Slow Design by Design Studies

Slow Design

Hamish McDuff | s3724027 Karina Jaworska | s3781891 Levon Kevorkian | s3748850

Can we design objects that people will desire to preserve for longer, or is that determined by the user?

introduction Through the collaborative process, the three of us (Hamish, Karina & Levon) were able to share our thoughts and knowledge on ‘slow design’ to explore and extend our understanding on this relatively new field of design thinking. Within this process of working together, we have been able to narrow down our individual research into a pathway in which we have decided to investigate. Our main focus is around enhancing the relationship between user and designer, and how one influences the other specifically about preservation, which coincides with sustainability (a fundamental aspect of ‘slow design’s’ existence). The whole process has lead us into creating an object which challanges the viewer’s perspective of conservation, both physically (raw materials, resources, labour etc) and mentally (memories, aura, nostalgia), in order to encourage the viewer to actively participate in ‘slow design’.

environment

Individual slow design

socio-cultural

contents page PAGE: (1) Research_____________________________

(2) Utilising ‘Slow Design’ Principles___

(3) Materials & Aesthetics_______________

(4) Process_____________________________

(5) ‘Slow Design’ Contribution___________

(6) Reflection: Group & Individual_______

(7) References: _________________________

Research Slow design is focused on the impact and consideration of design decisions and observing how an object interacts with its environment and how its environment interacts with it. Therefore, longevity becomes an essential factor of slow design: the longer we preserve objects the more sustainable they become, as discussed in the paper â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sustainability Cards: design for longevityâ&#x20AC;? (Hasling, 2017) which encourages designers to discover methods which highlight sustainability in design. Our motive as slow designers is to work consciously to create objects that promote wellbeing for the entirety of the planet; where we have a fully managed, ecologically sound lifecycle whilst maintaining the traits that are required of the finished product and good consumer experience. By utilising collaboration (an important aspect of slow design as we know it), we were able to identify similarities from our individual expansive research to realise the prevalent connection between the user and objects - in particular, we would like to focus on the intimate relationship between the two and

(1) Nature: Sustainability,

Marysville, Victoria.

September 4, 2019

(2) Sensory Mood Board, RMIT, Victoria. September 29, 2019.

whether or not the purpose of these objects intentionally harnesses characteristics which would encourage a user to preserve the object. Firstly, to outline our position, our refined sensory board effectively responds to our research question by encompassing objects that we have collectively retained for a long time and or have been designed with longevity in mind. For example, the sturdiness of the Casio watch and folding knife combine with the strong doublebonded waterproof Japanese fabric alongside the metallic accessories and charms that present a cohesive appreciation for objects which visually depict (in our eyes) the concept of preservation. Through this process, we determined that our items together share similar aesthetic value through colour and metallic material. Additionally, they have all been designed with the intent to be used long-term and not to be discarded. To foster sustained use in a product there has

been increased attention paid to the psychological connection and emotional connection between the person and the product (Chapman, 2005). Products are generally discarded when they fail to display meaning and cultivate an emotional response with their user. -- To extend our exploration of this finding, we employed concept mapping 'a research method that allows the stimulation of ideas and is believed to aid in creativity' (Novak, 2006) - by using the slow design principle 'reveal' to uncover overlooked ideas and potential directions in our design: to 'peel' back the layers and discover a gap in design which we could critically exploit to try and define slow design. Thus, it a fundamental importance to attempt to gauge what degree of control we have as designers in creating a product that can last longer; not due to product quality but rather through the user's desire to hold on. Through the use of a concept map, extended research and reflection on our sensory board, we began to explore and speculate the possibilities in answering our question, to decide on a framework that could create a pathway or lend structure to our design proposition. We selected 3 key words which depict the common features of the items on the sensory board, to assist us in creating our object: Narrative: we found that many of the objects on our sensory board share a unique personal history with ourselves, they may tell a story or even aid in projecting an image of ourselves we share out to the outside world. Surface: the watch, jewellery and knife, display the physical development of character due to wear over time, which then also reflects a personal element that may be attached to memories. Attachment: Hamish's pen and Levon's hand-made jewellery items are examples of objects which hold an aspect of aura and nostalgia, because of the emotional connection that has been created with these objects which means they embody a sentimental value that is not determined by the object's material worth. By examining our reflection and framework, it would seem that the most influential aspect of extensive preservation is not the product itself, but the practices performed by the user in relation to their own personal experience. Taking this into account, the framework along with our concept mapping and research, we determined that if we are to attempt to materialise our design proposition through a slow object - 'can we design objects that people desire to preserve longer, or is that determined by the user?' - that we require to achieve the same sensory responses that each of those objects on

