Dear Ken,
I also posted something about this to the other list.
Here it is:
Dear Nigel,
Just read your post about your interview. I whish I had been interviewed
with the same questions. I think that your answers were very pertinent and
calm. Please don't read the following as any kind of critique to your
answers. Here's the way I would answer:
"Q: If aliens were to abduct all the design researchers from this world, it
seems that designing would still go on without interruption. What, then, has
design research contributed to design practice?"
-That's why aliens tend to abduct designers instead of design researchers!
For instance I know for certain that aliens abducted Karim Rashid and force
him to use that kind of glasses he wear. Also I know that OXO does those
bulky kitchen gadgets because aliens have those thin feeble hands...
As to your question, it would be very difficult for any design researcher to
contribute to design practice while being abducted by aliens. Therefore I
would agree that design practice would continue without the contribution of
the abducted design researchers but that wouldn't necessarily mean that they
didn't contributed before being abducted and, if not abducted, they wouldn't
still contribute to design practice.
I'm sure, also, that if aliens were to abduct all Anthropologists, Human
Culture would go on without interruption.
"Q: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the field of design
research?"
One is for sure to avoid being abducted by aliens. The other is to dodge
dodgy questions.
"Q: How do you think the field of design research will develop?"
What. Do you mean if aliens do not abduct us all?
Q: .
Well if will be all abducted, I think that the Anthropologists are the
better prepared to substitute us as not contributing to design practice, if
abducted by aliens too. Came to think of it, I would say that some
Historians would do the trick as well.
Cheers and have a nice weekend everybody,
Eduardo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Friedman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:54 AM
Subject: Nigel Cross on Design Research
> Friends,
>
> Nigel Cross published this interesting comment to another list.
> Thought I'd pass it on.
>
> Nigel also notes Kees Dorst's fine article, "Design Research:
> A Revolution Waiting To Happen." I've seen a version of these
> thoughts from Kees's keynote at IASDR. Well worth reading.
>
> Yours,
>
> Ken Friedman
>
>
> --
>
> I was recently asked some similar questions for Ambidextrous magazine
> (Stanford
> University), below, with outlines of my answers.
>
> Q: If aliens were to abduct all the design researchers from this world, it
> seems that designing would still go on without interruption. What, then,
> has
> design research contributed to design practice?
>
> A: Design research has contributed primarily to developing design as a
> discipline. Something significant that I hope it now contributes to design
> practice is a body of more well-educated, self-aware graduates. But it is
> easy
> to forget that many aspects of design practice today originated within
> design
> research. For example, the use of computers in design, rapid prototyping,
> and
> techniques and tools for coping with complex design. Also the idea (and
> practice) of systems design (aka service design), and participatory (aka
> user-centred) design. It seems that it takes at least a generation for
> ideas
> and new developments to spread from research into becoming part of normal
> practice.
>
> Q: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the field of design
> research?
>
> A: To maintain an intellectual discipline, avoiding sloppy thinking (of
> which
> there is a long history in design, and still frequently in evidence, even
> amongst design academics). To keep up the boot-strapping operation of
> developing our own corps of young researchers. To construct our own
> intellectually-defensible paradigm of design research.
>
> Q: How do you think the field of design research will develop?
>
> A: It's certainly going to grow. I expect to see more interaction with
> design
> practice, as the practitioners themselves (those graduates referred to
> above)
> realise that there is a research dimension to design and that academia has
> something to offer beyond just an educational programme. This interaction
> will
> develop as practitioners turn to academia for support, insight and
> investigation; because they understand that there is an intellectual
> resource
> there.
>
> Also, I refer people to a personal viewpoint article appearing in 'Design
> Studies' this month (Vol. 29, No. 1), written by Kees Dorst, on "Design
> Research: A Revolution Waiting To Happen". This 'Article in Press' can be
> previewed now on the Design Studies Elsevier website
> <http://www.elsevier.com/locate/destud> if you have ScienceDirect access.
> It
> will be available later for free download (as part of the annual free
> sample
> issue).
>
> Nigel Cross
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