Dear all, here are the last words of a hired gun...
Bringing academic standards into design education and design research is a
process that will continue for years to come. There is no doubt about the
eventual outcome. Design education will become research based and design
research will adopt standards and methods that compare to other scientific
disciplines.
Design is an intellectual skill. This is a non-debatable fact and bringing
it up only serves to sidetrack constructive discussions. What is at stake is
the prestigious right to define the field.
The infusion of academic methods into design methods may change design
practice and it will do so even more if the traditional designer
disciplines refuse to cooperate but first of all it will change the ways
in which design knowledge circulates.
Inventing new concepts of research only serve to keep design knowledge
insular. At a time where design reaches out and design knowledge is sought
for, the profession is in a win-win situation. Of course the potential
creates a new set of demands for design schools and this, in turn, creates
new demands for individuals: heads of schools, researchers and teachers. In
the interim, while the process is under way, all design schools should
consider strategic choices and co-operations.
A conference like Design in the University¹ maps out potential and
pitfalls. I would like to wish everyone happy holidays, thank Ken and David
for the initiative, the UCI group for their proposal and Ken, again, for his
convening, conniving, convenience and convalescence,
Thomas Schødt Rasmussen, Ph.D.
Head of Research
Danmarks Designskole
Strandboulevarden 47
2100 København Ø
Denmark
Phone (+45) 3527 7593
Fax (+45) 3527 7601
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