(3) Concept Map: Slow Design, October 4, 2019.

our board had with us. Furthermore, we decided our design proposition will recycle and reuse the scrap piece of brass located on our sensory board to create a piece of wearable jewellery that would incorporate the three points; narrative, surface and attachment to produce a powerful relation in regards to the slow design principles, particularly: Reveal: As our design proposition will look at the object conceptually through the experiences the wearer will have and how it invokes the emotional state of the user - this includes the phenomena of aura and the role it plays in the relationship. Reflect: Reuse and recycle currently owned materials as opposed to the purchasing of new, which not only links to sustainability but also the concept of preservation, extending the objects

(4) Ring Sketches, October 2, 2019.

longevity. This can also link back to the systematic cyclical phases that occur within throughout the entirety of the object's life, from when it was conceived to what it will become. Evolve: Furthermore, we theorized that a service system that would allow customers to rid scrap metals, broken or unwanted jewellery in turn for a custom and personalised object that reflects a part of the user's identity by displayed what they may consider valuable and worth retaining. It can relate to the idea of 'future' in slow design by allowing us via experimentation to recognize the plausibility of how slow design will define design - Kate Fletcher articulates a new point for exploring durability and material demand reduction via supported evidence from ethnographic research into satisfying practices of garment use, she writes that long-life garments exist but that their extended lives are determined more by an ideology of use than by a garment's physical robustness. (Fletcher, 2017) Finally, to promote longevity of products it is essential to recognize the social and experiential dimensions to that specific product in society which in turn impacts the design and shapes culture and thereby a sustainable future. In addition, sketching was a vital and fundamental research method used to develop the concept for our object. It enabled us to explore the form of jewellery beside primitive metal working techniques such as the cold joining method of riveting. It became a significant way to express our ideas and was an extremely useful method of communication between the group. Through the process of collaborative sketching, it allowed ideas to be quickly explored, expanded upon and refined. Not only did these sketches convey the aesthetic aspects of the piece, but they also communicated material choices, manufacturing techniques and provided insight into each other's thought processes and how the implementation of collaboration enables effective idea generation when posed with a challenge. Consequently, from our ideations were able to agree that our object will be based around a simple ring created from scrap brass offcuts found in the RMIT workshops. This ring will be created using only hand tools and traditional techniques, which compels the designer to spend time with the tools to perfect it, whilst helping to cultivate an emotional value and meaning to the object.

In conclusion, through our analysis and research into the question 'Can we design objects that people will desire to preserve for longer, or is that determined by the user?' We suppose that the answer is almost perfectly summed up by Johnathan Chapman who claims that 'designers cannot craft an experience but only the conditions or levers that might lead to an intended experience. What those required conditions are, however, is still unclear to design' (Chapman, 2005). Therefore, we agree that a designer and 'consumer' must operate in harmony to achieve the true longevity of an object to be realised, however this process will be various for every designer/consumer relationship, but an ingrained acknowledgment of each other's role in the process is essential to create an object that has a fundamental desire to be kept. A designer simply doesn't have the level of control necessary to achieve this outcome by themselves, whilst aspects such as surface are in the hands of the designer, and it is up to the user to create narrative and attachment. It is vital that the interaction between designer, consumer and object is completely unique and not an exact science that can be replicated. There is no formula to create this relationship, it is simply one that must be discovered.

