Abstract
Although a visual language often takes precedence as the main communicator in design, text can act as a fundamental medium of developing ideas. Writing not only has similar capabilities as sketching in order to externalize concepts, but also when developing cognitive thinking and communicate with others. Using instructional, social and reflective lenses, this ethnographic study catalogues and analyzes examples of written language present across several design studios at The Ohio State University. Artifacts presented include writing prompted by design instructors, written interactions between peers and student self-awareness delivered through reflective writing. Acting as a purveyor of language, writing serves a method for understanding how students develop a sense of professional practice, communicate with others in the field and build a sense of self as emerging designers.
Keywords
design language; design writing; design education; ethnography
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.481
Citation
Sabatelli, M. (2024) A Designer’s Lexicon: An Ethnographic Exploration of Language in Design Practice, in Gray, C., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.481
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Research Paper
Included in
A Designer’s Lexicon: An Ethnographic Exploration of Language in Design Practice
Although a visual language often takes precedence as the main communicator in design, text can act as a fundamental medium of developing ideas. Writing not only has similar capabilities as sketching in order to externalize concepts, but also when developing cognitive thinking and communicate with others. Using instructional, social and reflective lenses, this ethnographic study catalogues and analyzes examples of written language present across several design studios at The Ohio State University. Artifacts presented include writing prompted by design instructors, written interactions between peers and student self-awareness delivered through reflective writing. Acting as a purveyor of language, writing serves a method for understanding how students develop a sense of professional practice, communicate with others in the field and build a sense of self as emerging designers.