P 3 by tan jeong

Projcet 3 :

THECHNOLOGY Networks in crisis

Introduction and Scene Setting

Networks in Crisis

¡˚We a re now entering a potential new phase in the cultu re of networks whe re ¡®real time¡¯ information is capable of being sha red at an ever inc reasing rate, reaching an ever inc reasing audience, and their ability to both facilitate and augment change - th rough their capacity to reveal the radical inte rconnectedness of those recognized.¡± Mic rosoft R esea rch Members of Mic rosoft R esea rch Cambridge have invited us as part of a Pi-Studio R esea rch Project (P rospecting and Innovation R esea rch unit at Goldsmiths) to conside r, both critically as design students who are informed by many of the most recent debates within the discourse of design and contemporary social, cultural, and critical theor y, and practically as designers who are awa re of the radically transformative potential of design, some of those key social, cultural, political, economic, and envi ronmental concerns that have arisen lately in relationship to the question of our ever inc reasing involvement in those that are inc reasingly ¡˚in-forming¡± the very nature of the world in which we cur rently exist. Mic rosoft is a major technologies that allow us to c reate systems or ¡˚networks¡± of communication and connection between different people, places and things. Indeed, they could very well be said to be the world leader in the development of such technologies.

Mic rosoft R esea rch Live P roject: MA Critical Practice, Design

Pi-Studio: Duncan Fairfax, Michela Magas, Mike Mic rosoft R esea rch: Alex Taylor

Waller

It is absolutely essential for such a compan y, both for its ongoing viability and its future resea rch and innovation potential, to fully comp rehend the intrinsic nature, consequences, and impact of those technologies that they are c reating, and the ¡˚networks¡± that they facilitate, or perhaps we could sa y, in full recognition of the psychoanalytic sense of the term - ¡˚enable¡±. For as Manuel Castells has suggested in his monumental, and unfashionably deterministic, three volume analysis of what he calls this ¡˚network society¡± in which we cur rently exist, these technologies and the ¡˚networks¡± that they c reate, are indeed ¡˚enabling¡± the key systems and structu res - and many might say the pathologies - of the society in which we cur rently exist.

Networks and Crisis

A society in which as he says;

¡˚key social structu res and activities a re [now] organized a round elect ronically p rocessed Over Consuming information networks... using mic ro-elect ronic R esou rces based technologies.¡± Cost too much Sca rcity Air travel Famine R esou rces Bankruptcy Death Unemployment Starvation Loss Fraud Sickness Financial Weather Love Friends Business Cultural Identity Family Income Land Ownership Commons Weather Travel Farming Wellbeing Health Origin Authorship Ego Displacement R elocation Immigration Imagination Scale Futu re Theory Practice Skill Knowledge Teaching E ffects Cont rol Security

The Challenge ¡˚The challenge of such a company is to understand where the shifting values of cultu re and society lie in these futu res that a re continuously unfolding.¡± And indeed, in many ways, as Bernard Stiegler has suggested in his similarly monumental three volume analysis of what he calls the technological ¡˚supplementation¡± of human existence, Technics and Time, this is not only one of the most important questions that we face toda y, but the most important question that faces us in this brief as well. That is, what exactly are the consequences of the fact that many of what Albert Borgmann has called those key ¡˚focal¡± human beings, that is those ¡˚key social structu res and the very nature of who we are, and those ¡˚networks¡± whether social, cultural, political, economic, or material - that have facilitated them, are now so technologically mediated, ¡˚supplemented¡± as Stiegler describes it, or ¡˚sped¡± up as Paul Virilio has also described it, that they exceed our very capacity to both comp rehend or cont rol them. And we need only point to the recent Global Financial Crisis as but one example of an event that illustrates this point. R e-thinking ¡˚how might we possibly design, or perhaps even more app ropriatel y, re-design or redirect the essential nature of these technologies and the networks that they c reate in a way that is capable of not only revealing but also possibly remedying many of those essentially dehumanising, disincarnating, and destructive qualities of their nature that seem to be such an intrinsic part of their existence - and the ¡˚crises¡± that they p roduce.¡± So, in lieu of this, and as a response to Mic rosoft ¡¯s desi re to better understand the inherent nature of those ¡˚networks¡± that they are ¡˚enabling¡±, you are requi red to consider how we might be capable of re-designing, or perhaps even more app ropriately as Tony Fry has described it, ¡˚re-di recting¡±, the essential nature of some of these technologies and the ¡˚networks¡± that they c reate, in a way that not only reveals, but also

