Dear colleagues,

I too have been out of the flow of this conversation, being three weeks 
in Mexico.  So my apologies too if I restate comments made in later 
emails about David's observations below.

It is important, I think, to see design as operating at multiple levels 
and in multiple complexities with socioculture.  I am excited by GKs 
work with larger corporations, because my own work suggests that this is 
where design breakthroughs are most needed.  I take an encompassing view 
of design here, to include design activities(soft and hard) not normally 
viewed as design by the traditional design community.  This expanded 
view of design is absolutely essential to human wellbeing in the coming 
few decades.  J.F. Rischard(2002) in his book 'High Noon'(Basic, New 
York) elaborates this point well, with his focus on global governance 
issues.

My interpretation is that GKs and David's views are not mutually 
exclusive.  If we take a multilayered approach, then both their concerns 
and interests are valid and essential contributions.  It is the current 
divergence in design which is of especial interest to me, opening up new 
horizons which we can yet barely discern.  For those comfortable with 
traditional design perspectives that is well and good, but it is vital 
for long-term wellbeing that this divergence be assimilated successfully 
by the design community.

Apologies if the above is too cryptic - my few observations cover a rich 
and complex tapestry!!

Season's greetings,
John Broadbent

David Sless wrote:

> David Sless here again. I have been preoccupied over the last week 
> with two events of my own: one a conference on 'information design 
> histories'; and the other a planning forum on 'health information 
> design'.
>
> So, though separated from you, I have been engaged by many of the same 
> issues. But I have not been able to keep pace with all the posts in 
> the conference, so my apologies if what I'm about to say has been said.
>
> I left the discussion on this list just after GK VanPatter entered 
> with his 'patter', as it were. A tour de force!
>
> GK told us
> > We [at NextD] work in the realm of enabling knowledge creation
> > and innovation in the context of large global organizations.
>
> This is impressive, if you are impressed by that sort of thing. I too 
> do some of my work with the big end of town 'enabling knowledge 
> creation and innovation', though I would not call it that.
>
> As you may sense, I may not be impressed, indeed I'm concerned.
>
> Let me put it in the form of a hypothetical. Suppose the big end of 
> town stops taking an interest in design? Is that the end of design? 
> Must our services be inextricably linked to the needs and interests of 
> the big end of town? Is what-is good-for-business, good-for-design?
>
> UCI and its proposal—dependent as it is on business patronage—may not 
> be the best place to consider the alternative relationships that 
> designers may have to the world, organisations and individuals, but 
> alternative relationships exist and form a large part of the 
> intellectual preoccupation of designers. What are we: handmaidens, 
> midwifes, shaman, radicals, subversives,wreckers, jokers, tinkers? Who 
> do we serve and why? Do we have any purpose beyond our clients needs?
>
> These are questions that I think have escaped our collective 
> attention. If they have not, and I have missed it, my apologies.
>
> From my little garret in Stoke on Trent,
>
> David





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