles into an Interaction Design Masters course to address the emerging harms of algorithmic decision systems (ADS). Conducted with Interaction Design Master’s students at a Swedish University, the intervention introduced agonistic design through a seminar, tutorials, and projects which move from ideation, to prototyping, ending with public exhibition and reflection exercise. Drawing on frameworks supporting democratic design and constructive disagreement, the course challenged students to balance critical perspectives with practical design considerations. While challenges in adoption persisted, the experiment demonstrated its potential to foster critical engagement with emerging technologies. The findings inform future efforts to develop toolkits and promote sustainable socio-technical practices in design education and beyond
Aestheticising material imperfections: Diverse waste
No full textUsing discarded materials from manufacturing is a design strategy to support a sustainable future by using already circulating resources. This study introduces the visions of pluralism to the design activity of designing an aesthetic unity with materials previously rejected for their imperfections. Drawing on the psychophysical, organisational, and meaningful properties, the research examines a best-case study involving the design of an indoor door made from wasted pinewood. Emphasising the design of joints and transitions internally in the door, the designers achieve aesthetic unity through the deliberate composition of pinewood pieces, characterised by soft, rounded transitions between them. Designing meetings between materials in a product design made from waste is a pivotal element in designing a uniform design that is aesthetically pleasing from a psychological point of view. From the research lens of plurality, the expert designers aesthetically emphasise diversity and imperfections in the waste materials but miss the opportunity to let the availabl
The Shop Window as a Communication Platform: From Product Showcase to Experiential Narratives
No full textFashion has always been closely linked to communication, evolving from aesthetic styles to a language expressing social identities and values. This process has been amplified by digital tools, creating dynamic communicative networks across media. Contemporary fashion communication encompasses all stages of production and meaning-making, blending tangible and intangible elements. Shop windows, traditionally just product displays, have taken on a new role as spaces for experimentation that bridge the physical and digital. This article examines how shop windows have evolved from simple boundaries between store interiors and real life to active spaces for engaging the public, transforming them from passive observers into co-creators of meaning
Drivers and Obstacles to Collaborative Fashion Consumption (CFC): A Literature Review
No full textThe environmental impact of the fashion industry, driven by overproduction and waste, requires a transition to sustainable models. Collaborative Fashion Consumption (CFC), which includes resale and rental services, offers alternatives to traditional ownership consumption habits. While resale markets are thriving, rental services, while logistically complex, are attracting considerable research interest. In this context, this paper examines the rise of CFC, highlighting the importance of digital platforms in facilitating more sustainable practices, and uses a qualitative approach to systematically analyse existing literature to understand the dynamics of CFC services and identify key challenges and opportunities for future research
The idea of service design: Understanding its evolving nature
No full textService Design (SD) stands out as one of the most promising design approaches by virtue of its adaptability, for which the idea and definition of SD is undergoing continuous evolution; and like any other profession, the evolution has been manifested in both practice and academia. By studying 21 definitions between 1978 and 2019, this paper attempts to understand the nature of the evolution of the idea. It is being observed that the core principle of being business centric has been gradually replaced by being customer centric; further addition of core principle of mutual benefit followed by reciprocal benefit to value creation, has taken place. Advent of new technology has led to cross-collaboration between expertise, evolving SD from its core domain of business administration and marketing, to newer fields/ domains like education, banking, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment etc. This evolution has made the idea of SD holistic and inclusive
Service design and post-conflict communities: Rethinking tourism services for social reintegration
No full textAfter the 2016 peace agreement in Colombia and through the reincorporation process, communities of ex-combatants from the former FARC guerrilla group initiated their process toward reintegration into civil society. The development of projects that promote their reintegration identified tourism as a key aspect for economic success and reconciliation with Colombian society. Applying tourism activities as a means of supporting their economic growth and guaranteeing the subsistence of the peace dialogues between ex-combatant communities and civilians was the basis that originated many initiatives in this sector. The case of the AETCR Jaime Pardo Leal, Waka Promoviendo Culturas, and Caguan Expeditions exemplifies the process of different initiatives with the same goal: to find in tourism a tool for the consolidation and reconciliation in Colombia. By analyzing the role of service design in post-conflict scenarios, this paper aims to reflect on the path for community integration and participation, favoring the linkage and use of the unique knowledge of the ex-combatant community in the development of experiences and tourism services that contribute to the construction of sustainable peace
Dispute Resolution as a Service: Leveraging Service Design and AI Assistance
No full textIndia’s insurance dispute resolution system is burdened by long delays, escalating costs, and growing complaint volumes. With the insurance market projected to reach US$ 222 billion by 2026 and recent data showing that leading public insurers registered over 81,000 complaints in FY2023, traditional processes are no longer viable. This paper proposes a “Dispute Resolution as a Service” model for the insurance claim domain, enabled by AI technologies with service design principles. By rethinking dispute resolution as a service, the solution addresses not only the technical requirements for speed and cost reduction but also the softer aspects such as transparency, user-centeredness, fairness, resilience, and trust, that technology alone cannot deliver. The proposed service is designed to streamline claim processes, mitigate implicit bias, and customize procedures based on domain expertise. This integrated approach promises to save time, reduce judicial burdens, and enhance stakeholder satisfaction, underscoring the necessity of aligning service design in dispute resolution
Designing with, Not for: Reimagining Participatory Design with Rural, Indigenous Artisans
No full textArtisanal production is crucial in sustaining the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental fabric of rural and Indigenous communities, supporting the livelihoods, identity, and collective memory of artisan communities. However, globalization plus market pressures marginalize these traditions, prioritizing external consumer expectations over cultural integrity. While designers have sought to support artisans through collaborative efforts, such initiatives risk replicating Western-centric frameworks that undermine local knowledge and reinforce power asymmetries. This paper examines how equal collaboration, rooted in trust and flexibility, offers participatory engagement while promoting equitable partnerships from a designer-activist perspective. Drawing on the ARTESANICO laboratory, an organic, practice-led design initiative in Colombia and Ecuador, the study highlights the importance of bridging knowledge systems and rethinking participatory methods while resisting Western-centric frameworks that risk recolonizing craft production. The findings highlight how reframing design as a reciprocal and activist practice can support artisans\u27 agency, decolonize knowledge exchange, and contribute to sustainable, community-driven development
Towards Decolonising Service Design – Ethical Collaborations Between Designers and Indigenous Communities in Vietnam and Australia
No full textThis paper argues for decolonising dominant service design practice and discusses the need for designers to develop a certain cultural sensitivity to engage in ethical collaborations with Indigenous communities aimed at fostering social change and cultural sustainability. This is exemplified by ethnographic and participatory action research conducted in Vietnam and Australia adopting a range of co-creation methods to engage with diverse Indigenous communities. The paper proposes an anthropological approach for service designers to elicit diverse communities’ lived experiences and contribute to community empowerment. Going beyond the limitations of both top-down and bottom-up approaches to service design, this paper proposes a ‘middle-up-down’ approach to co-designing social innovations and building long-term partnerships aimed at community resilience and social impact. In conclusion, the paper paves the way for a new area of service design that respects and integrates indigenous knowledges and contributes to more equitable, diverse, inclusive, and sustainable futures