hopefully remedies some of those more dehumanising, disincarnating, and destructive qualities of their nature that seem to be such an intrinsic part of their existence and the ¡˚crises¡± that they produce. A ¡˚crisis¡± that it should also be noted, as Martin Heidegger has suggestedThein Question Concerning Technology , is not simply a consequence of those ¡˚ontic¡± events that have come to ¡˚re-p resent¡± it, but rather that deeper ¡˚ontological crisis¡± that has been precipitated by our ever inc reasing resignation, giving ourselves ove r, or as Marshall Mcluhan has described it,¡±externalisation¡± of ourselves into the ¡˚networks¡± of these technologies that are inc reasingly ¡˚in-forming¡± our world; and yet without many of those essential empathetic and ethical qualities that have been so important to our ¡˚embodied¡± existence. A way that as Heidegger suggests at the end of The Question Concerning Technolog y, might also reveal their potential ¡˚saving power¡±? ¡˚where danger is, grows also the saving power¡±? A way that, through some sort of ¡˚redirective¡± practice, or design, might also

that, as many contemporary hermeneutically and from Heidegger to Hubert Dreyfus, Fernando Flo res, Charles Spinosa, and Donald Sull have suggested, this ¡˚crisis¡±, and all its many material ¡˚re-p resentations¡±, is also a massive opportunity for innovation and change. A ¡˚massive change¡± as Bruce Mau has described it.

Opportunities As suggested, the brief aims to focus your attention on alleviating and preventing ¡˚crisis¡±, as well as design ¡¯s ability to both draw attention to the implications and consequences of our individual actions within those network/s in which we exist. For example we have previously outlined how consumers are completely unawa re of what we could call the ¡˚network¡± implications and consequences of their below their real market price or cost in supermarkets and thus jeopardize the entire viability of the UK Milk made awa re of this - in ¡˚realtime¡± - through some sort of disclosu re of the ¡˚network¡± consequences of their actions - through say something like Mic rosoft ¡¯s already existent ¡˚SixthSense¡± project - would they still behave in the same way? Or in other instances

we have also talked about how various network ¡¯s waste might be capable of being ¡˚re-sou rced¡± as another networks raw material, and how this potential may be communicated in more immediate, ¡˚realtime¡±, or effective ways. This is what you really need to focus on! What types of technology and systems of communication might be capable revealing these opportunities for ¡˚re-di rected¡± practice in ¡˚realtime.¡± What types of devices or systems of true impact and consequence of our collective actions on, or ¡˚interaction¡± with, our world, and all of those diverse ethical, socio-cultural, political, envi ronmental, economic, and material concerns that go with it, in ¡˚realtime¡±. And what effects would these possibly have, both for the way in which we relate to each other and our world? ¡˚What¡¯s perhaps even more interesting is a shift towards anticipatory networks, where people say what they are going to do in the future, and invite others to make it happen!¡± Technology Cu re-all Technology is not a cu re-all. Clearl y, we are also at a point of crisis economically as well as envi ronmentall y, where technology cannot be expected to be a cu re-all, a magic pill to solve all ills, what is actually also really called for is the ¡˚enablement¡± of new cultu res of contribution that truly harness peoples¡¯ imagination as well as their desi re to p rotect our futu re - think of ¡˚Social Vibe¡± as but one example of a ¡˚network¡± that attempts to ¡˚mediate¡± these sorts of ideals. So in lieu of this, this brief does not simply ask you to ¡˚speculatively¡± consider what types of technologies might be capable of facilitating or although this is completely possible - but also to consider how we might develop, or ¡˚re-di rect¡±, our cur rent use of these technologies in ways that promote their more holistic, communitarian, and systemic possibilities. Again look at ¡˚Social Vibe¡± as but one example of a ¡˚network¡± service that attempts to do this. If you were going to design such a site what would it look like? How would you ¡˚mediate¡± its message and the ¡˚re-di rective¡± practice that it advocates? Designing with Crisis If design is to act within the context of ¡˚networks¡± to place where should we position the act of designing? Perhaps there are new socio-cultural formations of design and designing that could also be explo red through this brief? Clearly it is crucial for design to engage with adaptability and plasticity of potential change, repurposing,

