Visual tools for sustainable design education

Transcription

1 Lughbrugh University Institutinal Repsitry Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin This item was submitted t Lughbrugh University's Institutinal Repsitry by the/an authr. Citatin: LOFTHOUSE, V.A., Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Lughbrugh: Lughbrugh University, 19pp. Additinal Infrmatin: This is the reprt f an ADM-HEA funded prject, Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin, which set ut t investigate the requirements and identify the attributes f resurces t supprt the scial element f sustainable design educatin. Metadata Recrd: Versin: Accepted fr publicatin Please cite the published versin.

2 This item was submitted t Lughbrugh s Institutinal Repsitry ( by the authr and is made available under the fllwing Creative Cmmns Licence cnditins. Fr the full text f this licence, please g t:

3 Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin Final reprt fr ADM-HEA Dr Vicky Lfthuse 28 th March

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract... 3 Intrductin... 4 Cmpletin f bjective Key findings... 5 Cmpletin f bjective Key findings... 7 Cmpletin f bjectives 3 and Key findings... 9 Cnclusins Next steps Deliverables Appendix A: Prpsed issues t be included r excluded frm a tl fr student designers Appendix B: Fd fr thught Checklist Appendix C: Final list f scial issues in Fd fr thught checklist Appendix D: Scial Issues cards References LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 The prcess fllwed during the prject and the key activities undertaken... 4 Figure 2 Actin shts frm the peer review wrkshp... 6 Figure 3 Phtgraph f a selectin f the laminated Scial Issues cards... 8 Figure 4 Students testing the Scial Issues cards... 9 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Ptential psitive and negative attributes t integrate and avid in the develpment f a scial sustainability tl

5 ABSTRACT This reprt utlines the key steps undertaken in the fulfilment f the ADM-HEA prject entitled Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. It utlines the key activities undertaken in rder t meet the research bjectives and presents the findings which emerged. The prject culminated in the develpment f a Fd fr thught checklist and a range f Scial Issues Cards which were tested with UK students and fund t be valuable resurces fr raising awareness abut scial sustainability in undergraduate design students. They ffer a design riented perspective f scial issues (which has nt been prvided befre) and have been seen t raise student awareness f scial sustainability. 3

6 INTRODUCTION In line with ADM-HEA s Educatin fr sustainable develpment theme this prject aimed t investigate the requirements and identify the attributes f tls t supprt the scial element f sustainable design educatin. Fur key bjectives are t: 1. Identify limitatins f existing tls with respect t supprting the scial element f sustainability. 2. Investigate which scial issues shuld be included in a scial sustainability tl. 3. Create a tl t supprt the scial element f sustainable design teaching. 4. Test and evaluate the apprpriateness f the new tl with design students. Tw key deliverables: literature review and scial sustainability tl. Figure 1 illustrates the prcess that was fllwed and the key activities undertaken. Literature review Questinnaire Interviews Tls analysis Scial Issues Thery Refined scial Issues Validatin: Peer review wrkshp List f scial issues Develp int student friendly frmat Staff feedback Pilt tl: Fd fr thught (testing cntent & phrasing) Evaluatin with staff Sent t clleague in Mexic fr testing Feed int student prject (Design Week) Evaluatin with staff Data cllectin & analysis Scial sustainability tl (Cards with cases studies) Evaluate with prfessinal design Sent t clleague in Mexic fr testing UK testing (SD mdule) Data cllectin: students & staff Draw cnclusins Figure 1 The prcess fllwed during the prject and the key activities undertaken 4