Utilising â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;slow designâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; principles After analysing our proposition critically, we discovered that it incorperated four out of the six 'slow design' principles: reveal, expand, reflect and evolve. Reveal: By recycling and re-purposing materials, not only were we able to contribute in creating an object sustainably, but also creating an object that is inspired by longevity. Longevity is not purely defined by product material quality, but also the user's desire to preserve the object - which in turn, will encourage the sustainability of products if they are kept for longer (as mentioned in our 'research'). For this, we used a scrap brass, acrylic and wood off-cuts found in the Gossard workshop of RMIT (building 49) to create our proposed object, By investigating how imperfections can reveal the story behind an object and how the story could lead to a user to instill longevity onto the object by forming an emotional attachment. Therefore, having the desire to keep it rather than dispose of it. Through 'reveal', we are able to generate an awareness, uncovering the essence of the object to stimulate the audience to observe it in more detail and to consider it in terms of sustainability.

Expand: By sourcing scrap material, the story of our object is already on its journey... thus, the object can be expressed beyond its perceived functionality, physical attributes and of course the life span. It functions more than just a ring in a case, it is a proposition which provokes and challenges the viewer's perspective of design whilst the imperfections created on the ring (due to the deliberate environment it has been placed in) play a role in how the object is meant to be read and personalised. Lastly, as mentioned before, longevity is a key factor of 'slow design' which we want to highlight through this object. Reflect: Apart from the literal reflection found in our object - which could be a visual representation of this principle - our object should induce reflection and thoughtful consumption. During the ring's lifetime, it will become a visual representation time, and depending on the course of action taken by the user it will determine the condition of the ring - which will convey what the user desires most, the preservation of the object itself or the preservation of memories and stories - all defined by the user. Evolve: This object will encourage a richer experience, particularly through its maturation, where it will develop pysical characteristics depending on the environment it is kept in. The maturation process is the personalisation, and its evolution over time will reflect the experiences and circumstances it has been put in - some of these things can not simply be conveyed, but only experienced by the userobject relationship, which is what will make the object unique, and consequently (hopefully) will create an emotional attachment which can then be connected to object aura and nostalgia.

Materials & Aesthetics The ring was created using scrap brass offcuts, this meant that from the beginning the material had imperfections. These imperfections are what we believe gives the material character. The character is embedded with a story, which is what gives an object emotional value and encourages users to keep the objects for longer (in this case the material’s origin, how it was sourced and the journey it took to get where it is today), however we believe that the most valuable stories are not the one’s we are told but rather the ones we experience, and because of this we are encasing the object in a case - made of scrap wood, off-cut fabrics, off-cut brass and acrylic off-cuts sourced from RMITs Gossard workshop, in building 49. The case will then be filled with an abrasive sand, the result of this is that the ring being exposed to the sand, will gradually suffer surface damage whenever the case is disturbed. We believe that this will allow the user to observe the evolution of the object, as the actions they take will determine the outcome of the object over time. Additionally, all materials sourced are indeed recycled, which is what the ‘slow design’ model encourages, for both the user and the designer to be sustainable - everyone in the process is accountable for their actions. In terms of aesthetics, we are attempting to convey the simplicity - which has become a standard of slow design appearance, to have a modest, bare and minimalistic design while still reflecting our sensory board through the use of the materials (particularly the brass and fabric), by leaving them in this state, the materials are exposed to the elements and will last depending on the environment. the object (the ring) is deliberately exposed, and over time will transform in appearance. Furthermore, our object also lends itself to the age-old saying, ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’, which our object attempts to create a valuable item which some may consider a ‘treasure’ that is enhanced through the personalisation process of the object (see ‘Audience Interaction’ pg. 18 for more detail).

