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Acts of interfacing in an entangled life
No full textDigital interfaces are becoming increasingly simple and intuitive. However, beneath the surface, the technological infrastructures underlying these interfaces are growing more complex and elusive. This paper draws on theories from human-computer interaction, software studies, and social practice to revisit the notion of the interface as a site of representation and control. By briefly tracing the historical development of digital interfaces, we propose to shift from ideas of representation and control towards a notion of co-performance and negotiation. Through this lens, we reconceptualize the interface as acts of interfacing—a new concept that captures the contested, constructive, and performative character of interaction within large-scale digital systems
Universities Undergoing Climate Transition: Developing MLP tools from a context- specific and critical standpoint
No full textKnowledge gaps persist in the emerging field ‘Design for Transitions’ (DfT). Our research builds on the ‘multi-level perspective’ (MLP), a core concept in DfT and the wider Transition Studies field, and we address critiques of the MLP in terms of social practices, agency and power. Grounded in a ‘Research through Design’ approach and learning from our prior work, we have carefully adapted and designed MLP tools. We elucidate design considerations for MLP tools from within our \u27live\u27 climate transition of a UK university – research conducted within a university about the university. Contributing to DfT, we present six ‘design criteria’ for MLP tools, which are critically discussed in terms of context-specificity and general MLP critiques. Towards advancing DfT, this paper addresses the question: What are some key design considerations in adapting the MLP in ways that are theoretically-grounded and widely applicable yet responsive to a particular context
Liveable Cities: Reimagining Design for Healthy Cities and Communities
No full textThe Theme Track explores the intersection of design and urban health, aiming to create healthier, more liveable cities for all. This track welcomes design researchers, practitioners, passionate about addressing the complex health challenges faced by urban populations. We invite researchers to share their insights, case studies, and best practices, promoting the exchange of knowledge and fostering the creation of healthier urban environments. Key Areas: Healthy Urban Spaces: Creating inclusive and sustainable public spaces that promote physical activity, social interaction, and well-being. Designing resilient, efficient, and responsive healthcare systems and facilities in urban contexts. Also, exploring the role of design in local policy. Health Equity and Participatory Design: Addressing health disparities and promoting equitable access to healthcare services, places, information and resources in urban areas. Engaging communities and stakeholders in the design process to develop user-centered health solutions and interventions. Explore how does design help communities to understand and to shape change in their urban environments. Digital Cities for Health: Exploring the role of technology, data analytics, and IoT in improving health outcomes and urban health management. Looking at the role and impact of the latest advancements in artificial intelligence in building more regenerative cities. More-than-human Cities: exploring the role of animals and nature (green and blue spaces) in enhancing the health and wellbeing for all. Join us in this dynamic Theme Track as we shape the future of urban health through innovative design research. Together, let\u27s create healthier, happier cities for all
Development of a scale for measuring individual cultural capital relevant to design thinking
No full textThis study attempts to (1) conceptualize the cultural capital of individuals who accept Design Thinking (DT) and (2) develop a scale from the level of individual values, beliefs, and mindset. Previous studies on design thinking have mainly analyzed designers and trained design thinkers. However, this capacity resource is inherently considered to lie with all employees, including non-designers. Being able to embrace DT can be paraphrased as holding beliefs, values, and attitudes related to design. As DT does not necessarily require formal education, the development of such a scale could also be useful for finding natural design thinkers in organizations. We recruited 400 respondents who had registered on a Japanese crowdsourcing platform and asked them to complete an online survey
A third place as a space to foster citizen participation and their empowerment: The case of “La Ruche à Projets”
No full textThis exploratory qualitative research underlines architectural properties of a res-idential house that was repurposed as a temporary creative space. Findings were compared against existing theory on third places (particularly creative spaces) and their relationship with citizen participation, empowerment, and social change. Overall, the “homey” character creates a sense of belonging and occu-pants seem eager to decorate and furnish with personal effects. Findings reveal tensions between large open and smaller closed spaces to reflect on how flow, accessibility, occupancy, and intimacy are affected. Occupant behaviors lead to wonder about the tensions between community, codesign, empowerment, and ownership. Findings help question how temporary third places could play a role in the design of new creative spaces. Further insights could lead to explore be-yond interior architectural properties and consider how the outer shell and loca-tion of a building influence community participation, or how successful recruit-ment is impacted by the community’s personal social networks