or ¡˚re-di recting¡± of the networks we are engaging with. Actor Networks Obviously we r ecognise the c reative opportunity of ¡˚crisis¡±, and the potential it affords through change, as These diagrams a re quite inte resting because they point well as how we collectively and individually re-add ress to relationships, perhaps we could begin by selecting a point, node of connection and then g rowing their our own personal and collective desi res. network f rom that point in a ¡˚Actor Network¡± app roach. ¡®Through this brief we would like you to design cohe rent See workshop 2... ¡®things¡¯, services, objects, t echnologies t hat f acilitate networks, draw a ttention to, alleviate or help prevent crisis.¡¯ Agency th rough Objects Networks are not only instigated by people but they can be trigge red by networked objects, as in the example of an RFID enable tennis ball belo w. Objects can connect us to educational content or instructables to extend our roducts, services, personal capabilities and expertise. The diagram below ¡˚Building new nodes that surface as p agents, softwa re that facilitate these emerging networks illustrates the different facets of a networked sports re.¡± product as an example of these differing agencies of is crucial to engaging with the futu a simple product. Y our project does not necessarily need to produce 3 dimensional products, they could be What ¡¯s Designs R ole? graphic or communication designs or services. The aim would be to engage with the complexities of the particular network in socio-cultural dimension, whilst call Socio-techno-frictions¡¯. The aim would be to t hen consider new forms of t echnology based mediatorsclearly focusing on design. Also you could consider cultu res of c ontributionsand formations of co-ops, end users taking over from ¡®economics of exploitation¡¯ - M aybe there are cultural groups you could explo re including; facilitating business of p eople, consuming stu ff, working togethe r, - home, work, eating, power and energ y, food, etc. Starting Points To begin with each group could select a starting point from the list belo w, or on the opposite page, and t hen expand its network and explo re areas of opportunity for design: Exchange Alternative economics Sharing Exchange cur rencies- Links systems or alternative barter type exchange Skill swapping

Activities

Online working projects WellbeingHealthca re, Alternative therapies, Spiritual- networks a round religion Education and Learning Communal book sharingCommunity action Fixing and repairing Instructing Libraries R omance- dating P roducing Crafting

Sectors of Business and sectors used in the London stock exchange and clearly has a business focus. It can be used to i dentify particular networks. Sectors, Super Sectors and Industries.

Contexts of Crisis

Work Home School Park St reet Shopping center Car park Bridge Camp Party City Countryside Class room Board room Bench Government Station Airport Border Museum Shop Market R etail Sto re Eating

Supersectors and Sectors see also http: //www.icbenchmark.com/docs/ICB_ Structu reSheet_200803.pdf Oil and Gas Basic Materials Industrials General Industrials Consumer Goods Health ca re Consumer services Telecoms Utilities Financials Technology

Project Timeline

Workshops

We have c reated a project calendar so please r efer to this. As new project events are added we will update the calenda r. http: //tiny.cc/B3LcS

scenarios of crisis and the context of crisis. This includes ¡®everyday minor crisis¡¯ to ¡®major crisis¡¯. Workshop 2- Mapping Networks of Crisis When a range of crisis scenarios have been built the second workshop w ill build on them by c reating maps of the networks/ agency of the interconnecting networks, it ¡¯s ¡®interplexus¡¯. Workshop 3 - Ways to Act on Crisis Ideation processes will then take place in groups and individually to explo re how to act to a lleviate, repurpose the network of crisis.

Week 1 - Project Launch 2pm 12th Januar y, Masters Studio, 1 St James, Goldsmiths, New C ross, London SE14 6NWIntroduction to the brief and initial groups setup. Select networks to explo re for Thursdays workshop. Thursday 14th January 10am W orkshop on diagrams of networks- G roup activit y. Tuesdays 2pm-5pm Workshop/studio sessions Thursdays 10am-5pm Workshops/studio sessions See online p roject calendar as above for details.