Process Our object was created using the scrap material found in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gossardâ&#x20AC;? workshop in building 45 from the scrap bin, and from Levons fabric off-cuts, because of its origin the material we started with already possessed imperfections which told a story of the life it had lived so far. To continue this tranformation, we decided to embrace these imperfections rather then trying to completely remove them. Our main object, the ring, was created from brass offcuts and was then hand formed using cold forming

| Strip of raw brass cut out of the scrap piece

| Simple ring made by hand using traditional techniques

techniques and then soldered together. The ring was then sanded and polished so it would be comfortable for the user to wear but not so much that the imperfections were completely removed. As for the box, this was also created using timber and acrylic offcuts. The woodwork joinery was accomplished using only hand tools and glue, whilst the lid was created using the vac former. The box was sanded and finished to a high quality - to represent that with a little bit of effort, many things can be restored to pristine condition and so that the two components fit together well.

| The ring is slightly sanded and bent by hand to an oval

| Flux is then applied and the ring is soldered

| Once soldered the ring is dipped in Pickle to remove the excess flux

| The ring is finally formed with a hammer on a mandrel to shape it round

| Locating materials from the scrap corner in RMIT â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gossardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; workshop, building 49

| Slot line for lid is measured on the scrap wood

| Slot is cut using via a drop saw, just deep enough to encase the lid

| Pieces of equal length are cut to form the box shape for the case

| Angle adjusted on disc sander, in order to sand woods corners so they fit together as a box

| 45 degree angles sanded on each part to create joins for the casing

| Simple box created from scrap wood, using basic wood joinery and wood glue

| Scrap acrylic off-cut sourced from the same workshop

| Minimalistic lid made from scrap acrylic, which has been vac-formed to fit onto the box - the box is filled with sand that is no longer being used in the sand-blaster

| Finished case - the box, sand and lid all come together to encase the brass ring

Additionally, the sand within the box is waste sand found in the sandblasting chamber that was destined to be thrown away at the end of the semester, by repurposing it we are recycling the material which will now be given another life, thus creating but also continuing the cycle which will add to the materialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story. Finally to keep the object true to our sensory board we used off-cut rubber fabrics that Levon had at home to shell the wood and then applied hand trimmed brass at all corners. | Brass trimmings formed and bent via hammer

The creation of the object and case was completed using only hand tools to represent the slow and traditional methods of craftsmanship, which in turn enhances the emotional value that unique objects - symbolised here by imperfections - can hold.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;slow designâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: contribution raising awareness: sustainability By representing that the smallest of actions can have irreversible consequences, such as the movement of the case causes cosmetic damage and imperfections on the ring, is a metaphor for the consequences of our actions, specifically in terms of the environments - as so often it is difficult to see the effects of our environment, until something occurs which is visible to many - like with the ring, which appear polished until movement overtime causes the surface to deteriorate.

audience interaction By allowing the user control over the object, they have to decide how to interact with it, they have the choice to either leave the ring in a safe location, untouched, thus preserving it, or to use the object: physically move it, and instead retain the memories and stories in the imperfections created on ring, becoming a prompt into nostalgia and even object aura. By giving the user a ‘blank slate’ to create their own narrative and impose their own values into it, we acknowledge that a designer can only influence and lay the foundation for a ‘slow design’ object but ultimately it is the user that determines how they will interact, engage and connect with an object.

reflection: group & individual Collaberation is an essential part of ‘slow design’, and through this, by working as a group (Hamish, Levon and Karina) we were able to compare and build upon our ideas on ‘slow design’ to find a gap in the field of research. We found through the similarities in our research, we were easily able to combine our work together and find an area we could explore together. Upon reflection, as a group we believe we have worked well to enquire and expand on not only written components, but the practical too - this includes the various methods used to realise and prototype our object into our final piece. Overall, we believe that the proposed object contemplates and reflects our original proposition very well, there is an evident and strong connection between the two, even if it is not entirely intuitive, but by examining our research, we are sure that the audience will grasp the concept and contemplate its existence further. | Group

