Abstract
Designs methods and approaches are growing in popularity across disci- plines, however, definitions are often absent, hidden or superficial with designers missing from the research team. The conveners argue that this endangers design to be misused and devalued. This conversation questioned, what is the current state of de- sign definitions and how they could be developed with a perspective of rigour and im- pact. Points of tension were discovered between contextualisation of a method vs how design communicates to other disciplines; defining from the edges of a definition and defining the core values; and design epistemological base. Recommendations from the conversation include rigorous core components and values of established but vague definitions, such as co-design, be created with space for creative interpreta- tions, along with a broader discussion on design epistemological base.
Keywords
definitions, design research, rigour
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.940
Citation
Tibbles, A., Kille-Speckter, L., Nickpour, F., Leason, I., and Shaw, C. (2022) “What do you mean?” The state of design ‘defini- tions’ within the discipline and beyond, in Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, 27 June - 3 July, Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.940
Creative Commons License
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Conference Track
Conversations
Included in
“What do you mean?” The state of design ‘defini- tions’ within the discipline and beyond
Designs methods and approaches are growing in popularity across disci- plines, however, definitions are often absent, hidden or superficial with designers missing from the research team. The conveners argue that this endangers design to be misused and devalued. This conversation questioned, what is the current state of de- sign definitions and how they could be developed with a perspective of rigour and im- pact. Points of tension were discovered between contextualisation of a method vs how design communicates to other disciplines; defining from the edges of a definition and defining the core values; and design epistemological base. Recommendations from the conversation include rigorous core components and values of established but vague definitions, such as co-design, be created with space for creative interpreta- tions, along with a broader discussion on design epistemological base.