Re: Directions of inquiry in doctoral research
J: Thanks for using the word “urgent” on this list.
...
GK VanPatter
Co-Founder
NextDesign Leadership Institute
New York
NextD
Who will lead design in the 21st century?
http://nextd.org
...
From: John Broadbent <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: John Broadbent <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 07:22:29 +1100
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Directions of inquiry in doctoral research
Dear colleagues,
Francois-Xavier broadened his response to Dick Buchanan's inquiry:
> I wonder if others have advice on how to position doctoral research in design?>
by commenting on some of his own writing; I shall do likewise.
In reviewing some 60 definitions of design recently, I found they fell into two broad groupings:
* reductionist definitions, for example what is meant by 'engineering design'. Such definitions are in the majority, and can differ widely according to the particular design discipline they seek to define
* systemic definitions, of the type J. Christopher Jones adopted in his 'Design methods: seeds of human futures' classic.
The former set of definitions, along with the scientific movement which spawned them, have- put simply - created the global problematique which now confronts us.
The emergence of the systemic sciences, the sciences of complexity, from the mid-20th century, has stimulated definitions of design akin to that of J. Christopher Jones but, it seems, remarkably little else. The old reductionist design bandwagon just keeps trundling along!
Contemporary design seems(to me) a dreadful reductionist parody of what should be a truly systemic activity. Far from addressing the global problematique, contemporary design effectively accentuates it.
For me, positioning doctoral research in design is a very clear task. The urgent task is to develop a systemic discipline of design which can effectively contribute to solving the global problematique. Incremental furtherance of the reductionist design paradigm pales into insignificance against this task.
Hopefully, the 6th European Academy of Design conference in Bremen next March, being organised by Wolfgang Jonas and colleagues, will provide an opportunity to carefully consider alternatives to the current paradigm. Be there!!
With season's greetings from a sunny Australia,
John Broadbent
UTS CRICOS Provider Code: 00099F
DISCLAIMER: This email message and any accompanying attachments may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender expressly, and with authority, states them to be the views the University of Technology Sydney. Before opening any attachments, please check them for viruses and defects.
