TRANDISCIPLINARY DESIGN

Gill Wildman and Nick DurrantCarnegie Mellon University

&Plot

We're Nick and Gill and for the past ten years we have run a small innovation agency in London called Plot.

But for a couple of years we are here in the US based out of Pittsburgh courtesy of The School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University where we have been the temporary occupants of their Nierenberg Chair of Design which is both a great honour and a privelige.

Ted Nierenberg established this chair with the purpose of stirring the place up a bit. Which we have been trying to act on... and well we haven't been fired yet.

This wonderful image comes to you courtesy of the late great Hugo Gernsback, populariser of all things electromechanical in the mid twentieth century.

So what does it depict? A knowledge worker from the then future — surrounded by the demands of work and instruments of communication.

Those of you with keen eysesight won't have failed to notice the giant felt sock/hood insulating and isolating the worker in their own world, also aided by a breathing tube and canister of breathable something or other... It may or may not be as effective as noise cancellation headphones.

But there's something wrong isn't there about the metaphor and situation of the knowledge worker just sitting there breathing their own fumes...?

And it could even have been any design worker of the past 60 years — just pop a Macintosh in front of them for the last 30 of those years...

In fact it's been a problem for every profession, and it's something to do with the impact of the intense specialisation of forms of professional practise in the second half of the twentieth century, driven by the intense specialisation of forms of knowledge...

The Specialist

And the problem is the specialisation of knowledge and action tends to isolate people in their own fragmenatary knowledge and private worlds, with their own private languages

And this trend of increasing specialisation and sub-specialisation where to keep up with the sheer quantity of information in order to keep up with the latest and remain employable and with ever more personalised information feeds and media it's possible to fill that breathing tube there with highly specialised gases and nutrients and the little slits for eyes ensure that you are only exposed to just what you want to see at any one moment...

And the point at which I heard a story some time ago now from a friend getting off a plane overhearing someone shouting into their phone at Heathrow that they were "a bloody content strategist not a bloody information architect, and i don't do bloody wireframes..."

was the point at which I realised that there was a real gap here between what Design aspired to be and what it had actually become in practise, and that people were having to turn themselves into these ever more differentiated commodities with an endless prolifereation of new titles just in order to deal with an endlessly mutating post-industrial, post-modern, post-job description, world of work...

Vision

So we're going to be looking at the future of design whilst bringing along some valuable things from the past.

And if it's not yet a Vision, with a capital V, then at least it's some hints towards the possible future role of Design in the Twenty First Century.

C19th Craftsman | C20th Draftsman | C21st???

A New Role

If the big shift for designers between the Nineteenth Century and the Twentieth was the transformation from "the craftsman" to "the draftsman", then there's another shift going on right now, driven by a whole new set of forces.

And it's about digging ourselves out of the role that was handed to us in the twentieth century. Which is what we call "The Technician of Desire".

The Technician of Desire

You know... this guy. The most creative guy in the room.

Well. He's toasted.

Repositioning Designers

So what we're trying to frame here is a new position that moves us beyond being Technicians of Desire useful for decorating capitalism.

And it's not about making stupid (or even smart) things pretty.

And it's not about taking a brief and adding pixie-dust.

And its's not about presentation Judo.

It's not even problem solving... It’s more about framing the right questions

Experiences

Interactions

Services

Systems

Infrastructures

Strategies

Potential

The Animateur

It's a new role. Which is what we call "The Animateur". It's animating new design spaces and opportunities in relation to —experiencesinteractionsservicessystemsinfrastructuresstrategiespotential— and the shape of everyday life in the future.

It’s a much more proactive and entrepreneurial roleAnd it's more Facilitator of Collaborative Opportunities than Master of Ceremonies..

Empathy

Imagination

Pragmatism

Ethos

We will still use designerly ways of knowing, but in a post-disciplinary way —

EmpathyImaginationPragmatism

Purposes

Knowledge

Action

Practise

New Contexts

We will use these in new contexts —

PurposeKnowledgeActionPractise

Transformation of Everyday Life

Resourceful Thinking

Reframing Potential

Transition Prototypes

Aesthetics of Use

Impact

New PURPOSES for Design in the 21st Century

1. Transformation of Everyday LifeOur big challenge is about transforming the way we live in the 21st century2. Resourceful thinkingThe challenges of one-planet living will involve a change in the way we see, think about and use resources (including people). For instance we need to work out how to exist on about five percent of our current energy use.3. Reframing possibilitiesThat means reframing the possibilities of design for the wider community. (We can’t just sell it to “them”, we have to bring “them” along with us)4. Transition prototypingWe will need to prototype that transition5. Aesthetics of useWe need to develop a new "Aesthetics of Use"6. ImpactAnd we have to become obsessed with Impact. What difference did we make?

The old and the new

New KNOWLEDGE for Design in the 21st Century

Designerly ways of knowing situated in new contexts...

• New uses for old skills• New ways of using our skills strategically

Ergonomics, Prototyping...

Visualisation , Shaping the Story...

Scenarios of people's dynamic action, Metaphors...

