Designs Evolution: Sub-Disciplines, Attitudes, Methods

Four Orders of Design Based on Buchanan 2001

First Order Design

Second Order Design

Third Order Design

Fourth Order Design

Symbolic & Visual

Communications
(Symbol)

Material Objects
& Artifacts
(Object)

Interactions &
Process
(Action)

Environments &
Systems
(Culture/Systems)

Sub-disciplines: Communication &

Graphic Design
Concerned with: the problems of
communicating information, ideas,
arguments through a synthesis of
words and images using a variety of
media. Motivation through argument.
Outputs: printed and digital communications of all kinds; logos & identities; simple websites; online forms &
communications,

Sub-disciplines: Industrial & Product

Design, Fashion Design
Concerned with: the form, function
and appearance of everyday objects
and explores the physical, psychological, social and cultural relationships
between products and human beings.
Usually mass produced.
Outputs: appliances; furniture;
vehicles; hand held devices; tools;
medical equipment; packaging, etc.

Sub-disciplines: Interaction Design,

Experience Design, Service Design,
Design for Social Innovation,Design
Thinking, Strategy & Planning
Concerned with: interactions and
experiences that include communications and products. Includes mediating
between the digital and the physical,
managing logistics, combining physical
resources, instrumentalities and human beings to achieve an organic flow
of situated experiences that are
productive, meaningful and satisfying.
Outputs: product service systems,
user/customer experiences;

Sub-disciplines: Interior Design,

Architecture, Urban Planning, CoDesign, Transition Design, Facilitation
Concerned with: complex systems
and environments for living, working,
playing and learning. Systems-level
concerns involving analysis of parts
within complex wholes and ecologies of systems. Explores the role
of design in sustaining, developing
and integrating human beings into
broader ecological and cultural environments and shaping/adapting
these environments
Outputs: redesign of patient/doctor
conversations; shaping of new local
or regional education policy; redesign of national voting system; redesign of a national tax system; design
of niche transition experiments;

Evolution of Designs Characteristics From Dubberly et al 2008; Manzini 2015

Mechanical-Object Ethos
Expert/Disciplinary
Seeks Simplicity
Audience: Customers
Working Toward Finish
Solutions: Planned
Proprietary Knowledge

Organic-Systems Ethos
Diffuse/Transdisciplinary
Embraces Complexity
Audience: Co-Creators
Beta-Friendly Iteration
Solutions: Emergent
Open Source Knowledge

Four Generations of Design Methods Jones 2014

Generation

First

Second

Third

Fourth

Orientation

Rational 1960s

Pragmatic 1970s

Phenomenological 1980s

Generative 2000s

Methods

Movement from Craft to

Standardized Methods

Instrumentality, Methods
Customized to Context

Design research and

Stakeholder Methods,
Design cognition

Generative, Empathic and

Transdisicplinary

Authors & Trends

Simon, Fuller, Design

Science Planning

Rittel, Jones, Wicked

Problems evolution

Archer, Norman, User-Centered Design, Participatory

Design

Dubberly, Sanders,
Generative Design,
Service Design

Systems
Influences

Sciences, Systems Engineering

Natural Systems, Hard

Systems

Systems Dynamics, Social

Systems, Soft Systems

Complexity