This edited volume provides an introduction to the emerging field of design anthropology from the... more This edited volume provides an introduction to the emerging field of design anthropology from the point of view of anthropologists engaging in its development. Contributors include young anthropologists with experience in the field and leading theoreticians, who combine to articulate the specific style of knowing involved in doing design anthropology. So far design anthropology has been developed mostly in the practice of industry and the public sector, in particular in Scandinavia and the US, and the sustained academic reflection to support this practice is still in its early stages. This book contributes to this theoretical reflection and provides a reference for practitioners, teachers and students of anthropology, as well as design and innovation.
Design anthropology straddles two fields or research traditions with markedly different objectives, orientations, epistemic assumptions and methods. It is this contrast that produces a creative tension in this emerging field and contributes to its development and potential. An important challenge to design anthropology is how to combine the different practices of anthropology and design, both theoretically and methodologically. Ethnography for design (or design ethnography), with a focus on using ethnographic insights and methodology in product design, has been practiced in industry since the 1970’s. More recently a strong focus on users, experiences and participatory design methods has prompted anthropologists to become facilitators of creative collaborations with, mostly, market-oriented processes of development and production. In addition there is a strand of anthropology that studies processes of change, design, materiality and innovation. What this book proposes is to combine the theoretical and methodological contributions of anthropology with perspectives and methods of design in a new and complex academic field of design anthropology. Here methodological reflections, creative processes and theoretical implications meet in hybrid forms with implications for both design and the academic field of anthropology itself.
This volume discusses how design anthropology is positioned in relation to existing academic and design traditions and identifies key elements of this emerging style of knowing. A central topic is the relation between theory and practice in design processes and how the development of theory can be part of transformative practices. Among other things, the status, materiality, and temporality of so-called ‘design concepts’ is explored. In addition the book chapters provide ample discussion of the methodology and tools that characterise design anthropology. This includes theoretical and experiential juxtaposition, performance of the possible, and use of provotypes, models, and games. The cases discussed in the book span the whole spectrum from designing concrete objects such as bridges, to exploring new possibilities for learning through model building and performance, and finally the involvement of anthropologists in government policy review and organisational change. Common for the contributions is that they draw on empirical, practice-orientated studies and deal with the development of relevant anthropological theory.
A second theme for design anthropology, discussed in this volume, is how to combine the predominant orientation towards materiality characteristic of design with an anthropological focus on practices and meaning. Things imply and impact on practices and meanings, and practices can generate new artefacts (material and immaterial).
Thirdly, time orientations of design and anthropology differ. Even though ethnographic fieldwork happens in the present, anthropology has traditionally been characterised by a retrospective orientation. The present is interpreted on the basis of patterns that derive from the past: cultural meanings, social structures, and routine practices. Design on the other hand is forward looking; it relates to the present with a view to create a potentially different future. Design anthropology attempts to extend the time perspective both ways and integrate an understanding of past patterns and transitional processes with designing new things and engaging in transformative practices.
Finally, an important challenge for design anthropology is to find ways to better integrate reflexivity and reflection on and organization of the processes and relations of design practice: between designers, anthropologists and other academics, stakeholders, users, and potential audiences.
Proceedings of the 13th Participatory Design Conference on Short Papers, Industry Cases, Workshop Descriptions, Doctoral Consortium papers, and Keynote abstracts - PDC '14 - volume 2, 2014
Proceedings of the 22nd Conference of the Computer-Human Interaction Special Interest Group of Australia on Computer-Human Interaction - OZCHI '10, 2010
This edited volume provides an introduction to the emerging field of design anthropology from the... more This edited volume provides an introduction to the emerging field of design anthropology from the point of view of anthropologists engaging in its development. Contributors include young anthropologists with experience in the field and leading theoreticians, who combine to articulate the specific style of knowing involved in doing design anthropology. So far design anthropology has been developed mostly in the practice of industry and the public sector, in particular in Scandinavia and the US, and the sustained academic reflection to support this practice is still in its early stages. This book contributes to this theoretical reflection and provides a reference for practitioners, teachers and students of anthropology, as well as design and innovation.