Bibliography Albert Borgmann- Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life: A Philosophical Inquiry University of Chicago P ress 1987 Albert Borgmann- Holding On to R eality: The Natu re of Information at the Turn of the Millennium University of Chicago P ress 2000 Mark Buchanan- Nexus: Small Worlds and the G roundb reaking Science of Networks Norton 2002 Andy Clark- Supersizing the Mind: Embodiment, Action, and Cognitive Extension Oxford University P ress 2008 Andy Clark- Natural-Born Cyborgs: Minds, Technologies, and the Futu re of Human Intelligence Oxford University P ress 2004 Paul Dourish- Whe re the Action Is: The Foundations of Embodied Interaction MIT P ress 2004 Hubert D reyfus- What Computers Still Can ¡¯t Do: A Critique of Hubert D reyfus- On the Internet R outledge 2008 Andrew Feenberg - Heidegger and Ma rcuse: The Catast rophe and R edemption of History R outledge 2004 Frederick Ferre - Philosophy of Technology University of Georgia Press 1995 Graham Harman- Prince of Networks: Bruno Latour and Metaphysics re:p ress 2009 Martin Heidegger - The Question Concerning Technolog y, and Other Essays Harper R ow 1997 R obert Schar -ffPhilosophy of Technology: The Technological Condition - An Anthology Blackwell 2003 Bernard Stiegler- Technics and Time, 1: The Fault of Epimetheus Stanford University P ress 1995 Bernard Stiegler- Technics and Time, 2: Disorientation Stanford University P ress 2008 Francisco Varela - The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience MIT P ress 1992 Terry Winogradand Fernando Flo res - Understanding Computers and Cognition: A New Foundation for Design AddisonWesley 1987

¨Ï M. Waller , D. Fairfax, M.Magas 2010 -

Pi- S tudio, Desi gn, Goldsmiths

1. Point of critical practice : What is my critical practice for

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Technology is not meant how good they are but, meantime when they face to get into problem, it is important how they are to be good in order to get avoided the situationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Network is consisted of lines drawn by each members which is the least forming a community. Network is a boundary in which we live, and we communicate within it. Its communication come throughout technology.

Crisis arise when we are for sure that we do know that we do not.

Family is minimal group forming network. Familiy members, they know each other. However conflicts amonst family members emerge, it means that is when they do not understand each other. - Family always depends on independence.

2.Mapping the Critical Practice Terrain - working out where to act

“Family” ;

group topic choose

twork e N PDAs

Desktop computer Laptop Iphone

Web-cam

Cellphones DVD

i l y m a F

Grandmother Father-in-law Niece

Uncle

Grandfather Set-top-box

Father

Wii

Brother

Mouse

Aunt Cousin

Grandson Brother-in-law

Monitor

Nephew

“Mutuality” Network in crisis

Family in crisis

Sister Mother

3. Critical Practice in different contexts - Academic discipline or Professional Practice

Re-shaped technology ; even in this technological world in which we live, it is impossible to estimate to solve a problem emerged by old-type of technology, so we try to reshape the technology for the better. Technology always has combined two-faced capability; convinience and inconvzinience. To avoid list

To remind list Emergency Button on a car - should not be on the other location which is foreign to the driver.

Comparable factor ,as example, getting closer to the results

“Ctrl+C” and “Ctrl+V” have made cultural trend - computer-like devices have influenced people in where they live.

; Chopstick is one of a pair of thin sticks held in one hand and used in East Aisan cultures for eating food

;For unknown people how to grip it, I need to pay more on attention about why, so then I try to make my hand open on same situation by gripping it on my unfamiliar left-hand. For more, I compare the feel of righthand with the one of left-hand.

“Great change is easier than small one. ”

Francis Bacon.

; To face the best solution in a appropriate way, it is important to realise that - small part of change is more effectable to the outcome. - technology is not effected only tequnically and phsically but also culturally. - the more we are closed to the problem, the more we get the solution properly.

4.Processes of your design practice 4-1. Chopsticks for the better usage

+ “Technology : Cross-over-like ; mixed with old ones and previous inconvenience”

4-2. Window key that makes future trend and better function

“Win+D”

Observation of user of Window OS - The short-cut of “Win+D” allows user to get desktop-view faster - People mostly do not realise to make it faster by using the short-cut.

5.Representation

5-1. Chopsticks for the better usage

PQRSTU

EF D C

XYZ

GHIJK

O N M

5-2. Window key that makes future-trend and better function