7 The key findings frm cmpleting these deliverables will be presented belw alngside evidence as t hw the bjectives fr the prject have been met. COMPLETION OF OBJECTIVE 1 Objective 1: Identify limitatins f existing tls with respect t supprting the scial element f sustainability, has been met thrugh the cmpletin f a number f activities: Observatins and feedback frm 10 years f teaching sustainable design t industrial designers at Lughbrugh University. Experience f using ecdesign tls with industrial cllabratrs. Online questinnaire sent t apprx. 75 academics wh teach prduct design/industrial design t investigate current experiences f teaching sustainable design in British HE. 10 semi structured interviews with expert sustainable design academics have been carried ut. An in-depth literature review has been cmpleted. Knwledge develped relating t tls fr industrial designers has been drawn upn. KEY FINDINGS There are n existing tls which are suitable fr teaching scial sustainability t student prduct/industrial designers (Lfthuse, 2010a). Sme f the tls investigated did prvide useful guidance re. what scial issues are mst relevant t designers (supprting bjective 2) (ibid). Scial issues differ t ecdesign issues in that nt all issues are ging t be relevant t the set brief. As such students need t feel that they can pick and chse the relevant issues t fcus n (ibid). The lifecycle frmat f Ecdesign web was nt the best way frward fr the tl, as was first anticipated. the life cycle fcus encurages students t think abut issues which are just t far ut side f the remit f designers and mits a lt f relevant scial issues e.g. emtinal durability. the fact that nt all scial issues will be apprpriate t each prject whereas with the ecdesign web encurages as many issues as pssible t be cnsidered. Other existing tls ffer useful attributes which had the ptential t be utilised in a scial sustainability tl (mre effectively than the Ecdesign web). Opprtunities ffered by 'Infrmatin/Inspiratin' and the Design Abacus may lead t a mre cmprehensive tl. Psitive and negative characteristics fr a scial sustainability tl were identified (ibid) see Table 1. 5

8 Table 1 Ptential psitive and negative attributes t integrate and avid in the develpment f a scial sustainability tl Prs t cnsider including Offer guidance Inspiratinal case studies Educate them / raise awareness Offer dynamic access Be written in a nn scientific language Visually interesting Flexible t allw students t cnsider a wide array f issues Encurage discussin Encurage students t think abut what issues are apprpriate, rather than simply cpying them dwn Interactive, supprt learning by ding Game element makes it interesting Visual reminder wall chart Allws nvice designers t cmpare different characteristics f a prduct in a better than wrse than way Can be picked up with a bare minimum f expertise Cns t avid Need fr a reasnable level f prir knwledge A lack f guidance means students ften fcus n inapprpriate scial issues Nt clear hw t use it Time intensive fr teaching Nt easy t apply t real life prjects Nt hlistic enugh (nly fcuses n ne issue at a time) Lack f guidance Unfeasible utputs Lifecycle fcus COMPLETION OF OBJECTIVE 2 Objective 2: Investigate which scial issues shuld be included in a scial sustainability tl, has been met thrugh the cmpletin f the fllwing activities: In depth literature review. Online questinnaire sent t apprx. 75 academics wh teach prduct design/industrial design t investigate current experiences f teaching sustainable design in higher educatin in the UK. Semi structured interviews with 10 academics wrking in the field f sustainable design educatin in British Universities. Peer review wrkshp (see Figure 2).. Figure 2 Actin shts frm the peer review wrkshp 6

9 KEY FINDINGS The literature review did nt reveal a definitive list f relevant scial issues fr designers, thugh a range f ptential issues did emerge (Lfthuse, 2010b). The study t date has raised mre questins than it has answered, hwever it may have shed sme light n why the scial element f sustainable design is nt mre cnsidered. Scial sustainable design issues are bth hlistic and selective (prject specific). The lack f definitin and identificatin re what srts f scial issues designers shuld be respnsible fr/influence means that scial sustainability has nt been made relevant t design. Scial sustainability takes a needs fcus which is cnsiderably mre difficult t implement than the prduct fcus f ecdesign. There is a need fr a range f different types f tls ffering different pprtunities, but the fact that scial sustainability is a relatively new tpic fr prduct design students means that an intrductry tl wuld be very valuable. This tl may be mre abut awareness raising than pririty setting, as initially anticipated. There is n recgnised way f gruping scial issues (unlike fr ecdesign issues). Nine clusters have been identified frm the literature review. Literature review findings were mapped thse frm the interviews and surprisingly the number f ptential issues fr student designers t cnsider has been reduced. The emergent issues were tested fr validity in the peer review wrkshp and the first cmprehensive list f apprpriate scial issues f student designers was cmpiled (see Appendix A). COMPLETION OF OBJECTIVES 3 AND 4 As these tw bjectives are integral t ne anther and have been cnsidered iteratively they will be cnsidered tgether. Objectives 3 and 4: Create a tl t supprt the scial element f sustainable design teaching and Test and evaluate the apprpriateness f the new tl with design students has been met thrugh the cmpletin f the fllwing activities. Early prttyping. Peer review wrkshp. Pilt study (Lfthuse, 2011b) Develpment f Fd fr thughts checklist (see Appendix B). Review f checklist by mdule staff. 7

