Dear list members,
I was reading Buchanan’s wicked problems in design thinking article and I had a conflict in my mind. He cites Rittel’s 10 properties of wicked problems and one is “Every wicked problem is unique”.
Making a connection to design by or through research. Some have suggested that design through research is the systematic inquiry while also solving wicked design problems (e.g. Forlizzi et al. 2009). I was wondering what the value of research by design is if the “generalizable knowledge” of a research by design might not be applicable to any other wicked design problems (since they are different).
In other words, what would be the goal of a research through/by design if the indeterminacy reduces possibilities to apply resulting knowledge to other problems?
If there is a goal, how to systematize and publish results?
I guess this is what he calls neoretic – new learning. But I’d like to know your thoughts about this.
Best,
G. Mauricio Mejía
http://mejia.disenovisual.com
References
-Buchanan, R. (1992). Wicked Problems in Design Thinking. Design Issues , 8 (2), 5-21.
-Forlizzi, J., Stolterman, E., & Zimmerman, J. (2009). From design research to theory: Evidence of a maturing field. International IASDR Conference: International Associations of Societies of Design Research. (p. 205). Seoul, Koreal: IASDR.
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