Mapping complex information spaces, Navigation...

Modeling facets of dynamic human experience...

Documentaries of relationships in system structures...

Seeing systems holistically, Stakeholder perspectives...

Charettes, The Open Studio...

Exploring possible future value systems, Embodiment & Exhibition...

...

There's a big pattern here ***Every time we have stopped talking to ourselves and started a conversation other disciplines we have discovered or defined a new kind of design.***

• Industrial Design: Ergonomics, Prototyping...• Information/Graphic Design: Shaping a Story, Visualisation...• Interaction Design: Scenarios of people's dynamic action, Metaphors...• Interface/Web Design: Mapping complex information spaces, Navigation...• Experience design: Modeling facets of dynamic human experience...• Service Design: Documentaries of relationships in system structures...• Transformation Design: Seeing systems holistically, Stakeholder perspectives...• Speculative/Critical Design: Exploring possible future value systems, Embodiment, Exhibition...• Urban design: Charettes, The Open Studio...

For industrial design it was a conversation with mechanical engineering...For interaction design it was computer science, cognitive science and anthropology...• ...

“Everyone designs who devises courses of action

aimed at changing existing situationsinto preferred ones.”

The Sciences of the Artificial

Simon says —

Herb Simon's famous definition of design is still true.

1. It's increasingly clear that we live in artifice, not in nature... (The Anthropecene era)2. It's increasingly clear that it's not just "designers" who are solely responsible for this artifice... (Here Comes Everybody), and3. It's increasingly clear that design is about "preferred future" situations, not just predictable ones... (But who is doing the preferring?)

Much of that artifice has been dependent on fossil fuels.We may have "accidentally" designed our way in, we have to deliberately design our way out.

New Contexts for ACTION for Design in the 21st Century

New contexts for Action

Massive Change

Urban

Movement

Energy

Information

Image

Market

Material

Military

Manufacturing

Living

Wealth & Politics

The Massive Change List

World Changing

Stuff

Shelter

Cities

Community

Business

Politics

Planet

The World Changing List

Parsons: MFA Transdisciplinary Design

The Systems challenge

The Urban challenge

The Social challenge

The Sustainability challenge

The Sustainability challenge: How can we shift attitudes toward sustainable practices. For example, how does something regarded as an inconvenience become an afterthought?

The Systems challenge: How we can better integrate ecological, economic, technological, and social systems so that they work toward common ends?

The Urban challenge: How can designers transform the everyday experiences and worldviews of urban dwellers to make them both profoundly local and dynamically global.

The Social challenge: Using the idea that design helps shape the social imaginary, how can we use design to prototype new kinds of behavior and new forms of community.

Design-led research (Platform Creation)

Complexity Modelling (People and Systems)

Reflective Collaboration (Playing with Others)

Critical Reflection (Opportunities not Problems)

Fitness Prototyping (Everyday Life)

New PRACTISES for Design in the 21st Century (response to Parsons MFA TD)

[New Practises for Design in the Twenty First Century]

1. Design-led research – articulating a research challenge and exploring it through a design process (platform building)2. Complexity modeling – visually modeling complex systems and social structures to yield new insights (People and Systems)3. Reflective collaboration – working flexibly in multidisciplinary teams to respond to and resolve highly complex challenges. (Playing with Others)4. Critical reframing – examining challenges and turning them into design opportunities (Opportunities not Problems)5. Fitness prototyping – discovering an appropriate resolution of a challenge that belongs to no single design field. (It belongs to everyday life)

Transdisciplinary?

Transdisciplinary?

scope

1. ScopeSome of the subjects we pointed to are huge, and need scoping. What's inside and what's outside of the project?It's also about preferred futures - 30% more people in local work, 60% more local food in local restaurants, 20% less crime stats, less obsesity and so on

These help us find a starting pointit's all about the everyday, but in a preferred futureFinding the right acupuncture point (to use JT's perspective) - the place of maximum effect with minimum interventionAnd it is best when it is a question"How can we….?"It sets up an open ended context - what do we need to make that happen?"How do we increase/decrease/improve x with the resources and situation we have now and in the future?"or given what we have, what preferred future do we want?

champion2. ChampionMost design projects are limited by the vision of the client.In traditional design, many decisions have been made before something becomes a brief,In transdisciplinary design, the client is in a position where s/he can see a wider vision than most design clients, and also has a wider scope of influenceSomeone who can commission work across boundariesand understands the value of taking an approach that crosses disciplinesand values the role of design in projects that can create multiple forms of valuenot all of which are financial, and may be new ways of measuring things

There are some of these people commissioning work at the Federal, large City, UN or EU level, but they are not always design-aware, nor are they looking for designers. But that will change. The success of the IPod meant that business people thought about us, and

people & platforms3. People & platformsFor most designers, the thought of bringing more people into a design situation is enough to get them running for the Advil.Most will tell you war-stories about crazy clients, and we even have a term for: design by committee - it brings us out in a rash…But for this kind of work, the people are essential parts of what happens. The source of expertise. The design team. The inspiration for ideas.