10 Testing with 120 x 2 nd year Industrial/Prduct design students in Design week prject t supprt the use f the Design Abacus. Analysis f student respnse t the checklist by reviewing the evidence f scial issues in their Design abacuses and drawing ut findings. A final checklist f scial issues was drawn up based n the findings f the pilt study (see Appendix C). The checklist has been sent t Dr Ricard Victria Uribe fr testing with undergraduate students in Mexic. Prttype scial issues tl (Lfthuse, 2011a) see Figure 3. Develpment f the Scial Issue Cards (see Appendix D) using the refined list f scial issues. Literature review t identify apprpriate case studies. Refinement f the issues t make them apprpriate t the cards frmat. 30 duble sided Scial issues cards were develped. One side presents a questin and the ther side presents a case study. Case studies are drawn frm bth develping and develped cuntries. 8 sets were printed. Review with prfessinal designer. Testing with 50 x 2 nd year Industrial/Prduct design students enrlled n the elective Sustainable Design mdule (see Figure 4). The cards have been sent t Dr Ricard Victria Uribe fr translatin and testing with undergraduate students in Mexic Scial Issue Cards have been upladed t the 'Infrmatin/Inspiratin' website fr free dwnlad. Figure 3 Phtgraph f a selectin f the laminated Scial Issues cards 8

11 Figure 4 Students testing the Scial Issues cards KEY FINDINGS The scial issues were refrmatted fr delivery as psitive/ negative attributes thrugh the design abacus and as a checklist. It was felt that these culd be supprted by case study examples, prvided thrugh InfrmatinInspiratin. In the end a hybrid checklist called Fd fr thught was prduced which asked questins arund each f the issues identified t try raise students awareness f the issues (Lfthuse, 2011b). Findings frm the pilt study: Use f the checklist encuraged student t integrate new (relevant) scial issues int the Design Abacus. The checklist enabled students t identify scial issues which were relevant t their brief. Students were naturally drawn twards issues that were relevant t the brief and that they culd relate t. The inclusin f issues which had nt been seen in student Design Abacuses in the past suggests that the checklist did help t raise their awareness with respect t scial issues. The checklist allwed students t recgnise that it is nt always apprpriate t cnsider all scial issues. 9

12 Nt prviding the actual wrds t put in t the Abacus meant that students had spend time thinking abut the meaning, rather than cpying them verbatim. The checklist did nt stp the students frm cming up with things their wn scial issues, which is a gd utcme. The flexible frmat f the checklist meant that new issues culd be easily absrbed in future iteratins. A series f visual cards were prpsed fr the prttype tl. They were t be based n the scial issues identified, and cntain illustrative case studies. The cards wuld prvide the visual element, ffer dynamic access in a wrkshp envirnment, as well as ffering inspiratin thrugh the case studies prvided, which wuld help t demystify the prcess and demnstrate hw each f the issues can be cnsidered by designers (Lfthuse, 2010a). Findings frm the testing f the prttype tl Scial Issues cards All f the findings frm the pilt study (listed abve) were seen t be true fr the Scial Issues cards. In additin it was seen that: The cards and the checklist tgether prved t be a useful cmbinatin. The visual nature f the cards in terms f the examples and the fact that they culd be played with, was well received by the students. In general the students liked the examples n the cards. A number specifically stated that they fund them t be inspiratinal. It was identified hwever, that examples MUST be relevant t prduct design t be valuable and therefre need t be carefully selected. Selectin f inapprpriate case studies can lead t disillusinment. CONCLUSIONS As a result f the study, a much clearer understanding f the types f scial issues which are apprpriate t student industrial designers has been identified. This will have benefits fr teaching the subject in general and will als prvide staff using the Design abacus with a crib sheet f typical issues fr student t utilise. The prject has pen up the debate as t what scial issues are apprpriate t student industrial designers and identified that the whle gamete f scial issues ften thrwn at student designers can have a negative effect n their engagement with the issues. In general bth the students and the staff fund the Fd fr thught checklist and the Scial Issues cards t be valuable resurces fr raising awareness abut scial sustainability in undergraduate design students. They ffer a design riented perspective f scial issues (which has nt been prvided befre) and have been seen t raise student awareness f scial sustainability. They are a cmplementary resurce fr supprting the Design abacus which is well placed t allw student t cnsider a wide range f sustainable design issues. Thugh the intentin was that the Scial Issues cards be the main utput f this prject, the suggestin f benefits frm prviding bth tls in cmbinatin means that they will bth be upladed nt the 'Infrmatin/Inspiratin' website fr thers t access. 10

