Abstract

This paper seeks to contribute to the development of tools through which design can reflect on its own efforts and effects. User research and the carrying out of a user- centred design task had raised questions on the self-conception of a user-centred designer vis-à-vis those he/she designs for. Hermeneutic phenomenology was adopted as a methodology for critical reflection on a designer’s own activity of user-centred designing. This paper discusses hermeneutic phenomenology as a methodology for reflection on user-centred designing, laying out some of its elements and discussing its applicability to design. It is hoped that this discussion might lead to its wider adoption, or to further investigations into this and other tools for reflection on design.

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Nov 17th, 12:00 AM

Hermeneutic Phenomenology as a Method for Reflection in User-Centred Designing.

This paper seeks to contribute to the development of tools through which design can reflect on its own efforts and effects. User research and the carrying out of a user- centred design task had raised questions on the self-conception of a user-centred designer vis-à-vis those he/she designs for. Hermeneutic phenomenology was adopted as a methodology for critical reflection on a designer’s own activity of user-centred designing. This paper discusses hermeneutic phenomenology as a methodology for reflection on user-centred designing, laying out some of its elements and discussing its applicability to design. It is hoped that this discussion might lead to its wider adoption, or to further investigations into this and other tools for reflection on design.

 

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