people & platformsLets start with the peopleIt involves the composition of a suitable diverse group of people who have a stake in its outcomepeople who are open to an exchange of views, methods, tools and ideaswhich means that all come to the session as knowledgeable, even the users, or citizens who will use the output of the workthe group should be open for new information they need later, and allow people to remove themselves if they seeits a platform for not for argument and debate, but a co-creative space to create something uniquehow it is organized depends on the participants, for example groups with conflicting interests need the opportunity to discover common ground and purposegetting them to focus on the opportunity space rather than the old conflict or blockageas designers we need to be comfortable with different forms of quality and equal respect for professionals and amateurs

platforms for new No one frame of reference, or set of ideas dominates, which means you get many torches shining light on the problem, and a very sophisticated view emerges.The designers in us find ways to map this complex system, so that we can help people identify challenges and opportunitiesThe combination of models and tools help us to understand the complex issues involved and generate ideas.

we can see elements of the kind of work we are talking about in current projects‣Legible Cities‣Macon Money‣Change Model‣Taxi 07

signpost examples

Legible Cities: Bristol

Legible Cities: London

Legible Cities: 5 minute walk

Macon Money: local meaningKnight Foundation and Area Code"The question here was how do we get people to meet across the city?"

Macon Money: find your bond mate

Macon Money: Cashback!

Macon Money: & make friendsAll photos Knight Foundation - Jessica Goldfin/Mayur Patel, and Area/Code - Kati London

Change Model: development & design"In a time when designers want to do more meaningful work, how do we get designers and development to work in new ways that are more effective?"Tisch ITP with Grameen Creative LabsNGO’s, economists, law and design students, academics,

Change Model: exchanging models

Change Model: making a new platform

TAXI 07: a transdisciplinary teamDesign Trust for Public Space in New YorkPartnerships with City agencies & community groups

urban planners, information designers, economists, and transportation experts project manager, photographer, cartoonist and infographic designer.How can the taxi best function as a part of NYC’s public realm?How can it be optimally regulated?

TAXI 07: working with stakeholdersStakeholders:passengers, drivers and owners, environmental groups, accessibility organisations

TAXI 07: developing impact measuresVisualising, mapping, developing a point of view that was wide reachingMaking reccomendations that were in sync with everyday realities and constraintsSafe, good value, available and contributing to the sustainability of the City

principles

what are the patterns in what we see?So if there were a set of principles, what would they be?

It's a 1+1=3 way of looking at things

It's a 1=1+3 way of looking at things - its about mind sets, knowledge sets and skill setsMultiplying forcesTrans is more than one - always more than one discipline in the room at a time, exchanging their perspectives, knowledge, tools and skills

A space for new expectations

Create the space for different and new expectationsconsider the space well and embed the ethos it in clear terms of engagement

The focus is defined and redefined

The focus is defined and redefinedwe only know as we gain knowledge of the situation, so we frame and reframe

It’s not just for the pro’s

Its not just for pro’sleave the PHD's, egos and directorships at the door, engage with stakeholders, different professionals & users, just bring an open mind and your knowledge

Diversity is fundamental

Participation is fundamentaldiverse participants create relevance and rigor

User and citizen centred

User and opportunity centered - stakeholders as designers

No end point

Design is never finishedlike perpetual beta in software, it gets made as we continues as long as the participants need or want it to (Tim Brown design is never done)

Feedback is fuel

Feedback is fuelthe essential feedback loop is designed from the get go, and monitored

Multiple impacts

Multiple bottom linesmoney is essential, but other impact measures are what make these projects work

Pilot-able, scalable

Pilot-able and scalablethe project gets traction early through manageable pilots, and is built to scale

New language

New tools

New forms of designers

New norms of what designers co

New forms of language around how people combine and collaborateNew tools will emerge for framing and reframingMore designers will be sophisticated in their stakeholder engagement approachesNew designer forms

For designers and design educators

What does it need from me?As a designer or a design educator, it depends on where you want to be

You might like to:• be someone who can create great platforms for people to get together and start new

things• be a facilitator to events where people need complex processes designed into

compelling activities and events• be someone who can create an atmosphere conducive to open discussion of differing

viewpoints and worldviews without needing to convert otters to their ways of seeing• be someone who brings great visualizing methods into the most complex of areas to

help see patterns, opportunities or blockages• be someone who can bring in prototyping skills of a wide variety and at the right

fidelity to help people make something with which they can think with and try out in pilots

• and for educators you can be these, or teach these skills…

SatisficingWhat does this mean for how designer and design educators think??

You need to be open to new ways of looking at the world (that you have not been taught)You need to be happy with less quality by your standards, and accept that what is is good enough

Animateur, facilitator...You need to let go of being the sole author of a piece of work, and instead either a facilitator to or a participant in the process

Beyond the traditional

Design beyond traditional solutions, using non-traditional materials

Live workIt's all done live, and with people, not taking it back to the studio and finishing it in the comfort of the studio

CapabilitiesThe output is in new abilities in other people, in capacity, not what you can do yourself, or how smart you are

thank you

time for questions