Abstract
Strategies that allow for an in-depth and multi-layered analysis and approach to wicked problems are increasingly crucial in today’s design education environment. Intersectionality presents itself as an articulated and analytical tool that effectively frames interconnected and mutually-reinforcing forces. But within design practices, it still lacks visual ising and making processes that allow for a more tangible understanding of its core principles and highlight its benefits in identifying inflexion points of action within problem spaces. This paper introduces the Critical Intersectional Outfitting (CIO) framework, an educational tool which aims to facilitate wider visualisation of problem spaces through a compartment ali sed and tangible workshop process that utilises playfulness, tactility and resourcefulness to build a cohesive, future-focused outfit under an intersectional lens. The framework uses textiles and clothing as a metaphorical vessel for participants to break down complex problem spaces. During CIO, participants engage in three main activities: dis assembly of an assigned garment; systemic mapping and meaning-imprinting on garment components; and garment reassembly and collective outfit building. Through the creation of each individual piece of clothing and the collective outfit, CIO encourages relational thinking, recognising that no level operates individually. By analysing data gathered from three workshop iterations, the potential for fostering lateral thinking when approaching complex problems became apparent, by emboldening participants to physically and visually identify and manoeuvre elements, build material connections and engage in speculative and future thinking in order to complete a cohesive outfit.
Keywords
Multi-level metaphor; Participatory design; Materiality; Intersectionality
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.390
Citation
Féteira, E., van Kaathoven, D., Mizuuchi, T.,and Mizuno, D.(2025) Making in Metaphor: Critical Intersectional Outfitting Framework, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.390
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 6 - Co-creation
Making in Metaphor: Critical Intersectional Outfitting Framework
Strategies that allow for an in-depth and multi-layered analysis and approach to wicked problems are increasingly crucial in today’s design education environment. Intersectionality presents itself as an articulated and analytical tool that effectively frames interconnected and mutually-reinforcing forces. But within design practices, it still lacks visual ising and making processes that allow for a more tangible understanding of its core principles and highlight its benefits in identifying inflexion points of action within problem spaces. This paper introduces the Critical Intersectional Outfitting (CIO) framework, an educational tool which aims to facilitate wider visualisation of problem spaces through a compartment ali sed and tangible workshop process that utilises playfulness, tactility and resourcefulness to build a cohesive, future-focused outfit under an intersectional lens. The framework uses textiles and clothing as a metaphorical vessel for participants to break down complex problem spaces. During CIO, participants engage in three main activities: dis assembly of an assigned garment; systemic mapping and meaning-imprinting on garment components; and garment reassembly and collective outfit building. Through the creation of each individual piece of clothing and the collective outfit, CIO encourages relational thinking, recognising that no level operates individually. By analysing data gathered from three workshop iterations, the potential for fostering lateral thinking when approaching complex problems became apparent, by emboldening participants to physically and visually identify and manoeuvre elements, build material connections and engage in speculative and future thinking in order to complete a cohesive outfit.