Goldsmiths University
2015 | SHARED METHODS AND PROCESSES PORTFOLIO
Methods and processes in practice
Research, Analyse, Ideate, Make, Test, Improve
Elena Gardelli
Research
Preferred approach
Dialogical- Hermeneutic (knowledge depends on the context) based on a pragmatic paradigm mixed with constructivism for various aspects.
Ontological assumption
Relativism.
Epistemological assumption
Subjectivism/ real-world practice oriented.
Methodology
Hermeneutical - Understanding of structures of meaning given by the context.
Methods
It depends on the research and especially on the purpose of it. Qualitative and/or quantitative. Most of the times a mix of them.
Aesthetic point of view
Functionality is essential. Aesthetic is important only if the user benefits from it when using the object1. Otherwise it is only an extra that it is not necessary. Aesthetic is often taken as a primary concern of design to convince people that they need another object to perform an action and this object is so aesthetically appealing that we can’t resist buying it.
Always remember to question everything
1
Aesthetic benefits, used in this sense, include thinking or reasoning in front of a critical object.
Ethics point of view Ethics vs Sustainability
Design is for people to be able to perform more and more actions in the world. I believe that ethics and sustainability are two terms that have a direct and proportional link. What differentiate them is that ethics is the theoretical base for sustainability. In fact it is a consideration of human and social impact whether sustainability is related to the impact that certain tools and material have on the world. As a designer I want to be able to: Always respect and take care of people involved in the whole design process; from research to testing.
Useful design
Ideate and make useful design objects without trying to make people think that they have needs that they actually don’t.
Invisible design
Develop an “invisible design” that doesn’t concentrate on beauty, but it is rather instinctively easy to use or read. Design for users and not for companies.
Sustainable design
Make the right considerations when ideating and projecting in order to reduce ecological impact as much as possible.
Technology: apocalyptic but integrated
Make the right use of technology exploiting the advantages it offers (cutting space and time, creating a collaborative way of acting in the world, making information available to everyone and giving voice to everybody.) Without curtailing progress too much, even if this becomes sometimes very scary (i.e. microchips implanted into the body). However progress cannot stop and sooner or later we will get to a point where we will probably turn ourselves into something else, not completely human. Perhaps when we think the world is ours, it is worth considering that dinosaurs were extinguished, but at least they were not responsible for their own extinction.
Examples of tools used in my projects at Goldsmiths Libraries Internet Museums
To discover history, understand the context, find out the causes that generated the present phenomenon, how this happened and which actors were involved.
Interviews
To collect subjective statements on the phenomenon; very much case based.
Questionnaires
Primarily multiple choice questions to collect some “big data”, more structured, standardised and based on variables.
Observation
To describe the present phenomenon and its context independently from actors’ point of view. Usually written reports.
Video/Audio recordings
As part of observation to keep visual/audio records of the phenomena.
Analysis
Considerations
Analysis means interpreting and understanding data. Data are objective facts. Analysis will always have a component of subjectivity (it depends under what light data are analyzed, which aspects, from which philosophical perspective. Depending on this, outcomes can be very different). Analysis is separating and putting things together again.
Tools
Mapping and diagrams to analyse existing realities and unfold new realities
I especially used maps and diagrams which allowed me to see and analyse actors and objects involved in a specific network, understand their function, functioning, action and interaction between them.
THE THING
Communicating information on social activities
POSSIBLE OBJECTS Paper poster Interactive display Electronic message
Vocal notice Flayer Online post
Word of mouth Paper post Text message
Fax Hologram Carrier pigeon
Message in a bottle Written in the sky by plane
MAPPING A POSTER LAYOUT
THERE IS NO SCHOOL LOGO FONTS ARE NOT CORPORATE
LOW RESOLUTION IMAGE NO ALIGNMENT IN THE PAGE
PRODUCTION AND USAGE
STEP 0
Wait for Activity Programme organiser to write full month calendar of activities
STEP 1
Produce poster
STEP 2
Print 40 copies in colour
STEP 3
Proof read
STEP 4
If wrong print again
STEP 5
Put on noticeboards with pins (they are always different colours - messy look)
STEP 6
Remove and bin every Friday
NOTICEBOARDS
TOO MANY POSTERS - ONE ON THE OTHER TURE ON NA USION CONF N IO RMAT F INFO OP MIX O RMATION OT ST O CANN OF INF DENTS E STU R E H -W ITION G POS DISORGANISATIO WRON N OF POSTERSPOSTERS ARE NOT STRAIGHT COLOURS OF NO TICEBOARDS NOT CORPORAT MATCHING CO E/NOT EVEN LOURS OF COMM ON AREAS OR CLASSROOMS
NOT BIG ENOUG H TO INCLUDE ALL SOCIAL ACT POSTERS ORIZO IVITIES NTALLY ON THE SAME LINE SIGNS OF USE
(MASSIVE HOLES
) BECAUSE OF
PINS
Ideation
Considerations An idea can change everything
Great ideas are new connections between existing things Good research can help with formulating sensible ideas, but the truth is that an idea is a “spark”. Ideas are utopias. Not because they can’t be transformed into reality but because they are always different and less specific than their realization. This is only because an idea doesn’t imply a specific process of realization. Ideas allow evolution. The opposite of an idea is leaving things as they are, but evolution is inevitable even if it means extinction.
Tools
Again maps and diagrams are fantastic ways of finding new possible connections and so generating new ideas. Brainstorming - I find this tool very useful to gather a great deal of spontaneous ideas without judegment, then analyse the pros and cons of each idea. Ideational drawing - A way of bringing an idea into reality - An excellent tool to organise and visualise concepts and ideas and explore different design possibilities.
INSTRUCTIONS
t Lang ou
Laugh
e uag
Making
Considerations
Making means putting ideas and material together to get a final object. It is the making process on which the “shape� of an idea depends. Things are still ideas. Objects are ideas + a specific building process.
Tools
Ideational drawing - I used that again in the making phase as a way of reasoning on the feasibility and adequacy of an idea. This, I believe, is the first step of making. The making tools I have used really go from my own hands to advanced software, going through all kinds of tools that allow and streamline the process of making.
Test
Considerations
Testing means measuring the success of an idea with a specific “shape� (in a specific form) and specifically making sure that the theories previously formulated correspond to users’ real actions, reactions and interactions. Testing is the phase where a pure object2 is immersed in a real context and it is used. Here is where all theories and ideas behind that object are answered and become true or false (or relative!). Testing can also add uses and benefits as well as disadvantages or harm that we didn't think about when designing the object. These can be better analysed and taken into the improving phase.
Testing signage
2
pure because it is not still a thing, but not yet a full object. In fact its environment is still theoretical and its applications are still hypotheses
Improving
Considerations
Once our design has been tested we have a difference between initial hypothesis and effective results. That difference is what we have to change in order to make the object better for people to use, because design is all about people3.
3
In a broad sense I believe that animals and plants design too, exactly like humans do, as they find ways to adapt to the world and at the same time shape the world to adapt it to their needs
it never ends...