Design anthropology straddles two fields or research traditions with markedly different objectives, orientations, epistemic assumptions and methods. It is this contrast that produces a creative tension in this emerging field and contributes to its development and potential. An important challenge to design anthropology is how to combine the different practices of anthropology and design, both theoretically and methodologically. Ethnography for design (or design ethnography), with a focus on using ethnographic insights and methodology in product design, has been practiced in industry since the 1970’s. More recently a strong focus on users, experiences and participatory design methods has prompted anthropologists to become facilitators of creative collaborations with, mostly, market-oriented processes of development and production. In addition there is a strand of anthropology that studies processes of change, design, materiality and innovation. What this book proposes is to combine the theoretical and methodological contributions of anthropology with perspectives and methods of design in a new and complex academic field of design anthropology. Here methodological reflections, creative processes and theoretical implications meet in hybrid forms with implications for both design and the academic field of anthropology itself.
This volume discusses how design anthropology is positioned in relation to existing academic and design traditions and identifies key elements of this emerging style of knowing. A central topic is the relation between theory and practice in design processes and how the development of theory can be part of transformative practices. Among other things, the status, materiality, and temporality of so-called ‘design concepts’ is explored. In addition the book chapters provide ample discussion of the methodology and tools that characterise design anthropology. This includes theoretical and experiential juxtaposition, performance of the possible, and use of provotypes, models, and games. The cases discussed in the book span the whole spectrum from designing concrete objects such as bridges, to exploring new possibilities for learning through model building and performance, and finally the involvement of anthropologists in government policy review and organisational change. Common for the contributions is that they draw on empirical, practice-orientated studies and deal with the development of relevant anthropological theory.
A second theme for design anthropology, discussed in this volume, is how to combine the predominant orientation towards materiality characteristic of design with an anthropological focus on practices and meaning. Things imply and impact on practices and meanings, and practices can generate new artefacts (material and immaterial).
Thirdly, time orientations of design and anthropology differ. Even though ethnographic fieldwork happens in the present, anthropology has traditionally been characterised by a retrospective orientation. The present is interpreted on the basis of patterns that derive from the past: cultural meanings, social structures, and routine practices. Design on the other hand is forward looking; it relates to the present with a view to create a potentially different future. Design anthropology attempts to extend the time perspective both ways and integrate an understanding of past patterns and transitional processes with designing new things and engaging in transformative practices.
Finally, an important challenge for design anthropology is to find ways to better integrate reflexivity and reflection on and organization of the processes and relations of design practice: between designers, anthropologists and other academics, stakeholders, users, and potential audiences.
Proceedings of the 13th Participatory Design Conference on Short Papers, Industry Cases, Workshop Descriptions, Doctoral Consortium papers, and Keynote abstracts - PDC '14 - volume 2, 2014
Proceedings of the 22nd Conference of the Computer-Human Interaction Special Interest Group of Australia on Computer-Human Interaction - OZCHI '10, 2010
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Design anthropology straddles two fields or research traditions with markedly different objectives, orientations, epistemic assumptions and methods. It is this contrast that produces a creative tension in this emerging field and contributes to its development and potential. An important challenge to design anthropology is how to combine the different practices of anthropology and design, both theoretically and methodologically. Ethnography for design (or design ethnography), with a focus on using ethnographic insights and methodology in product design, has been practiced in industry since the 1970’s. More recently a strong focus on users, experiences and participatory design methods has prompted anthropologists to become facilitators of creative collaborations with, mostly, market-oriented processes of development and production. In addition there is a strand of anthropology that studies processes of change, design, materiality and innovation. What this book proposes is to combine the theoretical and methodological contributions of anthropology with perspectives and methods of design in a new and complex academic field of design anthropology. Here methodological reflections, creative processes and theoretical implications meet in hybrid forms with implications for both design and the academic field of anthropology itself.