Throughout the course this semester, ecologies ‘slow design’ has ignited an alternate way of thinking about design and how it functions in society, and the re-introduction of a symbiotic relationship which through the industrial revolution has been ignored completely. The goal of slow design is to encourage humanity to be selfless, not to say we can’t enjoy design, but to think about more than ourselves, whilst simultaneously discovering what makes us human (interactions, emotions, memories, beliefs, values etc.) and incorporate them into design to enhance our wellbeing as individuals and communities. The thing to note about ‘slow design’ is that it isn’t a cemented way of designing, but one that prompts certain considerations which aim to root us back into the natural world, and actually value our time on this earth - it is no longer just about materialism, but a deeper, more thoughtful connection which the design industry can offer. Although there are some things, that I personally disagree with in ‘slow design’, I do appreciate the

aesthetics and some of the concepts - particularly nostalgia, object aura, cycles, reflection etc. - which I am willing to embed in my personal and academic design. | Karina Jaworska This course has introduced me to the concept of “Slow Design” and forced me to develop a greater understanding of sustainability by reflecting on the entire lifecycle of a product or object. It has showed me that the process of design shouldn’t just be focused around solving the immediate or obvious problems but ensuring that our design doesn’t cause its own problems later on. It has shown me that as designers we can’t just think of the concept of sustainability from a materials point of view, but also how we can encourage users to act responsibly by keeping objects longer and disposing of them thoughtfully. At first, I was overwhelmed with the broad scope of slow design and how many aspects there are to consider. However, after working through this course I realised that not every criterion has to be met for a design to be considered “slow”. I think the most important thing to remember about slow design is that it isn’t a set of rules to design by but simply guidelines that when considered can bring about greater thought processes and ensure a more considerate design. | Hamish McDuff

aesthetics and some of the concepts - particularly nostalgia, object aura, cycles, reflection etc. - which I am willing to embed in my personal and academic design. | Karina Jaworska Through this course I had become quite familiar with sustainability however it was this unit that thought me about the movement and concept behind slow design and its principles. Initially I took this unit as I appreciate slower more thoughtful design as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what originally drew me towards an interested in high-fashion, I learnt however that the concept of slow design allows designers to think holistically about their approach to product design that it that we must act responsibly through the lifecycle of a products design being both mindful of not only the materials, but the ecosystem and peoples health and wellbeing. Conceptually as i found similar with the design tactics class, wrapping my head around some of the assessments were at times quite tricky, particularly due to the broad freedom we had in our essay topic. The trade-off was that while we were free to come up with our own topic, applying the concepts of slow design around that topic and finding the relevant research to back it up could be quite a challenge. Overall I did enjoy this unit, the class discussions and learning and applying slow design principles to my course work. | Levon Kevorkian

references: Walker, S. (2011). The spirit of design: objects, environment, and meaning. London: Earthscan. Chapman J. 2005. Emotionally durable design: objects, experiences and empathy. London, UK: Earthscan. Carolyn F. Strauss, Alastair Fuad-Luke, (2008) ‘The Slow Design Principles, A new interrogative and reflexive tool for design research and practice’, Noval J. 2006. The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How To Construct Them. Cornell University. Fletcher, Kate (2017) Exploring demand reduction through design, durability and ‘usership’ of fashion clothes. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 375 (2095). ISSN 1364-503X Grosse-Hering, Barbara & Mason, Jon & Aliakseyeu, Dzmitry & Bakker, C.A. & Desmet, Pieter. (2013). Slow Design for meaningful interactions. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings. 3431-3440. 10.1145/2470654.2466472. Hasling, Karen & Ræbild, Ulla. (2017). Sustainability Cards: design for longevity. 10.3233/978-1-61499-820-4-166.