Abstract
This paper challenges the use of the concepts ‘reflective practice’ and ‘learning cycles’ as a basis for analysing designing, for building coherent theories about human designing, and for developing design methodologies. It develops the argument via two paths: a review of the original formulation of the concepts of ‘reflective practice/practitioners’ and ‘learning cycles’; and an analysis of the implications of recent findings in the areas of brain and neurology research for building theories about designing. The paper suggests researchers have over extended the use of the reflective practice and learning cycle concepts: concepts that were devised as relatively coarse structural formulations bringing together some of the more obvious macroscopic characteristics of individual human functioning for business consultants and educators. It argues that new micro-level understandings of design cognition emerging from brain and neurological research offer a better basis for building theories about designing.
Citation
Love, T. (2002) Are ‘the reflective practitioner’ and ‘learning cycles’ suitable foundations for theories about designing and design cognition, in Durling, D. and Shackleton, J. (eds.), Common Ground - DRS International Conference 2002, 5-7 September, London, United Kingdom. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2002/researchpapers/50
Are ‘the reflective practitioner’ and ‘learning cycles’ suitable foundations for theories about designing and design cognition
This paper challenges the use of the concepts ‘reflective practice’ and ‘learning cycles’ as a basis for analysing designing, for building coherent theories about human designing, and for developing design methodologies. It develops the argument via two paths: a review of the original formulation of the concepts of ‘reflective practice/practitioners’ and ‘learning cycles’; and an analysis of the implications of recent findings in the areas of brain and neurology research for building theories about designing. The paper suggests researchers have over extended the use of the reflective practice and learning cycle concepts: concepts that were devised as relatively coarse structural formulations bringing together some of the more obvious macroscopic characteristics of individual human functioning for business consultants and educators. It argues that new micro-level understandings of design cognition emerging from brain and neurological research offer a better basis for building theories about designing.