This volume discusses how design anthropology is positioned in relation to existing academic and design traditions and identifies key elements of this emerging style of knowing. A central topic is the relation between theory and practice in design processes and how the development of theory can be part of transformative practices. Among other things, the status, materiality, and temporality of so-called ‘design concepts’ is explored. In addition the book chapters provide ample discussion of the methodology and tools that characterise design anthropology. This includes theoretical and experiential juxtaposition, performance of the possible, and use of provotypes, models, and games. The cases discussed in the book span the whole spectrum from designing concrete objects such as bridges, to exploring new possibilities for learning through model building and performance, and finally the involvement of anthropologists in government policy review and organisational change. Common for the contributions is that they draw on empirical, practice-orientated studies and deal with the development of relevant anthropological theory.
A second theme for design anthropology, discussed in this volume, is how to combine the predominant orientation towards materiality characteristic of design with an anthropological focus on practices and meaning. Things imply and impact on practices and meanings, and practices can generate new artefacts (material and immaterial).
Thirdly, time orientations of design and anthropology differ. Even though ethnographic fieldwork happens in the present, anthropology has traditionally been characterised by a retrospective orientation. The present is interpreted on the basis of patterns that derive from the past: cultural meanings, social structures, and routine practices. Design on the other hand is forward looking; it relates to the present with a view to create a potentially different future. Design anthropology attempts to extend the time perspective both ways and integrate an understanding of past patterns and transitional processes with designing new things and engaging in transformative practices.
Finally, an important challenge for design anthropology is to find ways to better integrate reflexivity and reflection on and organization of the processes and relations of design practice: between designers, anthropologists and other academics, stakeholders, users, and potential audiences.
Design anthropology straddles two fields or research traditions with markedly different objectives, orientations, epistemic assumptions and methods. It is this contrast that produces a creative tension in this emerging field and contributes to its development and potential. An important challenge to design anthropology is how to combine the different practices of anthropology and design, both theoretically and methodologically. Ethnography for design (or design ethnography), with a focus on using ethnographic insights and methodology in product design, has been practiced in industry since the 1970’s. More recently a strong focus on users, experiences and participatory design methods has prompted anthropologists to become facilitators of creative collaborations with, mostly, market-oriented processes of development and production. In addition there is a strand of anthropology that studies processes of change, design, materiality and innovation. What this book proposes is to combine the theoretical and methodological contributions of anthropology with perspectives and methods of design in a new and complex academic field of design anthropology. Here methodological reflections, creative processes and theoretical implications meet in hybrid forms with implications for both design and the academic field of anthropology itself.
This volume discusses how design anthropology is positioned in relation to existing academic and design traditions and identifies key elements of this emerging style of knowing. A central topic is the relation between theory and practice in design processes and how the development of theory can be part of transformative practices. Among other things, the status, materiality, and temporality of so-called ‘design concepts’ is explored. In addition the book chapters provide ample discussion of the methodology and tools that characterise design anthropology. This includes theoretical and experiential juxtaposition, performance of the possible, and use of provotypes, models, and games. The cases discussed in the book span the whole spectrum from designing concrete objects such as bridges, to exploring new possibilities for learning through model building and performance, and finally the involvement of anthropologists in government policy review and organisational change. Common for the contributions is that they draw on empirical, practice-orientated studies and deal with the development of relevant anthropological theory.
A second theme for design anthropology, discussed in this volume, is how to combine the predominant orientation towards materiality characteristic of design with an anthropological focus on practices and meaning. Things imply and impact on practices and meanings, and practices can generate new artefacts (material and immaterial).
Thirdly, time orientations of design and anthropology differ. Even though ethnographic fieldwork happens in the present, anthropology has traditionally been characterised by a retrospective orientation. The present is interpreted on the basis of patterns that derive from the past: cultural meanings, social structures, and routine practices. Design on the other hand is forward looking; it relates to the present with a view to create a potentially different future. Design anthropology attempts to extend the time perspective both ways and integrate an understanding of past patterns and transitional processes with designing new things and engaging in transformative practices.
Finally, an important challenge for design anthropology is to find ways to better integrate reflexivity and reflection on and organization of the processes and relations of design practice: between designers, anthropologists and other academics, stakeholders, users, and potential audiences.