Dear Klaus, Chris, dear all,
I appreciate your suggestion regarding conversations with users. I would try to push even further. We can talk about design programming. In this way, the effort will be better organized, more comprehensive, and more professionalized. I would suggest to institutionalize design programming as a specialty of its own in the framework of project delivery process. I expect that many designers will disagree with such a proposal. It is an infringement on their turf. However, the trend of user-centered design will quite probably lead to the institutionalization of programming and the subsequent specialization and professionalization. I hope that the metaphor of conversations with users will grow into ubiquitous design programming.
The institutionalization of programming might lead to rethinking design curriculum. Designers will have to decide whether they want to keep control over this activity and prepare students to perform it. If they decide to consider programming as a legitimate design activity, they will have to engage heavily in social research coursework. Once the curriculum requires research coursework, the need to hire doctors will become self-evident.
Best,
Lubomir
Lubomir Popov, Ph.D.
Interior Design Program
American Culture Studies affiliated faculty
Bowling Green State University
-----Original Message-----
From: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhD studies and related research in Design [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Heape
Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2011 9:23 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: On Design Education
Dear Klaus, dear all,
Klaus Krippendorff wrote:
> ...to ask students to engage in conversations with users. Personally, I recommend the same with all the stakeholders of a potential product...
When I use the word users, these are numerous. I am not just thinking of the end users. Many people come into contact or are in contact with a product or service both during its development and its final or one might even say ever changing use.
I find that by asking students to discover and work with this network of players, stakeholders and users is essential in helping them reveal the systemic nature of their design tasks. In a participatory innovation endeavour, which broadens to an even greater extent those involved, both within and without an organisation including marketing, business and HR, it is not just a question of enabling students to identify the networks of those involved, but because of the interdisciplinary nature of such a project, enabling them to find ways and means to involve and work with this range people. ...
|