13 There is ptential fr these resurces t be fairly easily translated int ther languages, the checklist has already been successfully translated and is being tested. The cards will be translated ahead f being tested by clleagues in Mexic. Thugh the cards are quite time cnsuming t initially prepare when a large number f grups are invlved (e.g. 8 grups x 30 scial issues cards), and there is a cst invlved. Once they have been created they are available fr future iteratins, and were cnsidered t be wrth the investment. NEXT STEPS Test and evaluate the apprpriateness f the Scial Issues cards with design students in Mexic examples will need translating. This will be delayed slightly due t the different terms times in Mexic. A jurnal paper fcused n Identifying relevant scial issues fr student designers is planned fr Design and Technlgy Educatin: an Internatinal Jurnal, published by Trentham Bks Limited. A jurnal paper fcused n Tls fr scial sustainability in undergraduate design educatin is planned fr the Internatinal Jurnal f Technlgy and Design Educatin published by Springer. DELIVERABLES Interim reprt Seven internal reprts: LOFTHOUSE, V.A. (2010) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Objective1: Analysis f existing tls t identify lessns fr the develpment f a tl fr scial sustainability, Internal reprt ADM-HEA:001, 23 rd August 2010 LOFTHOUSE, V. (2010) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Objective 2: Literature review fr ADM-HEA, Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University. Internal reprt ADM-HEA:002, 18 th Octber 2010 LOFTHOUSE, V. & WATKINS, M. (2010) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Internal Reprt fr ADM-HEA: Findings frm the interviews, Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM-HEA: th Octber 2010 LOFTHOUSE, V. & WATKINS, M. (2010) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Internal Reprt fr ADM-HEA: Findings frm the questinnaires, Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM-HEA: th July 2010 LOFTHOUSE, V. (2010) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Internal Reprt fr ADM-HEA: Identifying and justifying the scial issues which are relevant t student designers, Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM-HEA: th January

14 LOFTHOUSE, V.A. (2011) Internal reprt: Pilt study, Internal reprt ADM-HEA:006, 8 th March 2011 LOFTHOUSE, V. (2011) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Internal reprt: Develpment and testing f scial sustainability tl Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM-HEA:007, 15 th March Fd fr thught checklist 30 Scial Issues cards Final reprt 12