Reimagining the Printing Press as a Collaborative Public Pedagogy and a Site for Nurturing a Creative Community’s Potential for Transition
No full textIn this article we examine Commoners Press, an experimental letterpress in Australia, from the perspectives of public pedagogy, transition design, and pluriversalism. Since 2017 the press has re-activated its anachronistic 70–100-year-old letterpress machines, bringing them back into play in the community through participatory workshops. Participants collaborate while producing visual images and set type that respond to their current community with articulations of ‘everyday life’ as fundamental precursors to sustainable transition (Irwin et al., 2015). This work brings participants together in a collaborative, materially augmented conversation, and collective imagining of possible futures, all different, all together (Escobar, 2017). Positioned as \u27public pedagogy\u27 (Charman & Dixon, 2021), it utilises \u27warm data\u27 (Bateson, 2017) to facilitate ‘interpretive communities’ (Santos, 2017) through ‘counterfactual actions’ (Forlano & Halpern, 2023). The discussion explores how projects like this might allow us to understand what it means to design for ‘human scale’ in the age of the Anthropocene
Using contemplative approaches in education as a pathway to cultivating hope in design-driven futuring
No full textAmidst the challenges of our time, characterized by pervasive uncertainty and global crises, despair often overshadows hope. Within the context of design-driven futuring, where long-term futures and possibilities are envisioned and shaped, the absence of hope can leave designers feeling powerless and doubting the impact of their work on a predetermined world. Yet, hope is a human experience that can be nurtured. This research explores the inner world of design students, addressing their emotions, thoughts, and perceptions. We conducted design experiments in Master\u27s programs in Denmark and Italy, adopting a contemplative approach during design-driven futuring processes. Contemplative practices, known for fostering inner transformation, have shown positive effects on emotional and cognitive states in various fields. However, their potential in design remains largely unexplored. This study aims to illuminate how contemplative approaches can cultivate hope and empower designers in the face of today’s challenges
Learning in place: Reimagining design practice as ecological literacy
No full textWhat does it mean to practice design in a world without human beings at its center? How can designers take meaningful action in a world in crisis? In this paper, I present initial findings from an experimental month-long immersion in a place humans and more-than-humans meet—a coastal wildlife refuge in the northeastern United States. I report on my experience in the field (notes, observations, and photos), reflections on my trajectory as a designer and researcher in the refuge, my evolving understanding of what it means to design with a more-than-human lens, and how my search for meaningful action led me toward ecological literacy as an approach to practice. In doing so, I offer three contributions: four vignettes demonstrating how entangled more-than-human webs reshape an experience of place, five interconnected considerations for more-than-human design, and a model for grounding design practice in cultivating ecological literacy
Design anthropology for ethics of care and emergence: Reflections from an energy transition project
No full textThis paper describes a design anthropology approach toward design ethics, which understands design ethics in a relational and emergent manner. We characterize how ethical issues and judgments emerge from the continuous stream of social interactions, collaborations, and relations that constitute the design process. The approach recognizes that there is a fundamental uncertainty in how social engagements and associated ethical issues in a design process unfold. Design anthropology aims to remain open to such emergent understandings, and fosters a sense of empathy and practice of care towards collaborators. The approach is illustrated by reflecting on empirical findings from an interdisciplinary energy transition project in Amsterdam South-East. The findings show how unexpected ethical issues emerged in the design process that challenged the authors to navigate, with care and empathy, between the opposing needs of project collaborators
Spatial Justice in Design Research: A Transdisciplinary Discourse
No full textOur research track, Spatial Justice in Design Research: A Transdisciplinary Discourse, embarks on an in-depth exploration of spatial justice, interweaving its multifaceted elements with broader themes of social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. This comprehensive approach probes spatial justice through its tangible embodiments and digital manifestations, underlining its profound influence on resource allocation, opportunities, and service provision. With an ambitious goal to challenge systemic socio-economic imbalances, the track formulates tangible design interventions, incorporating policy reform, urban planning, and community empowerment. We foster a collaborative environment, inviting a spectrum of professionals - designers, technologists, researchers, legal advocates, and policymakers - to jointly address spatial disparities and engineer innovative strategies to foster spatial justice. Through an array of case studies, ideations, and critical reflections, we intend to illustrate the application and impact of transdisciplinary strategies across diverse settings and contexts. Our platform aspires to ignite intellectually stimulating discussions, catalyze cross-disciplinary collaborations, and advocate for spatial justice in design on a global scale