All,
As the conference comes to a close, it is my hope that some of the concepts
it has brought out, concepts that ask us to see design writ large, will
continue to affect our perspective within our own specializations. Design
writ large can allow us to evolve into a discipline that shares a core set
of values. I believe that conversations like this one are a valuable
contribution to that process. As we discover new and better ways of
approaching problems in each area of design, we must know what ideas we
share as a group.
Those elements that unite us include the fact that we make sense of
indeterminant situations, working both to provide creative solutions to
problems, as we also keep in mind the individuals who will be grateful for,
or struggle with, our end results -- electronic, print, or three
dimensional. I think with so many others that our "through the fingers"
traditions of making must stay with us, but that we must see in those
traditions the principles of practice that will allow creativity and sound
practice to flourish.
I would ask that when this new school of design opens it doors, it does so
with a core set of readings in mind for the students in all four of its
areas; that it maintains, as it seems to, a core believe that some
traditions are useful to the field; that it determines to discover why the
work that's come out of those traditions, and the traditions themselves,
should be examined more closely in order to find the principles of practice
those designs and traditions may hold. We need ways to unify the field.
Some of these ideas are held in the proposal, but I would like to stress
that we must continue to maintain a focus on ideas that unite us.
Finally, as someone who has recently defended, I would ask the school to
look into some of the many dissertations it named in the report and
consider if any of that work contains ideas which should be studied
further. I do wonder if sitting on a shelf somewhere are the beginnings of
some way of thinking or working that would contribute to a shared
literature.
The opportunity we've had to focus on the concepts behind this one school
has been fantastic. My concern is that when we all return to our own
specialties we may loose that focus. I hope that will not happen.
Many thanks to Ken and everyone who made "Design in the University" a
reality.
Best regards,
Susan
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Susan M. Hagan, Ph.D., MDes.
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh PA 15213
v. 412.268.7508
f. 412.268.7989
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