15 APPENDIX A: PROPOSED ISSUES TO BE INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED FROM A TOOL FOR STUDENT DESIGNERS Prpsed issues t included Des it imprve health and well being? Des it encurage participatin and belnging? Des it encurage empwerment and prmte human cmpetence? Des it enhance scial interactin, cmmunicatin and engagement? Des it enrich users lives r increase quality f life fr all? Des it prmte happiness? Is it actually needed? Is the brief ethical? Des it encurage a sense f cmmunity? Prpsed issues t be excluded * Is it designed t be inclusive / universal? Des it stimulate the senses? Is the prduct apprpriate fr the sciety and culture it will be used in? Will it encurage the maintenance f traditinal knwledge and skills? Will it maintain scial r cultural traditins? Is it created in cllabratin with stakehlders? Will it be fair trade? Will wrkers have fair wrking cnditins? Des it supprt learning and understanding? Is the prduct respnsible? Is it lcally prduced? Prpsed issues t be excluded * Is it designed t be inclusive/ universal? Des it stimulate the senses? Is the prduct apprpriate fr the sciety and culture it will be used in? Will it encurage the maintenance f traditinal knwledge and skills? Will it maintain scial r cultural traditins? Is it created in cllabratin with stakehlders? Will it be fair trade? Will wrkers have fair wrking cnditins? Des it supprt learning and understanding? Is the prduct respnsible? Summary f the reasns as t why they were excluded Althugh recgnised as a relevant scial issue fr designers, it is a well supprted issue & cmmnly addressed in design practice and therefre wasn t included. This was nly identified as a relevant issue by 1 authr s was nt included. Experts recgnised the need t keep a design fcus, & this issue was seen t be utside the cntrl f student designers, als it is difficult t envisage where a prduct might be used (e.g. mbile phnes). Outside the remit f student designers. Outside the remit f student designers. Thugh widely discussed, it was recgnised that despite its gd intentins, it was nt always viable, & due t its cntext specific nature, may nt always be desirable. Only really apprpriate fr cffee, tea, chclate and bananas. Outside the remit f student designers. Thugh highlighted in the literature, it was felt this culd be cvered elsewhere & it had limited relevance t student designers. It did nt feature in the interviews. It was felt that including this suggested that nrmally design wasn t respnsible. This als led t issues re wh can say what is respnsible r nt. Therefre it has been left ut fr being t subjective & ptentially cvered by ther issues. 13

16 Is it lcally prduced? Nt everything can r shuld be prduced lcally (cars, dmestic appliances, plastics etc.). 14

17 APPENDIX B: FOOD FOR THOUGHT CHECKLIST Think abut scial issues, cnsider: Hw culd yur design imprve health and well being? Hw culd yur design encurage participatin and belnging? Hw culd yur design encurage empwerment? Hw culd yur design prmte persnal abilities? Hw culd yur design enhance scial interactin? Hw culd yur design enhance cmmunicatin? Hw culd yur design enhance scial engagement? Hw culd yur design enrich users lives? Hw culd yur design increase quality f life fr all? Hw culd yur design prmte happiness? Is the prduct actually needed? Hw culd yur design encurage a sense f cmmunity? Hw culd yur design maintain lcal/ cultural traditins? Other. Which f these issues culd yu feed int yur Design abacus? 15

18 APPENDIX C: FINAL LIST OF SOCIAL ISSUES IN FOOD FOR THOUGHT CHECKLIST Think abut scial issues, cnsider: Hw culd yur design imprve health and well being? Hw culd yur design encurage participatin and belnging? Hw culd yur design encurage empwerment and prmte human cmpetence? Hw culd yur design enhance scial interactin r engagement? Hw culd yur design enhance cmmunicatin? Hw culd yur design enrich users lives and increase quality f life? Hw culd yur design prmte happiness? Hw culd yu design demnstrate the values f the user? Hw culd yur design create an emtinal bnd with the user? Is the prduct actually needed? Hw culd yur design encurage a sense f cmmunity? Hw culd yur design maintain lcal/ cultural traditins? Other 16

19 APPENDIX D: SOCIAL ISSUES CARDS 17

20 18

21 REFERENCES LOFTHOUSE, V. (2010a) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Objective1: Analysis f existing tls t identify lessns fr the develpment f a tl fr scial sustainability. Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM-HEA:001. LOFTHOUSE, V. (2010b) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Objectives 2: Literature review fr ADM-HEA Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM-HEA:002. LOFTHOUSE, V. (2011a) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Internal reprt: Develpment and testing f scial sustainability tl Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM- HEA:007. LOFTHOUSE, V. (2011b) Visual tls fr sustainable design educatin. Internal reprt: Pilt testing the tl develpment Lughbrugh, Lughbrugh University ADM-HEA: