Friends,
The request was recently posted on an
architecture list to ask that we vote
for the new professional Barbie doll to be
an architect. While architect Barbie is
not exactly a designer, she's closer to
our field than the alternate choices.
These are librarian and policewoman.
In response to the request, I went to the
Mattel web site to vote at
http://www.barbie.com/activities/calendar/icanbe_skater.asp
My adventure had two entertaining
outcomes.
The request -- apparently from an
architecture student -- stated that the
number of votes at the time of posting
early today placed architect Barbie
in last place.
After I voted, the site reported these results:
8% A Librarian
93% An architect
1% A policewoman
Either the 227 architecture students and
teachers who read the list where the request
was posted have had an astonishing influence
on the Web site, or someone needs a course
in basic statistics.
I'll invite you to join me in voting for
architect Barbie. Perhaps next time, we'll
have the opportunity to vote for "design research
Barbie." (No jokes please about Barbie's
mate, Ken. I have heard them all.)
In the meantime, let's hope that Barbie will be
taking a research course and basic statistics before
she enters professional practice.
Yours,
--
Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Leadership and Organization
Norwegian School of Management
Visiting Professor
Advanced Research Institute
School of Art and Design
Staffordshire University
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