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gracemcildowie-blog · 7 years ago

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Manifesto Manifestation

MY MANIFESTO ON DESIGN AND ETHNOGRAPHY

At the moment there’s one area in design that I’m really really passionate about, it’s to do with Ethnography around understanding people and cultures, as well as its influence on design, both now and for the future.

I had never thought along the lines of an Ethnographer before, but when I did I realised how all design happens within a context. The knowledge you gain by understanding how people make sense if the world in a specific context, is the true value of this practice that urgently needs to be applied to today’s design thinking. Understanding how people live their everyday lives from, the objects, places, and systems they interact with the ones they don’t are at the core of ethnography. It’s a science unlike no other with a broad discipline that knows no bounds. Its methods take you into the field and allow people or a culture to tell you who they are, and how they do things. Seeking this new understanding puts you on the path to discovering connections and patterns within a system (Dudek, 2017). Recently I was introduced to the idea of the Flaneur, the Flaneur is someone who aimlessly walks around observing society. I find this to basically sum up and Ethnographer, like the Flaneur they observe, removing all judgment and preconceptions to take in the surrounds as they are. They learn from other societies, cultures, environments and people. Here the Ethnographer gains a real understanding of the people and how they make sense of the world they are in. It’s this true understanding of a context that couldn’t be more vital to current Design if it tried.

Mixing ethnography and design is still a very new approach to design thinking. However, there are a few similarities that bind them together forming a rich foundation for, finding new discoveries, ways of thinking and, solutions for the everyday. Design thinking today is concerned about the classic principle of innovation, it’s at the top for creating successful solutions. This is the same for ethnography, as ethnographers seek to find new understanding through others experiences and views. Design innovation must address the users experience and emotional response. “You cannot connect to someone’s emotion in the abstract or from the outside; instead, you must inhabit the user’s perspective and feel what that person feels” (Brown, 2009).

One person that has had an influence on my opinion is Paula Scher. In her book Make It Bigger she quotes, “All design has an emotional aspect to it, which is why it needs to take human behaviour into account.” In her work, we can see that she has done exactly that though making her type talk. It gains our attention and expresses the emotion behind it.

Overall there are just people making connections in ways that we never have before. Making design should be about solving problems within a functioning system. It’s where the people are at the center of the design. Combining ethnography understands these systems and the connections within it. This adds a whole other aspect to design thinking. We need designers to increase their curiosity, have an understanding of the system, people and culture they are designing for, and be interested in every possible solution. To ensure that their design has the best possible impact, both socially and culturally without doing unnecessary work. Using ethnography forces you to be a good communicator, write effectively, be visually attentive, observe with no judgment, and listen. These skills are vital for understanding what the client really needs. Designers have huge control over human behaviour and attitudes as well as our future. As we move forward, making design to influence the world we need to seek new understanding of others interactions and interpretations in their environment, this allows you to gain valuable knowledge of looking at the everyday from different angles. It’s about, not just how to create sound design, but to create design that will be used by people. It’s these values and methods to understand the people and context you are designing for; I believe is what makes good design. It sets the design process off to the right start. Design that has a purpose made for its people and an innovative solution that is successful in its context is good design, it’s both mindful and has empathy.

References:

Brown. T. (2009). Change by design. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Dudek. A. (2017). What is a Design Ethnographer? Thinking about the future and ethnography. Wordpress.com. Retrieved from:

https://aliciadudek.wordpress.com/what-is-a-design-ethnographer/

Scher. P. (2005). Make it bigger. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

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gracemcildowie-blog · 7 years ago

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Critical Writing

CCDN331: PROJECT THREE

Critical Essay

Grace McIldowie, 2017

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gracemcildowie-blog · 8 years ago

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Critical Writing

TOPIC: NATURE & DESIGN

The conflict between humans and nature - Why design and consumerism are responsible.

Consumerism is a major factor contributing to this conflict and it’s the designer’s and consumer’s that are responsible for implementing sustainable change.

The first source that I found relevant and helpful with gaining a deeper understanding of consumerism and the damage we are doing to our planet is, Dovers, S. In today's society, we are so caught up in consumerism and our power towards purchasing. Purchasing for whatever need or want is regarded as contributing to a healthy global economy, rather than been viewed as contributing to a global environmental crisis. The power of consumerism, mass production and, the enormous amounts of waste is putting huge pressure on the future of this planet. It is these interactions between humans and nature that environmental issues arise. Due to the lack of sufficient sustainability to heal and protect the natural resources the Earth lends to us.

Dovers, S. (2006). Australian Government, department of the environment. The dilemma of conflicting environmental outcomes. Retrieved from: http://www.environment.gov.au/node/22541#mini

Another two articles that relate to this topic and more specifically looks at the designer’s responsibility to create and shape a sustainable future is, Brown, N. Designers need to stop being sucked into the pressures of consumerism and to restructure their thinking and production processes. “When it comes to design it is the thinking that fuels it and the values that support it that are crucial to New Zealand’s future” (Brown, N. 2013). Current design thinking and practices aim for a simpler, bigger, better, future. While these aspects are what consumerism demands, sustainability ( ‘smarter’) is missing. Design needs to incorporate the whole life cycle of the product rather than just designing its production, manufacturing, and use. Designers need to put just as much thought into the ecological footprint, consumption, and disposal of the product.

Brown, N. (2013). The Future of Design in New Zealand. Open. Retrieved from: http://open.dna.co.nz/blog/the-future-of-design-in-new-zealand/

McDonough introduces the cradle to cradle approach. Sustainable change cannot occur by just removing the harmful features of a product, which is why designers need to use their power and control they have on our relationship with products. The most important concept of the cradle to cradle approach is the life-cycle of the product, designers need to invent and influence eco-friendly ways in which either we can dispose of the product or the product can dispose of itself. Rather than cradle to grave which is planned obsolescence.

McDonough, W. (2015). William McDonough: Cradle to cradle design [ Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/william_mcdonough_on_cradle_to_cradle_design?language=en#t-1094575

“The biggest challenge we face is shifting human consciousness, not saving the planet. The planet doesn't need saving, we do.”

- Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez

Elephant Journal. (2014). Pinterest.

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gracemcildowie-blog · 8 years ago

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Critical Selfie

Culture diversity through symbolism...

Link to clip: https://youtu.be/GK1-V7kcrzg

Design in our world is abundant in cultural diversity. Here in Wellington I find there is a strong presence of this, it’s the bending of these cultures that I find fascinating. When wondering around the city I find all sorts of different symbols that belong to different cultures, possessing varied histories, values, believes and uses.

I choose the topic of culture diversity and the use symbolism to express it. I wanted to emphasise the importance of individual cultures and the history, beliefs and uses that belong to it. Culture has brought us to where we are today, its wealth of knowledge and inspiration that lie within it will lead us to positive future developments.

I feel culture needs to be shown more value and appreciation, today there seems to be far too much talk around the question, ‘Why not just have one Global culture?’ According to an article from the Journal of International Management states that, a key instigator towards the threat of a global culture is globalisation. “One of the major effects of globalisation is the creation of a new and identifiable class of persons who belong to an emergent global culture.”

While globalisation is a major factor for global businesses, it lacks mindfulness. Being mindful of the cultures you are entering, learning to understand the people, their beliefs and values, will be what helps you impact it for the good, and will be what helps that culture grow and thrive.

Bird, A., Stevens, M. (2003). Toward an emergent global culture and the effects of globalization on obsolescing national cultures. Journal of International Management, 9(4), 395-407.

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